I forge onward into the night in search of my deepest desire. I forge on, hoping, praying for the object of my dreams - knowing it will not come easily. I shudder and tighten my armor in an attempt to bolster my defense against the bitter cold and sleeting rain. I squint to see where my feet lead me... but it is no use.

I am lost.

My path has disintegrated into the night. I know well that my goal will remain unfulfilled unless I can regain my path and my composure.

As the night closes in around me, I begin to see and hear things my rational mind would know weren't there. The wind howls in my ears, but I instead hear a Tigrex's roar in the distance. The shadows of the night transform into a pack of Giaprey, watching from just out of sight. I draw my weapon in preparation of the onslaught a thinking man would know is not coming. I back myself against a solid granite cliff and brace myself. Instincts take over and I slash at my phantom opponents. My blade misses by a fraction of an inch, as the monsters fade back into the night...

Fueled by pure adrenaline I press my attack. I pivot and dodge to the side in an attempt to reposition. I thrust my blade out, but again miss the apparition by mere inches. Suddenly there is a lull in the storm and the phantoms evaporate. I am once again alone on the side of the mountain.

I sheath my sword and draw a shaky breath. The adrenaline is still pumping furiously through my veins. I turn again to find my path and realize I am at the face of a huge cavern. This is no place I, or as it seems, anyone has ever been. I remember the purpose of my quest and turn to leave, but the gale swells in opposition and I reluctantly step into the cave to wait out the storm.

A little way into the cavern I stumble upon a secondary passage. There is a slight breeze coming from the corridor and my curiosity takes hold. I turn and head down the path, hoping this will take me closer to my goal.

The tunnel twists and winds through the mountain side. As I travel deeper into the cave I begin to wonder whether or not this was a good idea. The tunnel shows no sign of stopping and the breeze I felt has become no stronger. Finally I come to what seems like a huge chasm. This is the source of the breeze and I cautiously draw nearer. As I creep to the edge I feel the faint push of the breeze as it comes floating up onto my face. There is no path around the gaping hole and so I turn to retrace my steps. Suddenly I slip on a patch of ice I could have sworn was not there before and fall backwards, into the inky darkness of the cave.

Falling

I land with a heavy crack on the bottom of the cavern. My armor absorbed much of the impact, but at a cost. There are two long cracks up my greaves, my helm is severely dented, and my torso plate is completely shattered in the back. What should have been a relatively simple quest has now turned into a complete mess. After I realign my vertebrae I consider my situation. I am underneath a mountain at the bottom of a huge cavern, my armor is in ruins, and I don't know how to get back outside. It occurs to me that I only have two choices; continue on in search of the prize I set out for, or abandon my quest and search for a way out.

As I weigh my options and their consequences, I slowly become aware of the fact that I am not entirely alone in this pitch black cave. There is a slow, rhythmic whoosh of air characteristic of breathing at my right. Behind me I can hear the unmistakable dull thud of a huge heartbeat. Whatever it is, I count my lucky stars that my fall didn't wake it up. Since I can't see I must rely on my hearing to tell me how to escape without waking "it" up. I creep away from the sound of the breathing and eventually get to the wall of the cavern. Now I start to feel my way around the edge of the wall, hoping for a way to get up off the floor.

Now and then I pause as I kick a stone or step on the skeleton of some ancient meal, making sure I don't awaken the slumbering giant. Finally, after what seems like an eternity of fumbling in the pitch dark, I feel a ledge I can climb. I eagerly climb the wall in anticipation of fresh air and a hot meal when I get back to camp. In my enthusiasm though, I reach for the next ledge only to have it crumble in my grip. This sends a shower of fist sized stones plummeting down, right onto the head of the sleeping monster.

I would have frozen where I was if I had the ability. However, like the stones I also plummet towards the black cavern floor. This time my fall is short, but my landing is much less lucky. I land just behind the slumbering giants head waking it instantly. Before I can react the cavern is ringing with the unmistakable cry of an enraged Tigrex. For the second time this evening my instincts and training take over my actions. When I slide off the Tigrex's neck and hit the floor, I immediately tuck and roll to the wall of the cavern. Now I freeze. Has it located me? Can it see in this darkness? Can it smell me?

These are only a few of the countless questions now racing through my mind - blurring my thought process. I freeze and listen, holding my breath and hoping the wyvern can't hear my speeding heartbeat. There is a second where all is perfectly still, and time seems to move at a snail's pace. Then as soon as the moment comes, it's gone, and everything is once again moving at the speed of light. The Tigrex lets out a deafening roar and begins to charge. Luck is on my side and it misses me by only a few feet. The power of its assault knocks me from my shock and restores my senses. I know I can't fight this thing now. I have to escape.

This last thought remains in my mind, echoing as though I had said it aloud in a cave. Before the monster Tigrex has time to launch another assault, I pull out a flash bomb and toss it straight up. In the brief illumination my eyes latch onto my only way out: a small tunnel, just large enough for me to squeeze through. Now that I know where to go I spring into action. The Tigrex charges me again, but this time I'm ready and dodge to the side, role and begin to sprint for the opening. However the Tigrex hasn't stopped, it twisted around and is still charging at me.

With 6 feet to go I dive for the opening and roll into the shelter of the tunnel, the Tigrex slamming into the wall just a second later. I continue on, following the narrow walls until I feel a sharp drop in temperature. I look up and see the exit and feel overwhelming relief. I climb the last few feet to the opening and look out on the valley. The storm has passed and I can see the road to the village further down the mountain. The quest I originally set out on was a failure, my armor is in desperate need of repairs, and I can only imagine what the other hunters will say when I get back to the guild, but at least I live to fight another day.