Storm of Shadows

Chapter 8

Inside the cave in the mountain, a series of lamps cast a dim, flickering light along a narrow path that seemed to ascend indefinitely, giving the impression of a trail meant to be followed.

Alan couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that crept over him as he stood there with his unknown friend.

As they ventured deeper into the cave, they came across a wooden staircase with a rope railing on one side. The stairs climbed toward an unseen destination, disappearing into the darkness above.

Alan swallowed nervously and turned to his companion, the unease clear in his voice.

“Is this how it always is? What happened to the others who were sent here?” he asked, his eyes darting around as if expecting someone or something to emerge from the darkness and attack them.

The man shrugged, though his restless movements made it clear that he was just as uncomfortable.

“All I know is that others have been sent hither before, and none have ever returned. There is manifestly something amiss in this place.”

He glanced warily at the dark corners of the cavern, where the lamps’ light failed to reach.

Large portions of the cave were shrouded in darkness, leaving only the narrow staircase illuminated. It almost seemed as though the lamps were deliberately guiding them toward something hidden deep within the mountain.

Alan studied their surroundings carefully.

There were no signs of life, but there were no signs of death either. No bones, no bloodstains, and no unpleasant smell to suggest that anyone had met a gruesome end here.

“There’s nothing here,” he muttered, following the line of lamps with his eyes. “No bodies, no remains, nothing to tell us what happened to the people who came before us.”

He paused, then pointed toward the staircase.

“But these lamps are clearly leading somewhere. That must be where we’re supposed to go.”

The unknown guy frowned, clearly uncomfortable with the idea.

“And why should we ascend thither? What if it be a trap or something worse?” he questioned, the doubt clear in his voice.

Alan looked at him.

“Think about it. There’s a reason these lamps lead upward, and there’s a reason Lord Sorrowshade visits this mountain from time to time. He wouldn’t keep coming here if there wasn’t something important hidden inside.”

He gestured toward the darkness above them.

“We won’t find out what it is by standing here.”

Without waiting for an answer, Alan placed one foot on the first step and began climbing.

He moved cautiously, keeping one hand on the rope railing, his eyes darting to the areas swallowed by darkness. The farther he climbed, the more restless he became.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them.

Yet he continued forward, one careful step at a time.

Unlike the Hunters he had known in his life, Alan possessed no supernatural abilities to protect him. He had no powerful aspect, no unique skill, and no weapon worth mentioning. At that moment, he felt as helpless as a chick separated from its mother.

‘How am I supposed to fight Lord Sorrowshade? How can I stand against him with nothing but my wits?’

He sighed and shook his head.

“This is so fucking unfair…”

Just then, a forceful gust of wind struck him from behind.

“Whoa!”

The sudden force knocked Alan off balance, pushing him dangerously close to the edge of the stairs and he instinctively caught the rope railing, tightening his grip to save himself.

His heart hammered as he looked down.

A deep chasm stretched beneath him, its bottom hidden in darkness. One wrong step, and he would fall into the abyss without even knowing how far he had to fall.

The chasm below seemed to yawn open, ready to swallow him whole.

“Ho, watch out!” his companion shouted, his eyes widening in alarm. “Art thou truly so lacking in stamina?”

Alan blinked, still reeling from the near fall, and looked at his companion in bewilderment.

“D-don’t tell me you didn’t feel that,” he said, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“Feel what?” the other man replied, genuinely confused.

Alan frowned and looked around.

The wind had been powerful enough to nearly send him tumbling into the chasm, yet his companion appeared completely unaffected.

“Weird,” he muttered, sensing something was wrong but unable to pinpoint what it was.

He decided not to dwell on it and continued climbing. His companion followed closely behind, and their footsteps echoed through the cavern as they made their way up the seemingly endless staircase.

The journey felt as though it would never end.

Eventually, however, the lamps led them to a single red door.

It stood at the end of the staircase, its surface dark and imposing against the surrounding stone.

Unlike the wooden stairs and rope railing, the door looked solid and strangely out of place.