Isola furrowed her brows, her sapphire blue eyes narrowing as she took a quick look at their surroundings, "We need to find someplace strong enough to protect us from the Blood Rain."
Asher's demeanor shifted to a more serious tone, his eyes filled with grim determination, "Let's move," he commanded, his voice cutting through the eerie silence, "We have one hour to find shelter."
Hearing his words, the four nodded at each other as Isola gestured to Callisa, "Come, Callisa. We need to find a safe place quickly."
Callisa let out a short squeak as the five picked up the pace and began to explore the forest, no longer having the luxury to take their time.
There was little to no chance they would find shelter in this forest, and so Asher and the rest were determined to get out of this forest.
The more they began to explore the forest, the map also grew bigger in their minds.
Callisa, however, seemed to be less comfortable, letting out a series of soft, worried mewls. Her massive body uprooted trees and caused the ground to tremble beneath her weight as she moved. Her giant figure, although awe-inspiring, was proving to be a problem as they tried to make their way through the dense forest.
Asher could only sigh as he never expected the quest to be of this format. He was expecting something more straight-forward.
But now that they were here, there was no point in thinking about it.
As if feeling Asher's regret, Callisa's bulbous eyes glowed with fierce determination as she suddenly stormed forward, crushing down the trees while leaving deep, pointy craters on the ground. This made Asher and Isola look at each other and left the other two confused.
"Don't tell me she is…" Asher could subtly feel what Callisa was feeling.
The connection between him and her had gotten stronger over the months to the point he could briefly make out what Callisa might be feeling or thinking.
Isola was still moving along with the rest as she briefly smiled and said, "She just doesn't want to let you down."
Asher had his brows raised as he saw a silver lining.
As Caliisa stormed forward, she cleared the path for them, crushing any beasts and potentially scaring off any Hunter or Demon groups.
Ceti, who thought it was dumb of Asher to bring in the young Kraken, couldn't help but feel that maybe it was not that bad.
They had to keep running to keep up with Callisa's pace, though as the timer was getting close to 0, their expressions were becoming tense.
However, they did feel that they were getting to the edge of the forest since the trees were getting lesser and lesser.
"Koooo!" Suddenly, Callisa let out a long mewl and came to a halt where the trees were scarcely scattered around. Callisa used her giant pincers to knock out the trees on the side before sidestepping as if to let the others see what was in front of them.
As the sight before them became clear, everyone had their brows raised, their expressions relieved.
Merina let out a relieved sigh as she softly said, "Thank the Devils…" pointing towards a stony entrance large enough to accommodate Callisa's girth, "That huge cave might be our only chance."
"There might be danger inside or some trap," Ceti said with furrowed brows.
[ Blood Rain Imminent : 00:02:29 ]
"We have no more than 2 minutes left. We just have to risk it!" Asher urged, as there was no time to think about dangers when there was no other place to take shelter.
Callisa took the backseat as they rushed towards the cave, urgency driving their steps. The cave, previously unseen, now appeared like a beacon of hope in the dense wilderness. The mouth of the cave was dark, the insides shrouded in an impenetrable darkness, but the need for survival left them with no other choice.
Just as Asher and his group had barely made it inside the cavernous refuge, the last rays of the normal light dwindled, it was replaced by a baleful red glow that stained the skies above.
Asher's expression became grim upon noticing the change, "Callisa, quick!" He waved his hand frantically as Callisa moved her body around to make herself fit inside the entrance of the cave.
Her massive body shifted and turned as she maneuvered into the shelter, fitting in snugly.
No sooner had they settled in, Asher's eyes caught sight of another group, rushing through the ominous red light. A group of Hunters, a mix of terror and determination, etched on their faces.
"Kree!" Callisa reacted instinctively, emitting a shrill, piercing screech that echoed through the cavern and out into the bloody red world outside. Her warning resonated across the forest, reaching the ears of the desperate Hunters. Fear painted their faces, but their desperation kept them advancing, aiming for the cave's entrance.
But just as they reached the precipice of safety, the bloody skies unleashed their wrath. A sudden downpour of blood red liquid began to descend, blanketing the world outside the cave in a crimson tide.
"AAHHH!!"
The Hunters let out a unified cry of despair, their movements slowing as the Blood Rain started to consume them.
The initial contact made them scream out in pain, their skin sizzling and dissolving under the corrosive deluge. Yet they continued, driven by their instinct to survive, crawling on their knees, stretching out their melting hands towards the cave.
Their shrieks were hauntingly pitiful, filled with agony and desperation.
Merina stared at this horrific scene, her eyes subtly shaking, not because the Hunters were getting melted but upon realizing how frightening the Blood Rain was.
Isola had a solemn expression as she saw how the Blood Rain showed no mercy.
It ate away at their bodies relentlessly, gradually reducing them to a puddle of unrecognizable flesh.
Inch by inch, they melted away, their desperate crawl coming to an agonizing halt mere feet from the safety of the cave. Their screams echoed around the cavernous space before dying down, leaving behind an eerie silence.
The grim reality of their situation descended on them. The quest wasn't going to be as straightforward as they'd hoped.
They all looked at each other, silently understanding that they had to quickly figure out how things worked in this dungeon since it was not like they could forever stay in this cave.
As the echoes of the Blood Rain continued on, an abrupt shout from Ceti split the still air, "Come out or you all won't escape this place alive!" she commanded, her eyes glowing with anticipation, scanning the darkness further inside the cave.
At Ceti's warning, Asher and the others swiftly turned, their senses sharply tuned to the unseen depths of the cave. A tense silence hung in the air, only to be broken by a tremulous woman's voice.
"Your Highness, please have mercy!" A plea echoed from the darkness, fearful yet filled with a strange respect.
From the black abyss of the cave, five figures gradually and slowly came into the dim light. At the forefront was a pretty goblin woman, her features surprisingly delicate for her race. Her body was slender, with a small bust that was accentuated by the modest, earth-toned clothing she wore.
A patterned sash was tied around her waist, while her soft, black hair was held back by a band of woven vines.
Asher had his brows upon recognizing her, even if it had been a while since he last saw her. It seemed as if, after becoming their chieftain, she learned how to look good as well.
His surprise was evident, but he quickly schooled his features into a calm mask, "Stand down, Ceti," he ordered, making Ceti skeptically scan Zizola before backing away.
His gaze fixed on the goblin woman, recognition flitted across his eyes.
"Zizola, what a coincidence," he said, an edge of surprise lacing his voice.
"Your Highness," Zizola bowed respectfully, her voice trembling slightly, while the other goblins followed suit, a sense of relief washing over their faces. They had survived one threat, only to face another. But at least this time, it was a familiar one, and their chieftain was the disciple of the royal consort.
They were able to finally take a breath of relief upon hearing the royal consort tell the Battlemaster of the queen to stand down.
Isola and Ceti had a look of confusion when Merina told them about how her Master and Zizola knew each other, making the two nod in realization.
Asher's eyes inspected Zizola, nodding at her with a look of appreciation, "You've grown strong, Zizola," he remarked, his words both acknowledgement and praise. The goblin woman he'd first encountered was barely a Soul Eater. The peak Soul Warrior in front of him made him realize the weight of her determination.
"Without your guidance, Your Highness, it wouldn't have been possible," Zizola bowed once more, her voice echoing through the cave, laden with deep respect and gratitude, "I had to get stronger quickly to protect and assume control of my tribe."
Asher nodded, a hint of a smile flickering across his face. Gesturing her to rise, he cast a glance towards the narrow passage, concern etching his brows, "Were you able to explore this cave? It seems like you guys have been here for a while," he asked while noticing that Callisa's size would prevent her from exploring deeper into the cave.
Zizola straightened up, her eyes shimmering with a certain eagerness, "We did, Your Highness, and there were monsters lurking inside," she affirmed, "They were not formidable, but we discovered interesting things. One of them was a map fragment."
At her words, a surge of intrigue filled the cave. Asher's group shared quick glances, their faces alight with a shared interest.
"A map fragment?" Asher's voice echoed throughout the cavernous surroundings, disbelief laced with curiosity.
Zizola nodded, her emerald eyes shimmering under the dim light seeping through the cave's entrance. "Yes, Your Highness," she confirmed, her voice steady, "After we found the fragment, a location called the 'Safe Zone' was added to the map in my mind. It gave me a general direction to follow."
Asher's eyebrows shot up, a slow smile forming on his face. He turned to his group, their faces a mirror of his own curiosity and interest.
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