A Fallen Star: The Punch Of A Woman

30. Underground II

Ozias woke to the soft, pulsating glow of the bioluminescent plants that lined the cave walls, their light casting long shadows across the rocky surface. The atmosphere in the cave was serene, almost too calm, a stark contrast to the intense training he had undergone with Rira. He stretched his limbs, feeling the remnants of soreness from his last session, and then sat up, his eyes scanning the room for any sign of Rira.

But she was nowhere to be found.

A sense of unease began to creep over him. Rira was always there in the mornings, preparing for the day's lessons or working on some intricate painting. Her absence was unusual. Ozias quickly got to his feet, his senses on high alert. "Rira?" he called out, his voice echoing through the cavern. No response.

Determined to find her, Ozias started to explore the winding paths of the cave, his footsteps echoing in the silence. As he ventured deeper into the labyrinth, he noticed something odd-pictures. Hundreds of them, maybe more, were plastered all over the walls, even covering the floor. Each picture was a work of art, some abstract, others depicting detailed scenes, but all of them were new. They hadn't been there the day before.

As Ozias walked, he noticed that more pictures were continuously appearing, emerging from the rock as if they were being painted by an invisible hand. Intrigued and a bit unsettled, he decided to follow the trail of pictures, hoping they would lead him to Rira.

The cave's familiar landscape began to change as he progressed, the pictures becoming more vivid, almost lifelike. He paused in front of one-a detailed image of a colony of bats hanging from the ceiling of a dark cave. As he stared at it, the bats in the picture began to move. Their wings fluttered, and within seconds, they burst forth from the picture, swarming around him.

"Enough of this!" Ozias growled, extending his hands. Vines shot out from the ground, wrapping around the bats and crushing them until they dissolved into nothingness. He brushed off his cloak, slightly annoyed. "A few tricks won't stop me, Rira. Show yourself!"

But the cave remained silent, save for the soft rustle of the growing pictures. Ozias continued to walk, now more cautious. The pictures seemed to be reacting to his presence, and he knew better than to underestimate whatever power was at work.

As he turned a corner, another picture caught his eye-a large, gleaming sword, half-buried in the ground. Before he could react, the sword materialized in front of him, rising from the floor with a low hum. It swung toward him with terrifying speed, and Ozias barely had time to dodge. The blade sliced through the air, catching his arm as he tried to evade it.

Ozias winced, feeling the warm trickle of blood. But he wasn't about to let a simple wound slow him down. He focused his energy, and plants quickly grew over the cut, stopping the bleeding. The sword hovered menacingly, preparing for another strike.

"Is that all you've got?" Ozias taunted, sending out a wave of thorny vines that wrapped around the sword, crushing it into splinters. The remnants of the weapon crumbled into dust, fading back into the cave floor.

But the challenges didn't stop there. The next picture showed a scene of chaotic motion-racing cars speeding along a track. Ozias frowned as the cars leaped out of the image, roaring to life and speeding toward him. He dodged the first, then the second, narrowly avoiding their aggressive onslaught. The cars zoomed around him, their engines roaring, and thick, black smoke began to fill the cave, obscuring his vision.

Coughing, Ozias covered his mouth and nose, trying to see through the haze. The smoke was thick and choking, making it hard to breathe. But he was determined not to let this defeat him. Summoning his strength, he conjured a whirlwind of leaves and vines, dispersing the smoke.