Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"Boom!"

The ground and the whole cave trembled, and a deafening noise reverberated through the air. They turned in shock, but before they could react, the entrance was sealed shut by several large boulders.

Panic set in as they called out to the man, their voices echoing in the confined space. "Sir! Are you there, Sir? Can you hear us?"

But there was no response. The only sound was the distant rumbling of the rocks settling into place. They rushed to the blocked entrance, trying to move the boulders, but they were too heavy and firmly lodged.

"We're trapped," Aurelius said, frustration evident in his voice.

"Hm, I hope nothing happened to the Sir," Aurelia muttered.

"Yeah," Irithel agreed recalling how kind the man was.

"I think this was a trap made by the bandits," Aurelius said, looking at the two. "Since we can't open here, we can only enter further into the cave and find another way out."

"Agreed," Aurelia said, her voice resolute. "We need to keep moving forward and stay alert. There's bound to be another way out."

Irithel nodded, her eyes scanning the darkness ahead. "Let's stick together and be careful. Who knows what else might be waiting for us here? Ignis can you light us the way?"

Ignis grumbled but eventually nodded, fire enveloped his whole body glowing brightly.

Ignis's fiery glow illuminated the dark passage, casting flickering shadows on the rough stone walls as they moved cautiously forward. The narrow tunnel twisted and turned, leading them deeper into the heart of the mountain. The air grew colder, and a sense of foreboding settled over them.

After what felt like an eternity, but was actually only about ten minutes, they reached a dead end. The tunnel abruptly stopped, the path blocked by a solid wall of rock.

Aurelius slammed his fist against the wall in frustration. "Damnit, we're trapped."

Aurelia's eyes darted around, searching for any hidden passage or weak point in the rock. "There has to be another way. They wouldn't use a cave that leads to a dead end."

Irithel nodded in agreement, her hand resting on Ignis's warm, glowing body. "Keep your eyes peeled. There might be a hidden mechanism or a secret passage."

They continued to search the walls and floor, pressing and tapping on various stones, but found nothing. Frustration began to settle in, and Aurelius clenched his fists.

"Damn it," he muttered, striking the wall again with his fist. "There has to be something!"

Suddenly, Ignis's eyes lit up. The little fire salamander looked at Irithel and began making excited gestures with its flames.

"Ignis, what is it?" Irithel asked, her eyes following his movements. She watched as Ignis pointed towards the spot where Aurelius had struck the wall.

"Ignis thinks there's something there," Irithel said, turning to Aurelius. "Can you hit the same spot again, but harder this time."

Aurelius nodded, hope flaring in his eyes. He drew back his fist and struck the wall with all his might. The impact reverberated through the cave, but nothing happened. Undeterred, he hit the wall again, again and again, his knuckles already starting to bruise and bleed. He ignored the pain, focusing solely on the task at hand.

"Come on!" he grunted, hitting the wall again and again. Blood trickled down his fist, but he didn't stop. Finally, after several more strikes, a small crack appeared in the rock.

Aurelius smiled grimly. "There's something here."

He stepped back and raised his hand, summoning his earth magic. With a swift motion, he sent a thin but fast shard of rocks hurtling towards the crack. The shards struck true, and the crack widened, spreading like a spiderweb across the surface.

"Again," Aurelia urged, her voice tense with anticipation. She didn't forget to cast a healing spell on him.

Aurelius sent another shard into the crack, and then another. With each strike, the crack grew larger until, finally, the rock wall began to crumble. A small opening appeared, just large enough for them to squeeze through.

"There's a way," Aurelius said, his voice filled with relief. He wiped the blood from his hand, wincing slightly at the sting.

"Let me help," Aurelia quickly came over and used a Healing Light spell to heal Aurelius's hand. The warm, soothing light enveloped his bruised knuckles, mending the skin and easing the pain. He flexed his fingers, grateful for the quick relief.

"Thanks, Aurelia," Aurelius said, giving her a grateful nod.

"You're welcome," she replied with a gentle smile. "Let's get moving before anything else happens."

They carefully squeezed through the small opening, Ignis's fiery glow illuminating the narrow passageway beyond. The tunnel was even tighter than before, forcing them to move single file. The air was damp and musty, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the confined space.

After several minutes of crawling through the narrow passage, they finally emerged into a larger chamber. The room was dimly lit by glowing fungi clinging to the walls, casting an eerie blue light across the cavern.

Aurelius, Aurelia, and Irithel took a moment to catch their breath, grateful for the relative spaciousness of the chamber compared to the claustrophobic tunnel they had just traversed.

"Well, at least we're not trapped anymore," Irithel said, trying to stay positive. "But we still need to find a way out of this place."

"Agreed," Aurelius said, looking around the chamber. "Let's see if there's another exit."

As they searched the chamber, Ignis's glow revealed more intricate carvings and symbols etched into the stone walls. They followed the markings, hoping they might lead to another way out.

After a few minutes of searching, Aurelia noticed a faint breeze coming from a small crevice in the wall. "Hey, over here," she called out. "I think there's another passage."

They approached the crevice, and Ignis's light revealed a narrow tunnel leading upward. The faint breeze carried the scent of fresh air, a promising sign.

"This must be the way out," Aurelius said, determination in his voice.

They carefully squeezed through the crevice, climbing the narrow, winding tunnel. The air grew fresher with each step, and the promise of freedom spurred them on. After several minutes of climbing, they finally saw a faint light ahead.

"We're almost there," Irithel said, her voice filled with hope.

As they reached the tunnel's end, they emerged onto a rocky ledge high above the forested valley below. The setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over the landscape, and a cool breeze rustled the leaves of the trees far below.

Aurelius took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air. "We made it. We're out."

Aurelia and Irithel stepped out onto the ledge, their faces filled with relief and determination.

"Now, we need to find Rhea and the others," Aurelia said, her voice resolute. "We're not done yet."

"Ah, right." Irithel and Aurelius nodded. "Since we are at the top of the mountain, we should start searching from here."

They surveyed the landscape below, noting several potential paths and landmarks that might lead them to their friends. Aurelius pointed to a dense cluster of trees at the base of the mountain. "Those woods look like a good place to start. If Rhea and the others were taken by bandits, they might be hiding somewhere down there."

Aurelia nodded in agreement. "We need to move quickly. Every minute counts."

With renewed determination, they began their descent. The path down was steep and treacherous, but they moved with agility and purpose, carefully navigating the rocky terrain. Ignis, sensing their urgency, kept his flames low to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

As they neared the bottom, the sound of rustling leaves and distant voices reached their ears. They crouched behind a large boulder, peering out cautiously.

"W-Wait, aren't they-?!"

__________ ____ _

(Author: I might not be able to release tomorrow for various reasons. But I will try my best. If not, I will return the day after tomorrow. Just an announcement in advance.)