Chapter 1 : Sasan, Light Reaches

"Everyone, get ready to view the lights again!" The man shouts in excitement.

There was an emphasis on "light," and it seemed to bring delight to the group of people. Children and adults scramble after the guide, making no room for anyone else.

The faint symbols on them all became less visible in the weak light that filtered through the tunnel's cracks and crevices.

While some appeared healthy, others were malnourished and ill. With the exception of a small girl, the oldest members of the group were at the back.

Boop!

Moving wildly from side to side, the guide started to become agitated. The people inside the cave had a glimmer in their dark eyes.

"Orion, we are going to see life again!" A small youngster whispered to the man with the scar on his left cheek.

In his excitement, Orion held onto the young boy's shoulder. The time spent down here was unknown. It was impossible for anyone to differentiate day from night.

"Shhhh!" The group's commander signaled for silence. He approached the guide which was floating on the dark side of the corner. To avoid disturbing the guide's finder, the group took care to keep their distance from it.

Securing a firm grip, the leader draws the floating guide nearer for observation. With a sigh, he reaches into his bag for a pill and gives it to the guide.

It appears like there may have been an error. He must personally inform the higher uppers about this guide's unexpected failure.

For a few days, none of those people had ceased walking. There would undoubtedly be less food available. As he walked back, a sharp chill ran down his spine.

This familiar feeling alarmed him. His back felt as though he was being stabbed with needles. The explanation for the guide's abrupt failure was only a few steps behind him.

–

"Eagle, come here." Orion gestured for the little boy to hurry over. Taking a handful of berries, he handed them to Eagle. His small face broke into a smile as he contentedly devoured the berries in his hand.

The group of older people sat a couple of feet behind them. They had taken out their little baggage.

The life that had been absent for a long time appeared to be returning to each of their features. Their life down here was coming to an end and they wouldn't be missing much of it.

"Can anyone spare water for me?"

An elderly woman approached the people in the group. Each of them adverted their gazes, wanting to keep their water to themselves.

Hearing this Eagle got up from his spot, running over to the lady to share his cup.

"Here."

With a smile, the woman turned down the young boy's water cup. She returned to the location of her items and took a seat.

Eagle looked at the woman, perplexed, and then at the people who had refused her, water. Some clicked their tongues while others continued on.

"Tch, why ask if she won't even take it? Come here, I'll take it instead."

Eagle glared at the man before making his way back to Orion's side.

The small girl next to the elderly woman received a necklace that the woman had taken out of her pouch. With a sigh, she gave the small girl a pat on the head.

"I don't think I can continue walking Aziel. Why don't you go on with the group?"

Aziel holds the woman's hand tightly in an attempt to keep it warm. She shows her concern by tilting her head. With a smile, the old woman tries to keep Aziel's hair tidy by running her hand through it.

"Why hasn't that man returned yet? I thought that experts would get everything done, turns out they're all the same."

A woman is spotted in the corner with a bag in hand. Her gaze wanders but eventually settles in a shadowy place.

It didn't take long for her to realize what it was. She hesitated to confirm their presence because there were more than one or two of them.

"Aah!"

A scream broke out, startling everyone in the gathering. Orion swiftly sprang from his nap, making sure to shield Eagle. The scream wasn't something they wanted to hear.

The people as a whole began to panic, many getting weapons from their pouches and pockets. The cry soon caught the elderly woman's attention. Her gaze seems to waver slightly.

A team of people quickly gathered to check out the scream.

"What is it?"

With cautious steps, each adult examined their surroundings as they approached the source. One of them walked toward a certain dark spot and illuminated the dark cave with a torch in his hand.

Finding an imprint of someone's fall suggested that someone must have slipped. The man saw that the imprint was starting to take the form of a line as the torch continued to skim across it.

It appeared as though the person was being pulled. The body prints were accompanied by multiple signs of fingernail scrapes.

The man's arms stopped as soon as he saw that there was blood. Eventually, the torch made it to the bleeding corner's end.

A creature curled up over a lifeless body, consuming and biting at her internal organs and bones. The man startled those behind him with his terrified scream. The thing in question quickly twisted to face the man.

"What's wrong?" Someone shouted from the group.

"I-it's l-."

For a second the torch went out. The man tightened his grip on his blade and blew on the torch, fearing for his life.

When he lit up the area once more, he discovered that the thing had disappeared. From the side, he could hear something crawling toward him.

Those behind, quickly pursued the man and got close to the corner. They didn't realize that the creatures were pursuing them. Someone dropped their weapon, stopping for a moment to pick it up.

"A-!"

Within a few seconds, they reached the corner, seeing only dead bodies. Realizing one of the group's members was missing, the team quickly turned back toward the trail.

Upon realizing they were surrounded, the group's expressions fell. The creatures crawled closer and the people drew their weapons, slashing away.

At the resting spot where other people were still waiting, tensions rose.

"What is happening, Orion?"

Eagle raised a worried gaze to Orion. He held Orion tightly enough that he would not unintentionally release his hold. Orion gave Eagle a comforting smile while ruffling his hair.

"I'm sure there's nothing wrong."

Aziel looked at the two, then back at the elderly woman in front of her, with a worried expression. With a nod, the woman seemed to be understanding.

Tearing off a chunk of her blouse, she gave it to Aziel. Even though Aziel hesitated to accept the cloth, the woman swiftly put it around her eyes and made sure it fit tightly.

Bloodied and with his arm severed, a man bolted towards everyone present. He cried out in terror at them.

"We were tricked! It's not true light! It was-!"

Something sharp struck through the man's head rendering him dead. With haste, the crowd of people gathered their possessions and started to flee.

Orion grabbed his spear and took a side swipe at the frightfully fast-crawling creature. The quick motions caused Eagle to scream and fall to the ground. Orion takes Eagle by the shirt and drags him behind him. He shelters the child with his left arm.

"Eagle, stay behind me."

The young boy's eyes grew wide, and he started to shake. There were several humanoid things, their elbows and backs covered in scales resembling blades. Eagle had heard of them but because he was born from the tree, he had been restricted from ever going down.

Orion jabbed the beast charging at him with his spear, stopping it dead in its tracks. He could smell its rotten breath as it wailed in agony.

Orion momentarily let's go of his left arm and takes a pocketknife, stabbing the thing on its head. Something blue and impure splashed towards Orion's face and arm.

The creature gradually sank to the ground and froze there.

Another beast attacked him, but Orion blocked its blades with his spear. Eagle froze on the spot, unable to move.

With a quick flick of his knife, Orion struck the beast in the shoulder to the bone. He twisted the knife, severing the muscle in the creature's arm.

Orion pulls the knife's sharp edge down the creature's arm muscles, tearing it in half. Opposite him, another beast charges, injuring his leg. Blood spurts out as Orion gets pushed aside and strikes the stone wall of the cave.

Orion's spear can be seen on the ground as the creature inched closer to the boy. Arising from his stance, Orion clenches his teeth and leaps toward the beast, clutching its body tightly. The terrified child collapses on the ground.

"Get out of here! Run!"

Orion screamed out.

Eagle's gaping jaw abruptly closed as he shook his head. Orion picked up the spear from the ground, blocking the beast with his body.

The creature's blades pierced Orion's chest and stomach. Nonetheless, Orion kept fighting the creature. His knife cuts into the thing indefinitely.

"I said run!"

A creature leaps from behind Orion, biting his arm, and gouging out one eye. Eagle heard his uncle let out a frightening scream.

Its blade cut his uncle's throat, making a strange sound. A little of Orion's blood seeped into Eagle's eyes as it spattered across his face.

As the creature retracts its blade from his uncle's stomach, it approaches Eagle. His eyes shook as he remained frozen in place. He seemed to give up as he looked over at his uncle and back at the beast.

Orion managed to get up one more time, this time grasping the thing and stopping it. The beast extended its blade, piercing his uncle's body. Flinging away his uncle's body, it ran towards Eagle.

However, it came to a halt after only a few paces. The blindfolded Aziel approached Eagle from behind. It hisses and growls at her.

Eagle redirects his gaze to the girl, a horrified expression on his face. He felt himself losing consciousness once the girl reached his back. As everything faded into darkness, the ground began to quake.

All of the creatures hurriedly rushed further down the tunnel, alarmed by the shifting ground. Aziel turns to observe what's happening behind her. As light shone down on her for the second time, she maintained her composure.