"Alright, this is it," Harrison announced, his voice filled with a sense of confidence as he deftly navigated the thick undergrowth, leading them to the mouth of a colossal cave. The sight of it took Braxis's breath away. The opening was massive, the entrance stretching high into the sky above them. The jagged rocks that jutted out from its walls were covered in a thick layer of moss, and the sound of water trickling down the walls echoed through the cave.
As Braxis approached the cave's entrance, his heart began to race with excitement. "Wow, this feels like stepping into the game itself. At least there's that thrill," he marveled, forgetting himself for a moment.
Harrison shot him a baffled look. "What are you talking about? This isn't a game. There are no lifelines here, no instructors to swoop in if you're in over your head."
But Braxis just grinned, unfazed by his companion's words. "You're awfully concerned for someone who was ready to sever my arms just a while ago," he retorted with a chuckle.
Harrison rolled his eyes, his interest now piqued. "Fine, have it your way. I'll keep my distance. Never witnessed a death before, so this should be a novel experience."
"You've got a twisted sense of excitement, pal," Braxis replied, shaking his head in amusement. "But I hate to break it to you—I don't intend to die today." With that, he began to stride away, scooping up a few rocks as he went.
The air inside the cave was thick and musty, and the only light came from the dim glow of their torches. But Braxis didn't seem fazed by the darkness. He paused for a moment, closing his eyes and focusing his energy, before channeling his mana into one of the rocks he had picked up. The stone began to glow with an eerie blue light, and he hurled it into the cave with the velocity of a bullet, the echoes of its impact reverberating throughout the cavern.
Braxis hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting back and forth between the dark, foreboding mouth of the cave and the rocks strewn haphazardly around him. He clutched a hefty stone in his hand, weighing it thoughtfully. "I doubt I'll draw him out this way," he muttered to himself, "but it's worth a try. I'd rather face him in the open, especially since I'm blind as a bat in there." With a grim determination, Braxis wound his arm back and flung the rock into the inky blackness of the cave.
The sound of stone clattering against stone echoed back to him, followed by an eerie silence. Braxis waited, tense and alert, but no movement came from within. He glanced back, realizing with a sinking feeling that Harrison had vanished. "Figures," he sighed, steeling himself as he approached the cavern's entrance. As he stepped forward, a sudden movement caught his eye, and he whirled around just in time to see an enormous spider-like appendage lancing towards him from the shadows.
The limb struck with blinding speed, and Braxis felt a searing pain explode in his chest as the sharp, needle-like protrusion penetrated his skin. He staggered back, clawing at the appendage with desperate, frantic movements until he managed to free himself. He clutched his chest, gasping for breath, as a fiery agony spread through his body. "Fuck!" he screamed, his voice hoarse with fury and pain. "You stupid fucking spider!"
But even as the words left his lips, the spider reared up, poised to strike again. Braxis tensed, bracing himself for the killing blow, but suddenly a figure launched itself from the shadows. It was Harrison, his sword held aloft, his face set in grim determination. He lunged forward, attempting to block the spider's blow, but the force of the impact sent him flying backwards.
Braxis stared in stunned disbelief as Harrison crashed to the ground, his sword clattering from his grasp. "Harrison?! I thought you would just watch me die!" Braxis screamed out with confusion, his heart pounding in his chest. The spider turned its attention to the fallen warrior, its eyes gleaming with malevolent glee.
Harrison staggered to his feet, his body aching with pain and exhaustion. He could feel the weight of Braxis's life and death on his shoulders, pressing down on him like a physical force. "If I let you die," he muttered, his voice heavy with emotion, "I won't be able to live a normal life." The words hung heavy in the air, filled with an almost palpable desperation.
Braxis, his face twisted in agony, clutched at the gaping wound in his chest, trying in vain to stem the flow of blood. He knew, deep down, that there was no hope for him now, no way out of this deadly trap. "What do you mean?!" he screamed, his voice raw with fear and anger. "Now we're both going to die!"
Harrison's eyes blazed with a fierce determination. "You sounded so confident," he spat out with blood accompanying his words, "so I believed that you could actually do it! If I fail this task, I'm destined to be a lowly servant for the rest of my life. My family will abandon me. I'd rather kill myself!" With that, he charged towards the spider, his sword glinting in the dim light of the cave.
Braxis watched in disbelief as Harrison launched himself into battle, screaming like a madman. Despite the odds against him, the warrior fought with a ferocity that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. "Die, you monster!" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls of the cavern.
'If he just wanted the powder, he would've been able to get it by paying Levant. No matter what he says, Harrison seems to care about me for some reason.. Just what is his history with the original Braxis?' Braxis pondered as the world around him began to fade.
As the world around him began to fade into darkness, Braxis knew that his time was running out. He could hear the sounds of battle echoing around him, feel the vibrations of the spider's blows reverberating through the ground. He closed his eyes, letting out a ragged breath as he let death take him.
"Remaining revival points: 0."
Braxis jumped inside his own body, sweating as he looked around him.
"Fine, have it your way," Harrison retorted. "I'll keep my distance. Never witnessed a death before, so this should be a -"
"What's wrong Braxis?" Harrison asked as he noticed how frantic he was.
"N-Nothing. Harrison, I just want to apologize for how I treated you earlier, I should've fought more honorably." Braxis said, feeling sorry after what Harrison did before he died.
Harrison's Impression: +80
Harrison Impression Progress: 0/300
"I accept your apology, Braxis. We've never really had a problem in the past, the times we did interact at least. I've always respected you for how well you've treated me." Harrison admitted as he wholeheartedly forgave him.
'Interesting, it removed all his hatred, but didn't recover the likability that was built up..' Braxis thought as he attempted to make sense of the impression system.
"Harrison, would you mind actually accompanying me? I know that it's dangerous, but if we're together, we have a better chance of escaping if things go bad." Braxis asked.
Harrison rubbed his chin, his face contorted with worry. His eyes darted around as he contemplated the situation. "Sorry Braxis, while that's true, I just can't risk my life for you like that," he replied, his voice hoarse.
"That's fine, I'm going to start heading in." Braxis said as he began to turn around.
"WAIT JUST ONE SECOND!" a voice suddenly screamed out, causing Braxis to freeze ifn his tracks.
Braxis turned his head to see Dante, his face beet red with anger, running towards him with high speed. The veins on Dante's neck bulged as he approached Braxis, his fists clenched tightly. Braxis felt a knot form in his stomach.
'Fuck! I took too long conversing here and the future changed!' Braxis yelled out internally in a panic. He knew that Dante's sudden appearance meant trouble, and he needed to act fast if he wanted to make it out alive.
Braxis ran towards the entrance of the cave, his heart pounding in his chest. He quickly picked up some rocks along the way, just like he had done before. However, this time, he ran inside and Dante ran in as well, his footsteps echoing loudly in the cramped space.
As they made their way deeper into the cave, Braxis could feel his palms getting sweaty. The air was thick with the musty smell of damp earth, and the only sound was the eerie silence of their footsteps. Suddenly, the spider that had been lurking in the shadows took note of the sound of their footsteps and scurried towards them. Braxis felt a wave of terror wash over him as the spider loomed closer and closer.