Apocalyse: Marked by Chaos
Chapter 67 - 66 The Underground World (1)

Chapter 67: Chapter 66 The Underground World (1)

The air outside was cold, the wind brushing against Olivia’s face. Her footsteps were light, careful, but each one echoed just enough to make her uneasy. The deeper she went, the fewer students she saw. It was late, and most had long since retreated to their dorms.

She pulled her hood lower, her breath steady but her pulse racing. The underground world. It sounded almost mythical, like a place talked about in cautionary tales. But Abigail had slipped up, and now Olivia knew, it was real. And it was somewhere beneath the eastern part of the fortress.

She had no map, no guide, only a vague direction and a dangerous curiosity that had always been her downfall.

As she approached the fortress’s eastern side, the atmosphere seemed to shift. The torches flickered dimmer, and a strange silence settled in. Even the air smelled different, damp, and metallic.

Then... she felt a strange presence. Someone was watching her.

Her muscles tensed, but she resisted the urge to turn too quickly. Instead, she slowed her steps, pretending not to notice. Her senses sharpened, reaching for any sign of movement. She saw a shadow flickered from the corner of her eyes.

She wasn’t alone. Olivia exhaled slowly, her mind racing. She quickened her pace until she arrived at the place.

She stood in front of a massive, rusted gate, its surface covered in deep scratches and strange markings. The entrance to the underground world.

A platform hung weakly at the top, swaying with the cold, dry wind.

"Welcome to the underworld. Every living thing is welcome, and your soul belongs to us."

Olivia read under her breath, a worried smile etching onto her face.

She inhaled deeply. The closer she got, the more she could feel the pressure in the atmosphere.

A group of people stood ahead, arguing with the guards stationed at the entrance. They were dressed in ragged clothes, their faces weary, desperate.

"I told you," one of the guards said, voice bored yet firm. "No pass, no entry. Take your complaints somewhere else."

"But we have business inside..." one of the men tried to argue back.

"Then get a pass," the guard cut in, waving them off without a second glance.

Olivia tensed. A pass? No one had mentioned that part. Her mind worked fast, searching for a way around it, but before she could act, the guard’s gaze landed on her.

"And you? What’s your excuse?"

Her jaw clenched. She had nothing. No excuse, no pass, just a stubborn resolve to get inside. She was about to speak when, to her surprise, Abigail stepped forward.

Wordlessly, she pulled a silver emblem out from her pocket. The moment she held it up, the guards’ demeanor changed.

They hesitated. One of them actually straightened.

"...You again?"

Olivia’s eyes flickered to Abigail, catching the briefest flash of something in her expression.

"Just let us through," Abigail said, her voice soft and even.

The guards exchanged looks. A silent conversation passed between them before one finally scoffed and stepped aside.

"Fine. Go in. But don’t cause trouble."

Abigail didn’t respond. She just grabbed Olivia’s wrist and pulled her forward, walking past the gates without another word.

The second they were inside, Olivia yanked her hand free. "Okay, what the hell was that?"

Abigail didn’t stop walking. "What was what?"

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "You know exactly what I mean. You had a pass. And those guards knew you. You’ve been here before, haven’t you?"

Abigail didn’t answer immediately. She kept moving, weaving through the dimly lit tunnels ahead, before finally muttering under her breath.

"Welcome to the underground, Olivia. Try not to get yourself killed."

"Abigail, you aren’t supposed to be in a place like this?" Olivia paused when Abigail glared at her. "What I mean is, you are too cute, bubbly, and innocent for this," she quickly added.

"Then maybe you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover," she took a sharp turn, quickening her pace, as if eager to drop the conversation.

Olivia bit her lip. "But can you tell me how you got the pass?" she cautiously asked.

"No, I can’t. And don’t even think about rephrasing that question in a way I can’t refuse. I have my personal life and secrets too, so I’d appreciate it if you don’t press any further," she replied sharply.

Before Olivia could refute, they emerged into a wide, open space. The walls were aged, brown and crumbling. Flickering yellow torches cast uneven shadows across rows of old wooden tables, arranged in a way that resembled an underground marketplace.

Most of the men looked tattered and dirty. Many were bulky and huge. Only a few of the people seemed to be from a rich background.

To the left of the space was an inner room. Rough looking men huddled around gambling tables, coins clicking as low murmurs mixed with occasional outbursts of laughter or curses. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, alcohol, and something metallic... like old blood. It was a place where power wasn’t dictated by rank, but by reputation and brutality.

Olivia nervously swallowed, then, she turned, and something got her eyes. Her breath hitched.

Just a few feet away, a hulking creature slithered behind a bald man, its reptilian eyes gleaming in the dim torchlight. Its claw scraped against the stone floor with an eerie rhythm, like the ticking of a countdown. And no one around them even flinched.

She turned to Abigail. "Why are there monsters here?" Dread ran down her spine.

"Didn’t you read the plaque? As long as you can breathe, you are welcome here. If I were you, I’d hurry up with my task," she reminded her, her eyes scanning the room.

"Oh, look who we have here. Is that our famous healer?" A voice rang from behind them.

Abigail clenched her fist as she forced a smile onto her face. "If it isn’t Gaus the monster tamer, who else would it be?" she mused, but all of her nerves tensed up.

The air seemed to tensed. Olivia turned, her gaze locking onto the speaker. The man smirked, his eyes glinting with something calculated and predatory. And from the way Abigail’s fingers twitched at her side, Olivia knew one thing.

This wasn’t just a casual greeting.