Xin and Belial made their way through the dense forest, leaving behind evidence of their fierce battle. Their swords slashed through the thick vegetation, making a path through the never-ending horde of orc warriors. The forest echoed with the sounds of combat: the clash of weapons, the gruff cries of orcs, and the sporadic cheers of victory from the two travelers. Sweat streaked their faces as their muscles protested with each swing of their weapons. The weight of their task had started to affect them, and tiredness was starting to set in.
While walking through the thick forest, Xin and Belial saw a man in a dark robe suddenly emerge, as the last light of the day was disappearing and casting long shadows. His sudden appearance made it seem like he was a part of the forest, moving with an uncanny grace as he walked in front of them.
The man grinned warmly, yet there was an unsettling quality to the gleam in his brown eyes in the dim light. "Why are you both here at this time?" he inquired, speaking in a calm and controlled tone. "Encountering travelers your age so deep in the woods is a rare occurrence. Do you need any help?"
Despite being cautious after what happened earlier, Xin felt slightly uneasy with the man's excessively cordial behavior. Always the courteous one, he was able to muster a slight smile. Xin responded, "We're okay, thanks," despite his words sounding somewhat rigid. "We know what we need from here."
The man's grin grew broader as he looked back and forth at both of them. "Oh, please," he exclaimed, with a tone that sounded almost playful. "I can definitely help you . It's almost night time too so its bound to get dangerous"
Xin took a quick look at Belial, believing it would be impolite to reject the man's proposal without thinking it over. "I was thinking... perhaps we can consider—"
"No," Belial interrupted, his voice resolute as he watched the stranger with distrust. "We have no interest."
Xin was taken aback by the sharpness in Belial's tone and blinked in surprise. But then he realized that he dint have a say in the decision and eventually gave in pouted. "he's only trying to help.."
Night was getting closer, and Xin and Belial were excited to head back to camp for some well-deserved rest. After successfully clearing a difficult part of the forest, they were surprised by the sudden change in their surroundings. They unknowingly fell into a dangerous quicksand pit, the ground collapsing beneath them. Without warning, they were consumed by the ominous darkness lurking below.
Upon regaining consciousness, Xin and Belial discovered that they were in a strange and dark realm. The chilly, moist cave they were in had walls coated with an unknown, shining material. A feeling of dread filled the heavy air, and the oppressive silence lingered. Both of them looked at each other with confusion, equally puzzled by the sudden shift in their situation.
"Are you okay?" Belial inquired, his voice reverberating slightly in the vast area.
Xin massaged his head and scanned the area, his expression showing a blend of puzzlement and annoyance. "What happend?"
Belial let out a sigh, clearly showing his frustration. "I think we got caught in quicksand and now we're in this place, wherever that may be."
Covered in dust, Xin tried to stand up but stopped suddenly when he saw a spider on his axe. He responded instantly and with a strong gut feeling. Letting out a piercing scream, he jumped into Belial's embrace, holding onto him as if he could shield him from the threat of the spider.
"There's a spider!" Xin's voice held a combination of fear and surprise.
Attempting to stifle his laughter, Belial sarcastically rolled his eyes in response to Xin. "Are you scared of spiders? Come on, we need to figure out a way to escape from this place."
Cautiously, Xin picked up his dull axe, pointing at the small eight legged creature as it crawls away . "Man, those small things are kind of creepy in a strange way."
Belial remarked with a touch of sarcasm, "You are simply overreacting. Let's go now."
Xin and Belial continued further into the cave, prepared with their weapons at the ready. There was a feeling of encroaching darkness, with an eerie sense of foreboding present. Every step they took felt more burdensome, as though the cave itself was unwilling to allow them to move forward.
The air became heavier as they continued exploring. Both of them were unnerved by the whispers and murmurs drifting from the walls. They clenched their weapons tightly and scanned their surroundings, on high alert for any potential threats.
Xin and Belial both quickly turned with their weapons ready as a loud screech suddenly broke the silence. They spotted a swarm of goblins with shining eyes charging at them in the faint torchlight. The goblins were uncontrollable and frantic, their actions seemed almost robotic in their unholy excitement.
The goblins rushed forward with a deep-throated shout, their weapons glinting in the faint light. Xin confronted the horde directly, wielding his huge axe with strong swings that cut through the air. Xin's attacks caused the ground to break beneath the goblins, resulting in them tumbling and falling in a chaotic pile.
Despite engaging in intense fighting, Xin and Belial were starting to feel the effects of their long duel. They continued forward, their determination never faltering. Their task was not yet complete, and the desire for success propelled them forward.
The cave appeared to go on forever, but eventually they found a old, decorated door built into the wall of the cave. Decorated with complex symbols and carvings, suggesting potential hidden secrets. Belial tried to use his dark powers to forcefully open the door, but despite his determined expression, the door refused to budge.
"Move out of the way," Xin stated, his determined voice carrying a note of determination. He lifted his axe, directing a burst of power into the weapon. He used a powerful strike to bring the axe down forcefully on the door. A deafening shockwave echoed in the cave, yet the door stayed still.
Belial, disconcerted by Xin's brute force approach, noticed a broken key lying discarded on the ground. He picked it up, a smirk forming on his lips. "Maybe if you stop trying to brute force everything, you'd think for a second," he said, holding up the key.
Xin scoffed. "So how are we going to get through with a broken key, genius?"
Belial's eyes lit up with sudden inspiration. He began channeling his dark energy into the key, causing it to levitate and transform. The key began to reshape itself, forming a perfect replica of the latch. With a wave of his hand, a keyhole appeared on the door. Belial inserted the key, struggling for a moment before the door creaked open with a grating sound.
As Xin and Belial stepped into the next room, Belial inadvertently triggered a hidden trap. Arrows shot out from the walls, and while Belial managed to take cover, he was struck by a few. Xin watched in horror, his heart racing as he saw his friend take the brunt of the trap's wrath but he protected himself last second with a shield he conjured.
"Be careful this place could be crawling with traps," Xin warned, his voice strained but steady.
"Sure thing boss!" Belial replied, his eyes rolling, acting as if it was not already obvious.
The room was filled with a flickering red light, and soon after, the floor was teeming with wild creatures. Finding a foothold was nearly impossible due to the overwhelming number of creatures. Xin and Belial were forced to battle against a large number of beasts, struggling to hold their ground as the situation grew more dire.
Xin had never encountered a challenge so intimidating before. He found himself surrounded by a large number of adversaries, making it difficult to cope with the constant attack. He was losing his hold on his axe as his hands became slippery with sweat. Belial also faced challenges, but his skills and supernatural abilities enabled him to defend himself effectively.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Belial was aware that he had to act swiftly in order to rescue his friend. He found a flaw in the monsters' arrangement and gestured to Xin, indicating a opening they could take advantage of. "There's a opening, we can to push through!"
Following Belial's lead, Xin rushed forward in a broad curve wielding his axe. The monsters hesitated momentarily due to the sudden attack, giving a short break. Belial was immediately behind him, his sword glinting with lethal accuracy. The monsters were pushed back by their synchronized attack, allowing Xin and Belial to gain a few valuable seconds to regather.
Nevertheless, the break didn't last long. The creatures swiftly regrouped and converged once more. Xin, clearly tired, found it difficult to keep them back. He came to the realization that he could no longer maintain his guard effectively. "Get back, Xin! I will keep them at bay!" Belial yelled above the noise of the battle.
With reluctance, Xin backed away, the weight of his axe feeling more burdensome than before. He observed Belial confronting the monsters by himself, his dark energy crackling as he bravely battled them. Although Belial was strong and skilled, the overwhelming number of enemies still posed a challenge until he noticed something unusual.
"XIN, LEAVE THIS PLACE, IT'S A SET-UP!" Belial's words were barley audible over the commotion, yet Xin struggled to make out his voice using his hax in the midst of the battle. During the ongoing battle, wall made of the same substance as the door started falling down, darkness surged around Belial and made a large palm about the same height as him. Since Xin wasn't far from him he was able to accurately determine his location and quickly shove Xin before the wall could fall, dividing diving the two. The unexpected obstacle left Belial exposed, separated from his companion.
Xin felt heartache while watching Belial fight the monsters, trapped on the other side of the wall. He noticed the strong resolve and pressure on his friend's face, which made him feel regretful for his inability to assist.
Belial inhaled deeply, holding his sword aloft while surrounded by swirling dark energy. He was aware that he needed to stand firm for as much time as he could. The thumping of his heart in his chest served as a constant reminder of the serious predicament he was in. Belial readied himself for the impending onslaught as the monsters advanced.
The room resounded with the clash of weapons, the growls of animals, and the sounds of the two friends exerting themselves. Xin's thoughts raced as he tried to find a way to reunite with Belial. He understood that the only chance they had to survive was to break through the wall and join forces with his companion.
During the chaos, Xin became more determined. He refused to allow Belial to battle by himself. He started fighting off the remaining monsters in the room, while also trying to find a way to get past the wall and help his friend.
Belial, conversely, was putting up a fight with all his might. Even though he moved with fluidity and precision, he still sensed the fatigue taking hold. His dark abilities were starting to weaken, and he understood he needed to persevere for a bit longer.