"Where?" Valeria whispered to Tristan.
"To the Cave of Misery." Prince Alex, with his super hearing, suddenly interjected.
The name not only sent a shiver down Valeria's spine but also instilled fear, causing her to glare. As she heard it, she instinctively gripped Tristan's hand, surprising him as he remained unperturbed by the name.
Tristan followed Prince Alex and Lady Ayana to the backyard of the house. Prince Alex walked quickly, with Lady Ayana behind him, leaving Tristan and Valeria behind.
Valeria's hand tightly gripped his, Tristan quickened their pace, finally running when Prince Alex and Lady Ayana disappeared from sight.
"What is the Cave of Misery? I'm certain it's not a name for a cheerful place," Tristan asked Valeria as they caught up with Lady Ayana.
"It's a place in Gaia where restless, angry souls from another world linger," Valeria replied briefly, her tone still tinged with fear. "My mother told me about its existence, but very few know its whereabouts, let alone visiting one. I guess Prince Alex and Lady Ayana are among the few who know about it."
"So, only souls from another world, no Gaian souls?" Tristan queried as they continued to run.
"What? Gaian souls in the Cave of Mystery? Have you forgotten our Gaia History lessons?" Valeria responded, her eyebrows raised in surprise at Tristan's lack of knowledge.
"Sorry, I suppose my memory hasn't fully recovered from my amnesia, especially when it comes to school subjects," Tristan replied hastily, grinning to divert attention from his ignorance.
Tristan continued, "Why do you seem so terrified of it? Is it because it's where all the angry ghosts and spirits gather? But you're strong. I bet you could fend off those ghosts with your Mental Mind."
"Oh, we can certainly fight them with our Mental Mind power," Valeria admitted, "...but what I hate most is the jump scare. I despise jump scares," she shivered, "those darn things never stay still; they move around a lot."
"Wow, Valeria, you've sold me. Now, I want to fight them. Have you ever fought one?" Tristan asked cheerfully.
"Never in a real fight, just simulations, and I already hate it," Valeria answered, her discomfort obvious.
"Don't worry, Vale. You'll be fine. You're stronger now than when we began this journey, and you have me, the mightiest guardian the King's Guard will ever see," Tristan declared, almost shouting.
The four pairs continued to run towards the back of the house, within the boundaries of Lady Ayana's property, with wooden logs forming a fence to their right and left.
They had been running uphill within the fenced area for over half an hour when they spotted Prince Alex and Lady Ayana surrounded by thick pine trees at the top of the hill. Their hands emitted a white light, which they directed towards a well in front of them.
When Tristan and Valeria neared their position, Prince Alex and Lady Ayana suddenly leaped into the well, its stone walls covered in mold.
Upon reaching the well, Tristan and Valeria briefly paused, exchanging confused looks before jumping into the well together, hand in hand.
Tristan and Valeria reached the bottom of the well after falling for about a minute. At the bottom, Prince Alex and Lady Ayana seemed to regard them with a solemn expression.
However, in the blink of an eye, Tristan realized that Prince Alex and Lady Ayana were looking past them. Valeria seemed to grasp the same notion, and they turned around simultaneously.
What they witnessed took their breath away.
Several feet in front of them, in the pitch darkness, countless radiant lights floated and moved rapidly, emitting no sound as they moved.
Tristan glances at Valeria, trying to see if she's okay with the things that discomfort her the most. He then touched Valeria's hand. Even though the cave is cold, her hand is much colder with a bit of sweat. She's nervous.
Suddenly, a shout came from their backs.
"Tristan, Valeria, don't be afraid. Just prepare yourselves. Focus your power on your cores. Once you're ready, move in there and keep moving swiftly, even running, to avoid the lights touching you," instructed Lady Ayana.
Without hesitation, Tristan and Valeria complied. Tristan's core emitted a bluish-white light almost instantly. At the same time, Valeria took a bit longer to muster her power, her core glowing less brightly than Tristan's.
"One more thing, don't attempt to strike those lights. Your mission is solely to evade them," added Prince Alex.
Tristan and Valeria couldn't hide their confusion at this instruction.
"Why? Valeria told me we could fight those lights. Why can't we fight back when they touch us?" Tristan protested, disappointed that he couldn't confront the angry spirits.
"Because those entities don't pose a threat to you. You're the intruders in their realm, potentially worsening their already restless state. Any other questions?" replied Prince Alex, a hint of irritation in his tone.
"Moreover, Tristan, today's training is about honing your speed and agility and sharing your newfound power with Valeria under duress," Lady Ayana added patiently.
"Alright, alright, I understand," Tristan said, nodding awkwardly and smiling at Lady Ayana and Prince Alex.
"Are you ready, Vale? We need to stay close so I can assist you if things get overwhelming. Agreed?" Tristan asked, looking at Valeria with concern and now squeezing her hand to calm her.
"Good advice, Tristan. Good advice. Always stick together, and Tristan, you'll lead your two-person team. That means you help Valeria when she is exhausted. Understood?" Prince Alex clarified.
Both young men nodded and ventured into the pitch-dark cave. Tristan appeared prepared, while Valeria seemed uneasy.
"We'll meet you on the other side!" called out Lady Ayana, followed by a chuckle from Prince Alex.
"Wait, what does that mean?" Tristan whispered to Valeria, his face reflecting confusion and worry.
"Shut up. And focus, Tristan. You're the leader. I hope you don't get us killed," Valeria whispered back.
"What? Why would you say that?" he mumbled, slightly upset as they entered the chilly cave and drew nearer to the radiant lights.