Chương 25: Chapter 25: Entering the Wilderness (3)

Splash

Kain had closed his eyes for what felt like a minute, but the sky was already much dark, several hours must have passed. Also looking around, he could see that he was at a much further point down the river. A point he was unfamiliar with.

More importantly the patch of land he had fallen asleep on was beginning to sink into the water.

"Shit!" He screamed, before using his knife to stab deep into the dirt and give himself something to hold on to.

Soon, he sank fully into water, and the identity of his 'island' was revealed. He was on the back of a massive turtle. From the pressure and size of the creature, he could tell that it was above yellow-grade in strength. It was also likely above Gold-quality, since Kain had never seen it in any of his textbooks. He wanted to cry, 'I thought there weren't supposed to be any creatures above Black-iron quality so close to the city!'

Fortunately, it didn't seem to notice Kain's presence, or it didn't care, considering him to be like one of the tiny insects that occasionally hitch a ride onto its shell.

After staying below water for what felt like an eternity, Kain desperately needed oxygen. With burning lungs he dislodged his knife, his only remaining possession, and floated in the direction he felt was up.

"Ahhh!" Just when he felt as though he would faint from a lack of air, he finally broke the surface. However, looking around, he was no longer outside. His ride must have been swimming through the underwater tunnels of this cave. After crawling towards shore, Kain collapsed onto his back. It was almost pitch black, with only a little bit starlight peaking through a hole in the ceiling.

He could see that he was in a circular cavern with stone walls all around, except for a tunnel in the direction he currently was.

'I guess I have no choice but to go down this tunnel' After all, he would likely drown if he tried to swim back out of these caves without his previous ride.

However, without his supplies, Kain would not be able to see in front of him in the tunnels since the faint starlight above would definitely not reach that far.

'I guess I'll be flying blind then…' he thought. He could either take a chance of finding an exit through these tunnels, or he could slowly die in this cavern. Without really being given a choice, he slowly stepped into the tunnel.

'Please don't let there be anything that wants to eat me down here, just give me a break!" He prayed, before slowly stepping forward.

After walking forward for several minutes, he gradually calmed down and began to extend his other senses since he could no longer rely on his sight.

"Aaahhhhh!!!"

He pushed away what felt like a spider web. 'So gross, please tell me I'm not surrounded by spiders right now.' Remaining calm was difficult, now that he was imagining a giant arachnid spiritual creature eyeing him from the dark. 'Stay calm. Stay calm.'

Tap tap tap

Hearing a noise in the distance, Kain gripped his blade tighter and then crouched along the side of the tunnel to take up less space while remaining quiet.

Tap tap tap

Gradually he heard the scampering sound slowly moving away from him. Once the noise was completely gone, Kain stood again and began to make his way down the tunnel. Slowly. Silently.

'This isn't so bad,' he thought after what felt like hours later, after not encountering anything else. 'Maybe I will be able to survive this. But it's been at least 12 hours since I ate anything. Even if nothing eats me, I may die from a lack of food and water…'

Whoosh

A breeze! He must be approaching an opening. Picking up the pace, Kain began to move in the direction he felt the breeze, and gradually began to see some details of the walls around him. 'I'm free!'

However, suddenly he stopped. Because despite the opening to the outside clearly right in front of him, he felt something he was longing for even more within the pitch-black tunnel towards his left.

A pull.