When Erik turned his attention to the opening in the door, he discovered something that had changed since the last time he was in this location.
When he thought he had barely escaped a month ago, the aperture was noticeably larger than he had recalled.
He looked over the wrecked entrance, scrutinizing it as his gaze moved from the ripped metal to the towering dimensions of the door.
A chilling realization dawned upon him - despite being larger, the opening was still too small for the behemoth of a thaid to pass through.
A cold shudder ran down Erik's spine as the gravity of his earlier predicament sank in. He had escaped death by a hair's breadth, the size of the opening in the door being his unexpected salvation.
He had been chased, cornered, and yet, by some stroke of luck, he had managed to survive the encounter.
A sudden wave of gratitude washed over him as he realized how lucky he was to be alive. Despite the imminent dangers ahead, he was still breathing and standing.
In the dim light of the Aclaitrium-illuminated tunnel, Erik turned to Samuel, his eyes reflecting a sense of urgency. "Samuel," he began in a whisper, "We need to open this door as quietly as possible."
Samuel, a seasoned warrior with the physical strength to match his reputation, shifted his focus from Erik to the enormous metal door.
The ominous scratches that covered its surface gave the appearance of a light shimmering effect in the ethereal glow that emanated from the luminescent ore. Before returning his attention to the younger man, his eyes lingered on the scratch marks made by the claws.
"I'll try," Samuel responded, his voice barely audible. The rumble of his response echoed faintly through the corridor, but it was quickly swallowed up by the deafening silence that pervaded the entire area.
The elderly man, despite his bulk, moved with a steady grace as he approached the heavy door with careful steps. His rippling muscles reached out and wrapped themselves around the corroded wheel handle that operated the massive door mechanism.
He began to pull the massive door open. Even with his extraordinary strength, he had trouble opening the door because it was so old and poorly maintained for so long.
He then turned to Erik, and their eyes met for a brief moment as they came to an understanding of the task at hand through a shared gaze. "Quiet as a cat," he promised, his words slicing through the tense air.
Samuel took a long, deep breath before beginning to apply force, which caused the lean muscles in his arms to flex in response to the strain. Samuel realigned his center of gravity and brought his entire body's force to bear as he started to turn the wheel.
The door squeaked softly, producing an eerie sound that reverberated throughout the nearly silent passageway. Everyone kept their eyes peeled and held their breath as the door gradually started to give way, revealing an increasing amount of what lay ahead.
Samuel's careful efforts contributed significantly to the low level of noise that was present. The creaking of the ancient door was barely audible, and the sound of metal on metal was kept to the barest minimum throughout the entire process.
The Villagers held their breath as the quiet sound seemed to echo throughout the confined space where they were standing.
The stakes were high, and they were keenly aware of the consequences of alerting the thaids of their presence.
Samuel drew a breath before pausing and looking back at Erik momentarily. The older man merely nodded, which encouraged the younger man to carry on.
After turning around, Samuel gathered his strength and started turning the wheel methodically and deliberately again. Despite the door's obstinate resistance, it eventually gave way, the small opening becoming more substantial with each excruciatingly slow turn.
They were inching closer and closer to their objective, which was the foreboding underground city that lay beyond the wheel each time it was turned.
Samuel made a concerted effort to remain silent, as evidenced by the furrow on his brow as he focused.
A moment went by, followed by another. At long last, after a muffled exhalation, he inched the door slightly further open.
The subsequent deafening silence indicated that the monsters had ignored their entrance.
Samuel took a step back, letting go of the door as he did so so that the task could be considered finished.
"We're in," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper in the heavy silence. His gaze scanned the group, landing last on Erik. "Now, we venture into the belly of the beast."
"Listen up, everyone," he began, his tone firm and measured, echoing the gravity of their mission. "Fighting in this city is not quite the same as doing so in the woods. Mess up here, destroy something you shouldn't, and the cave collapses. Keep this in mind."
After taking a momentary pause, he looked around at the faces of the men who had gathered around him to ensure they understood the seriousness of what he had just said. After confirming that he had their undivided attention, he continued his speech.
"Rule number one: We stay quiet. Noise could alert the Acidspitter Arthropods to our presence, and we do not want that. I cannot stress this enough. We tread softly and speak in whispers," he instructed, his voice dipping lower as he emphasized the need for silence.
Samuel gave Erik a glance that contained a trace of amusement on his face. Even though he was the more experienced member of this group, the younger man was taking charge.
"Secondly, we stick together. There's safety in numbers. If you get lost or separate from the group, you put everyone at risk. And it's not just the thaids we're worried about. The city itself is an unexplored maze."
"Which brings me to the third point," Erik added, his gaze steady. "If you spot the humanoid thaid, don't panic. Signal the rest of us and keep your distance. The best thing would be to let Samuel deal with it. He's our best chance against that thing. However, if the situation demands it, we must deal with it together."
After he finished speaking, there was an awkward pause that was only broken by the inaudible trickle of water that emanated from some unknown location within the cave.
After that, he continued while giving a gloomy nod and saying, "Lastly, when we see the Acidspitter Arthropods, we retreat. We need to get out of the cave as fast as possible. It won't be an easy fight, and we cannot afford unnecessary risks, especially if the humanoid Thaid is still alive."
After finishing his instructions, Erik paused for a few seconds to look at all his traveling companions.
The weight of their responsibility was evident on their faces, but he could also make out the resolve they had for the task at hand. They were prepared to embark on a hazardous journey, even though it had just started.
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