Marina led the way, sometimes cutting a branch that was growing over the path with her machete. She didn't even need to glance at the GPS on her phone because of the trust she had in her own memory and sense of direction.
This wasn't the first time that the group of childhood friends came to camp on Watermine Peak. This was already almost a monthly gathering for them since Carlos' fifteenth birthday, almost three years ago.
"I think that in half an hour we will arrive there!"
Marina said, encouraging everyone to keep pushing forward. Despite her slender, nerdy look and her glasses, she was actually quite fit, having been an adept of long hikes on the mountains since her early years.
"It's about time already. I can't wait to set up the tents and roast some sweet potatoes."
Henrique was as eager as Marina to arrive. Despite his muscular build, he followed right behind Marina, for she was the one who better knew the way.
One who didn't share their eagerness was Carlos himself. While everyone was carrying their usual backpacks with enough supplies for the extended weekend, Carlos was carrying an extra weight: some heavy RPG books.
So he sighed, fixed his emo bangs, and complained.
"Ugh. I know that it was my idea to play an RPG session while camping, but I definitely regret agreeing to bring the books all by myself. When we arrive, I'll just drop to the ground and stay there."
"Do you want me to carry the books for you? You should've told me earlier that it was so heavy. We would've shared the burden."
"Yeah. You will DM, prepared a campaign exclusively for this camping session. We should each take at least one of the books to ease it for you."
Seeing that Heloisa offered help and Ravi doubled down on the offer, Carlos couldn't help but comply. At least, that's what he thought.
"Marina. We'll just pause to take some of the weight off Carlos, and then we'll resume the march, ok?"
"Right, right… we're almost there, though, Heloisa. So be quick with it. I want to set up the tents and still have time to watch the sunset."
"Okie dokie, Ma."
Heloisa opens Carlos' backpack and quickly retrieves the three tomes from it. Then each companion takes a book and puts it in their own backpack.
"Done. Let's keep going. This is our last camping trip before everyone begins college. I want it to be special."
Marina nods happily and then turns back to the trail and pushes forward without a word.
They've known each other since preschool. They grew up together in the same neighborhood, studied in the same schools, and developed similar tastes.
A bunch of nerds who happen to also like to go camping. 'We live in this beautiful country, so why not explore these beautiful grounds?' was their motto.
Not that they were into sports or anything. At least for most of them, this monthly hike is their only physical activity.
The two big exceptions are Henrique and Marina. Henrique actually developed a taste for frequenting the gym, and Marina usually goes hiking on her own, but that's about it. All the others are more into books and games than any outdoor activity.
The monthly camping on extended weekends (when there's a holiday right next to a weekend) is the big outlier, the only moment when they gathered outdoors.
And this was the last one in which they will still be living in the same city. Their town is not big enough to have good public universities, and they all scattered to the big universities in the state or in bordering states.
They know that after this event it will be very difficult to maintain the regularity of their camping. They will all come to their hometown on weekends, but they will have to share the limited time with their families as well.
:::
"What will the adventure be about, Carlos?"
Heloisa asked him as they walked through the last flat stretch before a steep slope.
From where they were, it was already possible to see a part of the surrounding area. They were very high, though still below the lowest clouds.
"The only thing I can say is that it will be about exploring these lands in the time of the Bandeiras. Anything beyond that would be spoilers."
The Bandeiras were the expeditionary forces from the coast cities that explored the hinterlands during the colonial years.
"Oh… that seems interesting. I want to play as a native shaman, then. Will there be magic?"
"Of course there will! It wouldn't be my adventure if it didn't have magic, would it?"
"Hehe. No, you're right…"
Carlos' fascination with magic was well known by everyone in the group. When he wasn't the one DMing, his characters would always be spellcasters. He would never write an adventure without magic.
Suddenly, Marina called out.
"Okay, everyone. This is the last stretch. After we go over that slope, we're at our camping space. Let's take five minutes to breathe before continuing."
"Ugh. This last slope is always the worst part… and yet, at the same time, the best."
Carlos' assessment brought out a laugh from everyone.
"Indeed. It's the hardest part of the path, but knowing that it's the last one is always a ray of hope in our hearts as we climb it. The worst and the best at the same time, well put."
"Helo, stop glazing him. He will start thinking too highly of himself."
"You're just jealous, Ma. But don't worry, I'll glaze you as well. You are the person with the best map skills I've ever seen. If we were in an RPG, you would be a great scout."
"Hmmm. You know what, Helo. You have a great eye for talent. I'll never complain about your glazing again. I'm sorry for my misplaced words."
Everyone's chuckles were buried by a deafening thunder.
"Ugh. There was no rain forecast for this weekend. Well, let's get moving again so we can set up the tents before the water falls."
Marina looked at the darkening skies, and everyone felt the change in air pressure. It seemed that a storm was brewing, and a black shelf cloud was already forming.
"This one will fall heavily. Let's go before this slope gets too slippery."
Everyone knew what it meant to be in the wrong place during a storm on the mountains, so they quickly got to the trail again, hurrying upwards.
Right above the slope there was a small rock platform that was sheltered by rocky cliffs and had a cave where they could take refuge during heavy storms.
They had already used that cave a couple of times in earlier years and knew that it was safe and dry. They even had a stash of dry wood inside it.
Soon they reached the rock platform, and, right after that, the shelf cloud came down, covering everything with a dense, wet fog.
"Is everyone okay? Stay together."
Marina's voice came from within the darkness as she extended her hand to try to ascertain everyone's position.
"Everyone, take each other's hands. Let's stay together."
Heloisa was also giving orientations, but they weren't needed. They had faced heavy rains in the hills before, and they had already anticipated the possibility of a heavy fog, or lower cloud, taking off their sight while on the peak.
So everyone knew what to do, and they were soon holding each other's hands.
It was then that the world turned upside down. Everyone felt a sensation like they were inside an elevator on a free fall.
It lasted only a moment, and everything went back to normal, and the fog started to dissipate.
Well, 'normal' was not exactly a good word for it. They were on solid ground, yes, but there were no sounds of incoming rain and wind, nor the atmospheric feeling of a storm about to unleash.
No. Even the smell was different. And when the fog dispersed, they were able to finally see their surroundings.
"Marina… how did we end up inside a cavern?"