Volume 3 - Chapter 24 – The Masked Survivor

Ash and the group ran through the night, their breaths ragged and uneven, boots striking the dirt in rhythmic desperation. The cold air sliced against their faces as the darkness stretched endlessly around them. The only light came from the faint glow of the core’s distant shimmer far above, glinting through the fractures in the sky. Their shadows stretched long and thin across the cracked ground until, finally, the Night Stone drifted aside and daylight broke through the clouds like a blade.

The morning light washed over the land, revealing a scene of decay and ruin. They had crossed into Abomination territory—an area where life itself seemed to have been drained away. Every tree stood lifeless and skeletal, their bark split open as black corruption pulsed like veins beneath the surface. The soil itself breathed faintly, a slow, sick rhythm as though the ground were alive and suffering. The air carried a heavy, sour stench—rot and mold mixed together.

As they moved cautiously eastward, the silence pressed in, broken only by the crunch of their steps and the distant groans of the corrupted landscape. Ahead, through the haze, Ash caught sight of something small—a dark opening between two cracked boulders. He raised his hand and pointed. “Over there,” he said, his voice low and steady despite the fatigue dragging at his words. “We’ll rest there for now.”

The group followed, relief flickering in their tired eyes. The cave wasn’t much—just a shallow hollow in the rock, barely large enough to shelter them from the open air—but it was enough. One by one, they entered, the dim light casting long shadows across their faces. The sound of the wind outside was muted here, replaced by the steady thump of their own exhausted hearts.

They collapsed to the ground, breathing hard, the weight of their escape finally settling in. For the first time since nightfall, the world around them was still.

Ash glanced at the exhausted Karna and said softly, “Can you close the entrance? We need to get some proper rest. Let’s seal this place off so no one finds us.”

After a few moments of silence, Karna rose quietly to her feet as she was too tired to even reply. Her eyes gleamed faintly in the dim light as she approached the cave entrance. Raising her hands, she focused her magic, murmuring under her breath. The ground responded to her will—stones shifting and grinding together with a deep, earthen groan. In seconds, a solid wall of rock formed across the entrance, sealing them inside and blending seamlessly with the surrounding cliffside. To anyone outside, it would look like nothing more than a patch of rough stone.

Satisfied, Karna stepped back and exhaled, brushing the dust from her fingers. The cave sank into near-total darkness, the only sound the soft, uneven breathing of her companions. Then, she sat back down and extended her left foot forward, she whispered a spell—“fire sphere.” A small flame bloomed at the tip of her extended foot, hovering just above her toes. Its gentle light painted their faces in shades of amber and gold, chasing away the shadows.

The warmth of the fire spread slowly through the cramped cave, drying their damp clothes and banishing the chill that had clung to their bones. The flickering glow reflected in their tired eyes, and for the first time in hours, the oppressive cold of the Abomination lands seemed to loosen its grip.

Once their clothes were finally dry, Karna let the flame dim until it faded completely, plunging them into quiet darkness once more. The faint scent of smoke lingered in the air, mingling with the earthy dampness of the cave walls. One by one, the group leaned back against the rough stone, their bodies heavy with exhaustion. Their breathing slowed, soft and steady, as their eyelids drooped.

Ash was the last to succumb, his gaze lingering on the faint cracks of light seeping through the edges of the sealed entrance. His thoughts drifted briefly—to Iris, to Arcea, to the path ahead—before fatigue pulled him under. Soon, the cave was silent save for the sound of their sleep, hidden away from the world outside.

When Ash finally awoke, a heavy pressure pressed against his shoulder. He blinked, his body sore from the uneven rock beneath him. Turning to the side, he froze for a moment—Xanathis had fallen asleep with her head resting lightly on his shoulder, her light blue hair brushing against his arm. Her expression, usually cold and unreadable, was peaceful now, almost childlike in its stillness. The warmth of her presence contrasted sharply with the chill of the cave.

He looked away quietly, careful not to disturb her. Across the dim chamber, he noticed movement—Karna was already awake. Her eyes shimmered faintly in the low light as she approached the stone barrier she had created. With a low hum of power, she raised her hand, and the wall of rock began to shift and dissolve, crumbling soundlessly into dust until the morning light spilled through the entrance once again.

Ash exhaled and gently moved xanathis away and rose slowly to his feet, rolling his stiff shoulders. He reached for the worn leather bag he had taken from the wagon the night before—inside were a few rations, dried fruit, and a folded map Garm had given him. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he stepped outside, the sudden brightness forcing him to squint as the chill morning air brushed against his face.

He unfolded the map carefully, the paper creasing under his fingers, and compared the markings with the landmarks around him. Jagged ridges, corrupted forests, and the faint silhouette of a distant ravine—it all matched. His eyes widened slightly as realization sank in. They weren’t far from their intended destination—the entrance to the Abomination’s cave, the very place they had been heading before their detour.

He studied the horizon for a moment longer, the wind brushing through his hair, carrying the faint metallic scent of corruption that hung heavy in this region. Behind him, he heard soft movement and turned slightly.

Sheena stirred first, stretching with a groggy yawn, rolling her shoulders as stiffness creaked out of them. She brushed a few loose strands of her pale silver hair from her face as she rose, the soft fabric of her layered robes shifting with her movements. The green and brown tones of her outfit blended with the morning light—her hood draped low over her head, and the faint glint of her belt’s golden buckle caught the sun. A small crystal shard at her hip shimmered faintly as she stepped toward the cave mouth, her calm eyes scanning the wasteland beyond.

Kris followed soon after, rubbing the back of her neck and blinking against the light filtering in. Xanathis, disturbed by their motion, slowly lifted her head, blinking in confusion before composing herself with a quiet huff.

One by one, they gathered themselves, the weariness still heavy in their movements but replaced by a faint determination. The day had begun, and their path lay waiting ahead.

Once everyone had stretched and shaken off the weight of sleep, the small cave filled with the soft sound of movement and hushed voices. The tension from the previous night had faded slightly, replaced by an uneasy calm. Kris adjusted her gloves and turned toward Sheena, her expression thoughtful but edged with curiosity.

“Sheena,” Kris began, stepping closer, “so what exactly happened to you and the group? You said you’d tell us once we got out of there.” Her tone carried both concern and impatience, the memory of their narrow escape still fresh. “I’m curious to know what really happened. From what Bernard said at the meeting back in Evergreen, it sounded like you were all taken by Abominations and captured.”

The question hung heavy in the air, the faint wind outside whispering through the cave entrance as everyone turned to look at Sheena, waiting for her answer.

Bernard’s name immediately sparked a reaction. Sheena’s eyes darkened, her expression twisting in anger as she clenched her fists tightly at her sides. “That bastard,” she cursed, her voice trembling with restrained fury. “He’s the one that did this to us.” The sudden venom in her tone filled the cave, and even the faint breeze outside seemed to hesitate.

Kris blinked, surprised by her outburst. “Wait… what? What’s his position in Evergreen?” she asked, uncertain but cautious.

Sheena took a deep breath, trying to contain the storm of emotion building within her. “Oh, he was hired by Ms. Evergreen to find out what happened to the group,” Kris added, recalling the mayor’s words from the meeting.

At that, Sheena’s anger only grew sharper. She stepped forward, her boots grinding against the stone floor as she spoke. “He’s the one who captured us,” she said, her voice low but heavy with venom. “That night, when we were camping out beyond the city’s ridge, he and a group of men came out of nowhere. They bombarded our camp with some kind of smoke bombs—it burned when we breathed it in. Before we knew what was happening, everyone was collapsing. I tried to fight it, but it was like my body stopped listening to me.”

Her eyes flickered with pain as the memory surfaced. “Next thing we knew, we woke up in cages. Cold, metal cages inside some kind of transport facility. Days passed, and one by one, people started disappearing. They’d come in and take groups away on airships. Always the strongest first—those with the most fighting experience or strongest magic.” Sheena’s voice cracked slightly, though she quickly swallowed the emotion. “And I was next.”

Her fists trembled, knuckles white, as she looked toward the others. “If you guys hadn’t shown up when you did… I’d have been gone too.”

Sheena drew in a deep breath, the anger in her expression hardening into resolve. “We have to hurry back to Evergreen and warn the Guild—and Ms. Evergreen herself—about this,” she said urgently. “If we don’t, more people are going to vanish before anyone realizes what’s happening.”

Ash looked at her, his expression calm but firm. “I can’t do that,” he replied after a brief pause. “I was… hired by Garm to do a mission for him while he gathers information for me. Our destination lies in the Abomination Cave. We’re looking for the abducted villagers.”

Sheena blinked, confusion flashing across her face before it settled into disbelief. “Just you four?” she asked, gesturing toward Ash, Karna, Xanathis, and Kris.

Ash nodded slightly. “Yep. We’ll try to sneak through. I don’t want to fight a whole nest of Abominations in their own lair if we can help it. We just need to see if there are any survivors left if not then we can sneak back out and report our findings.”

Sheena stared at him for a long moment, the corner of her lip twitching in frustration. “You’re insane,” she said finally, though there was a faint glimmer of admiration beneath her exasperation. “With a group this small, that’s suicide. But…” She looked away, tightening her cloak. “No. I can’t go with you. I have to return to the Guild and report this. They need to know the truth about Bernard.”

Ash gave a small nod, his tone steady. “Alright. But be careful. There are probably more of those thugs roaming around looking for us. Stay hidden and move fast.”

Sheena’s expression softened for a moment. “I will. Thank you.” She slung her pack over her shoulder, double-checked the map Ash had unfolded earlier, and committed the landmarks to memory. Then, without another word, she turned and started back toward Evergreen, her cloak fluttering behind her as the corrupted wind carried dust and decay across the land.

Ash watched her go until she disappeared behind the dead trees, then exhaled slowly. The group stood in silence for a while before he finally spoke, his voice quiet but resolute. “Alright. Let’s move.”

The group traveled along the base of the mountain beside the cave they had rested in. The jagged stone rose above them like blackened fangs piercing the sky, its surface crawling with faint streaks of glowing corruption. They followed the base for miles, their boots crunching over cracked earth as the world around them grew darker, more hostile with each step. The air thickened, carrying a faint, pulsing vibration through the ground—like the slow heartbeat of some buried monster.

Every once in a while, they caught sight of an Abomination drifting through the wasteland. Misshapen silhouettes moved between the trees—some crawling, some slithering, others walking upright with twisted limbs and eyes that burned faintly like dying embers. The group kept low and hidden, slipping behind rocks or crouching in patches of shadow until the creatures passed.

As they pressed onward, the land grew more disfigured. The trees looked skeletal, their bark cracked and oozing black sludge. The soil pulsed faintly underfoot, glowing with veins of corruption that snaked toward the horizon. No birds, no insects, no sound of life—only the distant, wet clicking of creatures moving in the dark.

Finally, after what felt like hours, they reached the cave and hid behind a bunch of large stones as they watched. At its far end lay a gaping cavern—its maw wide and jagged, The walls around the entrance pulsed faintly with sickly red veins that looked almost alive.

The group stopped and crouched low, scanning the area. Dozens of Abominations wandered aimlessly near the entrance.

They waited… and waited. Minutes stretched into hours as they watched the creatures roam. But time was slipping away, and Ash knew they couldn’t delay much longer.

Kris finally broke the silence. “So… how do we plan on getting in there?” she whispered.

Karna shrugged. “Maybe we should just kill them all?”

Ash frowned, his eyes narrowing as he studied the horde. “No,” he said firmly, pointing toward one of the Abominations near the center. Its body was massive, nearly twice the size of a man, and embedded across its chest and arms were jagged shards of luminous gems. “See that one? The gems mean it’s powerful. Way beyond what we can handle in open combat. We need to avoid it.”

He reached into his pocket, fingers brushing over a small collection of orbs he had stolen from the thugs who’d kidnapped them. Each one shimmered faintly with a different hue, pulsing with sealed magic. He examined them carefully until his gaze settled on a dull gray one.

“This one,” he murmured. “A sound orb. They used it as a signal if something went wrong… This might just work.”

The others leaned in slightly, curiosity flickering across their faces.

“I’m going to throw this over there,” Ash said, nodding toward a cluster of decayed trees off to the right. “When it cracks, it’ll release a piercing tone that should draw their attention. Once they move in that direction, we slip inside. Stay low, stay silent.”

Everyone nodded, tension gripping the air.

Ash gripped the orb tightly, feeling the hum of energy within. “Alright,” he whispered. “Let’s get in there.”

He pulled his arm back and hurled the orb with all his strength. It soared through the corrupted air, spinning until it struck a shattered tree in the distance. The orb cracked open with a sharp snap, unleashing a shrill, metallic ringing that cut through the silence like a blade.

The Abominations froze. For a heartbeat, the wasteland went still—then, as if possessed, the Abominations turned in unison toward the sound. Their distorted bodies shuddered, and they began to move, crawling, limping, and slithering toward the noise in a chaotic rush.

Ash waited, heart pounding, as the last of them disappeared beyond the ridge. Then he looked back at the others and nodded once. “Move.”

They sprinted toward the cavern entrance, the echo of the orb’s dying ring fading into the corrupted wind as they vanished into the darkness.

As soon as they stepped inside the cave, a foul stench hit them so hard that they nearly gagged. The air was thick with rot and decay, a nauseating mix of spoiled flesh and damp earth. It was as though the cave itself was breathing death.

Ash covered his nose and whispered as he looked at karna, “Hold it in. We’ve got to stay quiet.”

They moved carefully, their boots squelching softly against the wet, pulsing ground. The walls were slick with black slime, and veins of glowing corruption ran along them like arteries feeding a monstrous heart.

Ash raised a hand, signaling for the group to stop. Ahead, partially obscured by a cluster of stone formations, an Abomination sat hunched over, its body twitching faintly. It looked as though it were asleep—if such things could sleep.

The group crouched low, scanning their surroundings. The cave stretched endlessly before them, with multiple tunnels branching off in all directions like a spider’s web. Each one pulsed faintly with dim, reddish light, and the distant echoes of dripping water and growls carried through the passages.

Ash’s eyes narrowed. “lets go,” he whispered, then glanced toward Xanathis. “You lead the way. You can see better in the dark than the rest of us. I want to keep it as dark as possible once we go deeper.”

Xanathis nodded, her expression unreadable. “Understood,” she murmured. Despite Ash’s concern, the cave wasn’t entirely devoid of light—thin cracks in the mountain above allowed shafts of pale illumination to pierce through, casting faint glows across the twisted terrain. But in the deeper tunnels, only darkness reigned.

They pressed forward, moving quietly through the winding tunnels. Every few steps, Xanathis would raise a hand to halt them, her eyes catching faint movement in the distance—Abominations lurking in the shadows.

As they continued through the twisting maze of tunnels, the air grew colder eventually, the passage opened into a large chamber where an enormous metal door loomed before them. It was unlike anything they had seen so far—tall enough to dwarf even the largest Abomination, its surface smooth and polished despite the filth around it. Thick rivets anchored it into the stone as if it had been built to contain something rather than protect it.

Kris stopped first, her eyes wide. “What is something like this doing here?” she whispered, her voice barely audible in the heavy silence.

Karna stepped closer, brushing her fingertips across the metal’s cold surface. “Could it be some kind of ancient ruin? Like the ones we found before?” she asked, her tone cautious but tinged with curiosity.

Ash examined the structure closely, tracing his gaze along the edges and the faint mechanical joints running along its sides. “No,” he said after a moment. “This door looks too new. The metal hasn’t corroded at all. Whatever built this, it wasn’t made centuries ago—it’s somewhat recent.”

Karna frowned. “Then should we open it? See what’s on the other side?”

Ash shook his head immediately. “No. Not yet. We don’t know what’s in there. For all we know, it could be something worse than what’s already outside. Let’s explore the rest of the cave first.”

Reluctantly, the group agreed. They turned away from the imposing door as they continued deeper into the tunnels.

The paths ahead widened, curving downward until they emerged into a colossal open chamber at the heart of the mountain. The ceiling was gone entirely—collapsed or ripped away—leaving a massive gash that reached up to the surface. Through it, faint corelight poured in, filtering through the mist and casting an eerie glow across the scene below.

In the center of the chamber lay a nightmarish sight: thousands upon thousands of twisted corpses sprawled across the floor. The stench was overwhelming—a suffocating mix of decay, rust, and burnt flesh. Mutated limbs jutted at odd angles, and black ichor pooled between them, glistening under the faint light. Some corpses were old and skeletal, others freshly rotted, their bodies still twitching with residual corruption.

Karna covered her mouth, her eyes wide, and staggered toward the corner of the wall. The overwhelming stench hit her all at once, twisting her stomach until she doubled over and vomited, her body trembling. She wiped her mouth weakly and turned back toward the group, pale and shaken, unable to even look at the pit of corpses.

Ash took a slow step forward, scanning the pit of corpses. “I think this is where ruin dumps them,” he said quietly. “Failed experiments… the ones that didn’t survive whatever process made the Abominations or mutants. And maybe…” He crouched, picking up a twisted shard of bone still coated with dark fluid. “…maybe the ones that do survive crawl their way out of here through the tunnels all around.”

The group stood in grim silence, the enormity of the scene pressing down on them like a physical weight. Overhead, the pale light from the opening flickered as a faint gust of wind swept through, carrying the echo of the dead across the cavern.

Xanathis’s ears twitched suddenly, her body tensing. “Wait,” she whispered, her voice low and alert. “There’s a sound… faint crunching—hundreds of them. And it’s coming from that pile.”

Ash immediately motioned for everyone to stay low as they crept closer. The deeper they moved into the chamber, the clearer the noises became—wet, tearing crunches followed by low, gurgling growls. The stench thickened until it was nearly unbearable.

When they reached the edge of the massive pile, the truth became horrifyingly clear. The mountain of corpses wasn’t still. It was moving.

Dozens—no, hundreds—of Corpse Eaters crawled over one another, their wormlike bodies coiling and shifting as they devoured the remains of the fallen mutants and abominations. Their pale, plated flesh glistened with slime as their fanged, flower-like maws opened and closed rhythmically. Each time they tore off a chunk of decaying flesh, the humanoid torsos that grew from their mouths twitched and let out muffled groans, as though echoing the pain of the dead they consumed.

Karna’s face turned ashen. She clutched her stomach, staggered to the side, and vomited again, her body trembling uncontrollably. “I-I can’t…” she muttered weakly, barely able to steady herself against the wall.

The others stood frozen in grim silence, the sound of the feeding horde echoing endlessly through the cavern.

The group stood frozen in horror, the nauseating sounds of gnawing and tearing echoing around them. Ash’s eyes shifted away from the grotesque pile, scanning the chamber’s perimeter. Dozens of tunnels branched out from this central pit, each one stretching into shadowed depths like veins feeding a monstrous heart. The air pulsed faintly, vibrating with the faint sound of distant movement.

Then—there. A flicker of motion caught his eye in the farthest tunnel to the left. He tensed, focusing. Something was stirring in the dark.

“Follow me,” he whispered, his tone low but commanding. The group hesitated for only a second before moving after him, carefully stepping over the twisted remains of mutants scattered across the floor. Each step squelched against blood-soaked stone, the coppery smell clinging to the back of their throats.

As they approached the leftmost tunnel, Xanathis suddenly raised her hand. “Stop,” she whispered sharply. Her voice carried the weight of danger.

She crouched and leaned forward, poking her head carefully into the tunnel. Her light blue eyes adjusted instantly to the darkness, pupils narrowing. The dim light filtering through cracks revealed a chilling scene.

Dozens of Abominations filled the chamber beyond. Their hulking, misshapen bodies twitched as they fed, surrounding piles of half-eaten human corpses. The remains were fresh—villagers, by their torn clothes and broken tools scattered across the ground.

Xanathis’s gaze fixed on one Abomination near the center. It crouched low, its claws gripping a still-living human writhing weakly in its grasp. The villager’s cries were faint, choked by pain and fear. The abomination raised the body to its mouth and bit down, tearing the man in half. Blood sprayed across the walls as the Abomination pulled the two halves apart, chewing noisily as intestines and gore dripped from its jagged teeth.

Kris turned pale, covering her mouth, while Karna squeezed her eyes shut, trembling. Even Ash’s expression hardened—his hand tightening around his weapon as the sound of flesh being torn apart filled the narrow space.

Xanathis drew back silently, her face grim. “They’re feeding,” she whispered, her tone cold and controlled. “And there are a lot of them.”

Ash exhaled quietly, his gaze hardening as he watched the horror unfold in the tunnel ahead. “Well,” he muttered under his breath, voice low and heavy with resignation, “it doesn’t look like there are any surviving villagers… not anymore.” His eyes lingered on the last torn body, the one that had just stopped twitching. “That was the last one.”

He glanced back toward the others, his voice tightening. “We’d better sneak out while we still can. There’s nothing left to save here.”

They began to back away carefully, keeping low and silent, but before they could make it far, a sudden echo shook the cavern—a roar so deep it vibrated through the stone. It came from the massive central chamber they had passed earlier. The growling quickly multiplied, joined by guttural screams and wet, thrashing sounds.

Ash’s head snapped around. “Back!” he whispered urgently, motioning the group to retreat toward the main chamber. They hurried from the tunnel, the noise growing louder with every step.

When they emerged, the sight that met them was chaos incarnate.

The enormous pile of corpses was alive with movement. Corpse Eaters were swarming over one another, tearing at both flesh and each other. The weaker ones screeched as the larger, more dominant Corpse Eaters lunged forward, scaring off smaller kin in a frenzy. Black ichor sprayed across the cavern as the feeding turned into a brutal battle for dominance.

Then, a thunderous roar split through the madness. The entire chamber trembled as something massive moved in the far distance—a colossal Abomination locked in combat with another creature.

Ash squinted through the dust and dim light. “What the hell is that?” he whispered.

And then they saw him—a lone human figure, standing amidst the carnage. His clothes were torn and stained, his face half-covered in grime and blood. In his hands, he held a massive, meat cleaver, its blade jagged. Behind him, two children huddled together, clutching each other in terror.

The man let out a shout and swung the cleaver, cleaving through one of the Abomination’s limbs as black blood splattered the ground. The Abomination roared, staggering back.

Ash’s eyes widened. “I guess there are survivors after all,” he said sharply.

Karna wiped her mouth, forcing herself to stand upright. “Then we help him,” she said, determination piercing through her fear.

Without hesitation, Ash nodded. “Let’s move.”

The group broke into a sprint, charging across the corpse-strewn floor toward the giant Abomination. It hadn’t yet noticed them, focused entirely on its prey. Ash led the assault, leaping forward as Karna’s magic crackled through the air, forming jagged stones along her gauntlet. Xanathis dashed ahead, her blade flashing in the faint light, while Kris raised her weapon, as her beam blade crackled with energy.

Before the Abomination noticed them, the group struck as one—slashing, slicing, and driving their weapons deep into its back. The Abomination let out a horrid shriek, its body convulsing violently before collapsing forward, its black blood splattering across the stone.

For a moment, only the sound of heavy breathing filled the cavern. Then Ash raised his head, glancing at the man and the children.

“They’re safe,” he said quietly. “For now.”

All the screaming, growling, and thrashing from the Corpse Eaters’ battle echoed throughout the mountain, shaking the cavern walls. The noise reverberated through every tunnel like a living alarm. One by one, the Abominations that had been lurking in the tunnels stirred from their slumber. Their distorted silhouettes began to emerge from the shadowed passages, their growls rumbling deep like thunder. Soon, the entrances that surrounded the massive corpse chamber filled with their shapes—hulking figures crawling, limping, and dragging themselves toward the chaos.

Ash’s eyes darted from tunnel to tunnel. “Damn it,” he muttered. “They’re coming from every direction.”

Before he could speak again, the man they had just saved turned to them. Up close, they could see him clearly now—he wore a dark butler’s uniform, torn and splattered with blood, and a black mask that covered the lower half of his face he had one bright red eye and one grey eye. His breathing was heavy, but his movements was calm.

He looked at them sharply. “Quickly—follow me!” he spoke.

Ash hesitated only a moment, meeting the man’s gaze through the mask, then nodded. “If he knows someplace safe, we don’t have a choice. Move!”

The man grabbed the hands of the two children and led the way, weaving through the labyrinth of fallen bodies and scattered bones. The group followed close behind, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of blood and decay coating the floor. All around them, the roars of Abominations grew louder, echoing off the cavern walls as the horde swarmed the corpse pit.

Ash glanced back briefly, catching sight of several massive forms emerging through the fog of dust and corruption. “Let's Go!” he spoke, pushing forward.

They followed the masked man toward one of the numerous tunnels. Beyond it, a tunnel stretched into pitch-black silence, swallowing even the faint glow from the cracks above. One by one, they fallowed after him as the roars slowly fallowed from behind them.