NOVEL WEB Chapter 9: Chapter 8: Mission
Nobody spoke when they saw the grotesque landscape ahead. I kept my mouth shut too, my gaze fixed on the nightmarish scenery, avoiding Celia's eyes. I didn't want to see her expression, whether it would harden or falter, because I knew whatever she showed might unravel Agon's tenuous hold on focus. And even though I was Agon now, I still couldn't entirely untangle his emotions from mine.
We began moving, boots sinking into the sodden, blood-soaked ground. The squelch of the mud was sickening, a mixture of thick crimson fluid and chunks of half-dissolved flesh. Distorted human heads jutted from the earth like twisted weeds, their expressions frozen in agony. Some had mouths agape as if perpetually screaming; others seemed to watch us with hollow, unblinking eyes.
Ahead loomed the entrance to the tower, a grotesque spiral of pulsating flesh that twisted upward into the darkness. Its jagged, fleshy maw gaped wide, slick with some viscous, unidentifiable secretion. The sight alone churned my stomach.
The entrance radiated an oppressive aura, the kind that made my skin prickle with unease. Darkness spilled out of the opening like an endless void, as though stepping inside would consume us entirely. It was not just a lack of light; it was the kind of darkness that gnawed at the edges of reason, threatening to devour it.
"Activate your rune lights," Uvan commanded, his voice steady despite the tension. The small gemstone embedded in his armor flared to life, emitting a soft golden glow that barely pushed back the suffocating gloom. His directive was echoed by the other team leaders, their voices muffled as each group prepared to enter.
We stepped inside. The sound of our footsteps echoed faintly, swallowed by the sheer emptiness around us. It wasn't just quiet, it was silent. Not a whisper of air, not the faintest vibration of life. The space seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions, a cavernous void with no walls, no ceiling, and no discernible features. The darkness pressed in on us, a tangible force that made it hard to breathe.
Uvan scanned the area, his rune light sweeping over the featureless expanse. "Let's keep moving," he finally said. His voice carried a quiet authority, but I could hear the uncertainty beneath it. "We'll see if we find anything further in."
The other team leaders nodded, their figures faint silhouettes in the dim glow of their rune lights. No one objected. What else could we do but press forward? Our main objective hung over us like a curse:
[Mission]
+
Defeat The Elder Eyes
Failure: Only You Know
+
We walked. Deeper. Deeper. The darkness seemed alive, shifting subtly at the edges of our vision. The ground beneath us grew uneven, patches of sticky, tar-like substance clinging to our boots with each step. The silence amplified every creak of armor, every muffled breath, until even the smallest sound felt deafening.
Eventually, we reached a dead end. Or so it seemed. Five separate paths branched out before us, each vanishing into its own shrouded darkness. Each path looked identical, their entrances framed by jagged, organic structures that pulsed faintly, like veins beneath translucent skin.
"I think each team should take a different path," the leader of Team 2 suggested, her voice hesitant but firm. She tapped the runestone embedded in her gauntlet. "We can stay in contact using these."
Her suggestion was met with a murmur of agreement, though it was tinged with unease. The leader of Team 4 frowned, crossing his arms. "What if it's a trap to separate us?" His tone was sharp, filled with suspicion. "If we're split up, we'll be weaker."
The others nodded thoughtfully. It was a valid concern. Yet, Team 2's leader spoke again, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "But if we don't check all the paths simultaneously, we could waste time going through them one by one. That could be just as dangerous."
I kept my thoughts to myself, though unease twisted in my gut. This had to be a trap. Not just for one team, but for all of us. The oppressive atmosphere, the unnatural silence, the way the paths seemed deliberately laid out, everything about this place felt wrong.
Uvan finally broke the impasse. "We can't stand here forever," he said. His tone was resolute, his gaze sweeping over the other leaders. "We'll split up. If the paths converge, we'll regroup. If not, we'll stay in contact through the runestones."
Reluctantly, the others agreed. Each team chose a path, the leaders giving quiet orders as their groups began to move. Team 5.. my team took the fifth path.
As we ventured deeper into the corridor, the air grew heavier, carrying a metallic tang that burned the back of my throat. The ground beneath us became increasingly treacherous. The crimson liquid pooled higher, reaching our knees, its consistency thickening with each step. It clung to us, sucking at our movements, slowing us down. The walls around us pulsed faintly, veins of sickly light weaving through the fleshy structures.
"The mud's getting stronger," Jess said, her voice breaking the tense silence. She stopped abruptly, her boots sinking into the mire. "We'll be stuck soon if we keep going. I think we should turn back."
The rest of us halted, considering her words. Celia knelt, scooping the thick liquid into her armored hands. The substance oozed between her fingers, sluggish and viscous.
"It is getting thicker the further we go," she murmured, her voice steady but laced with unease. Her gaze flicked to mine for a brief moment before darting away. It wasn't fear in her eyes, but something else, anger? Disappointment? I couldn't tell, and it gnawed at me. What did I do now?
Uvan turned to me, his expression unreadable. "What do you think?"
I hesitated, then spoke carefully. "If the ladies noticed it before us, it means they're more cautious. We should listen and turn back."
He nodded, his decision swift. "Alright. Let's return and reevaluate."
We turned to leave, but the sound stopped us in our tracks. A faint, wet bubbling, like the surface of the crimson pool stirring.
Something moved.