The school, a symbol of hope and knowledge just hours ago, was now a smoldering monument to a devastating loss.
Pepe, Hafen, Stark, and Matteo sprinted past the school and into the familiar embrace of the trees. They didn't look back. They ran until the sounds of the groaning undead faded behind them. As they reached the trail, they turned and witnessed a scene of fresh slaughter.
A small group of survivors from the school had made it this far, but not much further. Their corpses laid on top of bushes and branches.
Matteo gagged and turned away.
"We have to keep moving," Pepe reminded and pushed him forward.
Every shadow seemed to hold a lurking threat. Every rustle of leaves sounded like the approach of the undead. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the forest plunged into a deep, oppressive darkness. The canopy of leaves blocked out the faint moonlight, and the trail became a treacherous maze of roots and shadows.
In the Dark Depths, Stark stumbled over a root, and he nearly fell. He caught himself and pushed on.
"We're almost there," Pepe assured them. "Master's cave is just up ahead."
Hafen, who had been silent for most of the journey, finally spoke up. "Pepe," he began while keeping his gaze on the trail ahead. "Who is this master of yours? How did you meet him," he inquired.
Pepe took a deep breath. "My story starts a few years ago. It was after Cassandra and I defeated Jumbopede. I didn't even know who she really was, but we were hailed as the new protectors of the forest," he started.
The memories, long buried under layers of trauma and responsibility, surfaced.
About three years ago, heavy rain poured over the Dark Depths.
A younger version of Pepe faced a horrifying spider monster. "I may not know my way back, but I finally found you, evildoer," he announced.
The spider's chitinous body glistened in the dim light and rain. Its multiple, beady eyes fixed on him. Its fangs dripped with a venom that sizzled when it hit the wet leaves.
Pepe held an iron lance. "I've been tracking you for days. You killed two hunters and a small child. I will stop you, today, monster," he declared and charged forward.
The spider monster skittered to the side with surprising speed and lunged.
Pepe sidestepped and thrusted his lance.
The lance scraped off the creature's armored carapace. The monster's pincers clamped down on the lance, and it snapped in half.
Pepe's eyes widened in disbelief. He jumped back as the monster swiped a hairy leg at him.
However, a pincer unexpectedly slashed across his arm.
Pepe grunted in pain and stumbled back. Blood oozed from the wound. He looked at the broken lance in his hand, then at the advancing monster. He was supposed to be the protector of the forest, yet he was failing. He clenched his teeth and retreated.
The spider let out a triumphant screech. It leaped forward and landed in front of Pepe.
Pepe braced his legs for the shockwave, and he squeezed his eyes shut.
Still, the spider's cry, alone, launched him back.
Pepe rolled across the muddy ground and slammed against a large, moss-covered rock. He spat out a mouthful of blood and struggled to get up. His entire body throbbed with pain.
The spider scurried towards him.
Pepe opened his eyes with a grimace and wondered, "Is this the end?"
Just then, a flash of light blinded him.
The spider's head exploded in a shower of searing green goo. Its body convulsed violently and collapsed to the ground, just inches from Pepe's feet.
A massive thunder echoed from the flash and spread throughout the forest.
Pepe stared at the creature's corpse in awe.
A figure emerged from the shadows. It was an old man with a long, white beard and a stern look in his eyes. His curly hair flowed down his bare and muscular body. He wore silk garments and held a strange sword that glowed in the night. He approached the spider's corpse and tore a chunk of its back. He took a bite and chewed it like a piece of meat. "It came out a little burnt, but its venom should be useful," he remarked with a gruff tone. He took out a peculiar contraption from a bag holstered on his belt.
The contraption sucked venom out of the spider's venom sac. It flowed into a glass vial.
Afterwards, the suspicious old man, without acknowledging Pepe, walked off. He sparingly swung his sword around.
Lightning bolts plunged and suddenly struck the trees. Thunder boomed and shook the earth.
Pepe flinched as another bolt of lightning struck a tree, and he realized something extraordinary.
Lightning struck down on a tree in every direction the old man swung his sword.
Pepe watched in amazement as his savior disappeared into the distance. He had never seen anything like it. He scrambled to his feet, and he panted, "Wait." He followed the path of lightning-struck trees.
The forest changed around him into an eerier place than before.
Deeper into the Dark Depths, Pepe soon found himself in front of a cave on the side of a massive cliff.
A thick layer of vines and moss covered the entrance, but a faint light emerged from within.
Completely wet, Pepe cautiously entered and gasped.
Inside was a workshop of impossible wonders. Metal contraptions of bizarre design hung from the ceiling. Glowing crystals hummed with a quiet energy, and a massive forge settled in the back. Shelves were lined with jars of strange liquids and preserved monster parts. Multiple scattered weapons rested on the cave's walls. A blacksmithing table and an anvil were set up near the center.
Pepe searched around and heard chatter in the next room. He stared at the door and approached it. He placed an ear against it.
The old man grumbled and argued with someone else. "You should be more careful. Good thing it wasn't broken. What did I tell you about using these," he scolded with a deep voice.
"I should ensure your creations are not misused," a familiar feminine voice affirmed with a hint of sadness.
"That's right," the old man retorted, and his voice shifted with his posture.
Pepe's eyes widened in recognition. "It's that strange girl," he whispered and peeked through a small opening.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and a pistol aimed directly at Pepe's face.
Startled, Pepe fell backwards and on his bum.
Aiming the gun, a younger Cassandra came out of the room and stood there with a serious expression. "Who are you," she interrogated.
"It's me, Pepe. We met at the Northern District," Pepe nervously introduced himself. He inspected the pistol with a puzzled look and inquired, "What is that?"
Cassandra warily stepped back and frowned. She held her gun close. "So, it's you. What are you doing here," she sought to know with an unsettled look.
"Cassandra? Do you know this boy," the old man asked. He came out and stopped at the doorway. He wore a tattered blacksmith's apron over his silk garments. His eyes narrowed as he ordered, "Lower the gun. I know of him following me."
Cassandra reluctantly obeyed and stepped aside.
Pepe cautiously got up. "Sir, thank you for saving me back there. Who are you? What is this place," he questioned with a hint of excitement.
The old man grunted and scratched his beard. "People call me by many names. Just call me Marcus. As for this place, it's my mancave," he answered.
What is this mancave? Who is this enigmatic, elderly man? What is his sword capable of? How does Cassandra know Marcus?