Cough!
Cough!
Emlen glanced at the man walking behind him. The soldier ripped off the bloodstained lower portion of his sleeve, revealing a tight bandaged wrist. Red seeped from the fabric, giving off an agonizing vibe.
Sensing his gaze, the man straightened and clenched his wounded hand. "I am well, My Lord."
"Take care of it lest it gets infected." Emlen turned away and heard the man's subtle positive response.
The caves seed to grow deeper the farther they ventured. The dry air and heat made it difficult for them to stay focused. Furthermore, the only thing they could hear was the sound of their footsteps and their breathing. One would think they were lost. However, Emlen analyzed the direction of the wind and the cave rock structure to deduce that they were heading toward the end of the rock bridge while traveling within it. Relieved, he led the front of the group.
They had to make stops every few hours to catch their breath. Every ti Emlen checked his watch, it felt as though they had been walking longer than they initially did. Or perhaps it was just the exhaustion taking over...
"My Lord..." Suddenly, one of the n spoke. He sounded hesitant. Emlen made a sound while they continued to walk.
The man continued. "If I may ask, what benefit would we gain from obtaining this relic of a myth that no one had ever even heard about?"
A frown filled Emlen's expression. "Were you not briefed about the significance of this assignnt?"
"We were. I was rely curious. It was the first ti we had ever heard about this 'Chrysolite' relic. And the only thing we had deduced from the briefing was how important it was for Lynari's goal."
The brows on the pathfinder's head furrowed. "My brother has his reasons. He hid many secrets from us and we gathered it was because he wanted to protect us from the weight of it. And if he had to shoulder all of those mysteries for the good of everyone, then he is willing to take the burden. He has a good heart and will do what is must to end this dark demonic reign."
Emlen lowered his gaze, "The realm he has entered is sothing out of reach and unknown. And he will use the knowledge he has gained from it to aid all that is good. All I can say is that we must trust him. Have faith."
The weight of his words filled the air. It sparked sothing impelling and heavy. The man who had questioned nodded. "You must love your brother very much despite the vast differences. There is no need for worries. Our Lynari has carried a great burden for us and it is an honor to carry out his wishes."
Emlen smiled faintly and nodded. Their steps quickened. An eagerness that hadn't existed before erged and filled their spirits. They must hurry and return to witness the greatness their Lynari will bring because of their aid.
As they walked, Emlen paused briefly. A slight tremor could be felt from the ground. The n had also stopped. It seed like they sensed it as well. The once calm atmosphere changed. A fierce wave of caution filled their eyes.
"Stay sharp." Emlen reminded as they slowly moved forward.
Rumble!
Suddenly, the shaking grew more violent! Alard, the n froze silently while trying to determine the direction of the chaos.
"It's coming from behind!" One of the n shouted. "Run!"
In a split second, they sprinted as fast as their legs could carry. Emlen found it difficult to catch his breath as he focused on leading the route of his group.
A familiar clicking sound filled the caves, along with the deafening noise of collapsing rocks. Grey eyes constricted as the pathfinder's heartbeat quickened significantly. It was the centipede malibreed!
Gritting his teeth, Emlen agilely overca the rocky obstacles in his path as he led the n through the tunnels. However, the noise grew louder. It was catching up.
"My Lord!"
The warning ca a second late before a burst of heat exploded in front of his face. A strong hand jerked him from the disastrous fire and before he knew it, Emlen was stumbling back. Head, banging against a firm rock. Crack!
His entire world seed to warp, and incoherent voices filled his ears. The pain was sharp and swift, instantly engulfing his head.
In the next instance, he was weightless. A strong arm anchored him over sothing firm that pressed against his stomach. His whole body ached and jumped. Sothing beats against his belly.
"My Lord! Get a hold of yourself!"
The words pierced Emlen's ears, and he forcibly yanked himself away from unconsciousness. Sothing was dripping from the side of his head to his chin.
He groaned as the man stopped carrying him over his shoulder, setting him down on the ground with an arm around his back, supporting Emlen. He tries to gather his thoughts.
Sothing exploded in front of him, and now they were...
Rumble!
"It's coming." The man paled. "We're at a dead end!"
Emlen struggled to turn, scanning his surroundings. They were located against a blockage of rocks. There was only one way forward.
The n drew their weapons towards the darkness as the noise grew even louder, gripping their fearful souls. No one could comprehend the fear they were currently experiencing. However, they had no choice but to face it.
If they don't do anything soon... for them, death will only be rcy.
Weakly, Emlen searches for sothing in his pouches. His breaths were getting lighter. The man supporting him understood his intentions and helped him fish out a peculiar bag. The pathfinder did not hesitate to grip the object before forcing himself on his feet.
"My lord, you are hurt!" The man shouted, trying to pull him back only to be pushed away.
Emlen snatched the lamp and walked to the front of the group, facing the incoming monster. The n stared at him in uncertainty.
The clicking noise now sounded like the loud, relentless beating of drums pounding on his eardrums. Emlen exhaled a breath, bracing himself.
"What are you trying to do?"
Emlen did not turn. He could make out the head of the grotesque monster crawling into the tunnel. Acid oozed from its mouth hungrily as it released a piercing screech.
Grey eyes are sharp as a knife. "Have faith..."
With that, he launched himself towards the malibreed. The ground cracked from the force of his feet. He uttered the spell and appeared before the gaping mouth of the centipede. Ti seed to slow as the swaying lamp revealed the monster's grotesque head. A hundred eyes reflected Emlen's small figure.
Emlen hand reached for the armored shell before gigantic mandibles embraced his body.
Boom!
The noise reached its apex.
White filled his vision.
.....
As one drifted into the space of light unconsciousness, they sensed little to nothing from the forces of the outside world. The soft caress of grass on his skin, the familiar sll of his mother's garden, and the soft laughter of soone so innocent and... precious.
In the depth, Emlen saw himself sitting in a familiar place. A grand garden filled with exotic and beautiful plants. The blanket of string-like branches enveloped him like a protective barrier. Underneath a gigantic tree in his mother's cherished garden, he sat in silence, listening to the breeze.
He was smaller.
Then he heard laughter. A child entered the protective shade of the tree, beaming at him brightly. His curly brown hair and pearly eyes made him so much like their mother. In the next second, the child stumbled towards him eagerly. Emlen froze, facing the sweet child version of his youngest brother, Moulin.
Moulin instantly hugged him, jumping on his brother's lap. His chubby face was smiling. Small dainty hands, cupping Emlen's shocked face.
"Brother, hurry. I need you..." The sound that cos from Moulin is strange, echoing as though a hundred voices were speaking.
Emlen stared, speechless. The child's eyes turned into a bright silver, glowing majestically as he spoke.
"His relic is the key..."
"Agh!..."
Grey eyes snapped open. Emlen sat up, gasping for dear life. His face is bloodless as sweat dripped from his skin.
"Master Pathfinder, thank goodness you are awake." A voice interrupted Emlen as a man knelt beside him, keeping him still. "Please do not move; you are still recovering."
Recovering?
Emlen lowered his gaze. His torso was bare, with gauze wrapped around his waist. Blood seeped from the fabric, but he felt no pain. His temples were wrapped up as well where a dull ache pulsed occasionally. In a sorry state, he was lying against a boulder located at the center of a wide cave. His surroundings had changed. Tiny streams of glowing red liquid branched throughout the room, sizzling in heat. In the ceiling, a small hole served as the only source of light.
Smoke filled Emlen's lungs, instantly putting him in a coughing fit. The man patted his back, delivering a flask to his lips.
"After the malibreed was sealed, you fainted. We quickly recovered you before the tunnel fell through. The collapse fortunately opened a way to this area."
"Cough!... and the rest?" Emlen felt his throat burning.
"We are well, My lord." A voice spoke. The rest of the group approached him, letting Emlen witness their unhard state.
The warrior beside Emlen brought him a foot-long flat monoclinic stone. The runes glowed brightly, throbbing as though clashing against a ferocious force within.
"The malibreed is sealed within." The man spoke. His voice trembled slightly. "Such a powerful malibreed was imprisoned in a re second. I have never seen such a powerful relic."
Without these relics, they wouldn't have survived this far.
Emlen lifted his hand, pausing briefly before he took the relic and placed it back in the pouch. He was wounded badly, but he still had enough strength to walk.
"We can't linger any longer..." Emlen hoarsely spoke. "We must return as soon as we can..."
Moulin's innocent face flashed in his mind. With a voice that sounded like him but didn't belong to him. It felt as though it had possessed his youngest brother's image. Emlen sensed a deep foreboding...
The n had already rested enough and with Emlen back, their journey would be smoother than the previous hours spent. Without hesitation, the n began packing up, ready to depart.
.....
anwhile, in a certain realm, a youthful face with closed eyes stood on the balcony. Long lashes fluttered delicately as they parted to reveal stunning silver pupils. Moulin felt the breeze brush against his face. Colder than usual.
Finishing his 'prayer,' Moulin sighed and turned to return to his quarters, ignoring a certain furball sitting unusually silent by the doorway. The fox's beady eyes possessed an eerie glow, staring at the youth's slender back.
In the next second, the strange look vanished. Snow blinked, lifting his paw to rub his snout.
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