Chapter 138: black ridge cave
The Blackridge Caves loomed like the mouth of some ancient beast, mist swirling at its jagged entrance. The air was thick, vibrating with a kind of dark energy that made even the birds steer clear.
The Lost Stars stood before it—Azrael Jr., Caelan, Rina, Azariah, Lyra, Niko, and a few other gifted village teens. All dressed in armor enchanted by the village mages, they looked less like children and more like a legend reborn.
"I swear if something jumps out at me in there, I'm setting this whole cave on fire," Rina whispered, clutching a dagger that glowed like lava.
"Please don't," Azariah muttered. "Some of us like breathing."
Caelan turned to the group. "Alright. We go in teams. Keep to the light. Rina, you're with Azariah. Lyra, Niko, you're with me. Azrael—"
"Already with you," his brother said, sparking flames in both hands.
The caves weren't silent. Whispers echoed—not just voices, but memories. The kind that made you stop, forget who you were, forget why you came.
Azrael suddenly paused. A shadow moved near him. "Did anyone else hear that?"
"Yup," Niko said. "And it sounded like my mother yelling at me for skipping dish duty."
"It was probably a memory wraith," Lyra said, serious. "They feed on regret."
"Then we're all screwed," Rina muttered. "I regret everything. Especially eating Eira's stew last night. I haven't stopped burping."
They laughed quietly, even as they inched forward, deeper into the cave. Then the laughter stopped.