your way in.

You grab one side and adjust your footing in the dirt. "All right. We just need to budge this enough to get inside. Wanna help?"

Yin dips under your arms and takes the same side, just lower. She seems comfortable spooning beneath you. Her soft hair pushes up against your neck, and her thick, spaded tail wiggles out between your legs. As it moves, it brushes up against you, but you're not sure if it's on purpose. Yin seems ready to help, with her hands firmly clutching the sides of the rock, and her feet planted firmly on the ground.

"I'm... I'm ready, Master," she says quietly. An eye peeks back at you as she turns her head.

Do you have to say it like that while in this position?

"We're ready on our end," Taiga states. The other two have grappled the other half of the stone as best they can, ready to pull--a more difficult job, but there are four of you to work on this together. "Just say when!"

You take a few deep breaths. "All right. On three then. One... Two... Three!" You thrust your weight forward.

The others do the same. At first it doesn't move an inch, but just as you cease the attempt, you feel the ground beneath it give out. You pull back your hands and rub them together as you catch your breath, just for a brief moment before returning to the stone.

"One more time!" you command. "One, two, three!"

This attempt is much more successful. Your group manages to move the large stone multiple feet away. It doesn't completely open up the entrance of the cave, but it's more than enough room for a person to walk through.

You draw your blade and step inside. It's pitch black. With the sun setting, there's hardly a light casting through the entrance, especially with it nestled within the valley. You glance around for a moment before turning your gaze back. "Well, my light doesn't turn on unless someone else is turned on, so we better get something to light the way."

Yin perks up. "Master! I volunteer. Your sword... If I touch my--"

"I brought torches." Snow steps past you with her torch aflame. "I think it would be best in your hands, Kyle. Your sword only requires one hand after all."

"Yeah. Thanks." You take the fire and hold it forwards.

Meanwhile, Snow turns to Yin with a tilt of her head. "Are you all right?"

Yin seems flustered. "I'm fine!"

You take the lead alongside Taiga, while Snow and Yin follow up the rear. The cave itself doesn't look manmade. It's narrow and winding, and you can feel it gradually descending deeper as you continue. It's silent. All you can hear is the sound of wind gradually disappearing back the way you came, and the distant, reverberating splash of tiny water droplets likely falling from the ceiling farther inside.

After some time longer, the cavern opens up wide and tall. There ground is uneven, making it difficult to avoid tripping. You move carefully and raise up your torch to illuminate the moist walls and floor. Occasional drops of water fall from stalactites above down to stalagmites below.

"Why would someone block off a natural cave system?" Snow asks. "I don't see signs of life anywhere. We might be the first to touch this place in a long time." Suddenly, her ears twitch, and she reaches for the bow slung over her back.

Taiga squeezes the shaft of her spear. "What is it?"

"Stay close to me," Yin says to you. She shuffles closer and holds her spear tight as well.

You listen closely and hear a rumbling. It's getting louder. The ground begins to tremble as loose rock collapses from the ceiling to explode into bits on the ground--noise amplified by the acoustics of the cavernous room.

Taiga turns her head straight to you. With no hesitation, she leaps into the air and her wings begin to buzz. She spins the spear around in her hands, and then thrusts herself forwards to shatter a large stalactite that was about to fall straight down onto both you and Yin. You hold the devil tight and raise up your arm to shield you both from the small bits of debris.

"Thanks!" You look up to see the bee hovering above. She really doesn't seem to care much to cover up her undies. Not only does her skirt constantly get pushed up by her stinger, but she wears a skirt despite her main method of movement in combat being flight.

Snow leaps back and arms her bow. "Up ahead."

The center of the room shifts around as if the rock itself is alive. It rises up, and slowly it takes the shape of a creature. One large, wide boulder forms most of its body, but it has two arms and legs as well created by smaller rocks that have moulded together. Despite its rigid body, it moves with ease. The living rock swings its arms and stomps its feet. You have no idea how it can see, but the front of its body is turned directly at your group.

"An elemental," Yin says. She musters up the courage to step forward and take a readied stance.

"I guess we're fighting. Get ready!" you shout.