( Insert Soundtrack: Radiata Stories- OST No Graffiti )
*Drip Drip*
The sound of water leaking through the ceiling of the tunnel, the pitter patter as it falls upon the ground alongside the sound of our regular footsteps that echoes throughout the tunnel walls. Narrowed eyes tried their best to see the darkness laid out before them. Flicking flames of the torch light in hand, lighting 3 feet before them. It was as if the shadows hidden within the darkness were eating up the light itself. It probably could be as the occasional weird sounds echo throughout the tunnel. Breezing past them like the wind but only through sound and nothing more.
"If only there was some sort of wind or something down here..."
Philomel whined in her mind as she wipe the sweat off her chin, no longer able to handle the hot, humid tunnel.
" There! Finally!"
Amon chimed as he pointed out at something glistening through the dark. Philomel picks up her pace, holding the torch toward it and finally revealing the mine cart tracks.
" Finally! I feel like we have been walking forever."
Philomel huffed out, her legs felt so numb and her muscles ached but she still dragged herself through it all.
" Wanna take a break yet?"
Amon finally asked when the opportunity came. Amon fearing he would have been seen as a wimp, he held his tongue for the past 3 hours while his mind begged for rest. Philomel without a word sat down on the ground and leaned against the tunnel wall.
" Next time I suggest something dumb like traveling through the mines of Mountmend, please stop me."
She begged with a small smile. Amon couldn't help but chuckle at her.
" I'll try my best to, but if you haven't noticed... your quite the convincer."
He smiled at her as he sat down next to her. Being in such close proximity to Amon, Philomel couldn't help but recall earlier. The awkward feelings hit her and made her blush at the memory of losing herself in his eyes. She turns away from him feeling shy.
" There's... a lot more dead ends here, huh? Feels like you see one every now and then."
She twisted the end of her dress in one hand as she changed the topic.
" Yeah. I think they blew up these areas so that the nature-type magic users could have a better feel of the area and figure out which would be a good path to dig for rare stones."
" Hmm... You seem quite knowledgeable about certain things. Even back there with the Mimic, you knew that was a safe area. Did you have a family member that was a miner?"
" Yeah. But that was my great great great grandfather. He was one of the immigrants that followed the founders of Crimtroy to the new land. I hear much about my family members from Darzirak. He remembers every last one that he has lived in, all the way to the elf that he has chosen to live in. Ah! But he isn't that great! In fact, he's quite annoying. Don't worry, you'll find your Inner demon soon."
Amon quickly added with a waving hand and a smile. Philomel finds herself smiling along with his sudden downplay of his obvious good family friend.
" Darzirak might be sad if he hears you say that."
Philomel said with a giggle as she stood up and past the torch to Amon.
" Na, he just annoys me more whenever he hears it. Where are you going?"
" Just around the corner. I need to use the bathroom."
Philomel said with an awkward laugh and a pointing finger.
" Ah... right... take your time. I'll be here."
Amon awkwardly looks away from her as he rubs the back of his neck. Philomel, quickly dashed off, feeling embarrassed that she told him, and regretted not coming up with something better like scouting the area.
" Meow meow meowing meowwwww."
Amon lets out a heavy sigh at the familiar sound of creepy meowing in the pitch-black tunnel.
" Hello, Darzirak. Welcome back. "
Amon greeted the darkness that stepped into the light with its tail, wagging furiously.
" Great to be back, apartment."
Darzirak chimed.
" Come on, hurry up and get it over with."
Amon said with a tired tone as he showed the back of his right hand to Darzirak, fully ready to feel the weird spark whenever they joined.
" Awww! Don't be like that! Especially when I got you a present!"
" I don't want anything from you."
Amon immediately snaps.
" I swear it isn't a dead bird this time."
" No, I told you no more presents! Don't come home if you brought something. That was the rule!"
Amon started lecturing with a stern voice that immediately falter at the sight of what Darzirak was slowly taking out of his liquid body. A familiar sleeping chubby face, along with small white a pillow, tightly clenched within his tiny little hands.
" No way ... Little One?"
Amon softly called out as he drop the torch he was holding and slowly took Little One into his arms. Little One sleepily opens his eyes but as soon as he saw Amon's red eyes looking down at him. His little blue eyes snapped open, staring at Amon for a moment before bursting into tears as he drops the pillow. As soon as the pillow hits the ground, it unravels revealing it to be Amon's white shirt that has been folded into a pillow. Little One's tiny arms wrapped around Amon's neck as he cried into his shoulder.
" Hey, hey. It's alright. It's alright. Shush shush. I'm here now, everything is alright."
Amon whispers to Little One as he rubs Little One's back. From the corner of Amon's eyes, he noticed a very smug-looking Darzirak.
" Alright, alright. This time this was a very lovely present. Thank you. It's exactly what I wanted."
"You're welcome. "
Darzirak smugly says with his chest puffed out and his tail, wagging furiously.
" Wait... If he's here then... What did you leave behind for Emma and Hector?? Please tell me you left something behind to inform that Little One is here."
" Please! I'm no idiot! I left behind a letter clearly explaining the whole situation."
Darzirak waves Amon off. Amon immediately narrowed his eyes at Darzirak. Knowing Darzirak with letters, Amon already had a bad feeling.
" And what exactly did this letter say?"
Amon prompted with a glare.
" Well!"
Darzirak stroke his chin as he recalled.
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