บท 12: 12. Shade

Around the bend, stretching out before them, were a huge spherical cavern entirely encased in crystals. The whole place seemed magical in its appearance, beautiful and enticing. It is often said that beautiful things tend to be cruel, common sayings such as 'roses have their thorns' depict this very well. Nevertheless, it is not what gave the group a pause. For lying across the floor were thick veins of purple, some even thicker than a tree branch, and they all lead towards spherical blobs of purple. 8 of them in total. The group, driven by their curiosity, kept moving forward to get a better look.

"What is this? This is absolutely disgusting" A look of loathing could be seen upon the face of Grace as she witnessed the spherical blobs pulsate as if alive. Moving insanely close in spite of her words, she witnessed the spheres pulsating, as if alive. Upon noticing it, a few people began retching. Causing a chain reaction.

"Ragnar! What are these things?" Lukas shouts out at him, and in that moment, most of the people began to realize that even Ragnar had absolutely no idea what was going on. Standing with his mouth open, staring at something in the distance. They all followed his gaze and saw Rick lying on the ground a few feet away.

"Rick!" Harold shouted, sprinting forwards. Looking around himself and assessing the situation, Ragnar could tell that this was insanely dangerous. The spherical, seemingly alive, blobs of purplish flesh on the ground were vibrating as if excited at their entrance. The ground seemed to glow in a light purple shine. There was only one thought in his mind, they had to leave, now. They could not stand around and look at these things as if they were decorative pieces.

"Harold! Grab Rick and come! We have to leave! Immediately!" Upon this shout a lot of people began looking desperate, some outright running at the sound of his voice. Steve pensievely looked upon the scene, alternating his gaze between Rick and Lukas. I can't leave them here, and I can't have Lukas run off on his own. Hardening his gaze he took a wait and see attitude. "Get ready for anything Lukas" Lukas nodded at this.

At this point Harold was already upon Rick who was lying on the ground. Looking at it, his eyes narrow at the sight. Thick, purplish veins seemed to be going inside his body, infecting him and pumping him full of something. His stomach had already begun to swell and his body temperature was abnormally high. In spite of all this, he was still alive.

"Stop dallying around Harold! We have to get going!" Clenching his teeth, he replies.

"I can't! There is something wrong with Nick! It's as if he's a part of the cave, somehow!" The eyes of all the people present open wide at this, whatever could be happening here? This was way too big of a thing for their small village to handle. Hearing this, Ragnar clenches his teeth, making a decision. Running forward he looked upon the scene himself, the skin of the boy seemed to be fused with the crystals below, whereupon purple veins were entering his body from all angles. This had the strange effect of blowing his stomach up to inhumane proportions. Putting two and two together, Ragnar understood what was happening here. He understood, but couldn't quite believe it.