Chapter 19 - XIX

Alex stands at a crossroads, staring down both paths. Anxiety and hesitation weigh heavily on him, as he feels the pressure of choosing the right way. With the risks of each path in mind, he carefully assesses his options.

After a moment of deep thinking, Alex decides to follow the path with a faint light glowing at its end. He senses that this light might signal something important or valuable awaiting him and hopes it could be the key to understanding the strange connection with his tattoo.

Moving cautiously through the narrow passage, Alex notices the light gradually spreading as he progresses, strengthening his belief that something significant lies ahead. The air around him grows warmer, and the light slowly intensifies.

The only sounds accompanying his steps are the crunch of rocks beneath his feet and the faint whisper of air flowing through the passage. The cave is eerily quiet, making each step seem louder and more deliberate.

As time passes, the light becomes brighter, transforming into a warm glow that fills the cave with golden hues. Alex's anticipation grows, curiosity and tension building as he wonders what the source of the light could be. He quickens his pace, driven by the pull of the unknown.

At the end of the path, Alex finds a large hollow in the cave wall, emitting a brilliant light that fills the space with an air of mystery. The light seems to pour from an unseen source, giving the hollow an almost sacred significance. It bathes the cave walls in warm, golden tones, revealing intricate details etched into the rocks.

Standing before the hollow, Alex feels his tension rising. He examines the light carefully, studying every detail around him. A sense of urgency fills him, knowing that this moment may be pivotal in uncovering the truth about his tattoo and the mysteries waiting to be revealed.

As Alex steps into the hollow, a vast chamber opens up before him, filled with dungeon stones in a variety of colors. The stones glimmer in different shades, ranging from deep blue to vibrant green and glowing red, scattered across the floor and walls like treasures waiting to be claimed. These stones seem to hold immense value in his world and might be of special significance.

Alex freezes in place, his eyes widening in disbelief. "No freaking way!. Am I dreaming?" he mutters to himself.

He struggles to comprehend the scale of what he's discovered, staring at the radiant stones in awe. "These stones... they're priceless. If I can collect them, I might finally make my dream come true."

Thoughts of wealth flood his mind. "This could be the chance of a lifetime. I'll be rich beyond belief thanks to this discovery. I can't believe I stumbled upon this place!"

His imagination races with possibilities. "I could sell them, or maybe use them to power up my abilities. This place could change everything…"

"Yoooo…i'm rich!!"

Taking a deep breath, Alex forces himself to calm down. "Stay focused, Alex. Don't get ahead of yourself. You need to be cautious. Don't lose everything because of excitement."

As he continues to examine the stones, a growing sense of satisfaction fills him. "Nothing is going to stop me now. These stones could unlock my future. I'll learn everything about this place and take what I need... carefully. You know what, tattoo? I'm starting to like you."

But just as Alex revels in his discovery, he's jolted by the sudden sound of heavy footsteps approaching.

*Doom! Doom!*

His heart races as he glances around in panic. "What's that sound? Are you for real author !"Alex thinks, frantically searching for cover.

Without hesitation, he slips behind one of the massive stones, holding his breath as he tries to remain still, not daring to make a sound. The footsteps grow louder, the vibrations from the ground sending shivers through his body.

Suddenly, a terrifying scene unfolds in front of him. A massive creature moves through the room filled with stones, each step shaking the ground. Alex's eyes widen in fear as he spots an enormous spider, its giant body covered in ominous, unsettling colors that glisten on its back. Its colossal legs move slowly, each step creating a chilling sound.

The spider effortlessly climbs the cave walls, and Alex realizes it's heading toward the ceiling where its nest is. A sticky thread emerges from its mouth, attaching to the web, and it begins weaving a complex structure to secure its nest in place. Once finished, the spider slowly descends to the ground and drifts into a deep sleep, as if exhausted from its work.

Alex watches in sheer terror, hiding behind a massive rock, feeling every small movement and desperately trying to stay silent. "I can't believe I'm here. This spider... it's enormous and terrifying."

The thick odor of the spider reaches his nose, amplifying his fear. "If it find me, I won't stand a chance. I have to stay quiet and wait for it to leave."

Frozen in place, Alex moves as little as possible. Anxiety overwhelms him, an intense urge to run surges through his body, but he knows he can't risk it. As he watches the spider sleep, he realizes that patience is his only option—any movement could give him away.

____

After three hours of hiding behind the rock, Alex grows increasingly frustrated and angry. He erupts in foul-mouthed curses aimed at the tattoo on his arm that led him to this cave. "You motherfucker Is this what you wanted me to find? Just trouble?"

Lost in his curses, he suddenly hears heavy footsteps and shouting from the cave entrance. His heart races as he turns to see a dungeon beast resembling a monkey entering the cave. The creature, with its bumpy skin and dense fur, is rampaging, smashing rocks, and screaming hysterically. The dim cave light casts frightening shadows on the walls, amplifying Alex's fear.

In an instant, the giant spider awakens. It opens its glowing eyes, sensing the threat of the approaching beast. With lightning speed, it moves from its spot and, without a sound, launches its sticky threads towards the monkey-like creature. The spider's threads ensnare the beast, pulling it in tightly.

Alex watches in horrified disbelief. The spider gradually pulls in the monkey-like beast, each movement of its threads intensifying the tension. In a chilling moment, the spider gruesomely devours the beast, with blood splattering on the walls and floor, and the sounds of the beast being chewed filling the space.

Chunks of flesh and blood fall haphazardly to the ground, creating a scene so terrifying that Alex feels he might faint from sheer fear. He hides as best as he can behind the rock, trying to control his breathing while in a state of intense panic. "Ohhh shit!... What have I gotten myself into?"

The horrific scene continues for several moments as he remains frozen in place, unable to move. All he can do is wait in silence, hoping that this nightmare will end soon.

But while Alex remains hidden behind the rock, the situation in the cave plunges into utter chaos. Nearly twenty more beasts, similar to the giant monkey devoured by the spider, swarm into the cavern. Their howls and roars fill the air, creating a cacophony of terror.

A gruesome battle erupts between the beasts and the giant spider. The beasts launch a ferocious assault, scrambling to climb the walls and reach the ceiling where the spider's nest is. The spider, still coated in the blood of its previous victim, moves with nightmarish speed and precision, casting its grotesque webs to ensnare the beasts and drag them within reach of its gaping maw.

The air becomes thick with the stench of blood and decay, as the struggle transforms into a grotesque spectacle. Beasts slam into the spider, their savage attacks meeting its sticky, fearsome threads. The scene is a macabre dance of violence, limbs and blood flying in every direction, with the sounds of the battle echoing like a symphony of horrors.

Hiding behind the rock, Alex is engulfed in paralyzing dread. *"I can't stay here; I need to find a way out..."* His thoughts spiral as he watches the carnage unfold. Suddenly, one of the beasts crashes violently into the rock alex is sheltering behind, causing it to tremble. Blood spatters around him, but the beast seems unfazed, roaring and plunging back into the fray.

The beasts renew their assault on the spider, which fights desperately to protect its nest. The spider's webs dart through the air, trying to ensnare the climbing beasts, while the creatures relentlessly push forward, driven by their primal instincts. The battle escalates into a nightmarish frenzy, each movement revealing deeper layers of chaos and horror.

In the center of the blood-soaked cave, the battle rages with savage brutality. Alex, hidden behind the rock, witnesses the carnage in sickening detail. Monkeys are slaughtered in grotesque ways, their limbs crushed under the spider's monstrous strength, and blood splatters on the walls and rocks, adding a chilling layer to the scene.

Limbs and skulls are shattered under the spider's weight, accompanied by ghastly sounds that provoke nausea. The cavern reverberates with the screams of the dying and the sickening crunch of bone. Alex watches in horror, his face ashen and his eyes wide with terror, feeling as though he's trapped in a living nightmare where each violent movement underscores the brutality surrounding him.

Injured monkeys collapse to the ground as the spider, ravenous and relentless, drags them with its web, tearing them apart with a gruesome hunger. Alex feels his heart pounding in terror, overwhelmed by fear and revulsion. *"What am I going to do?"* His mind races, trying to comprehend the horrifying scene before him.

Suddenly, the battle spills out of the cavern. The terrified monkeys, driven by sheer panic, flee through the narrow passages leading outside. The giant spider, still drenched in blood and seething with rage, pursues them with horrifying agility and speed, leaving a trail of carnage in its wake. The echoes of roars and pursuit reverberate through the cave, marking the spider's relentless chase.

Alex, still hidden behind the rock, watches in mortal terror. *"I can't stay here any longer; I need to find an exit before the spider gets involved in this part of the cave."* The scene escalates to a state of extreme fear and tension, with the spider relentlessly pursuing the fleeing monkeys, making the atmosphere of the cave increasingly nightmarish and terrifying.

He begins to cautiously sneak toward the opening he initially entered, unable to hide the overwhelming dread that grips him. As he moves cautiously, he is intensely curious about why the monkeys were trying to reach the nest. His heart pounds furiously, and his mind is filled with horrifying questions. He looks up at the ceiling and spots something small hanging from one of the threads, which seems on the verge of snapping at any moment.

The object dangles from the ceiling and falls to the ground with a soft thud. Alex quickly picks it up and notices it is a gray stone with a spiral engraving that glows faintly in purple. *"Could this stone be the cause of all this chaos?"* Alex wonders, his voice trembling as he tries to make sense of what is happening around him. But before he can think too deeply, he hears the sounds of combat approaching once more.

Without hesitation, Alex runs toward the opening, his heart racing as he glances anxiously over his shoulder. As he exits, he looks back through the opening and sees that the giant spider has returned to the cave. It appears to be in a state of furious rage, searching for something with relentless intensity and emitting a terrifying growl.

Feeling anxious and fearing that the weird stone might be the source of the turmoil, Alex quickens his pace toward the exit. He knows that staying in this place any longer could be deadly. He continues to run, careful with each step and avoiding any noise that might attract the spider's attention. Even as he runs quickly, his eyes remain fixed on the opening he came through, watching the monster inside closely and trying to avoid attracting any useless attention.

to be continued...