The iron mine stood like a gaping maw before Solis, its dark mouth beckoning him forward with whispers of danger. The sun had already dipped past the horizon, and the orange glow of dusk offered the last bits of warmth before the mine swallowed him whole.
Solis stood still for a moment at the entrance, gripping the hilt of his large sword strapped to his back. "Hang in there, Phill," he murmured. Then, without another thought, he stepped into the darkness.
The air grew cooler as he descended the worn path, lit only by occasional torches left behind long ago by forgotten miners. His boots crunched over broken stones, and the silence was punctuated only by his own footsteps and the distant sound of dripping water. Deeper into the tunnel, a faint rustling noise made him pause. He drew his sword, ready for anything—but it was just the wind, sighing through cracks in the rock.
It was then that he spotted something on the wall: a note, yellowed with age and pinned to the rock with a rusted nail. He plucked it free and squinted to read it:
"If you are here, you should leave as soon as possible. This place is not meant for the sane or the living."
Solis frowned. That didn't bode well. Still, he folded the note and placed it in his pocket. "I didn't come this far to turn back."
Venturing further into the mine, the narrow walls opened up into a larger chamber. The floor was cracked and scorched, the smell of sulfur thick in the air. A growl echoed from behind one of the rock pillars. Solis turned just in time to see a fire Salamander scuttling toward him, its molten skin glowing like a furnace.
Solis leapt forward, swinging his sword in a wide arc. The blade met the Salamander's body, slicing through it with ease. More of them emerged from the shadows, hissing and snarling. He fought them off, each slash more taxing than the last, until silence returned.
He took a deep breath, sweat beading on his forehead. As he walked through the chamber, something caught his eye—a journal page, lying beside an old, shattered lantern.
He picked it up and read:
"This mine was once our pride. We found iron, then traces of mana-imbued ores. But the deeper we dug, the stranger the creatures became. Salamanders were only the beginning. Some say we disturbed something ancient, something that mutated everything it touched. That's when we sealed the mine."
A chill went down Solis's spine. "Mutated creatures? Great."
Still, he pressed on, deeper into the mine. The walls became darker, the heat more intense. It was as if he were walking into a furnace. His breath came short, and his armor grew heavier with every step. He stopped, panting, then made the decision to strip off his armor. Left in only his shirt and pants, he tied the armor pieces into a bundle and carried them on his back.
As he moved forward, strange creatures began to appear. These weren't just Salamanders. Some had mismatched limbs, others half-melted faces, glowing red eyes, and twisted claws. The heat made it hard to breathe, and his vision began to blur.
"Is there a magma vent down here?" he muttered. "I need to hurry."
He drew his sword again. This time, as the creatures came charging, he grit his teeth and unleashed his power.
A deep orange aura burst around him like a flame, swirling with intensity, flickering violently in the sweltering darkness of the mine. It licked at the air like fire born from within, casting long, dancing shadows across the molten-slick walls. The 'Aura Release' technique he'd spent six grueling months mastering surged through his veins like lightning, amplifying his reflexes, speed, and strength to unnatural levels.
With a renewed roar, Solis launched forward, becoming a blur of motion. His greatsword cleaved through the first deformed creature in a single, upward swing, the blade glowing faintly from the heat and aura. Another lunged—part lizard, part molten rock—but Solis twisted, parried, and brought his blade crashing down with explosive force, leaving a splatter of ash and burning ichor.
A third beast slithered out from a crevice, its molten jaws gaping wide. Solis slid under its bite, rolled, then rose with a spinning slash that split the creature in half. He moved like a tempest, every motion fueled by the raw energy of his aura, dancing between opponents with a mastery only born from intense training and desperation.
But the longer he fought, the more the heat took its toll.
His aura flickered. His chest heaved. The once-smooth fluidity of his strikes began to falter, tiny hesitations worming their way into each movement. His sword grew heavier in his grip, his arms trembling slightly with each swing. The air was thick—choking, smothering. It wasn't just heat anymore. It felt alive, as if the mine itself resented his presence.
Solis grit his teeth, slicing through another deformed beast, but the strain showed. His aura dimmed for a split second, and in that moment, two more creatures came from behind. He spun too late. One scraped across his shoulder, the impact throwing him forward into a jagged rock.
He hit the ground hard. Dust clouded his vision. His sword skittered across the floor. His hands trembled as he tried to push himself up.
"Damn it... not now..." he muttered, his voice ragged, barely audible over the screeching cries of the encroaching monsters.
The swirling orange light around him sputtered like a dying fire. His muscles screamed in protest. The air was molten, burning his lungs with each breath. Every heartbeat felt like a hammer in his chest.
A mutated creature crept closer, glowing eyes narrowed, jaws parting to reveal rows of obsidian fangs.
Solis reached for his sword, fingers barely brushing the hilt.
His mind screamed at him to move—but his body refused.
So this is how it ends? he thought, bitterness rising like bile. All that training... all that hope...
Suddenly, a hand reached out from the shadows and yanked him into a hidden side chamber.
Solis dropped to the ground with a grunt, his aura flickering out. He blinked as his vision cleared—and saw a familiar face.
"You..." he gasped. "Thanks. I almost... (huff)... burned out my stamina."
Phill gave a shy, crooked smile. His shoulder-length hair was even messier up close, and one eye remained covered. "I should thank you. I kinda got trapped here. You've cleared most of them... sort of."
Solis leaned against the wall, finally noticing his surroundings. There, beside Phill, was Vaidya's satchel, the ladle, and a pile of other oddities.
He raised an eyebrow. "So... this your secret hideout?"
Phill nodded. "Yeah, sort of. Used to be quiet. Then those creatures started showing up. Never seen 'em here before."
Solis exhaled, half-laughing. "So... it seems we have to wait a little now. Let's pass the time. As far as I know, you're Phill, right?"
"Yeah," Phill replied. "Maybe Maglina told you? I guess I have something you want, right?"
Solis pointed at the satchel. "To be honest, that's my friend's. And you stole that."
Phill looked away sheepishly. "Well... uh... you know. I didn't mean harm. I just... needed stuff. I thought no one would miss it."
"You could've just asked, you know."
Phill chuckled nervously. "I'm not good with people. Talking, I mean. Everyone looks at me weird. Like I'm some freak."
Solis tilted his head. "You're not a freak. You're just... misunderstood. Maybe you need a friend."
Phill looked at him, surprised. "You'd... be friends with me? Even after all this?"
Solis shrugged. "You saved my life. That counts for something. And I've seen worse. Trust me."
A silence passed, but it was a comfortable one. Phill leaned back, looking thoughtful. "Thanks. I don't remember the last time someone said that."
Solis smiled. "Now that we're friends, you owe me a story. How'd you end up here anyway?"
"I used to come down here to hide," Phill said softly. "From people. From the world. It was quiet, and no one came this deep. But then... today things changed. The creatures came. I tried to stay away, but I couldn't. I felt like... something wanted me here."
Solis looked at him closely. "Something?"
Phill nodded. "Like a voice. A whisper, sometimes. Telling me to go deeper. I never did. Until I saw that satchel. I thought maybe I'd find someone else. I guess I did."
Solis frowned. "That's not normal. But whatever it is, we're leaving together. No more hiding."
Phill smiled again, more genuinely this time. "Okay."
After a short rest, the two gathered their belongings. Solis tied Vaidya's satchel securely to his back and adjusted his makeshift armor bundle. Together, they stepped out of the chamber.
To their surprise, the mine was quiet. Eerily so. Not a creature in sight.
"That's... suspicious," Solis muttered.
Phill nodded. "Maybe they retreated. Or something scared them off."
They didn't linger to find out. Step by step, they climbed back through the winding tunnels. The air grew cooler the closer they got to the surface. Finally, they saw the entrance, the dusky twilight welcoming them back.
Solis stood at the edge, breathing in the fresh air. "We made it."
Phill shaded his eyes and squinted at the sky. "I didn't think I'd ever see the stars again."
Solis chuckled. "Next time you want to explore a haunted mine, bring a friend." Solis says it in a mocking way.
Phill grinned. "I already have one."
Together, they walked away from the mine, toward the others who still searched in the woods.