Hellbound Heart

Elle heard the repetitive sounds of her footsteps echoing against the hard and rocky walls as she followed Snow deeper into a dark cave. The cave was narrow and twisted and pitch black. But Elle could somehow see. She had realized this before, back when she was still undergoing her training in the Black Forest. When she made herself invincible, she could actually see everything like she had become one with the darkness. When she noticed that, her first thought was that it was camouflage on another level!

As they continued on, the cave gradually became more and more treacherous. The path grew steep and jagged, with loose stones threatening to send anyone slipping and tumbling to the ground. Elle had to put in some extra attention as she navigated the terrain here. Though they were seemingly moving forward on flash ground, she somehow had the feeling that they were heading further in, not just in horizontal depth, but vertically as well. From time to time, she would look around and try and do a general measurement just by eyeballing the lines where the cave walls meet the ground and see if they were indeed steadily moving deeper into the earth. However, her efforts were futile and bore no fruits despite trying multiple times.

Finally, after what felt like hours of walking aimlessly through the dark, they reached a dead end. Elle could feel her heart pounding in her chest as Snow approached the rocky wall and pressed her hand against it, as if searching for something. Something that was hidden in plain sight.

Suddenly, a soft but definite click echoed through the cavern and Elle watched in amazement as a hidden door slowly swung open before them. Beyond it lay a narrow tunnel, carved out of the rock and looked totally unnatural. It was a tunnel that was definitely man-made and really ancient. The entire feel of it radiated the feel of its age.

Without hesitation, Snow stepped through the doorway and right into the tunnel, beckoning for Elle to follow. Elle hesitated for a moment, her mind racing with questions and a little doubt. But when she stared deeply into Snow's piercing blue eyes, she took a step forward and followed. The gaze of Snow's eyes seemed to compel her to trust in him and move forward without questioning. At least for now.

The door closed behind her as soon as she crossed the threshold. There was only a slight swoosh that would not have been detected had Elle not been paying extra close attention to the door entrance as she had been slightly afraid it would just slam down on her.

The air grew colder and the walls closed in around them. The only sounds were the echoing of their footsteps and the faint sound of dripping water. Elle somehow could not shake the feeling that they were the only living souls for miles around.

Slowly, the feeling of unease crept up on her like a dark, foreboding cloud on the horizon. At first, she dismissed it as mere nerves, the natural apprehension that comes with entering into the unknown. But as they descended deeper into the underground, the feeling only grew stronger, prodding at her senses, until it settled like a heavy weight in the pit of her stomach. The air was heavy and oppressive, thick with the smell of damp earth and the musty scent of old bones.

She wanted to open her mouth and speak but she knew Snow could not answer her even if she asked. Moreover, she did not want to risk making any noise since Snow seemed to be moving so carefully, not making any sound at all. She did not want to be the one distracting Snow from whatever clues or landmarks he might be looking for. Right now, she told herself that all she could do was to keep trusting Snow until the end. That he was leading her to a place where she could find an answer and not to...

Shaking her head, Elle decided to be positive, but at the same time, remain alert. She prayed within her heart that Snow would not betray her. That he would not do something that would break her heart.

As she moved further into the labyrinthine tunnels, the flickering flames of ancient candelabras, casting eerie shadows seemingly having hands and fingers beckoning to her, on the rough stone walls.

She paused, her eyes adjusting to the dim light, and realized with a start that she was surrounded by rows upon rows of ancient tombs. Each looking as alike as the one beside, before and behind it, carved out of granite with epitaphs that had long since been eroded and unrecognizable. The walls were lined with cryptic symbols and forgotten languages, marking the final resting places of countless generations of people.

As she continued to explore, Elle felt a sense of unease creeping over her once again. This was no ordinary cemetery, she realized. She felt as if she were intruding upon a sacred space, disturbing the peace of the dead and inviting their wrath upon her. For all she knew, just her presence here was enough to visit curses upon her head until her seventh generation.

Her senses were now on their highest alert. The feeling of unease reached a crescendo. She felt as if she were being watched, stalked by some unseen predator lurking in the shadows. Every sound, every movement seemed to send shivers arcing down her spine, making her skin crawl with a primal fear that she could really not explain.

And as she approached a spacious circle that looked like an altar, surrounded by walls still filled with tombs, Elle saw something that made her blood run cold. There, across from her in the darkness, sat a humano figure.

At first, Elle thought it was simply a trick of the light, a shadow cast by one of the flickering candles and added on with her own overactive imagination. But as the figure moved, she realized with growing horror that it was a man. He sat amidst the tombs, his form shrouded in shadow, as if he were a ghost risen from the dead.

As he stepped out of the shadows, Elle's eyes widened in shock.