I have walked through the northerly portion of the swamp for two hours and found out the entree of the cave. I had commenced my journey from the city at daybreak. Right away, I could pick up the birds waking up, few animals running on the dry land in search of nutrient. It was such a beautiful morning. I could have waited until I have trained some more, only if you begin to believe that you would manage something at a later date, then you would never be ready. Whatever you have to do, do it now.

When Zanesur told me about the story of Hui’Mi blocking the entrance of the cave, I thought he would have blocked it by placing a massive stone or something at the entrance. But I was wrong. What I saw was not a big boulder, but a simple door. It was just an ordinary door. Lack of maintenance had resulted in deep rusting and weeds had grown all over the place. But the entrance door was large, some few feet taller than me. Only a small part of it was seen on the ground. That made me suspect that the real lair lies underground.

Thankfully, I have brought rations with me which included more than 20lts of clean water in a flask, some dried meat enough to last me for 3-4 days and 5 fire stones to create fire. I figured that if or when my rations gets depleted, I could always eat the monsters inside and I’m hoping there should be a few monsters waiting for me.

I walked closer to inspect it and to figure out a way to open it. I tried to clean away some dust, mud and weeds from some part of the door. When some of it had cleared enough to reveal the real part of the door; I found some inscriptions on it. I cleaned some more after 30 mins of cleaning, I saw that the inscription was a sentence written in our clan’s ancient tongue.

“যে আশল রাজা হবে, সেই জানবে কি করে এটা খুলতে হয়ে ।”

“রাজা, নিজের রক্ত দরজার দান কনে রাখা ক্রিস্টালয়ে প্রদান করো।”

It said:-

“ THE ONE WHO WOULD BE THE REAL KING COULD OPEN THIS DOOR”

“KING, DROP SOME OF YOUR BLOOD ON THE CRYSTAL WHICH IS TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DOOR.”

I cleaned the right side of the door to find the crystal. After some rigorous cleaning, I found the crystal. It was black in color, almost looked like a rock if not for certain inscribing on it which was too hard to read for me. After dropping a few drops of my blood on the crystal, I waited for something to happen. Few mins passed and something was shown to me.

CAVE OF THE SEALED MONSTERS:-

YOU, THE NEW LORD OF THE BLOOD HAVE ACCEPTED THE QUEST TO CLEAR THE CAVE.

GOOD LUCK !!!

With a loud sound and vibrations, the door started to open. When the whole door opened, air was sucked inside for some time, releasing some foul smell at first. Then it got clear, but it was dark inside. With the help of the light outside I could see that it had no stairs but a gradual drop. It had a tunnel which went deep underground. I tried to find something with which I could light a fire to help me see inside the cave. Touching or smelling everything on the wall on both sides, I found some dried powder to the upper side of both the walls. I thought for a while, what it could be. I had never seen this kind of powder before, but why was it here on a small panel made on the wall of the tunnel. I tasted a little portion of it. It was bitter... YUCK!!! I took a wild guess and tried to light it with a fire stone. It did not work… how could I fight inside the dark… After pondering over it for a while I thought… oh well, I will find out a way when I’m down inside the tunnel. I made a torch from scratch and went inside without closing the door behind me… I’ll keep it open, if I find this fight to be too tough… no… that won’t happen.

I walked inside the tunnel, taking steps slowly. Though it was dark, but the torch helped me to see down there. From what I could see, I saw a single path ahead of me and surrounded by muddy walls. I was angry at one point of not getting a skill to see in the dark. After walking some more, I came across a lever on the wall at my right side and in front of it was a door. How could a tunnel made by monsters have doors inside them and what was the lever for? Maybe the Bloods had created the door to act as a line of defence. I pulled down the lever and with a sudden sound, the door opened. What was going on?? Was the only thing that came into my mind after seeing the view in front of me.

I saw the tunnel, continue forward and the walls at either side of the tunnel had big torches at regular intervals. The torches had a fire stone in them giving of continuous light. Something was very wrong here… How could a tunnel deep in the ground made by monsters had torches in them??

Suppressing those thoughts I moved on, unsheathing my swords and readying myself from any and all dangers. I moved slowly inspecting every bit of the tunnel, trying to listen to any sound out of the ordinary.

I felt an eerie feeling, the space inside the tunnel was enough for me to move and dodge to either side. I knew that these monsters would be strong and even stronger than me. I luckily had given instructions to Adi’Je to rule in my absence many days ago and also yesterday night when I slept at Naj’Raks, I gave her all the instructions for each and every one of the Councillors and also for Adi’Je about how or what to do in my absence... At least they would have a good Queen ruling over them even if I don’t return.

My thoughts started to fly towards different direction; I tried to stop thinking about those moments I spent with Naj’Rak yesterday at her home. There was a left turn ahead so I took it. I felt a warm feeling inside me while I thought about those moments we spent. After walking a little further, the road bifurcated, one way to the left leading to a closed door with a lever at the side and the other on the right, which was a tunnel leading straight. I decided to open the door and find out what lies on the other side. I suppressed my thoughts and kicked into battle stance. I pulled down the lever and the door opened while sucking some air inside.

When the door opened, a large room came to my sight and they were filled with staggering monsters. They were really ugly… had two arms which I gathered were used to slash at enemies, had two long and strong feet with dark green colored body. Their face was integrated in their neck, eyes and a large mouth, protruding out of the neck. From what Zanesur told me, they also spat poison from those sick looking mouths. There were at least 10-15 of them, all trying to get their bearings right. I suppose after years of paralysis and being frozen would do that. But I didn’t give them any chance to recover as my chance of survival would drop. I dashed forward to the one which was closest to me.

I raised my left sword and upon reaching the monster I slashed vertically at its leg but with a downward angle. Its leg came right out, it staggered and fell down on the ground with a grunt, before it could move again, I stabbed a sword through its head with my right. It was finished but many more were left, I targeted those monsters who were disoriented the most. I dashed towards another one and used the same technique resulting in a success. Then onto another one, with the same way I killed six of them before the rest had become accustomed to their state. They saw me and without wasting a single moment, dashed forward to kill me… They were really fast, considering their body. Within seconds I was in their striking zone.

The closest one spat something out through its mouth, which I assumed to be poison; I was ready for it and rolled to my left. When I got up to my feet, I saw two monsters already had reached close towards my position and slashed their arms at me with a downward motion. In all fairness, I didn’t want to defend or dodge as it would take more time and I still had many more to kill. So with a quick upwards slash with my right, I met their attack. Their arms came clean off, spraying blue jelly like substance on me. I think that was their blood. Normally I don’t mind blood sprayed upon me, it helped me with one of my major skills… but this was the first time I truly felt disgusting to the point that I wanted to throw up at that spot.

They gave a shrill scream while one of them spat its poison towards me. But I had already changed my position. I was now behind both of them and jumped on the back of the one that had spat poison earlier. I drove my sword which was in my left straight through the back of its neck, though I’m calling it a neck, it could easily have been its head and while in momentum, I turned and with a backward motion cut the other one’s neck with my sword in my right, instantly killing both of them. Upon landing on my back, I rolled up and got on my feet facing the door. I turned to face the rest of the monsters. I saw multiple shots of poison came hurtling towards me. I dodged to my right, rolling on the ground to cover the distance between me and my next opponent. When I closed in on it, the monster released its arms at me; I got up and put my sword in my right hand up to block the attack.

Its arms went through my sword, got severed in the process, jetting out that disgusting blood of it’s on me and to my woe, some got in my mouth… I was awful… with my left I stabbed it on its stomach and used my right to slash at his neck. It fell like a tree revealing another group of two jumping towards me. I also plunged forward; this time I let their attack hit me on my armour. Their attack stopped, though it was stopped, but the force was great. I was pushed back a little. I realized one had crept behind me so when I absorbed the force I jumped to my right. When I got up on my feet and looked towards them, I saw a spurt of the poison which was shot by the one behind me, hit one of the monsters. It melted right at the spot.

Now I would not die, but be melted if I got hit even once with the poison… Great… I raced towards the one that had spit the poison before and stabbed it in its neck head. Then I moved to kill the other one. After finishing it off, I looked to see how many were left.

Good… only three left. They had increased their distance from me and got ready to spit a barrage of poison. I was at a disadvantage. I activated a skill of mine, which was apt for this situation. The environment became slow as I calmed my heart… taking long breaths. Then I dashed forward with one goal in my mind. They were slow to react… when they even tried to shoot their poison from their mouths, I had closed the distance between them and me. Now I was at their face… very slow… with my right, I slashed the one in the front with a downward slash at an angle cutting right through its body. After finishing it, I dashed forward towards the one on my left. I used my left to stab it right through its neck. Then I turned my gaze toward the last remaining monster. By that time, it had already released its poison. I dodged the spit and jumped towards it. It was unprepared for my attack, I landed on its chest and drove both my swords through its neck. It fell down, lifeless with me standing over his dead body... Finally, the room was clear.

I could have moved on through the tunnel, but decided against it. I decided to take rest there for a while. It took me nearly 40 mins to put all the bodies in one place. Though they were numerous, but I had food with me and didn’t want anything from them, so I decided not to eat them. After stacking them up at a single place, I decided to inspect the room.

There was nothing significant in the room. No traces of the hostages as well. What really had interested me was that how could a group of monsters build this place? This is not how a typical monster lair should look like. How could they have built doors or placed torches at regular intervals or create medium sized room? There were many questions going through my mind, but no answer.

I placed myself diagonally facing the door. I left the door open to have a clear visual outside of the room, so that I could maintain vigilance while resting. I could attract attention of the one’s that are still alive. I cannot sleep here, but can rest here for a bit.A started a fire with the help of a fire stone. I brought out a portion of the dried meat and cooked it. While I rested, I had the opportunity to think about the moments I spent with Naj’Rak.

When I reached her home last night to sleep for the night, I felt as if she was not her usual self. She did come over from my home, where who knows what Adi’Je might have done. It also was nice to see Aby finally owning up to her feelings. She looked cute when she said those things and even cuter when we were kissing each other. But, we can never be together… the curse has changed my life. I cannot be with neither Aby nor Marion… I do not want their bloods on my hands… It was really a complicated situation…or did I make that?? Well, nothing I can do about it now, except accepting the situation I’m in.

After a good 30 min of rest I continued on. I closed the door of the room from the outside. In front of me, all I could see was a long tunnel with no monsters. Are there any left? Or there may be even more rooms like this, only one way to find out. I walked straight for another 15- 20 mins, still no sigh of them, but I was ready none the less. A left turn came and I took it only to find out the way has been blocked by two of those monsters. They were just standing idly before realizing that I was there. They started their attack in unison. I waited to see if they use their poison or not. Much to my surprise, they didn’t. They came closer with their arms raised. They wanted to cut me into pieces. Good… I arched down a bit, reading my two swords while building up pressure under my feet. When they were in striking distance, before they could strike, I jumped forward, releasing the pressure from my feet down on the ground. At a moments notice, I impaled both of them in their necks perfectly, stopping their attacks. After killing them; I put their bodies aside and moved on.

I had walked maybe some few meters when suddenly I was confronted by a monster that had blindsided me, emerging from a small space from the my left. The space was dark, not lit like others so I didn’t think about it much. But now, upon its emergence I have slipped and was trying to regain my balance. It raised its sharp looking claw and struck me. Though my armour absorbed the attack, but the force pushed me back and I fell down. I was on my back, facing the monster. It used another of its claw in a downward strike. I used my sword in my right to block the strike. As usual, when its claw struck the sword, it severed and its disgusting blood spurt out while it screamed in agony. I quickly got up but was met with another claw attack. It was a horizontal slash, which I tried to dodge by stepping back. But it caught some part of my left arm on its way out. It was a deep cut, but it didn’t bother me that much. Flesh wound was, no matter to me, but the pain was. I hated the nagging pain. I got my balance back and plunged my right towards its stomach. It went through along some of my arm. The force I used, caused a through and through wound in its stomach. I retracted my arm along with the sword and it fell backwards. I used my regeneration skill to mend the wound.

I walked another 20 mins to find another left turning. I carefully turned to see three monsters standing at the far end of the tunnel. I carefully moved towards them without making a slightest sound. It occurred to me that they didn’t pick up my presence. I walked stealthily to inflict a surprise attack on them. When I was close enough to them to commence my attack, I used my sword in my left to the stab one in front of me then I used the momentum to turn and used a backward slash to cut another one’s neck or head. I’m still confused as to how to refer them. Two of them died instantly, while the third one realized the situation it was in. It quickly spat poison, which I ducked easily and stab it in its chest, killing it.

I had up to now walk for many hours, I actually lost track of it a while back. I was moving inside the tunnel where every nook and corner I faced multiple monsters. It was very tiring at this moment and I found no place to rest. The situation was pretty odd as I still did not find any survivors or any trace of them. Where are they kept? Or was Hui’Mi’s information wrong? If it was wrong then who built this tunnel as it did not look like the work of some monsters. While immersed in my own thoughts I came in front of another door. This time it was a big door which made me think something important was inside it. I decided to take rest in front of it for a while and to eat something.

After 30 mins of resting, I heard muffled sounds coming from inside. It was not clear, but still audible. I readied myself and went ahead to open the door. I noticed, there was no lever this time… so how should I open this?? I thought. I tried to observe the door itself for clues. It didn’t contain anything so I decided to push the door. Putting both of my hands on the door, I used most of my strength to push it. After trying for a while it budged. I used almost all of my strength and finally I succeeded to open the door completely. It parted from its middle to reveal a very nasty sight and smell…Ufff…it was awful…but what I saw was even more disgusting.

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