The Lost Ranger

Chapter 5: The Cursed Caves

After three days spent in a coma caused by the mages so that Adrius recovers as quickly as possible from his fight, nothing has changed.

There is no news from Scamitar. The mages have accentuated the power of the storm around their camp and a magic wall is present in front of the cave.

-A: "If they haven't come back, maybe they're preparing to hit even harder. Changing the location of the camp could be a good idea the time to form a stronger army to fight against that of Scamitar. Do you think there is another possible camp?"

-A-P: "I don't think the planet has a safer place than these mountains."

A soldier then whispers in the ear of Ake-Polda whose face changes color and becomes white.

-A-P: "Impossible... You know very well that we can't go to this place..."

-A: "Which? We need a better place than this mountain!"

-A-P: "These are the Cursed Caves of Larinoas. A place abandoned for hundreds of years after a terrible plague which was fatal for a big part of the population."

-A: "But why this place is cursed?"

-A-P: "At the time, all the patients surviving the plague were sent there and locked up so that it would stop spreading. Decades later, there were small expeditions to find out what had become of the sick, if they had survived."

Ake-Polda takes a deep breath while looking at Adrius who still doesn't understand why the caves are, according to the Strubesians, cursed. He then resumes.

-A-P: "But all our fellow citizens never came back. Since then, all the entrances to the caves have been blocked off so that no one enters or go out."

A part of the Strubesians present in the cave begin to whisper with each other, fear in their stomachs when they hear the name of the cursed caves. The others go into corners, hoping that their fate is not tied to the curse of the elders.

Adrius has understood that many of them do not want to leave the mountains, but he needs them to go into battle and defend their planet. He gets up, climbs on a rock and addresses the crowd vehemently.

-A: "Three days ago, i was able to witness the power of the enemy as well as the large number of minions he has with him. This war, we will not win it with our current forces! In these mountains, you can't train to progress and have a chance of winning."

He turns around and, arms in the air, tries to stir up the crowd again.

-A: "Here, i see mages, warriors, but also families. You are the last of your kind, the best able to rebuild what these monsters have destroyed. For that, we will have to grow and fight. Follow me, let's go to these caves, whether they are cursed or not, the future of your species depends on it, your future."

Hearing those words, the Strubesians, in clusters, rise, boosted by the speach of Adrius. A warrior not entirely convinced, however, asks a relevant question which closes the enthusiastic faces of Ake-Polda and Adrius. How to get there without being spotted?

A Strubesian, too old to fight, approches them and talk.

-Tesuafa: "I am Tesuafa, the eldest of the tribe and i had the opportunity to visit these mountains many times. I know a way through where we will be out of sight. It is narrow and very long, even a little risky, but we will be able to reach the cursed caves."

After some deliberation whether or not to take a risky path, the Strubesians decide to follow Tesuafa. He takes the of the procession which will be closed by Adrius and a few mages who aim to maintain the storm as long as possible to take shelter.

Like an adventure story, Tesuafa tells his companions about the walk that awaits them.

"First, we will go to the end of the cave. There, we will find a small stone door that we just have to push and which will close after our passage. For several kilometers, we will cross a narro passage where even two children cannot pass side by side.

When the spaces becomes free, it will be the exit of the tunnel. The snowy slopes of the mountains will be offered to us. Our mages will be able to protect us from avalanches but beware of the various sharp rocks that line the mountain. The difficult will come next.

Arrived at the foot of the mountain, we will very quickly find the Forest without Marks. It is a forest where mages trained to become stronger. It's so dense that it stifles their power and one loses all notion of space and time. I spent time there when i was young.

We risk staying there for a few hours if not a day. You will have to be efficient. At the exit, there is a very arid desert where we will have yo be careful and stay well hydrated. The mirages will be numerous and the slightest inattention could be fatal.

It is at the exit of this desert that we will arrive in the area of the Cursed Caves. We will face the first of the seven entrances. It will be necessary to clear them to air the space before bringing everyone inside. We don't know what the air can hold for us."

It is after all this long journey where no one has been lost that Adrius returns to the cave after having taken the time to transform into the golden ranger.

"The air is breathable and the cave seems stable. You will be able to enter."

As the whole group begins to enter the cave, Adrius reaches back and asks everyone to stop before whispering.

"I saw something."

Ake-Polda leans over to ask him what he saw.

"There, in the background, a large figure moved!"

Suddenly, a shout rings out and, with a bound, Adrius dashes forward to intercept the shadow who fall behind. Ake-Polda steps forward and bends over the shadow's body.

-A-P: "They are alive..."