Nature has it's ways

Perspective : Conrad Garnier

When you see a guiding light of hope, beyond the darkness of that deep tunnel, blinded by hope and aspiration, do you ever think what hides beside those rays of hope. The light reflecting in your eyes shines so brilliantly that it overshadows that which lurks in the corner, It obscures its origins.

Just like moth to a flame, we are lured towards it. Our perception blocked by the sheer illusion of

"It's finally over".

But when that illusion breaks, what will we see?

When reality kicks in, what will we see?

As we all regained our consciousness, a wave of apprehension washes over me. Dread filled every fiber of my being as I scanned my surroundings. My heart races, pounding against my chest, as my eyes lock onto the enormous crevice in the floor. It was impossible to look away, drawing me in like moth to a flame. My gaze was fixated on the small, tiny holes that covered its surface, each one resembling an endless void.

But the horror didn't end there. As if earlier I was oblivious to terrifying things before me, my eyes shifted towards that lifeless body of a gigantic centipede, we just pilfered. Its once intimidating and enchanting form now served as a haunting canvas of torment. My breath caught in my throat as I noticed the multitude of minuscule holes scattered across its exoskeleton, like macabre portals into my deepest fear.

And yet

"I can't look away".

Shiver ran down my spine, my skin crawling as if invaded by unseen forces. The mere sight of those small holes triggered an overwhelming unease within me, an inexplicable fear that sent chills down my spine. I felt a sense of powerlessness, trapped in a world where every surface seems to taunt me with those dreaded holes.

And as if to add insult to injury, those surfaces were covered with countless slithering leeches.

The sensation of them crawling on my skin was unbearable.

Desperation filled my thoughts as I struggle to find solace, desperately seeking a way to escape that nightmarish scene. My mind raced, searching for some semblance of control amidst the chaos.

"Conrad! ... Conrad! Snap out of it".

"Snap out of it".

In the midst of the nightmarish surface filled with holes, a voice resonated from within.

(Regina!)

"Conrad!"

(Hmm?)

(What's going on?)

It seemed like Regina was calling out to me. I turned towards her and she exclaimed,

"Your body .... it's infested with leeches."

As she started removing the leeches from her own body, I summoned a fiery orb using my magic and utilized it to eliminate the leeches crawling all over me.

Elkdrack exclaimed,

"How did we not notice them before?"

Kyle chimed in, saying,

"They're everywhere!"

Patrick asked,

"Where are they coming from?"

Regina replied,

"They're emerging from the walls of that chasm...and from that lifeless centipede."

I successfully removed all those crawling leeches from my body, and quickly assisted the others.

"These leeches appear to have an natural aversion against fire".

As I carefully directed my fire orbs towards everyone's leech infested bodies, the leeches started to detach and fall to the ground on their own.

Elkdrack expressed his gratitude, saying,

"Thanks, mate."

Kyle asked,

"If the leeches were crawling on our bodies, why didn't we feel anything before?"

Elkdrack then inquired,

"What about my gold?"

Annoyed, Patrick retorted,

"Fuck your gold".

Kyle added,

"There are leeches all over the ground. More are emerging from the holes in that centipede's body."

Regina, pointing towards the exit, urged us, "There's the way out. Let's hurry and get out of here."

As we hurried towards the exit, I controlled my fire orbs to create a path for us, by gently singeing the ground and clearing a way amidst the swarm of leeches.

{Change}

Perspective : Thor Gild

[ 2 hours before ]

In that moment, I no longer knew what was happening, the Earth shook, the ground shivered in terror, of something that was coming towards us.

But I won't waver, I had started this expedition on my own free will,

"and I am going to see it all through to the end".

"Ohh benevolent Arngrim, please provide me strength so I can stand against evil ... achieve my goals".

As I stood there, the earth shaking, my heart pounding in my chest, I couldn't help but feel a sense of both dread and anticipation.

While, the earth beneath us quake violently. The ground trembled below our feet, causing us to stumble and grasp onto anything within reach for support. Fear gripped us as we realized the source of the quake- a creature that got to be enormous was emerging from the depths of that hole.

Those violent tremors seemingly summoned by that creature's emergence , that huge Centipede clawed its way out of the pit. With each movement, the ground cracked and crumbled, the hole growing wider and deeper, as if hungry for more destruction. The once-sturdy walls of the cavern shook, threatening to collapse around us.

As the creature emerged fully, its colossal form struck terror into our hearts. Its massive limbs writhed with a malevolent energy, its golden hue casting an eerie glow in the dimly lit chamber. The sight was both awe inspiring and horrifying, evoking a primal fear deep within us.

It was a giant centipede, its massive body stretching across the room, shimmering with a golden sheen that reflected the dim light. Each limbs were teeming with life, were now a magnificent sculpture of golden splendor. As it emerged from the depths of the hole, the ground quaked beneath its weight, causing the room to tremble in fear. The earth cracked and crumbled as the creature crawled forward, its undulating movements sending unsettling vibrations through the air. With each step, the hole grew wider and deeper, like a voracious maw, as if the very earth itself bowed to its terrifying presence. The cavern walls shook, threatening to collapse at any moment, as the creature fixed its piercing gaze upon us, its eyes gleaming with an unearthly intensity. Alongside the sounds of crumbling stone and our own panicked breaths, the creature's hiss reverberated through the chamber, sending a chill down our spines. In that moment, as we were swallowed by the expanding darkness, the true horror of the giant centipede's presence became all-encompassing, etching a haunting memory that would forever linger in my soul.

Time seemed to slow as the ground beneath us gave way. Helplessly, we were swallowed by the expanding black void, consumed by the merciless hunger of that ever-growing hole.

In that harrowing moment, the walls of the cavern crumbled around us, debris crashing down as our screams echoed in the abyss. We clung desperately to each other, grappling for a sense of safety that was rapidly slipping away.

Through the darkness, we glimpsed one another's terrified and exhausted faces, the flickering light from the crumbling cavern walls casting macabre shadows. The air was thick with the scent of fear and the overwhelming realization that we were at the mercy of this monstrous creature and the relentless void it had unleashed.

As the gaping maw consumed us, our world was swallowed whole, leaving behind only echoes of our existence. The terrifying vibe of that dark abyss permeated the air, God knows what lurked at the bottom of that hole.

As I braced myself, for my death.

"May Arngrim forgive me, afterall I am returning to him".

"For I have sinned".

"Against my clan".

I prayed, as I descended to the bottom of that never ending chasm.

The deeper we fell, the air brushing against my skin became heavier, It was even harder to breathe.

We were doomed, there was nothing that could have saved us, and this time we can't do anything.

Or so I thought,

But fate had its own way of intervening with one's imminent demise. Although ashamed, I must admit, carrying Ron turned out to be more than I anticipated. He became the chains that held me back, draining my strength little by little. Nevertheless, I wasn't bothered by it because he was the reason I survived.

As we plummeted deeper into the pit, due to my weight, I crashed through various nets of roots, tearing them apart. However, with each net, the roots became entangled with frozen Ron's legs, causing our descent to slow down gradually.

Then I hit the hard ground.

The impact, although it wasn't enough to kill me, but it was enough to knock me out.