The air in the cave was dense and thick, weighing both Etsy and Cypher down.
They were both profusely sweating in front of the threatening foes; it was hard to breathe as well as move.
This man exuded authority, it felt as if they were to even flinch or move a muscle that they would be crushed by the weight of his rule.
Despite their fear, they stood firm, ready to hold their ground against these mysterious enemies.
The man in white raised his finger, pointing near the back of the cave where the exit was. It was about half a kilometre away. Cypher was surprised he had noticed it; even with a hat casting a shadow upon his face, he could see an entrance from almost a kilometre away.
Cypher grits his teeth in response to the man's slight movement.
"He's over there, isn't he?"
His words sent ripples of a condensed feeling of fear throughout the cave.
When Cypher opened his mouth, nothing came from it. It was too hard to speak with such a commanding and powerful foe in front of him. As if his presence were a hand constricting his throat, denying him speech.
As if it were an instant, the man in black disappeared as a gust of wind kissed Etsy and Cypher's faces.
"Chibuike, Chinedu, step on these insignificant ants."
Both of the elephant men stepped in front of the man in white, each step causing the ground to rumble and the ceiling to wear down dust.
The man in white walked off into the destroyed entrance of the cave without saying another word; his steps were silent and elegant.
As he turned away and walked off, Cypher noticed a golden emblem encrusted into the back of his suit.
It was a golden pyramid with a 'C' initial in the middle.
The Central's main emblem for their royal guard.
But before Cypher could even try to yell in rage at the obscure man in white, his ears were invaded by a familiar voice.
"FOCUS DUMBASS!"
Etsy screamed at Cypher while dodging the trunk of one of the elephant brutes.
A trunk flung towards Cypher; he swiftly put both of his forearms in the way in an attempt to block it. But the crushing weight of an 8' foot 10 thousand lb. brute's trunk brushed through his feeble attempt to defend himself, sending him flying back, separating him from Etsy.
Blood gushed from his mouth. He was lucky not to have any of his vital organs crushed; he had put of his hands just in time for the attack not to do any life-ending damage.
Before he could even get up or recover, loud, ground-shattering bangs approached Cypher.
As he looked up, he was met with the unappealing sight of the elephant brute charging at him with confusing speed.
Cypher immediately got up, ignoring his wounded arms.
The elephant couldn't stop itself after charging, causing him to crash into one of the walls of the cave.
Taking this moment, Cypher glanced over at Etsy to make sure she was holding her own.
Etsy was wounded by the man in black, so she was moving a little slower, but the giant elephant couldn't keep up with her speed and strength.
They were fighting as equals. Every blow Etsy landed did minimal damage, but damage is damage and over time, even a small wound can open into a gash.
After confirming that Etsy was doing okay, Cypher redirected his attention back to the dazed elephant recovering from his crash.
Both of Cypher's arms had been broken and dislocated; they lay useless by his side.
The elephant brute finally recovered and looked up to find Cypher.
He saw Etsy and his companion still battling, but Cypher was nowhere to be seen.
"How is little man going to hurt me with no arms?"
The elephant let out a hearty laugh as if he were mocking Cypher.
Feeling a swelling pain come from his head, the elephant brute grabbed it attempting to soothe the pain.
Then there was another shock of pain from the lower left part of his torso.
"My legs are my weapon."
Cypher appeared in front of him before the elephant man fell to the floor.
"You're really weak for someone in the royal guard. What are you, a disposable?"
He turned his back to the disgruntled, seemingly incapacitated elephant brute and noticed Etsy on the ground near some rubble, struggling to get up.
The brute that she was fighting was bloodied; there were gashes all over his body. Etsy's attack had taken a toll on him over time. His movement was slow, but he was slowly dragging himself towards Etsy to finish her off.
"Fuck, that brute must have landed a clean hit on her."
Cypher mumbled to himself, biting his lip before preparing to assist Etsy in her endeavour.
As he was about to leap into the fight to aid Etsy, he felt something tug on his leg.
There was a trunk wrapping itself around his foot. This bastard was still conscious, of course; a few small blows wouldn't put this behemoth out of the game.
The elephant's thick skin protected all of the vital organs Cypher had targeted.
But there was no time to fret over past mistakes. Cypher had underestimated a royal guard; a fatal error.
Now it's time to get serious.
Cypher attempted to evade the trunk that was almost wrapped around his foot, but he was too late. Even a moment of hesitation was the line between life and death.
His leg was consumed by the harsh grip of the thick trunk; he could barely move his leg, let alone run.
"I've got you now, squirmy wormy!"
The brute mocked the trapped panther.
Cypher dislocated his knee to ease the grip of the trunk constricting his foot.
This allowed him to have enough space to twist his trapped ankle simultaneously with his upper body. Using the built-up momentum of his contorted body, he released it and applied even more force, striking the elephant in its trunk in an attempt to loosen its constriction even more.
For but a second, the elephant's grip wavered, and Cypher ceased this moment to release himself from the trunk's constraints.
His left leg was unusable; he'd just dislocated and possibly broken his knee and foot.
He had no time to recover or think about the pain that was consuming both his left leg and arms; the foe in front of him was already back on his feet, ready for battle.
Cypher swiftly looked behind him at Etsy and the other brute, the brute was standing above Etsy.
The elephant brute opposing Cypher began to get into a position to charge.
He had to make a decision and fast, or Etsy, and he would be killed.
Cypher positioned himself in the direction of the elephant brute that was previously fighting Etsy.
"Come at me, you fat fucking lump of lard!"
The brute's grey face flushed with red.
"Who you calling fat!"
He began rushing at full speed towards Cypher; he was frighteningly fast.
At the last second before Cypher was trampled, he used his only working leg to leap out of the way.
"Etsy, move!"
The brute couldn't stop charging in his fit of rage; he grew closer to the other elephant brute, who heard the trembling ground shaking stomps of a steadily approaching beast heading his way.
He looked up from Etsy, and his eyes widened.
Before he could even react, his companion had already tumbled straight into him.
Causing them to trample over the debris that lay there from the last explosion.
Both of the brutes were unconscious on the ground with rubble all around them, a mix of the fall and the damage they both sustained from the fights left them unable to fight any longer.
Etsy was already out of the way by the time the brute had collided with the other.
She got up and picked up Cypher; she was the only one in any condition to walk.
The fight had left her bruised, and her back ached, but she could still carry on.
"Cmon, let's get out of here."
Cypher nodded.
"Oh, yeah, point out the way I'm supposed to go for the tunnels. I don't know where the paths lead."
Etsy gave a crooked smile, and Cypher could only sigh.
"Did I not give you the map to study?"
She scratched her head.
"Maybe I ate it?"
"Just keep walking, Etsy."
With Cypher on her back, Etsy trotted over to the tunnel entrance.
"Ok, so whi-"
A bloodcurdling scream echoed throughout the tunnel, it was Tsuki.