Darkness had lifted, and in fact, there was little time left until its arrival. Neim and Duis were so excited that they didn't even realize how quickly time had passed. They had helped Gelan, eaten their meals, and returned to the well. Now, they stood there, barely able to contain themselves.
And slowly, darkness arrived.
Neim looked around.
Neim: "Everyone has gone into their homes, right?"
Duis glanced at the streets behind them.
Duis: "They should be inside soon."
Neim: "I feel so strange. It's different from the last arrival."
Duis: "I feel the same. I feel like jumping around."
Neim: "Get up, let's go. It'll take a while to get there, it's very high up."
Duis: "You're right."
Duis pushed himself up using his knees for support. Neim, meanwhile, took one last look at the gap between the stones where lay, then they set off. Climbing the mountain was far more difficult than they had expected. The rocks were sharp and hard enough to cut their feet. They started ascending slowly. With almost no visibility, they struggled to move forward.
Neim nearly lost his balance due to a loose rock and almost fell. Just then, Duis grabbed his arm and whispered hoarsely:
Duis: "Be careful."
They climbed a little further. Their fingers felt as if they had been scraped raw against the rocks, and their knees had begun to tremble. Suddenly, they reached a small plateau and collapsed onto the ground.
Duis: "What is this? It feels like torture!"
Neim: "I didn't think it would be this hard either. We're out of breath."
Duis: "Wow, look at the village!"
Neim, who had been checking for injuries on his feet, slowly turned to look at the village. They were seeing that colony of houses from this perspective for the first time.
Neim: "Wow! Is this really how it looks? Amazing!"
Duis: "Wait a minute... Are we seeing more clearly?"
Neim: "Oh, you're right! What is that? We're not even at home!"
Duis: "I have no idea…"
Duis slowly closed his eyes, looked upward, and took a deep breath.
Neim: "Shall we continue? We need to return from the cave before darkness lifts."
Duis: "Alright. It should be easier from here since we can see better now."
Neim used the ground to push himself up. Duis followed, using a stone on his left for support. After resting for a bit, they felt better, but the rocks and soil were getting colder as they ascended. Their hands trembled from the cold, making climbing even harder.
Neim: "Going down is going to be easier."
Duis: "Fine, we'll rest a bit in the cave. Don't worry too much."
Neim: "Haha, I'm really excited, but I hope we don't get caught."
Duis: "We won't. Everyone is asleep right now. But… What's happening to my hands? I can't grip properly!"
Neim: "Same here! But we can do it, we're almost there!"
Supporting each other, they kept climbing. Their heavy breaths, the slipping of their sweaty hands, and their determined efforts to hold on eventually brought them to the entrance of the cave.
Duis collapsed on the spot. Before sitting down at the cave's mouth, Neim jumped up and shouted with joy:
Neim: "We made it! Hooray!"
Duis, exhausted and weak, raised his right fist in the air.
Duis: "So, are we going in?"
Neim: "Let's hurry."
Slowly, the duo advanced between the rocks. As they moved further in, the cave seemed to expand. However, what they had seen from below was not as clear here.
While walking, Neim, feeling tired, placed his hand against one of the walls for support. But suddenly, he was startled. Because in his hand… was water! Excitedly, he exclaimed:
Neim: "Duis, look! There's water here!"
Without hesitation, Neim tried to drink the water from his hand. But the moment he tasted it, he spat it out.
Ugh!
Duis: "Did you seriously try it? I'm amazed!"
Neim: "Ugh-cough-cough! It tastes awful!"
Duis gave Neim a "poor thing" look before they continued walking. The cave was no longer completely silent. Their footsteps echoed within its depths.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
And finally, they started to see it.
Something was mumbling to itself in a frantic and sorrowful voice. Its tone was terrifying:
???: "Hhrrg! Go away! Go away! I won't give my crystal! I won't give my light! Go away! It's mine! Go away!"
Neim and Duis froze in fear. They had never expected someone to be in the cave! They immediately hid behind a small protrusion in the rock.
After exchanging looks and nodding at each other, they cautiously peeked out from their hiding spot. But what they saw left them in horror!
A creature, as tall as several humans, with most of its body covered in earth, no fingers, walking on four limbs yet possessing a human face!
And on its forehead, there was a crystal the size of a hand, glowing brightly—the very thing the creature had called its crystal.
Duis, his mouth agape in fear, quickly grasped his dagger.
Swish!
Neim, on the other hand, took a few steps back.
That humanoid being and its crystal… It was the thing they had seen from below!
Slowly, the creature turned toward the source of the noise—Neim and Duis. The light from its crystal burned their eyes with its intensity.
???: "MY CRYSTAL! MY LIGHT! I WON'T GIVE IT!"
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The ground trembled as the creature took heavy steps toward them.
Then, it roared with all its might!