Eclipsed

Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Escape from the Crumbling Cave

The ground trembled beneath Ren’s feet, the once-solid cave now beginning to fall apart. Dust filled the air, and the walls around him groaned, as if they were protesting the destruction. Every breath Ren took felt harder, the wounds from his battle with Karnazoth sending sharp pains through his body. The injuries were deep, and blood seeped steadily from several cuts, but he ignored the pain. He had no time to dwell on it.

Ren’s mind was focused on one thing: escape. The cave was crumbling, and he had to get out before it swallowed him whole. He gritted his teeth, pushing himself forward despite the overwhelming exhaustion that clung to him. His body felt like it was made of stone, aching with every movement, but he couldn’t afford to stop now.

He moved through the maze of tunnels, the once-familiar path now feeling like a labyrinth of doom. Cracks in the walls grew larger, and rocks began to fall from the ceiling, echoing through the narrow passages. Ren staggered but kept moving, step after painful step.

Focus. Keep moving. Find the way out.

The air in the cave grew heavy, and he could feel the pressure building around him as the ground shook once more. He had no idea how much longer the cave would hold, but he couldn't risk staying much longer. With every ounce of strength left in him, he pushed forward, his heart pounding.

Finally, a sliver of light appeared at the end of a narrow passage. Ren’s eyes widened in relief as he realized he was near the entrance. He quickened his pace, ignoring the pain that pulsed through his body, and crawled through the last stretch of the cave. The walls seemed to close in on him as rocks continued to fall, but Ren gritted his teeth and forced himself to keep going.

With one final push, he reached the cave's mouth and tumbled into the fresh air outside. The cool breeze hit his face like a gentle wave, offering a brief moment of comfort before the weight of his injuries caught up with him. He collapsed against a nearby tree, his body trembling from exhaustion and blood loss.

Ren could feel the blood seeping from his wounds, his breath shallow and ragged. Despite his fatigue, he knew he needed to treat his injuries before they got worse. He reached for his emergency aid kit, his hands shaking as he struggled to open it. His fingers were clumsy, the blood loss making it harder to concentrate, but he managed to pull out a bandage. He pressed it to a deep gash on his side, but his movements were weak and unsteady.

Come on, Ren thought, trying to steady his hands. I need to stop the bleeding. I need to...

His vision swam in and out of focus, and his legs buckled beneath him as he sank further down the tree trunk. Despite his best efforts, the bandage slipped from his hands, and he struggled to pull it back up.

Ren closed his eyes for just a moment, hoping to gather the strength to finish the task. But just as he thought he might rest for a moment, a sudden sharp force hit him in the side of the head.

The blow knocked him off balance, and his head spun as he tried to recover. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, his vision blurring. His body was battered, but he forced himself to look up.

A shadow stood before him—a figure whose presence felt strangely familiar, like something he had seen in his memories but couldn’t quite place.

"Who are you?" Ren gasped, trying to push himself to his feet, but his strength was failing him. His voice was hoarse, and he struggled to focus.

The figure bent down, their face still shrouded in shadow, but their voice was soft, almost sympathetic. "You’ve been through much, haven’t you, Ren? You’re stronger than I thought you’d be."