After resting for a while, they decided to venture out.
Kyle was now in the front and Ray in the middle. Matt was also in the middle where he had much flexibility.
Not long after, they were attacked. They continued onwards, scouring the entire perimeter for an exit.
Kyle was in the front. Matt drew his shield up, Lily fought with her daggers as her bow was broken, Tidlen was shooting mana and Ray was fighting the creatures with Kyle.
Everyone was getting desperate. They were tired and battered.
The cautiously advancing group suddenly stopped.
There was another larger room which seemed to be devoid of monsters.
Entering as cautiously as possible, they looked around.
"The walls are different." Matt was the first to notice it.
"They are made from a different material."
Tidlen was next to give the analysis.
"Another place without monsters…I don't understand what's going on.'' Lily uttered the common question.
"Wait... This part... Is this glass?" Ray saw past the entrance and commented in 'surprise'.
"Glass? How can glass still be intact?" Kyle muttered in confusion.
They slowly walked around the place, still careful, and decided it was safe.
"Let's see if we can find any clues," Kyle said.
Tidlen used fire to light up the place.
Unlike the other room, this one wasn't completely empty.
There were remains of tables, big machine-like things and even chairs!!
"This cannot be a ruin, can it? You don't find modern looking machines in ruins, do you?"
"Lily is right. This isn't a ruin. It feels more like a withering man-made structure."
"Guys, come look here. This looks like a map, or a layout."
They all headed towards Ray.
It was a complicated map.
"Ha… this is Matt's area of expertise. What do you think, Matt?" Raily said, turning towards Matt.
Hearing that, Matt — who had been quietly feeling useless till now — regained his energy.
"Hmm… this looks like a map of the whole area. It's hard to read, but there is this long passage way, leading somewhere else."
He looked expectantly at Kyle, everyone did.
After a short discussion,
They agreed the other passageway was their best bet, scoured the room once more for anything they'd missed, then headed toward it.
This time, nothing attacked them. But an screeching- slashing sound was slowly getting louder as they walked, unsettling them.
"Is it just me, or is the fog messing with our hearing too?" Lily asked.
No one had an answer. They pressed on, swords ready.
The tiled floor narrowed into a corridor, and the sound only grew louder as they walked. Tidlen lit the way ahead.
"Is this the right path?" Lily asked, unsure.
"We don't have a better alternative now, do we?" Kyle said.
"Right…"
Matt dragged his foot, Lily held her knives, Ray - his sword, Kyle was also moving slower.
They pushed further down the passage, while the sound of slashing grew more clear with every step.
The corridor gave way to stairs, and as they reached the top, the walls and ground shook.
"Alert! Everyone, guards up!"
The moment Kyle's foot touched the last step, she yanked it back — a heartbeat later, something slashed through the space where it had been. Matt's shield shot forward to cover her. Tidlen's ice crystals pierced the creature's heart, and it dropped..
As Matt took the front they were attacked. Repeatedly.
Giant, disfigured silhouttes were their enemies. And the foes only increased in number, as they made their way through.
With each fight, their roughened clothes grew damper with fresh blood.
Even Tidlen had fallen prey to a rampaging shadow and had his left eye crushed. Others were in worse shapes.
***
This is getting dangerous. I need more innate mana!
Tidlen had long spent his mana. He was crouching on the ground
'Matt is losing, I need to get there.'
Splurt!!
'Lily is on the ground!'
Block!!
Ray jumped to block the monster attacking Lily.
Slash!!
Urgh....
Blood gushed out of Ray's chest.
'No matter...'
He stabbed his blade into his opponent's neck. And then slumped on the ground.
And looked around,
'Kyle is also loosing ground.'
Ray tried getting up once again,
"I'll cover her!"
Matt shouted, rushing to Kyle's side.
'Just one more...'
"Ghaa...."
Ray slowly turned to the monster heading towards him.
Rushed forward with the last of his strength, and killed it.
'Haa..Finaly...'
***
Suddenly, the atmosphere stiffened. Everything came to a standstill. A heavy pressure ensued.
Ray's eyes glowed bright blue. His horns became visible. The attacks stopped. Everyone shivered, their hearts gripped with extreme and absolute fear!