Chapter 2
The Vestige Caverns
The camp was silent. Eerie sounds of cave monsters echoing from inside the cave. A few times I think I hear a scream but it was probably just my imagination.
"Psst, Riley." Rizor was sliding across the ground and over to me.
"What are you doing?" We kept our voices to a whisper to keep from waking the others.
"I just wanted to talk to you about something." He stood up next to me and looked around before speaking. "What's your opinion of everyone?" I hit him square in the shoulder.
"Are you crazy!? Your shift is next and you should be asleep not gossiping about everyone else to me."
"Um, ow. I'm sorry we have just been so busy I haven't had the chance to talk to you much."
"I know. Well If you insist. Where should we start?"
"Lets talk about Alora." He cocked his eyebrow.
"What about her?"
"Come on I know you like her."
"Maybe. She won't even look at me let alone speak to me." I tilted my head to the side, and sighed.
"All right, fine we will talk about someone else." Rizor was very empathetic, nobody could tell though cause most of the time he was trying to get on your nerves. "What about Tetra?"
"Something about him is strange. He is so young and his wisdom definitely surpasses his years."
"Well I always like to think that wisdom doesn't come only from age."
"Of course you would, oh wise one."
"Oh haha, you are just too funny." We both laughed.
"Looks like it's time for you shift already. I'm going to bed." I walked over to my bag and laid down. I feel asleep to the sound of Rizor muttering complaints to himself.
That night was the last time I'd laugh for a long time.
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The next morning was quiet. The calm before the storm. We didn't pack up the camp but instead left it as it was.
"We either finish this before nightfall, or we won't be coming back at all. If we find the Ultamite and survive we will reuse the campsite before our journey back to Bezage. If we die then there is no reason to clean up after ourselves right?" Tetra laughed but no one even cracked a smile. "I apologize for trying to lighten the mood. Let's us be off then."
The mouth of the cave was tall, and was shaped like a triangle. The transition inside was strange. I have been inside caves before, but it was like as we entered the world outside just disappeared. The sunlight vanished beneath out feet and no light entered the cave itself. This wasn't just your average cave.
Ziden gave us all torches, and using his power of magic he set each ablaze with an eternal fire.
"The cave has a central chamber. I've managed to make a map but I have yet to finish it. From the mouth of the cave, we can head in one of three directions. I suggest we head to the left as that's the least part I have mapped out."
"You want to us to go in the direction with the most surprises then Tetra?" Ziden was sweating a great deal. He was even more nervous then I.
"I have been in these caves for years and never seen anything that describes the description of this Ultamite ore. If we go ways I have yet to go we might just be able to find it."
We walked for only a few minutes until we came to fork in our path. One lead directly to the left, one to center, and another to the right.
"Here is the only fork in the whole cave I have been able to map."
"It's odd, this isn't supposed to be a man made cave but not only are the walls so smooth this fork just seems too...planned." I looked over at Tetra seeking an answer.
"That was the first thing I noticed when I entered this cave. It's pointless to worry about a question which cannot be answered. We will be going left so let us be off." I refused to believe there was a question that could not be answered. I let my curiosity get the better of me and while the group went to the left, I went to the right.
The cave stayed consistent. A straight path to the right with no special features other then the cave walls were black. Not long after separating from the group I looked down and saw a faint light behind me. I turned around quickly only to see Alora had been following me.
"Alora I...why are you...I didn't mean too...we can go back."
"Shut up. You and I both felt it. Something about this direction just seems right."
"Ha, yea and it seems right cause it is right haha." I laughed but Alora just gave me her usual evil eye. "Okay then we should go."
It was strange traveling with her after crushing over her the last few days. She remained completely silent for most of the time and trying to initiate a conversation always lead to disaster. After walking for what seemed like hours I tried yet again to converse with her.
"So, what's with that necklace you always wear? It's look pretty old." I hit a nerve.
"What's with it? Don't speak so casually of it. It's a family heirloom that my great-grandmother gave me when she passed away. It's very special and very powerful so next time think carefully before you decide to insult someone's things." The whole time she was yelling she was backing me into the cave wall. It was funny and scary at the same time because she was at least a head shorter then me.
My back uncomfortably pressed against the cave wall I tried to reason with her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know I was just curious."
"Seems you are more foolish then curious. Also, stop looking at my chest." She backed away from me. A roar interrupted our little lovers quarrel.
"What was that?"
"Probably a monster idiot." Alora reached into a small brown pack she was carrying on her waist, and pulled out two small daggers. She held them backwards in her hands, facing away from her arms.
"I was wondering what kind of weapon you used."
"Can you focus please? We are about to me mauled by a monster and you are curiously concerned with my weapon of choice then your own life." She look ahead of us, ready to fight anything that might come our way. I pulled the bow off my back, and gently pulled back an arrow ready to strike.
"I don't see anything."
"Of course not it's pitch dark in here." Alora picked up the torch she had dropped earlier when harassing me, and threw it farther into the cave. Within seconds a large monster charging on all fours was coming right at us. I flung myself to the side of the cave wall, and Alora jumped into the air and atop the large beast. He flailed back in forth, the large horns on his head scrapping against the cave ceiling making a terrible sound. I quickly backed away from the beast and readied my bow.
One shot, missed. It was too dark. The monster was getting too far away from the beast. I needed to get to the torch. Alora was still holding onto the beast horns and screaming for the first time since I'd meet her. The cave was rumbling, feeling as if it were going to collapse. I ran over to the torch, dodging the beast giant feet to keep from getting crushed. I finally grabbed the torch and quickly backed away.
"Think think think. You've got to save her." I didn't know what to do. I could see Alora stabbing at the beast with her daggers but it had no effect. "I got it!"
I pulled out one of my arrows, and touched it to the fire of the torch. Quickly I loaded it in my bow, and aimed straight for the beast head. With great determination, I released the arrow. As it went flying through the cave toward the beast I could hear Alora scream one last time. The arrow pierced the beast eye and blood spewed from it like a fountain. The monster flung Alora against the cave wall and trampled off into the darkness of the cave crying in pain.
Coming Soon!
Chapter 3: The Necklace of Alor.
