Chapter 59: Road to the Capital (Part 8)
Tamae felt something was wrong. She turned to the left, then to the right. No one was there. No sounds. No Alvaric.
"A-Alvaric?" she called softly.
No reply. The mist around her began to thicken again, swallowing sound, swallowing light. Just moments ago, she had been walking behind Alvaric, and then... suddenly everything changed.
Without realizing it, she now stood inside a large cave, its mouth gaping like the jaws of a monster ready to devour anyone who passed.
Tamae’s heart raced. "Since when did I end up here...?"
She took a step back, but a faint voice from deeper inside the cave made her stop.
"Help..."
A small voice. A child’s. Faint... but clear. Her heart instantly reacted. She clenched her fist, gripping the hilt of her sword. Without thinking further, she stepped deeper into the darkness of the cave.
Step by step, a cold chill wrapped around her body. The cave walls were covered in thick, sticky black slime, and the stench of blood assaulted her nose. But that wasn’t the most disturbing thing.
Tamae stopped when she reached near the end of the corridor. Her eyes widened.
Above—hanging from the ceiling—dozens of small bodies were suspended. They were wrapped in thick thread like cocoons. Some were still squirming, making weak cries for help. One of them was the village child from earlier—half of his body still unwrapped.