The stone walls trembled, and the tunnel was swallowed by absolute darkness.
The only thing left was the sound of their heavy breathing and the rapid beating of their hearts.
"Great. We're officially trapped in our own grave!" Alice clung to Selena, glancing over her shoulder in panic. "Why did we ever let Faera go through with this stupid idea?!"
Panting, Faera rushed to the wall, running her hands along the surface, searching for an opening. "This isn't how it's supposed to go… it's not!"
"Oh really?! Then how was it supposed to go?
A secret door magically opening and leading us to the Hall of Glory?!" Ethan snapped, gripping his sword tighter.
Just then, a faint glow flickered in the darkness. Strange, ancient symbols appeared on the wall, their letters shifting and twisting as if they were alive.
"Oh no… this is not a good sign." Selena narrowed her eyes at the markings. "These are… protection seals."
"Protection? From what?" Luna unsheathed her sword. "It's not like we threatened anything!"
Suddenly, a deep voice echoed from the depths of the room.
"Strangers… why have you disturbed my rest?"
Silence fell over the group. From the darkness, a ghostly figure in tattered robes materialized. Its hollow eyes glowed eerily, and its translucent body hovered in the air.
"Oh my god… we woke up a ghost!" Alice gasped, immediately hiding behind Ethan. "I knew this place was creepy! But not this creepy!"
The spirit floated toward them, its voice heavy with sorrow. "You have taken something that should never be touched… The plant that lives only under the twin moons… it is a part of me."
"What?!" Faera's eyes widened as she clutched the glowing plant in her hands. "I just… I just needed it for a potion…"
"So, you knowingly disturbed the peace of the dead?" The spirit's tone darkened, and the air grew even colder. "Then you must pay the price."
"Price?! Hold on! We didn't know this plant belonged to you!" Ethan stepped forward, raising his sword. "We were just looking for it, not trying to hurt anyone!"
The spirit stared at them for a moment before slowly lifting its hand. From the dark waters of a nearby underground lake, dozens of figures emerged.
But these weren't the beautiful mermaids of legend.
Their faces were twisted in horror, their teeth sharp, their hollow eyes glowing with malice. Their hair writhed like angry serpents, and the moment they saw the group, they let out bloodcurdling shrieks.
"What are those things?!" Selena stepped back, holding her sword defensively.
"The cursed ones…" the spirit said coldly. "They were once like you… but there is no escape for them now."
And in the blink of an eye, the creatures lunged at them!
"RUUUUN!" Faera shoved the plant into her bag and bolted. The others didn't waste a second, sprinting after her as the monstrous mermaids chased them with terrifying speed.
The creatures swiped at them with long, clawed fingers, but just as they were about to catch up, Luna and Selena transformed into their dragon forms in an instant, scooping Ethan and Alice onto their backs.
"We need to get out of here!" Luna roared, flapping her massive wings and taking off. Selena soared beside her while Faera, still in her human form, ran as fast as she could through the shadows.
Just as one of the cursed mermaids lunged for her, Faera leaped, grabbing onto Selena's neck and swinging herself onto her back.
"That thing almost ripped my arm off!" she gasped, glancing down at the nightmare creatures still chasing them.
"We're not out of this yet! We need to find a way out!" Ethan shouted, pointing toward the tunnel entrance. But before they could reach it, the spirit appeared in front of them once more—this time, directly blocking their path.
"Escape? You… are no longer allowed to leave this place."
And with a single motion, the entrance to the cavern was sealed shut by an invisible force.
"Are you kidding me?! We're actually trapped?!" Alice looked at the others in pure panic. "What now?!"
Ethan's gaze shifted from the spirit to his friends. Then, his eyes gleamed with determination.
"We'll find a way out… But first, we need to figure out who this spirit really is."
The air grew heavier. The cave walls trembled like a beating heart, shaking with every second. The spirit hovered in the air, its hollow gaze fixed on them like a silent judge. Below, the mermaids were still circling the dark pool, their sharp claws scraping against the rocks, their wild eyes gleaming under the faint moonlight.
"Where's the exit?!" Faera, still behind Selena, shouted in desperation. "We just took the plant! We didn't mean any harm!"
But the spirit didn't move. Its empty eyes seemed to pierce right into their souls. Then, in a voice calm yet filled with quiet rage, it spoke:
"You have unknowingly stepped into a realm you were never meant to enter…"
Alice, still clinging to Ethan, muttered, "Ugh, why does this always happen? Can't we ever have a simple mission without some cursed entity showing up to ruin our day?!"
"Wait a second…" Ethan narrowed his eyes, staring at the spirit. "You're not just mad at us. You're protecting something… but what?"
The spirit hesitated. For the first time in what felt like ages, someone had asked it a question even it wasn't sure how to answer. The air around it flickered, and for a brief moment, its form became translucent.
Selena, still in her dragon form, spoke in a quiet tone, "This isn't just a guardian… it's a lost soul. Like a part of itself is missing."
"A part of itself?" Luna, flying near the highest rock, glanced at the spirit. "What do you mean?"
Selena motioned toward the plant in Faera's hands. "It said the plant was part of it… Maybe this plant is more than just some magical herb."
The spirit trembled again. A deep silence filled the cave, broken only by the soft rippling of the water and the group's heavy breathing.
Ethan took a slow step forward. "Who… were you? Before you became this?"
Suddenly, the spirit's eyes glowed. Faint lights flickered in the air, and then, an old image appeared on the cave walls.
A man in long royal robes stood amidst the mist, his hand resting on the very same plant Faera now held. His expression was solemn, burdened with a weight only kings understood.
"I… was the last prince of a forgotten kingdom," the spirit's voice was quiet, yet heavy with sorrow. "But greed and ignorance led me to this curse. This plant… once fueled my power. But when our destruction came, I brought it here to die alongside me."
Alice's eyes widened. "So… you're still connected to it? That's why you're trapped here?"
"Yes…" The spirit turned toward Faera, its gaze unreadable. "And you… have awakened it."
Suddenly, the dark pond began to churn violently. A deep, guttural sound echoed through the cave, shaking the ground beneath their feet. A pulse of black energy erupted from the water, twisting into the air like tendrils of living shadow.
The spirit whirled around, its glowing eyes widening in horror. "He has come… He is awakening!"
"He?! Who the hell is he?!" Ethan gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on his sword.
Before the spirit could answer, a monstrous figure emerged from the water. It had no clear form—just a shifting mass of darkness, with glowing eyes that burned like dying stars. Its clawed hands stretched outward, and when it spoke, its voice was a deafening chorus of layered screams.
Alice took one look at it and shrieked, "Okay, yeah, officially NOT worth it!"
Faera, still holding the plant, gulped. "We need to get out of here… now."
But it was too late. The creature lunged forward, slamming into the cave walls with terrifying force. Cracks spread rapidly, dust and debris raining down from above. The tunnel was collapsing.
"The exit—where's the exit?!" Luna shouted as she dodged falling stones.
The spirit turned back to Ethan, its form flickering, growing weaker. "The only way out… is to awaken the ancient gate. But to do that, you must sacrifice the plant."
Faera's jaw dropped. "WHAT?! I went through all that trouble just to—just to throw it away?!"
"You have two choices," the spirit's voice wavered. "Let go of it… or be trapped here forever."
For a moment, no one spoke. The creature roared again, surging toward them, its massive shadow stretching across the cave walls.
Ethan clenched his fists. Time was running out.