Another vast cavern stretched out before Alan. The stream he had been following flowed gracefully, cascading down into a dark pond. The water splashed gently, its surface black and still, like the dark of the night. No reflections danced upon it despite shimmering crystals casting light all around.
A sound broke the silence. Sniff-snuff. Movement.
Alan froze, ears straining. His heart quickened. He crouched, his eyes darting around. The source of the sound came to him—a family of deer. They emerged cautiously, their delicate forms illuminated by the faint crystal light. The animals moved toward the pond with cautious steps. Heads raised, ears twitching, they stopped to listen.
Alan held his breath, a habit he learned from hunting in the wood of Nedr. The deer seemed on edge, sensing their surroundings. But, hearing and seeing nothing unusual, they proceeded. Slowly, they lowered their heads and drank from the pond tentatively as if the water demanded their respect. Sip. Sip. Sip.
Alan's thoughts raced. Wild animals. How did they get here? Were they from outside? A flicker of hope lit his eyes. If these creatures had found their way here, maybe there was a way out.
He descended—light steps, slow and deliberate. Then—clack-clack-clack-plop—a pebble shifted under his boot.
It hit the surface of the pond—KERSPLASH!
The water exploded. A massive splash claimed a deer—WHUMP—swallowed her whole. The herd scattered. Blood marked the spot where the deer once stood.
Panicked, Alan jumped from the drop—THUD! He hit the ground, chasing after the herd. His boots echoed unnaturally. He paused. Wait, I can float, he thought. But, by then, the deers had disappeared into various dark tunnels, leaving him sighing.
Disappointed, he returned to the pond's edge. His gaze fixed on the water, searching for any sign of movement. He found none. No movement. No disturbance—just stillness. Yet, somehow, the pond felt alive, like a portal to somewhere deeper.
Alan crouched, still fixated on the dark depths.
What was that earlier? A monster? A beast?
Questions flooded his mind, but the water offered no answers. It gave only a sense of unease, warning him to keep his distance. Alan heeded the silent warning, rising to his feet. The secrets of the pond were not meant for him.
With his hope faded, Alan surveyed the cavern. He needed a plan. Two large tunnels yawned open on the right side, their darkness uninviting. On the left, three smaller tunnels twisted into the unknown.
"This must be the dungeon under Kragnir Peak," Alan muttered. "Where did the others go? We were together when the snow fell."
Desperation took hold. Alan inhaled deeply before shouting, "EMMMMMA!!!" His voice boomed through the cavern, echoing endlessly down each passage. He strained to hear a response, but silence was his only answer.
"MILLA!!!"
Glub-glub-glub-glub...
This time, something stirred. The pond responded to his cry. Its surface bubbled violently, water splashing outward. The once-quiet pond now roared into life.
"Oh no," Alan whispered, realizing what he'd done. He turned, and his eyes popped as shadows began to rise from the water. Countless writhing forms surged upward, tearing through the surface, their slimy bodies twisting and coiling unnaturally.
The creatures were hideous—serpentine with long, slick bodies. Their glowing eyes pierced the darkness. Jaws lined with jagged teeth snapped as they emerged. Their skins shimmered, reflecting the crystals' light in eerie rainbows. Two sharp whiskers jutted from their snouts, and a long fin ran from their heads to their tails.
Alan planted his feet, fists clenched, ready to fight. But as more and more serpents emerged, his resolve wavered. There were too many. Dozens became hundreds, their heads swaying, whiskers trembling as if sensing his nerves unraveling.
Alan's legs felt weak. Panic set in. Without hesitation, he turned and dashed toward one of the tunnels.
The serpents gave chase.
—
Alan wove through the path with the serpents' slimy squeaks echoing behind him.
Squeak... (pause) ... Squeak... Squeak! SQUEEEEAK!
Alan ran faster; the path was too low for flight. He could feel their presence—clammy, cold, and relentless. Fish breath reached Alan's neck. He skidded to a halt, anchored his feet. With a deep inhale, he summoned fire. A blast of flames shot forward, lighting up the tunnel.
For a brief moment, he saw the gaping jaw of a serpent, teeth bared, mere breaths from his face.
BOOM!
The flames consumed the serpent's head—SKREEEEEEEEK! Charred flesh hit Alan's nose.
He didn't wait for the fall—he sprinted onward, the thought of serpents lurking just behind his neck haunting his every step. Couldn't I just float to the ceiling and rain fire down? Would that kill them all? Alan thought, asking questions he had no time to explore.
Ahead, a sliver of light appeared. It grew brighter as Alan approached, and the passage widened. The sounds of pursuit began to fade, but the unease lingered. The serpents might have retreated, but Alan knew they were still out there, lurking.
Bursting into an open space, the light blinded him. But he didn't need the light for what came next. He turned, and fire exploded from his hands. Blast after blast surged into the tunnel. The walls trembled—the ground shifted. Dust rained down, mixing with the serpents' shrill and agonized hisses.
Alan stopped only when the last hiss faded into the crumbling of stone. He waited, ears straining for any hint of movement. Nothing.
An exhale came through—an extended, shaky release—letting the tension drain from his body. His shoulders dropped, and his grip softened.
Before him lay a new cavern, as vast as the first but devoid of water. His eyes scanned the space, taking in the familiar glow of crystals embedded in the walls. A mound at the center of the cavern stood perfectly round and smooth, unlike anything natural. It looked manmade, its surface flawless.
At the top of the mound was a stone shaped like a sword, thrust downward into the structure as if it had claimed it. Below the sword, a massive stone tablet stood, inscribed with strange symbols and letters. The markings were unfamiliar to Alan and alien in their design. He squinted, trying to decipher them, but the tablet remained silent.