As they stepped off the ship, Eldric looked around. "Hmm, is it all forest?"
Nova opened a folded map of Lemuria. "Yeah. We head west. That's where the forbidden cave lies Pluto Cave."
"Pluto Cave?" Muscle raised an eyebrow.
"Yup," Nova nodded. "It's hidden deep in the woods."
The team began walking through the dense forest. Eldric strolled casually. Ronan clenched his fists, silent and tense. Luna moved with quiet grace. Everything seemed calm until it wasn't.
A massive creature suddenly emerged from between the trees. Towering, humanoid, with a bull's head and two sharp horns. It held a colossal axe dripping with menace.
"What the hell is that?" Eldric stepped back.
The beast roared and hurled its axe toward Muscle. Nova reacted instantly, shielding him with a hardened crystal arm. Luna dashed forward, slashing her hands in the air crescent-shaped moon blades struck the creature but barely made a dent.
Muscle launched a punch into the monster's gut, but the creature grabbed him mid-air and flung him into a tree.
"Damn!" Eldric grunted. He picked up the fallen axe and hurled it back at the beast. It struck the creature in the stomach blood splattered.
Nova leaped and drove his glowing crystal hand straight through the creature's face. The beast collapsed, lifeless.
Eldric exhaled. "Shit… That thing was strong."
"What kind of monster was that?" Muscle groaned, getting up.
"A minotaur," Luna replied. "Forest-dwellers. They're smart enough to wield weapons."
The team pressed on through the woods until Nova pointed ahead. "There it is."
They stopped before a massive cave mouth hidden behind overgrown vines. Mist drifted from within like breath from a sleeping giant.
Eldric blinked. "We're actually going into that?"
Nova nodded. "This is the heart of the expedition."
They entered. The cave was cold and dim, lit only by thin cracks of sunlight bleeding through the rocks. The walls were covered in thick cobwebs.
"Great," Muscle muttered. "Spiders."
"Wait," Nova said, pointing at strange markings on the wall. "Look at this."
"Eclipse?" Luna read aloud. "What's that mean?"
"Maybe a lunatic passed through here," Eldric said, shrugging. The others chuckled lightly.
Deeper inside, the tunnel split into two paths.
"There are two ways," Nova said. "Ronan, Eldric you two take the left path. I'll go right with Luna and Muscle."
Eldric groaned. "Seriously? With him?"
"Shut up, idiot!" Ronan snapped. The two glared at each other before heading down their path.
As they walked, the air thickened. Suddenly, ten enormous spiders appeared—each with tentacles and blood-red eyes. Their hairy legs scraped along the walls, and webs blanketed the ceiling.
Eldric stepped back. "We're screwed."
Ronan clenched his fist and struck the nearest spider with a wind-charged punch. The spider barely flinched.
"What the hell?!" Eldric shouted. "I thought you were strong!"
"Tch!" Ronan growled, leaping up and kicking one of the creatures in the face. Another spider shot a thick web, trapping him mid-air.
Eldric leapt forward, slamming his fist into the spider holding Ronan. The creature shrieked as it reeled back, releasing its grip.
Ronan got up, rage burning in his eyes. He charged a stronger wind attack into his arm, blasted upward, and threw one spider into the others like a cannonball. They crashed against the wall in a web of twisted legs and screeches.
Eldric sighed. "Alright… They're a bit weaker than that cow-thing."
Meanwhile, Nova, Luna, and Muscle advanced deeper through their tunnel. The air grew colder. A low growl echoed.
Before them stood another minotaur bigger, meaner, and wielding two axes.