EMRYSA

Chapter Four

Ciara, still reeling from the shocking revelations, made her way toward the spot where Azaar had disappeared. Lost in her thoughts, she stumbled over a protruding crystal and nearly fell face-first into a larger, sharp-edged crystal.

Thankfully, Arc was quick to react and caught her just in time. Ciara looked up at Arc, her confusion evident. "Arc?" she said, taking deep breaths. "How did you end up here?"

Arc shuffled uncomfortably, his eyes avoiding hers. "Um, well, I followed you," he admitted. "I was concerned when I saw you wandering off alone into this dangerous valley."

Ciara nodded, appreciating his concern. "How much did you see or hear?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

"Not much. Mostly everything," Arc replied, his tone cautious. "Are you okay?"

Ciara sighed, her emotions still in turmoil. "No, not really. It's a lot to take in, you know. What about your thigh? Will it leave a scar?"

Arc winced slightly, acknowledging the injury. "My injuries heal faster than normal, but yes, there might be a scar."

Together, Ciara and Arc made their way back to the others, who were still fast asleep. Ciara woke up Prudy, making sure not to disturb the rest. She and Prudy discussed Ciara's encounter in hushed tones, trying to make sense of the revelations.

The next day, they gathered to decide their course of action. Morgana and Mordecai disagreed on the path they should follow. Morgana suggested taking a shortcut through the Wilddeoren Cave.

"This is the Wilddeoren Cave, right?" Ciara asked.

"Yes, and it would be much faster. Besides, there's a slim chance of escaping this valley anyway," Morgana persuaded.

"I agree with Morgana," Ciara chimed in, supporting the idea.

"Me too," Arc added.

Prudy, unfamiliar with the term, asked, "What is a Wilddeoren?"

Ciara explained, "A Wilddeoren is a giant rat with rotten and overgrown teeth. It's blind but has a keen sense of smell and feeds on flesh. I read about them in one of Ricky's books."

Mordecai handed them small magenta-colored berries. "Ew, what are these disgusting things? They smell like, like-" Sage complained. "You. These stinkberries will cancel out the smell of our flesh. So, unless you want to be eaten alive, rub them on your skin," Ciara interjected.

They smeared the stinkberries on their exposed body parts and ventured into the cave. Mordecai led the way, followed by Prudy, Ciara, Sage, Buttercup, Morgana, Warwick, and Arc. They proceeded cautiously, walking in a single file until they reached the center, where Mordecai signaled them to stop.

Squeaking noises echoed through the cave. "Wilddeorens," Mordecai whispered. "Everyone, hide and stay still," he directed.

"Buttercup dances when she's scared," Sage blurted out, causing Prudy to roll her eyes.

A wilddeoren appeared, sniffing the air and investigating its surroundings. It sniffed each member of the group, growing increasingly agitated. It started sniffing Buttercup, she tried to remain still but couldnt hold it. She started dancing. The wilddeoren squealed, went berserk and attacked Buttercup. Acting quickly, Sage grabbed Warwick's sword and stabbed the wilddeoren in the head.

"I-I killed it. I killed the Wilddeoren," Sage exclaimed, shocked by the outcome.

"No, you've killed us," Arc said. "Run! To the exit! Run if you don't want to die!" Morgana directed.

They sprinted toward the end of the cave as more frenzied Wilddeorens emerged from the tunnels, giving chase. Warwick spotted a glimmer of light ahead. "I see the exit! We're almost there," he gasped.