They all stood outside the cave, bathed in the faint glow of the moonlight. The surroundings were hazy, but their minds were crystal clear—head south, reach the sea, build a raft, and escape this hellhole.
"Everyone ready?" Ryan asked, trying to keep his voice steady. But inside, his heart was pounding like a drum. This mountain had shown them so much—fear, battles, loss. Everyone nodded.
"Alright," Ryan said. "No noise. Keep your eyes peeled. This place is crawling with danger. Move south."
They started descending slowly. The slope was slippery, covered in leaves, rocks, and mud. The air carried a strange scent—rotting foliage mixed with something else, like the breath of a beast. Memories flooded back for each of them of the hardships since entering the tunnel—fights, injuries, betrayal. Thinking of Daniel ignited Ryan's anger, but he suppressed it. Focus on survival now, he told himself. Nora felt a similar rage bubbling beneath her calm exterior, while Grace clung to hope for Neon's sake, the little bird chick now a symbol of their fragile unity.
Before long, they reached the base of the mountain. The night's darkness had thickened so much that even the moonlight barely pierced through. They were surrounded by towering trees, blocking the light from reaching the ground. Ryan activated the night vision mode on his lenses. Suddenly, he could see clearly in the pitch black. He zoomed in south for about a kilometer—no signs of beasts. So, they proceeded cautiously southward, with Ryan guiding them forward.
Ryan gripped his sharp sword tightly, as if it were his only lifeline. Grace had Neon perched on her shoulder—that little bird chick Ryan had once wanted to eat, but now it was part of their team. It's eyes sparkled in the moonlight, alert as ever, sensing dangers that even the humans might miss.
They hadn't gone far when... a sound echoed: "Ssss... ssss..." Like whispering, but not human. A chill ran down Ryan's spine, and the others felt it too—Kaito's muscles tensed, Ayaka's hand instinctively reached for her pistol.
"Stop!" Ryan signaled with his hand. Everyone froze.
In the moonlight, something dangled between the trees ahead—a web-like net of white threads. No, not ordinary webs—spider silk! And in the center, a giant spider. Its body was nearly two meters long, black and hairy, with eight legs like razor blades, eyes glowing red. Behind it, more descended from the trees, swinging on threads. Ryan's heart leaped. These things were venomous, fast, deadly. Nora's eyes widened in recognition of the peril, her mind racing through past encounters with similar horrors.
"Giant spiders!" Nora whispered, fear evident in her voice.
From the side, Mr. Jackson said, "Ryan, didn't you zoom in properly? Didn't you spot these spiders?"
Ryan replied calmly, "No. They're coming down from the treetops. I didn't check up there."
Disappointment washed over everyone's faces. The giant spiders had surrounded them from all sides.
Then Mr. Jackson shouted, "Scatter! Ryan and I will handle the front ones. Kaito, take the right. Grace, Nora, Ayaka—support from the rear!"
The situation had turned dire; they all knew this fight would be brutal. Deep down, Mr. Jackson felt a grim resolve—he had faced worse in his life, but protecting these young ones stirred memories of his own lost family.
From the front, a spider leaped at Ryan, stabbing with its two sharp legs, trying to impale his body. He dodged sideways, his sword flashing in the moonlight. He struck one of its legs—crack! The leg broke, black fluid spraying out. The spider screeched, "Screech!" and spun, opening its mouth. Venom droplets flew toward him. He jumped back, but one hit his hand—burning like fire. He gritted his teeth, enduring the pain. "Aim for the legs! They're weak there!" he yelled for everyone to hear.
Kaito swung his sword at the spider on the right. Thwack! It recoiled, but tangled in its web and leaped again. He saw its leg slash his shoulder—blood flowed, staining his shirt red. "Ah!" Kaito cried out, pain searing through him like fire, but he didn't stop, stabbing the spider's eye. It burst, green fluid splattering everywhere. The spider shuddered and fell, its venom spraying—Ryan dodged to avoid it, his mind flashing with concern for Kaito's wound.
Grace, with Neon on her shoulder, hurled her spear at the left spider. Puch! It pierced its abdomen. The spider screeched and shot web at Grace's feet. She tripped, about to fall, her thoughts screaming in panic for Neon's safety. "Grace!" Ryan started to shout, but Nora leaped in, slicing the web with her medium-sized sword. "Grace, move!" Nora yelled, then hacked at the spider's leg—crack! It broke, and the spider toppled over, unable to balance. Ryan glanced at Grace—she was okay, but her eyes were wide with fear. Neon trembled on her shoulder, chirping softly, as if trying to comfort her.
Ayaka fired her pistol from the rear at the spiders. She'd lost her fighting instruments, so Nora had given her the gun. Meanwhile, Mr. Jackson was in front of Ryan, using his studded gloves to tear off spider legs. Everyone was giving their all, their breaths ragged, their bodies pushed to the limit. But with only one sword, Ryan couldn't fight at full capacity. His special technique, Rolling Slash, was perfect for cutting their legs—but it required two swords. Only five spiders left around them. Mr. Jackson could handle at most one more, his age and past injuries slowing him slightly. Kaito was battling another, determination etched on his face despite the blood loss. Ayaka's bullets ran out, leaving her feeling helpless. Grace had thrown her spear to kill one and was now unarmed. Nora was exhausted, struggling to focus, her hands aching from the grip on her sword.
With no other choice, Ryan shouted for Nora and asked for her sword. Without thinking, she tossed it to him. He leaped and caught it. Now gripping two swords tightly. Three spiders faced him. But...
Rolling Slash...
Slash... Slash...
In an instant, he shredded the three spiders into pieces. The high-speed attack broke his sword in half. Anyway, he returned Nora's sword. Over there, Mr. Jackson had killed one too, his gloves slick with ichor.
Now only one spider remained—the one fighting Kaito. It shot web at him, sticking to his hand. Kaito tried to pull free, but the spider bounded toward him. Just as it was about to attack, he swung his sword with blinding speed, stabbing its belly—puch! The spider died, its body going limp. Relief washed over Kaito, though the pain in his shoulder throbbed relentlessly.
They all stood there, panting. Blood, venom, webs scattered everywhere. Ryan's hand burned, Kaito's shoulder bled, Nora's hands were red and raw.
"Everyone okay?" Ryan asked, his voice trembling. They nodded, but they knew they were battered—Grace's legs shook from the close call, Ayaka's hands trembled from the empty gun. "Let's move. The sea's close," Ryan said, though fear gnawed at him inside—how many more dangers? The group shared his unspoken dread, but pushed forward nonetheless.
Anyway, they continued south. The venom made Ryan's hand numb, but he clenched his teeth and pressed on. Once, Nora nearly fell into a ravine; Ryan grabbed her hand and pulled her up—gratitude shone in her eyes, a rare moment of vulnerability for her. Grace tucked Neon into her bag for safety, shivering from fatigue, her mind replaying the terror of the fight. Kaito clutched his shoulder, trying to stem the blood, gritting his teeth against the dizziness. Mr. Jackson trailed behind, his eyes somber, reflecting on how far he'd come since his tragic past. Finally, dawn's light broke. Ahead—the sea! Blue waves crashed on the sand. Tears welled in Nora's eyes—joy or exhaustion, she couldn't tell, but a spark of hope ignited in her. "We made it!" Grace cheered, a smile breaking through her weariness.
"Now, build the raft," Ryan said, despite the fatigue weighing on them all. They headed to the nearby jungle. Tall trees stood there—strong like bamboo, straight. Kaito and Ryan started chopping with their swords. Ryan struck the base of one—crack! It trembled and fell. Sweat soaked them, but they didn't stop, cutting four long branches. "These will be the base. Tie them tight with ropes." Nora and Ayaka gathered vines; they laid the branches side by side, crossing smaller ones and binding with vines and their remaining ropes. It took two hours, but the rafts were ready—about two meters long, sturdy enough. They made two. Exhaustion etched lines on their faces, but a sense of accomplishment flickered in their thoughts.
As they prepared to launch them... a roar from behind: "Grrr!" Ryan turned—a pack of small dinosaurs! About a meter tall, with sharp teeth, greedy eyes, and lightning speed. They charged in a group. "Like velociraptors!" Kaito shouted. Ryan's body went cold, and the others felt the same icy fear grip their hearts. "Run!"
But Mr. Jackson stepped back. "No! You go. I'll hold them off. Ryan, you're the team leader now. Get them out. I... my time has come." In his mind, he knew this was the redemption he'd sought—a final act to atone for his failures.
"What are you saying?" Ryan yelled, voice shaking. "Come with us! We'll all go!"
"No, Ryan. Go!" Mr. Jackson said calmly. "I told you one day I'd have to fulfill my final duty, and you'd have to accept leadership of this team."
Ryan stood silent, unable to speak, his thoughts a whirlwind of denial and grief. The situation demanded someone stay behind, or they'd all die. So, without further thought, he pushed the raft toward the sea. Kaito helped, his own heart heavy with the weight of loss. He said, "Ryan, what's the plan? The dinos are close; we can't escape. We have to fight."
Ryan said softly, "No, we don't fight. We escape now—that's Mr. Jackson's final decision."
Everyone fell silent, understanding his words, though sorrow clawed at them.
Grace burst out, "No, this can't happen. We can't leave him like this." Her mind screamed in protest, memories of past losses flooding her.
"No, Grace, no emotions now. Get on the raft. Nora, Ayaka, Kaito—you too," Ryan told them, his voice firm despite the tears threatening his eyes.
Over there, Mr. Jackson struck the first dino—thwack! It reeled, but others advanced. He charged them, "Go! I'm doing this for you!" His thoughts were at peace, knowing he was saving them as he couldn't save his own family.
Hearing him, Nora, Kaito, and Ayaka launched one raft into the sea. But Grace was emotional, refusing to go. She started crying, her body wracked with sobs. With no choice, Ryan grabbed her and forced her onto the raft. It floated out on the waves. Looking back, they saw Mr. Jackson fighting. One bit his leg, blood spurting, but he smashed its head with his studded gloves—crack! Another leaped on his back; he spun and threw it off. He held them for minutes, his roars mixing with their screeches. But they were too many. Finally... one clamped on his throat—blood sprayed, staining the sand red. He fell, body going still. The dinos surrounded him, and the group watched from afar like cowards, each tormented by guilt. Grace sobbed hysterically at the horrific sight. Ryan couldn't hold back his tears either. His heart tore apart, and the others shared in the profound loss—Nora's fists clenched in silent rage, Kaito's face pale with shock, Ayaka's eyes distant as she processed the sacrifice.
Mr. Jackson's past was full of sorrow. Back when they stood outside the cave talking, he had shared it with Ryan, though the weight of it lingered in his own mind until the end.
Jackson's Past...
He was a professional boxer in Mexico, a legend in the ring. He lived happily with his wife and daughter. But one match, he accidentally killed an opponent. His boxing license was revoked, barring him from national or international fights. Forced into underground bouts, his fearsome strength caught a sponsor's eye—a son of a famous Mexican businessman. Under him, Jackson became an underground champion. But one day, the sponsor told him to throw a match intentionally, having bet on the opponent. Jackson agreed. During the fight, he took the beating as planned. Then his opponent trash-talked him and his family. Unable to endure, Jackson unleashed, beating him senseless and winning. The sponsor lost the bet and a fortune, enraged. He sent bodyguards to Jackson's home, who murdered his wife and little girl. Jackson returned post-fight, opening the door to silence. Before him lay their bodies. He screamed and cried, realizing who did it. Eyes burning with vengeance, he rushed to the sponsor's house. Two guards at the entrance—he donned his studded gloves and killed them instantly. Inside, ten more guards. In his rage, he slaughtered them in under ten minutes. The noise drew the sponsor out. Seeing Jackson, he looked monstrous. Before he could speak, Jackson brutally ended him. Returning home, Jackson buried his family, then crossed the border to Russia.
Past Ended....
From that day, he blamed himself. "I couldn't save them," he had often thought. After the loss, he joined missions to save others, seeking atonement. He came on this one for redemption—saving the team to escape his past's shadow. In his final moments, a smile crossed his face—peace, because he'd succeeded. They'd survived, thanks to his sacrifice. The group drifted on the sea's waves, tears in Ryan's eyes, Mr. Jackson's memory in all their hearts. But now, they had to move forward—toward a new beginning.
To be continued.