Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 49 Getting Out II

The damp air in the tunnel felt heavy as Nate, Alice, and Axel pressed their bodies against the cold, rocky wall. The keepers passed them in a large group, their movements eerily synchronized. Nate held his breath, his gaze locked on the ground as the last of the keepers trailed behind the rest.

Just when they thought the danger had passed, an insect buzzed past Alice’s face. It landed on her nose, its legs tickling her skin. She tried to wave it away, but it was too late—she let out a faint sneeze.

Nate’s heart skipped a beat. He hoped the sound had gone unnoticed, but the keeper at the back of the group suddenly froze. It tilted its head, as if straining to hear. Slowly, it turned back, its eyeless face aimed directly at Alice.

The other keepers continued walking, unaware of the straggler.

The lone keeper approached, its steps slow and deliberate. Alice’s chest rose and fell rapidly as panic surged through her. Her mind raced, desperate to think of a way to stay hidden, but her body refused to move.

The keeper stopped a few centimeters away from her, its head cocked to the side as if listening. It stretched out a bony hand toward her.

Alice’s heartbeat thundered in her ears. Her entire body froze, her mind a whirlwind of fear. The hand inched closer and closer—

Then it stopped.

The keeper’s body slumped forward, and Nate’s face appeared behind it, his expression calm but intense. His hand, still lit with fire, rested on the keeper’s head. The flames danced briefly before he released his grip, the keeper’s lifeless body collapsing silently to the ground.

"Let’s go," Nate murmured, his voice barely audible. "The others might figure out we’re gone soon."

Alice nodded shakily, her breathing still uneven, but she followed as Nate led the way.

The tunnel opened into a large room. The air was stale, and the faint glow of the crystalline veins revealed the shapes of five keepers scattered across the floor, asleep. Their breathing was heavy and rhythmic, their bodies sprawled randomly in the dim light.

Nate gestured for them to tiptoe past. He moved first, his steps light and deliberate. He made it to the other side without a sound and signaled for Alice to follow.

Alice swallowed hard and moved carefully, her footfalls as quiet as she could manage. She exhaled softly when she reached Nate, relief flooding her.

Then it was Axel’s turn. He stepped cautiously, his face tense with concentration. Just as he was halfway across the room, his foot brushed against something soft, making a faint rustling noise.

One of the keepers stirred. Its hand shot out, grabbing Axel’s ankle.

Axel froze, his breath caught in his throat. The keeper’s head twitched slightly, as if trying to discern what it had grabbed. Axel didn’t dare move, his heart hammering in his chest.

Suddenly, the keeper released his ankle and rolled over, letting out a loud snore.

Axel nearly collapsed from relief. Nate and Alice exchanged a glance, their expressions mirroring his disbelief.

They quickly regrouped on the other side of the room, their breaths still uneven from the close call.

Nate stood at the fork, his sharp eyes scanning the paths ahead. The tunnel to the right echoed with faint, unsettling sounds. The distant noise of heavy scraping metal, followed by sharp clatters, carried a menacing energy. It was the sound of the keepers transporting the mysterious crystals. To the left, however, there was nothing. Absolute silence.

He turned back to Alice and Axel. "We’ll go left," he whispered, his voice steady. "It’s quiet. That’s our best shot."

Axel frowned, squinting into the darkness of the left tunnel. "Silent usually means a trap," he muttered, but Nate didn’t reply. He had already started moving. Alice glanced at Axel before following Nate, with Axel grumbling under his breath as he brought up the rear.

The air grew cooler as they ventured deeper into the tunnel. Water dripped from the ceiling, pooling into small, muddy patches on the ground. The quiet was unnerving, each of their steps magnified by the hollow acoustics of the corridor. Every so often, Nate would glance over his shoulder, ensuring they were still together.

Finally, the tunnel opened up into a vast chamber, and the three froze.

At the far end of the room, a group of ten keepers stood near a massive boulder. The boulder wasn’t natural; it was part of a hidden mechanism, sealed off by a large rusted wheel. The keepers were motionless, their elongated heads tilted slightly, as if on high alert.

Nate pointed to the wheel and whispered, "That’s the exit."

Alice’s eyes widened. "Are you serious? There’s no way we’re getting past them without being noticed."

Axel took a cautious step back. "Yeah, this doesn’t exactly scream ’easy escape.’ What’s the plan, genius?"

Nate turned to them, his expression unwavering. "I’ll distract them."

"What?" Alice’s whisper was sharp, almost a hiss. "That’s insane. You’ll get yourself killed!"

Even Axel, usually full of sarcastic comments, looked genuinely alarmed. "This is stupid, Nate. They’ll shred you before we can even open that thing."

"They won’t," Nate replied firmly. His eyes glimmered with quiet confidence. "I’ll draw them away. While they’re focused on me, you two will open the wheel and escape."

Alice shook her head, her voice rising slightly in panic. "And what happens to you?"

"I’ll figure it out," Nate said, his tone calm but unyielding. "I can handle myself. Trust me."

Alice’s jaw tightened. She hated this plan. It was reckless, dangerous, and borderline suicidal. But Nate’s expression gave her no room to argue. Finally, she sighed and nodded, her hands clenched into fists. Axel hesitated a moment longer before giving a grudging nod.

"Fine," Axel muttered. "But if you die, I’m blaming you."

Nate smirked faintly. "Fair enough."

Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the chamber, his hands lighting up with flames.

"Hey!" he shouted, his voice ringing out. The keepers all turned sharply, their eyeless faces tilting toward the sound. Nate raised his hand, launching a fireball at one of them. The creature twisted its body unnaturally, avoiding the attack.

Nate gritted his teeth, not letting the miss rattle him. With a sharp motion, he summoned a pillar of fire from the ground, the flames roaring to life as they surged forward. Three keepers were engulfed in the inferno, their charred bodies collapsing to the ground.

"Go! Now!" Nate bellowed, summoning another wave of fire to keep the remaining keepers occupied.

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Alice and Axel darted toward the wheel, their hearts pounding. Axel grabbed the wheel first, his hands slipping slightly on the rusted metal. "It’s stuck!" he growled, putting his full weight into turning it.

Alice joined him, pushing alongside him with all her strength. The wheel groaned loudly, resisting their efforts. "Come on!" Alice panted, her arms trembling.

Finally, the wheel began to move. Slowly, painfully, the boulder rolled aside, revealing the dark, thick forest beyond. The fresh air hit them like a blessing, but their relief was short-lived.

They both turned to call for Nate, but Axel froze mid-motion. His face drained of color as his gaze fixed on something outside the entrance.

"Oh no," Axel whispered, his voice barely audible.

Alice followed his gaze, her breath catching in her throat. Outside the entrance, the forest was alive with movement—shadows shifting, figures lurking just beyond the tree line.