Oh, the liquid fell into my mouth.
A critical thought struck him. If it seemed that this body hadn't gone through all the experiences he remembered, did that also mean his stomach wasn't as resistant to toxins as before?
In moments like this, Buck's past experiences would have advised him to stay still and wait for the mysterious liquid to take effect. But he no longer had that luxury. His vision was already beginning to blur from dehydration, and his stomach growled louder with each passing moment, making a dangerous and echoing sound.
Scarcity left him with no safe options. He would have to venture deeper into the central part of the natural labyrinth.
Sneaking beneath stalagmites, Buck moved silently forward, careful not to step on loose stones or slip on the small streams of emerald liquid. His eyes were sharp, searching for signs of water or the tracks of any creature he could hunt—or might need to flee from.
But instead, he found something far more mysterious and veiled.
A colossal, grey sepulcher pierced the flesh of the earth. Even from a distance, just gazing at its structure and eerie form filled him with an instinctive fear, a primal chill that crawled down his spine.
He knew he shouldn't go near that place. His body trembled in fear, as if warning him of the danger that emanated from the tomb.
Whatever lay inside that sepulcher wasn't friendly, and Buck was certain it wouldn't disturb his own quest for survival. After all, he wasn't suicidal. So, he slowly backed away.
But something felt strange about the area surrounding the ruin. There were none of the Star Creatures here, only empty stalagmites.
He knew it was wrong, but he might never get another chance to be so close to such a place. Perhaps the information hidden among that sepulcher could one day save him from certain death.
As he examined one of the nearby stalagmites, he noticed numerous holes running from top to bottom.
Did this mean that the small creatures were feeding on the stone to extract nutrients?
He held the delicate Sol in his hands, thoughtful. It didn't seem possible that something so fragile could break down and feed on such hard rock.
Inspecting one of the groups of creatures clinging to the stalagmites, Buck used his hands to carefully pry one loose, surprised by how tough its shell was—almost as hard as calcite.
Pulling one out slowly, Buck was startled. A sharp, long beak, like a needle, emerged from the rock along with the creature. It was different from the light and innocent Sol. On the contrary, this one was heavier, more frightening, and sturdier.
As he fully dislodged it, a faint stream of bright emerald liquid oozed from it, to Buck's amazement. It looked like the same liquid that trickled through the streams and veins of the labyrinth.
Gazing at the heavy, still creature in his hand, Buck's mouth watered. Could these things be edible?
He had never considered the Star Creatures worth eating before, given how ridiculously light Sol was. But now, everything had changed.
Stamping down on the creature's outer shell with all his strength, he cracked the thin, keratinous casing. But inside, there was nothing—just dust.
An empty shell. Had he been unlucky?
Buck gathered a few more of the creatures, throwing them to the ground and stomping on them again with all his might.
Empty.
Something was gnawing at him, making him more and more anxious as he continued to break those hollow shells.
What was the reason there was nothing left inside this biome but these creatures? And there were no tracks of anything else either.
His strength faded with each passing moment. Hunger, and especially thirst, were weakening him further and further.
Then a thought occurred to. Buck wondered why he had ended up in the Star Creatures' nest. After all, it was the only place nearby where there were living creatures. Did that mean the queen he was supposed to subdue was really so weak? If that were the case, perhaps fate had finally taken pity on his continuous misfortune over the past seventeen years.
But what if this wasn't a nest of creatures, more like a place where they came to shed their skins, leaving their old husks behind? Did that mean they could grow larger and larger? What was the maximum size these creatures could reach, and how many of them were roaming the abyss?
As if mocking his realization, a small stone fell from the ceiling of the enormous hall, landing right next to him.
With everything he had discovered, Buck had never thought to look up.