TAKE ON ME [Survival LITRPG Apocalypse]

They were wrapped in a blanket of silence, that was only broken by the occasional sound of a branch creaking or leaves rustling.

"Let's get the fuck out of here," Bo whispered.

Bo and Tom were hunched over on a rocky ledge near Art, eyes peeled and fixed on the mouth-like entrance. Tom's veins still hadn't thawed from the initial shock of finding the Dungeon so close to the campsite.

Tom leaned close to Bo and Art. "Maybe we should turn back and take the longer route," he whispered.

"That will add hours, and we'll be stuck in the woods at night," Bo said. "Can't we just cut through the brush and make our own path back to camp? It isn't far."

"I don't think that's a good idea," said Art. "If all of us start hacking away at the bushes, it will be a hell of a racket. I don't want to fight those things, and I really don't want to be out here in the dark. I say we just go for it and run past the damn thing."

Bo glanced back at the others, then leaned in again. "Even if we wanted to backtrack and take it safe, what about Roger? He doesn't look like he can handle another long hike. I agree with going for it."

Tom looked behind him. Roger was leaning against a tree, wheezing, a sheen of sweat on his forehead despite the cold weather.

Tom reluctantly nodded. "All right."

Bo motioned to Tess behind them. "Can you check your [Battle Map]?" he mouthed.

Tess moved forward, her gaze sitting somewhere above Tom's head.

"No red dots at the moment," she whispered, "but the map doesn't reach very far into the cave."

Bo rubbed his beard, and sighed. "I guess we'll just have to go for it."

"I'll go first," Art said.

"No, man—"

"I'm faster than you, bro." He stood, shook out his arms, and took his first slow step along the path.

Tom held his breath.

Art inched toward the cave. At its closest edge, he leaned down and poked at one of the hundreds of footprints in the snow and mud.

Don't fucking stop there!

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Art stood, looked around, and crept further along the path.

Tom leaned forward, eyes and ears straining, as Art reached the patch of churned mud and snow directly in front of the Dungeon. Art cautiously peered into the cave's opening.

Tom's muscles tightened.

Art stepped silently past the entrance, and hid behind a clump of bushes beside the furthest rocky column.

Tom took a shallow breath, but his muscles remained taut.

Art caught Tom's eye, and waved him forward.

Tom stepped carefully along the path, watching and listening, and wincing at every tiny sound his body made.

He stopped outside the entrance and stationed himself as a guard. He turned and waved at Bo, who stood and traced Tom's steps.

Tom peered down the murky tunnel, but he could not penetrate the darkness. He swore he heard guttural groans and high-pitched squeals echoing from deep within, but he couldn't tell if they were real or imaginary. Tess's faraway gaze told him she was watching her [Battle Map], but he didn't know how deep the Dungeon was, or how far or wide it spread. He turned away from the entrance, unable to stomach the putrid stench of decay wafting out of the tunnel. It was an effort to stop himself retching.

Their group filed silently along the path and past the Dungeon's entrance, picking their way over the muddy and uneven ground.

Loo passed Tom and stepped in front of the cave.

Roger coughed; a hacking sound that reverberated through the clearing.

Everyone froze.

Tom whipped toward the Dungeon's opening. Had the imagined sounds deep within the cave faltered?

Tom frantically waved at Roger and the others to keep moving.

Amber was second to last in line, and of course she couldn't just quietly walk down the path. She peeked into the tunnel, then gagged and grasped her nose.

Tom jabbed his finger down the path, urging her on.

Amber made a 'calm down' face and peered down the dark tunnel again.

For fuck's sake!

Tom pointed again and gave her his best stern look.

Amber rolled her eyes. She turned and pranced down the path, as light and silent as a feather.

Blake was last in line. He dashed past the entrance, his eyes wide with fear.

Tom fell into step behind Blake. He watched over his shoulder.

No sound. No movement. Yet the cave-mouth lurked behind them like a sleeping predator.

Tess lingered toward the back as well, her eyes elsewhere.

"Anything?" Tom whispered.

"No. But I don't like it. It's almost like they're hiding just out of my range."

The others were moving ahead. There was nothing they could do but follow.

With each step away from the Dungeon, the anxiety squeezing Tom's chest began to lift.

They came upon a clearing in which a large patch of moss and grass had been trampled into a muddy mess. Art crouched and sifted through the snow, examining the countless footprints. Sophia joined him, her hushed voice blending with the rustling of pine trees as they moved from spot to spot, pointing at the tracks.

Chloe's gaze followed the invisible line between the Dungeon and the tracks. She moved closer to Art. "Are all the tracks the same?"

Art glanced at Tom and the other adults before answering. "No," he murmured. "There are human tracks too. Drag marks, it seems. Leading back to the Dungeon." His voice was grave.

"Are you still going to still insist on staying here?" Blake said, pointing at the ground. "Look at all these fucking things!"

Bo pursed his lips but didn't answer.

"Is there any other type of monster track besides Headless?" Chloe's voice was low.

Art's eyes swept the ground anew. "Just people tracks, Headless, and maybe signs of those pigs they ride. Why?"

"We have got to go! What the fuck does that matter, kid?" Blake snapped at Chloe.

Tom stepped toward Blake. "Don't."

Kate surged past Tom, and moved directly into Blake's face. "I swear, if you ever talk to her like that again, I'll rip your fucking head off."

"Keep it down, everyone!" Bo hissed.

"I ASK," Chloe said, her words gaining strength, "because we've seen Trolls and Goblins, which all said [Dungeon Born] on their name tag. If this is a Headless-only Dungeon, it stands to reason there's one for Trolls, and another for Goblins, but maybe not nearby since those are rarer. There could be Dungeons everywhere now."

Tom nodded slowly.

"That doesn't mean we need to camp right next to one!" Blake said.

A branch snapped behind them.

Tom reached for his Flail and scanned the treeline.

The sound had come from the direction of the Dungeon.

Dusk was descending. It was becoming difficult to see clearly through the twisted gray shapes.

"The [Battle Map] is clear," said Tess, her voice uncertain.

Regardless, Tom's eyes swept back and forth across the trees, his body coiled and ready to spring.

We can't stay here.

"Back to camp," Bo murmured, as though he had read Tom's mind.

The group stepped away from the edges of the clearing and positioned themselves to leave.

"Don't say a word to this to anyone yet," said Bo, his voice gruff. "We don't need to start a panic before we have a plan. Agreed?"

There were noises and gestures of assent.

Bo locked eyes with Blake.

Blake eventually nodded.

The group hurried on, the dark Dungeon pressing on their backs and propelling them forward.