Chapter 40: Descending into the Unknown

I shifted uncomfortably, acutely aware of how intimate our arrangement had become overnight. My arm had gone numb beneath Damara’s weight, but I didn’t have the heart to move it.

Katrina stirred on my other side, her tail flicking against my thigh. Her cat ears twitched as she blinked her golden eyes open.

Micro-Sarah buzzed up from somewhere near my feet, her tiny wings creating a soft hum.

"Good morning, Sam!" she chirped, landing on my forehead. "Did you know you snore? It’s adorable!"

"I do not snore," I protested, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. "That was probably just the wind."

Damara snorted against my chest, awake. "It was definitely you. Sounded like a dying bear." She looked up at me with a mischievous glint in her ruby eyes. "But we all slept through it, so I guess we’re used to your weirdness by now. Good morning, Sam," she added.

I shifted slightly, feeling the weight of three bodies pressing against me. "I’m glad I could be of service," I chuckled. "Though I’m not sure how we all ended up like this."

The sleeping bag had somehow expanded overnight, accommodating all of us in a tangled pile of limbs and warmth. Katrina’s tail was draped across my legs, while Micro-Sarah had found a cozy spot nestled in the crook of my neck.

"Best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages," Katrina purred, stretching like a cat in the sun. "Good morning, Sam. Your body heat is like a furnace."

"Speaking of heat," Damara said, propping herself up on one elbow, "we should probably get moving before the tide comes back in."

Once we all crawled our way out and had time to stretch, we left the tent to find Vera tending to the fire. She smiled as our eyes met, raising her eyebrows at me.

"Sounded like you had fun last night," she teased, tossing a small log onto the fire. "A girl might find herself jealous."

"Don’t get the wrong idea, please..." I managed, stretching myself. "Just a good ol’ snuggle puddle."

She laughed before gesturing to portions of meat. The urge to pull my phone out and order everyone better food was aggressively eating away at my will. To my dismay, I sat down by the fire and ate breakfast.

The heat radiating from the flames helped chase away the lingering morning chill. I chewed the tough, salted meat, washing it down with a swig of water from my water horn. The salty sea breeze blew past us, carrying the distant roar of the ocean crashing against the lower cliffs. It served as a constant reminder of our time limit.

Everyone ate quickly, unspeaking, grabbing their gear shortly after. Joining them with my own gear slumped over my shoulder, we set off into the caverns.

The light filtering in began to diminish, making it harder to see. Vera reached for the torches attached to her pack, but Katrina raised a hand in protest.

"I got this."

She muttered a few words. From within her body, light grew bright, illuminating the cavern. She gestured out from her chest, and the light followed, stopping directly above our group.

"That’s new," I teased. "Can everyone but me use magic of some kind?" I looked around the group as they all nodded. "Damn..."

"It doesn’t mean you never will, though, Sam. To be fair, you really haven’t asked," Damara explained. "Maybe when we get back, I can teach you some rogue skills."

"I think I’d like that, Damara. Thanks."

Vera called out for us to keep moving. Our group quickly caught up, matching her pace.

Katrina’s light pushed the darkness back, revealing the true scale of our surroundings. We walked beneath carved stone archways rather than natural rock. Long veins of exposed metal ran along the walls, pulsing intermittently with a faint glow.

Water dripped from the ceiling, splashing against the glistening floor. The scent of ocean water mixed with a large dose of stagnant decay lingered in the air, making breathing slightly taxing.

Our footsteps echoed off shattered pillars scattered across the ground. Beside the constant dripping sound, it was almost silent.

"Who built this place?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

"Precursors," Vera answered, scanning the corridor ahead. "And they hated visitors."

Before I could question her further, a heavy vibration struck my thigh.

My hand shot straight into my pocket. I pulled my phone out and twisted my body to shield the screen from Vera. The Harem System rarely interrupted without good reason.

A pulsing purple banner flashed across the glass.

[ QUEST UPDATE: The Sunken Caverns ]

[ ANOMALY DETECTED: Something is hidden away from sight. ]

[ OBJECTIVE: Search the immediate area. ]

My heart beat a little faster. The straightforward retrieval job had just shifted into a mystery. I locked the screen and shoved the phone away.

"Vera, hold up a second," I called out, stopping near a cluster of broken stones. "Let’s look around this specific area before we push deeper. I have a feeling we might miss something important."

Vera stopped and crossed her arms. "Make it quick. The tide won’t wait for us."

I nodded to the girls. We spread out and checked the immediate area. Katrina sniffed around the broken pillars while Damara inspected the walls, looking for any hidden switches or doors. I dug through a pile of rubble nearby, tossing heavy rocks aside.

A few minutes passed. We found nothing but wet stone and rust.

My hands were already covered in damp grit and small scrapes from moving the jagged debris. I wiped a layer of sweat from my forehead, feeling a surge of frustration. We were burning precious time, and the ocean tide would not show us any mercy. I kicked a small rock into a dark puddle, watching the ripples spread.

Micro-Sarah flew higher, checking the top of a collapsed archway. She disappeared behind a thick patch of glowing moss to investigate the shadows.

A second later, she started screaming.

"Sam! Sam, get up here!" Her tiny voice echoed through the cavern, shaking with pure panic.

She zipped back out from the moss, waving her arms frantically. I dropped the rock I was holding and scrambled over the debris toward her.

"What is it, Sarah?" I yelled, my heart hammering as I climbed.