CHAPTER 99 THE ROAD BENEATH THE KINGDOM.
THE BEAST WITHIN
The Road Beneath the Kingdom
...
Fury raced ahead, his tiny red body disappearing into the thick fog.
Roman followed at a relaxed pace.The red glow of his aura illuminated the ground around his boots, revealing a rugged stone path that stretched deeper into the cavern.
"I wonder how old these tunnels are "
Roman said.
"Probably older than my dad"
Lunar shrugged.
Roman chuckled.
They walked through the rough paths for a while without trouble. The fog covered the paths
Unfortunately, the tunnel itself had other plans.
Fury suddenly stopped.
The little squirrel stood in the middle of the path, his nose twitching.
Roman noticed the change immediately.
"What's wrong Fury"
Fury sniffed the air again.
Then he scurried toward the left wall and disappeared behind a large rock.
A moment later, he emerged with a small object between his paws.
A bone.
Roman tilted his head.
"Found yourself a snack?"
Fury squeaked indignantly and tossed it aside.
Lunar chuckled.
"Looks like even Fury thinks your jokes are terrible."
Roman glaced at him.
Lunar's eyes lit up.
"Wanna have a contest to lighten the foggy fog."
"Absolutely not," Sylver interrupted.
Both boys looked at her.
She pointed toward the path ahead.
"We're in a hurry. We are not racing, fighting, or doing anything else that will make this take longer than necessary."
Roman raised his hands.
"All right, all right."
Lunar sighed dramatically.
"Fine."
Anya folded her arms.
"Let's keep going please"
Fury squeaked and resumed walking.
The others followed.
But Roman's attention had shifted toward the bone.
He crouched beside it.
The surface was old, but the shape was unmistakable.
It belonged to a creature.
A large one.
He turned it over, examining the deep grooves along its surface.
"Interesting."
Sylver stopped beside him.
"What is it?"
Roman held up the bone.
"Something with pretty impressive teeth."
Anya glanced at it.
"How impressive?"
Roman pointed toward several deep puncture marks.
"Impressive enough to leave these."
Lunar leaned over Roman's shoulder.
"Huh."
He examined the marks for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"Think it's still around?"
Roman's grin returned.
"Now that's the question."
Sylver stared at both of them.
"No."
Roman looked at her innocently.
"No what?"
"Whatever you're thinking, the answer is no."
"But I haven't said anything."
"You don't have to."
Anya nodded in agreement.
"If they're danger beasts here, it'll be best to avoid them for now "
Roman sighed.
"You're both ruining the adventure."
"Good," Sylver replied.
She took Roman by the arm and gently pulled him upright.
"Come on. We still have a castle to sneak into."
Roman allowed himself to be pulled along.
"Fine. But if something interesting happens, I'm calling dibs."
Lunar immediately raised his hand.
"Not if I get there first."
Anya rolled her eyes.
They continued into the fog.
Neither of them noticed the faint movement behind the rocks.
Something had been watching them.
And when the last of their footsteps faded into the distance, it began to follow.
The tunnel gradually widened.
The rough stone floor gave way to a series of ancient slabs, each one engraved with strange symbols. Water trickled between the cracks, gathering in shallow pools before disappearing through narrow gaps in the ground.
Roman examined one of the carvings as he passed.
The symbols were unfamiliar, but something about them felt strangely familiar.
He slowed.
A circular emblem had been carved into the wall.
At its center was the outline of a tiger.
Roman's expression changed.
He stepped closer.
The carving was worn, its edges softened by age, but the details remained visible. The tiger's head was surrounded by a ring of curved lines, and beneath it were three smaller symbols.
Roman had seen something similar before.
His mother's belongings.
He remembered.
He reached toward the wall.
A faint red spark flickered across his fingertips.
For an instant, the emblem glowed.
Then it returned to normal.
Roman blinked.
"Did anyone see that?"
Lunar turned around.
"See what?"
"The symbol just reacted to my aura."
Anya approached the wall and examined it.
"Maybe it's enchanted."
"Could be," Roman replied.
Sylver placed her palm against the stone.
Her silver aura spread gently through the surrounding moisture.
She closed her eyes, concentrating.
After a moment, she withdrew her hand.
"I can feel something behind the wall."
Roman looked at her.
"What kind of something?"
"I'm not sure. The water isn't flowing naturally around this section."
Lunar crouched beside the carving.
"Should we investigate?"
Sylver opened her eyes.
"No."
Lunar looked disappointed.
"You're no fun."
"And you're too easily distracted."
Roman laughed.
"She's got you there."
Lunar stood and brushed dust from his knees.
"Whatever. Let's keep moving. We can come back later."
Roman gave the emblem one last look before following Fury.
He wasn't happy about leaving it behind.
But he had a mission.
The book came first.
Everything else could wait.
Fury led them around a bend, then through a narrow passage where the ceiling dipped low enough that Roman had to duck.
Anya's ears brushed the stone overhead.
She scowled.
"I hate this tunnel."
Roman glanced back.
"Why? Afraid of the dark?"
"No. Afraid of being forced to spend an entire night with you."
Lunar laughed so hard he nearly hit his head on the ceiling.
Roman rolled his eyes.
Sylver shook her head.
Then she suddenly stopped.
Her silver aura flickered.
"Wait."
Everyone turned.
A low rumbling sound rolled through the tunnel.
Dust drifted from the ceiling.
Fury froze.
His tiny ears stood upright.
The rumbling grew louder.
Then came the sound of claws scraping against stone.
Roman's smile slowly returned.
"Oh, this should be good."
Sylver's eyes dimmed.
"I'm with you on this one "
Lunar added.
The sound came again.
Closer.
Lunar drew both short swords.
Purple lightning crawled along the blades.
A shadow emerged from the fog.
Then another.
Three creatures stepped into the passage.
They were lean, muscular beasts with dark scales covering their backs and shoulders. Their elongated snouts were lined with sharp teeth, and their powerful hind legs suggested they were built for sudden bursts of speed.
Their claws clicked against the stone.
Their eyes fixed on the group.
Roman studied them.
"Danger beasts. They're lower ranks"
Anya drew her silver sword.
"Three of them."
Lunar rolled his shoulders.
"Perfect. One each."
Roman grinned at Lunar.
"Race you?"
Lunar's purple lightning flared.
"You're on."
Before Sylver and Anya could move, both boys disappeared.
Red and purple streaks tore through the fog.
The beasts barely had time to react.
Roman struck the first across the jaw, sending it crashing into the wall.
Lunar slipped beneath the second creature's claws and spun behind it, his swords flashing in a blur of purple light.
The third beast lunged toward Anya.
She frowned.
"Of course."
Her pink aura spread around her boots.
The creature leaped.
Anya took one step sideways.
Space folded.
The beast flew past her, its jaws snapping shut on empty air.
She appeared behind it and struck the back of its knee with the flat of her sword.
The creature crashed to the floor.
Anya looked down at it.
"Stay there."
It tried to rise.
She increased its weight.
The beast slammed back against the stone, unable to lift its own body.
Anya adjusted her sword across her shoulder.
"Good."
Nearby, Sylver watched Roman dodge a wild swipe from his opponent.
He moved with instinctive ease, his red lightning allowing him to accelerate and strike with tremendous force.
He was smiling.
While fighting a dangerous beast.
But not dangerous enough.
The beast's claws struck the stone beside him, sending fragments flying.
He twisted away, avoiding the attack.
Sylver raised both hands.
The moisture on the tunnel floor surged upward.
A thick ribbon of water wrapped around the creature's legs, pulling them out from beneath it.
Sylver could control water now, an ability she unlocked after evolving.
Roman took advantage of the opening.
Red lightning flashed.
His fist struck the beast's chest.
The creature flew backward and collapsed.
Roman landed in a crouch.
He looked at Sylver.
"That's cool"
Lunar appeared beside them, sheathing his swords.
"Finished already?"
Roman looked at him.
"Obviously."
Lunar smirked.
"Thought so."
Anya released the weight manipulation holding her opponent down, then stepped away as it scrambled into unconsciousness.
"Can we please move on before another one shows up?"
Fury squeaked in agreement.
Roman laughed.
"All right, all right. Let's keep going."
He turned toward the tunnel.
But before he could take another step, a strange sound echoed from somewhere deeper underground.
A long, distant howl.
The three fallen beasts stirred.
Then, as if responding to a command, they scrambled away into the fog.
Roman's smile widened.
Lunar watched them disappear.
"That's interesting."
Sylver's gripped her shield.
"What's interesting?"
"They were losing. Beasts like that don't usually retreat together unless something has frightened them."
Anya's ears rose.
She listened carefully.
The tunnel fell silent.
Then came another howl.
Closer this time.
Roman slowly turned toward the darkness.
His red aura flickered.
Not because he was afraid.
But because he had finally found something worth taking seriously.
He looked at Fury.
The squirrel was staring into the fog.
His tail had gone rigid.
Roman crouched beside him.
"Hey, little guy."
Fury glanced at him.
Roman smiled faintly.
"Still know the way?"
Fury squeaked.
Then he turned and raced deeper into the tunnel.
Roman rose.
"That's my boy."
He looked at the others.
"Come on. We're getting closer."
Lunar grinned and stepped beside him.
"Try to keep up"
Roman's red lightning crackled.
"Don't fall behind."
The two moved forward together.
Sylver followed immediately, keeping close to Roman.
Anya walked beside her, their shoulders brushing.
The girls exchanged a brief glance.
Neither needed to speak.
They both knew the boys were going to chase trouble wherever they found it.
And they both knew they would be right behind them when they did.
Ahead, the fog thickened.
The tunnel descended.
And somewhere in the darkness, something answered the distant howl.
The road to the King's castle was still long.
Dawn was approaching.
And the night had only just begun..
*******
The four figures followed Fury deeper into the cavern.
The fog grew thinner as they advanced, revealing a wide passage carved into the rock. Water trickled down the walls, gathering in shallow grooves along the floor. Strange runes covered parts of the stone, some so old that their markings had nearly disappeared.
Roman kept his hood low over his face as he studied the surroundings.
The tunnels were far larger than he had expected. Whoever had built them had done more than dig a path beneath the city. There were signs of deliberate construction everywhere: reinforced ceilings, stone arches, drainage channels, and occasional markings that appeared to indicate different routes.
This place had a history.
And it was a history the people above had seemingly forgotten.
Fury continued without hesitation, his little paws moving rapidly across the damp floor. Every so often, he paused briefly, his perception spreading through the surrounding tunnels before he selected the next passage.
He knew where he was going.
Roman trusted him enough not to interfere.
Behind them, Sylver maintained a thin protective barrier over the group. The water that dripped from the ceiling slid away before it could touch their armor, leaving their footsteps as the only sounds accompanying the distant trickling.
Lunar kept to Roman's right, his purple hair barely visible beneath his hood. His gaze moved between the ceiling, the walls, and the dark openings branching away from their route.
Anya walked beside Sylver.
Although she possessed a similar perception ability to Fury's, her range was considerably shorter. She could detect movement and disturbances within the surrounding passages, but Fury could sense things long before they came close.
For now, she concentrated on the area immediately around them.
The farther they travelled, the more the atmosphere changed.
The fog disappeared completely, replaced by a faint bluish glow coming from clusters of crystals embedded in the walls. Their light was weak, but it was enough to reveal the uneven ground ahead.
Then Fury stopped.
The others halted immediately.
The squirrel stood near a large crack running across the tunnel floor. Beyond it, the passage narrowed between two enormous stone pillars.
Roman crouched beside the crack.
It was not a natural fracture. The edges were too clean, and the stone had been cut away beneath the surface, leaving a narrow trench that crossed the entire passage.
He examined the opposite side.
There were no obvious mechanisms. No ropes, levers, or pressure plates.
But the dust along the edges had been disturbed.
Someone—or something—had crossed recently.
Roman glanced at Fury.
The squirrel's ears twitched as his perception swept through the space beyond the pillars.
A moment later, Fury moved to the left wall and pressed his tiny paws against a particular section of stone.
Nothing happened.
He shifted slightly and pressed again.
A low vibration travelled through the passage.
The stone beneath their feet trembled before a narrow section of the wall slowly slid inward, revealing a small chamber concealed behind it.
Roman rose.
He examined the opening before stepping inside.
The chamber was empty except for a row of old stone containers arranged against the far wall. Their surfaces were coated in dust, and several had collapsed under the weight of the centuries.
There was no sign of recent activity.
Roman looked back at Fury.
The squirrel had already turned toward the opposite side of the passage.
Whatever he had detected, it wasn't in the chamber.
Roman followed him out, and the concealed wall closed behind them.
They continued.
"Who ever built this tunnels had a weird hobby"
Lunar couldn't help but say.
"I agree with you on this one"
Anya said.
---
The tunnel eventually opened into a vast underground hollow.
Roman stopped at the entrance.
The space extended far beyond the reach of the crystal lights. Thick stone columns rose from the floor to support the cavern ceiling, while narrow bridges crossed over deep channels of black water.
Some bridges were intact.
Others had collapsed, leaving broken stone scattered across the water below.
The sound of running water echoed throughout the cavern, coming from several waterfalls that descended from openings high above. Their streams disappeared into the darkness beneath the bridges.
Roman studied the route.
The passage continued on the opposite side, but reaching it would require crossing one of the bridges.
Fury approached the edge and peered down.
His perception extended across the cavern, searching the bridges and the surrounding passages. He remained still for several seconds before turning toward a narrow bridge on the far left.
That was their route.
Roman examined it carefully.
The bridge was old, but it appeared structurally sound. Its surface was wide enough for several people to walk across, although sections of the railing had broken away.
He moved forward.
Sylver followed close behind him, her attention divided between the bridge and the dark water below. Her silver aura remained subdued, but she was prepared to raise her shield at the slightest sign of danger.
Lunar stepped onto the bridge and tested the stone beneath his boot.
It held.
He continued without another pause.
Anya followed, keeping her perception focused on the cavern around them.
Halfway across, Fury suddenly froze.
His head turned toward one of the pillars below.
Roman stopped immediately.
Fury's perception had picked up movement.
Something was climbing the pillar.
Anya narrowed her eyes and extended her own perception toward the same location. She sensed a heavy presence moving against the stone, but she couldn't make out its exact position.
Then a long, dark shape emerged from behind the pillar.
A creature crawled onto the bridge.
It was larger than a wolf, with six muscular limbs and a body covered in rough, charcoal-colored scales. Its head was low and broad, and a row of sharp protrusions ran down its spine.
Another emerged behind it.
Then a third.
The creatures spread across the bridge, blocking the way forward.
Roman straightened.
They had encountered danger beasts before. These were not magical-ranked creatures, but their size and natural weapons made them dangerous to ordinary adventurers.
For the group, however, the situation was manageable.
Roman's red aura flickered beneath his armor.
Lunar's fingers moved toward the hilts of his short swords.
Sylver stepped forward with her shield. Anya remained slightly behind them, watching the creatures' movements and the narrow space surrounding the bridge.
The first beast charged.
Roman disappeared in a burst of red lightning.
He reappeared beside the creature and drove a powerful strike into its flank. The beast was thrown sideways, its claws scraping across the stone before it crashed against the broken railing.
The second turned toward him.
Lunar intercepted it.
Purple lightning flashed across the bridge as he drew one of his short swords. A single swift movement carried him past the creature's guard. He struck with the flat of his blade, sending the beast tumbling onto its side.
The third attempted to circle around them.
Anya moved one hand.
The creature's weight increased abruptly.
Its limbs buckled beneath it, and its body slammed against the bridge. Before it could recover, Sylver raised her hand and sent a concentrated stream of water across the stone, sweeping the beast away from the others.
It crashed into the first creature.
Both slid several feet before coming to a stop.
Roman glanced toward Lunar.
Lunar had already sheathed his sword.
Neither needed to say anything.
The three beasts struggled to rise, but the force of the attacks had left them disoriented. They quickly abandoned the bridge, scrambling back toward the pillar from which they had emerged.
Within moments, they had vanished into the darkness.
Roman watched until the last movement disappeared.
Then he turned toward the opposite side of the cavern.
Fury was already waiting farther along the bridge.
The squirrel had not been distracted by the encounter. His perception was still sweeping the surrounding passages, searching for anything else that might obstruct their route.
Roman resumed walking.
The others followed.
---
They reached the opposite side without further interruption.
Beyond the bridge, the passage descended through a series of uneven stone steps. The walls here were different from those near the well. The crystals had disappeared, and the runes were fewer, leaving long stretches of bare rock.
The temperature dropped.
Anya noticed it first.
She glanced at the thin layer of water covering the floor. A faint film of ice had formed along the edges, spreading in delicate patterns across the stone.
Sylver lowered her protective barrier slightly and examined the wall.
The cold was not natural.
She could feel a subtle disturbance in the moisture around them, something that did not come from ordinary changes in temperature. Yet it was faint enough that she couldn't immediately identify its source.
She looked toward Roman.
He had noticed it too.
"And the tunnel gets creepier"
Lunar sigh.
"What, are you backing down?"
Roman smirked.
"YYou wish"
Fury continued down the steps until he reached a small landing. There, the passage divided into three separate tunnels.
The left tunnel sloped downward and disappeared behind a curtain of hanging roots.
The middle passage was partially flooded.
The right tunnel was narrow, its ceiling low enough that Roman would have needed to duck to pass through comfortably.
Fury stopped at the junction.
For the first time since entering the cavern, he did not immediately choose a route.
His perception expanded.
It travelled through the three passages, reaching farther and farther into the underground network. He searched for familiar landmarks, open spaces, and signs that would lead them back toward the route he had previously explored.
The others waited.
Roman knew better than to rush him.
Fury had already guided them through the most difficult part of the descent. If the tunnels had changed since his last visit, he would need a moment to account for the differences.
Anya closed her eyes and extended her own perception.
The middle tunnel was the easiest for her to read. She could sense the water and the empty spaces beyond it, but the passage bent sharply after a short distance. Her awareness weakened around the bend.
The left tunnel was more difficult. The hanging roots interfered with the details she could perceive, and she couldn't determine how far the passage extended.
The right tunnel was the least obstructed, but it was also the narrowest.
She opened her eyes.
Fury was still searching.
Then his ears lifted.
He turned toward the flooded passage.
Roman followed his gaze.
The water inside was perfectly still. It covered the floor from wall to wall, reflecting the darkness above it. Farther down, a faint current moved beneath the surface.
Fury approached the edge.
He tested the water with one paw, then withdrew it and looked back at Roman.
He had found something.
Roman crouched beside him.
The current was moving against the slope of the passage.
Water should have been flowing toward them, down toward the lower caverns. Instead, it was being drawn deeper into the tunnel.
Roman studied the surface.
There was no visible drain, and the current was too consistent to be caused by a passing creature.
He glanced at Sylver.
She stepped closer and extended her hand over the water. A thin ribbon rose from the surface, curling around her fingers as she examined its movement.
The water was being pulled toward something farther ahead.
Sylver released it.
The ribbon fell back into the passage with a soft splash.
Roman looked toward Fury.
The squirrel gave a short, decisive nod and a thumbs up.
This was the correct route.
Roman rose and stepped into the water.
It reached just above his ankles.
The others followed, with Sylver keeping the water away from their armor as they advanced.
Fury moved along the edge, occasionally pausing to confirm the route ahead.
The tunnel grew wider as they proceeded.
Soon, the water reached their knees. The floor descended gradually, and the walls began to curve inward, forming a natural channel beneath the stone.
Roman remained alert.
The current grew stronger.
Then a distant sound reached them.
A deep, rhythmic rumbling echoed through the tunnel, faint at first but growing clearer with every step. It sounded like enormous stones grinding against one another somewhere beneath the earth.
Lunar glanced toward the ceiling.
A thin stream of water fell from a crack overhead.
Then another.
Sylver raised her hand, and a silver barrier formed above the group just as small pieces of stone began to fall.
The rumbling intensified.
Roman stopped and looked ahead.
Fury had climbed onto a raised section of stone near the wall. His perception stretched beyond the bend, probing the darkness ahead.
Anya extended hers as well.
She sensed a broad, open space beyond the tunnel.
And something moving through it.
Not a creature approaching them.
Something much larger.
The disturbance was spread across the cavern ahead, making it difficult to distinguish individual movements.
Anya opened her eyes and looked at Roman.
He understood her expression.
Whatever lay beyond the bend, they were about to discover why the underground water was moving against the slope.
Roman's red aura flickered once, illuminating the water around his boots.
He suppressed it immediately.
There was no reason to announce their presence before they knew what awaited them.
Fury moved forward again.
The others followed him into the darkness, while the rumbling continued to grow louder beneath their feet.
A/N : Almost 4k words
Plz add to library
TBC