Chapter 64: 61: A regretful encounter.
The long dark tunnel felt like it stretched into Eternity. The tunnels wound endlessly like the veins of some ancient beast, carved not by hands but by time, pressure, and the slow crawl of mana-rich earth. Jagged rock jutted out at uneven angles, glittering faintly with embedded crystal shards that pulsed with sickly, dim light. Moisture clung to the walls in thin, trembling sheets, gathering into droplets that slid down and vanished into cracks beneath their feet. The air was cold and heavy—too still, too stale, as if it had been trapped underground for centuries. Every step echoed faintly, swallowed almost immediately by the oppressive darkness pressing in from all sides.
Edward and the rest had walked for what felt like hours before stumbling onto another large cavern lined with mana crystals.
They decided to take a short break in that cave, still fully alert and absolutely on edge as they rested their weary bodies.
Edward could feel a light throbbing pain in his ankles from all the walking. This was the first time he had to be so active after waking up in this body of his, it still felt fulfilling though, knowing that he wasn’t wasting away his life on the comfort of his home.
It was when he was lost in his own thoughts, sifting through everything that had happened when Aria gave him a small tug.
He turned, only to find her staring deep into his eyes.
"How are you holding up?"
Edward gave her a deadpan stare.
"You don’t have to keep asking me that every time you know?"
She only gave him a light shrug, which made Edward let out a weary breath.
"I’m a little tired, but I’ll be fine."
She nodded still gazing at him in the dim light of the cave as time passed through.
There was still a cool breeze coming in from somewhere deep in the tunnels, and the mana rich atmosphere of the cave helped feel Edward a little safe. Even though he had only awakened the ability perceive it yesterday, the soothing flow of the mystical energy already felt like a comfortable presence to him.
Like somehow, in the presence of mana, he wasn’t weak. He wasn’t helpless.
Aria tugged at him again, pulling him out of his trance.
"You’re zoning out again."
Edward blinked.
"Oh—sorry."
She gave him a stare. Then handed him a bowl filled with what looked like soup.
"Here,"
Edward took the bowl, the heat from the soup sending a comforting warmth through his body as he relished the smell of the hearty recipe.
He still kind of regretted the fact they didn’t have any spoons.
He took a small sip from the bowl, enjoying the taste to its last bit as the thick broth filled his body with a comforting warmth.
"How is it?"
It was Selene, who had taken a seat next to them, her own bowl of soup in her hands.
Edward licked his lips. "A little amazing, how do you even make something so good with rations?"
She gave him a proud smirk, "It’s a trade secret."
"Uh huh..." He gave a slow nod, taking another sip from his bowl.
Calen and Rowan were seated a little farther away, giving the ladies—and Edward—some space as they finished their meals.
It was after about half an hour later that they were finally ready to depart again.
Selene, along with Calen, leaded them through one of the numerous tunnels that were in the cavern wall, Aria staying close to Edward as they travelled through the darkness, Rowan watching their flank.
The initial hour had been pretty uneventful, the party only encountering a couple of cave dweller vermin and common cave rats in their path.
It was right after the two hour mark that they met their first real challenge.
Edward pushed down the urge to turn around bolt the other way as his eyes studied the swarm of abominations in front of him.
From the initial glance, it looked like a despairingly oversized cockroach, enough to be comparable to humans in size, maybe even bigger. That was not considering that fact that it had a completely unnecessary mouth, lined teeth so sharp it made Edward flinch just by looking at them.
"Stay behind!" Calen shouted as he took of towards the swarm in a moment’s breath, slicing a clean line through the swarm in one single strike.
All hell broke loose as the swarm boiled and bubbled over, crashing into the party in one big tidal wave.
Aria had already summoned her blade made of light, slicing any of the abomination that even dared to step close to the both of them.
Selene looked busy casting a spell, Rowan covering for her as motes of Mana coalesced around her as she whispered something with her eyes closed.
It was when he was distracted by the strangely alluring movement of mana that he caught a glimpse of something in his peripheral vision.
[ Skill Activated: Catwalk Step ]
He felt his stomach drop as instincts took over his body. He twirled where he was standing, barely managing to avoid the jaw that snatched at where his head had been a moment ago.
Edward let out a surprised yelp as he finally registered what was happening, his eyes widening in terror as he ducked to avoid the claw-like limb that snatched at him mid air.
Unfortunately, the roach wasn’t done with him as it immediately turned upon crashing into the ground, jumping towards him once more.
Then he heard the ding, along with the sentence that made him question if he should just let the damned thing bite his head off.
[ Passive skill activated: Femboy Aura ]
For a damning moment, he felt the creature lunging at him hesitate, which gave him just enough leeway to dodge away from its terrifying as his cheeks heated up.
’Damn you! Damn you! Damn you!’
Fortunately his deadly dance with the creature came to an abrupt end when a brilliant light flashed past him, slicing the roach cleanly in half before disappearing somewhere again.
Edward made sure to keep his attention on the battlefield this time as he sticked close to Aria.
It was after what felt like a terribly long eternity, when Selene finally opened her eyes, a purple glint shining in her eyes as she shouted at her companions.
"Duck!"
