Ada held onto the hilt of her dagger, her grip getting tighter with each second that passed. The thick vegetation stood high above them, trees branching out in different directions with yellow-green leaves. Shrubs with spiky leaves shuddered with the passage of the chilly wind. The oily smell of giant worms spiked as they continued in their hibernation.

The sun shone a violent purple, the skies taking on a red tone of chaos. Since one of the Presbyters threw down the tome, the natural balance of the island has since shifted.

"We're almost at the Chapel Of Souls." Zha said, his dark eyes taking in the surroundings. A bandage wrapped his shoulder tightly, blood coated the linen. His turban was wrapped around his other arm to his neck, forming a make shift cast.

"All we need is to do is get through the tiers of caves before crossing over to the largest of them all where in the Whispering Lake lies-"

"Can you just shut up, maybe then we'll get there in time." Ada shouted, interrupting Zha. Lai looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"What's the matter with you Mei?" The hostage's name, her conscious slumbered deep below. Her now straight black hair was let loose, different from her thick hair that was usually tied down.

"You're the problem." She roared back, already tired of them. She needed them to get past this reality. 

***

The flames of the torches overhead shrivelled in their positions. They passed through different caves, each one housing a group of spirits.

Ada walked alongside her mates. The gutteral noise twisted her hearing. The rumbling ground grew silent once again, the split surface etched with jagged marks that showcased the distortion that set apart the temple.

A loud noise resounded in the air. The earth danced in turmoil, shifting hurriedly underneath them. The scent of oil thickened, their hearts leapt in their mouth.

"The giant worm has awakened!" 

The creature thrusted out of the soil, its body encroached with a dark red. It slithered up, standing on its tail as it wove back. The light from the other torches shimmered on its skin, casting shadows over the monster before them. Ada collected the daggers in her pockets.

"Get ready! Zha try to run back to the previous tier! Lai, take the worm's right, make sure to use the poisoned arrows! Koko... stay out of our way." They jumped into action, their legs swiftly tapping against the split grey ground in a synchronized synergy. 

The worm roared, revealing circles of sharp teeth. It shrieked, its tail hitting against the ground. Stalagmites broke underneath it, the cave shaking as dust padded in the wake of its erratic movements.

Ada moved quickly, her hands used to dagger throwing. Each one she released into the slimy skin of the worm sent a foam of black oozing down from its sides. A new pair shimmered in her belt, repeating it once again. 

She slammed the last dagger into its tail. The worm screeched, writhing as it began to glow. The scales turned black, expelling dark fumes. It soon disintegrated.

"Koko killed wormie!" The parrot screeched, she perched on Lai. Zha marched to them after which they continued onwards. The last cave had grey washed stones highlighted the land with a sense of mystery. Heat pushed at them.

At the centre of it all, the Whispering Lake lay. Their muscles ached of exertion, the adrenaline now reduced to tiredness. Before the lake, an arched stone wall stood high with slightly uneven sides. 

The centre of the wall had a slightly depressed stone, a design of spiral black lines turning in clock wise direction. At the centre of it, a small handle stretched out which had a clamp which was blue.

"We'd have to swim down the lake." Red waters sputtered up, bubbles drawing up before it popped loudly. The heat made them sweat, their clothes stuck to their bodies. 

"Lai go on," Ada called, not intending to get herself in the situation. She has to remain alive.

"You know I'm not good a swimmer as you." She protested, her bandaged arms raking through her cropped hair. Ada sighed, anger simmering in her.

"Useless." 

She collected a shielding from Zha, a small grey orb before swallowing it. The bitter sensation slid down her throat. Their complaints gathered in her ears. She jumped in, a bubble formed around her. The hazy surface kept out the waters.

She squinted as she swam deeper. She fought off the drowsiness that pulled at her eyelids. After what felt like eternity, the tome tumbled through the hazy bubble that confined her. The covers were a vivid blue, weathered with ancient inscriptions. She grabbed it, pulling it to her chest. 

She began to kick back up. Her legs propelled her forward swiftly, her muscles contracting. She noticed the orb glitch. Her breath caught in her throat, the orb becoming more translucent. 

Suddenly, it totally faded, shimmering out of sight. The red liquid rushed to her in its absence. She held her breath, keeping her eyes above. The blistering sensation overtook her body, her lungs spamming as her eyes began to burn. Nearing the surface, she felt her momentum lull. The blistering turned to burning, scraping at her pale skin to reveal red abrasions. The longing for oxygen pulled at her.

She opened her mouth on instinct, a mouthful of liquid pushed into her throat. A burning sensation crawled downward, going from her throat before it went down her chest. Her conscious shrivelled. The darkness almost floored her when a hand pulled her out.

Soon, she was out on the land again. Her vision was overtaken by black dots. Her porcelain skin had jagged marks, grime and blood soaking through the layers of clothing and bandages the hostage had put on before transversing.

"You did it." The voice faded even as her conscious was slowly pulled into the portal. At least she was alive.