Underground

“Teru, you have to be very careful. We do not know just what kind of things this place has in for us,” Hannes spoke in a soft but warning tone while holding the torch. Behind him Teru was following, curiously glancing at the ancient architecture the flame’s light illuminated. Shadows danced around the old, gnarled walls of the underground building.

“Yes yes, I’m going to be very careful,” Teru replied with a considerably less serious tone compared to his overly cautious partner.

“… I wouldn’t put it past you when you get excited,” Hannes murmured, but his tone was more teasing than accusing, if anything. Teru grinned.

There was barely any sound deep underground where the two were making their way. The noise of the outside world was entirely blocked by these walls that protected this place from the passage of time. Both Hannes and Teru felt like they had been whisked into the past as they walked through the long tunnel, its walls decorated with ancient pictures depicting people, animals and gods.

The air they breathed felt just as ancient, and Hannes couldn’t help but wonder what it had been like to walk here, thousands of years in the past. Did the looming darkness all around them make people as nervous as they made him? Did the eerie silence unsettle people as they passed these halls and tunnels?  He had no way of knowing, but at least he had his imagination.

As they walked further in, the surrounding darkness started feeling oppressive, as if it was alive. The shadows around them danced wilder and the torch’s light flickered ominously.  

“Hannes, I don’t like this…” Teru whispered and gently grasped Hannes’ sleeve.

“So you feel it too…?” was the reply, spoken in a whisper. Although his voice was not wavering, Teru could tell Hannes was just as uneasy as he was.

“I feel like we’re being followed… No, rather, I feel like we are surrounded.”

“Just don’t stop walking, and don’t look back. Just focus on looking forward,” Hannes spoke and started walking faster, Teru following in suit. They didn’t want to let fear overcome them, but they both gradually, instinctively, started increasing their walking speed until they came to the end of the hall.

It was a dead end.

“… not good,” Teru sighed, taking a tighter hold of Hannes.

“This can’t be the end.” A soft but frustrated sigh. “There has to be a way to advance from here.”

Hannes was clearly starting to get agitated, and as the tension rose, so did the atmosphere around them turn more hostile.

“They’re coming closer,” Teru thought, trying not to panic. The hair on his back was standing upright in terror as he sensed the otherworldly all around him. It was not the feeling of meeting demons in the demon world, it was something different. Something unknown, something ancient; something strong and unpredictable, and absolutely unstoppable if they let it take over.  

Meanwhile Hannes’ hands moved feverishly across the wall. He tried to find something, anything, that could give him leads of how to advance. Turning around and going back wasn’t an option, as Hannes was just as aware as Teru was of the danger around them. They’d have to fight their way out and face whatever was surrounding them, circling around like vultures waiting for their opportunity.

Faster. He had to be faster.

“Can I crash the wall? I’m going to crash the wall,” Teru spoke, only half joking with his suggestion.

“Don’t, we will both die and that’s not good,” Hannes replied, and at that moment he felt something underneath his fingers. “Here…!” he gasped. He pressed his hand firmly against the small, barely visible nib sticking from the wall.

The gnarled, ancient wall gave a soft, electronic “bloop”, and a wall opened in front of them. And not a moment too late: right as they stepped in, they both could feel a hand brushing against their backs, long claws extended, ready to tear them into shreds.