"We actually made it!" Bailey cries, relief evident in his voice.


    “We’re still technically underground, but at least we can see the sky. We were down there for almost a day,” I say, glancing around at the steep walls surrounding us.


    We cautiously approach the edge of the sinkhole. "That’s quite a drop,” Bailey observes, peering upwards, his eyes widening.


    “Yeah, not exactly a gentle stroll back to the surface…” I reply. “Any idea how far we are from where we started?”


    "Whoa… that''s a good stretch. We must be under a mountain. We''ve come a long way today," Bailey says, studying the readings on his device, shaking his head slightly.


    “Okay, you should get some rest. We’re not climbing out of this thing tonight,” I tell Bailey.


    We set up a makeshift tent for him—basically a large sheet of waterproof material propped up with some conveniently placed rocks. He promptly collapses inside, snoring softly within minutes. I settle in for watch. A few… let’s just call them “uninvited guests” decide to pay us a visit throughout the night, but I manage to dissuade them from sticking around.


    As dawn broke, casting a soft, ethereal glow over the sinkhole, the once-still air began to stir with life. A gentle breeze, carrying the sweet scent of morning dew, swept through the cavern, rustling the leaves of the strange, bioluminescent plants that clung to the walls.


    Bailey slowly emerged from the tent, blinking in the sudden light. "Slept like a log last night. Thanks for keepin'' an eye out."


    “Alright, now for the real fun,” I said, tilting my head back to survey the daunting cliff face. It looked even steeper in the daylight.


    "There''s a funny smell about..." Bailey commented, wrinkling his nose and sniffing delicately.


    “Don’t tell me…” I took a cautious sniff myself. An absolutely atrocious stench assaulted my nostrils, like something that died weeks ago. “Okay, new plan. We need to move. Immediately.”


    Before we could even contemplate which toehold to grab first, the ground beneath us shuddered violently. A massive, pale white head, vaguely resembling a dinosaur crossed with a Komodo dragon, erupted from the earth like a grotesque jack-in-the-box. Then, with a series of earth-shaking shudders, the rest of the colossal lizard-dinosaur hauled itself fully out of the ground, showering us with dirt and pebbles.


    "That''s what''s been eatin'' the Umbrynus?!" Bailey whispered, his eyes wide.


    “Yes, I believe so,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “Recognize it?”


    "No idea. Doesn''t look like anythin'' I''ve ever come across." Bailey shivered slightly.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The dinosaur-lizard slowly moved toward us, its surprisingly intelligent eyes fixed on me.


    How and why was it coming for us?! Do I smell or look like those rodents?!


    I instinctively pushed Bailey behind me, backing us against the sinkhole wall. I braced myself for a fight, mentally preparing a list of evasive maneuvers. The creature continued its slow advance, but instead of charging or roaring, it simply… inched closer.


    Then, it slowly opened its massive jaws. A long, pink tongue unfurled, gently wrapping around me, as if… taking a sample. It quickly retracted its tongue, then tilted its head back, let out a bizarre gargling sound, and proceeded to spit two gleaming golden nuggets onto the ground in front of us.


    “Concentrated Adamantine ore?!” Bailey exclaimed, his jaw dropping. “Is it… is it giving it to us?!”


    “Stay back,” I whispered to Bailey, cautiously approaching the… gift. As I got closer, my hair flared with that familiar iridescent light, turning my head into a miniature disco ball. The sudden light show startled the creature, causing it to stumble back a couple of steps, its dinosaur eyes blinking in confusion.


    Strands of glowing hair snaked out and enveloped the ores. As they did, I felt a denser aura of energy thrumming around me. Time slowed again, as if someone had hit the universe’s slow-mo button, and that familiar tingling sensation returned to my scalp. Once again, I felt that strange sense of control over the millions of iridescent strands.


    Driven by an irresistible curiosity—and maybe a touch of madness—I slowly reached out to touch its head.


    It tilted its head down toward me in response, as if anticipating my touch, or maybe just trying to get a better look at my rapidly brightening hair. The moment my fingers brushed its rough hide, I wondered what the creature wanted. More strands of my glowing hair joined the fray as my hair made contact with the creature.


    I can sense that any memories I see are taken, robbed from the owner’s mind, and they will no longer have them. Since I can’t extract memories without causing harm, I decide to get only snapshots—fleeting images of its past. Fragmented memories flash through my mind like a bizarre slideshow.


    *******


    Looking through a glass window, a younger, less stressed-looking Dr. Keyser worked tirelessly in his lab.


    A glass container in the lab held a swirling blue liquid—and something that resembled an embryo.


    Dr. Keyser and I traveled underground, searching for orangey-gold ores.


    Digging and carrying machine parts to a magma chamber.


    The glass contrivance of blue liquid now contained a fully formed body.


    A body that looks exactly like mine. This is getting weird.


    Carefully opening the cage and fleeing the lab.


    Everything suddenly became tiny.


    Seeing the machine within the magma chamber again, deep underground. It looks… different.


    The machine looks like it’s gotten bigger.No, bigger isn’t the right word.


    The machine looks like it’s bloating up. Like a… like a giant metal balloon about to pop. And that thought brings with it a wave of…


    Fear… a bone-deep, primal fear… fills me.


    ********


    I drew my hand back. “Have we… met before?” I murmured to the creature. Piecing together the fragmented memories felt strangely like reconnecting with a very strange old friend. The creature nudged its head against my hand.