Kismet (Book One - Completed)

Chapter 5: Unexpected crisis

Chapter 5: Unexpected crisis

It was a rainy day. Water dripped down from the tunnel's ceiling as Lanet, Ehiara and Kayla entered the tunnel's entrance. The three of them were soaked to the bone. Although they were relieved to stay out of the rain at first, their stress spiked up again when they realised that they had to walk in the dark. Luckily, Ehiara's pendant was there to light up their surroundings for them, even though her pendant was only as bright as a candle.

Observing the squalid scene, Kayla said, "Man, this tunnel has been abandoned for years!"

"Well, you are right." Lanet observed, "It appears to me that this tunnel was built for a specific purpose. I wonder why they had abandoned it."

Countless spiders inhabited the tunnel, invading the tunnel walls with their presence. A moist and malodorous smell filled their noses. It was so silent and eerie that the sounds of treading spiders could be heard. A simple breeze swept in from the entrance of the tunnel, sweeping over the cobwebs and whisking them into the air. Kayla shrieked.

"Are you alright?" Ehiara asked her in concern.

"I don't like spiders!" Kayla yelled.

"Kayla, relax." Lanet consoled her, "They won't bite unless we disturb them. Now come on."

The trio trod cautiously. Soon, they came face-to-face with an intersection. The tunnel branched out into two paths, prompting them to decide where they want to go. Their ability to make the decision, however, was hampered by the darkness ahead of them. Flashing her pendant like a torchlight, Ehiara tried to figure out where the paths lead. But she couldn't see anything beyond ten to twelve feet.

Ehiara's deliberation unsettled Lanet.

"This situation is oddly familiar." Lanet said uneasily, "It reminds me of our experience in Ferr."

"Chill out, Lanet." Kayla assured him. "We are going to be fine. Eihara said that she is good at spotting potential dangers in the wild. That was how she travelled on her own."

Grim outcomes would not leave his mind. They bombarded his thoughts like freight trains hurling at top speeds. Lanet didn't want to make another mistake. "Then where should we go now?" His voice quivered with trepidation.

"I think that we should head to the right." Ehiara replied.

After some discussion, they decided to take the path on the right. As the trio observed that the path on the right was slightly brighter than the path on the left, they reasoned that it was probably less dangerous. Besides, they could reduce their risk of being ambushed by a stranger in the dark. Kayla, Lanet and Ehiara trekked on while looking out for signs of danger. After one hour, they finally reached the path's end.

There was no exit. At a loss for what to do, Lanet slipped into a reverie. Gazing stolidly at the wall, something shiny caught Lanet's eye. A box was stuck in a crevice covered with cobwebs and dust.

"It can't be...can it?" Kayla gasped.

"Yeah, this is what it looks like." Lanet nodded, "This box looks exactly like the one that held the Wind Orb. I think that you should have it; since Ehiara and I already have ours, this one must be yours."

Kayla breathed deeply, taking slow, measured strides towards the box. With great strength, she latched onto the box and pried it out of the crevice. The box slid out of the crack.

"This is so exciting and stressful at the same time!" She exclaimed.

"Take a deep breath and calm down."

Readying herself, Kayla closed her eyes. With a dexterous stroke, she released the latch and opened the box cover.

Kayla looked inside the box for a relic.