We followed the trail down the middle path of the tunnel, descending further into the depths of the underground cave. I began to get a sense of our location.
The glowing gemstones were already a clear indicator, but it became apparent that we had stumbled upon an underground mine.
As we progressed along the path, we encountered railway tracks stretching across the ground, disappearing into the darkness ahead.
Leaving the expansive cave, illuminated by star-like crystals, behind us, we pressed on. The path ahead was still dimly lit by scattered glowing gems embedded in the walls.
Considering their scarcity, the gems in this section of the tunnel had been mostly excavated, leaving only a sparse few to dimly light our path.
As we ventured deeper, faint cracks of light began to appear along the walls on both sides. These cracks gradually multiplied and extended, creating a network of illuminated fissures that spread even to the ceiling.
Initially emitting a soft, gentle light blue glow, the cracks evolved as we progressed, deepening in hue and becoming more distinct. Eventually, they emitted a pristine dark purple light. With such an extensive network of cracks, we now had an additional light source to rely on during our journey through the tunnel.
The glowing cracks spread beautifully, resembling pulsating veins of light.
"It's pretty. There must be a considerable amount of glowing gemstone behind the surface then," I remarked.
We made a few turns, following the direction of the tunnels, until we finally spotted a light at the far end. As we approached, the light grew brighter. We were nearing the end of the tunnel.
'Normally I would say, 'don't go into the light,' but what use would that be now?' I mused internally.
With the possibility of reaching our destination in sight, the party quickened their pace and rushed toward the light.
And what lay before us simply stole the breath from our lungs.
It was a chapel.
A massive underground chapel lay before us, its ruins stretching out in grandeur.
The ceiling towered high above, adorned with colorful glass mosaics and murals that seemed to narrate a forgotten tale or symbolism.
The expanse of the ruined chapel was strewn with massive rocks, boulders, and fallen pillars of remarkable size.
Half of the rows of stone chairs lay crushed and destroyed, some beneath the weight of the boulders, while others appeared to have succumbed to the passage of time.
The walls and the remaining partially standing chairs were adorned with patches of moss and embraced by adventurous roots and vines, adding to the mystical aura of the place.
A translucent, gentle blue light bathed the entire chapel in a serene, cool glow. Rays of what resembled sunlight filtered through the glass-like material of the mosaic murals, enhancing the mystifying atmosphere and offering a breathtaking view of the chapel.
Glowing gemstones dotted the walls sporadically, casting their soft light throughout the space. Gentle spores floated and glowed in the air, adding to the enchantment of the scene.
At the opposite end of the chapel, a particular section of the old ruin stood out, separate from the rest of the structure. The altar appeared finely carved out of ivory stone, as if crafted by an artisan obsessed with perfection.
Strangely enough, it appeared to be the only part of the tattered and weathered ruin that retained a semblance of preservation amidst the decay. The standout anomaly was the large, imposing boulder positioned behind the altar.
At the heart of the altar, a tall stone slab, fashioned into a rectangular shape, stood prominently. It served as the focal point of the relatively intact section of the chapel, resembling an altar table.
A small flight of stairs separated the altar from the surrounding area, elevating it slightly above the leveled ground, adding to its significance and solemnity.
At the wall further back in the chapel, a peculiar symbol dominated a large portion of the space, engraved deeply into the stone surface. It depicted a massive sun with precisely eight radiant rays extending outward and spanning across the wall. These rays occupied the majority of the wall's surface, emanating from the central circle of the sun. The symbol gave the impression of a sun within a sun, with the smaller circle nested within a larger one, creating a mesmerizing effect.
What added an eerie quality to the symbol was the engraving of a colossal eye positioned at the center of the smaller circle, where the eight rays emanated from. The eye seemed to gaze outwards, piercing through the layers of symbolism with an unsettling intensity.
Upon closer inspection, the symbol revealed a more intricate design. While initially resembling a sun within a sun with an eye at its center, the protruding rays took on a different significance, forming what appeared to be an eight-pointed star.
Speechless, the party and I took in the sight from the edge of the tunnel. However, our reverie was abruptly interrupted by the approaching sounds of voices, grounding us back to reality.
"Shh. Hide!" I exclaimed, almost simultaneously with the approaching voices.
We scrambled out of sight, ducking underneath a fallen pillar and using a ruined stone bench as cover.
Within moments, the indistinct voices grew clearer, drawing nearer.
"What do you mean they got away?!" a deep, hoarse voice reverberated angrily through the walls of the ruined chapel, its displeasure palpable. Tge masculinity in the voice betrayed the gender.
Another voice followed, this time trembling visibly with fear.
"But boss, it was his fault! He was supposed to be watching them but fell asleep instead," the second voice, belonging to another man, pleaded.
The voices and footsteps soon approached the altar of the chapel.
"Haw?! Well, that's only because you were napping first!" a thinner, unsettling voice chimed in, its shudder evident. The third voice also belonged to another man.
"Well, even if I did, shouldn't you have kept better watch on them for both of us? But, no. You just had to fall asleep as well. How incompetent!" the second man bellowed at the third.
"You bastard, don't you dare shift all the blame on me. You are equally at fault. Why would you be napping in the first place?!" the third voice retorted sharply.
The banter went on and on.
"Like you're one to talk, you fell asleep on duty too. So don't give me all that," the second voice retorted sharply.
"You bastard!" the third voice scowled.
"What was that? You trynna pick a fight, baldy?" the second voice fired back.
"Wh… you're bald too, idiot."
"What was that, scar face? I didn't get that, you mind speaking up? You want a piece of me?"
"Who are you calling a freak, you inflated dwarf?" the third voice chimed in.
"That's ENOUGH out of the both of you!!" the hoarse voice from earlier thundered with authority and heavy anger, putting an immediate stop to the bickering between the other two men. His voice resonated throughout the chapel, leaving nothing but silence in its wake and sending a shudder down my spine.
This was no time to be eavesdropping on some suspicious fellows...
"You two are FOOLS! Incompetent FOOLS!! Because of your incompetence, they got away!" the snarly voice continued.
I slowly rose to get a glimpse of what was really happening and saw three men standing at the altar. Two of them were bald, one with three long scars running down his face. Judging from the argument I overheard, voice three belonged to him.
He had an oblong-shaped head and wore animal hide, with a sword hanging at his waist. So far, he was the tallest among the three.
The other bald guy was a head, if not two, shorter than the other. He also had more weight out of the three. Just like the other, he wore animal hide and had a big club in one hand. He had the biggest head. I guess that's voice two.
As for the third man in the group, he was covered in an ominous pitch-black cloak and wore a hood that obscured his entire face. I couldn't get a good look at him because of the hood.
He was shorter than the rest and seemed to be slouching down a bit. His back arched like a hump, and his neck appeared to be buried deep into his shoulders. He limped as he walked.
"I'm surrounded by incompetent fools all around!" the hooded man growled.
"Whatever. Get back and watch the others. If any more should get away, I'll make you regret being born into this world," the hooded man threatened. Just before he turned around to leave, he added in a flat, monotonous but stern tone, "We begin at full moon." The words carried an ominous foreboding I couldn't decipher.
The way he said that sent a shudder down my back. Peeking slightly over the stone bench, I observed the two men cringe slightly.
"Y-yes, boss," one of them squeaked, and they both hurried to exit.
Carefully, anxiously, and patiently, I waited for the three figures of the men to leave the way they came.
With a small, restrained sigh, I pushed back down and said to the gang:
"Th–they're gone now..."
The others slumped down, sighs of relief escaping their lips. The tension of getting caught had been evenly shared and distributed between the whole party, each of us feeling the full brunt squarely.
"We...we should get out of here. Now." Glancing at Don with a meaningful look, Leon spoke sternly, as if gritting his teeth.
Don simply nodded, either finding it unnecessary to use actual words or just tongue-tied. Regardless, sweat trickled down his face in beads.
"But we still have to find Muffin. We can't just leave without him...!" Lia leaned forward, whispering with slight uncertainty.
We still haven't found the damn dog. But I'd say we have a much better chance once we're out. This whole temple, as truly alluring as it is, is equally very unsettling. Not to mention the three suspicious characters that showed up... Almost as if reading my mind or sharing the same thoughts, Leon gently replied to Lia.
"We have to get out of here first. We'll find Muffin once we're out," Leon reassured Lia.
Lia hesitated for a moment, her lips bobbing up and down as if she were reluctant to say something, then she simply nodded, her face full of uncertainty.
Just then, the voice of one of the bald men from before reached my ears.
Carefully, I raised my head slightly over the stone bench and looked back at the altar. It was empty, with only the visible shadow of one of the men dancing against its wall in the light. The shadow neither moved closer nor further away, indicating that the men had not fully left. We had to be cautious with our departure.
Squinting my eyes slightly, I managed to grasp a few words from the men without much effort.
"Hey, fatty, you seen one of the hounds? I can't find Bitty, and it's time for their dinner."
"Of course I haven't. You're the one in charge of the hounds. Do a better job handling your task, you incompetent dimwit. And who're you calling fat?!?!" retorted the other man.
The voices slowly faded away along with the lingering shadows.
I breathed a slightly restrained sigh and slowly said, without turning back and still keeping my eyes on the shadow:
"Looks like they're leaving for real now..."
However, no response came. Instead, a part of my neck felt a slight warmth. At first, I thought maybe it was Don breathing heavily against the back of my neck, but then I heard growling...
Then I thought.
'He said hounds, did he?'
Feeling my body stiffen in place, with trembling eyes and stiff movements, I forced my head to gently turn back. A strong sense of foreboding gripped my heart.
And in the next moment, I nearly had a heart attack...
I stared silently, locking eyes with the blackened depths of the beast's gaze.
I reflexively clasped my mouth shut, suppressing the heavy urge to scream in fear.
'Fuck. Fuck. Fuck...'
In a strained and tiny voice coming from my side, I heard someone say:
"A–a Blackhound...!"
And the bestial dog simply growled back.
***
[A/N]: A 'slightly' longer chapter cuz' I may have or not gotten carried away (╥﹏╥)