The path stretched endlessly before us, its surface unsettling underfoot. Each step on the fleshy ground elicited a soft, wet squish, like walking across something alive. The grotesque texture made my skin crawl, though I tried to push the thought aside.
Eventually, the corridor widened, opening into a cavernous space... a meaty hall. The walls seemed to pulse faintly, their surface resembling the innards of some monstrous creature. Strangely, there was no foul stench here, despite the organic appearance of the surroundings. It was unnerving, as though the air itself was wrong.
"We should rest here," Uvan said, his voice steady but fatigued. He glanced at me, his eyes lingering on Celia, still unconscious in my arms.
Jess and I exchanged a look before nodding. "Alright," I said.
We spread out, each finding a spot to settle. Jess and Uvan took a corner, their heads bowed as they whispered about our next move. Meanwhile, I knelt down and carefully laid Celia on the floor. The ground, though unsettling to the touch, seemed stable enough.
Sitting beside her, I finally allowed myself to breathe. The ache in my body was persistent, but it wasn't until now that I noticed the searing pain in my arm... the one I'd used to stretch the bowstring. The joint was stiff, dislocated from the strain of my earlier shot.
"Damn," I muttered, flexing my fingers to confirm the injury. "I'll need healing antibiotics after this."
But there was no time for self-pity. Bracing myself, I gripped my arm with my other hand, armor and all. With a sharp twist, I forced the joint back into place.
Crack!
A jolt of pain shot through me, sharp enough to make my scalp tingle. I grunted, biting back a curse as the sensation gradually dulled into a throbbing ache.
As I exhaled, trying to steady my breath, I caught a flicker of movement. Celia's eyes fluttered open, their familiar blue catching the faint light of the hall. She looked at me briefly before squeezing them shut again, pretending to still be asleep.
I chuckled softly, a smile tugging at my lips. Without hesitation, I flicked her nose lightly.
"Ouch!" she exclaimed, sitting up abruptly and cupping her nose with both hands.
I smirked as she glared at me. For a moment, it seemed like she wanted to smile back, but instead, she huffed and turned her head away, folding her arms.
"I'm still mad at you," she muttered.
"For what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"For two things," she replied, holding up her fingers to emphasize her point. "First, for ignoring me when we first got here. Agon, do you think I wouldn't notice? I know you too well. You always do that thing... when you don't want to be worried by the expression I might have, but you made it too noticable. I've known you since we were kids. You've always done this."
I opened my mouth to apologize, but she raised a hand to stop me. "Hold it. I'm not done yet."
I closed my mouth, waiting as she continued.
"Second," she said, her tone growing sharper, "you stupidly almost killed yourself back there in the death worm's stomach. You didn't tell anyone what you were planning, not even me. Do you have any idea how reckless that was?"
I paused, trying to find the right response to justify myself, but nothing came. I looked down, guilt gnawing at me.
Noticing my expression, Celia softened. She reached out, her armored hand resting on mine. Her touch was light, but it carried weight.
"Agon," she said gently, "I'm not trying to scold you or make you feel guilty. What I'm trying to say is... don't look at me like a liability. Don't treat me like someone who needs protecting all the time. I can fend for myself."
She paused, her gaze searching mine. "Do you know why I learned how to use a sword?"
I shook my head silently.
"It's because I didn't want to be a burden to you," she said, her voice steady but laced with emotion. "I wanted to stand by your side... not behind you. I wanted to fight with you, not be someone you feel you have to shield."
Her words hung in the air, their weight pressing against my chest.
"Do you get it now?" she asked, her lips curling into a faint, hopeful smile.
I nodded, a small smile forming on my face. "Yeah. I do."
She opened her mouth as if to say something else, but before she could, Jess's voice called out from across the room.
"Celia!"
Celia turned, waving toward Jess before glancing back at me. "Let's go. The team's waiting."
"Alright," I said, standing and offering her a hand. She took it, and we walked together to where Jess and Uvan sat.
The faint glow of Uvan's wrist communicator caught my eye as it emitted a soft beep. He tapped it, his expression tense.
"It's one of the other teams," he said.
A chill ran down my spine. Are they in trouble?