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We're getting deeper into the forest but the cannoyt-like, borruca-like, and other animals that look so threatening are not moving at all. Morning Dew still used to follow me behind grabbing my clothes and is about to scream. This guy is unbelievable. "It's okay, they are safe. They are not moving, you see." I teased him and I chuckled. You really are a coward Dew! Be like me! I want to be a Knight so I can be strong! Well, being a squire is one thing but becoming a Knight is really impossible. An elusive dream.
"Oh! I can see the entrance of the cave from here! Let's hurry Morning Dew! So we can give the hunted animals and feast on them later!" I told him haughtily. "Yes!" He replied quickly.
We raced until we were in the doorway of the cave, but the Dungeon of Monsters is such a silly way to scare children like us. What I can see is a mesmerizing cave that looks like a haven of crystals. I can see a variety of layers from the outside. How much more if we go further enough, huh? I stopped and looked at Morning Dew and pointed to the interior of the Crystal grottoes.
"No, Twig! We need to hurry and give these lifeless creatures! It's barely night time. People might remember that we've been away for so long, maybe they're going to start a search party! I'm going to get yet another punishment and ... and..." disturbed and upset, he started counting how the local residents are going to punish the misbehavior of the child.
"Alright! Stop blabbering now, worrywart! You should start aiming high, Dew. We're almost young adults. Quit your whimpering! Are you perhaps a scared child? We need to be squires! We. Need. Be. Squires! Understood?"
If we don't do this, how can we leave our status as sons of serfs? We really need to dispel the uncertainty that there is nothing else we can do about it, that is.
"Huh! We can't even pay for our independence. When we turn fifteen Luners, we'll be serfs like our poor parents! No one can change that." Refuting, as if he could read my thoughts.
"I can." I claim loftily. My resolve is indestructible. We just need to keep going before we have accomplished our great goal.
"Oh, really? How?" he turned down all my responses. Why does this man not have the same degree of resolution?
"With these crystals! I 'm going to get each of them and sell them to other merchants next season at the festival!" I responded, referring to the breathtaking crystals in front of us.
"Stop daydreaming, you idiot! Serfs are not allowed to sell anything in the market." Ignoring the precious gems in front of him, he begins crouching on a rugged, shaggy bristles, disheveled meadow grass.
"Says who? I can be a squire, I know! And I can ask Sir Lyol to sell these for me." Still not backing out. I arguably said it.
Morning Dew stopped talking for a while now while lying flat on the grass. He is certainly an easy guy to speak to. Well, we were born at the same time. That may be the reason why we share the same intentions periodically. He's an honest childhood companion for a reason. Oh! I am slamming these crystals like a soft rock with my blade. I got seven colours from them. This should do it!
I'm almost finished with the eighth when the land begins to tremble. Every quake also felt so strong that I fell on my knees. This is the very first time we've felt such a strong tremor. I realize how tough it is now to find precious metals beneath the surface. You're never going to know when this actually occurs. Dew hurried to ready his stuff when the cave abruptly opened wide, radiating a dazzling light from the ground. It's like there's a few more rare gems inside.
Yet...
However!
... And why this is shaking so hard!
Oh, my good lord! Somehow, it's like the cave's pulling me in.
My body is like ... My body is walking in the direction towards the light.
"Twig! What are you doing! Let's go!" He said while looking daggers at me. This might be the first time I saw him so alarmed.
"Dew, help me!" I replied immediately.
"Twig! Stop with your pranks! Let's go!" I can see that he's very annoyed now but I really meant it.
"Dew! I can't change the direction of my body. It's walking on its own!" I said.
"Damn! Hold the rope tight!" Agitation can be heard from his hoarse voice.
This is starting to creep me out of here. I can't even keep the long chain, so Dew wrapped it around my arm, but the intensity is now so incredibly strong for him that he couldn't get me out of my physical state. I sweat profusely, I'm afraid of what's going on with me. Dew turned and looked at me and wrapped the rope around his brawny body, too. Wanted to make sure it could help both of us.
Despite these challenges, we are easily dragged inside, even though we desperately tried our hardest fight to push in the opposite direction.
"Steady now! Dew! Let's get out of here!" I thought he might somehow hear me, but he's still working hard really steadily not to be devoured by the cave or the warm light, or whatever it is that!
Evil...
Demon!
Yes, indeed. It's the demon work! I heard my mother say demons want blood to satisfy their need to consume. Would they want the blood of something like these creatures, too? The Cannoyt and Ferral in particular? I don't know...
But!
Still...
"Dew! Hand me the basket!" Still caught up with the force pulling us in. Morning Dew still can't hear me begging for the basket that the animals he is carrying but we're tied with the same rope. Fortunately, he caught a glimpse of the rope while I was tugging it.
"Give me the basket full of Ferals! Hurry!" Wait! Where's my blade? Damn! How can I get the blood of these guys now? I haven't noticed the blade since the cave opened. How careless of me not to keep the only thing that can keep us from possibly dying.
Slowly, we are being dragged inward. Inch by inch until we reached a couple of meters inside this godforsaken place, I witnessed something more intricate than that of the gems I obtained earlier. Golds. This place is impressive, yet so dangerous! In addition to that, we are still struggling to go outside but the cave is not letting us out. How unfortunate. If only I was stronger. If only we didn't go nearer. If only I...
I opened my eyes but what I can only recognize is a completely stark, spacious, and creepy windowless chamber of whiteness. It's not overwhelming but calming. Although it may look bizarre, it's neat and striking. I don't think this is the cave we were towed inside. There is no one here except me and a flower. Huh? A flower? Why does it have to be a flower for all of the things that I can see here?
… And where is Morning Dew?
I tried walking inside the room and it feels like I am walking on a soft and fluffy pavement. It's like the floor is covered in unprocessed kinds of cotton. Especially this flower. This lavishly elegant and multicoloured flower. Wait. That's the same number of colours of the gems I have. There's red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Perhaps this is because it grew in the middle of the cave where plenty of colours are everywhere or is it because it's warm here? I don't know anymore. One thing I know, I am stuck in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but a flower! A flower! I suppose I can eat that or what? Now, let's stay calm and check for any possible exits.
Damn! Is there a way out?
Is this a room... of clouds? Huh.
This mishap is like a nightmare yet a likeable dream. I mean, no ones here. It's not dangerous here but I wouldn't consider this as a dream. Although I am worried about Morning Dew, I can't find him here. Where can I find that guy where I see nothing but a small flower? Alright, think. So, this location should be the cave. If this is the centre of the cave, and everything is neutral, I should look for a small hole or anything that can help me escape and slowly hike our way outside, but what if there's plenty of dangerous creatures outside this room? How can I fight them with a fist? This is truly a deplorable turn of events. It makes no difference if I stay here to die or fight my way back.
It's been a couple of hours since I poked around every nook and cranny of this room searching for a hidden switch to something that can open anything. Yet I failed. What in God's bone is happening here? Is this the paradise that my mother told me about? The afterlife? What a cliche. I can still feel my warm hand and I can still hold the gems. I can see my breath coming out of my mouth. Wait, it's cold? Is it winter here? But I don't feel like there is any hint of coldness here. I am still fine. My body still sweats like it's spring but my puff of breath signifies otherwise like it's very cold.
Am I... nervous?
... and these clouds.
Hey. shit. This isn't funny. This isn't really physically draining or real and tangible, but more weird and absurd and utterly illogical and could only be described as nonsense.
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