The Ambush – A Plan Gone Wrong
The group crouched near the mouth of the cave, the thick overgrowth offering them cover. Serra, Orin, and Lyra moved with practiced ease, their movements silent and deliberate as they prepared for the ambush. Mellali and Hadjer followed closely behind, doing their best to stay out of the way but ready to act if needed.
Serra motioned for the group to stop and gestured toward the entrance. "We'll move in slowly, take out anyone on patrol first, then hit the main group before they know we're here. Keep it quiet, keep it clean."
Orin smirked. "You two," he said, nodding toward Mellali and Hadjer, "just stick close to Lyra and try not to screw it up."
Mellali rolled his eyes but nodded, understanding the need for caution. This wasn't a situation where they could afford mistakes.
The group moved closer, creeping along the rocky walls of the ravine toward the dark opening of the cave. Lyra stayed near the back, muttering under her breath as she prepared a defensive spell. Mellali could feel the air around her vibrating with energy, ready to be unleashed if necessary.
As they neared the entrance, Mellali's heart began to race. He could hear muffled voices coming from within the cave—the cultists were inside, just as Serra had said.
They were close now. Serra raised her hand, signaling for them to stop. She peered into the cave, nodding to Orin, who silently drew an arrow from his quiver and nocked it in place, his aim steady.
The plan was simple: take out the guards silently, then hit the rest of the cultists before they had a chance to react. It should have worked.
But it didn't.
---
A Sudden Explosion – The Ambush Goes Wrong
As Orin released his arrow, there was a sudden, blinding flash of light from inside the cave. The arrow never hit its target. Instead, a powerful explosion of energy ripped through the entrance, sending rocks and debris flying in all directions.
Mellali's ears rang from the blast as he stumbled backward, barely managing to keep his balance. Hadjer grabbed his arm, steadying him as they both ducked behind a large boulder for cover.
"What the hell was that?" Mellali shouted, his voice barely audible over the ringing in his ears.
Orin cursed, rolling to the side and narrowly avoiding a chunk of falling rock. "They knew we were coming! It's a trap!"
Serra's face twisted with frustration. "Fall back! We need to—"
Before she could finish, the ground beneath them shifted violently, cracking under the weight of the explosion. The cave entrance collapsed inward, sending dust and debris into the air, and Mellali felt the earth give way beneath his feet.
He tried to scramble back, but it was too late. The ground crumbled beneath him, sending both him and Hadjer tumbling into the cave as the entrance collapsed behind them.
---
Trapped in the Cave – Separated from the Group
The world spun as Mellali and Hadjer fell through the darkness, landing hard on the cold stone floor of the cave below. Dust filled the air, choking them as they tried to catch their breath. Mellali coughed, blinking against the sudden darkness as he scrambled to his feet.
"Hadjer?" he called, his voice hoarse.
"I'm here," she replied, her voice coming from somewhere nearby. He could hear her shifting in the dark as she tried to find her bearings. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Mellali muttered, wincing as he rubbed his shoulder where he'd hit the ground. "What the hell just happened?"
Hadjer coughed, waving the dust away from her face. "Looks like the ambush went sideways."
Mellali glanced up at the cave entrance—or where it used to be. The entire entrance had collapsed, sealing them inside with no visible way out. The faint sounds of battle could still be heard from the other side of the rubble, but it was muffled and distant. They were completely cut off from Serra, Orin, and Lyra.
"Great," Mellali muttered, scanning the darkness. "Now what?"
---
The Cultists – Danger in the Dark
Before Hadjer could answer, they both heard something that sent a chill down their spines: footsteps. Soft, shuffling footsteps, coming from deeper within the cave. And they weren't alone.
Mellali instinctively reached for the amulet in his pocket, feeling the cold, pulsing energy within it. He couldn't afford to use it recklessly—not when it was still tied to Cthulhu—but he needed some kind of plan. They couldn't just sit here waiting to be discovered.
"We need to move," Mellali whispered urgently. "Those cultists will find us if we stay here."
Hadjer nodded, already pulling out her staff as they began to move deeper into the cave, keeping low to the ground. The air was cold and damp, and the walls seemed to close in around them the further they went. Mellali could hear the faint echo of voices ahead—the cultists, no doubt preparing for whatever ritual they were conducting.
They crept forward, trying to stay quiet, but the sounds of their movement echoed off the narrow stone walls. Mellali's heart raced as they rounded a corner, coming face-to-face with a small group of Cthulhu cultists.
There were three of them, their faces twisted in madness, their eyes glowing faintly in the dark. They wore tattered robes, adorned with strange symbols Mellali recognized from the altar in the village—symbols of Cthulhu.
The cultists froze, staring at Mellali and Hadjer in shock. Mellali's mind raced. They weren't ready for a fight, not like this.
---
Mellali's Plan – Talk Their Way Out
Thinking quickly, Mellali stepped forward, raising his hands. "Wait—don't attack. We're not here to fight."
The cultists exchanged confused looks, but their suspicion was obvious. One of them, a gaunt man with wild eyes, sneered. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"
Mellali swallowed hard, trying to sound calm. "We were sent here... by him."
The cultists' eyes widened. "Him?"
Hadjer shot him a sideways glance, clearly unsure of where Mellali was going with this, but she stayed quiet.
"Cthulhu," Mellali said slowly, deliberately. "We're here to... assist."
The cultists looked at one another, their expressions shifting from confusion to something else. "You're followers of the Great One?"
Mellali nodded, though his pulse raced. "Yes."
The cultists relaxed slightly, but their suspicion hadn't fully faded. "If that's true," the gaunt man said, stepping closer, "then prove it."
Mellali's heart skipped a beat. Prove it? How was he supposed to do that?
Before he could answer, the cold, familiar presence of Cthulhu brushed against his mind once again.
"Oh, this should be interesting. Go ahead, mortal. Prove yourself. I'll be watching."
Mellali clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm. He didn't have time to argue with Cthulhu. He needed to think fast.
---
The Bluff – Using the Amulet
Mellali slowly pulled out the amulet, holding it up for the cultists to see. "This," he said, his voice steady, "is a gift from him. You can feel its power, can't you?"
The cultists' eyes locked onto the amulet, their faces lighting up with reverence. They could feel it—the connection to Cthulhu pulsing faintly from the relic. The gaunt man's sneer faded, replaced by awe.
"A gift..." he murmured, reaching out toward the amulet.
Mellali stepped back, keeping the amulet out of reach. "Not so fast," he said. "We're here to help, but we need to know what's going on first."
The cultists hesitated but didn't press the issue. The amulet had bought them time. Mellali knew it wouldn't last forever, but for now, they had avoided a fight.
Hadjer shot him a sideways glance, a small smile playing at her lips. "Nice save."
Mellali shrugged. "It's not over yet."
The Fight Begins – A Coordinated Attack
As the cultists guided them, Mellali quickly brought up his status window. It flickered briefly before revealing the cultists' stats, each one laid out in front of him, invisible to everyone else. His pulse quickened as he analyzed the information.
---
Cultist 1
Level: 3
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Abilities: Dark Ritual, Mind Break
Weakness: Psychic Resistance – Low
Cultist 2
Level: 2
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Abilities: Shadowstep, Soul Siphon
Weakness: Physical Defense – Low
Cultist 3
Level: 3
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Abilities: Eldritch Blast, Eldritch Mind
Weakness: Psychic Defense – Moderate
---
He scanned the information quickly, focusing on their weaknesses. They had some powerful abilities, but they were vulnerable to psychic attacks. Mellali's mind worked fast as he activated telepathy and reached out to Hadjer.
"Hadjer, these guys are weak against mental attacks. Keep them occupied with your magic, and I'll hit them with psychic blasts. We just need to hold them off long enough for Serra and the others to break through the cave."
Hadjer gave him a quick nod, her grip on her makeshift reaper like staff as she prepared to attack. Sparks of energy danced around her reaper , illuminating the dark cave as she used bladesong and fey step.
"Ready when you are," she whispered.
Mellali focused, locking eyes with the first cultist. He didn't have to kill them—he just had to hold them back. His fingers twitched as he unleashed a psychic shockwave, slamming into the first cultist's mind. The cultist let out a choked gasp, his Eldritch Blast fizzling as he staggered back, clutching his head.
Hadjer took her chance, unleashing a crackling lightning bolt that surged through the air, striking the second cultist. The force sent him crashing into the cave wall, but he wasn't dead—just dazed, his limbs jerking as the electricity coursed through him.
The third cultist snarled, preparing another dark spell, but Mellali hit him with a second mental attack, clouding his mind with confusion and fear. He was disoriented, unsure of where he was or what he was supposed to do.
---
The First Kill – A Sobering Reality
Just as Mellali and Hadjer managed to hold the cultists at bay, they heard the sound of stone crumbling behind them. Serra, Orin, and Lyra burst through the rubble, weapons drawn.
"Get down!" Serra barked.
Mellali and Hadjer immediately ducked as the adventurers leaped into action. Orin's arrow found its mark first, striking the second cultist squarely in the chest. Mellali watched as the man's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. A strange feeling washed over him—a mix of shock and nausea.
Hadjer's eyes widened as Serra's sword flashed in the dim light, cutting down the first cultist with brutal efficiency. The man let out a final gurgled cry before collapsing in a pool of blood. The sound of his body hitting the stone floor echoed in Mellali's ears, louder than anything else.
For a moment, time seemed to slow. Mellali's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the scene in front of him. The cultists—living, breathing people—were dead. And he had helped to bring them down. It wasn't like a game, where enemies simply faded away into nothing. The bodies remained, the blood soaking into the stone.
Hadjer stood frozen, her face pale. Her hands still crackled with residual energy, but her expression was one of disbelief. She had never killed anyone before, and now, she was standing in a room with the bodies of people they had just fought.
"Hadjer..." Mellali began, his voice soft. He could see the conflict in her eyes. She wasn't just shocked—she was grappling with the weight of what had happened. This wasn't an abstract concept anymore. They were in a world where lives were taken, and they had been part of it.
"I... I didn't think it would feel like this," Hadjer whispered, her voice barely audible. "They're just... gone."
Mellali swallowed hard, his own emotions swirling. "Yeah... me neither."
---
Cthulhu's Voice – A Mocking Presence
Before they could fully process what had just happened, Mellali felt a cold, creeping sensation in the back of his mind—Cthulhu.
"First time seeing blood, is it?" The dark, ancient voice echoed in Mellali's thoughts, dripping with mockery. "How quaint. Look at you, standing there, shaken by something so... insignificant. They were nothing, insects beneath your feet. And yet here you stand, feeling the weight of their deaths as if it matters."
Mellali clenched his fists, refusing to show any outward reaction. He didn't want the others to know that Cthulhu was whispering in his ear.
"They were my followers, yes, but they were idiots. Weak. Useless. I hardly even noticed when they died. What does it matter to you? Why should you care? You'll face worse soon enough. This is just the beginning."
The words were like cold steel twisting in Mellali's mind, but he forced himself to stay focused. He wasn't like Cthulhu. He did care. But there was no point in arguing with the entity. Not now.
---
Gaining Experience – The Reality of the Fight
As the cultists' bodies lay still, Mellali felt a strange, tingling sensation wash over him. It wasn't just physical—it was as though something deeper inside him had shifted. He had gained experience, not just in combat but in understanding the gravity of this new world. It wasn't a game, but the rules still applied.
A soft shimmer appeared in his vision as his status window updated.
---
Level Up!
Mellali Mohamed
Class: Aberrant Mind Sorcerer
Level: 2
New Ability Unlocked: Mind Surge – Increases psychic attack range and intensity.
Experience Gained: 240 XP
---
Hadjer looked at him, her own status window invisible to Mellali but likely showing the same level of progress. She was shaken, but she had also grown stronger from the fight.
Mellali gave her a small nod. "We're still here. We survived. And we're getting stronger."
Hadjer nodded, but her expression was still distant. "Yeah... but that doesn't make it easier."
---
The Aftermath – Adventurers' Reaction
Serra wiped her sword clean, her expression grim as she looked at Mellali and Hadjer. "First time seeing something like this, huh?"
Mellali nodded slowly. "Yeah. It's... different than what we expected."
Orin scoffed. "Get used to it. You'll see worse before this is over. These cultists were nothing compared to what's out there."
Lyra, the quieter of the group, gave Mellali and Hadjer a soft, understanding look. "It gets easier. Not better, but easier."
Mellali couldn't bring himself to respond. The truth was, he didn't want it to get easier. He didn't want to lose the part of himself that still felt something when a life was taken. But he didn't have time to dwell on it.
---
Cthulhu's Parting Words
As they prepared to leave the cave, Mellali felt Cthulhu's voice once more, faint and dismissive.
"Idiots. All of them. My so-called followers, thinking they could make a difference. You killed them, and they never even knew what hit them. Pathetic. But you... you're still amusing. I'll be watching."
Mellali gritted his teeth, pushing Cthulhu's presence from his mind. He wasn't doing this for Cthulhu. He was doing it to survive, to grow stronger.
Hadjer glanced at him, sensing his discomfort. "You okay?"
Mellali forced a small smile. "Yeah. Let's just get out of here."