Edric’s eyelid’s jolted open from the strange sound. He looked around and nothing. Perhaps it was a dream, and come to think of it. How long were they asleep?
The sound of rain still echoed throughout the cave, only this time less intense. It was still dark outside so it wasn’t the next day, perhaps early morning. Anyway, after Edric looked and found nothing. He leaned back to go back to his sleep.
Neigh CLOP CLOP
That was the sound of horse galloping , and it was coming closer and closer to the cave. Edric froze for a moment upon realizing that someone was coming to the cave. But were they guards, or just travellers? Either case wasn’t good.
He turned quickly, crawled his way to Aeris, shook her till she opened her eyes.
“I heard horses, someone coming.” his voice low, but with a hint of fear.
Without responding, she threw sand on the small fire to shut it off. The sudden chillness woke up Xantha, Edric covered her mouth and mouthed the words. “SOMEONES COMING.”
Without a second of a doubt she understood, got up to give an arm for support for Aeris. Edric got up, walked closer to Kael, the leaf was too big to drag and would slow them down. So he kneeled down, using his body weight , he twisted Kael sideways. Lifted him up and laid him on his back for a piggyback ride.
The weight made his legs ached like anything, but he didn’t stutter.
“Gosh darn rain.” The voice of a man echoed through the chambers of the cave.
Without a thought, the group started walking inside the cave. Making sure to be as quiet as possible.
At the entrance, two guards in steel armor entered on their horses. They were drenched from head to toe, with mud dulling the shine. They approached the cave, their horses shaking off the rain.
“Oh look what's that,” the man points at the leftover ashes and burnt leaves.
“Does it matter? Someone must have been here. Might be some guard or merc.”
“What if someone’s inside there?”
“YAWN I’m way too tired to deal with anyone. So stop chatting and start a fire.”
The guards clicked their tongues. “Alright Alright.”
Their banter was loud , echoed through the tunnel eventually reaching a faint tone. Edric and the group could hear their dialogue fade to the background calming them down. But now they have run into a new problem— they couldn't see shit.
They walked forward without a thought, leading them to the deep tunnel where only the faint drips of water, and the buzz of strange insects are felt and heard. The floor had become rough , each step they took felt eerie and gross sending a ting down their body.
Where the hell are we? I thought this was a mineshaft , shouldn't there be some light, at least a broken one.
Edric could barely make out Xantha’s and Aeris's steps thrashing liquid. The echoes of the banter eventually stoped all together, they must be far enough from the guards.
“Let’s stop,” Edric silently said. The footsteps stop somewhere in front of him. “I can’t see a darn thing in here.”
“Y-Yeah,” Xantha’s voice shook in disgust. “ We walked without looking and now I can’t tell what's crawling over my skin…. Oh wait, Aeris can’t you light a way.”
Aeris takes a deep sigh. “I wish… My mana is too low. A spark is the most I am capable off.”
“Good enough, we can at least hold hands.” Edric said.
Aeris placed her finger on the sabre’s blade, a moment later a faint spark ignited on the tips of the blade. It wasn’t much , but the light illuminated enough for them to gauge there distance.
Edric raised his forearm. Patted Xanthas shoulders, locked at his arms with hers.
“Great… So now what.” They weren't exactly free, the cave entrance is out of the question. They could sleep in the dark, gather some strength and take out the guards. Then stealing there horses won’t be too difficult, at least that’s what Edric thought. If only they weren't stuck in this gosh darn cave.
The cave didn’t even feel like a tunnel, it was more like a damp forest, littered with creepy crawlers. The floor felt oddly squishy, like a waterbed bouncing with each step. Edric swears he hit some rocks that felt like turtle shells mid way.
While everyone was confused on the next steps. Xantha chimed in , “Why don’t we follow the walls. I…ah… read in some books that miners had base camps in the tunnels. There could be some here, and even if there isn’t there might be something further deep." The voice was low with forced enthusiasm.
Edric’s grip became tighter, “Alright, what about you Aeris.”
“Sure, why not? It can't be any worse than this” she shrugged
Edric adjusted Kael on his back, his breath still low and unstable. He placed one hand on the nearby wall, other he holds Xantha’s hand firm and tight. Together they walked with heavy , slow and calculated steps.
The floor was still mushy, then it turned to solidify to more of a stone floor.
“What the hell is this mineshaft? Seriously I cant make sense of this–”
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Just as Edric finished his sentence, the darkness started to illuminate slowly. A closer look revealed blue lights spread across the walls, wait no those werent lights. They were–
“Mushroom?” Edric’s voice was confused by the strange flora.
“I think these are glowshroom? Or was it lightstrooms? Whatever, they grow in damp places, I guess this tunnel is the perfect environment for them.” Xantha spout out those words with confidence.
“Right… Atleast there is some light now.
They walk further down the tunnel for who knows how long. Edric’s back was about to give out from the strain. But he kept walking further and further .
“Hey, quick question, do any of you remember how we survived the crash.”
Xantha nodded in disagreement, Aeris just shrugged in response. Creak The sounds of roots and plants breaking became apparent. Which was quite strange, there wasn't really any source of water at all. Sure the mushrooms and algae spread across the walls in a strange , yet beautiful glow made some sense. It was damp, mouldy and from Edric’s knowledge on fungus they can grow almost everywhere.
The other stuff is what didn't make sense, the floor was more grassy, roots erupted from the walls extending inwards, and he swore he heard some crickets inside. Maybe even a frog’s croak, or at least some reptile that crawled his skin. Which was a mystery to him, the only theory he chalked up in his mind was that maybe the miners left something to start an ecosystem.
Afterall , other than the fact that the mines have been abandoned they don’t know the time period. It could mine from dwarfs. And if his knowledge of dnd holds true in this world, they can live more than a century and are experts in blacksmithing. That would explain the relatively good condition of the leftover rusted equipment. If they had left some plant, or food. Given enough time some organic beings will be born.
Cooking up theories in Edric’s mind helped as mindless entertainment. They continued to walk in a straight line or at least they thought so. The situation was mostly the same, some algae and mushrooms on the walls acting as night lights. Some roots and plants and so on.
The ache on Edric’s back had started to accumulate, same for Xantha and Aeris.
“Umm.. why don’t we rest… it won’t be good if we overwork ourselves.” he said in a low voice with a hint of enthusiasm.
Aeris chimed in. “Alright…. I will start a fire–”
“No, don’t overwork yourself. Let’s just keep a shut eye.”
She didn’t respond, instead using Xantha as support she slowly touched a wall. Slowly both of them bent their knees and sat down. Edric breathed a deep sigh, bent down to let go of Kael. But just as he laid him on the floor—
CREAK—--CRACK!
An extremely loud crack echoed through the hall, Edric froze and shivered went down his spine. Xantha jolted,tightened her grip on Aeris’s arm in fear. What was that? An enemy or an animal?. Before they finished their thought the answered revealed itself.
CRACK
Another crack followed , shattering the ground beneath them. Then with a loud boom, they went into free fall against the darkness. They panicked but their throats were too dry to scream nor ask for help.
Within seconds, Edric’s POV was enveloped in pure darkness. Only the force of air resistance against fabric, confirmed that this was reality and not a dream.
What the hell is going on now! Can’t a guy get some shut eye. Edric was a bit too used to unexpected events, that he was mentally prepared incase if he was at death's door.
His mind wrangled together to come up with some sort of plan but nothing. He didn’t have energy nor mana to cook up a plan. The only option left was hope, he closed his eyes, spread his arm wide open and straightened his back. He took a deep breath, loosened his muscles. The feeling of air resistance against muscles was oddly a good message.
Then—
THUD
Edric hit a floor that was soft, chills went down his spine. His fabric covering his back had become wet, like falling on dew. He took a deep sniff, an odd fragrant of rain and flower flooded in.
Am I alive? He wasn’t sure if he was alive or in the afterlife yet. While keeping his eyes closed he moved his arms and legs. Immediately his limbs had begun to ache like before— he was definitely alive.
He opened his eyes slowly , his eyes were a blur at first, then it regained focus….
“WOW” he muttered, and his eyes widened.
He turned his head to see that he was laying on top of grass in the shade of a deep dark jade. Above him lush vines wrap around the walls, and fireflies roamed through the vines. Their buzzing beat is oddly musical. Where the heck was he? He squinted to see ontop a small crack, which he assumes is the place where he fell from.
How did I go from a cave to falling down to a lush cave… at least I think it is a lush cave. This isn’t a dream right… he piches his cheeks tightly. Ouch! Yup definitely not a dream. Why the hell is this place bright… Several questions flooded his mind.
GULP
“Huh?”
He heard the sound of someone drinking water from behind him. He slowly sat up, his back cracked in several places, but he took the pain. Slowly he crawled in the direction of the sound. Tossing the vines aside he sees Aeris and Xantha lowering their hands on a thin stream of water flowing from the cracks . Scooping water with their hands they drink with vigor.
Couldn’t they find me or something.
“AHEM!”
Xantha and Aeris turn to see his pouty face, laying on the grassy floor.
“Edric! There's fresh water here.” Xantha said cheerfully.
“I can see that. Why didn’t you guys help me up.”
Aeris chimined in. “We found you. You were unconscious , so we looked around and found some water.” she took a large leaf,wraps in a cone shape and fills it with water. She approached Edric and gave him some water.
Edric sipped the cone dry.
“ gaah. Anyway where the heck are we? Why the heck is there a mini forest under the cave.”
“No clue, we are just as confused as you are. Thankfully, the vines stopped our fall.”
Aeris started looking around the place, her grip tight on her sword in case of unexpected enemies. Who could blame her, one moment they were in a cave now inside a lush cave.
The lush cave wrapped outwards under the mines, it covered except small cracks where water flowed down with would be the surface. The entire cave was filled with flora and fauna, most being small plants and reptiles. Building together a tightly kent ecosystem.
They were currently standing in between several long vines obstructing their vision. After a breather they started exploring the cave. But one thing was worrying—
“Umm where’s Kael?” Aeris asks.
“Huh?” He turned back and forth. Kael was nowhere in sight.
They haste their pace to find Kael. Aeris lead the front with her sabre cutting through the vines, Edric took out his long sword to clear a path.
“KAEL KAEL!”
They shouted with no answer, they continued further evenutly finding one of the walls, turned back to another direction. And they thankfully find him.
Kael collapsed inside of a crater, a fairly deep one and was wide enough for it to fit a small house. Well there was something in there— beside Kaels location a building had been erected there.
It was made of stone, a crest carved on the sides and the main door. From the window a center statue had been erected inside. It was gloomy, rustic and eye catching for some reason.
The group made their way to check up on Kael.They checked his breathing, pulse and thankfully he was fine and much more stable than before. Though he was still unconscious and didn’t budge no matter how many times they shook him. After a big sigh of relief, they sat down circling him.
Edric looked at the structure to his side, the temple or atleast what he thought was both strange and fascinating. Before he could admire the structure more, Xantha chimed in.
“Why don’t we camp inside that place, it’s getting cold out here and it wont be good for Kael.”
Edric hesitated for a moment, he didn’t exactly like the fact he would be staying in a place that could be haunted. But he had to admit it was chilly down here, the inside should be warmer than the outside.
A moment later, he got up. WIth the help of Aeris, he dragged Kael's body inside the temple. Xantha took the lead to check inside, and they hoped to spend atleast one peaceful night here….
A Transmigration Progression Fantasy
LitRPG Transmigration Progression Anti-Hero Lead Grimdark High Fantasy Local Protagonist Non-Human Lead
Death is a minor setback for the Night Lich.
Quill, commander of the Rotten Scourge and the most feared necromancer of the Westlands, is cornered by the Circle mages. In a final act of defiance, he casts a soul-transfer, only to awaken in the frail body of an elf orphan with his Black magic stripped away.
Yet fate grants him an ironic gift: a rare White Core fractured by Black. Creation is stained with death and decay, but when light meets darkness, it instead births something strange. Something unique. Something unstoppable.
Quill will claw his way back to power, forging a new army with centuries of forbidden knowledge. He’ll master reanimation along with creation–and this time, revenge will be absolute.
But dancing with death always comes at a price, and the Forgotten World doesn't take kindly to a missing soul.
- Steady Progression: Studying magic is hard.
- Crunchy Magic System: Raw and intimate spell theory.
- Army Building: Necromancer-turned-Golemancer.
- Morally Gray MC: Balancing morality with convenience.
- Competent MC: Wise and avid book reader protagonist.
- Lite-LitRPG: No +9999 notifications except for stat sheets.
- No Harem: Only one character at a time.