Cycle of Ruin - Arrival: A LitRPG Series

Chapter 10

Leo leaned his back against the soft bark of a large pine, trying to catch his breath as he stared up at the walls of the canyon looming before him. It seemed to stretch from one end of the island to the other, forming a natural barrier with the only way forward through a darkened pass that cut in between the cliffs.

His eyes traced the flow of the small stream he was following as it disappeared into the maw of the pass. The dim light from the two moons as they descended on either side of the island wasn't enough to stave off the inky darkness that draped the entrance. If he was to heed Zeld's advice and continue following the river, he would have to try his luck with whatever dangers lurked within.

He let out a sigh before trudging warily toward the opening. The old man wouldn't send him somewhere that could get him killed, right? He chuckled darkly at the thought. He hadn't even known the crazed old hermit for a full day, and even he knew that was hopeless thinking. Zeld had outfitted him with all the tools he needed to survive, but it was still up to him to make that a reality. Tools after all were dependent on the one who wielded them.

As he approached the entrance, the occasional sound of falling gravel could be heard over the soft trickle of the stream beside him. The sound rebounded off the pass's steep walls from somewhere within the void. His stomach tightened as fear of the unknown caused his heart to quicken its pace.

It was a cruel irony that he had to risk his life now for a better chance at surviving in the future.

Stepping into the pass felt like he had stepped out into another world. The steep walls blocked the wind and light while keeping every sound confined within. The falling of rocks and soft scuttling of movement echoed around him while the thick blanket of shadow made even the faintest details of anything several feet in front of him impossible to see.

He continued his slow march inwards, consistently stubbing his toe on the edges of rocks sharp enough to prod his feet even through the thick sole of his boots. The heavy darkness thickened with every step he took, and he quickly lost sight of the stream beside him. Without sight, all that remained was sound. With growing tension, he kept up his march, the soft noise of water flowing over rock helping to quell his growing anxiety.

The lack of sight meant it was easy to get turned around, and the stream helped guide him forward in the darkness, letting him know he wasn't just running in circles or about to step off the island.

The nearby sound of gravel tumbling off to his left caused his heart to jump. Leo froze as the noise from its passage reverberated off the walls around him. He turned his head up, straining his eyes to see what might have toppled the stones over the edge, but he was barely able to make out the shadowed tops of the cliff where the moonlight was brightest.

Not seeing or hearing any further signs of danger, he trudged on, his breathing shaky. It only took a few more steps forward for the exact same scenario to quickly play out again, this time on his right.

The loss of sight was waging a psychological war inside his head, etching away at his resolve to continue forward. His mind was screaming at him that he was walking into the heart of an ambush, one he wouldn't be able to walk away from, and with every pebble that fell, the claim seemed to be gaining ground.

Just as the enclosure of darkness started to become too much for him to bear, he remembered the Night's Shadow he had gathered when he had first entered the garden. He opened his pouch, hoping the plants hadn't been ruined in his death. Picking at random, he placed one of his ingredients in his mouth. There was a flaky bitter taste and the muscles in his body seemed to quiver and tighten, letting him know he had chosen the wrong one. He felt around the few different types of plants until he finally came across what he thought was the right one.