บท 14: 14. Shade

Running through the tunnel with Ragnar in front, they all start relaxing the further they go.

"You know.. I've thought about this for quite a while now, but here goes. Since the beast wasn't in the tunnel… where could it be?" Steve mentions out loud. It goes to say that the other group might have drawn the short end of the stick, meeting up with whatever abomination causing this spectacle. Ragnar frowns while thinking.

"We should meet up with the other group, tell them what we found, then leave together. It's also better if we all stick together. Splitting up is the worst decision we could make, there is strength in numbers." They all nod. Though some are looking reluctant, they don't want to go off on their own and end up like Rick. The crystals slowly recede from the floor, walls and ceiling. In the distance they can see the cave from which they came. Keeping up the steady pace, they all line up while running to enter the cave in the distance.

"Wait! Are we just going to leave without a single crystal? Are you all mad?!" A man in farmer's clothes, dark skin, long blonde hair and white freckles shouts out loud.

"We're not mad, you idiot! You're mad! We're definitely coming back for these things later. Right, guys?" There was an awkward silence as nobody responded. To be truthful, nobody knew what to do about this thing. The man who just spoke, grunts in displeasure.

"Seems like none of these guys agree with you! I, for one, am not leaving without something." The man with white freckles speaks again. Grace glances at him, having heard the conversation.

"If you want to die, be my guest, Ambrose" The man grimaces. Do they know something I don't? They are all very eager to leave this place as quickly as possible. Yes, the place is creepy and we've never seen anything like it, but dangerous? Who ever said it was dangerous? The man glances at Ragnar. Ragnar says it's dangerous, but what makes him think that?

"Ragnar! What makes you think this place is dangerous?" He shouts

Ragnar sigs and just waves a hand around himself.

"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" And the man realizes, it's not that Ragnar is a coward, but too much is at stake at this moment. They're too many people. If they were to all die, the village would be absolutely trashed. Being the temporary leader, he can't stay behind out of greed, if he did, most would as well. But he… he doesn't have to leave right now.

Grace glances at him out of the corner of her eyes, then grabs his arm, whispering to him.

'It won't be too late to come back afterwards, with better tools, just the two of us. Let's focus on the mission right now, killing that beast" The man gains a glint in his eyes and nods.

Yes.. it wouldn't be too late.