Kye woke to stone.
Not the clean, flat kind that belonged in buildings- this was rough, almost sharp, pressing into his back like it wanted him to bleed for lying there too long.
The cold bled through his clothes, worming up his spine.
Above him, the sky flickered.
One moment, it was dull grey.
The next, a deep red, like fresh blood viewed through smoke.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
As if the world couldn't decide what time it wanted to be.
The air carried two scents that should never have met- burnt herbs and the copper tang of old coins.
He pushed himself upright slowly, palms scraping on the ground, and saw them.
Symbols.
Dozens of them, spiralling and twisting across the stone in black lines thick as veins. At first, they looked painted. Then, when he blinked, they seemed to… move.
"…Not the room," he muttered under his breath. "Not the forest. So where the hell…"
He crouched, reaching toward one without thinking. The stone was warm- like skin left too long in sunlight.
Then-
A tunnel.
Water dripping in the dark.
Something breathing. Heavy. Wet. Close.
And a jagged voice in his head:
"You're late."
He yanked his hand back, breath shuddering.
"Don't touch it. Don't- "
That's when the humming started.
"What's that?" Kye, sensing danger, made a belt for it in the opposite direction of the tunnel and ran away, taking note of potential, like the bronze coin that he seemed to have passed over for the fifth time.
Sensing that everything wasn't working the way it was meant to, he stopped, understanding that the dream wanted him to investigate those sounds.
'Just why, can you not let a guy live in peace, but no- all you want is more problems'. Frustrated at what's being forced upon him
He tried to rebel, but he always returned to the same entrance; however, his position did shift slightly away from the tunnel.
Telling him the space or measure of distance was non-existent in this place, so while that exit is clearly close, it could be hundreds of kilometres away.
Knowing the objective, this place has put in some rules to keep me obedient-
Understanding that no normal person would just head toward that eerily silent
My reputation is also involved because I have been running around a lot.
Stealing his resolve, Kye walked toward the sounds, putting his guard up, he looked for any clues or weapons he could use.
Bluish lines fluttered to life on the walls of the cavern, acting as light, brightening the cavern, but if you look closer, you'd be able to see those runes form earlier.
Then it came, that unforgettable stench of rot, this time stronger and more pungent than ever.
The smell was noticeable, changing the once clear area to a misty green-
It was nauseating, taking everything from him to stop his body from vomiting. It can alert whoever or whatever is making those sounds.
He made it, finally reaching what looks like a wooden door, though I can say it was with terrible craftsmanship-
Look at it, holes littered the thing, threatening to tear it apart.
Plastered on the wall was the letter "P" he stood there blank, trying to link the letter to anything he knew-
He came closer- tiptoeing so as not to raise any alarms, and he saw it- the hunters surrounding a pond-
In the middle was a plant-like creature, dark brown, grotesque-
It had human-like features, a head, and multiple limbs acting as stems– each one reached for the liquid in the pond.
The water contained those same runes once again and seemed to glow brighter the louder the hunters hummed.
The hum deepened, transishing to a growl- rough, unrestrained, it echoed through the room, forcing anything to resonate with its frequency.
Kye felt his bones ringing while his ear suddenly developed an itch growing stronger with time.
He looked like a rabid dog desperate for someone to scratch his back.
An idea lingered in his mind, charge in there and kill them all, let them suffer for this discomfort.
The itch spread to every part of his body, rising to the point of torture-
His eyes went bloodshot.
He scratched everywhere- going harder, threatening to peel his skin off.
He took off his shirt and then stuffed it in his mouth and bit down hard- Releasing muffled screams
He forced himself to stop scratching, to see what was going on in the room- there he saw the creature limp rapidly, drinking the liquid in the pond, deforming to indicate each gulp.
The plant was relentless, taking large gulps and never stopping, but the ruins seemed to make more every time.
'The plant moulded itself, looking less random, Wait, it looks familiar.'
His mind raced, connecting dots, and he gazed at the name on the door.
It no longer looked erased; it appeared there in bold- Peterson.
He froze,