Echoes of the Forgotten Realm. (52)

She lightly touched them with her fingertips and spoke softly, her voice trembling, "I've observed life inside the Arena on numerous occasions... but..." She trailed off, her gaze shifting to her stump.

A minute and a half passed, her stance unyielding. I could hear the drops hitting the floor, I thought for a moment that her wound had reopened, but when I raised my eyes, I saw her tears.

Ah, there is more pain within her than I realized.

"I despise you," she continued, her fingers clenched tightly, voice filled with a mix of anguish and fury. "We were taught to believe that creatures like you are nothing more than bloodthirsty beasts, destined for the Battlefield." Her words hung heavy in the air.

Rising to my feet, I listened intently as she spoke, the urgency in her voice growing. "It would be easier for you to survive in these tunnels. Even if you manage to escape, there is no guarantee of a life free from torment. Trust me, this place..." Her voice trailed off, a flicker of horror crossing her brown eyes.

[Participant 137's body parameters have been fully restored.]

If it weren't for my grand plans, it might have been amusing to live as a recluse in a place like this. How long do creatures like us live anyway?

The abyss loomed not far away. Stepping forward, I swathed Serena's body in the bearskin once more, securing it with threads.

Before me stretched a tunnel, a colossal crater with smooth edges that seemed to defy natural construction. It led deep down, and on either side of the tunnel, thousands of small passages branched off. I felt smaller than an ant, and a sinking feeling gnawed at my heart. Silence enveloped the surroundings.

Was there even a bottom in this place? The black void beckoned with its appearance, simultaneously terrifying and captivating with the unknown it held within.

I attempted to gauge the depth of the abyss using a slender thread, but it seemed to vanish into the void, swallowed by the impenetrable darkness. The flame I held aloft was devoured by the impenetrable void.

The opposite wall appeared to be kilometers away, if not more, stretching to an unfathomable distance. As I stood there, mouth agape in awe, I heard Serena mutter softly beside me.

Curiosity piqued, I tilted my head and looked at Serena, silently urging her to explain.

"There are tales about the origin of the Arena, but they are strictly forbidden, deemed blasphemous. The Arena was once regarded as a sacred ground where races have clashed for ages. Then the Arena turned into an emblem of the power of the human race... I recall hearing that the Arena was constructed atop the very ground that lacked a bottom... because it was built on the... &%*"

Her words were abruptly cut off by the hiss emanating from a broken radio nearby.

Puzzles were forming in my mind, and I could already sense the vulnerability of this place. It seemed that a single push would be enough to shatter its foundation and unleash the imprisoned creatures. A faint smile tugged at the corners of my lips, but I knew that it wouldn't be so simple.

At the moment of enlightenment, the voice of the system intervened, breaking the eerie silence:

[Participant 137, why do you find yourself entangled in such perilous situations so frequently?]

Serena's face became distorted with black and white noise, akin to the flickering static on a broken television screen. I peered at her, simultaneously captivated by her presence and the fractured image on the malfunctioning display. Her voice seemed to emanate from a distant room, muffled by thick walls.

This strange phenomenon persisted until a glimmer of light caught my attention in one of the passages within the Tunnel. Reacting swiftly, I encased us within a barrier of Dark Threads, fortifying our position.

Squinting my eyes, I focused on the source of the light, but it flickered, teasingly disappearing before reappearing elsewhere, like a fleeting mirage in the ever-shifting labyrinth.

The ethereal glow continued its rapid, flickering movement, drawing closer with each passing moment. Eventually, it collided with the side wall, revealing a portal from which a towering skeleton emerged, clutching a weathered book in its bony hands.

In a mesmerizing display, the skeleton would materialize for a brief moment, casting a vibrant yellow light that illuminated the ancient runes etched into the tunnel walls. Then, just as swiftly, another portal would open, and the skeletal figure would vanish into its depths.

A shiver ran down my spine as I instinctively began to retreat, wary of the skeleton's frenetic movements. However, before I could warn Serena to steer clear of the cliff's edge, a skeleton materialized directly in front of me. Its white skull gleamed, adorned with rows of menacing fangs, and its skeletal fingers turned the pages of the aged book.

An agile creature with five eyes manifested in the air and swiftly approached us. Swiftly wrapping Serena in the bearskin, I hurled her deeper into the safety of the threads, then delivered a forceful kick that sent the nimble creature hurtling towards the precipice.

Summoning threads, I ensnared the skeleton, rendering it momentarily immobilized. Yet, in an instant, another portal materialized, and the skeleton stood before my eyes once more. My lips pursed in determination as I drew forth Sickle-Shaped Tail and struck at the empty space, a gust of wind teasing the back of my head. Ducking and evading the attack of another creature akin to the one that had plunged into the abyss, I watched as it adopted a quadrupedal stance, baring its teeth and inching closer.

The pages of the book held by the skeleton bore cracks, and portals began to open, unleashing a horde of creatures with smooth gray skin and blunt muzzles, their black, unblinking eyes fixated on us.

Desperately, I attempted to seize the book from the skeleton, but its speed defied my every effort. The horde of creatures advanced relentlessly, and in a final act of desperation, I altered my course towards the cliff's edge. Extending my hand, I summoned flames, but their ignition only held temporary sway over the creatures, as they swiftly returned to their malevolent state.

The skeleton raised its hand, pointing an accusatory finger at me, and the sound of "Kacha-kacha" emanated from its hollowed mouth.

I recognized that sound from somewhere, but the memory eluded me in the heat of the moment.

Creating a bridge of threads, I leapt onto the precipice, the pursuing creatures in close pursuit. In an instant, I spread my wings and soared into the air, pulling numerous threads behind me. With a swift maneuver, I slammed shut the delicate trap, staining the abyss with a fresh spray of purple-hued blood.

The skeleton materialized once more, its hand nearly piercing my torso, urging me to ascend even higher. However, it continued its relentless pursuit.

As I pressed forward in the intense battle with the skeletal adversary, the original passage began to fade from my sight, obscured by darkness. Only the faint gleam of the hide in one of the black crevices served as a guide.

With determination, I directed my threads toward that faint glimmer and continued to clash with the animated bag of bones. The dark threads cut deep into the wall, leaving subtle imprints along their edges. My fingers throbbed with strain as I pulled at the thread, all while keeping a watchful eye on the closing portal from the corner of my vision.

As the portal reopened behind me, I sensed the rush of wind and swiftly adjusted my position, deflecting the incoming strike with a swift motion of my tail. The force of the blow sent the skeletal creature hurtling backward until it collided with the wall. It had lost its right arm, but the book remained clutched tightly in its remaining hand.

With an unsettling whisper that pierced the air, the skeletal figure opened its mouth, and the portal materialized once more. This time, it absorbed light rather than emitting it, casting an eerie darkness. Within a fleeting moment, the book vanished, slipping into realms unknown to me. The skeleton seemed to gain newfound strength, emanating an aura of formidable power.

It was clear that the skeleton would fight with deadly seriousness, prompting an idea to ignite within my mind.

Taking a determined step toward the relentless adversary, I received a jarring blow to my stomach, blood spilling from my lips. Acting swiftly, I dispatched dynamite into the creature's open mouth. Tying the explosive to its cervical vertebra with a thread, I stepped back and ignited the fuse.

Manipulating my threads, I navigated to the section of the corridor where Serena was. As the blast wave accompanied me to the entrance of the passage, no more than seven seconds had elapsed.

Anticipating the skeleton's demise, as its severed arm prevented any chance of regeneration, I found myself sorely mistaken.

The portal reopened, and a bone leg connected with my wounded stomach. Agony flashed through my eyes as I hurtled towards the abyss. In a last-ditch effort, I summoned my threads, managing to stand upon a taut support and survey the space around me.

Nothingness stretched before me. Pressing my palm to my stomach, I felt the torn flesh begin to heal.

Enveloping myself in a cocoon of Dark Threads, I closed my eyes, allowing no distractions to invade my thoughts. It didn't take long before a thread twitched nearby, prompting me to open my eyes and ignite the threads with a blaze of blue flames.

Through the burning threads emerged the skeletal visage. It was squatting in one of the adjacent corridors. The flickering shadows formed a smirking expression upon its face.

Determined, I coated the Sickle-shaped Tail with the venom procured from the Survival Crossroads and ascended toward the skeletal figure. We drew closer, the distance between us narrowing to a mere twenty meters, when it pulled its scythe from the portal. The blade shimmered with ancient runes, absorbing light in its wake. A single glance conveyed the realization that I was confronted with an overwhelmingly unequal battle.