Haa. Haa.
The sounds of heavy breathing mixed with weighty footsteps echoed loudly within the enclosed space in the form of arching stone walls. Drops of condensed water dripped incessantly onto the cave floor creating a steady rhythm.
Ash and his friends had been lost in the Death's Labyrinth for a long time. Their only source of food being the only inhabitants residing in this place: bugs and insects. Though of course, before they can eat them for a meal, they had to make sure that those teeny tiny organisms were not poisonous. Otherwise they would've died a regrettable and ridiculous death.
"How many days has it been?" One of the men walking asked as he struggled to even lift his foot to continue on, he was tired and thirsty and hungry and becoming impatient---as was most of the group. It has been days since they were trapped in this cave and had to trek through this maze---this Death's Labyrinth. And all of their spirits that was burning fiercely in the beginning was starting to dwindle by the weathering of what they had experienced and gone through in this Death's Labyrinth.
A weary and exhausted Ash led at the front, his powerful body full of untold strength was forcefully straightened the moment it started to bend forward and hunch, stubbornly not giving up to the pressure on his body.
His stubborn temper and never-giving-up attitude combined created the situation where he was always the last one to stand and fall. And this time, his nature was helping him get through this difficult situation that demanded high mental durability and endurance.
"Does it even matter? No, in the first place, how are we suppose to know how many days it's been if we can't even see the sun?" Another man spoke out irritatedly in answer to the previous man's question as he glared at him.
Everyone's moods were very sensitive and touchy, so fragile that anything could cause it to explode. Their true natures were that of bad guys after all, they lived that life and they breathed that life, no matter how much on the surface they appeared to have changed after meeting and interacting with Abner, their inner natures can never be changed so easily.
Their determination to trust in others, in the people on their side was not born out of simplicity or gullibility nor their non-existent trait of naivete. Rather, it was their sense of brotherhood and comradeship.
Even though that supposedly harmless trust and faith of theirs for those on their side resulted in their current situation none of them had regrets for their past actions. As even though one had turned traitor, they still had many brothers left who are of the same heart and mind. With the two-faced Lyle gone, the remaining brothers would be the ones who are the truly faithful ones.
However, just because they don't regret it doesn't mean they don't feel embarrassed for being fooled by Lyle and tricked by him for so long since apparently he had been hiding his true nature from them since a long time ago. Them who prided themselves for being lie detectors---so yeah, they were pretty embarrassed.
And commonly, embarrassment can turn into anger directly at someone unrelated.
"Argh! I knew it would be like this! This is all your fault!" One embarrassed man accused as he randomly pointed his finger at the person next to him, wanting to vent out some stream that was contained in his heart from all this.
The accused person widened his eyes in disbelief and annoyance as he retorted back, "How was it my fault! Even if it was, it was only partly. You have fault in this too, jerk!" This set off a rapid fire exchange between the two men as they engaged in a fierce altercation.
"You are the naive one!"
"If I'm naive, then you are stupid!"
"That Lyle bast**d was so obvious with his ambition from the beginning, especially the time when we debuted on who would take over the 'throne' in Abner's place to lead us as before!"
"If it was so obvious then how come you didn't say anything back then!"
"You..." the man who had started this first huffed and puffed as his chest rose and fell chaotically while his opponent too looked out of breath but full of energy to continue.
It was then...
"Enough! None of us knew it would end up like this!" Ash bellowed and boomed, his voice thunderingly echoed in the Death's Labyrinth. "Now stop your yammerings and apologize! We have to get through this together and not fall apart because of that Lyle two-faced wretch!"
Although reluctant, the two men obediently stopped their insignificant argument.
Ash continued on, he finally couldn't stand their behavior any longer, his temper was at its peak ready to explode, "We are brothers, we are comrades! And nothing is going to change that! Not even with a betrayal! We gotta stick together!"
"You hear me!!"
"...yes," the two men said, weakly, as they bowed their heads in guilt at Ash before saying sorry to one another.
"That's right. In any tough times, only with true brothers by our side can we get through anything. Even the toughest boulders and highest mountains and stormest of seas can't stop us," Riley stepped up and said, his voice strong and magnetic as he attracted everyone's attention to him.
Lei nodded beside Riley in agreement. He was in full support of all that Riley had said.
Ash added on, "When the night ends, no matter how dominatingly dark the sky is, it will brighten up. The sun will always rise and clear away the darkness!"
Lei also added, "Come brothers, let's move on! We must not give up!" He threw his fist into the air.
Many fists rised into the air along with Lei's. It was a silent accordance, yet an intense and soul-stirring feeling rose and dispersed into every inch of the cave around them. This strong aura created from the unity of the long-time friends and close comrades who share the same goal and dream was enough to shake the heart of a stone-cold person.
☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
'When will we find the way out?...Is there even a way out?'
The above was the thought of the majority of the group as time seemed to drag on into eternity yet they don't seem to be any closer to their goal than when they had started. Doubts and trepid thoughts filled some of their minds; no matter how bad they are when they do things, they're still humans and humans are doubtful and suspicious creatures from birth.
Even the high mentality Ash was starting to have negative thoughts, let alone those others with him.
It was when Ash was about to speak and tell the others to take a break before resuming their journey.
Rumble! Crack! Rumble!
Suddenly, the sound of something cracking and rolling came from above and behind them. Ash and the others watched with apprehension deep in their hearts and widened eyes for what this terrible noise could be.
Rumble! Rumble! RUMBLE!!
The noises became progressively louder and louder until something came into sight. The widened eyes of the group were unbelievably widened even more! Shock and panic were written clearly on their faces as they were petrified on the spot. But they soon came to their senses as they weren't newbies innocent to the dangers of the world, no, they were veterans who had wandered the Slums and the Underworld for many years and knew instinctively how to react in these types of situations.
And the answer to this situation was only one, one simple answer: run.
Run like their life depended on it because it does. At least in that moment their lives depended on it.
"RUN!!" Ash shouted as loud as he could as he turned and ran forward, the opposite direction of where the giant round boulder was. The others soon followed and ran like their previous fatigue and exhaustion was pure imagination as their feet became as swift as the wind.
Them running like this was not a cowardly act. In a situation of life or death, as long as you survive, you are the winner no matter what methods you used to obtain your victory.
The gigantic boulder continued to roll. And as it rolled, its momentum build up and its speed became faster and faster. It looked very close to squashing every one of them into pools of blood and flesh.
Fortunately, the boulder was not able to use its born ability because like a saving light, many pathways were again spread out in front of Ash and his friends, waiting for them to choose which path to take. Then without hesitation or pause, they all ran into one path; a path that the boulder wouldn't head in.
In the midst of all this, Ash, who had somehow ended up at the back of the group during the whole commotion, tragically tripped on a small rock that he didn't have time to notice what with a way larger rock threatening to mush him any second. So he tripped and didn't have enough time to take the same way as the others.
Gritting his teeth, Ash jumped up to his feet and with only a brief pause he ran into another path that the boulder would not take.
And whether or not that was a mistake was up to Ash to decide.
The moment after Ash entered the new path and ran a few steps, within the dark, an even greater darkness swallowed him from beneath.
Without time to react or even let out a sound, Ash dropped and disappeared.