He shuddered, vividly remembering that horrid creature’s face. He traced his fiery charm, which hung securely around his neck. He exhaled in relief. Just a dream. That’s all it was. Kaijin’s body felt heavy as he stirred. He was lying on a smooth stone floor, and his back and neck were stiff and hurting. It took him several minutes to finally sit up and examine his surroundings, which were cloaked in darkness. He soon realized that he was in a cave. The only source of light came dimly from the cave’s massive mouth. Beyond the exit, the starry sky outlined a precipice. This is not our camp. How did I get here? The ozone smell that he remembered from his dream hung heavily in the air. A shuffling sound diverted his attention to the back of the cave, where he spied two shadowy figures moving about. “You sure this will be big enough?” a male asked in a whisper. “Yes,” another male replied. “Now, keep quiet and help me.” Still groggy, Kaijin squinted, trying to make out the two figures.
