3 Arc I: Proving Grounds

The Proving Grounds: Forgotten Mountains

1820Y 09M04D 0600H

He opened his eyes and pitch-black darkness welcomed him with sounds of dripping water everywhere, saw some small glowing patches of blue light far ahead. He was still wearing the white clothes that they used during the experiments.

Dazed, he pukes over to what it seems like solid ground. "Azaleah..." He uttered to what looks like a firefly hovering about.

A fairy-like creature floated in front of him then swirled around. "Look, System gave me a nice body."

He stood up, staggering as he did. "Azaleah — Cast Scan,"

"Hmph, you never knew how to appreciate real beauty." She flew above and gave out a single pulsing light. "Nothing here Mat... just you and me."

"Thanks," As he tries to hold his head up; getting his thoughts together. "System... App... Carto," A blip showed on his HUD indicating their current whereabouts on a blank map. "We need to map up these caverns, to make sure we do not get lost."

Azaleah ignored him then started wandering the area.

"System... App... Compass" a letter 'N' appeared on the upper center of his HUD with degrees going left and right. 'As I remember, the town is supposed to be northwest from here.'

"Azaleah, Cast Light for 8 seconds."

Like a lightbulb, the fairy lighted up the whole area. The place looks like an abandoned mine shaft. It was quite wide, mining carts and equipment scattered about.

A swarm of bats flew out from behind him. Azaleah scurried, cursing the bats while doing so. Out of the darkness, a humanoid figure jump across catching one of the bats. He narrowed his eyes trying to get a better look at it. Darkness is hiding most of its small feature as it slumps down at the far end. Only its long dark hair and what looks like a tunic is recognizable.

When suddenly, it turned its head towards them.

A bloody jagged grin with a bat still squirming, greeted him. It had hollowed eyes, nose, and claws that look like bones that came out of its fingertips.

"What —" All he can say as it launches towards him screaming. It went dark again. He instinctively dodges to his left, a swift breeze just went pass him then a huge crashing sound, he could hear pieces of equipment clatter about.

The aberrant shrieks some distance behind him. He panicked for a rock, then threw it as far behind as possible; heard the abomination race towards the sound.

"Azaleah, fly ahead. Scan at regular intervals; report as you do." His chest still pounding.

"Kay," She flew away, then stopped some distance ahead. "Mat, look there's an albino snake. Hoh ho ho."

He sighed deeply, then continued on.

. . .

The Proving Grounds: Forgotten Mountains

1820Y 09M04D 1800H

They pass-through some kind of field full of glowing blue flora. It somehow felt soothing and peaceful. Rested for the time being. Watch the insects, plants, and animals that thrive there, wondering about the authenticity of it.

As they walked further ahead, they found numerous natural rock bridges along a huge chasm connecting this side of the mountain to the other. Small patches of sunlight seep through the crevices making the wonder a bit more visible.

'We will have to cross.' Thinking for himself as he started checking for any threats along the way when something caught their attention.

A scream came down below.

He immediately sought after it. There is a girl stranded on a bridge below being harassed by a trio of mutants, these creatures seemed to be still in humanoid form just deformities, lumps and pus seeping out its wounds.

The girl yelled as she fend them off with a small wooden club. "Y'all need to get back, am warnin' ya."

He got down to a crawl; move slowly forward, careful to not get their attention. 'She can revive elsewhere and try again.'

One of the mutants swipes the club off her hands. Weaponless, she raised her hands, poise to strike back. On her left wrist, a crimson rosary dangled out.

It caught his eyes. 'Of all places.' Azaleah blocked his view then shook her head.

Mat took a deep breathe. 'Ghad,'

He ran, then jump down landing himself on the last mutant on the back. Stunned, he kicked it off the bridge, this caught the other mutants' attention.

The girl found an opening and push them, trying to knock another one off the bridge, but the abominations stood their ground and swung at her, making her fall back.

Mat saw the girl fall on the ground — he grimaced; shouted, ran towards the mutants tackling them both, inching them off the bridge, each of them clawing at him trying to find a grip.

The girl stood up, push one making it fall off landing on the corner of the rock bridge below before disappearing into the darkness.

The other mutant grab the girl's hand then yank hard, dragging her towards the edge. Mat instinctively grab the girl by the chest then shove her away, she tumbled on the ground.

The sudden separation made the mutant fall off and desperately cling to the boy. Out of stance to just kick off the abomination, it dragged him off.

The girl scampered towards the edge looking for him, to her relief they landed just by the edge of the rock bridge below.

"Let go of him!" Azaleah furiously pulling on the mutants ear. Mat forcefully peeled himself from its grasp then kick it away. It fell back, a foot slip off the edge gravity taking half of its body down but still able to take hold of the edge and lifting itself up.

"Run!" The girl yelled.

He immediately turned and started to run back to the caverns. The mutant regaining its footing immediately gave chase.

"Azaleah, Whiteout!" Mat shouted. She flew across the mutants' face, then white light flashed within her, effectively blinding it. The mutant thrash about hitting the fairy; sending her flying towards the cave entrance, she hit the wall then fell unconscious on the ground.

Mat ran towards Azaleah preparing to grab her, then make their escape, but something caught his attention. In the darkness ahead, a familiar clawed hand was barely visible.

"Watch out!" The girl warning him but it was too late. When he turned his head, the blind frenzied mutant crashed at him sending both of them off the bridge.

He looks at Azaleah; saw right beside her barely concealed by the shadows, a long-haired hollowed eyed mutant, with a smile across its face filled with jagged teeth. He did not take his eyes off it till the image went farther and farther away then disappeared.