Under the Rocks

We spent the night among some rocks, in what seemed to be the only moderately safe place in the vast terrain. It wasn't much, but at least it protected us from the cold wind that began to blow harder once the sun had set.

Lyris lay next to me, breathing heavily as her body still struggled to recover. If it weren't for her ability, she wouldn't have survived.

I, on the other hand, couldn't rest. Every sound that came from the darkness kept me on high alert. Creatures roamed nearby, their growls echoing in the distance. I kept one hand close to my sword. I couldn't afford to lower my guard, not while Lyris was so vulnerable.

The cold night made the situation even worse, freezing my bones and making any attempt to find warmth pointless. I stayed awake, watching the horizon, hoping dawn would bring some relief.

When the first rays of sunlight finally began to light up the sky, I felt the exhaustion crushing me. Lyris stirred slightly and opened her eyes, still weak, but with a bit more color in her face.

"Did you manage to get any rest?" she asked, her voice firmer than I expected.

"A little," I lied with a forced smile, even though my eyes must have betrayed my tiredness. I couldn't let her notice. Not now.

We took out our provisions and ate in silence. The food barely gave us any energy back, but we knew we had to keep moving. Lyris moved cautiously, still recovering. Her face twisted in pain every time she made a sudden move, but she said nothing. I didn't either. Staying there wasn't an option.

"We have to keep going," I said, adjusting my gear, making sure everything was in place.

Lyris nodded without a word. Together, we set off, moving carefully, aware of how vulnerable we were. Each step was a reminder that we couldn't afford another fight. Not now.

The terrain remained hostile—rocky and treacherous—demanding more from us than we could give at that moment. Suddenly, a piercing scream broke the silence. We stopped abruptly, alert. We searched for the source of the sound until we saw her.

Not far away, a semi-human woman with feline features was running desperately, clutching a child in her arms. Judging by her expression, they didn't have much time left.

Behind them, a four-legged beast, resembling a giant lion but covered in black scales and sharp fangs, was chasing them at full speed. Its claws scraped the dirt and rocks, kicking up a cloud of dust that scattered in its wake.

"Over here!" I shouted, waving my arm to get the mother's attention. The semi-human hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering between the creature pursuing her and us. But seeing the beast getting closer, she ran toward us with the child clutched to her chest, fear etched in every step.

Lyris, still struggling to catch her breath, raised a hand and sent a sphere of vital energy toward the creature. The impact on its side made it roar in pain, but it wasn't enough to stop its advance.

With a deafening roar, the monster continued its pursuit, undeterred. We knew there wasn't time to fight it head-on.

"Quick, this way!" Lyris shouted, pointing to a rock formation up ahead, where we could temporarily take cover.

We ran as fast as our legs would carry us, the creature closing in with every stride. Just as the mother and child reached us, the ground beneath our feet began to tremble.

Before we could react, the ground gave way, opening into a massive crevice. The world collapsed beneath us in the blink of an eye. I felt adrenaline flood my body as we fell.

Everything happened in an instant: the mother, the child, Lyris, and I were pulled into the opening, while the beast, unable to stop, was also swallowed by the chasm.

The monster fell onto a sharp rock formation, impaling itself on a stone spike jutting from the ground. A final, agonized roar escaped its jaws before its massive body went still, blood slowly oozing over the rocks.

The impact when we hit the bottom was brutal. The air was knocked from my lungs, and the pain in my hands and knees left me stunned. I tried to stand, but the world around me moved slowly, as if my mind were struggling to process what had just happened. Everything was a blur of shadows and distant echoes.

The cavern we had fallen into was dark, surrounded by jagged rock formations that rose like teeth from the ground. Tunnels stretched in all directions, and the thick, heavy air made breathing a struggle.

In the distance, I could hear something else moving—perhaps creatures crawling beneath the earth.

I looked up and quickly realized that climbing back out wasn't an option. The hole was too high, and the smooth, treacherous walls offered no way to climb. We would have to find another way out.

Lyris moved slowly beside me, her breathing labored. The impact had affected her more than she wanted to admit. I saw her clench her teeth, pushing through the pain as she struggled to stay on her feet.

I turned my attention to the semi-human mother, Sylva, who lay on the ground, her face contorted in pain. She had tried to shield her daughter during the fall, but her own arms and legs trembled from the effort. Each movement seemed to cost her more than the last. Even so, she still held the child tightly to her chest, as if afraid to let go.

The child, though scared, appeared to have escaped with only minor injuries—small scratches covered her skin, but nothing serious. Sylva, on the other hand, couldn't move well. Her legs and arms were tense from the pain, and every attempt to move made her face twist even more.

Lyris, despite her own condition, immediately recognized the severity of the situation. She knelt beside Sylva and extended her hand. Her fingers trembled, but even so, healing energy began to manifest slowly. A faint light enveloped the semi-human's body as the pain in her face started to fade bit by bit.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," Lyris murmured, her voice barely a whisper. Despite her exhaustion, she kept fighting to help.

Sylva let out a sigh of relief as her more serious injuries began to heal. Though the pain didn't disappear completely, she was able to let go of the child and make an effort to stand. Nyla, the little girl, clung to her mother's arm, her eyes still filled with fear, but safe by her side.

I approached Lyris, aware that her energy was nearly drained. I knew we couldn't stay there much longer. We had to move.

"Going back the way we fell isn't an option," I said, glancing up at the hole above.

"We'll have to find another way."

Lyris nodded slowly, still recovering. "This way," she said, pointing to one of the narrower tunnels. "Maybe we can find a way out."

With no other choice, we started moving, knowing that danger still lurked. Each step echoed in the empty cavern, and the sound reminded us of how vulnerable we were. Any wrong move could mean the end.