The tunnel stretched on endlessly, its dark corridors twisting until at last it opened into a vast chamber. Julian's eyes widened, awe etched across his face. This was no ordinary cavern—it was a hidden world beneath the earth. The walls stretched beyond sight, carved with chambers, washrooms, dining halls… things he never imagined could exist down here.
"Where… where is this cave?" Julian asked, his voice hushed with disbelief.
Mondrik took his time before answering, his tone deep and deliberate.
"It lies on the southern border… near the Great Desert."
Cable furrowed his brow, his voice probing, sharp.
"If that's true, then why is it so cold here?" He looked as if he were trying to solve some intricate riddle.
Mondrik gave a dismissive smile.
"Do you think everything near the desert burns with heat? The Great Desert alone is scorched directly by the sun's vertical rays at dawn. Here… cold is part of the land's nature."
Cable nodded slowly, muttering, "I see…"
Their steps carried them deeper, until they reached a colossal hall. At its center stood a monumental seat, a throne carved from polished stone. Mondrik lowered himself onto it with deliberate weight. For a moment, silence reigned—then he rested his face against his palm and spoke.
"Since you are now under my command, there are truths you must understand. First: the existence of this cave is a secret. No one outside these walls may know its name, nor its location. Second: perhaps you wonder how all these supplies reach me, though I remain here. The answer is simple—I have followers spread across the continent. They gather monster cores and deliver them to me. As for wealth, they hold it temporarily until I have need of it. You… were nothing more than a coincidence I stumbled upon while keeping my body sharp."
He drew a slow breath before continuing.
"A week from now, one of my men will arrive. His name is Gamble. He will assign each of you your roles. Until then, you are forbidden to leave this cave… and forbidden to bother me with trivial questions. Now go. Julian, you will follow Noel to the washrooms. Bathe, change your clothes… you reek of death. Then return to me."
With that, Mondrik closed his eyes. The group bowed their heads in silence and withdrew.
They scattered—Harris wandered toward a training ground carved from the stone, while Cable stayed close to Noel and Julian, his silence heavy as they walked.
At last, Cable broke it, his voice calm yet razor-sharp.
"Be honest with me. Why did you kill Mick?"
Noel froze, her face stricken, while Julian cast a sidelong glance, his voice flat, emotionless.
"I didn't kill him."
Cable didn't relent.
"Don't play the fool. Mick's body bore the marks of wind blades—the very blades you wield. Maybe you can deceive others, but not me."
Their footsteps echoed slowly through the cavern. Finally, Julian replied, his tone as cold as the stone around them.
"It was his punishment. Mick caused our downfall. He's the one who sealed the gate… trapping us all inside."
Cable let out a short, humorless laugh.
"A childish excuse. If that's true, why didn't you kill me too? I was the one who suggested the cave in the first place."
Julian ignored him. Noel's eyes brimmed with tears, her heart crumbling under the weight of betrayal and fear. The thought that one of them could kill a friend over such a petty grudge rooted terror deep inside her chest.
Both boys noticed her tears—Cable with indifference, Julian with silence. Cable peeled away, heading toward the food stores, leaving Noel and Julian behind.
Noel felt exposed, vulnerable. She could never mask her emotions like her brother Harris could. Even their appearances spoke of difference: Harris with brown hair and blue eyes, Noel with her snowy-white hair and crystalline gaze. Her pale locks weren't a gift of beauty, but the mark of a rare mutation—albinism.