The air in the cavern was damp and heavy, clinging to their skin as they trudged through the underground tunnel. Water dripped from jagged stalactites above, the soft plinking sound the only break in the oppressive silence. Their clothes were soaked, their limbs aching from the fall, but none of them dared stop moving. The Titanic Spider might not have been able to follow, but that didn't mean they were safe.
Elias broke the silence first. "So… anyone else feel like this is the worst vacation ever?"
Jaxon shot him a look. His symbiote bristled along his arms, still tense, still ready to lash out at the first sign of danger. "Save the jokes until we're not stuck in a flooded death trap."
Elias smirked, but his fingers never stopped flicking through his deck. "Just trying to lighten the mood. You know, keep us from spiraling into existential despair."
"We'll spiral later," Kade said bluntly, his chains twitching as they slid over the uneven stone floor. "Right now, we focus on getting out."
Reed nodded, though his eyes were wary as he glanced at the dark, murky water pooling along the edges of the tunnel. "There's something… wrong with this place." His voice was quiet, but it carried an edge of unease. "The air feels… off."
They all felt it. The deeper they went, the colder it got, and the more the shadows seemed to press in around them. The walls were carved with ancient symbols, worn down by time but still faintly visible. Jaxon ran his fingers over one of the markings, frowning.
"These are older than the ruins above," he muttered. "This place wasn't built by the same people."
"Great," Elias said. "So we're walking through an even older, even creepier ruin. Fantastic."
Kade's eyes narrowed. "Stop."
They all froze.
A faint sound echoed from deeper in the tunnel—a soft, wet scraping noise, like something dragging itself along the floor.
"What is that?" Reed whispered.
Kade didn't answer. He just tightened his grip on his chains, his silver eyes locked on the darkness ahead.
The sound grew louder. Closer.
Jaxon shifted, his symbiote curling protectively around his shoulders. "Get ready."
The scraping noise stopped. For a long, tense moment, there was only silence.
Then—a shape lunged out of the darkness.
Jaxon reacted instantly, his symbiote lashing out to block the attack. A massive, skeletal creature slammed into him, its jaws snapping inches from his face. Its eyes glowed with a sickly green light, and its body was covered in rotting, waterlogged flesh.
"Undead," Reed said grimly, golden light flickering around his hands.
Elias flicked a card toward the creature, and a burst of spectral energy sent it staggering back. But more shapes were emerging from the shadows—shambling figures with hollow eyes and twisted limbs, dragging themselves toward the group.
"There's too many," Jaxon growled, slashing through one of the undead with his symbiote. "We have to move."
"Agreed," Kade said, his chains snapping out to tear through a cluster of the creatures. "Run!"
They sprinted down the tunnel, the undead close behind. The walls blurred past them as they dodged and weaved, barely staying ahead of the horde. Elias threw another card, summoning a spectral wolf that leapt at the nearest creature, buying them a few precious seconds.
The tunnel began to slope upward, and they could feel fresh air on their faces. They were getting closer to the surface.
"Keep going!" Jaxon shouted, his symbiote forming a protective barrier behind them.
The tunnel widened into a larger chamber, and they skidded to a halt, gasping for breath. At the center of the chamber stood a massive, ancient door, covered in more of the strange symbols.
"It's a gate," Reed said, his eyes wide. "It must lead out."
"Then let's open it," Kade said, striding forward.
But as he reached for the door, the symbols began to glow, and a deep, rumbling voice filled the chamber.
"Only those who prove their strength may pass."
The ground trembled, and a massive golem made of stone and bone rose from the floor, its eyes blazing with the same sickly green light as the undead. It let out a deafening roar and charged toward them.
"Of course," Elias muttered. "Because things weren't bad enough already."
Jaxon didn't hesitate. He lunged at the golem, his symbiote morphing into twin blades. Kade's chains lashed out, wrapping around the creature's arm and pulling it off balance. Reed's golden light flared as he healed Jaxon's bruises mid-fight, while Elias hurled a card that exploded into a burst of fire.
The battle was fierce, but together, they were stronger. They moved as one, their powers combining in perfect harmony. Jaxon and Kade kept the golem off balance, while Elias attacked from a distance and Reed supported them with healing and biological manipulation.
Finally, Jaxon's symbiote formed a massive spear, and with a final, powerful strike, he drove it through the golem's chest. The creature let out a shuddering roar before crumbling to dust.
The chamber fell silent.
The door creaked open, revealing a narrow passage leading to the surface.
They didn't hesitate. They ran through the door, up the passage, and burst out into the cool night air.
They had escaped.
As they stood on the hill, looking back at the ruins below, Elias let out a shaky laugh. "Well, that was fun."
Jaxon shook his head, but he was smiling. Kade crossed his arms, watching the ruins with a thoughtful expression, while Reed took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air.
They had survived. But they knew this was only the beginning.