Chapter 927: WithinnThe Cavern
The plan seemed solid, and Rey could appreciate the logic of their approach.
'Dexter can turn invisible, and Andrew can manipulate his shadow in many ways, while Tess can teleport... all useful abilities for movement and stealth necessary for this mission.'
Everything was in place, and it was with that same logic that he was also making his move. He had all of their Skills and even more, so he would be fine.
'Also, I'll be able to help them out in case they need help... so this is fine too.' He thought, descending carefully to land near the entrance.
His concealment spell remained active as he approached the shadowed trio and they entered the welcoming maw of the dark cave.
Inside the underground structure, the air was cold and damp.
Tess led the way, her every movement deliberate and precise. Andrew melted into the shadows, his presence almost imperceptible, while Dexter shimmered faintly before vanishing entirely, his invisibility spell engaged.
Rey followed at a safe distance, his own concealment ensuring he wouldn't be detected.
The corridor sloped downward, dimly illuminated by faintly glowing moss that clung to the walls. Strange symbols were etched into the stone, their meanings unclear but their presence unsettling.
Tess raised a hand, signaling the group to stop. She crouched low, her sharp eyes scanning the area ahead.
Andrew and Dexter held their positions, waiting for her command.
"There's movement up ahead," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Stay sharp."
Rey's heart quickened as he focused his gaze, spotting faint shapes moving in the distance. Creatures, humanoid but distorted, shuffled through the passage, their elongated limbs dragging along the ground.
Their low, guttural growls echoed faintly.
Tess motioned for the group to move forward carefully. Andrew's shadows extended, creeping along the walls and floor to obscure their presence. Dexter flickered into visibility for a brief moment before vanishing again, his invisibility spell struggling against the drain of prolonged use.
Rey followed with practiced silence, his curiosity piqued by the creatures.
He observed their movements closely, noting the way they seemed to patrol in a synchronized pattern.
'Guardians, maybe?' he speculated. 'This place must be important to the Dragon King's forces.'
The group reached a fork in the corridor.
Tess gestured for Andrew to scout the left path while she and Dexter continued down the right. Rey hesitated for a moment before deciding to follow Tess.
The corridor narrowed, forcing them to move single file. The glowing moss grew sparser, plunging the passage into near-total darkness.
Rey activated a minor Night Vision spell, his eyes adjusting to the dim light.
As they pressed on, the sound of grinding stone reached their ears. Tess raised a fist, signaling
a halt. Ahead, a massive stone door loomed, its surface covered in intricate carvings.
Two of the distorted creatures stood guard, their eerie eyes scanning the area.
"We'll observe for a moment," Tess whispered to Dexter. "Look for patterns in their movements."
Rey, standing a short distance behind them, frowned. The creatures were formidable, but nothing he couldn't handle.
His instincts urged him to act, to test his strength against these foes.
No, he told himself. Not yet. This is their mission, not mine.
He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay hidden. For now, he'd watch and wait.
'For now...'
***********
The dim, narrow corridors seemed endless, twisting and turning like a labyrinth designed to swallow intruders whole. Tess led the way with precision, her senses heightened as she carefully navigated the path ahead.
Andrew's shadows crawled along the walls like living tendrils, ready to conceal the group at a moment's notice, while Dexter remained close, shimmering faintly as his invisibility spell wavered under strain.
Rey followed silently from the shadows, his spell keeping him out of sight and undetected. The deeper they went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.
The faint luminescence of the moss on the walls gave way to total darkness, and an unnatural chill permeated the air.
Finally, the corridor widened into a massive cavern.
Rey stayed hidden at the upper edge of the space, hovering just below the ceiling with his Flight Spell. From his vantage point, he could see everything.
The cavern was unlike anything he had imagined.
Rows of cages filled with monstrous creatures lined the walls, their bars glowing faintly with a strange energy that kept the creatures restrained. The beasts varied in size and shape- some were hulking brutes with jagged claws and teeth, while others were smaller and more agile, their sharp eyes darting around as if searching for prey.
In the center of the cavern, a group of humans bustled around a set of makeshift laboratories.
The setup was crude but functional, with tables covered in vials, syringes, and glowing containers filled with unknown substances. Machines hummed softly, their blinking lights casting eerie shadows across the walls.
At the center of it all stood a man in a white lab coat, his sharp features illuminated by the glow of a nearby monitor. He held a clipboard in one hand and a syringe filled with a bright, pulsating liquid in the other.
"Another batch," he muttered to himself, his voice carrying across the cavern. "Let's see if this one can hold together for more than a few minutes."
He approached one of the cages, where a massive, lizard-like creature growled and thrashed against its restraints.
The scientist jabbed the syringe into the creature's neck and stepped back, watching intently as the liquid coursed through its veins.
The transformation was immediate.
"ROOOOOOAAAAARRRR!!!" The creature roared in agony, its muscles bulging and its body growing larger with every passing second.
Its eyes glowed an unnatural red, and its movements became more erratic.
For a moment, it seemed the experiment had succeeded.
But then, the creature's body convulsed violently, and its flesh began to tear apart as if unable
to contain its newfound power. With one final, agonizing roar, it collapsed in a heap, lifeless.
The scientist sighed and scribbled notes on his clipboard.
"Damnit..." He said, his tone a mixture of frustration and resignation.
"Another failure."