Chapter 81 – The Stone Bridge

The cave system was gigantic. It was big enough for the blue crystals that were about ten feet tall. There were small creatures eating blue spotted mushrooms around the crystal. In their eyes reflect a person covered in gauzes. He was dragging someone and creating a trail of dirt.

It was a slow walk. A rather tiresome walk that those would see him right now would think that he was a dead man walking. Indeed, Joshua has been traversing the cave system without rest. His only rest was fainting down. Then he would be awakened by his ability, forcing him to soldier on despite his very tired body.

Somewhere along the line, in this pitiful death march of his, Joshua has begun to forego his own being. A rest would do him good. But he made his way through the wide cavern until he reached this winding water channel. He stared at this river of blue liquid. In the water, he could see blue sponges that he hasn’t seen before in his entire life. They were like sea cucumbers in a way how they look and shape.

There was no way he would swim down there. Not with his current state where he was barely hanging on to his dear life. Where should I go? Joshua thought. He could see that was there this stone platform. It was narrow and fragile looking. He could cross it but he was worried about how to lift Silo.

Silo was silent. But he could see that Joshua was looking at the stone platform. He got the idea. But he had no strength in his legs. He truly wanted to help but his confidence was rather broken. There was a feeling of helplessness yet he could not do anything about it. He could not understand Joshua.

But Joshua did not want to be understood. He only was doing this out of spite. He was doing this out of the delusion that he wanted to see the friend he was dragging, back to that nice girl in Edawick. It was a stupid goal. But it was something to strive for.

Joshua moved on. He started to his feet and arrived at the stone platform. He lifted his legs with absolute difficulty. His broken femur made this act harden than it should be. He could feel his bones creaked. He could feel his head screaming as the pain from climbing made him almost blank out and fall down the blue water. Silo helped in climbing. He used his hands to lift himself up the platform. Then Joshua started dragging Silo across the stone platform. It was slow and a careful crossing. Joshua wanted to move faster but how could he?

He was able to cross the stone platform. But that action alone made him roll his eyes back. He fell face flat on the ground and went to sleep.

Silo has seen this for fifteen times already. He has seen Joshua faint and stood up. It was Joshua’s only rest and despite being a burden. Silo crawled near to his friend. He guarded him, waiting for him to wake up. That was the only thing he could do right now.

...

Joshua woke up. He lifted his body up almost robotically. He dragged Silo’s collar again and walked down this narrow tunnel. The tunnel was enclosed. It was getting tighter the more Joshua pushes through. By the time he reached the ends of the tunnel. He saw no other way other than to crouch.

Joshua grimaced at this. He bent his legs only to smack his head against the wall. It made him stumble back and smash his back on the ground. This made him writhe for a second. He then calmed his breathing. He proceeded to crouch while twitching in pain. He started his crawl. Silo followed gingerly.

The two crawled for minutes. Along the way, Joshua fainted three times. He would lie down as if he was dead. But he would wake up from this state. He would then start crawling again. His eyes were very dull. His elbow was scraped and the more he forced himself his wounds were getting worse than it should be. His dislocated right shoulder was tearing. His broken femur had more cracks.

But Joshua continued on as if it was nothing. He was not a masochist. He was not happy how he was feeling. He was munching all the blue pills he had. He had given half of it to Silo while he ate the rest of the blue pills. Silo could forgive this selfishness.

Why would he complain when he was doing his best? Joshua could have Silo alone there in the dark. But here he was dragging him along with him despite the pathetic state he was in. Silo had his hope broken. Silo did not believe that he would be able to get out of here alive.

But even if he doesn’t believe in his own damn self. He could at least believe in this utterly unreasonable friend of his. There was no hope that could be found in Silo. But even so...he could follow the single light in from of him that shines the way.

Joshua carried on. He dragged Silo through this wide tunnel where blue-spotted mushrooms were growing. The blue mushroom was giving a strangely odd scent. The scene smelled like blueberries. It was quite tempting to eat them but he had no time for that.

So he started to his feet and moved out of the blue-spotted mushroom area and himself in this place where giant vines as thick as lamp poles grew. Like the other vegetation, he had seen in this giant cave system. The giant vines were glowing blue. It made him ask why they were glowing blue. Was it the blue crystal doing this? Did the organisms here adapt to the blue light?

Joshua was piqued by this. But that interest vanished when he felt his heart ache badly. His head throbbed in pain. He kneeled as he suddenly gripped his chest badly. Joshua vomited a pool of blood. He felt his body cold but he stood up and marched on with Silo in tow.

There was no sign of light. Joshua didn’t even know if he would be able to get back by walking the path he was in. He didn’t know. But he didn’t want to stay and find out.