As I lay there, unconscious, the world carried on without me. Who could say how much time had passed since my eyes were forced shut? But high above, something stirred. A figure, cloaked in shadows and magic, descended from the mountain top. His footsteps were light, almost ethereal, as though gravity itself was beneath him. He wore a long, dark robe that trailed behind him like wisps of smoke, and his eyes gleamed with a cold, otherworldly light. His every movement was deliberate, purposeful, and his gaze was drawn to the ancient magic circle I had unwittingly activated.
He moved toward the circle, his expression tightening as he approached. Kneeling beside it, he brushed his fingers lightly over its glowing symbols, the energy of the circle humming in response. His lips pulled into a tight line, frustration evident in his narrowed eyes.
"A human?" he murmured, his voice edged with irritation. "How did one manage to activate this? Uninvited, unwanted... and unnoticed until now." His voice trailed off into the silent cave, thick with the weight of his displeasure.
The circle pulsed beneath his touch, and he whispered a word in an ancient language. The symbols flared to life once more, and the energy crackled around him. For a brief moment, his fingers hovered over the edge of the circle, his eyes distant. Someone has been here. A human.
The circle flared to life at his command, a sharp crackle of energy surrounding him. The glow brightened, casting long shadows across the cave walls, and with a quiet word, he vanished, transported into the very cave I had been transported to.
The figure materialized inside the dark, foreboding cavern, his arrival marked only by the soft glow of his presence. He took a step forward, his face clouded in shadow, and surveyed the challenges ahead as though it were all routine for him.
Without another word, he vanished, transported into the very cave I had struggled through, his presence marked only by the soft, unnatural glow that lingered behind him.
Inside the cavern, the Pit of Shadows loomed ahead—the same pit that had nearly cost me my life. It's eyes swept over it, unimpressed. He floated across the abyss effortlessly, the dark chasm beneath him irrelevant as his body lifted off the ground with the ease of someone who had done this countless times before. No need for ropes, no fear, just a silent glide across the pit's depths. In a matter of seconds, he was on the other side.
Pausing briefly, the Watcher turned his gaze toward the depths of the pit once more. He made it this far… interesting, he thought, a glimmer of something like respect crossing his mind before it quickly faded. But the further he goes, the more dangerous it becomes. He will not last. He flick his rist ever so gentle and the bar rose from pit and retook its place in the ceiling. Snug enough to hold onto but loose enough that it breaks free the second you held on to it.
Behind him, something far more chaotic was making its way through the cave.
A massive, twisted creature followed closely, its monstrous form barely contained in the narrow space. It had five legs, its body resembling that of something I'd never seen before, but its had a fifth limb. It was a thick, muscular arm that swung behind it as it moved. The second creature, far more reckless than the first, stormed through the cave, disregarding everything in its path. It wasn't here to solve the trials—it was here to follow the Watcher, benefiting from the work already done.
It reached the edge of the Pit of Shadows and didn't even hesitate. With a mighty leap, it sailed over the pit, its legs stretching to cover the vast distance in one bound. The beast landed with a heavy thud, its claws scraping the stone floor, but it cared little for the echo that followed.
"Right behind you, Watcher," it growled to itself, a smirk curling its lips. "You won't escape me that easily."
As the creature crashed into the next chamber, the jars that lined the Echoing Cave of Regret shook violently from its impact. The jars had reset after Jeremiah's passage, the whispering voices once again rising as they began their cruel work. But the creature was unfazed. It waited patiently for the Watcher to solve the puzzle, enjoying the ride as each challenge was cleared in front of him. The jars floated into the air, rearranging themselves at the Watcher's command, revealing the hidden passageway without any struggle.
Always doing the hard work for me, the creature thought with amusement, watching the Watcher's back as it followed closely. That's the thing about control—you forget someone like me can just come crashing through behind you.
As the passage opened, the creature barreled forward, smashing through the jars with reckless abandon. Glass and fragments shattered against the walls, the echoing voices cutting off with terrified shrieks as they were obliterated. The creature moved quickly now, eager to stay on the Watcher's heels.
The passage began to close behind him, the cave responding to the challenge reset. But the creature's speed was unmatched. With a reckless lunge, it darted through just before the stone walls sealed shut.
"Not today," it snarled, a grin spreading across its monstrous face. "I'll catch you yet."
Meanwhile, the Watcher moved with controlled grace through the third chamber—the Endless Wall. He glanced at the towering rock with disinterest, lifting off the ground once again to fly effortlessly toward the summit. He ascended without a single struggle, the jagged edges and sharp ledges of the wall irrelevant to someone of his power.
He climbed this? the Watcher thought with mild surprise. Impressive. Not many survive this test. Perhaps this intruder will last longer than I anticipated.
Behind him, the second creature was far less delicate. It slammed into the wall with a growl, its claws sinking deep into the stone as it began its reckless ascent. The jagged rocks crumbled under its strength, sending boulders tumbling into the abyss below. But the creature didn't care. It moved upward with wild abandon, destroying the very structure of the wall as it clawed its way to the top.
At the summit, the Watcher landed gently, his robes billowing around him. He didn't glance back. He knew the creature was close behind, but it didn't concern him. He was already focused on the next trial, on the deeper parts of the cave that called to him. He moved forward, disappearing into the shadows of the next chamber.
Moments later, the second creature reached the summit, claws digging into the edge of the wall as it hauled itself up. Its eyes scanned the area, but the Watcher was already gone.
"Damn it," the beast growled. "But you won't escape me. Not for long."
It shook the debris from its massive form, glancing down at the crumbling rocks it had left behind with a smirk. Reckless, sure. But effective. I'll catch him eventually.
As the two creatures disappeared deeper into the cave, a drop of drool from the second creature's snarling mouth dripped onto the ground. The thick, warm substance landed on my face, stirring me from my unconscious state. The goo was sticky, glowing a faint blue in the dim light of the cave.
At first, it was just another sensation in my haze of exhaustion, but as it seeped into my skin, something changed. My body, heavy and weak moments ago, began to stir. Slowly, my limbs responded. The weight that had pinned me to the ground lifted, and though I wasn't fully recovered, I felt energy returning to me, like a fire being stoked back to life.
I blinked, wiping the drool from my face, its strange texture sending a shiver down my spine. I looked around, but the source of the goo was nowhere to be seen. A shadow passed at the far end of the passage, disappearing into the darkness, and I could only wonder what else lay ahead.
I glanced ahead, where the figure had disappeared. Whatever it was, it was moving fast, and I wasn't sure if it was after the same thing I was. I struggled to my feet, my legs shaking beneath me as I tried to chase after it. I knew I had to catch up, had to stop it from reaching the artifact before I did, but every movement felt like I was wading through thick mud. My body was still sluggish, weighed down by exhaustion, and no matter how hard I pushed myself, running wasn't an option. But I couldn't stop. I wouldn't stop. I moved forward with whatever strength I could muster, each step slow and painful, but steady.
The passage twisted and turned, the walls damp and cold, casting long shadows that danced in the limited light. The faint glow of the bioluminescent rocks barely illuminated the space around me. I had no idea where I was anymore—deep inside this mountain, the paths seemed to stretch on forever, twisting in every direction. It was impossible to tell which way was right. The air grew heavier as I continued, thick with the earthy smell of damp rock and moss. My heart pounded in my chest, more from frustration than fear. I had no sense of how far ahead the figure was, but the thought of it reaching the artifact before me gnawed at the back of my mind. I couldn't let that happen. Not after everything I had been through to get here.
After what felt like an eternity of stumbling through the winding passage, I suddenly found myself in an open space. The path had widened, leading into a small clearing with a shimmering water hole at its center. Around the water's edge stood a large, twisting tree, its roots burrowing deep into the stone floor, and its branches heavy with fruit. The scene was surreal, bathed in the soft, cold glow from the cave's limited light. I blinked, taken aback by the sight. It didn't make sense. How could there be a tree, let alone a clearing like this, deep within the mountain?
The tree's gnarled roots twisted and spread out, the branches swaying ever so slightly as though caught in an invisible breeze. The fruit hanging from its limbs had a familiar shape to it—plump, glossy, red with a slight greenish hue at the base. My stomach turned with a strange combination of hunger and disbelief. It couldn't be... could it?
Jamaican apples. The sight of them made my heart race. My throat was dry, and my body screamed for nourishment after the strain of the trials. The familiar shape of the fruit was so out of place here, but so tempting. A part of me knew I should be wary. This place was too strange, too otherworldly for a tree like this to exist naturally. But my exhaustion was winning the battle against my logic.
I hesitated. The dim light flickered, and for a moment, I wondered if this was all an illusion or some kind of trap. But the longer I stood there, the more real it seemed. The reflection of the water rippling gently in the cool air, the smooth skin of the fruit swaying softly in the tree's branches—it all felt too tangible, too inviting to be a trick.
Despite my doubts, my body demanded relief. I knelt beside the water, the cold stone beneath my knees grounding me for a moment. I cupped my hands and dipped them into the pool, hesitating only for a second before bringing the water to my lips. It was cool, the kind of cool that sends a shiver down your spine in the best way. I swallowed cautiously, half-expecting something awful to happen—maybe I'd collapse or feel a burning sensation in my chest. But nothing. Instead, I felt... clearer. As if the fog that had clouded my thoughts and dulled my senses was lifting, bit by bit.
Encouraged, I splashed some of the water on my face and hands, the cold liquid shocking my skin awake. The exhaustion that had weighed me down since I woke up on the ground started to fade, though not completely. It was enough, though—enough to make me feel human again, to make me feel like I could keep going.
I stood, my eyes drawn once again to the apples. My stomach growled, louder this time, and without thinking, I reached up and plucked one from a low-hanging branch. The skin was smooth and firm in my hand, just like the apples I remembered from back home. I turned it over, the light reflecting off its glossy surface, and for a brief moment, I hesitated.
This can't be real. How could a Jamaican apple tree be growing here, deep inside a cave?
But hunger won out. I bit into the fruit, the sweet, crisp taste filling my mouth with a flood of familiar, comforting flavor. It was the real deal—just like the ones from my childhood. My eyes widened as I chewed, the juice running down my chin. As I swallowed, something incredible began to happen. It was subtle at first, like the water had been, but with each bite, I felt my strength returning. The heaviness in my limbs disappeared, and the dull ache in my muscles began to fade away. By the time I finished the second fruit, it was as though the exhaustion had never existed. I couldn't believe it. What kind of fruit could do that?
As I reached for another apple, planning to take a few with me for later, I heard a rustling above me. My hand froze mid-reach, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
Something's wrong.
A voice, deep and resonant, echoed around the small clearing, making the air feel heavier.
"Humans never change," the voice said, its tone filled with disdain. It echoed through the cavern, bouncing off the stone walls.
I jumped, my heart pounding. "Who said that?" I asked, startled, spinning around in search of the source.
"You dare feast upon my fruit without permission?" the voice bellowed, now filled with anger.
I looked up at the tree again, my eyes narrowing as the branches swayed unnaturally in the dim light, as though they were reacting to the voice. The tree seemed to pulse, the fruit trembling slightly. The leaves rustled, despite no wind passing through the cavern. My stomach dropped as the realization hit me—this tree wasn't just an ordinary tree. It was alive in ways I hadn't imagined. The fruit wasn't a gift—it was a test, a temptation I had failed without even knowing it.
I took a step back, the taste of the apple still lingering on my tongue. The voice spoke again, more menacing this time, its deep timbre vibrating through the stone around me.
"Do you not know where you stand, human?" it hissed, "You take without thought, as if you are entitled to what this place provides."
The ground beneath me seemed to rumble slightly, and the water, which had been so calm and clear moments before, began to ripple more violently. I glanced back at the passage I had come from, my instincts screaming at me to leave, but the shadows in front of me loomed large. I didn't know if I was prepared to face what came next.