Madison's eyes fluttered open, the heaviness in them making her blink a few times before she could fully focus. The cave was still and silent, the dim light of the glowing insects casting eerie blue shadows across the walls. She glanced around; everything seemed the same. Amara was still lying where they had left her, motionless. Nate, slumped against the wall, showed no sign of stirring either.
With a groggy sigh, Madison pushed herself up and checked on Amara first. As she approached, Amara's eyelids flickered open. For a brief moment, there was relief in Madison's face. But that relief quickly vanished as Amara's hand shot out, grabbing Madison's arm in a steel grip.
"What the—" Madison started, but before she could finish, flames erupted from Amara's palm, the heat rushing toward her face.
"Are you crazy?!" Madison yelled, her instincts kicking in as she teleported out of the fire's path. She reappeared behind Amara, her heart pounding. "Do you want to kill me or something?"
Amara spun around, her breaths coming hard and fast. Her fiery hand dimmed as her gaze cleared, recognition dawning. "Oh God," she muttered, letting go of her power. "I... I'm sorry. I thought you were a beast. My vision was too blurry to tell."
Madison stood with her arms crossed, glaring at her. "Well, maybe try not to attack first and ask questions later."
Amara's face softened with guilt. "You're right. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Madison replied, brushing dust off her jacket. She sighed and sat back on her heels. "So, what now?"
Amara ran a hand through her hair, trying to process everything. "What happened? How did we even end up here?"
Madison gave her a brief summary, skipping the finer details. She explained how they found Amara unconscious, the beasts chasing them, and how they managed to escape. Amara listened intently, nodding as she pieced it all together.
When Madison finished, Amara looked thoughtful, then firm. "We can't stay out here. It's not safe. We need to get back to the plane and regroup first."
Madison hesitated but eventually nodded. "You're probably right. This place is crawling with monsters."
Madison turned her attention to Nate, still slumped against the wall. "Let's get him up and get out of here." She teleported to his side and gently shook his shoulder. "Hey, Nate. Wake up. We gotta move."
There was no response. She shook him again, harder this time. Still nothing. Panic started to rise in her chest as she leaned closer, calling his name. "Nate! Wake up!"
But Nate didn't stir. His breathing was steady, his face peaceful, but he remained unresponsive. Madison glanced back at Amara, her voice trembling slightly. "He's not waking up."
The cave grew colder as silence settled over them.
Amara pushed herself to her feet, her determination evident. "Let me try," she said firmly, brushing past Madison and kneeling beside Nate. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him roughly. "Nate! Wake up!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the cave.
There was no response. Nate remained still, his face peaceful despite the commotion.
Amara's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.
The sharp crack of her palm against his cheek made Madison jump. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Madison shouted, her voice filled with shock and disbelief.
Amara ignored her, lifting her hand again. "He needs to wake up!" she retorted, slapping Nate even harder this time.
Madison lunged forward, grabbing Amara's wrist before she could strike again. "Enough!" she snapped. "Don't you see? He's not waking up! Slapping him isn't going to help!"
Amara glared at Madison, her jaw tightening before she finally lowered her hand. After a moment of silence, she sighed and said, "Fine. Let's just get him up. I'll carry him if I have to."
The two women worked together, trying to lift Nate's limp body. But it was no use; he felt heavier than he should, almost as if something was anchoring him down.
"Why is he so heavy?" Madison muttered, frustration creeping into her voice.
Amara's eyes drifted to Nate's back, and her expression darkened. "What the hell is that?" she said, pointing.
Madison leaned in for a closer look. Wrapping around Nate's back was a strange, slimy, red substance. It looked alive, pulsing faintly as it clung to his wound.
"What is that thing?" Madison whispered, her stomach twisting in revulsion. She reached out to touch it, but her fingers slid off its surface as if it were coated in oil.
"It's feeding on him," Amara said grimly. Her hand began to glow as flames danced across her fingertips.
"Wait, what are you—" Madison started, but before she could finish, Amara unleashed a burst of fire on the red substance.
The flames consumed the slimy material instantly, but the heat came dangerously close to Madison, who stumbled back with a yelp. "Are you crazy?!" Madison growled. "You almost burned me again!"
Amara shrugged unapologetically. "It worked, didn't it?"
Before Madison could argue, a deafening screech echoed through the cave, freezing them both in place.
The sound was unearthly, a mix of pain and rage that made the walls tremble. Amara's eyes widened, her fiery confidence faltering. "What was that?"
"I don't know," Madison said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I checked this cave earlier. There was nothing down there."
The screech came again, louder this time, reverberating through the air like a warning. Both women stared into the dark depths of the cave, the oppressive silence that followed making the sound all the more chilling.
"Then where is it coming from?" Amara asked, her voice shaky for the first time.
Madison had no answer.