In the depths of the cave, where the shadows intertwined like ancient webs, the group of players remained silent, contemplating the scene of an evolved man not only defeated, but imprisoned.
The cave, now silent, was a sanctuary of buried secrets.
The Evolved in front of the Bloody Lily, Jayaa and Eraskan, an individual called Cephal, lay inert, his breathing heavy and irregular.
His body was like a mass of twisted muscles, his limbs covered in scars and wounds that bore witness to epic battles fought long ago. His eyes, usually fierce and stressed, now seemed calm because they were closed. He was filthy, with unkempt hair that fell in clumps around his face, covering part of his blackened skin, as if he were an extension of the cave itself.
Cephal's fangs, sharp as blades, could be seen even in his unconsciousness. They protruded beyond his lips, curving out of his mouth between his tangled hair. His muscular body was riddled with tribal tattoos. He wore tattered rags as pants that could barely be called clothes, hanging from his body like a second skin.
The aura around Cephal was strange, an aura of pure power that hung in the air like electricity before a storm. Even unconscious, his presence was overwhelming, a reminder of the weight of being an Evolved.
The group of players, although powerful, couldn't help but feel a wave of awe at the magnitude of the being in front of them.
As the group watched, cautious and alert, Cephal began to show signs of awareness. First, there was a slight tremor in his hands, followed by a deep, hoarse sigh. His body began to twitch, as if he were in the midst of a terrible nightmare. His sharp fangs were exposed even more as he growled softly, a veiled threat even in his unconscious state.
The Bloody Lily tightened her grip on her sword, prepared to act at the slightest sign of danger.
Cephal's breathing became more regular, and his previously closed eyes began to open. He opened his eyes slowly, revealing golden irises like the rising sun. A stressed expression appeared on his face, exposing his sharp fangs as he gritted his teeth.
"Argh... who's there? I can smell you... Who are you?" he said in his thick, gruff voice.
"Cephal..." muttered Bloody Lily, her voice echoing in the cave as she took a step forward. "What happened to you?"
The Evolved turned his neck slightly and saw the woman with red hair and crimson armor approaching. Then he let out a harsh, savage laugh.
"Oh, I know you... You're that newbie everyone was talking about a while ago, aren't you? On account of the American Special Program... You and your little friends came to rescue me? CUAHAHA!" He replied.
Eraskan gripped the hilt of his sword tighter. "How did you end up trapped like that, Cephal?"
Cephal turned his neck even more, saw Eraskan and let out a cruel laugh. "And who exactly are you? Who brought a child to a dangerous place like this?" he said with a cruel smile.
But no one laughed or smiled like him. So his smile disappeared and he took a deep breath. Then Cephal smiled disdainfully and replied:
"Trapped? Do you really think I'm trapped? I am more than you can imagine, more than anyone can comprehend." Cephal proclaimed, raising his right hand.
A wave of dark energy erupted from his right fist, and the earth beneath their feet shook, echoing the restrained fury of the Evolved. However, suddenly all the dark energy vanished as quickly as it had appeared, as if it had been absorbed, and Cephal lowered his head, looking exhausted. Like his strength, the confidence he had shown before gave way to a glimmer of uncertainty.
Cephal glanced back after a few moments of silence, as if considering asking for help, but when he saw Blood Lily accompanied by Jayaa and Eraskan, who were obviously a mere hunter and a bard, he swallowed his pride. He was an Evolved, and saw no problem in being helped by someone like Blood Lily, but it was humiliating to have to be helped by two D and E class players, as he believed Jayaa and Eraskan were.
Blood Lily took a step forward, keeping her gaze fixed on Cephal. "You don't seem to be in your best shape, Cephal." She teased him, placing her hands on his waist.
Cephal growled softly, his expression tense. "None of your business, Bloody Lily."
Jayaa, the bard, stepped forward, his melodious voice filling the cave. "Maybe we can help, Cephal. All you have to ask is: please."
Cephal clenched his fists, his jaw tense. He wasn't used to asking for help. However, the little smile on Jayaa's face was annoying.
"If you don't want our help, that's fine. However, we could be the difference between your life and death. Imagine how humiliating it would be for an Evolved player to die..." teased Jayaa, daring him to swallow his pride.
The Evolved growled again, but finally gave in; after all, however rough he was, he was no idiot. He sighed, as if accepting defeat. "Very well, but only because you insist so much. I'll help you, but in return, you'll have to do it for me."
Jayaa stepped forward, ready to release him from these chains. However, Bloody Lily put an arm in front of him, preventing him from passing. Looking at Cephal, she crossed her arms again and said:
"Tell us what happened to you to end up in a place like this, then we can release you. We don't know if you're an enemy or an ally."
The top corner of Cephal's mouth lifted, expressing disgust, anger and indignation at the same time. "Are you kidding? If I were your enemy, you'd all be dead by now."
"And if you were an ally, you'd treat us with more respect. After all, it's wise to respect someone who has your life in the palm of their hand, isn't it?" She replied, with a slight smile at the corner of her mouth.