Chapter 25: Beautiful crystal hiding... a monster.

As he watched the darkness the sound of something running towards him became louder and and louder and he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

*Rooaarr!*

Finally, the creature emerged from the cave.

Xander was indeed surprised that he was going to face something that was a whole metre taller than him.

The creature had a buffalo's head with the body of a man. It was very furry but Xander could see the abs and muscles on the body and large arms of the beast.

It's leg bent backwards below the knee and it's foot was that of a horse, or a cow.

The creature had brown eyes and had a golden ring on it's nose. The only clothes it wore was just a thick cloth-like material that it use to cover it's private region, if it even has one.

'Oh my God.' Xander thought as his eyes widened, watching the creature's two arms come out of the darkness completely and he dropped the sword in his hand out of shock.

It's large, muscular arms held two large axes which it held strongly. The creature's nose let out steam as it looked at the tiny human close to where the light that caught it's attention came from.

'What the hell is that?' Xander thought as he looked up at the creature that was looking at him weirdly.

It's brown eyes had a suspicious gaze as it examined the little creature in front of him. Or was it looking at him at all.

Xander looked closer to see that it's eyes were glued to the blue flame he stabbed in the ground as it swayed it's head from side to side periodically.

'It's like it's in a trance. This is my chance to...' Xander then picked up the sword that he dropped slowly and stood up the same way, slowly.

'....it's my chance to...'

He then got into a stance as he began bending down, seemingly getting ready to jump this giant, muscular, scary horse man.

'...to escape.'

He picked the makeshift torches that he tied together, which he was bending down to reach and started tip toeing into the darkness.

Although Xander wasn't sure that there were any creature close by he knew one thing for sure. The creature's axes were too big and looked like they were forged out of a strange material and one more thing about that axe....

'I have a feeling that it's weapon could even cut through steel. And I'm using a rusted sword...' He thought as he ventured further into the darkness of the tunnel with no destination goal.

Every step he took was slow and Xander felt where he was going to step before he actually took a full step forward.

After a few minutes of walking, Xander could see a light coming from the turn up ahead and instinctively pulled out his rusted sword. From the bones he tied on his waist.

He then walked closer and closer to the light and then when he finally peeked sideways at the turn his jaw dropped as he saw dazzling orange crystals shining brightly in the walls above.

They looked absolutely stunning and beautiful and the path that was in front of him led to a, as far as he can see, a T junction.

Though it was quite far, he can make it.

'I can do this...' Xander encouraged himself as he began walking forward, admiring the beauty of the crystals above and the silent, peaceful, atmosphere.

'Seems like I'm going to be smooth sailing for some time.' He thought as he made his way carelessly through the silent, beautifully lit up, extremely wide tunnel.

'I wonder how that idiot is doing? I wonder if he's still...' Xander thought as he remembered his childhood friend, Harry, who was also in the game when it changed.

Xander could imagine how many people died in this game, or worse, committed suicide in it. If he didn't have something to live for, he would've already committed suicide already.

'I still have a lot of things I haven't done in my single life. I have to live.' He thought.

He had a serious expression, showing his steely focus and determination.

*Crack!*

Xander jumped back as he brought out his rusted sword, hearing a cracking sound coming from the surrounding area.

He looked up to see a crystal falling down from above. It landed on the floor with a heavy thud, raising a cloud of dust which threatened to blind Xander.

Xander didn't close his eyes for a second as he was now angry. Why does things bad things keep happening to him? It seems like the world doesn't want him alive too?

'If I hadn't jumped back I could've been flattened.' Xander thought as he kept his gaze on the light within the dust.

'What made it fall must be behind it.'

Xander stood there, unmoving, in his stance, ready to strike whatever fell from the sky and whatever was behind the one metre tall orange crystal that made it detach from the ceiling.

After ten seconds of waiting, Xander began circling the crystal to attack what was behind it.

To his utmost shock and surprise he didn't see anything behind the crystal. No shady creature, no monster, nothing at all.

Xander then moved toward the crystal curiously and touched the surface of it. Although it was glowing it didn't burn or hurt him at all; it actually felt soothing and comfortable.

Xander sighed.

"I probably shouldn't be touching things I just saw for the first time. Especially in a place like this." He mumbled as he began walking to the end of the tunnel where there was a T junction.

*Crr... crrr*

Xander stopped in his tracks as his brows furrowed and he looked back to see an insect looking creature emerging from the crystal which just opened from the center like a book.

The creature slowly crawled out making.... cute noises?

Xander couldn't take his eyes off of it until it sighted him. It stopped what it was doing.

The insect had a round head with huge compound eyes. It's little antennas tweaked every now and then as if receiving signal.

It was a little over one meter in length and it had six walking legs. It's body was elongated from the waist to the last of the legs like human and the last, supposed-to-be legs were like human arms with claws on it's fingers.

The creature, was black. Like black and a little ash patches here and there but, it was extremely black.

'A perfect hunter in the dark.' He thought. Xander's eyes widened as he looked at the creature that now turned to him fully, standing tall.

'If it came from the crystals then... then...' He looked up to the hundreds of crystals stuck in the walls above and Xander could only think about two words and two words alone.

'I'm fucked.'