Garden Of The Abyss

Soon it wasn't just the melody of rain drops; roars of ominous, howling thunder resonated through the dark skies laying outside the cavern. By no means did it sound like normal thunder; possessing an almost clear malice to its existence, roaring out as if threatening those below of the impunity of the storm. 

"...We might be here for a bit," he said with a sigh following as he looked up at the roof of the cave, looking at the hanging vines. 

"It sounds like that's the case," Mencius confirmed, "I shall take my rest then."

The man with flowing, emerald locks removed his cap, using it as a pillow as he laid down against the ground. 

Looking around, he realized Aiko and Hongse had also fallen asleep, leaving only himself, Macheo, and Valerie as the only ones still awake. 

"If you want to catch some shut-eye, I'll keep watch," he offered. 

"I'm fine," Macheo swiftly rejected. 

Valerie nodded, "I wouldn't be able to get good sleep under a storm like this anyway." 

It was an expected answer from the two most taut, prideful of the group as he smiled, leaning his head against the wall, "Guess I'll catch some z's then myself." 

"Go ahead," Macheo commented as he tinkered with his artificial arm, "I don't care what you do."

Shutting his eyes with a smile at the usual, abrasive remark from his friend, he found comfort quite easily with the warmth of Iris pressed closely to himself. 

It felt as if the moment he closed his eyes to fall into slumber, he was woken up just as swiftly. 

"…it's time to move out!"

—It was Macheo's voice yelling with such intensity.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he realized he was the last to wake, though it didn't seem he was trailing behind. 

"What the—what's going on?" He asked, jumping to his feet.

Though he came to realize that although he was woken by a yell, nobody looked to be in a rush. 

"Nothing," Macheo answered, "the storm's over. Damn rain lasted forever."

"…Oh," he sighed.

Looking to his side, he was greeted by Iris' soft gaze and even softer smile as he returned the expression. Returning the cloak he temporarily gifted her, she wrapped it back around his shoulders, tying the lace for him. 

Hongse, being the resident mule of the group by virtue of his natural strength, carried both the mana potions and the food supply.

"All set?" He asked, pulling his gloves back over his hands as he stood at the entrance to the hidden cavern.

The subsequent nods affirmed his question as the group set out through the nature-overtaken cave. 

"Think we're through the first day yet?" Jae-Seong asked.

"Probably, you all slept for a good while," Macheo answered. 

They marched up an incline of mossy stone that shifted into a bridge, looking over a deep chasm that whispered with eerie winds below.

Being above the barren chasm, a cold updraft howled against the group, causing the short, beige-haired girl to shiver.

"Are you alright, Aiko?" He asked, looking back at the girl.

"…I'm fine—perfectly fine," she replied while hugging her own body.

Looking past the girl, he stared at the golden-haired prince marching behind her, giving him a wink.

Macheo clicked his tongue before removing his cape, wrapping it around the cold-feeling girl with a faint blush tinting his cheeks.

"Thanks…" Aiko kept her head down, tucking the sable cape around her body.

"Don't mention it," Macheo quietly replied while averting his gaze.

Watching this, he and Iris smiled before continuing to march up the flower-laden, rocky bridge.

With Jae-Seong whistling to himself as he stood at the forefront of the group, they eventually reached the summit of the vast cave system.

"Now hold on…just what is this place?" He said in awe at the scenery waiting atop.

Waiting at the top was an open-space within the hollow cave inhabiting the innards of the colossal mountains.

It flourished with abundant foliage; housing enough natural green that it was hard to see the gray of the stone beneath.

Through the center of the mystical area, a lake existed—holding natural, clear water instead of the abundant black sea outside.

"Amazing—simply amazing," Mencius smiled, fitting right in with the spring-filled cavern.

"I don't trust it for a second," Valerie spoke on the contrary. 

The crimson-clad, demi-human knight kicked a pebble as she folded her arms across her chest. 

Just moving around required them to swipe hanging cobwebs out of their way; they seemed to litter the cave plentifully. 

"I'm with her," Macheo added, "this place reeks of a trap."

"Too good to be true?" He asked.

The crimson-eyed prince nodded, "Something like that."

It was difficult to imagine such a serene place existing in the unforgiving realm, he understood that well. After what had just happened on that solemn day, there was no chance of acting thoughtlessly.

"Jay, Macheo—stay at the front with me. Stay ready," he said.

Keeping his broadsword drawn, he and the two others at the vanguard led cautiously while the others followed—keeping watch off anything that may approach from their flank.

Pressing past the lengthy, low-hanging vines, the sound of water leaking from the cracks embedded in the cavern ceiling filled the area with a subtle fear.

There's no way this place is vacant. It was the only passageway through this cave, save for blowing through it with magic. 

If they're forcing challengers through a predetermined path then…there's no other conclusion, he thought.

Using his sharp-edged blade to cut through the sea of vines interlaced with cobwebs obscuring his path and vision, a foreign sound was heard.

After listening to the weight, pattern, and frequency of each of his companions' steps, the leaf-crunching stomp stuck out.

"You hear that?" Macheo asked in a whisper.

As they stopped, the rest of the group did; they were surrounded by a forest of intrusive, verdant limbs that left most of their vision mitigated.

"…Yeah, something is here," He answered quietly.

Jae-Seong wordlessly confirmed on his own end as he cracked his knuckles. 

They all took on a vow of silence before the enigmatic situation. 

Complete and utter silence—so still, so soundless that all that he heard was the slight ringing in his ears.

Until, a flurry of steps intruded into the quiet space with a jarring, flood of footsteps.

—But that wasn't quite correct. 

Footsteps?…no, it sounds more like…poles slamming against the ground? Dozens…from every direction, he thought.

Unable to see the approaching, unknown enemies, he tightened his fingers around the blue-strapped handle of his sword.

"Cover each other's backs!" He shouted out.

Without hesitation, the group naturally fell into a defensive stance with each of them covering the backs of one another. 

"What the hell is coming? It doesn't sound human!" Macheo yelled.

"There's a lot of whatever it is!" Hongse shouted, wielding his hammer. 

As the rapid marching grew closer, the unseen enemies released a high-pitched hiss as if laying eyes on their prey.

"They're here!" He yelled.

Just as he yelled, he slashed his sword through the vines in front of him—striking away the obscuring veil and repelling the enemy that leapt towards him.

By the weight he felt in that momentary slash, whatever it was held a hefty weight, clad in some sort of armor.

I didn't feel Belus cut through…it's tough, he thought.

As the sliced vines danced down, he finally saw his enemy as he could hear the battle beginning for his companions as well.

Clad in a tough, white exoskeleton with eight, lengthy and eerie legs, the creature stood a few times his size—hissing with its fangs as its beady eyes watched him. It wasn't of a foreign shape, though the size it possessed was anything but what he was used to--it was a creature that struck him with an almost primal fear. 

A spider, he surmised. 

His skin crawled at the sight of the hellish rendition of the arachnid he was faced with, holding his blade up as it hissed at him again, slamming its spiky legs as if trying to intimidate him. 

By the barrage of hisses echoing from every direction, there was no chance of anyone else in the group lending a hand to one another; they were severely outnumbered. 

"...I knew I'd come across something like you in this world eventually, but still...I was hoping that day would never come," he muttered with a wry smile. 

Just watching the sharp, tall-standing of fuzzy strands protruding from its exoskeleton vibrate as it hissed, moving its bulbous abdomen side-to-side, sent a wave of disgust over his body as he naturally took to a defensive stance. 

It dashed towards him with blinding speed, without warning as it raised its front legs, sending them down like spears as they pierced the stone he once stood on--already rolling back to avoid the swift strike. 

It's fast, he thought. 

Before he could retaliate from his half-knelt position, it quickly withdrew its relatively thin, sharp legs from the stone, hopping back with unbecoming agility of its size. 

Close to his left, Macheo defended against an incoming strike by using his black-clad, artificial arm as a shield, counter-attacking with a spinning kick that managed to land against the side of the many-eyed spider's head, though it quickly shook it off. 

"These things are tough, huh?" He called out. 

"They're a good warmup," Jae-Seong replied with a smile. 

The curly-haired otherworlder retained his smile as he dodged around the swift, spear-like strikes of the umber-spider's legs, leaving quick jabs to its body that forced it back. 

I can't unleash anything close to a normal strength punch--not with the others around, Jae-Seong thought.