"I should go take a look around..."
Erik stood at the mouth of the tunnel he had come from, his thoughts wandering back to those terrifying times. The Thaids had appeared unexpectedly and with overwhelming force, catching humanity off guard as they tried to figure out how to use their abilities. People had sought refuge in the depths of the Earth, carving out sanctuaries like this one, unable to combat the formidable creatures.
Erik could almost hear the echoes of the past—hurried footsteps whispered prayers, and children's cries. The thought of the fear and despair that must have filled these caverns, the refugees' only hope of surviving the thaids' onslaught, made him plenty of things to think about.
Despite the desolation and devastation, Erik saw a testament to human resilience. The ruins of these structures spoke of a people who had chosen to fight for their survival in the face of impossible odds. They had constructed shelters, cultivated inside the caverns, and discovered a way to live in the midst of the darkness.
The young man stood there for some time, letting the weight of history fall on him and taking the opportunity to study what was below. Erik surveyed the sprawling underground metropolis from his vantage point at the tunnel's mouth. The skeletal structures of dilapidated buildings and forgotten roads stretched across the landscape, bathed in the ethereal glow of Aclaitrium.
A crumbling stairway clung precariously to the cavern wall to his left. Despite their weathered appearance, the steps appeared sturdy enough to allow him to descend easily. Erik made his way to the stairs, his heart thudding as he began the steep descent. Each step echoed hauntingly in the vast space.
Erik set foot on the cold, earthen floor of the ruined underground city after several minutes of cautious descent. He was now in an open space, facing a massive tall structure among the ruins. Despite showing signs of age and disrepair, the structure retained an imposing aura that hinted at its former glory.
Erik's attention was drawn to the faint outline of a symbol as he approached. The weathered and partially eroded emblem was etched onto the rusted metallic facade of the building. Erik squinted, his gaze fixed on the symbol. The design was simple but evocative, with a stylized depiction of Earth encased within a solid circle, symbolizing unity.
Twelve sleek lines radiate outward from the central globe, each representing a place on Earth, reflecting a shared identity despite geographical divisions. The lines were intricately woven at their ends, forming a harmonious pattern that suggested cooperation and interdependence.
A rising sun was depicted above the globe, its rays reaching out toward the twelve lines. This imagery was a symbol of hope and renewal, representing humanity's unwavering desire for a brighter future, regardless of the challenges it faced.
A pair of hands were etched beneath this unified symbol of Earth, their fingers gently cradling the globe. The hands were a reminder of humanity's responsibility to protect and preserve their planet, a vow that cut across borders and generations.
This symbolic representation piqued Erik's interest, and the sense of community it evoked was powerful. Most buildings had the symbol painted on them, but there was one, the obvious command center of this place, that had a massive representation of it.
"I guess there will be maps of the place there; maybe I could find a way to get out of here. I don't think the hole I fell into was the main way to get in and out of this place…"
Erik took slow, deliberate steps toward the military building. The soft glow of Aclaitrium ore illuminated the ruined city, casting long, dancing shadows across the deserted streets.
Erik moved slowly, his footsteps the only sound breaking the strange silence that hung heavy in the air. Each step echoed off the massive walls, reverberating throughout the ancient ruins.
Dilapidated buildings towered high to his left and right, their skeletal structures resembling massive pillars. Despite the ravages of time and inevitable decay, these structures stood firm, their formidable heights apparently serving as vital supports for the vast underground city's ceiling.
"Even the cave must be man-made if the buildings act as support for the ceiling…" Erik observed.
As the young man walked through the city, he could see the once-proud facades of the buildings, which were now worn and weathered.
Windowless apertures stared back at him like vacant eyes, holding stories from a bygone era. Some things, however, remained the same even these days. The military structure appeared simple and plain, similar to the shelters he was used to seeing around New Alexandria.
Erik felt awe and respect for those who had built this refuge as he walked beneath these towering giants. Despite the eerie atmosphere and isolation, this location had a certain beauty. The Aclaitrium's ethereal illumination, the looming skyscrapers, and the silent streets all seemed to blend into a haunting symphony of solitude.
Erik's gaze remained fixed on the urban skeleton, taking in every detail. The distant murmur of the underground wind whistled through the city's empty corridors, the city's only living voice, a ghostly serenade to the lost civilization but also a signal that there was a way out of that cave; he just needed to find it.
After a long walk, the young man arrived in front of the imposing military structure, his gaze lingering on the tightly sealed entrance. The structure had been weathered by time, and the once-dominant titanium door was now an amalgam of rust and weathered metal. Despite the deterioration, the door stood firm, a sentinel guarding the secrets that lay within.
"Can I destroy it?"
He looked at the corroded metal suspiciously, an idea forming in his mind. Knowing Nathaniel's destructive potential fully, he realized he had a viable means of going inside by destroying the door. Because of the shelter's age, mana ores were most likely not used in its construction, lowering the chances of unexpected resistance.
"Should I do it?" the young man asked himself. He developed a strange habit due to his loneliness in the forest.
The reason why he asked himself if he should have was that he was afraid that destroying the door would bring thaids here. Erik didn't know if there were monsters here, but it was a likely possibility, especially if they were insect-like ones since they often lived underground.
However, there was another thought in his mind: What if the thing that created the massive tunnel was resting here, and he could attract it by making noise?
The young man thought about what to do for five solid minutes before deciding that, regardless of the situation, he had no choice but to try to enter since there was no other way to get inside the building.
This was the only place that probably held a map of the underground city, and if he didn't enter, it meant he wouldn't be able to figure out how to get out.
He felt the familiar tingle as his mana coursed through his neural links, merging with his brain and, later, his body. His mana responded as he focused, forming a powerful force gathering around his body. Erik ordered his mana to concentrate on his fist like a boxer wearing his gloves, its presence filling the air with pulsating energy.
With a determined expression, he punched the door with all his strength while releasing his mana to create a concussive force that would increase the power of his punch. The fist slamming into the rusted door shook the air, sending a shock wave out from the point of impact and creating sound waves that reverberated throughout the whole building and the city itself.
The rusted titanium couldn't stand a chance against his mana-infused blow. The once-sturdy door crumbled in the face of the attack, the corroded metal fragments falling away like autumn leaves in the wind.
The dust and debris gradually settled, revealing a gaping entrance into the military building's heart. The door had vanished. Erik prepared to step into the shadows of the building, his fire-fighting bucket in hand, as the echo of the impact faded.
A world of darkness greeted him. The vast interior was shrouded in an impenetrable veil of darkness because there was no light. He stood at the threshold, looking into the abyss with hope but also with anxiety and with his focus increasing twice fold.
Inside the military base, there was no light—no windows, no flickering lights—just an eerie void that swallowed all forms of visibility.
Erik strained his eyes as he stood at the threshold, hoping to catch a glimpse of his surroundings. But the darkness was implacable, clinging to the air like a suffocating cloak. The lack of visual cues left him disoriented, forcing him to rely solely on his other senses to navigate this lightless realm.
"I Should stop wasting time…" the young man said to himself, ready to enter, with the fickle light in his left hand and the Flyssa in the other.
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