The spider’s body lay still, its long legs twitching slightly as the last of its life slipped away. Kai slumped against a boulder, panting hard, while Aiko crouched beside him, a rare smile softening her usually serious face.

  “We did it,” Aiko murmured, brushing Kai’s messy orange hair from his eyes. “You’re braver than I thought.”

  Kai grinned, though his arms trembled with exhaustion. “Told you… I’m not just some kid anymore.”

  For a few quiet minutes, the siblings sat together, catching their breath. The mist in the ravine slowly cleared, revealing jagged walls, moss-covered rocks, and the faint sound of trickling water in the distance.

  Suddenly, Kai perked up, eyes wide with excitement.

  “Aiko! We should explore deeper!” he said, pointing toward a narrow path at the far end of the ravine. “Who knows what’s down there? Maybe treasure! Or any cool stuff.

  Aiko’s smile faded as she frowned. “No, Kai. We barely survived that spider. There could be worse things waiting down there.”

  “But we can handle it together!” Kai insisted, tugging lightly on her sleeve. His light-blue eyes sparkled with determination. “Come on, Aiko. Please?”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Aiko sighed, crossing her arms. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

  Kai clasped his hands together dramatically. “Pleeease, big sis? Just a little look!”

  Aiko closed her eyes, thinking. After a long pause, she opened them and gave him a small, reluctant nod.

  “Fine. But one wrong move, and we’re heading back. Got it?”

  Kai beamed. “Got it!”

  The siblings rose to their feet, Aiko adjusting her kunai and Kai brushing off his clothes. Together, they stepped cautiously into the narrow passage, the walls tightening around them as they moved deeper into the ravine.

  The siblings moved deeper into the ravine, the air growing colder with each step. Suddenly, the narrow path opened up into a massive underground chamber.

  Their eyes widened.

  In front of them stood a giant monster head carved from stone

  Kai stepped forward in awe. “Whoa… Aiko, look at that!”

  But Aiko froze.

  Her fingers tightened around her kunai. A shiver ran up her spine as she scanned the chamber.

  “Kai,” she whispered sharply, “get back.”

  Kai blinked in confusion. “Huh? Why—”

  A faint sound echoed — a scraping on stone, just behind them.

  Aiko’s eyes snapped to the shadows near the wall. She shifted into a defensive stance, pulling Kai back by his collar.

  “Something’s watching us,” Aiko muttered. “Stay sharp.”

  The glowing mouth of the stone monster loomed before them — a passage deeper into the unknown. But now, the real danger wasn’t just ahead… it was already here, hidden in the dark.

  Author’s Note (After the Chapter)

  even crazier from here…

  — Author ??