The gate fully opened, some greenhorns gasped.
As a headless, disfigured body plopped to the ground.
The old guard didn't react, They were anticipating this.
After all, this is the world we live in.
Without missing a beat, they all stepped over the corpse entering the mining area.
Commander axe looked back at the shook and frightened greenhorns.
"You all are going to get used to this over time, if you seek to remain as cave guards."
He uttered pointing at the corpse.
Leo and I weren't fazed, we'd seemed this before.
Tom however, was hit with a wave of fear.
"GREENHORN GUARD FINN, MOVE THE CORPSE, ASPA."
Commander Axe spouted into the crowd of greenhorns.
"Yes, sir. sir commander Axe."
From the very back,a loud yet soft voice called out, drawing closer.
"Ex… Excuse me, Excuse me."
A small ginger haired boy with freckles that filled his face, makes his way to the front, barely squeezing between the bigger greenhorns.
"Ain't he a little too young to be a cave guard, he look as young as Dean." I muttered to Leo.
"No, he's the same age as us." Tom mentioned.
"Yeah, and I heard he's Elder Patrick's grandson," Leo added on.
I stared at Finn, as he staggered forward, struggling to drag the heavy corpse aside, his freckled face scrunched in effort.
The rest of us entered the rocky mining area.
The fire lanterns cast twitching shadows across the rocky ceiling, making every crack and hole look like a lurking monster.
As we advanced cautiously through the cave, watching the dozens of holes on the wall.
Definitely big enough to fit hell bats inside.
"Aaaaaah!"
A loud scream from behind me.
The front people turned back to face the scream.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON." Commander axe roared, barreling towards us.
"Sorry Sir, Scary pants here, got scared when he thought he seen a hell bat." Leo said pointing at Tom.
I shook my head.
"Dude, shut up." Tom said muttering under his breath.
"Dude, Don't scare us like that," greenhorn Carson said.
"You think this is a game, kid?" One of the old guard - Mr.Owen - snapped.
"No sir." Tom said quietly, staring at his boots.
"if you do that again, I'll kill you myself." Commander Axe growled, his face twisted In a cold, menacing frown. Tom gulped.
"HE…. HELP, HELP MEEEE." One of the mining workers wails, rushing towards us.
"Calm down, sir. We are here, where are the others?" Lieutenant Bob uttered, walking towards the running man, trying to calm him down.
"That thing, It's after me." the man said, tripping over a rock.
"Don't worry, There's nothing behind you." Lieutenant Bob said, reaching down to pick up the fallen man.
As I looked up from the man into the darkness up ahead, I saw glowing red dots.
A hell bat came soaring through the darkness, meters away from Lieutenant Bob.
I couldn't believe it, an actual adult hell bat.
I only seen a baby before this.
There are as scary and big as they say.
Blood-red eyes, huge ears, scarlet wings, razor-sharp claws on both hands and feet, large as adult dogs.
And worse, I'd heard they could spit venom like dire vipers.
The hell bat dived towards lieutenant, flaunting his fangs.
Hastily pushing the man aside, he ripped his shield off his back, blocked the bat bouncing it back.
The hell bat let out a piercing scream, rippling through my bones.
The bat rushed once again.
He swung his shield, narrowly missing the lungeing bat.
The hell bat thrusted its fangs into Lieutenants neck, slitting it open, blood gushing over the cave walls and ceiling.
If that wasn't bad enough, it began plunging its thick and long claws into lieutenants belly.
A Spear rips through the air piercing the hell bat chest.
Commander Axe spear.
The moment the bat hit the ground.
Screeches tore through the air, echoing from every hole in the cave.
Umpteen glowing red eyes blinked open in the dark.
"FORM A CIRCLE!" Axe bellowed. We barely had time.
Leo and I slammed our shoulders together, weapons drawn.
There were no need for the old formation, with hell bats surrounding us.
We formed a circle, those with swords and hammers in the front and those with spears on their rear.
As any hell bat try's to dive in, the spears will pierce through their chest.
Any one the spears missed will be taken care of by the swords and hammers.
END OF CHAPTER 2