Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Fork Paths
We ventured deeper into the wide, eerie expanse of the dark cave. It was surprisingly spacious, with a low ceiling that dripped with moisture. The light from outside only reached the entrance area, leaving the rest of the cave shrouded in darkness. However, as we proceeded further, the darkness was pierced by the dim glow of strange luminescent spores floating in the air.
Along the walls of the cave, we noticed unsettling mushrooms. These fungi were brightly colored and oddly shaped, clinging to the damp walls. They emitted a soft glow, their luminescent bodies releasing spores at regular intervals, providing a faint illumination within the cave.
... Just enough to watch our feets.
The mushrooms were scattered everywhere, creating an abundance of spores in the cave. With cautious and weary steps, we continued deeper inside. The passage seemed to extend further and grow even darker. The ground beneath our feet felt squishy and unsettling due to the strange dampness of the cave.
Droplets of water beat eerily against the ground, adding to the palpable tension within the party. Within minutes of entering the cave, the ground began to slope downward. It wasn't steep, just enough for a steady descent into the underground darkness. At the front of the party, Don stopped just before the slight slope, leaning forward to peer into the darkness below.
He hesitated to take another step.
Don glanced slightly over his shoulder, his face dimly illuminated by a passing luminescent spore. His expression was tense as he nodded at the rest of us before turning forward. With a determined step, he continued down the wet cave, descending the slope.
Reluctantly, we followed suit. As we moved further into the cave, the light from the entrance faded into darkness. Thankfully, the luminescent spores continued down the slope, providing just enough illumination to guide our steps on the muddy ground.
Only the sound of dripping water, our laborious breathing, and the squelching of our footsteps filled the cave. It may have been my imagination, but it felt colder the further we descended.
As we stood in the vast underground chamber, my mind was a tumult of unsettling thoughts about the myriad of things that could possibly go wrong in such an environment.
The slope came to an end, leading us to a wide underground expanse, spacious enough to accommodate more than twenty people. Here, the ground was smoother and dry, and the ceiling higher, without the constant drip of water. The luminescent spores didn't reach this deep, and instead, the space was illuminated by glowing gemstones partially embedded in the walls and ceilings.
The underground chamber was filled with gasps of amazement as we marveled at the dazzling array of gems and stones adorning the ceiling, resembling a star-studded sky.
"It's amazing!" Lia exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Woah," Kyle breathed, clearly impressed by the sight.
"It's so pretty," Trise remarked, her voice filled with awe.
The gemstones, with their various lights and colors, sparkled like stars in the night sky, casting a mesmerizing glow throughout the chamber. For a moment, the sense of fear and unease that had accompanied us into the cave was forgotten as we stood captivated by the beauty before us.
However, Don's attempt to claim one of the glowing rocks for himself brought a moment of tension to the group. Despite this, Don's excitement was contagious, and soon laughter filled the chamber as he declared his intentions to make this underground marvel our new base and hideout – our Stone Fortress.
"Haha, guys! I told you it was a good idea to continue. Hahaha! Look, Leon, if we had went back when you said we should, would we have ever gotten a chance to see this? Nope. Hahaha! I've decided. This will be our new base and hideout. Our Stone Fortress!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. If you stop stuffing your pockets full and look over here, you'll notice that we might be in a little dilemma." Leon's words brought the Party back to earth.
As we stood in the underground chamber, surrounded by the glittering gemstones, Leon's words brought us back to the reality of our situation.
"Huh?" Don looked puzzled as he tore his gaze away from the gemstones and turned to face Leon.
Leon pointed towards three open paths that stretched out before us, his expression filled with uncertainty. "So... which way do we go?"
Stepping forward, I joined Leon in examining the three available paths. We had reached a fork in the road, and now we needed to decide which direction to take.
Leon gestured towards the three open paths ahead, his expression filled with uncertainty. "So... which way do we go?"
I took a step forward and peered at the only three available path in our way forward.
As we stared at the three paths, a sense of uncertainty loomed over us. I pondered for a moment before speaking up, "Maybe we should look for any signs or clues that might lead us in the right direction. Keep an eye out for any markings or hints that could indicate where Muffin might have gone."
Trise suggested, "And let's also try to listen for any sounds. Maybe Muffin is making noise, or there could be something else down here that we need to be aware of."
We cautiously approached each path, examining the walls and ground for any signs that might guide us in the search for Muffin.
Thanks to Leon, everyone's come back to realize our true purpose for being here. We had to find the damn dog and get the hell out of here.
"Hm? Why don't we just choose a specific path and explore it? What's the harm?" Don said casually as he began to walk towards one of the open paths.
"Exactly! We can't just pick any path randomly. We might get lost, and besides, we need to find Muffin. We're not here just to wander aimlessly!" Leon exclaimed, grabbing Don by the ear to emphasize his point.
In any case, a fork in the road does present a dilemma. We're uncertain which path to take and the potential risks and dangers they might entail.
If we don't choose a path, we'll never find Muffin and risk losing him further.
'Goddamit. That damn dog... Hm? Dog? Dog....Ah, Dog!'
"Uhm, hey, why don't we just follow the pawprints left by Muffin down the path he took? The upper cave had wet, muddy ground, so Muffin is sure to have left a trail, right? I mean, even we did," I turned to Leon and pointed at our own tracks of footprints leading down from the murky cave above. His brows widened slightly in realization.
Almost simultaneously, Kyle and Trise exclaimed:
"Found them!"
"Yeah, we found Muffin's prints."
"I found them first, just to note. Not that it matters directly to the current situation. Just pointing it out."
The rest of the group disregarded Kyle's comment, focusing instead on the small pawprints leading into the middle path deeper into the cave.
"I suppose we're going straight ahead then?"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone