Chapter 226

I followed Beck back into the forest, towards the area where it was most guarded. I had no trouble in dealing with all those lookouts, hiding within the trees, sending out Larana’s power, her wind to sense all their locations, that wasn’t all, every tree, animal and ahead I could pick up the source of the darkness, growing stronger with every second.

I patted Beck on the back when we were a few meters away, this was no place for a child to go. “Beck, thank you, but now you need to return to the village.”

“You can’t take them alone.” Beck gazed at me.

“And it is too dangerous for you,” I responded. “I promise I will bring back whoever I can save.” I gave him a stern look. “I cannot protect you and save them.”

“Okay,” he nodded reluctantly before heading back.

“Good choice master,” commented Raziel.

“Now then, let’s clear the cave entrance of vermin.” I took in a breath as Larana’s fused armour took form. I had gotten quicker at activating this from, her winds would allow me to slice down my enemies before they were even aware of my arrival. The winds surrounding the area became wild at my command, condensing it into fine blades. “Air cutter.” Controlled into hundreds instead of thousands I took out the surrounding clones and wolves.

With Larana’s speed I flew straight towards the cave entrance, all the defeated foes collapsed around it, each one letting off a small mist of darkness, they all shared the same energy as Hashana, serving under her, obeying her orders, but where was she.

I gazed upon the crystal caves, the first time I had ever been near one before, were the stories really true that these caves were protected by some strange deity or guardian creature who favoured one specific species of Animalia.

“Raziel, how do we get inside.” Even though I wondered if we could enter, I still felt this strange presence from the caves and a fear deep within I had no idea where from, it was just a cave after all.

“Fang will tell you,” responded Raziel.

“Fang?” I repeated. “Oh right… Fang could use some guidance here.”

“Oh, sorry didn’t realised you had arrived so soon.” He sounded almost startled and out of breath for a dead dude.

“You alright?” I asked.

“Just an internal struggle, that’s all.” He calmed himself quickly.

“We need to make it inside,” I said. “Is it really that dangerous for other Animalia?”

“It can be,” answered Fang. “Most have forgotten about the grand protectors of these caves, creating bonds with the sacred animals who used to govern over them, somehow this protection has lasted through generation and those who do not fit this bond, usually are never heard from again once they’ve entered.” He went on to explain, he certainly liked to ramble when he got started. “Not sure if anyone really dares go inside, but you never know, after all from the energy I can sense Hashana has ventured inside, suspect that the dark energy has somehow weakened the guardian.”

“Weakened?” I repeated. “Does that mean I can go in too?”

“You can but you could anyway,” responded Fang. “You carry the light of the goddess, all sacred animals dead, alive or even the remnants left behind will sense that.”

“But what about Larana’s people testing me that one time?” I asked curious, surely if they knew why treat me so harshly.

“Fear is the simple answer to that, now go on.” I almost felt a push from behind which was strange. “Before any more lives are lost and the Smilodon children are left without their parents, of which I fear some may have lost their lives already.”

“I’m going!” I cried feeling another push. “How are you even doing that?”

“No more question this is all you,” said Fang.

“Quick question can my… our talismans hear you?” I wanted to know if they ever heard his voice.

There was a long pause. “No… only you.” He went completely silent after that, did the thought make him feel sad.

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“Don’t get lost,” giggled Larana as I released our fused armour, might be a bit tight to use her power.

I headed in without a seconds more hesitation. The moment I entered I felt a gaze upon me, but it felt sluggish, almost like it was sleeping, not sure where this feeling was coming from, but I continued forward, seeing the walls of the caves, filled with holes, where they had dug out the lightning crystals, some were quite big, enough to light up one of the castles huge chandeliers.

As the light faded from the entrance it got darker, I could hardly see anymore. I lifted my hand summoning a ball of Raziel’s fire, it lit the place up and I saw my path ahead was like a maze, so many different pathways and corridors, which way should I go?

I paused there looking down three routes, each one stripped of lightning crystals, how long had this been going on for. I closed my eyes, I needed to sense the darkness, Hashana’s specifically.

I thought back on her attempt at my assassination, remembering how her aura of darkness had danced around her, how it merged with those I had already taken out, if I could pinpoint that I would discover the path I needed to take.

“There.” I faced to the left, opening my eyes to see it clearly, her aura like steam. I walked forward, feeling within myself the dark energy condensing even more, these walls acted as an amplifier, keeping it all within, no wonder I hadn’t noticed before.

After a short while I came across dark crystals, planted in the walls where the lightning crystal had been taken. Enlarging my flame to see more, I saw hundreds of them, how many were already planted in these caves, how many lives lost for my slow actions.

Without even thinking about it, I let my purification ability take centre stage, allowing it to spread within the walls of the cavern, before reaching Hashana I needed to take out a majority of these dark crystals as I remembered how they had fed Cutter in the waters around Dagan.

I gazed at my hand holding Raziel’s fire and saw my whole arm letting off light energy, similar to when I search for light particles, but this time it was coming from me. I watched at it spread out like a mist, chasing away and purifying the darkness, then enveloped each crystal, crumbling away into nothing.

I felt no strain, this light was simply an extension of myself, training with dad had helped a lot, to read my own power better, even master a majority of my abilities with my talisman from his simple methods, going back to the basics was enlightening, especially with Fang’s guidance.

I reached my hand out, trying to grab hold of the energy I was following, but it moved much like a serpent, which made me wonder was I following or was it leading me into a trap, I would soon find out.

I wasn’t even sure how long I was wondering through the caverns for, but the deeper I went in the bigger the planted dark crystals became, but none had yet to reach the size and strength of those planted within Link’s village, perhaps he would have been better on this mission as all Dash could do was keep watch over the village.

Not checking my footing, I almost tripped over something, quickly finding balance I looked down to see a Smilodon. I knelt down checking for life signs, nothing he had already lost his life to the darkness, too much exposure to those not protected by the goddess’s light was fatal; I just hoped I was in time to at least save some Smilodon.

A few more meters and I found another one, then another, all unfortunately did not make it and all adults, then a young female, who was barely breathing. I touched her chest, cleansing what I could in the time I had and placing her within a barrier, only once this was over would I be able to purify her completely.

“Who…” she spoke weakly, surprisingly coming too.

“It’s alright. I am here to help,” I reassured her.

“You must leave, no one can beat her,” she warned.

“What’s your name?” I ignored her warning.

“Gina,” she answered almost slipping back into unconsciousness.

“Beck is waiting for you to come back Gina, you and your sister,” I comforted. “Where is she?”

“Deep, at the heart Furina, they are trying to use her to remove the heart, don’t let them, please,” she was suddenly within a panic. “It will destroy this place, please.”

“Calm yourself, it’ll be alright, now sleep.” And she closed her eyes. “Hashana will pay for this.” I stood up, finding a few more weak Smilodon’s but most were young, very few adults were alive, exposed to this far longer than the cubs.

Hashana’s dark energy was getting stronger, and my pace quickened as the cavern began to shake, what the heck was going on? Was it due to the forced removal of this heart that Gina had mentioned, I needed to hurry.

I stopped hearing the sound of a female voice and banging of metal on rock, then I sensed a sacred power which felt much like these caves, those eyes upon me I had felt upon my entrance was not even there anymore, something was wrong.

I came to the last doorway, hearing loudly Hashana’s voice.

“Keep going almost there, and I will allow you all to go back home alive,” she was laughing. “Oh, once this is replaced with a dark crystal, so close to Cathopia, the residue energy will seep into the ground until all the city is consumed, not even the Fang clan can purify that.”

I peeked round the corner, distributing my scent in the opposite direction to prevent myself from being discovered. I saw a huge lightning crystal suspended from the ceiling, hanging larger than any chandelier I had ever seen, sparks of power bounced off the walls.

Standing there glowing with the same light a small Smilodon, it had to be Furina She was drawing out the power of the crystal, allowing the remaining adults still standing to start digging away at the rocks that held it, the ground covered in at least twenty dead or unconscious Smilodon’s.

Hashana danced around with joy, surrounded by her favourite wolf pack, the ones who always accompanied her, almost like they were also a part of her, perhaps they were in some way. I needed to approach this carefully, but quickly there wasn’t much time left to act.