Rainn's eyes widened as he stared toward the claw. When the light of the lamp flashes it, Rainn can see the horror heading toward him.
All of that happened in a very short time. But Rainn could see the black claws that drove toward his head.
The sound of the shot was heard and the creature was blasted away. The black fluid splashes on Rainn's face.
"Kill the creature!" The order from Artren is heard by all the hunters nearby. Then they attacked the pale creature.
Rainn is too shocked to move. Imagining the dead was so close to him made his body rigid.
Finally, Rainn can grab reality. He saw a gaping hole burning in the creature's torso. The hunters came to storm the creature and finish it off.
"Hey!" The shout of the Artren is heard nearby. Rainn turned his head to look toward him, "You do not seem very useful on this mission, if Bryna didn't help you, you must be a corpse by now."
Rainn can only swallow. His tongue is too stiff to be able to reply to the insult. After all, he can't reply with anything because what Artren said is true. Rainn can only curse him under his breath.
Artren's eyes looked at him up and down, "I've seen you somewhere."
"Y-Yes, I've come along with you in the previous mission," Rainn replied with a little stutter. After successfully reaching his voice.
Artren still staring at him with a suspicious gaze, "Whatever."
'Well, he will not bother to remember the name of a rock carrier,' Rainn thought. Feeling bitter.
"If you're not going to be useful, in the next attack I'll let become their food," said Artren before finally flipping his body and walking back to Bryna.
Rainn looked at his departure. Then find out that Bryna is looking at him. But one thing is for sure according to Rainn, the gaze does not mean sympathy or any form of kindness.
They continue to search the Cave after dealing with one creature that has killed one member of them.
Nobody bothered to be concerned about their member who is lost or dead during the mission. That's the condition of this world. If you're too weak to survive but still choose this field of work, when you die, it's your fault.
But even so, appropriate funerals can still be held if the family members was willing to take care of them. But for one whose family does not care or the one who doesn't have any family members left, well, his body will only rot alone.
Nobody was expecting the attack earlier. All of them has already know that this is an easy mission. The presence of Artren and Bryna made something that was already easy to be like walking in the park.
They eradicate many creatures like what they met at the beginning. It is Wendigo, one of the supernatural races that are usually in groups of many. Whereas, with the number, they will still be troublesome even though they are just weak creatures.
But somehow they didn't attack together tonight. Which is strange.
Maybe because the hunters came of a sudden. Also because of the presence of strong hunters like Artren and Bryna. So they eager to strike. The wendigo can feel the pressure of a strong predator. It's in their instinct.
Rainn felt grateful. Even though he was almost dead. And now when he's more vigilant, the mission will go smoothly. He will get paid after doing a pretty easy job.
A risk of being dead early Rainn assumed to be a bad omen. But, it's not going to be bad, right?
A few hours seem to have passed. The group came to the end of the cave. Cold stabbed Rainn's skin because the jacket he wearing is too thin. The thick jacket is too expensive for him to buy.
When looking at the front there Rainn found Artren and Bryna standing in front of a mysterious stone. Rainn narrowed his eyes to see more clearly.
The round stone is engraved with a circle and its surface looks smoothly seen from the dim lights. The surface is plain and gray like a rock in general.
But the view of his shape gives a feeling that the stone is hiding something behind it.
"How to open this?" asked Artren, touching the stone surface with his hand.
"Why should we open it? Our mission seems to be completed already," Bryna said from his side.
Artren turned to her, "Don't you see that this stone is like... hiding something?"
"I do, but that's not our objective," Bryna replied.
"Don't you feel curious? There's maybe also some artifacts item in there." Artren said in a passionate tone.
Bryna sighed her breath, "I do not want to take risks."
"Calm down, this--"
Suddenly when Artren speak that stone moved. Its voice echoed throughout the cave wall. Like the sound of the gear plate that moves and grind metal.
Artren and Bryna back away and reach their respective weapons. So did the other hunters including Rainn.
Rainn's hand was wet on his revolver handle. Either because of the humidity of this cave or because of nervousness that makes his palm sweat.
After a while, the entire door of the stone slab was open. Revealed a dark and perfect round hole behind it.
"Let's get in," said Artren as a command. Then he point the light into the hole and started stepping into it.
Bryna follows right behind him with a heavy breath.
The other hunters including Rainn began to step on following both of them. There was a commotion concern that came out from hunters around Rainn.
"What if we're stuck in there?"
"Why did Artren want to get there? Isn't our mission done already?"
"Yeah, I think it's all over. I want to go home so bad right now."
That's the sound of the complaints. Rainn cursed them inside his heart. Although he too wants this mission to be over, there are likely artifacts or relics at the end of this tunnel that will probably benefit them.
'Shit, can't you be braver. You cowards,' Rainn said in his heart.
They go deeper. Rainn spread his eyes around. Following the light of the lamps.
The wall of this tunnel looks like it was made of obsidian stone because the color is black and slightly glimmers when the light of the lamp is shining it. Rainn wonders about how this tunnel was made to produce a smooth-perfect circle shape like this.
A few minutes passed. Their footsteps echoed and bustled in the hall. Until they all finally arrived inside the chamber that was at the end of this tunnel.
~~~