The cave entrance was very narrow and looked like a crack on a cliff. It was barely a fit for a human so I guess it could be a good hiding spot? Unless of course it was infested by some insect beasts.
I shivered at the thought.
"There...something." She said, I could only sigh helplessly as we tried — well actually, only me, to squeeze through the gap.
At this point, I might as well be serving myself in a plate. Who knows what lurks in there? But still, I went through it, aside from the fact that my senses weren't alerting me, it also looked...somewhat fine. Most of all, I trusted Neph very well, she would never wish harm upon me.
They say spirits are very sensitive to stuff so I can be very sure of Neph's intuition. She is even sensitive to danger just like when she notified me of the white panther that even I didn't notice.
It was dark and suffocating but once I managed to get through, I arrived in an open space, still dark though, I could barely see anything. Still, at least I am not in danger of suffocating anymore.
Suddenly, light bloomed. I looked at Neph — specifically, her hair. Her hair was nothing more than just flowing water, even though I wasn't used to it at the start, I soon did. But now? It was glowing. Her water hair was glowing whilst waving in the air.
It was my first time seeing it like that. I guess she learned a few tricks for herself. Darkness was chased away by the light, thankfully, we had managed to get inside the cave somehow before night fully submerged the world, and the cave, it didn't seem to be a dead end, it stretched far deeper like a tunnel.
At this point, I could feel the attraction much more clearer. It was close, very close. The feeling must be even more intense in Neph's perspective.
As me and Neph walked through the tunnel, I could breath in a very earthy smell in the atmosphere, it was weirdly vigoring. It was very slight, something not impossible to miss.
At the start, it was negligible but as we continued, it started to feel more significant. Even Neph looked very high in spirits.
At this point, I looked back and saw that it was very dark, we had gone very deep into this cave but clues didn't show that we were close to the end.
I also became curious at this point what was waiting for us in the other side, I just hoped it wasn't danger.
I halted, my foot just hit something, I looked down the ground and asked for Neph to come closer, the light showed what it was.
My eyes widened, it was a thick root that spurted out the ground. It was as thick as a man's forearm.
"What...is this." I uttered. I shook my head, raised it and dispersed purple lightning out my hands into the empty air.
It blew away the surrounding darkness that Neph's glowing hair wasn't reaching and revealed many ominous roots, from the ceiling, to the walls, and the ground.
Seeing all this, I was disturbed. I don't know why but looking at this roots, I was creeped out. Still, it didn't seem to be dangerous, it was just unsettling how many of it there was and only once I've stumbled upon it.
Neph didn't seem to senses any danger as well so we continued down. Even though no danger was sensed, my guard still remained high.
As we walked and walked, the vigoring air completely chased away whatever was left of the soreness and pain in my fight between me and the white panther — that was a good thing.
The deeper we went, the more roots we encountered and the more intense the calling was. Neph seemed excited and even looked like she was very looking forward to whatever it was that drew us deeper, I could see it on her face.
The tunnel looked like it had no end, at this point, by the distance we traveled, we should probably be arriving near the bottom of the mountains core.
I blinked my eyes a couple times as I saw something up ahead. It was light!
I saw Neph's eyes change, a brilliant light appearing within them. She was excited, I could feel it.
Still, cautiousness came first for me.
"Neph, we need to approach carefully okay?" I said. She nodded and calmed down her emotions, still, the light remained.
We walked slowly towards the light, here, the air was more fresh and filled me with vigour each breath I took. The atmosphere was warm and soothing. It reminded me of the mana spring, and...mana itself.
When we arrived in the light and my eyes adjusted to it, I realized what it was that was in the air — it was mana!
Focus returned to my eyes after the blinding light, there infront of me, I saw something I could only describe as majestic.