Project cosmos: The Golden Ring

A Quest to Find a Possibly Non-Existent Ring

The forest was even hotter than the camp. It's like the barrier around it that keeps the monsters out also kept a good portion of the heat out. Now it was most likely 100° out. And we had no water left. All we had was a couple of melting granola bars.
"Where do we go now?" I asked.
"We keep going east. The golden ring has to be there," Mark said.
I didn't know what to do. The heat was fogging my mind to the point that it hurt. Every step sent shots of pain though my legs. This must have been what the prophecy meant by 'an ocean of pain'. We were sweating up an ocean, and we were all in a lot of pain. This forest was literally an ocean of pain.
Soon, the forest ended. It was hours later. Once we set foot out of the woods, the heat was gone. None of us knew how that was possible, but it happened.
Outside of the forest was a large city. It wasn't the one we were in before. We found a road that lead into the city and followed it.
It wasn't long before we realised the city was empty. Not a person in sight. And it was unnervingly quiet.
"I don't think anyone is here," Latona said. She was scanning the buildings, looking for lights. "All these buildings look dark and empty,"
"I don't see any monsters either. Either we really are alone, or they're just really good at hiding," Mark said.
Then there was a noise. It came from right behind us, maybe only a few feet away.
"What was that?" Travis asked in a scared tone.
"I'm... not sure..." I said. I was scared too. I couldn't see anything that was behind us. It was all dark, like a shadow.
"Who's there?" I yelled. No response. I yelled again and again. No response. Then I saw something.  It looked like... a head.
"Anyone out there?" a voice asked. That voice... it was familiar. "Hello?" the voice asked again.
"Guys. That's Sandy," I said.
"Finally! Someone's actually here!" Sandy said. "Oh wait... not you guys!" she whined.
"Well I guess someone doesn't want to be saved!" I laughed.
"Can you just get me out of here? Its sooooo boring in the underworld..."
"First, apologize. Wait... did you say underworld?"
"Yup. Underworld. The most boring place in existence,"
"Just say sorry!"
"For what?"
"For being rude, and kidnapping us!"
"Fine! I'm sorry!"
"Thank you!"
I rushed over to Sandy to pull her out. At first, I thought she'd be some ghost and it wouldn't work, but I guess not.
"So, what are you guys doing here?" Sandy asked.
"We're going on a quest!" Travis cheered, in the most hyped up voice I've ever heard.
"Here of all places? It's not exactly safe..."
"Well we didn't mean to find you! We don't even know where 'here' is!" I yelled.
"You're in the entrance to the Underworld,"
"That would explain why there aren't any people here..." Latona said.
"Obviously! Normal people would die if they came here!"
"And we aren't exactly normal," I sighed.
"I know. Normal people are generally smarter than you,"
"Says the one who got herself killed!"
"I was trying to save you!"
"Wow! Sandy actually cares!"
"You say ONE more thing, and you're dead!"
"Wanna bet?! I'll make you die a SECOND time!"
Mark ran between us.
"You guys need to calm down!" he yelled.
"Shut up Mark!" Sandy yelled.
I pulled out my sword.
"You talk to my friend like that one more time, you'll never see daylight again!" I yelled.
"Isabelle!" Latona yelled.
The once quiet city, was now filled with our yelling.
"GREAT! Now the entire dead population will know we're here!" Travis yelled.
"Then stop yelling!" I yelled.
"You first!"
"No you!"
"How about you both stop and then we leave?" Mark said.
"Fine..." I sighed.
So, we left with Sandy.
Right after we got out of the city borders, I said "Well that was a waste of time..."
"You know what? I'm not even gonna talk to you!" Sandy says.
"Good!" I said back.
And so, we continued our merry walk back into the smoldering forest.
"So, we're going west now?" Mark asked.
"We're going around that city. I don't wanna be there," I sighed
"Oh, okay!"