As we enter the next room, there is nothing but Nature's bond that keeps telling me something: vines moving without wind, grass being stepped on with no one in sight, something is off, and the others can tell, "Something is not right." Sekigan said, looking around, ready to unleash the wrath of Chi, the goddess of blood and health, on whoever or whatever was hiding his yellow eyes, ready to snap at any slight sign of the presence of a living being. "Careful, it might be a trap." Haha said her gaze as never been so calculating as she flipped through her notebook, seeing if any blessing or monster she knew of could be at play. "Yeah, right, the time we get ambushed is the same time someone walks on water." Cain said confidently and relaxed, seeing the threat of an ambush as a joke. "You know there was one man a long time ago." Cal is cut off by Cain's sharp gasp as he falls to the floor. Blood pouring out of his back and pooling on the floor; a dagger planted in his back.
"CAIN!" Sekigan yelled out his golden eye, burning with rage at his late friend's death. "COME OUT AND FIGHT ME PUSSY." As Sekigan yelled, he was no stranger to death, but death always hurt.
An icy silence descends over the chamber as Cain's lifeless form hits the floor, his blood seeping into the stone like a dark omen. My heart thunders in my chest as Sekigan's yell echoes around us, bouncing off the walls, unanswered but for the faint stir of unseen movement. Whoever our attacker is, they're skilled enough to remain hidden even from Sekigan's deadly awareness.
Haha crouches beside Cain, her expression strained, a brief flicker of grief crossing her face before her usual calm returns. "He didn't suffer," she murmurs, almost as if to herself, but there's a tremble in her voice. She stands, wiping a blood-smeared hand against her armor, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword as her gaze sharpens, calculating and cold.
I close my eyes and reach out again, this time focusing harder, pressing beyond the silence of the stone around us. The faint rustling and shifts of invisible steps dance through my senses whatever's here is still watching us, hidden and poised for another strike.
"I can feel them... Just barely," I whisper, opening my eyes to meet Haha's. "They're still here."
Sekigan growls low, his sickles poised, his body taut with rage. "Then we drag them into the light." His voice is rough, the sorrow buried under a steely resolve. He flicks his fingers, blood pooling from his palm to coat his sickles in a dark sheen, ready to turn his blessing into a weapon as he steps into the center of the room. "Show yourself!" His voice reverberates through the chamber, a promise and a threat.
In the heavy silence, a low, mocking laugh fills the air, curling around us like a deadly fog. "You came too late for the queen," a voice sneers from nowhere and everywhere at once. "And now, you'll pay the price."
The voice is chillingly calm, sending a shiver down my spine. This isn't just a random monster attack; whoever this is has a plan, a purpose. The others shift uneasily, bracing themselves.
I gulp, standing behind the others, my hands trembling as I reach for my knife. Whatever happens next, I know this fight will push us all to the limit.
"Everyone behind me!" Cal yelled shield at the ready, "Haha, any ideas?" Sekigan demanded more than asked as Haha flipped through her notebook faster than I thought would be humanly possible.
"GOT IT!" She yelled, turning her notebook around to show us a name and description of a blessing. There it read, Veil of Shadows: Given by Lysandra, the goddess of Light and Illumination, it allows the user to melt into shadows and move unseen.
"Veil of Shadows... so someone's using that to ambush us?" I mutter, realizing we're dealing with a blessing that's essentially invisibility.
"Yes," Haha nods, her usual calm expression replaced with one of sharp focus. "It's a rare blessing, but it makes sense now. We'll have to anticipate their movements rather than relying on sight."
Sekigan's grip tightens around his sickles, his gaze flicking between the shadows. "Alright then, we're in for a real hunt."
"Stay close," Cal adds, his shield raised and ready to intercept any unseen attack. "Let's move cautiously and keep our eyes on each other's backs."
I can feel the tension in the air as we form a tight circle, advancing slowly.
Every step forward feels like walking through thick fog; we're tense, alert, and ready for anything. The shadows seem to shift and stretch, mocking our cautious advance. My palms are sweaty, gripping the hilt of my knife as tightly as possible, but I know it won't be much use against a foe that can slip in and out of sight.
A faint, nearly silent shuffle echoes to our left. Cal raises his shield, and Sekigan tenses, his eyes narrowing. "There!" he snaps, lunging forward with one of his sickles. The weapon cuts through the air, missing its target by inches, but it's enough to force our attacker into a momentary retreat. A dark figure flickers back into the shadows, its form almost dissolving as it slips beyond our sight again.
Haha flips through her notebook with one hand, her other clutching a dagger defensively. "They won't be able to keep this up indefinitely. Veil of Shadows has limits. If we can keep them moving, they'll wear out eventually."
Cal nods, voice low but determined. "Then we press forward. No gaps in the circle."
The shadows shift again. A chilling, whispered laugh echoes from somewhere ahead. I gulp, my pulse racing, but I push down the fear. We're being toyed with, but we're also prepared. And as much as this opponent is hidden from sight, they can't remain hidden forever.
In unison, we move forward shields raised, weapons ready, our eyes scanning every flicker and whisper in the darkness.
"You won't make it out; no one will." The same chilling voice spoke from where it was unknown; it sounded like it was all around us: "I am going to give you a long, painful death, for Cain." Sekigan threatened, his sickles glimmering in the faint light, his yellow eyes filled with bloodlust. "And how are you going to do that? With those toys?" The unknown person mocked just pissing off Sekigan more. "Don't be afraid of the weapon; be afraid of the user." Sekigan said as ten blood tentacles burst out of his back, the crimson glow mixed with the subconscious swaying, making a terrifying scene. This is the power of hemokinesis. "I prefer making people afraid of both the weapon and the holder."
The tentacles twist and curl from Sekigan's back, each one pulsing with dark, menacing energy, glistening in the faint light. They writhe like serpents ready to strike, reflecting the fury in his eyes. I take a step back instinctively, feeling the sheer intensity of his power hemokinesis at its most terrifying.
The voice echoes again, taunting but with a note of unease. "Impressive, but blood alone won't save you."
Sekigan smirks, unfazed. "We'll see about that." With a quick flick of his hand, one of the blood tendrils lashes out, slicing through the air where the voice had come from. It doesn't hit its mark, but the speed and precision make it clear that Sekigan is done holding back. He's not just hunting our unseen assailant; he's daring them to come closer, to test his rage firsthand.
Haha adjusts her glasses, scanning the room, her eyes darting to where the shadows are thickest. "They're hiding in the Veil of Shadows," she mutters, half to herself. "Sekigan, keep them moving flush them out!"
Another mocking laugh reverberates, but there's a slight waver in it now, almost as if they're thrown off by Sekigan's relentless approach. "Fine, I'll grant you a taste of my power," the voice sneers. A dark figure materializes briefly, slipping through the shadows, and before we can react, a dagger flies toward Sekigan. He deflects it with a bloody tentacle, sending it clattering to the ground.
"Is that all you've got?" Sekigan growls, his tentacles curling around him protectively. "You should've stayed hidden."
I tighten my grip on my knife, standing ready. I might not have Sekigan's blood powers, but I won't be helpless. And as he strides forward, fearless, each step sending a message to our enemy, I know one thing: we're going to make them regret underestimating us.
Sekigan's sharp senses pick something up, and one of his blood tendrils whips at a corner. A grunt is heard, and a hidden wound is bleeding, revealing the unknown person. For a second, Sekigan waste no time jumping at the individual, and I use Nature's Bond to control the vines to constrict around his limbs, pinning him down as Sekigan beats on the man, each strike from a blood tentacle leaving a new wound on the individual. However, before Sekigan can dissect the person with his sickles, Cal pulls him off. "Enough, Sekigan, you are going to kill him." Cal argued to the blood-lusted boy who wasn't listening, "The point dumbass, now let me at him." Sekigan fought against Cal's grip, but the tank was not letting up. "Calm down, Seki." Cal tried to reason with Sekigan, but it fell on deaf ears. As the other two fought, Haha integrated the man, and I used Nature's Bond to keep him pinned.
While Cal struggles to restrain Sekigan, his voice steady but strained, Haha crouches next to the pinned man, her gaze sharp and calculating. Her voice, normally calm, takes on a chilling edge. "Who sent you? And why the ambush?"
The man spits at her feet, defiant even under the tightening grip of the vines. His eyes dart wildly around, seeking an escape. I reinforce the vines with all my focus, binding his wrists and ankles tighter to keep him from slipping away. Sekigan snarls, still thrashing against Cal's grip, his yellow eyes blazing with a wave of intense, unyielding anger.
"Tell us now," Haha demands, leaning in, "or we'll let him finish what he started."
The threat seems to hit home. He shifts uncomfortably, his gaze lingering on Sekigan's writhing blood tentacles, still poised to strike. After a moment, he grits his teeth, giving in. "I was... sent to make sure no one leaves this dungeon alive," he hisses, his tone bitter. "You don't know who you're dealing with."
Haha raises an eyebrow. "And who are we dealing with?"
A twisted smile appears on his bloodied face. "The Serpent's Hand. You've stepped into something far bigger than you realize."
At that name, silence falls over the group. The Serpent's Hand the followers of the goddess of chaos and snakes, dedicated to spreading her influence by any means necessary. I shiver, realizing just how dangerous this mission has become.
Sekigan finally stops resisting Cal, his gaze fixed on the man. "You think your goddess will save you?" he sneers, his voice dripping with contempt. "Not here."
Cal, seeing Sekigan calm slightly, releases him but stays close, wary of him snapping again. Haha looks to me, nodding toward our captive. "Keep him pinned," she says quietly. "He may know more than he's saying."
I tighten the vines, feeling the man's struggles weaken. There's no telling how deep this plot runs, but I know one thing: we need every bit of information he can give us if we want to make it out alive.
Haha presses further, her voice low and threatening. "Start talking. What else are you and your serpent's hand friends planning here? How many of you are in this dungeon?"
The man winces as the vines dig into his skin, clearly in pain but still defiant. His lips twitch in a smirk. "You're wasting your time. My goddess rewards loyalty... and you'll see her sooner than you think."
Sekigan's hands curl into fists, barely holding back. "Your goddess can have you when I'm done with you," he mutters, his voice laced with menace. But Cal gives him a warning look, silently urging restraint.
Haha, she narrows her eyes and leans even closer. "You're willing to die for her, then?" She motions to the twisted vines and Sekigan's blood tentacles hovering dangerously close. "If you're that loyal, prove it. Or maybe... maybe you're just another pawn she'll throw away."
The man's smirk fades, and he swallows, his defiance wavering. The silence hangs heavy before he finally speaks, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Fine. There are more of us stationed deeper in... enough to ensure you don't leave here in one piece. But if you turn back now, they won't hunt you."
Haha raises an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Why should we believe you?"
He looks away, his jaw clenched. "Believe what you want. I'm just a messenger. But if you think you're getting out with that map..." His eyes flick to the scroll Haha carries. "You're mistaken."
I glance at Haha, feeling my pulse quicken. "What's he talking about?"
Haha unfolds the map cautiously, inspecting it with narrowed eyes. After a moment, she curses under her breath. "This isn't the full layout. There's another layer here. The Serpent's Hand must have altered the maps to trap adventurers... lure us right into their hands."
The realization settles in with a chilling weight. We're trapped, deeper in the dungeon than we thought, with an unknown number of enemies waiting for us.
"And the guide had to die." Sekigan mumbled, not happy with being trapped in the Spider's Den.
Cal nods solemnly. "We depended on her to lead us out, and now we're left with half a map and an ambush waiting for us." His voice is heavy with frustration as he tightens his grip on his shield, glancing around the shadowed chamber as if half-expecting another attack.
Sekigan's glare sharpens, his blood tentacles swaying ominously as he directs his anger at the captured spy. "If you think we're just going to lie down and let your little cult pick us off, you're in for a surprise."
The man lets out a strained laugh, weak from his injuries but still defiant. "Oh, you'll make it interesting, I'm sure. But you won't get far. The serpent's hand has eyes everywhere."
Sekigan's jaw clenches, the mention of Cain's death and the treachery around them fueling his rage. "You want to test that theory? We'll see just how many eyes I can close."
Haha raises a hand to quiet Sekigan. "Wait. If he's telling the truth, we'll need to use every ounce of strategy we have to get out of here alive." She glances at the map again, searching for any path that might give them an edge. "There's another passage here, one we haven't explored. If it's not guarded, it might give us a way to bypass whatever ambush they have waiting."
I tighten my grip on the vines around the spy, making sure he can't slip away. "So what now? Do we press on and risk their trap, or double back and take this new path?"
Sekigan's yellow eyes gleam with a feral intensity. "We go forward, and if they're waiting for us, then they'll learn what happens when you corner us. For Cain."
"For Cain," Cal echoes, his voice steady and resolute.
Haha nods, folding the map carefully. "Then let's move. Keep your eyes sharp. If this path is as dangerous as he says, we'll need every advantage we can get."
With one last look at the wounded spy, I release the vines, letting him slump to the ground. His smirk has faded, and for the first time, there's fear in his eyes.
"Can I kill him now?" Sekigan asked, having no plans to let the killer of Cain walk.
"Not yet," Cal replies, his tone firm. "He's still useful to us. If there's even the smallest chance he knows more about the traps ahead or how to navigate out of here, we'll need him alive."
Sekigan's eyes narrow, but he doesn't argue. Instead, he looms over the spy, the blood tendrils hovering menacingly close. "You'd better hope we don't run into any surprises, or you won't live to see another minute."
The spy swallows, his bravado fading as he realizes how precarious his situation is. "Fine," he mutters, wincing from his injuries. "I'll tell you what I know... just don't let him near me." His gaze shifts nervously to Sekigan's blood tendrils, which sway like vipers waiting to strike.
Haha steps forward, her voice calm but commanding. "Start talking, then. What else is waiting for us in these tunnels? Are there any more traps? Reinforcements?"
The spy hesitates, looking between each of us before his shoulders slump. "Further down, there's a passage leading to the nest chamber. It's rigged hidden tripwires that release boulders from the ceiling. If you take the left fork just before the nest, you'll avoid it."
Sekigan's fists tighten, but he restrains himself, nodding to Haha, who quickly marks the new route on the map.
Satisfied, Cal gives the spy a warning look. "If we make it out of here, you're coming with us to answer for what you and the Serpent's Hand did to Cain."
Sekigan's lips curl into a grim smile. "But if we find one more nasty surprise, I'll make sure the last thing you see is the blade of my sickle."
The spy visibly blanches, sweat beading on his forehead as he glances away from Sekigan's menacing gaze. For a moment, the only sounds are our footsteps echoing through the cold, damp cave. Cal keeps a firm hand on Sekigan's shoulder, a silent reminder to hold back, but the blood tentacles twitch in agitation, ready to strike at the slightest provocation.
Haha steps forward, keeping her notebook close as she studies the spy's every twitch and expression. "We're moving. Any more 'surprises' we should know about?" She presses, her voice steady.
The spy sighs, defeated, and mutters, "Only one a pit trap just past the nest chamber. It's disguised, hard to see in the dim light. But that's it. I swear."
Sekigan doesn't even flinch. "You'd better hope you're telling the truth. Because if we fall into another trap... " His voice drops to a dangerous whisper. "You'll be the first one down."
Cal tightens his grip on the spy, nodding for us to press forward. We take the left fork as instructed, stepping cautiously over uneven ground. My senses remain on high alert, Nature's bond keeping me attuned to every rustle and shift in the air. With every step, I can feel our resolve solidifying, our grief over Cain transforming into a single shared purpose: survival and vengeance.