The sun's first rays seeped through the thick canopy of trees, casting a faint golden glow over the forest. Sevastian stirred at the sound of hurried footsteps crunching the leaves.
Sevastian groaned as he sat up, feeling his muscles tighten and his body ache as if it had been battered by stone. Lyra watched him from a distance, her lips pressed into a thin line as he struggled to get to his feet. He ran a hand through his messy dark hair, trying to fix it, and wiped his glasses with the hem of his shirt before adjusting them on his nose. Lyra wondered if the dragon could see without his glasses, as he seemed to rely on them.
Rohan stood nearby, checking the straps of his bag, his expression grim. Without another word, the trio gathered their belongings and set off toward the Cave of Darkness.
The path narrowed as they neared the cave, the trees thinning until they stood before its dark, eerie entrance.
Sevastian tightened his grip on his dagger. "Stay close," he said, his voice low.
They stepped inside, the temperature dropping sharply as the dim light disappeared. The walls glistened with dampness, and the sound of water dripping echoed through the silence.
"It is colder than I thought," Lyra muttered, her breath misting in the icy air.
"It is not just the cold," Rohan said, his voice low. "Something is not ... right."
They moved cautiously, each step felt like it might trigger something unseen. Out of nowhere, a low growl broke through the quiet, deep and threatening.
Sevastian stopped abruptly. His fingers curled around his weapon as his eyes darted toward the sound. "It is here," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper.
From the shadows, a four-eyed beast appeared, its cursed form worse than they remembered. Its glowing eyes swept over them, and a deep snarl escaped its mouth before it charged.
Their hearts raced as they recognized it, it was the same creature they had faced in the cursed fog. But now, standing so close, every detail of its horrifying features was clearer, making it even harder to breathe.
"Spread out!" Sevastian shouted, dodging its first attack.
The beast moved faster than they expected. Its claws came dangerously close to striking them. Lyra dodged to the side and struck at its flank, but her blade barely left a mark on its thick hide. Rohan went for its legs, but the creature's tail whipped around, deflecting his attack.
Amid the chaos, Sevastian noticed movement from the corner of his eye. Someone was crouched behind a jagged rock, trying to stay hidden.
"There is someone there!" Sevastian shouted, blocking another strike from the beast.
"What?" Lyra yelled back, barely avoiding the creature's claws as her focus stayed on the fight.
"There!" Sevastian pointed to the figure. "Keep this monster busy... I will handle it."
He broke away, darting through the chaos toward the man. The figure tried to run, but Sevastian was quicker. He tackled him to the ground, pressing his knife to his throat.
"Who are you?" Sevastian growled, his voice dark and menacing.
The man squirmed, his eyes wide with terror. "Please, do not kill me! I am just a messenger!"
"A messenger for who?" Sevastian pressed, his grip tightening.
The man hesitated, glancing toward the beast still fighting Lyra and Rohan. "For Elias," he admitted, voice shaky.
Sevastian's jaw tightened. "Who is Elias? And why are you here?"
"I was told to make sure you do not get inside the cave, no matter what," the man stammered. "I swear on my life!"
Behind them, Lyra and Rohan were struggling to hold off the creature. Lyra managed to land a solid hit, her blade piercing one of its glowing eyes. The beast howled in agony, thrashing wildly.
"Sevastian!" Lyra shouted. "Whatever you are doing, hurry up!"
Sevastian glared at the man. "How do you stop the beasts?"
"I...I have no idea," the man swallowed hard looking between Sevastian and the others fighting with the angry beasts.
Sevastian pressed the blade closer to his neck, "I am not going to repeat myself. How do we stop the beasts?" His voice dangerously low.
The man swallowed again, sweat covering his forehead and neck, "I need to get my necklace, it fell from my neck." The man announced.
Sevastian grabbed the man by the shirt and helped him get on his feet before searching for the necklace. Once he found it, the man whispered some words and threw it to the ground. The beast disintegrated into dust. Sevastian dragged the man toward Lyra and Rohan, knife still at his neck. "Lyra, Rohan, let's get out of here."
"That is a very good idea, Sev," Rohan chuckled, pushing his dagger back to its sheath.
Panting, Sevastian turned his attention back to the man. "You are going to tell us everything," he said coldly. "Start speaking,"
The man's face drained of color, his voice high with panic. "We need to leave—NOW!" His words were desperate, raw with fear, and his eyes darted around wildly.
Sevastian's brows furrowed, confusion flickering in his gaze as he took a step forward. "We—"
Before he could finish, the ground shook violently beneath them, cutting him off. The walls of the cave shuddered, and a deep, ominous rumble reverberated through the air, making the very earth beneath their feet feel unstable..
Sevastian eyes widened with realization. "We need to get out of here—now!"
They sprinted toward the entrance, the man stumbling as Sevastian dragged him along. Rocks crashed down, dust and debris clouding the air. When they finally burst into the sunlight, they were gasping for breath.
"Fuck! That was too close," Rohan muttered, brushing dust from his clothes.
Sevastian grabbed the man's cloak, yanking him forward as he tried to back away. "You are not going anywhere," he spat, voice dripping with menace.
"I swear I don't know anything more! Elias will kill you all if you keep looking for him!" The man screamed, his hands tugging at his hair in panic as he struggled to break free, but Sevastian's grip held firm, preventing his escape.
"Did you send those beasts into the Vylint?" Lyra asked, her hands on her hips.
"I was ordered to," the man replied, finally giving up on his attempts to escape. "I didn't think you would make it out alive... clearly, I underestimated you all."
"So, this Elias is somewhere in the cave?" Rohan arched his brow.
"Yes, but you would not get in easily," the man replied. "The entrance is blocked, and if you manage to get past, be ready for a fight. Elias would not go down without a good fight."