The trio ventured into the cave, the air around them felt strange. The light from Sora’s hand glowed against the damp stone walls, casting long shadows around the three. Every so often , the sound dripping from stalactites echoed through the passage, occasionally breaking the silence .The deeper they went the more they felt as if the shadows were pulling onto them.

Belial squinted at the map,his line tracing the lines and markings that guided them . The map wasn’t particularly detailed—more of rough outline  —but it was enough to give them a sense of direction.

“We should be heading west.”he muttered, His tone was firm, though his brow was furrowed in concentration.

Turning sharply, he led them down a narrow corridor, the ceiling dipping so low that they had to crouch as they moved. The oppressive weight of the rock above them pressed down on their shoulders, and the air became even colder. Xin, who had been walking behind Belial, adjusted his grip on the light stone he carried, casting a wary glance around. His instincts were on high alert, and though nothing had happened yet, the atmosphere in the cave was growing tenser with each step.

Breaking the silence, Xin glanced over at Sora, who had been trailing behind, his deep green eyes scanning the cave warily. “So, Sora, what’s your take on this place? You’ve explored many caves before?”

Sora gave a small, almost imperceptible smile, though his gaze remained fixed ahead. “A few yes.. Caves like this always have a way of surprising you. They hide things—secrets, dangers. But I’ll be honest… this one is different. It feels… odd.”

Belial snorted, his voice echoing through the narrow tunnel. “All caves feel wrong. They're cold, dark and weird. It's  easy for the atmosphere to make you feel disoriented .”

But Sora shook his head slightly, his expression grave. “It’s not just the darkness or the cold. There’s something else. Something in the air. Like it’s been disturbed—like something has been here recently, watching.”

Xin’s hand instinctively moved closer to the hilt of his weapon. “You think there’s something down here with us?”

Sora didn’t immediately respond. His eyes scanned the shadows before finally nodding. “I’m not sure. But it wouldn’t surprise me if we weren’t alone.”

Belial’s jaw clenched, but he kept his pace steady. “Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it when it shows itself. No point in worrying over shadows.”

Despite his words, the tension between them grew thicker. The deeper they went,the more they felt as if something was watching them, hiding just out of sight in the darkness. The passageway they were traveling began to travel, and after a few minutes it grew into a wide chamber.

The first thing they noticed was how the air felt sharp, this feeling could not be rationalized as belial felt familiarity with this type of air, it felt—heavier, installing a primal fear of darkness consuming them. The walls of the chamber were unnaturally smooth, as if something had deliberately carved them, and strange, ancient markings were etched into the stone. Some of the markings had faded with time, but others were sharp and deep, as though recently refreshed.

Xin approached the wall, running his fingers along one of the carvings. “These markings… they’re not natural. Someone—or something—put them here.”

Belial’s heart skipped a beat as his eyes scanned the markings. The language was unmistakable—Demonese. It was the language of northern demons, the language of his people. His mind raced, piecing together the words written on the walls. They were a warning, ancient and dire.

It’s a trap! Beware of the fallen red angels.

His heart pounded in his chest as he silently read the warning. A flood of memories from that skull crashed over him—memories of the war, the battles that had raged a thousand years ago in the demon realm. His mind was foggy, his memories fragmented, but this much he remembered: something had driven the demons into hiding. Something had forced them underground.

But could this be a remnant of that war? Could it be that some demons from that time were still alive, hiding in these caves?

Belial kept his expression neutral, not wanting to alert the others to what he had just read. He wasn’t ready to share that part of his past yet. Instead, he glanced at Xin and Sora and said casually, “Probably just some old writing. Could be anything. Ancient demons loved to leave cryptic warnings behind.” 

This was the truth, demon elders loved talking in quotes.

Xin, who was still examining the markings, frowned. “I don’t know… it feels like more than that. These markings are recent. The lines are sharp, like they’ve been refreshed.”

Belial shrugged, masking his unease with indifference. “Could be. But we’re here to map this place out, not decipher ancient writings. Let’s keep moving.”

Reluctantly, Xin nodded, and the trio pressed on. The deeper they went, the more Belial’s mind raced with possibilities. 

Could it be that some demons had survived the war, living in these caves? And if so, what role did these markings play in the larger picture? The thought was both thrilling and terrifying.

As they went deeper into the cave, the atmosphere became stiff. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something else—something metallic—iron like, like 

blood!

 Belial’s senses were on high alert, every shadow and sound making his pulse quicken.

Sora, walking slightly ahead now, raised his hand to signal them to stop. “Wait,” he whispered.

Belial and Xin halted,both of them tensing up all over sudden because of a change in Sora’s demeanor. He was staring ahead, his eyes narrowed as he peered into the darkness.

“What is it?” Xin asked in a hushed tone, his hand on the hilt of his weapon.

“There,” Sora said quietly, pointing toward a section of the cave where the shadows seemed unnaturally thick. “Something’s there. I can feel it.”

Belial strained his eyes, trying to see what Sora had noticed. At first, he saw nothing—just the jagged rocks and the flickering shadows from their light stones. But then, slowly, the darkness seemed to shift. Something was moving.

Suddenly, a quiet rumble resonated in the room. The noise echoed against the walls, causing a shiver to run down their backs. Belial's hand automatically reached for his sword's handle, his muscles tightening in anticipation of what was about to come out from the darkness.

Quickly, xin unsheathed  his Axe from his back, his eyes darting around the chamber. “What that..?”

A shadowy figure emerged immediately, revealing a large monster with bright red eyes and massive, sharp claws. The creature's body was covered in dark, tough skin, and its mouth was full of sharp, uneven teeth. It let out a low roar, locking eyes with the trio.

“A monster,” Sora muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Belial’s heart raced. This creature was no ordinary monster—it was something far more dangerous, far more ancient –

a demon. 

Its presence confirmed what he had suspected: the demons from the war were still alive, and they were hiding.

The creature let out another growl, stepping closer. Its massive claws scraped against the stone floor, sending sparks flying into the air.

Belial drew his sword, his eyes narrowing. “Get ready,” he said quietly.

Xin and Sora both nodded, their weapons at the ready. The demon let out a roar, charging toward them with terrifying speed.

Belial prepared himself, tightening his muscles as the demon attacked. At that instant, all his uncertainties, anxieties, and thoughts vanished. The only focus was on the battle, on the drive to stay alive.

The impact from Belial's strike against the demon sent a violent shockwave through the cave. 

The demon stumbled backwards, colliding with the wall, which collapsed under its heaviness. Dust and dirt clouded the atmosphere, making it difficult for Belial to see as his vision spun. Suddenly, the ground collapsed beneath him, and he was quickly falling into the depths of a dark pit.

The feeling of plummeting was bewildering. He felt a sinking sensation when the light vanished and was replaced by the unforgiving darkness of the chasm below. It seemed to last forever until he eventually touched down, the harsh impact on solid ground bringing him back to reality. Confused and disoriented, he remained still for a moment, attempting to collect his thoughts.

After the chaos quieted down and the noise in his ears faded, a dense silence surrounded him. The darkness was dense, nearly palpable, and he struggled to hear for any noises, any indications of his friends up top. However, all he could hear was his own breathing reverberating, while the darkness enveloped him like a funeral garment.

Meanwhile, Xin stood on the brink of the cave, feeling anxious as if a relentless beast was eating away at him. He looked around, trying to find Belial. The reverberations of the fight had diminished, signaling the end of any hope for Belial's security. He took a deep breath and triggered his echolocation, releasing sound waves into the air. The recognizable buzz resonated in his ears, reverberating off the walls and echoing back to him, painting a mental picture of his environment.

But as he focused, the echoes revealed a grim truth—Belial was far deeper underground, out of reach. Panic surged through Xin as he strained to listen for any sound, any indication that his companion was still alive. “Belial!” he shouted, his voice cracking in the darkness. “Can you hear me?”

There was Silence.

His heart raced, fear twisting like a knot in his stomach. He had faced danger before, but this was different. Belial was strong, formidable, and yet, now he felt so utterly alone. Just then, a growl echoed through the cavern, and Xin turned to face the  shadowy  monster, which had paused, momentarily stunned by the chaos.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Xin readied himself. He steeled his mind, focusing on the monster before him. The creature was larger than any he had faced, its purple  eyes glowing like embers in the dark. But as it lunged, he was ready. He unleashed his dome, creating a barrier of sound that rippled outward. The air vibrated, creating a shield between him and the beast, but the demon seemed unfazed.

In the depths below, Belial could feel the tension in the air shift. The remnants of his power surged within him, and instinctively, he released his demonic horns. They burst forth with a crackle of energy, their presence announcing his race—a reminder that he was not just a mere warrior,

The demon hesitated, its savage snarl fading as it regarded him with wary curiosity. Belial could sense the confusion radiating from the creature. “We need to talk,” he said, his voice deep and resonant, infused with authority.

The demon’s posture relaxed slightly, confusion flickering in its glowing eyes. Its upper body had broken armor and pants that appeared torn, the demon was A bit taller than Cole, about 210 cm, his skin was dark, almost black and had an odd facial structure with only one eye. The demon noticed the crescent-shaped hairpin nestled in belial's curly violet hair —a mark of recognition. “you're—” the demon began, hesitating as if caught between deference and uncertainty.

“Cut it,” Belial commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I came here by myself.”

The demon blinked, its expression shifting from confusion to something like dread. “What is your name?” belial asked, 

“Gagamaru,” the creature replied, settling back on its haunches as if trying to make itself smaller in the presence of Belial’s power.

“Gagamaru.” Belial tested the name on his tongue, feeling the weight of it. “Tell me what you remember.”

The demon sighed, its eyes glimmering with a hint of sorrow. “I don’t remember much. I was with my general… We were fighting against the angels. There were so many of them. I—I ran when the chaos started.” Gagamaru paused, his gaze turning distant as if peering into a memory buried deep within. “They were overwhelming us. My general told me and my squadron  to flee, to survive. I didn’t want to leave him, but he gave us an order.”

Belial narrowed his eyes, his heart racing as he pressed further. “Who were the enemies? What do you remember?”

The demon hesitated, a pained expression crossing its face. “The enemies… they’re blurry. I remember shadows, wings, and the screams of my fellow soldiers. We were massacred. I fled to this cave and used the little bit of power that the demon king gave us to hide in the shadows. I thought it would keep me safe.”

Belial’s thoughts raced. This was information he had been seeking, pieces of a puzzle that had been long forgotten. “Could the general you’re referring to be… ‘Ihe Dancing General’?” he asked, his heart pounding in anticipation.