It didn't take long for the calm and collected footsteps that echoed through the corridors to turn into rushed flurry footsteps.
Some kind of bell rang as people shouted from time to time -
"Two of tonight's sacrifices have escaped" they did low shouts, shouts that gave the sense of urgency, yet not being very loud.
Although the sound from outside was getting less and less, Irwiz had no thought about going back, nor waiting it out.
Perhaps there might really be a chance if they waited it out.
However, they didn't know how long they had to wait. Not only did they not know the time right now, being that they had been drugged for a period of time from a few hours to an entire day, they had to wait until daytime to do so.
After all, it was likely that the cult members would have to go out for small or big inconveniences once daytime began and the streets livened up.
Still, not only was here uncomfortable, the 'tunnel' from the hole being a coarse and ragged terrain, the chances of being found would be higher if they stayed close by.
What if, for an instance, they had the urge to sneeze?
That would be their doom.
Thus, the two headed inwards.
Surprisingly, the tunnel kept continuing and continuing.
They even went through a bit of up and down motion. Thinking about it, Irwiz couldn't help but feel like Rera and him were cave diving.
Remembering those adrenaline freaks who risked their entire lives and future on trying to wiggle in a tight underground, Irwiz quickly felt a chill down his speak.
So, he advised that they go one after another, even though the current space allowed for both to commando crawl at the same time.
It would be risky if they got stuck together after all.
Even though claustrophobia was an illogical fear, Irwiz disliked the idea of losing his freedom to move.
...
How long was it? 30 minutes? 1 hour? 2 hours?
They sometimes crawled, when the space was big enough to fit them. Mostly, they had been forced to crawl while lying on their stomach.
'Just like soldiers' thought Irwiz.
Even though their movement was slow, they had gone a long way. Irwiz measured about 3 to 5 kilometers.
During the entire time, though Irwiz had quietly talked with Rera about a lot of things such as how he was able to escape, one question couldn't leave his mind.
How was this place possible?
Such a haughty hole around almost the center of a cult's dwelling. And it continued for a long distance.
No matter how one saw the disposition of this place, it was an almost impossibly hidden place. It was also very arrogant of the one who dug it.
Whoever dug it didn't seem to be affiliated with the cult after all.
Who was it?
Why did they make such a tunnel?
How did it get hidden all these years?
Irwiz had assumed this tunnel had been here for years because there was dust everywhere they went. No sign of any life activity too.
Maybe it was no human that made this place, and instead some ground digger animal...
But the cult would've blocked the hole.
Or was it actually some sort of trap designed?
The questions continued endlessly.
However, they were left with no choice but to go forward. After all, they didn't have space to turn back; all they could do was continue on this endless crawl...
Though finally, it seems like Rera has seen the end of this place.
"Out! I see out!" She exclaimed in surprise, albeit still in a lower tone.
"Really? Where is it? Is there anyone or anything else?" Irwiz's sound contained obvious joy. But he didn't shout or say his words loud or anything, still being cautious.
And oh well, he indeed saw Rera's leg disappear from touch, and the sound she made when she fell. Although she may have fallen into darkness, he heard the magnitude of the sound so he knew it wasn't a big fall.
Following Rera's path, he could also feel his arm's movement range freeing up.
Irwiz's arms wiggled up and down a lot, just like a worm; at the same time, he also grabbed and inhaled the air outside as if he was on drugs.
He could breathe only air filled with heavy dust for quite some time now. It was a miracle he hadn't passed out.
So he was glad to inhale any air even if it wasn't fresh.
Being more careful, Irwiz intentionally didn't fall down after Rera; he had supported his body weight with his hands before swiftly throwing his legs to draw a semi-circle arc on his sides.
However, he had forgot something.
He almost didn't use his legs for a few hours. How were they supposed to receive his bodyweight smoothly?
Thus having a realization in midair that his legs were dead, Irwiz instead fell in a bang on the ground.
"Owww..." not only his legs were impacted, his head had also fallen to the ground in a silly manner.
Looking at her partner's silly ways, Rera couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Although it was pure darkness, their eyes had pretty much adapted to it by now.
Although not precise, they could make out the general figure of something.
"Rera are you there?" after rubbing his head for a while and shaking his legs, Irwiz called out.
"Yes yes, I'm here. Did you just fall haha" Rera laughed a bit.
The earlier fear and panic seemed to have been lost from her sound.
"Blah blah whatever. As if you didn't fall too" Irwiz attacked in return. However, his spirit was indeed more invigorated than before.
During the continuous hours of crawling, they constantly had the worry that they were in a dead end on their mind. It would've been very difficult to get out then.
It was possible for them to have even spent the rest of their life rotting within these tunnels.
So, they were indeed very happy things worked out well.
"Be careful, there might be traps" Irwiz warned.
"Okay, let's go together" Rera replied. She trusted him.
After all, she just heard the entire story from Irwiz himself, her being saved and all that. She had begun to know Irwiz as a cautious person, one who saved her life nonetheless.
They were in this peril together. They had to depend on each other.
Feeling the surroundings, Irwiz reached sideways and carefully started stepping.
Turns out they were now in a bigger tunnel, albeit not a lot. The height was enough for the two of them to stand comfortably, while the width was enough for the two of them to walk side by side comfortably.
As for the walls, they were made of hardened dirt, a bit harder from the tunnel they went out of.
Not wanting to risk things, Irwiz called out his remaining fate point to use it.
Only 1, the effect wouldn't be very good.
However, just as they walked a few steps together, a light suddenly seemed to light up, and their surroundings became clearer.
At the same time, Irwiz saw a black panel come into existence in front of them.
[New Mission: Explore the den of a Lost]