They kept walking, the tension between them hard to ignore. Sora clenched his fists, his jaw set as he glared at the back of Asami and Daren. "You two are unbelievable," he said, voice tight. "You call that a strategy? That was barbaric. Completely unearthly."
Daren rolled his eyes, his lips pulling into a grin. "Oh, come on, Sora. It worked, didn't it? One less Orc to worry about."
"One less?" Sora snapped. "You could've gotten yourself killed. Or worse, alerted all of them."
Asami huffed, her hands still smoldering from the fireball she cast. "So what? A little chaos never hurt anyone."
"A little chaos?" Sora muttered under his breath, eyes darting around the dark cave walls.
Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air. Before Sora could react, a spear shot from the darkness, striking Daren straight in the shoulder. Blood spurted, and Daren let out a strangled grunt, his knees buckling.
"Daren!" Sora shouted, eyes wide.
Daren clenched his teeth, his hand wrapping around the spear shaft as he yanked it free, blood pouring from the wound. "Damn it!" he growled.
Asami didn't waste a second. Flames exploded from her palms, forming a massive fireball that shot toward the darkness. The cave lit up in brilliant orange light, revealing the outlines of several Orcs. Their skin glistened, eyes like polished stones, reflecting the firelight.
Sora cursed under his breath. "This is what I was talking about! You two are the reason we're in this mess!"
"Oh, shut up!" Asami snapped, her eyes blazing. "Now is not the time."
But Sora ignored her, focusing on the System. His vision flickered as the interface came alive.
[Summoning Ability: Crimson Edge]
A short sword with a curved blade materialized in his hand, its surface pulsing with a faint crimson glow. At least he had something he could use to fight, something tangible and reliable. Unlike the soap.
[Ability: The blade can be controlled remotely by the wielder.]
Sora tightened his grip, feeling the blade's power thrum through his veins. The Orcs were moving now, stepping forward, their guttural growls filling the cavern. "Humans..." one Orc sneered. "Filthy humans..."
Sora swallowed, the taste of bile rising in his throat. He jumped forward, the blade slashing through the air. His first strike caught an Orc in the neck, hot blood spraying across the cave floor. But just as he turned to strike another, a heavy fist rammed into his gut, sending him crashing against the wall.
Blood spurted from his lips. Pain lanced through his ribs. Sora gasped, his vision blurring. Above him, a towering Orc raised its club, eyes dark with a predatory intent. He didn't need anyone to tell him this was it, this was the end.
"Sora!" Daren's voice rang through the cave.
The Orc roared, ready to bring the club down when —
THWACK!
Daren's axe cleaved through its neck, sending the creature's head rolling across the floor. Blood gushed, splattering Sora's face.
"Find a place to hide!" Daren shouted, eyes wild. "We'll come find you."
Sora's heart hammered in his chest as he staggered to his feet, legs shaking. As much as he wanted to stay and fight, he knew he couldn't. He was pretty useless and he didn't want anyone to remind him that. He turned and ran, deeper into the cave, down the tunnel. His breaths came in ragged gasps, the air thick with the scent of blood and sweat.
Behind him, he could still hear the sound of war...the cries of pain, the explosions and Daren's laughter as it dominated every other sound. She was one of those that believed that Daren was a psycho. Any normal person wouldn't have acted the way he was acting.
But then, his foot caught on a loose rock. Sora stumbled, falling forward. The ground gave way beneath him, and he crashed into icy water, a loud splash ringing through the cave.
It was cold and freezing.
Sora's limbs flailed as he fought to surface. His head broke through the water, and he gasped, sucking in air as he dragged himself to the edge of the pond. The cave walls loomed above him, the ceiling glistening with dampness.
That was a close call, he thought.
But he was suddenly met with something else. It was a sound, a melody that was both soft and haunting like someone was singing from the depths of the darkness. He could have mistaken the sound with the voice of an angel.
Sora's breath hitched as he pushed himself up, dripping and shivering. He followed the sound, footsteps echoing as he rounded a corner.
In the clearing, a woman stood, bathed in a silvery light. But she wasn't human — not entirely. Her skin was smooth, almost too smooth, with a faint greenish tint. Long, dark hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes were a deep, unsettling black. Despite her inhuman appearance, she was... breathtaking. She tilted her head, her lips curving into a wicked smile. "Well, well well... what do we have here?"
Sora's heart stuttered, his breath catching in his throat. This wasn't just any Orc. This was something else entirely.