The Eternal in Abyss

Chapter 62: Dark Cave

KASDEYA ARGYROS' Point of View

"Ladies first."

Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Aries na isang pilyong ngiti lang ang binalik sa akin.

Look at this guy. Akala mo kung sinong matapang pero hindi naman kayang mauna sa pagpasok. He's really all bark and no bite, I don't know why I was so intimidated by him before.

Hindi nalang ako kumibo at nauna nang pumasok sa loob ng kweba. It's dark, but I can still see everything clearly. I can't say the same with the others, though.

Narinig ko ang pagreklamo ni Aries. "Wala akong makita. May dala ba tayong flashlight?"

"We left all of our belongings in Acropolis. What do you think?" Singhal ni Juno sakaniya.

I sigh, turning back to the three to look at them. "Juno, can you generate light with your attribute? I'm trying to save as much energy as I can so I can't do anything for you."

He nods. "Fine."

Bigla siyang lumuhod sa lupa at may kinapa dito. I realize he's looking for a stick, because once he feels one on the ground, kinuha niya ito bago tumayo muli. He raises a hand while the other holds onto the broken tree branch he found.

Blue galvanism sparks from his veins to his skin, surrounding his arms like thin strings before blinking out and back to existence. Juno points his index finger on the stick, and the small lightning travels to the tip.

It transfers to the tree branch. A few more zaps, the ceruleans hues of his lightning flickering around us, before a fire bursts into life. He holds out the torch so he can see towards the cave.

Aries whistles when he can finally see through the darkness. Dahil sa apoy, kita na nila ang loob ng kweba, but my vision could extend further more than their fire.

"Okay na?" Tanong ko kay Aries na nginisihan lang ako. I roll my eyes and we continue walking deeper.

Pinadaan ko ang aking palad sa magaspang na pader. I trace the jagged edges and smooth planes of the stone, the surface itself a bit wet, kaya humahawa sa aking daliri ang tubig. I grimace at the thought.

The entire cave is wet, cold, and bleak. Amoy na amoy rin ito sa hangin. Naririnig ko ang pagtulo ng mga butil ng tubig mula sa itaas ng kweba. Buti nalang at hindi kami natutuluan, but the sound still bounces inside the concave walls.

Hindi ko maiwasang mapangiwi nang maramdaman ko ang pagdaloy ng tubig sa pader. I immediately retreat my hand, shivering at the contact with the chill water. Wala na akong hinawakan muli.

I've experienced worse environments and cicrumstances, pero hindi talaga ako komportable sa kwebang ito. It's like there's something sinister behind all this. Like we're walking closer to our doom.

I know that the Olympians' punishment—or test, rather—won't be easy, and this location is making me feel very uneasy. Kung yun ang goal nila, then they succeeded.

The gears in my head start turning when I look around the massive cave walls and tall ceilings. Bakit dito ako pinapunta ni Hermes? There has to be a reason why I'm being sent here, at hindi ko rin matanggal sa isip ko ang kailangan kong gawin.

Sabi ni Hermes kanina ay, "Slay the monster." which means that my test will involve a battle against some ferocious creature. And since we're inside a mountain cave right now, I start thinking of the possible monster that I would encounter.

Naputol ang pag-iisip ko nang maramdaman ko ang pagtabi sa akin ni Aries. Juno and Haiyan are behind us, the former holding onto their source of light.

"This is creepy." He points out. Dahil sa lapit niya ay rinig ko ang pagtunog ng kaniyang cross earring.