Rebirth: Over the Horizon

5th Day

9:34 A.M

Unknown, Forest.

Both of them proceeded cautiously while riding behind the back of Ju-Ju.

After travelling for nearly 5hours, they reached a open ground, Adam got of from the Ju-Ju and looked around.

Few km away, he spotted a cave like structure with a white stone embedded on the large circular closed door.

Next to the door there is a roughly a tunnel being dug.

Adam can see pickaxes and shovels as well as the piles of rock and stone nearby.

As he was observing a hand suddenly tapped on his shoulder, he flinched and turned around while taking out his weapon at the same time.

\'How can I not notice...\'

"Hi, I am Amelia, I was also planning to enter the strange structure over there"

"While I was watching, I noticed you, do you mind if we join hands"

It was Amelia. The one who goes around and do weird things and got many unique skills in his past life.

He also had few interactions with her in his past life but, he didn\'t know she also participated in this event.

There was nothing to worry about her, since he knews her character and he instantly accepted her proposal.

"But, Where is your partner"

"Ah, Actually I gave him money to help me in this event but, he left me as soon as we were teleported to the event place"

"I was lucky and obtained some useful skills which helped me survive till now"

\'I\'m sure how you got lucky\' Adam muttered in his heart and both of them went back to Ariana.

After resting for some time, the trio decided to enter the strange cave.

Ariana was first doubting her whether to believe or not but, after sometime she accepted Amelia.

After reaching close enough Adam recgonized it was more like a stronghold than a cave.

There were also camps behind it but, Adam didn\'t mind.

At that time something catches his attention.

The sound was like small pebbles shifting, which is strange since the ground is soft soil.

Adam raises his hand as a signal for everyone to stop moving.

It was a small white man-shaped figure walking slowly towards them.

The creature is perhaps only a foot tall and clearly made of stone.

The sound they heard came from its legs rattling together as it walks.

Just as he was about to slash it with his spea, Amelia raises her hands and stops him.

Then, she cast silently under her breath, waving her hands in intricate gestures.

Suddenly, glowing blue bands of force wrap around the imp.

In addition to holding it still, she carefully wrap one band around its mouth, preventing it from shouting.

They still don\'t know who set up the camp and how many were in there.

The sounds of snoring came from the tent as they stood before the door of the stronghold.

Again, Amelia opens the door without making any sound. A soft white light springs into existence from above.

Small spherical crystals have been placed along the walls on either side of the hall.

Adam watches as these lights illuminate one at a time ahead of him, showing the way.

The white stone walls are smooth and the corners are masterfully cut. They have never seen such skill with stonework back in earth.

The group walk\'s through bedrooms, lavatories, kitchens, and lounge areas.

Adam also spots plates, blankets, chairs, hairbrushes, and all other manner of items.

Hours pass as they stroll through the ancient stronghold. The one thing that is noticeably absent is corpses.

Why did the Some one leave their homes? Why didn\'t they take anything with them? It is a mystery.

"Well, what do we take?" Amelia says gruffly as they walk.

It\'s a good question.

Mundane items might be sold for gold, but it would be a long and exhausting affair. Also, such regular items would never get the any gold for them even if it\'s old.

"What\'s that down there?" ariana asks.

At the end of the indicated hall Adam spots a cavernous, high-ceilinged chamber.

The three of them walked towards it.

Adam was surprised to find an enormous 20-foot statue in the center of the room.

The bright lights come from a single stone embedded in the dais on which the statue stands.

In the podium were the statue was placed had some silver medals.

But strangely enough, the rainbow of light from the stone is bright enough to illuminate the entire chamber.

As they were observing the chamber, a gurgling voice says from above "What do we have here? "

Adam look\'s up to see a terrifying sight.

The entire roof of the cavern appears to be covered with a massive oozing blob.

Tentacles covered with eyes dangle down all over the place.

A single large fang-filled mouth speaks from the centre of the disgusting thing.

"Five-thousand years," it says. "At first, I hated the idea of killing someone to protect them from that stone. But, five-thousand years can change anyone\'s mind."

The blob creature is firmly clinging to the roof, but its tentacles are everywhere, including within the stone itself.

It begins to pull the ceiling of the entire stronghold down upon them while also reaching to grab Adam and his companions.

"Move over," Amelia says as she bends and pick\'s up the gold coin and medals present in the chamber.

Adam\'s concerns was not the gold and medals but, the stone which was embedded on the statue.

As he starts to pull the stone, a chunk of ceiling the size of a small wagon crashes to the ground nearby.

With a loud retort, the stone pops free as Adam quickly places it on the inventory.

"Now run!"

"It\'s blocked!" Ariana says, indicating the way they had come.

Sure enough, tentacles hang across the exit, twitching with menace.

There had been many entrances into the statue-filled cavern when they had arrived, but between the tentacles and the rubble from the quickly collapsing ceiling, nearly all of them are now inaccessible.

No words need to be said as the three of them run down a hallway, out of the large chamber.

The small antechamber at the end of the hall has a circular door, similar to the one that they used to enter the stronghold.

It stands to reason that such a feature may indicate an exterior door.

It even has the look of an entrance room, filled with shelves, tables, vases, plates, and other decorations.

Amelia calmly places her hands on the door, looking for some way to open it.

He can\'t see what she touches, but the door immediately \'hums\' as it opens, allowing fresh air into the small room.

Outside is already and the night sky was filled with stars.

"I\'m not leaving empty-handed!" Amelia says suddenly as she starts filling his hands and pockets with decorative vases, urns, and knick-knacks from the antechamber.

Adam didn\'t know what is she doing at this critical time.

Meanwhile, the entire room shakes.

Adam knows that within seconds, the stronghold will be no more and anyone still in the room will be crushed under the debris.

Adam pushed ariana outside and quickly reaches Amelia to grab her.

As he grabs her hands which was filled with some objects which is worth of few golds he bursts out of the stronghold while grabbing her.