Chapter 25

An awkward silence fell over the group as the four of them stood there. "W-well!" Jacey said, trying to change the topic. "What's your name?" she asked, turning her attention to the last member of her group with grayish-brown hair. The girl for her part, just quietly stared back, causing Jacey to put on a nervous smile. "C-come on. Don't be shy."

"Don't bother." Sophie walked over, casually leaning an elbow on the quiet girl's shoulder. "She hasn't spoken a word since we found each other, I'm not sure even she can speak."

"Oh..."

"Come on daylight's burnin', wouldn't want to be the last team to the end do we?"

"Ah Sophie! Wait up!"

"Sweet hair by the way." Sophie commented as she and the team ran. "You dye your hair too huh?"

"Huh? N-no, it's actually just like this."

"No kiddin'? That's pretty cool. Anyway, hang tight, me and mute-mouth over there already found the temple."

"You did?!"

"Heh, it's nothin' special, we didn't grab our relics since we still needed two more teammates."

Under Sophie's guidance, the team of four made their way to the forest and found themselves in front of an eerie-looking cave. On the wall of the cave were primitive-looking pictures scrawled onto the surface of the rock, showing many humans engaged in a fight with what appeared to be a large insect-like creature.

"I'm...not sure I like the looks of this place..."

"Come on, don't tell me you're afraid of the dark or something."

Pyrrha moved forward, inspecting the mural on the wall and peering into the mouth of the cave. "Are you sure this is really the temple? Shouldn't it look a bit grander than this?"

"Are you callin' me a liar?"

"I didn't say that, I just think you might've made a mistake. A temple is built in worship or reverence to something, this just looks like a cave. Maybe we should give this more thought."

Sophie snorted. "What do you think Jay?"

"Jay?" Jacey, tilted her head before she realized. "O-oh, you mean me. Well...I think we should let Pyrrha decide."

"You're gonna let her decide for you? Come on, grow a backbone! What do YOU think?"

Pyrrha shook her head at the two of them and turned her head to the last of the teammates who had been silent all this time. "I don't suppose you have anything to add to this?" she asked. The girl just quietly looked at her. "I didn't think so..." Pyrrha turned back to Jacey and Sophie. "Well...I wouldn't call this a temple, but it's not like we have any other options. Might as well take a look since we're here."

"Alright, if you think so Pyrrha."

"About time. Come on, let's hope we're still the first ones to finish."

Sophie and the quiet teammate pushed into the dark cave without any problems, but Pyrrha and Jacey were still somewhat hesitant. And as expected, the cave was nearly pitch black.

"I can't see anything."

"Ow! Who stepped on my foot!?"

"Does anyone have a light?"

"No but...h-hold on, I think I see something..."

Jacey cautiously stepped forward towards a faint light being emitted. Keeping her hands on the walls so she wouldn't run into anything, she turned the corner, and saw a large gold tear-shaped object floating in the air and emitting a soft light.

"Th-this is it! Girls I found it! I found the relic!"

"Hah! I told ya I knew what I was doing." Sophie's smug voice came from around the corner before her face appeared in the dim light. "Hurry up and snag it so we can get out this dump."

"Right." Jacey reached out to the golden tear and taking a step forward. However right when her hands were about to touch it, the glowing object hovered faintly backward, causing her to miss it by a few centimeters. "Huh?" she took another step forward and tried again, only for the object to once more hover out of reach.

"What's the hold up already?"

"Jacey..." Pyrrha's voice came from behind. "Is everything alright?"

"O-oh, you don't need to trouble yourself Pyrrha, almost got it!" This time she quickly moved forward, the tear swayed a bit, but Jacey was prepared and managed to grab it. "Gotcha you little rascal, now to-huh?" The moment she grabbed onto the tear a warmth filled her hands. Jacey tried to pull the item with her, but it wouldn't budge. An odd clicking sound filled the cave. "G-guys..." Jacey said taking a step back. "I don't think this is the relic..." Eight sinister glowing red orbs appeared in front of her and the clicking grew louder. She turned around to run but felt two cold hard objects clamp around her midsection causing her to shriek. The rest of the team looked in shock as the glowing red eyes quickly moved towards them.

"RUN!"

The three of them barreled out of the cave as quickly as they could. Right behind them was an explosion, as a giant scorpion blasted through stone, sending rock and gravel everywhere. It let out an angry cry and fiercely waved its pincers, holding Jacey in one of them.

"Pyrrhaaaaaaaa! G-get me out of here!"

"Hold tight Jacey, we'll do what we can!"

Pyrrha immediately raised her shield, deflecting a claw swipe from the beast. Seeing the stinger coming in, she did a backhand spring, the impact of the stinger making the ground shake.

"RAAAAAH!"

Sophie twirled her tonfa into an upwards grip firing out of them like rifles. The bolts hit the large grimm causing it to turn its attention towards her instead. Sophie began to run forward but felt something grab onto her wrist. Whirling around, she found her mute teammate giving her a look and shaking her head.

"What? What is it?!" Her teammate stood there silently, still shaking her head. "If you're not gonna say anything, then don't waste my time!" She turned away from her teammate and sprinted towards the Deathstalker, rolling the side as the stinger fell at her, missing Sophie by inches. She whirled around, slashing the tail of the stinger to no effect, the only result being a flash of sparks. The grimm charged forward, clubbing the girl with one of its pincers sending her flying back. Sophie winced, bracing for impact on a rock behind her, but instead felt a cushion on her back at the moment of impact. Looking behind back, she found Pyrrha with a slightly strained expression.

"Are you alright Sophie?"

Sophie yanked herself out of Pyrrha's grip. "I'm fine, I don't need you to be the hero who saves me! I can handle myself!"

"You've been like this ever since we met. What exactly is your problem with me?" Pyrrha asked, her eyes bewildered.

"G-GIRLS!" Jacey shrieked, still in the clutches of the grimm. "Can we PLEASE save this for a better time?!"

The two of them glanced at each other before sharing a nod as they turned to the deathstalker. Once more, their silent teammate stepped in front of them, this time with her arms spread wide. Clearly attempting to stop them.

"What is it already?!"

The girl turned her back to them and walked towards the grimm which was now barreling towards the three of them.

"Hey!" Pyrrha and Sophie took a step forward, but the girl held up a hand to stop them before calmly walking forward. The grimm let out an angry cry, raising one of its pincers and bringing them down towards her.

"LOOK OUT!"

Right when it seemed their teammate was going to be smashed, the grimm halted all of the sudden. The two of them looked on in shock as the grimm came to a stop just before their silent teammate, slowly lowering its claw. The girl stopped as well, laying her hand on the creature's face.

"What in the world..."

The deathstalker let out a series of clicks, although they no longer seemed aggressive like before. Setting its other pincer to the ground, it released a frantic Jacey, who fell to her knees and fled over to her teammates, hiding behind Pyrrha. The large grimm gave the girl standing in front of her a few curious pokes with its pincer before swiveling around and scuttling off into the woods.

"How on Earth did you manage that?"

The quiet girl frowned and spoke in a voice just barely above a whisper. "Run."

Pyrrha blinked in surprise. "You can talk?"

"That's right you better run!" Sophie yelled after the retreating grimm. "Up top!" she said, motioning to give the girl a high five. The silent teammate frowned even harder, shaking her head and pointing in the opposite direction.

"What are you-"

SKRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWW!

Everyone turned around and saw the deathstalker from before had suddenly become enraged again, charging back at them like before. "Oh...run..." They all turned around, sprinting for all they were worth.

"A fat lot of good THAT did us!" Sophie angrily yelled over the grimm's thunderous steps.

"Q-quick! Everyone take my hand!" Jacey extended her arm, grabbing onto one of her teammates.

"Take your hand? How is this going to-"

"Just do it!"

Sophie grumbled, grabbing onto her hand, with others following suit. By now, the deathstalker had nearly caught them and poised its stinger to attack.

"Checkpoint!" Jacey cried out. She and her teammates vanishing into thin air, the stinger striking the spot where they last were. Confused, the deathstalker looked around the area, trying to find where they might be, before angrily giving up and scuttling off to find other prey.