The Voice from the Darkness

The ruins now felt like a silent tomb. Only the heavy breaths and the soft rustling of snow falling through the cracks in the walls could be heard. Vin stood in the middle of the large room, staring at the entrance blocked by the snowstorm.

"We’re trapped," Kwame said, his voice serious. His hand gripped the knife at his waist tightly.

"Not completely," Hiroshi replied, trying to reassure them. "There’s always another way. Ruins like these always have hidden passages."

Vin touched the stone walls covered with intricate ancient symbols. The symbols appeared to be a mixture of ancient languages and incomprehensible images. “What is this?” he asked, more to himself.

Dea approached, studying the carvings closely. "This is the language of my tribe," she said softly, as if speaking to a long-lost memory. "We used to believe this mountain was the body of a sleeping god. This place... is its heart."

Hiroshi snorted quietly. "God or not, we need to get out of here. Myths won’t save us."

Before they could discuss further, a strange sound echoed from the darkness—a low murmur, like a whisper coming from the walls.

“What is that?” Priya asked, her eyes wide.

Everyone fell silent, listening intently. The whisper grew clearer, now sounding like a language they didn’t recognize.

"It’s not the wind," Ekaterina said, her voice cold.

“No,” Dea answered, her eyes fixed on the altar in the middle of the room. “It’s coming from here.”

They moved toward the altar, lighting a small torch from Hiroshi’s supply. The firelight danced across the stone surface, revealing more strange symbols. In the center of the altar, there was a small, circular hole, like a keyhole waiting for something to open it.

Vin stared at the hole and said, "What do you all think? It looks like... something needs to be activated."

Dea gripped the pendant hanging around her neck. Her eyes widened as if she had realized something. "I’ve seen this before. This is the same symbol as the one in my tribe's village."

Hiroshi furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

Dea explained, her voice trembling. "My tribe believed this altar determines fate. If you place the correct key, the mountain will show you the way. But if you’re wrong... you’ll die."

"Die?" Kwame took a step back, nervously tapping his knife. "Do we really want to try this?"

"Do we have any other choice?" Vin asked firmly.

Ekaterina gave Dea a sharp look. "You’re the one with the pendant. Is that the key?"

Dea hesitated for a moment, then removed the pendant from around her neck. "I don’t know," she answered honestly. "But this is the only clue we have."

Vin studied Dea’s face, searching for certainty in her expression. "If this is the only way, we have to try."

Dea stepped closer to the altar, her hands trembling as she held the pendant. She glanced at the group for a moment, then placed the pendant into the hole in the altar. For a few seconds, nothing happened.

"Is it—" Hiroshi started to speak, but suddenly the floor beneath them began to shake. A strange green light emanated from the carvings on the walls, moving like flowing water in a pattern.

"This is insane," Kwame muttered, eyes wide in shock.

From the darkness, a rumble echoed, followed by the slow opening of a massive stone door at the far end of the room. Behind it, there was a long corridor, illuminated by a faint green glow emanating from the walls.

"Look at that," Priya said, her voice filled with awe and fear.

Hiroshi led the way, but before he could enter the corridor, Dea stopped him. "Wait," she said. "This passage could be full of traps. This isn’t just an exit."

Vin stepped forward, gently placing a hand on Dea’s shoulder. "How do you know?"

Dea looked at him, her eyes filled with genuine fear. "Because this passage is a test. The mountain will only let those who are worthy pass through."

"A test of what?" Ekaterina asked coldly.

"Something that will test our fears and our intentions," Dea answered. "And it could kill us."

Despite their doubts, they entered the corridor one by one. Hiroshi stayed at the front, with Kwame right behind him. Vin and Dea were in the middle, while Priya and Ekaterina brought up the rear.

The corridor was long and eerie. The green light from the walls cast strange shadows around them, making everything feel like a nightmare.

"This doesn’t feel real," Priya murmured, her voice echoing.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps, but not from any of them. The footsteps were heavy, rapidly approaching.

Vin stopped, pulling Dea behind him. "What is that?" he asked, scanning the corridor.

Hiroshi raised his torch, trying to locate the source of the sound. But there was nothing ahead of them.

The footsteps grew louder, now coming from all directions. Then, from the shadows, a large figure emerged—a creature covered in thick black fur, with glowing red eyes. It let out a low growl, enough to freeze everyone in place.

"What is that?" Kwame shouted, gripping his knife tightly.

Dea swallowed hard. "It... is a guardian. These creatures were created to protect the mountain."

The creature stepped closer, its every movement a looming threat.

"We have to run!" Priya screamed, panic in her voice.

"No!" Hiroshi retorted firmly. "If we run, it will hunt us down. We have to fight."

The creature growled louder, preparing to attack. Vin drew a small knife from his pack, his gaze locked on the beast, filled with determination.

"Then," he said in a low voice, "let’s make sure this creature isn’t our final test."

In that moment of tension, the creature lunged toward them, and the fight for survival in the green corridor began.

***

The black-furred creature leapt toward them with an ear-splitting growl. Vin reacted quickly, pushing Dea aside before rolling in the opposite direction. The creature crashed to the ground, swiping the air where Dea had stood moments before.

"Everyone! Scatter!" Hiroshi shouted, raising his torch high. The firelight reflected in the creature's red eyes, making it appear even more terrifying.

Kwame attacked from the other side with his knife, making a shallow cut on the creature’s body. However, the attack only made the creature angrier. It growled loudly, its sound echoing through the corridor, sending chills down their spines.

Vin ran toward Dea, who was sitting on the floor, looking dazed. "Are you okay?" he asked, gently holding her shoulder.

Dea nodded, but her eyes betrayed worry. "I... I’m fine. But Vin, we can’t defeat that creature with strength alone. We need to use our minds!"

Vin looked at her for a moment, realizing the firmness in her voice. "Alright, think of something. I’ll keep the creature from getting close to you."

Dea looked at him as though she wanted to say something, but then simply nodded. There was something in Vin’s gaze—courage, perhaps even a sense of responsibility—that made her feel safe in the face of this threat.

Vin joined Hiroshi and Kwame, who were trying to divert the creature’s attention. Meanwhile, Dea scanned the surroundings, looking for something that could help them. Her focus shifted to the glowing symbols on the walls. The light patterns seemed to shift, almost as if responding to the creature's presence.

“The symbols!” Dea exclaimed, grabbing Priya and Ekaterina’s attention. "They’re reacting to the creature. I think they can be used!"

Priya approached, gasping for breath. "How?"

Dea shook her head slightly. "I’m not sure, but if we can get the creature close to a certain wall, maybe we can trigger something."

Meanwhile, Vin and Kwame continued evading the creature’s attacks. They were tired, their movements slowing. The creature seemed to sense their weakness and began attacking more aggressively.

"We need a plan right now!" Kwame yelled, swinging his knife to keep the creature at bay.

"Lead it to that wall!" Dea pointed to the brightest wall, where the light pattern formed a perfect circle.

Vin understood Dea’s intention. "Hiroshi, help me!"

Hiroshi nodded, and together, they lured the creature toward the indicated wall. The creature, with its angry red eyes, followed them. As it got close, Dea shouted, "Now! Jump to the side!"

Vin and Hiroshi leaped away simultaneously. As the creature crashed into the glowing wall, a bright green light flared up, engulfing the creature’s body. Its growl transformed into a scream before it finally disappeared, along with the light that gradually faded.

Everyone was silent, catching their breath amidst the newfound silence that felt like a blessing.

“We did it,” Priya muttered, sitting on the floor, her face pale.

“For now,” Ekaterina replied coldly, though she appeared relieved.

Vin turned toward Dea, who was still standing near the glowing wall. He walked over to her, his expression serious. "That was a great idea. You saved us all."

Dea smiled faintly, her hesitation evident. "You did too. If you hadn’t protected me earlier..."

Vin shrugged. "That’s what I had to do. We all need to look out for each other."

However, as he looked into Dea’s eyes, he realized something was different. Her gaze was softer now, almost admiring.

“You’re different, Vin,” Dea said quietly, her voice almost a whisper.

Vin fell silent, unsure how to respond. He wasn’t someone accustomed to attention like this, especially in situations like this. "I’m just doing what I can," he finally said.

Dea smiled again, this time more genuinely. "And that’s what makes you different."

The group continued their journey after taking a short rest. They remained vigilant, knowing that even though the creature had vanished, the corridor still held many secrets.

Dea walked beside Vin, more often glancing at him than speaking. She remembered how Vin had protected her earlier, his body becoming a shield between her and the creature. It was an act she rarely saw in a world filled with fear and self-interest.

"Are you always like this?" Dea asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Like what?"

"Brave, willing to risk your life for others."

Vin chuckled softly. "I don’t know. I just... act. It comes naturally to me."

Dea stared at him intently. "You might be the one this mountain needs to get us out of here."

Vin met Dea’s gaze, trying to understand her meaning. But before he could ask more, Hiroshi’s voice called out from ahead.

"You two, hurry up! We can’t stop now!"

Vin nodded and moved forward, leaving Dea standing in her place. But behind her soft gaze, there was something else—a growing attraction, mixed with admiration and trust beginning to form for the man who, for some reason, felt like the answer to the mountain’s riddle.

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