Nar closed her book, and put it safely in her bookbag. She had been reading in the middle of road. The road was rocky, paved with small pebbles and stalagmites. The cave walls were made of pale rock.

They were on the road to Cliffton, to resupply (and to renew Tree's medical license). Supplies were running low, and Ruinton wasn't a place hospitable for large groups. Their path was heralded by Tree's brightly glowing lantern. Their footfalls echoed in the dark halls. Buddy walked beside Hero; his acid-green eyes, glittering with admiration, occasionally wandered towards the darned Hero (although, he is admittedly handsome). One time, when Buddy's adorableness became irresistible, he paused for a moment to pet him... I wish that was me.

Turn down that envy, N. That's not going to earn you girlfriend points.

Right now, they were sitting down for dinner. Nar was quite thankful; she was constantly falling behind with her limping.

They sat around a merry little fire to drive away the underground darkness. The tangerine light bounced on pale rock walls. Buddy's carmine fur shone in the firelight whilst he munched on a roast steak. Nar looked at him longingly, resisting the urge to pet him while she held her kebab cooking over the fire. Smoke's translucent complexion was tainted by the orange light while it was eating yoghurt from a cup. Tree's vest was decorated with brass-colored sequins, and shimmered like tinsel in darkness. They roasted a modest porkchop over the flames. Hero looked over the fire with contemplation; his ruby eyes shining like valuable ore in the dark while he barbecued modest pork cubes and edible roots over the dancing flames. Earlier, in a very Hero fashion, he offered to cook food for everyone to which everyone declined.

"Where'd you get the firewood, Tree?" Buddy asked. A curious smile was evident on his face.

"There is a forest of gnarled trees beyond the limits of Ruinton. I get our wood there. The trees are unfortunately dead and will not regrow. Soon, Smoke and I will have to move out of Ruinton," Tree answered.

"Oh," Hero said, overheating the answer. "Why Cliffton, Mountainland? Why are we going to another country to renew your license? Are there no other towns in Chasmland beside Ruinton?"

Tree's face looked dark. "No. There used to be. Chasmland as a country was an alliance between Darkton, Deepton, and Ruinton," Tree answered. They sighed before continuing. "It was formidable country. Darkton was a city of mages and warriors. Deepton was a city of miners and craftsmen. Ruinton was a city of traders and apothecaries. Then, the Calamity happened. Prometheus' bomb buried Darkton and Deepton in stone and left Ruinton in, well, ruins. Those survived the Calamity had to flee to Hilland and Mountainland to find greener pastures."

"I'm sorry," Hero replied.

"Do not be. We are over it."

Cliffton was a couple days away from Ruinton. Although it was impossible to tell through light alone, Tree had surmised that they had travelled from dawn 'til dusk. They were fairly sure that it was evening when settled down around that fire for a major rest. Hero and Tree carried most of the heavy cargo in during the trek; Smoke was weak, and Nar was injured and she's not supposed to carry heavy loads.

As the fire began to burn low, they had laid down their sleeping bags to rest for the night, except for Hero, who offered to watch over them whilst they slept. Although the caves were sparse in wildlife, a few do wander these dark tunnels. Vampire bats, ghost worms, and large spiders roamed these tenebrous depths.

Though felt definitely felt right at home in the dark claustrophobic hall, his companions felt rather unnerved by the darkness. His eyes glowed in the dark like embers, piercing through the darkness with ease, but its sinister glow rivaled the dim glow of the vampire bats' eyes in the darkness that stalked dim beyond the edge of the firelight. One or two or perhaps more had tried divebomb them with their teeth bared, but their advances were promptly by Hero.

Hero looked over his companions with vigilant eyes whilst they rested, swearing their safety.

Nar closed her book for the night. It was enough reading. She placed the precious emerald book into her bookbag, and used it as a pillow. She lay the scrimshawed walking stick that had given her strength and support beside her before she slipped into her bedding. The most handsome Buddy curled beside her to keep her safe and warm.

Good night.

~***~

*Yawn*

*Flip*

Hero watched over camp for the night. His fiery eyes watch the darkness vigilantly for danger. In his hand, his sword took form of a broadsword. Though the campfire's light had long died, his ruby eyes pierced darkness; there was no snowy wind to obscure his fiery sight.

His companions slept soundly. Echoes of danger resounded through the tunnel, yet its source was nowhere to be seen.

-xXx-

Early much for reading, Nar?

I know, but the plot must progress. Also, can the psychic talk for a bit, Hero might notice.

Right.

-xXx-

Ultrasonic squeaks echoed in the narrow tunnel, and Hero brought up his sword, ready to be wielded against a singular bat or swarm.

A wall of red eyes dimly shining in the darkness appeared. Not wanting to wake his companions in their sound sleep, Hero leveraged his element to CONSUME the sounds of battle. With his crude elemental control, he had a silent altercation.

Safely away from the sleeping forms of Nar, Buddy, Smoke, and Tree, Hero stood against the tide of black. They flew towards their camp without care. Their eyes filled with hostility, their aura soaking the world around them with fear. Hero flinched at the feeling. WATER, the bats' element, the element counter to his FIERY might. That which that flows like AIR but does not flee. That which that has no definite form like FIRE but is not as ephemeral.

-xXx-

How are you reading this? This cave is darn dark.

The book comes with a night mode and blind-friendly mode. How are you reading this? I notice you're on the same page as me.

Psychic interfacing.

That's cheating.

As a loftlander, technically you too have extrasensory powers.

-xXx-

The air was HOT with his aura, but the monsters felt not a bit intimidated by his steamy display of might. They advanced. Their muffled battle-squeaks echoed on the walls.

Hero too advanced. He stepped forward and began cleaving in twain those who stray to close to the camp. The metal blade was hot with his passion. Infused with the blazing desire and resolve to impart kindness and protection, the sword flew in the air, inflicting grievous wounds to the bats' bodies.

Their bodies began to pile up on the pebbly floor. Their foul blood pooled into puddles. Their hideous screams would have been deafening if Hero's FIRE hadn't been consuming away their noise. His blood churned beneath his skin as if ready to leap from any of his wounds, attracted to their repugnant elemental magicks.

The tide of vampiric bats appeared never-ending. They charged into Hero's edge with mindless fury. He fought until the flock had thinned and until there were no more that charged into the fray.

A few opportunistic bats managed to break through his defense and attempt a bite on his companions. It seemed that Tree's and Smoke's lifeblood weren't to their liking as he had observed them gravitating toward Nar and Buddy, totally ignoring Tree and Smoke. Hero had dealt with them quickly and quietly; his sword morphed into a hook to pull them away and pierce their defenses whilst they were distracted.

Hero stood in the middle of the dark cave, against the last vestiges of the horde of bats. He received minimal injuries during the ordeal. Their bloody eyes lay on his body, interested in the powerful warrior blood that flowed in his veins. They looked at him with intelligence. They were cunning creatures that thought of ways to win rather than just fight.

Hero glared at them hard. He had never glared this hard before. He bared his ivory teeth at the remaining bats beyond the boundaries of his aura. His teeth may have turned to wicked steel fangs in his display. Blood coated his body like a second skin. His blood, red like cinnabar, leaked from the cuts and punctures the hundreds of bats had managed to score on him.

The remaining bats, the last few of their court, who've been starved of blood, watched with glee at the Hero whose blood was overflowing with life. Those were eyes that felt no remorse, empty of empathy, and looked upon other creatures merely as animals to feed upon.

Hero stood there, imitating the EARTH, resolute, determined, and protective, but he was also a creature of FIRE, dynamic, emotional, and of life. He stood there like a bastion against the forces of darkness, refusing to walk forward and step into whatever trap those cunning eyes had concocted.

The clicks from their chittering teeth echoed in the dark halls. Hero kept his eyes glued to the malevolent eyes. They stared at his body, filled with such lively lifeblood that it could sustain them for months on end. The only thing they needed to get some of it was an opportunity to get a decisive strike.

The clicking intensified. Sweat dribbled from his skin as his sweltering HOT magic incinerated the tinnitus and bloody smell. Hero could have sworn to have seen the bats smile, baring their hooked fangs in delight as the clicking increased in volume.

It was then that Hero had realized that the bats didn't chitter, and the clicks weren't a product of their teeth, but rather a product of hundred of feet walking on the rocky surfaces.

And the source of the sounds were already a stone's throw away.

Outside the bounds where Hero reigned dominion with his aura, ghost worms came.