A scary night
1221 Words
The New Hideout
The battle was over, but none of them felt victorious after what they saw.
Polux, Alhena, Sirio, and stood in somber silence, watching Kreto’s hideout burn to nothing but smoldering ruins. The once-safe place was now reduced to charred wood and blackened stone, the acrid scent of smoke still thick in the air.
The fire had finally died down, leaving only the remnants of what had once been their shelter.
Cautiously, they stepped inside. Ash covered the ground like a fresh layer of snow. Everything was gone—Kreto’s belongings, the food they had stored, even the bags that Polux and Sirio had carried. Not a single item had survived.
Then, a sudden realization hit Polux like a bolt of lightning.
Polux: "The dagger!" His voice cut through the silence as panic surged through him.
Without another word, he sprinted deeper into the ruined cave. His heart pounded.
Polux: No, no, no… I left it in my bag!
He frantically scanned the charred ground, his breath quick and shallow. Then—there. Amid the ashes and debris, something gleamed.
Polux’s eyes widened.
The dagger.
It lay untouched, its emerald-green blade catching the dim light. Beside it sat the strange leaves, equally unscathed.
He knelt and carefully picked up both objects, his fingers tightening around the hilt of the dagger. It felt cool in his grip, as if it had never been near the raging flames.
Polux: "How…?" he whispered.
Before he could dwell on it further, Kreto’s deep voice broke through his thoughts.
Kreto: "Over here."
Polux turned to see Kreto pulling the leather bag of the Oro Stone. It, too, had survived without a scratch. Kreto carefully placed it back into his bag.
He exhaled sharply.
Kreto: "We need to move. Now. There’s no telling what else might be lurking out there. We’re not safe yet."
They had no time to waste. Thankfully, their flashlights had been in their pockets all the time so it was spared from the flames.
Kreto straightened.
Kreto:"I know a place about a kilometer from here. It’s not much, but it will keep us hidden. Stay close, and stay quiet."
With no other options, they followed.
The night stretched on as they moved through the dense undergrowth, their flashlights slicing through the darkness. Alhena clung tightly to Polux’s arm, her nerves still raw from the battle. Sirio, on the other hand, was jumpy, his head constantly swiveling as if expecting danger to pounce at any moment.
Then, a sound rumbled through the cave passage.
A low, deep growl.
Sirio froze. His breath hitched.
Sirio: "That wasn’t me."
His stomach growled again.
He groaned.
Sirio: "Okay… that one was me."
Alhena sighed. "I’m starving too… but I can hold on a little longer."
Polux nodded.
Polux:"Dawn isn’t far off. Just a little more. We’ll find food once the sun is up."
Kreto gave a reassuring nod.
Kreto:"I know a few good places to hunt and forage. I’ll take care of it in the morning. For now, let’s just focus on getting to safety."
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they arrived.
The new hideout was a small cave—nothing compared to Kreto’s old one—but it would have to do. Kreto quickly found a large boulder and rolled it over the entrance, sealing them inside.
The moment they turned on the Oro Stone, a warm glow filled the space, revealing the walls covered in thick, intertwining tree roots that stretched down from above.
Sirio’s tired face immediately brightened.
Sirio:"Finally, a place to rest!"
He ran toward a thick root and flopped onto it with a sigh of relief.
But the moment he sat down—something felt wrong.
It was too soft.
A shiver crawled up his spine.
His breath caught.
Sirio:"Wait a second..."The "root" moved.
A low, menacing hiss filled the air.
Sirio’s face turned as pale as the moon.
The "root" uncoiled—revealing a massive snake.
The beast was at least twenty feet long, its thick, muscular body coiled in agitation. Its golden eyes gleamed dangerously as it reared back, its forked tongue flickering in and out.
Sirio screamed.
Sirio:"AAAAAH! IT’S ALIVE!"
The snake lunged.
Its fangs, each the size of a dagger, gleamed under the dim light as it struck.
Sirio scrambled backward, barely dodging its attack.
Then—THUD!
Before the snake could strike again, Kreto moved.
In one swift motion, he grabbed the serpent’s thick tail and swung it like a weapon, slamming it against the cave wall with bone-crushing force. The impact echoed through the cavern. The snake twitched violently—then fell still.
Dead.
Silence followed.
Alhena, still trembling, buried her face against Polux’s chest.
Sirio:"That… was terrifying."
Polux exhaled in relief. "At least it’s over."
Sirio, panting, kicked the lifeless snake twice for good measure.
Sirio:"You damn snake! You almost scared me to death!"
Then, his stomach growled again. He turned to the others.
Sirio: "Well… I guess we have food now?"
Despite everything, Kreto let out a chuckle.
Kreto:"Not a bad idea but I am not eating that snake."
After making sure there were no more threats, they each found a spot to rest. The exhaustion of the night weighed on them, their bodies aching from battle.
Kreto sat down and removed his armor piece by piece.
Kreto: "So, Polux... what’s the plan?"
Polux rubbed his temples.
Polux:"At sunrise, we find food and water. After that… we figure out our next move."
Kreto nodded. "Sounds like a plan."
Alhena groaned softly. "I just want to sleep… my whole body hurts."
She moved closer to Polux, resting her head against his lap. The moment she closed her eyes, she was out.
Polux sighed, letting his head rest against the cave wall. His fingers absentmindedly reached into his pocket, pulling out the dagger once again.
He turned it over, studying it under the soft glow of the Oro Stone.
The craftsmanship was flawless—too flawless. The black stone handle feels really hard,
His fingers brushed over the hilt. There were five small slots—yet only one contained a gemstone: a brilliant white crystal.
"Four missing gems..." he murmured. "Where could they be?"
Curious, he tried prying the gem loose. It wouldn’t budge. It was fused to the weapon itself.
Then, his eyes drifted to the inscription:
Polux 11:11.
The lettering was strange, unlike any script he had seen before. It wasn’t machined—it was hand-carved. And yet, it was so perfect, almost as if…
As if it wasn’t made by human hands.
A quiet dread settled in his chest.
"What is this dagger...?" he whispered.
His fingers trailed down to the blade—an emerald-green crystal.
Not steel. Not iron. Crystal.
And yet, it wasn’t sharp. The edges were smooth. Dull.
"How can a dagger like this be a weapon?"
His mind swirled with questions. his past all of it felt connected to this dagger.
But exhaustion crept in, forcing his thoughts to slow.
His grip on the dagger remained firm, even as his eyes fluttered shut.
And as sleep claimed him, one figure remained awake.
Blue.
The white cat sat silently, its blue eyes fixed on the dagger beside Polux.
Unblinking.
As if it knew.
This was no ordinary weapon.
And the true journey...
Had only just begun.
- Writer
