Azad and Ellie stood at the foot of the mountain, staring down into the yawning hole beneath its massive structure. The entrance to the cave was colossal, dark, and intimidating, with jagged rocks lining the edges like the teeth of a beast waiting to swallow them whole. From the depths, faint glimmers of coal and iron could be seen, scattered across the cavern walls like hidden treasure. A steady waterfall cascaded down into the hole, offering the only clear way in, though the dark void below promised nothing but uncertainty.
Ellie crossed her arms, eyeing the resources with determination. "Azad, we need to upgrade our gear. Our pickaxes are about to give out, and look—coal, iron… everything we need is right there." She pointed into the dark abyss.
Azad shifted uncomfortably, squinting down into the hole. The distant glow of scattered lava pockets barely illuminated the depths, casting eerie shadows across the cavern. "I don't know, Ellie. This place gives me a horrible feeling. We can barely see anything down there; who knows what's lurking in the dark? This feels… dangerous."
Ellie rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed with his hesitation. "Stop being such a pussy, Azad! How do you expect us to survive if we don't get better equipment? Look at us—our armor's falling apart, our knives are dull, and our pickaxes are one swing away from breaking in half. We won't make it much longer like this."
Azad sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're just making things harder for me! I get it, okay? But going underground like this... it's risky, Ellie. It's really risky."
She turned to face him, her expression softening but still resolute. "I know it's risky. But what choice do we have? You've seen how tough it's been out here. We can't keep running and hiding from every mob we come across. We need gear that can hold up—iron weapons, and better armor. This is the only way."
Azad groaned, rubbing his forehead. "You and your logic. Fine! But how are we even supposed to get down there? There's no way we're jumping into that pit."
Ellie smirked, nodding toward the waterfall. "Simple. We ride the waterfall down. It'll slow our fall and drop us right into the cavern."
Azad stared at the rushing water and then back at Ellie, wide-eyed. "You can't be serious. What if the current sweeps us into the rocks? Or worse—into a mob?"
Ellie was already gearing up, adjusting the straps on her worn-out armor. "Stop overthinking it. We've got no other choice, Azad. It's the fastest—and safest—way down. Now, come on. I'll go first."
With that, Ellie stepped toward the waterfall, positioning herself on the edge before throwing one last look over her shoulder. "Ready?"
"No, but you'll go anyway, won't you?" Azad muttered, shaking his head.
Without another word, Ellie jumped into the waterfall, her body vanishing into the stream of water as it swept her down into the abyss. Azad cursed under his breath, steeling himself. "Why do I always let her talk me into these things?" He took a deep breath and followed her into the waterfall.
The ride down was chaotic. Water surged around them, its force pulling them dangerously close to jagged rocks. The sound of rushing water roared in Azad's ears as they descended deeper into the cave. He tried to keep his eyes open, but the spray from the waterfall blurred his vision. The drop seemed endless, and his heart pounded with fear and adrenaline.
Finally, they landed with a splash in the shallow pool at the base of the cavern. Ellie was already standing, wringing out her soaked clothes. "See? Not so bad," she said, flashing him a grin.
Azad staggered to his feet, drenched and disoriented. "Yeah, sure. Let's never do that again."
But as he looked around, the cave's vastness took his breath away. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like natural chandeliers, and the distant glow of lava cast an ominous light across the cavern. The walls were lined with veins of coal and iron, just waiting to be mined. Despite the darkness, the air was filled with a quiet hum of opportunity.
"Alright, let's get to work," Ellie said, pulling out her pickaxe, its wooden handle worn and chipped. "The sooner we upgrade, the better."
Azad was about to pull out his pickaxe when he heard something—a low, unsettling groan that echoed through the cave. His blood ran cold. "Ellie… did you hear that?"
She froze, listening closely. Another groan, followed by the unmistakable sound of bones clattering together.
"Mobs," Ellie hissed. "We need to move. Fast."
Suddenly, a group of zombies emerged from the shadows, their rotting flesh glistening in the dim light. Behind them, skeletons armed with bows and arrows, their hollow eyes locked onto their targets.
"Crap!" Azad shouted, gripping his nearly broken pickaxe. "There's too many of them!"
Ellie's eyes darted around, searching for an escape. "Run! Now!"
They sprinted across the cavern, their boots slapping against the stone floor as the mob's sound grew louder. Arrows whizzed past them, bouncing off the walls, while the zombies moaned and reached for them with decaying hands.
"Where are we going?" Azad panted, panic lacing his voice.
"Anywhere but here!" Ellie snapped, her voice filled with urgency.
As they rounded a corner, Azad tripped on a loose stone, nearly falling into a pit of lava. Ellie grabbed him by the arm, pulling him back just in time. "Watch your step!"
Breathless and cornered, they stumbled upon a small alcove hidden within the cavern wall—a narrow crevice wide enough to squeeze through. "Here!" Ellie shouted, diving inside. Azad followed, squeezing his body into the tight space as a skeleton's arrow clattered against the rocks behind them.
They were trapped in the darkness, their breathing heavy, the sounds of mobs outside growing louder by the second.
Ellie turned to Azad, her voice barely a whisper. "We're not getting out of here that easily…"
Azad swallowed hard, the weight of the situation sinking in. "What do we do now?"
The mobs outside banged against the walls, their growls echoing through the tight space. Ellie's eyes glinted in the dim light. "We wait. We fight… or we find another way."
Azad nodded, gripping his pickaxe tightly. The suspense hung in the air like a heavy fog, thick with dread. As the groans of the undead echoed through the cave, they realized there might be no easy way out of this madness.
And with that, the waiting began.