Beast Evolution Forge-Chapter 187: Cave

Jia crouched down, both arms between her legs as she licked her lips. "Sorry but I have to show off to master, I am sure you will understand." Her daggers glowed a deep purple as she leaped forward.

The scorpion sensing the danger spat venom at her, venom so strong that the air around it becomes toxic.

She quickly dodged to the side as the venom shot through the air. She could see the sand sizzle where it landed.

"Too slow!" she called out, her daggers still glowing.

The scorpion clicked its pincers angrily and rushed forward. Its massive claws snapped at her. She slid under its attack and slashed at its legs with her daggers.

The creature screeched in pain as her blades cut through its hard shell. It spun around, its glowing tail arching high, ready to strike.

"Watch the stinger!" Regina shouted from a safe distance.

She smiled, her eyes never leaving the monster. "I see it."

When the stinger came down, she didn't dodge. Instead, she crossed her daggers above her head, catching the deadly point between her blades. With a quick twist, she redirected its force into the sand.

The scorpion, now stuck, tried to pull its tail free. She used this moment to jump onto its back. Her daggers plunged deep between the stone plates.

"Found your weak spot," she whispered.

The scorpion thrashed wildly, trying to throw her off. She held tight, driving her daggers deeper until they found the monster's core.

With one final screech, the creature collapsed. Its glow faded as its life drained away.

She jumped off, cleaning her daggers on her pants. "That was fun," she said, looking back at Vell with a proud smile.

[Monster defeated. Flame Scorpion. 150 points earned.]

"Well done," Vell nodded. "Quick and efficient."

Regina approached the fallen monster, studying it closely. "The presence of this creature means water must be nearby. These scorpions always nest near underground sources."

"Let's keep digging," he ordered. "But be careful. There might be more of them."

They returned to their task, digging deeper where the scorpion had emerged. After another hour of work, Ruby's hand splashed into something.

"Water!" she exclaimed. "I found it!"

They all gathered around as the hole filled with clear, cool water.

Regina examined it with her equipment. "It's pure. No contamination."

"Perfect," he said. "Let's secure it and mark it on the map."

[Water source found. 100 points earned.]

They filled their containers and marked the location before moving on to the next spot on their map.

As they walked, the wind began to pick up. Small swirls of sand danced around their feet.

"I don't like this," Wren said, sniffing the air. "Smells like a storm brewing."

"Ember warned us about the sand storms, we should find shelter soon."

They quickened their pace, heading toward a cluster of large rocks shown on their map. The wind grew stronger, and the sand began to sting their skin.

"There!" Ruby pointed ahead. "I can see the rocks!"

Just as they started running toward shelter, a dark shape rose from the sand ahead of them. It was humanoid but made entirely of swirling sand, with glowing red eyes and long, sharp fingers.

"Sand Demon," Regina called out. "They appear during storms!"

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The creature let out a howl that sounded like wind through a narrow canyon. More shapes began to rise around them.

"We're surrounded," Jolly said, drawing her weapon.

Vell assessed the situation quickly. "Form a circle. Back to back. Regina, put up a barrier against the sand. The rest of you, be ready to fight."

They moved into position as Regina cast a dome-like shield around them. The wind and sand beat against it while the demons circled, looking for a way in.

"They're waiting for the barrier to fail," he said. "We need to get to those rocks before Regina's mana runs out."

"I have an idea," Ruby said. She raised her hands, her new bracers glowing blue. "I can make an opening."

He nodded. "Do it."

She gathered her mana, focusing it into a blazing sphere between her hands. When it grew to the size of a melon, she pushed it forward, through the barrier.

The sphere exploded outward, creating a path of intense heat that turned the sand to glass and scattered the demons in its way.

"Now!" He shouted. "Run for the rocks!"

They burst through the opening, Regina dropping the barrier as they moved. The demons howled and gave chase, their sandy bodies reforming as they came.

Wren transformed into her weasel form for speed, running ahead to scout. "The rocks form a cave!" she called back. "Twenty more meters!"

The team sprinted forward as the storm grew worse around them. Sand filled the air, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead.

He took the rear position, slashing at any demon that got too close. His new dagger cut through them easily, their sandy bodies falling apart at his touch.

Finally, they reached the rocks and ducked into the cave. The demons stopped at the entrance, unwilling to follow them inside.

"They don't like enclosed spaces," Regina explained, catching her breath. "They need the open desert and the storm to maintain their form."

"Good to know," he said, looking out at the howling creatures. "We'll wait here until the storm passes."

As they settled in the cave, Regina pulled out some light sticks to illuminate their shelter. The walls were covered in strange markings and old drawings.

"Look at this," she said, examining the images. "These might be maps to more water sources. And more hidden temples."

"Copy them down," he instructed. "They could be useful."

As they waited in the cave, Vell examined the drawings on the walls more closely.

"These pictures tell a story," he said, tracing his fingers over a series of symbols. "This desert wasn't always a desert."

Regina moved closer, her eyes widening with interest. "You're right. Look here - these show rivers and trees."

Outside, the sand demons howled as the storm grew stronger. The team huddled deeper in the cave, grateful for the shelter.

"The storm might last for hours," Wren said, returning to her human form after checking the entrance. "Those sand creatures are still out there."

Ruby sat with her back against the wall, adjusting her new bracers. "At least we're safe in here."

"Let's use this time wisely," he decided. "Regina, what else can you learn from these drawings?"

She studied the wall carefully. "This part shows people worshipping the twin suns. And here..." she pointed to another section, "it looks like they built something to collect water from underground."

"A water system," Jolly realized. "Maybe that's what the Water Search challenge is really about - finding parts of this old system."

Jia nodded. "That would explain why the scorpion was guarding that spot. The ancients must have built protection for their water sources."

He stood up and walked around the cave. "There might be an entrance to one of those Ancient Ruins challenges here. Look for any strange cracks or hidden doors."

The team spread out, running their hands along the rough walls. Minutes passed as they searched carefully.

"Master!" Ruby called suddenly. "I found something!"

They all gathered around a small hole in the back of the cave. It was barely visible, hidden behind a fallen rock.

"Good work," he said, patting her head. Her tail wagged happily at the praise.

He knelt down and peered into the darkness. "It looks like a tunnel. It might lead to one of the buried temples."

"Should we explore it now?" Wren asked eagerly.

He checked the time. "The storm is still raging. We might as well use this opportunity."

He drew his dagger, using it to widen the opening. The strange blade cut through the rock easily, just as its description had promised.

"Regina, can you create some light that will last longer?" he asked.

She nodded, casting a spell that created a floating orb of light. "This will stay with us for at least three hours."

One by one, they crawled through the opening. The tunnel beyond was narrow but tall enough to stand in. It sloped downward, leading deeper under the desert.

"Stay alert," he warned. "If the ancients protected their water, they probably protected their temples too."

They walked in silence, following the tunnel as it curved and branched. Regina marked their path with glowing symbols to ensure they could find their way back.

After twenty minutes of careful progress, the tunnel opened into a large chamber. Their light revealed high ceilings supported by stone columns. In the center stood a stone altar, and above it hung a crystal that caught and scattered their light.

"Amazing," Regina whispered, her voice echoing slightly. "This must be thousands of years old."

"Look at the walls," Jolly pointed. More drawings covered every surface, showing scenes of daily life, worship, and what looked like great battles.

Vell approached the altar carefully. "There's something here."

On top of the altar lay a small object wrapped in cloth that had somehow survived the passage of time. He gently unwrapped it to reveal a medallion made of a strange blue metal.

"This must be one of the artifacts," he said, holding it up. The medallion gleamed in Regina's light, its surface covered with the same symbols they had seen on the cave walls.

[Ancient Artifact Found: Desert Heart Medallion. 300 points earned.]

"What does it do?" Ruby asked, leaning in for a closer look.

"I'm not sure yet," he replied, examining it carefully. "Regina, can you sense anything from it?"

She held her hands near the medallion, closing her eyes in concentration. "It contains mana... very old, very stable mana. I think it's a key of some kind."

"A key to what?" Wren wondered.

As if in answer, the ground began to tremble. Small stones fell from the ceiling as dust filled the air.

"Everyone out!" He shouted, pocketing the medallion. "The chamber is collapsing!"

They raced back through the tunnel, Regina's light bouncing wildly as they ran. Behind them, they could hear the crash of falling stones as the ancient chamber collapsed.

'Crap, they are slower since they are not using their powers because of the training.' He transformed his hand into a large hand, grabbed the girls and threw them out before the cave collapsed.

"Master!!" Wren called out, ready to break the training to go after him but Regina stopped her. "what are you doing, let go of me." She snapped, lightning slowly covering her body.

"Calm down, I am sure he is fine, if not you would have felt it through your link."

She calmed down. "right, sorry about that."

"It's ok, I wanted to go after him too but right now we have bigger problems." She looked behind her, seeing the sand demons, "master threw us out of the cave."