The Last Thunderborn

Ranav couldn't see anything around him. There was a weak ray of light coming from above, but instead of helping, it made the surrounding darkness feel even more oppressive. He felt as though he had fallen into the depths of the unknown, with only the faint echo of his own breath filling the silent cavern.

"Jessica, I can't see anything. You have to kill the snake," he said urgently, trying to steady his breathing and ignore the pain from the fall.

Jessica responded calmly, her voice echoing in his mind. "Your sword is still above. Fire is too risky in this enclosed space, and light magic is ineffective against cold-blooded creatures like snakes. Only dark spells can harm it."

Ranav gritted his teeth in frustration. "Enough of your monologue! Just kill that damn thing already!"

Without hesitation, Jessica released several dark tendrils from both of Ranav's hands. They lashed out toward the snake, piercing its thick scales and coiling around its body like living shadows. Darkness seeped into the creature's body, corrupting its insides and draining its life force. The snake twisted violently, letting out a loud, eerie hiss as its body twisted in agony.

As its insides began corroding, the snake retaliated in desperation. It flicked its head with its remaining strength and sprayed venom in Ranav's direction then slowly met its doom. Jessica managed to dodge most of it, but one drop struck his thigh.

A sharp sizzle filled the air. His jeans and skin burned on contact, and almost instantly, a cold numbness spread through his leg. It was as if that part of his body no longer belonged to him.

Jessica cursed. "What a potent poison! I should have killed that bastard faster."

Ranav clenched his fists. "What do I do? There's a first-aid kit in my storage space, but I don't have any antidotes! Maybe Usha has something. If I shout, do you think she'll hear me?"

Jessica scoffed. "Calm down. It's just snake venom… nothing to panic about. Use Regenesis to heal yourself."

Ranav hesitated. "But the venom…"

"You are the strongest poison here," Jessica interrupted. "Did you forget the Voidvine Flower? This snake's venom won't harm you. In fact, if your blood assimilates it, your body might become even more resistant to toxins."

Realizing she was right, Ranav activated Regenesis immediately. Warm mana surged from his dantian, flooding his bloodstream. Sensation returned to his leg, and the wound closed before his eyes. However, as the venom was purged, a searing pain flared throughout his injured leg.

Jessica reassured him, "Relax. Just endure it. Your blood is absorbing the poison and adapting to it."

Ranav took a deep breath and exhaled. "Was there only one snake here?"

Jessica scanned their surroundings. "There are a few small creatures… probably insects… and some oval objects, but nothing dangerous."

After the pain subsided, Ranav created a lightball in his palm, illuminating the cave. The cavern was about ten feet in diameter, with the hole above at least twenty meters high. Vines crawled up the walls, and the rocky ground was damp and cold. Scattered pebbles lay across the floor. Near the far end, a nest of dried vines and bushes held several large, white eggs.

Ranav sighed. "So that's why the snakes attacked me. It thought I was a threat to its children." He glanced at the nest. "Well… now I really am a threat."

"Jessica, can you find a way out of here?"

Before Jessica could respond, Usha's voice came from above. "Ranav! Are you okay?"

Ranav shouted back, "I'm fine! It's a cave down here. Do you have any rope?"

"I don't have any. Rita has them. Can you wait while I go find her?"

Jessica interjected in his mind, "Tell her to cut some Clingvine from near the stream. A twenty-foot length should be enough to pull you up."

Ranav relayed the message. Usha quickly spotted the Clingvine and sighed in relief. "Alright, I'll cut it and send it down. Hold on!"

While waiting, Ranav stretched his leg. The pain has gone, leaving only a dull warmth in his bloodstream.

"Alright, Jessica. Let's search the cave while we wait."

Jessica agreed. "First, collect the eggs. Then check the bushes around you."

Ranav carefully placed the snake eggs into a glass container before moving to the nearby bushes. As he reached down, Jessica suddenly exclaimed, "Look beside the nest! That's Blackcap Mushroom! It's used for crafting poison coatings for weapons."

Ranav spotted the small, black mushrooms growing among the dried vines. "You're right. But these things are toxic. How do I collect them safely?"

Jessica reminded him, "Your first-aid kit has gloves. Use them."

Ranav almost smacked his forehead, he had completely forgotten about the gloves! He quickly retrieved them from his storage space, then carefully plucked the mushrooms and stored them in a jar.

"What's next?"

Jessica instructed, "Those thorny shrubs near the cave walls, they're Cragthorn Shrubs. Their thorns are crushed into antidotes for venom. Collect them."

Ranav frowned. "Plucking each thorn will take forever. How about I uproot the shrubs instead?"

Jessica considered it for a moment. "Good idea. That'll save time."

He swiftly gathered the shrubs, stuffing them into his storage ring.

Then Jessica said, "Go to the right wall. I think I saw Nightshade Fern."

Ranav walked over and cast a brighter lightball. A cluster of dark gray ferns clung to the damp stone.

Jessica confirmed, "That's definitely Nightshade Fern. It enhances shadow magic. Midnight will benefit from it."

Excited, Ranav collected all the ferns he could find. Just as he was about to turn away, Jessica's voice turned sharp.

"Wait. There's something else."

"What?" Ranav asked, suddenly alert.

"The vines on the far wall… pull them aside."

Ranav hesitated but obeyed. As he tore away the thick vines, a hidden opening was revealed… about two feet in diameter. Beyond it, another cave loomed in eerie silence.

Jessica's voice was tense. "There's something inside. But no living being for sure. Break the wall and go in."

Ranav pressed his hand against the stone, but it was too solid to move. Taking a step back, he clenched his fist and punched with all his strength. With a loud bang, the rocky wall crumbled under the force, widening the hole.

Ranav conjured another lightball and cautiously stepped through. What he saw made his blood run cold. A human skeleton sat upright on a stone platform, as though frozen in meditation. Its bones, untouched by decay, gave off an unsettling aura.

But what caught Ranav's attention was the moss-covered box before it. The ancient container radiated an overwhelming surge of magic, so strong that even he could sense it without Jessica's heightened mana perception.

A shiver ran down his spine. "Jessica… what is this?"

Jessica's voice was calm but urgent. "That skeleton is long dead. There's no life or mana left in it. But the platform and the box… they hold powerful magic."

Ranav took a cautious step forward.

Jessica whispered in his mind. "Forget the skeleton. Take the box first."