Chapter 46: TRUST


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    Cursed elves looked exactly like I''d imagined—from a horror movie.


    They were pale, almost translucent, with a bat-like, cave-dweller appearance. Their thin and slick lavender skin made them sickly and corpse-like. They appeared more feral, with elongated limbs, sharp claws, and a skeletal, hunched posture. Their faces were gaunt, with large, leathery ears, sharp teeth, and wide, gaping mouths. I counted about a dozen crawling up the tunnels in our direction.


    I fought the urge to wretch from what I saw next.


    In a muddy pit that sank deep into the ground, dozens of cursed elves lay intertwined around a Jingozi at the center of a mountain of octranite. It was like a pile of treasure so big, you''d expect a dragon from a fantasy game to swoop down and sit on top of it. And mixed with the glowing shards were bones, weapons, and suits I recognized—Amazonian armor. These elves must''ve dragged the dead Amazons here.


    The Jingozi''s cloak was extended, wrapping around the spaghetti of torsos and limbs of the cursed elves in a grotesque embrace. Its bony hands caressed the creatures in its embrace. Its metallic mask, resembling a horned bird-like skull, tilted back, staring upward out of the pit—right at me. It was like getting caught watching some unholy orgy from above, a twisted fusion of flesh and fabric that defied comprehension.


    What the actual f—


    A shimmer caught my eye.


    I almost missed it. But tilting my head, there it was, in the reflection on the arena floor right over the location of the pit. My eyes widened as I knelt, touching the pulsing spot. Could it be? We might have a way out of this nightmare if I was right.


    I blinked out of the Jingozi arena, my eyes refocusing on the concerned faces of the monks around me.


    "Okay, brother Monks, I''ve got good news and bad news," I said. "The bad news is that, yes, cursed elves are coming our way. I figure we have little time before they reach us."


    One of the Monks was about to pass out. Another started to hyperventilate and babbled in another language.


    "Before I share the good news, I have a question," I continued. "How many of you know how to open a nexus portal?"


    "We all do," one Monk spoke up. "It''s a core discipline of Zii-Chi and our duty as temple monks."


    That was the answer I was looking for. It also explained why the northern factions wanted control of the temple. They''d only need a few Monks to betray their faction to operate the portals.


    "Thank you… I''m sorry… your name is?" I asked.


    "Fung."


    "Right on, brother Fung," I attempted a fist bump, which he ignored. "The good news is there''s a nexus. And that''s what we''ll use to create a portal out of here."


    The Monks broke out in nervous murmurs. I consciously omitted the detail that the nexus was in a pit filled with cursed elves doing God-knows-what with a Jingozi.


    "Hey, look," I said. "I know you''re scared. And I''m terrified, too. But I''m not gonna die down here—I''ve got unfinished business up there—so we''re all getting out. Remember, I''m a Jingozi apprentice…"


    I loaded my hand with a flaming Jingozi card for dramatic effect, causing them to step back in panic. Yong Ming grabbed my wrist and shook his head.


    "You must not use fire," he whispered. "The deeper we go, the more unstable the octranite, and your Jingozi abilities release too much energy."


    I nodded and unloaded my cards. Yong Ming turned to his fellow Monks and spoke in another language. Their faces changed from fear to quiet resignation. Yong Ming turned to me and gave me a fist bump.


    "What did you tell them?" I asked.


    "I told them to trust."


    "Trust?"


    "Yes. If the nexus trusts you, so shall we."


    * * *


    I held my breath. Four cursed elves crawled past our hiding spot behind the crystal formations. The eerie silence was broken by sharp claws scraping on the stones like knives on a dinner plate, making my skin crawl. Just when I thought we were in the clear, they stopped. My heart pounded so loudly that I was convinced they''d hear it.


    After several agonizing moments, they moved on. I watched them disappear into the dark, exhaled slowly, and gestured for the Monks to follow. We inched forward, careful not to make a sound.


    A Monk''s foot caught a loose crystal shard, sending it bouncing.


    Clink.


    The sound might as well have been a thunderclap.


    The four cursed elves whipped around, their sunken eyes locking onto the Monk. They charged on all fours without a sound, moving as one horrifying unit.


    I blinked behind them, unsheathing my sword, and charged it with a Jingozi card. The blade hummed with energy as I swung it in a wide arc.


    To my surprise, all four heads severed with ease, as if I''d sliced through rotten watermelons.


    The Monk scrambled out from under the headless bodies, his robes stained dark red in the rainbow glow of the crystals. I stood there, sword dripping, shocked at how easily they''d been dispatched. These creatures were nothing more than fragile shells filled with blood.


    Twelve Jingozi tokens floated on the ground where the cursed elves had fallen. That was odd. I''d only ever earned tokens during my trials when the Jingozi sent dark elves to ambush Kitty and me. Why would killing these creatures yield the same reward?


    Curious, I held out my hand. The coins leaped into my palm as if magnetized, then vanished into my inventory with a familiar tingle. I turned to the Monks.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I was met with looks of abject horror. The Monk I''d saved jittered uncontrollably, his eyes fixed on the headless bodies at my feet. The others huddled together, whispering frantically.


    "We need to keep moving," I said. "There''s going to be…"


    Something was... off. The crystals beside me had begun to vibrate, emitting a low hum that I felt on the back of my neck. They called to me, pulling at my consciousness.


    Against my better judgment, I reached out and touched one.


    A flurry of whispered voices flooded my mind—too many to count. They overlapped, creating a cacophony of ghostly sounds that made me want to claw at my ears. I couldn''t distinguish what was being said until three words came through with chilling clarity.


    We see you.


    I yanked my hand back, shuddering violently. The voices lingered, echoing in my head like a bad dream. I shook myself, trying to clear the sensation.


    "Did any of you hear that?" I asked.


    The Monks shook their heads, looking more confused.


    "We need to go," I said with urgency. "Now."


    * * *


    Blinking in and out of the Jingozi arena, I navigated us through the labyrinth of tunnels and caverns. The unsettling silence and oppressive darkness were amplified by the voices in my head every time I brushed a crystal. I now understood why nobody wanted to come down here.


    The cursed elves continued to stalk us, their attacks more frequent with each wave. I''d long since abandoned any attempts at stealth. Instead, I stood my ground in the narrow confines of the tunnel, facing them head-on as they charged silently from the shadows. Their swift, silent approach was more unnerving than their gnashing teeth and thrashing claws.


    Drenched in blood and gore, bits of flesh slid off me everywhere. My Ninja suit would clean itself—eventually. The Monks were also caked in guts and blood as they joined in, finishing off our assailants after my initial attack. By the third wave, we had it down to a process. The elves would lunge in, and I''d sidestep while slashing, sending them skidding behind me. The Monks would wait, holding crystal-spiked rocks and bludgeoning the wounded to death.


    A knot of dread formed in my throat when I saw the pit''s edge. The Monks were going to shit their pants for sure.


    I beckoned the Monks into a huddle, and we all took a knee. I gazed into each of their blood-smeared faces as I addressed them.


    "Fung, how close do you have to be to open a portal?"


    "We only have to see the nexus."


    "And how long does it take?"


    "Not very long with ten of us."


    "Okay, listen to me, all of you," I said, taking a long, hesitant breath. "You''re about to see something that will freak you out. But no matter what, stay focused. Do you understand?"


    Every Monk nodded in unison.


    "You all sneak up to the ledge up there," I continued. "The nexus is in the pit but filled with cursed elves. I''ll hold them off while you open the portal."


    They nodded again.


    "Yong Ming," I handed him the machete from my inventory. "Do you know how to use this?"


    "Of course," he said.


    "Okay, just in case. And remember, whatever you see, do not freak out. Just trust me, okay?"


    * * *


    LEVEL UPDATE


    Name: Ember [Doctrine Dealer]


    Tier: II [Bronze] Rank 4


    FEAT COMPLETE: EXPLORE THE NEXUS


    Visit 3 nexus locations.


    Bonus: Additional rewards are granted for every nexus you find from this point.


    5th nexus found: Crystal Caverns


    FEAT REWARD: CRYSTALMANCY


    You have unlocked the Crystalmancer technique and can now craft with octranite.


    As soon as we reached the nexus, every last Monk, except Yong Ming, completely freaked out.


    The scene unfolding before us was even more vile and repulsive than the frozen snapshot from the Jingozi arena. It was a nightmarish visual that assaulted every one of my senses. A grotesque mash of moist bodies, black cloak tendrils, and glittering crystal shards writhed and pulsated like a clump of oversized, putrid purple worms in a bowl of cereal.


    Name: ??? [Judgment Dealer]


    Tier: VII [Obsidian] Rank ???


    Faction: Jingozi [Chaos]


    The mass undulated in a sickening rhythm as the Jingozi leaned back, its metallic skull mask gleaming as it presumably experienced some form of depraved ecstasy. Its bony hands twitched in the air. The stench of decay and something far worse filled my nostrils, and I had to fight hard to suppress a violent gag.


    The Monks stood frozen, their faces aghast, gawking in horror. I clenched my sword, trying to steady myself against the waves of visceral revulsion.


    A Monk named Yin fainted and fell off the ledge, splashing into a pile of crystals. It was like throwing live bait into a pool of piranhas. They instantly swarmed the Monk, tearing him apart in a frenzy of fangs and claws. He didn''t scream, only staring up at us, eyes wide in shock.


    "Dammit, Yin," I muttered, before another Monk started to scream. The horde focused on him and climbed the walls.


    Yong Ming fumbled the machete and barked something in their language, snapping the group into focus. One by one, they started chanting. But that only created nine more audible targets for the cursed elves to lock onto.


    "Hey, assholes!" I screamed. "Over here!"


    The swarm shifted directions for a moment, but the chanting became louder. Each monk had several cursed elves scaling toward him. Throwing my cards risked striking a crystal and blowing up the whole room, so I blinked back and forth, cutting down any of them that came close.


    Like a whirlpool, a swirl of energy started to form right above the Jingozi. Through the shimmering lights, the Jingozi stared at me without moving. But the pit spawned an endless supply of the cursed elves, swarming like bugs. I kept yelling every shred of profanity I could think of, trying to keep their attention.


    Another Monk fell, dragged down, disappearing into the throng of predators. Opening the portal was going to take longer. My only other option was to blow the whole place and hope my Ninja suit''s fire resistance would protect me. At least that would be a swift death for the Monks.


    AUTO DODGE: SUCCESSFUL


    Card Discarded [3/3] 100%


    AUTO DODGE: SUCCESSFUL


    Card Discarded [4/6] 66%


    AUTO DODGE: UNSUCCESSFUL


    Card Discarded [3/4] 75%


    Three cursed elves pounced. I managed to evade two, but the third sank its ravening maw into my forearm. I grunted and blinked away before it could do worse. But that left a Monk vulnerable, and they were on top of him. I cocked my arm, ready to fire a card.


    A silver flash zipped through the air around the Monk, shredding the elves into fleshy ribbons. It was Kitty, screeching with a fury I''d never heard before, now a whirlwind of razor-sharp scales. She flashed to another elf about to pounce on a Monk, digging her claws into its neck while spinning her tail to shear another''s jaw clean off. But even with her new ability to fly and lightning-fast reflexes, she was too late—another elf bit into the Monk''s shoulder from behind. I winced as the sickening squelch of teeth punctured to the bone, the Monk''s cry of pain turning into a gurgle as claws raked his throat.


    I blinked into the Jingozi arena.


    Come on, think Ember.


    I paced the obsidian floor, examining my remaining cards and analyzing the situation. The cursed elves were spawning from the pit at an incomprehensible rate. I thought about asking the voice, but we weren''t really on speaking terms, and he''d give me some bullshit advice anyway—never directly getting involved.


    It''s time for the nuclear option.


    I blinked back.


    "Stop!" I shrieked, holding up a football-sized chunk of octranite crystal with a flaming Jingozi card.


    It worked. All the cursed elves cowered in place. It was a gamble, but I was right that they shared a hive mind through the crystals.


    "We see you…" the voices whispered into my ear.


    "If you can read my mind," I growled, "you know damn well I will torch this whole place to hell."


    "No…" the voices trailed.


    "Then let us go."


    "Go…"


    "Open the portal," I called to Yong Ming, who signaled others to keep chanting.


    The portal continued to form until an image of tiled floors appeared in its center.


    "What are you waiting for?" I barked.


    The Monks jumped in.


    "Kitty!" I called. She flew over and wrapped herself around my shoulders, squeaking with urgency.


    "Ember…" the voices slipped into my mind once more.


    "Yong Ming?" I yelled, "What are you waiting for? Go!"


    The Monk turned to me, his eyes glassy, and shook his head without breaking the chant. The realization slapped me in the face. Someone needs to keep the portal open.


    Still chanting, he extended his fist. I bumped it with mine and bowed.


    "You will never go home… Ember… never…" the crystal whispered.


    "Thank you for your trust, Yong Ming," I said, my voice barely audible over the hum of the portal. With a deep breath, I swan-dived off the ledge. But before I plunged into the swirling vortex, I fired a max-charged explosive shot, sending the card spiraling downward in a fiery arc.