Chapter 3- Trapped

Christine’s POV

Damn, Damn, Damn! I cursed myself in my mind, how I could make a terrible mistake after gaining the certificate I can lead a group to explore the ruins.

Three of us readied our weapon while being surrounded by automatas.

30 years ago in the Aplita Mountain range, A group of Hunters accidentally discovered the automata the first Automatas when while taking refuge inside the cave to escape the rain.

The lone survivor who survives the onslaught told the Exploration Guild everything about the cave and what happen inside.

They are waiting inside the cave for the rain to stop and explored the cave because they might be able to find valuable things inside the caves that belong to the people of an ancient civilization. They couldn’t tell the time since the passageways are pitch black but they already spent considerable amount time inside, and the only source of light they have is a torch.

Then someone emerges in the dark hall.

A human wearing gray and white dotted clothing. The hunter asked the guy several questions, but the person didn’t say a single word and continued to look at us.

We noticed that his clothing is very different from the one we are wearing, but the really caught our attentions is the metal item he is holding.

They explored the cave while talking to each other, but the weird human didn’t say anything, but we know he is listening. We spotted an animal inside the cave. It’s a War Bat.

It’s one of the most dangerous anime inside because of its fangs contain poison that it can kill someone within just a few seconds, it also has another reason why is it feared, it’s very hard to kill because its whole body is covered by armor.

The only way to kill the War bat is to wait until it launches an attack because the armor on the head will open or to shoot an arrow aiming at the single hole in the helmet but to do that the marksman must live in the motto “One Arrow, One kill.”

The leader of the Hunters group become greedy, and he attacked him and aiming for the head. But the next thing happen is that they were left speechless.

The head of an unidentified human is still intact, but the iron sword broke into two. The eyes of human turn red, then 10 more appeared out of nowhere. Out of fear the youngest hunter run as fast as he can to escape, because of the red-eyed human, crushed the head of the leader barehanded.

The survivor continuously runs without looking back, when he got outside of the cave, the red-eyed people stop following him.

After his report, the Exploration Guild send a group of 150 ranked 3 explorers to the cave.

15 red-eyed human intercepted them, and they fought until the bitter end, it was revealed they are not average human because their whole body is made of metal. Only 5 explorers survived the battle

The story of the Red-eyes people catches the king attention, and he sends 1000 soldier to destroy them to see the things that the red-eyed humans are guarding. The battle between the soldiers and Red-Eyes was totally one-sided. The kingdom soldiers got easily killed, they tore the armors and shields barehanded. It was a massacre. The 2 soldiers survived by hiding under the bodies of their dead comrade. When the battle ended, They escaped and report to their king what happened inside the cave.

The Exploration Guild announced that the monsters name is Automata. A human made of metal.

It is a famous story in the academy, that never underestimate a cave because no one knows what is lurking inside.

“MELISHA! RIKA LET’S let's make a run for it!”

“OK!”

We started running, and the automatas are chasing us, but I noticed there is something weird in their action.

“Wait!” I shouted to stop the two.

“Why are you stopping Christine!?”

Rika Angrily yelled at me, but I calmly answer her question

“There is something weird about them, the academy and book depicted them as heartless and will kill anyone, but they just stood there, watching our movement.”

“Maybe they are just looking for an opening in guards.”

“I think not because they are capable of slaughtering Rank 3 Explorer and Kingdom soldiers in large number that means they can quickly kill us and I sense someone’s gaze and it’s watching us.”

We continued our conversation while being surrounded, then we heard a loud howl, in the corner of the cave a pack of giant wolf emerges.

“First is Automatas, then now a pack of crystal wolves!!!!.” (Rika)

“Stop complaining and ready yourselves!!!!” (Christine)

“How can we fight a rank 4 beast!” (Melisha)

“It’s better to fight that monster until our last breath!, I’ll do the initiative attack, and the two of you go for the kill.”

It is true that these monsters are stronger than us, but this doesn’t mean that I’ll just stand here and wait for my death.

“Let’s do it!”

I began dashing while holding my steel longsword with both hands, Melisha began the assault by firing arrows at the monster and Rika started running holding her daggers in reverse.

The crystal wolf is a sturdy monster because of its crystal armor, if one fought this monster without any information, they would die quickly, but for us explorer we are trained to always aim for the weak point and utilized the enemies weakness to our advantage.

The neck is the weak point and its primary weakness the speed.

“I Won't DIE IN THIS PLACE!!!!” I shouted d as a war cry, I swing my sword downward aiming at the gap between the body and head since it’s softest and open part of the crystal wolf.

The slash connected, the head fell down, and the blood gushing out from the decapacitated body.

It’s my first monster kill, and It feels good.

It’s a feeling I never felt before, it really feels good.

While I keep slashing the monster, I saw Rika nimbly avoiding the monsters attack, and cutting the neck of the wolf like butter, while Christine marksmanship is superb, the arrows she always released always hit the weak point, and the amazing part, she is running at fast speed and avoiding the attacks.

The two of them killing the monster.

I felt relieved because the two of them are safe, and fighting very well

A big smile can be seen on my face, and I declared

“I won’t lose to your kill count!”

“We are not competing Christine!, We are fighting for our lives here.”

Melisha retorted me, I only smiled wryly at her.

To survive in this battle.

Avoid the attack and landing the perfect attack in the neck.

I kept on my moving in a different direction to confuse the wolf, and once I spotted an opening, I will grab It and swing my sword aiming at the neck.

The battle is going in our favor, but when we thought we are winning, the ground started shaking, the remaining wolves started running away.

The shaking getting intense at a fast pace.

Then a silhouette formed in the dark hallway, and we barely recognize it, a loud growl resounded in the place and we instinctively put our hands on ears.

It slowly entered the area with lights.

My eyes widened, and gulped my saliva

“Impossible.”

We manage to win against the wolves, but this one is not something we can defeat.

I’m a rank 5 explorer, but all of my achievements is because of my father and brothers, During the battle, I only stand behind them, and they keep killing the monster leaving nothing for me.

Melisha and Rika might be newly graduate, but their fighting capacity is a top notch that can rival rank 5 or 6.

It is the most dangerous beast that lives in the mountains.

“Why is a dragon in this place!?”

Rika shouted after regaining sense while Melisha lost consciousness because of fear.

A fire dragon, it has the span of 5 mets and its height is about 10 mets tall, and it’s red scales indicate it's attributed.

The dragon looked at Rika running while carrying Melisha.

I started running to save the two of them, but halfway fatigue struck me, and I fell down.

The dragon breathed fire, aiming at them.

“NNNNOOOOO!!! RIKA! MELISHA! ANSWER ME”

Unable to control my emotion

I saw it all the fire engulf them and burned them, the last thing I heard is their scream.

I began crying heavily while shouting the name of my friends.

It was my fault they died.

I looked at the dragon that stopped breathing fire, and its line of sight changes and now staring at me.

I returned my gaze while my tears didn’t stop and stared at the place where my friends got engulf by fire and location that are now burned.

My body is still trembling with fear, but I stood up and ready my stance to fight and to avenge them.

“There is no point of returning above the ground.”

I started running toward the dragon that is standing looking down on me.

The dragon tried to grab me, but I avoided it by jumping.

I landed on the arm of the dragon and continued running on its arm to reach the head.

When the dragon noticed my action, it tried to brush me off, but I jumped with all my might.

Using the weight of my fall, Thrusting my sword to give more penetration power to my attack, but the next thing happens is within my expectation, the sword broke upon contact the dragon’s hard scale.

It’s either I fall first, or the dragon causes my inevitable death, and I just closed my eyes.

“I’m sorry, I’m Sorry. I tried fighting that monster, but It is impossible for me to defeat a dragon. I couldn’t avenge you guys.” (Christine)

Tears started pouring again

Images suddenly poured inside my head.

The images are thing happened in my past.

I saw my mother who passed away when I was four, my father who trained me, my brother who are my playmates when they are home, and my friends, my 2 best friends Melisha and Rika who died in front of me because of my wrong choice.

“I’m Sorry”