Chapter 5- Unexpected Alies
A massive cave entrance. Huge enough to fit the horned monster they first encountered. Stone letters were carved above it in a language they couldn't read, except for one word scratched deep and crude in the middle:
PRISON
They didn't hesitate.
Inside.
Leo, with his strength, turned and shoved the heavy stone gate shut. The entrance rumbled closed just in time. Darkness swallowed them whole.
Panting. Silent. Safe—at least for now.
Eline struck the firestick against the wall and lit a small flame. The flickering light revealed long, towering walls—cages. Empty. Massive cells large enough to hold something monstrous.
Each door wide open.
Lucas looked around, unsettled. "What is this place?"
Eline's voice was barely a whisper.
"A prison… for things worse than the Nyrewolves."
As they stepped deeper into the massive cave marked PRISON, the air was thick with dust and the scent of old, rotting stone. Everything was dark, the silence only broken by the soft crackle of Eline's single flame.
Eline looked up and spotted an old lantern hanging on the wall. Without saying a word, she raised the fire in her hand and gently lit the lantern.
FWOOOSH.
Suddenly, dozens of other lanterns hanging throughout the cave flickered to life—one after the other—as if awakened from a long sleep. The whole prison lit up with warm, golden firelight.
The walls came alive with shadows. Lucas stepped forward, curious, and began walking past the empty prison cells.
Each cell was unique.
Some were filled with broken weapons, old chains, mysterious runes carved into stone. One had scratch marks all over the walls, like something massive had tried to claw its way out. Another had piles of old books stacked like towers. Lucas studied each one carefully, fascinated.
Meanwhile, Leo stood near the entrance, constantly looking around.
"I swear," Leo muttered, his fists clenched, "if anything jumps out at me, I'm done. No more running. I'm tired, okay?"
"Relax," Lucas said, still walking. "These cells have been empty for a long time."
"That's what makes it worse!" Leo snapped. "Empty means something escaped."
Eline chuckled softly, "Leo, just stay near the fire. Nothing's coming while we're in here."
They spent the night in the prison. Lucas continued exploring every detail he could. He was trying to understand the world they had fallen into. Eline stayed close, sharing what she knew, while Leo laid on the cold stone floor, mumbling about missing chicken, ice cream, and his bed.
By morning, Lucas stretched and looked toward the massive cave gate.
"We can't stay here forever," he said. "Leo, we need you to open the gate."
Leo groaned. "Seriously?"
Eline nodded. "Don't worry. The Nyrewolves only come at night. It should be safe now."
Leo got up, dragged his feet to the massive stone gate, braced himself, and with a grunt and all the strength he had left, he pushed. The gate creaked and then groaned open with a heavy, thunderous sound.
Crrrrrrkkkkk…THUD.
Light poured in.
They stepped outside into the cool morning air. The forest was quiet, but somewhere in the far distance, they still heard the deep, distant roar of the Guardian Beast. It echoed across the land, full of fury.
"We should keep moving," Lucas said.
They followed the familiar path down.
They wandered for a while until they found a quiet riverbank, and everyone collapsed near the water's edge. Leo, clearly drained, flopped on his back with a groan.
"I miss ice cream," he said, throwing a pebble into the river. "And chicken… and pizza… and home. I'm not made for this forest stuff."
Eline sat cross-legged by the river, quietly listening. Lucas knelt nearby, cupping water into his hands to drink. But suddenly, his expression changed.
"I hear something," Lucas whispered, his ear tilting toward the trees. "But… it doesn't feel dangerous."
Leo shot up. "Not again," he said. "No more monsters! I'm done running! If anything jumps out again, I'm just gonna faint and let it eat me!"
Lucas stayed calm. "No, really. It's something soft. I think it's… in the trees."
Eline stood, eyes narrowing. The forest was quiet. A little too quiet.
Then crack—a rustle. Leaves trembled.
Suddenly, something dropped from above and hit the ground with a thud.
All three of them jumped back as the dust cleared. A boy, around their age, stood up awkwardly, a backpack slung over his shoulders. His clothes were worn and leaves stuck out of his hair.
Lucas squinted. "Eric…? Is that you?"
The boy looked up in shock. "Lucas?"
Lucas pointed to Leo. "This is Leo—your boss, remember?"
Eric's eyes widened. "Leo?! I missed you, man!" He rushed toward Leo and wrapped him in a hug.
Leo pushed him back, confused. "Eric?! What the—how are you here?"
Eric took a deep breath. "After you guys fell into the mirror, the rest of our group ran. I tried to run too, but… I felt guilty. We were horrible to Lucas, and I just—couldn't leave it like that. I turned back, thinking maybe I could help… but I slipped and fell into the mirror too."
He dropped his head for a moment before continuing.
"Since then, I've been running. This backpack won't come off me—I've tried everything. But the weirdest part? Anytime I get scared, I just… multiply. Like, copies of me. Five, sometimes three. They disappear after a while, but I use it to escape when things chase me. Creatures, shadows… everything. I've been hiding in trees, barely sleeping."
Eline stepped forward. "You've been surviving alone this whole time?"
Eric nodded. "Until today. I was hiding from this snake that climbed the same tree I was in. It scared me so much I panicked and lost balance—and fell. Then I saw you."
He looked down, then at Lucas.
"Lucas… I'm really sorry. Every time we bullied you, I felt terrible. I was just trying to stay on Leo's good side. But it was wrong. I wanted to help that day."
Lucas stared at him for a long second… then nodded. "You're here now."
Leo crossed his arms. "So you multiply when you're scared? Like—poof!—instant army of Erics?"
Eric smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, pretty much."
Eline pulled out a familiar glowing apple from her pouch. "You're down to 70 HP, aren't you?"
Eric blinked. "Wait… how did you—?"
"Just eat this," she said, tossing him the apple.
He bit into it—and within seconds, he stood straighter, refreshed. "Whoa… I feel… strong again."
The group sat back down, the tension finally lifting.
Eric grinned. "So… what are we up against?"
Lucas looked up at the strange sky, then toward the trees. "A lot. But we're not alone anymore."
They all looked at one another—different stories, broken pasts, unexpected powers—but now, bound together.
The impossible world was only just beginning to show its true face.
But now, they had a team.