Clive's footsteps echoed through the winding cave, the dim blue light of the moss casting strange shadows on the rough walls. He furrowed his brow, frustration gnawing at him as he glanced around. Every passage looked the same—narrow corridors lined with jagged rocks, all leading deeper into the maze of the cave. No matter which direction he took, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was just going in circles.
"How did they make it look so easy…" Clive murmured, talking about the elves. He glanced behind him at Lima, who was hopping lightly from rock to rock, her little feet barely making a sound as she crossed the shallow stream behind him. Her silver hair bounced with each jump, her bushy fox tail flicking playfully as she followed him with wide, curious eyes. Every time they reached a small stream or a dip in the rocky path, she would pause, gather herself, and leap gracefully over the obstacle, landing softly on the other side with a quiet giggle. "Seems like you're having fun."
"Haeh?" Lima said, "Lima just likes jumping with Master!"
"I can tell." Clive sighed. Maybe this was how the elves feel when they had to look over him. Suddenly, he remembered something…something that Tipha mentioned all the way back in level two. He placed his hands on the walls, moving them up and down searching for something.
"...What is Master doing?" Lima asked, replicating his movements.
Clive was too focused to respond. His fingers traced the uneven surface, sliding over the jagged rock as he carefully moved from one wall to the next. He paused at each fork, scanning for patterns or grooves that might indicate a hidden path. His breath was shallow, his focus intense as he methodically explored the walls. He noticed the unique groove pattern that either continued or stopped at intersections. "Almost there…" He whispered. Finally, as Clive reached the end of the groove pattern, he felt a subtle shift in the wall's texture. He pushed against it, and with a creaking groan, a hidden door slowly revealed itself, leading into a vast, open space.
The moment he stepped through, Clive's and Lima's eyes widened in awe. They found himself in a grand cave-like room, illuminated by the soft, ethereal glow of blue moss that clung to the rocky walls. The light danced across the cavern, casting shimmering reflections on the surface of a large, shallow pool of water that covered the floor. The water was only about a centimeter deep, creating a perfect mirror that reflected the surroundings with crystal clarity. In the center of the room, a majestic waterfall tumbled down from a high cliff, its cascading water sparkling with the same blue luminescence as the moss.
"Wow…" Clive took a tentative step into the water and looked around. Lima followed close behind, her silver hair shimmering in the blue light as she playfully splashed through the shallow water, her eyes wide with wonder at the sight. "Isn't this pretty?"
"Pretty! Like Lima?"
"Sure…" Clive giggled. Suddenly, Lima's ears perked up, twitching as she sensed something lurking above them. She froze, eyes narrowing as she let out a low growl. "Lima? What's wrong?" Clive, noticing her change in posture, looked up instinctively. There, clinging to the ceiling above, a massive salamander with slick, iridescent blue scales was staring down at them with glowing, predatory eyes. Its body shifted, and before Clive could react, the creature launched itself from the ceiling, crashing down toward them with a deafening thud.
"NO!" Clive yelled, diving out of the way just in time, the shallow water splashing up as he hit the ground. Lima sprang aside with effortless grace, her nimble form dodging the beast's heavy impact. The salamander let out a rumbling hiss, its long, spiked tail whipping through the air as it lashed out. Lima, now standing firmly on all fours, growled back, her tail raised. Clive scrambled to his feet, panic rushing through him as he reached for her.
"Lima, no! We need to get out of here!" he shouted, trying to pull her back, but she ignored him. Her gaze remained locked on the salamander, her eyes filled with a look Clive didn't think she could make.
Before Clive could stop her, a bright light enveloped Lima, her small frame suddenly swelling with power. The air around her crackled with icy energy as she began to grow, her body expanding and morphing until, in the blink of an eye, she stood before him as a colossal silver wolf. She stood above the salamander with her now three tails, ready to pounce.
Clive stumbled back, watching in awe as her once delicate form had transformed into a magnificent beast. Her fur glistened like silver silk, and her teeth were now sharp and gleaming as she let out a thunderous roar that echoed through the cavern. "You try to hurt Master!" She growled, "…you must die."
With an effortless yet devastating swipe of her massive silver claws, the beast Lima slashed across the salamander's neck. The moment her claws connected, the salamander's body froze instantly, like a ripple of ice spreading from the wound, its entire body stiffened by ice. A split second later, the frozen salamander shattered. It broke into countless crystalline shards, scattering across the watery cave floor like brittle glass. The sound of ice breaking echoed throughout the cavern, sharp and final.
"L-Lima?!" Clive stuttered at the brutal sight. Clive stood frozen in place, his eyes wide as Lima now stood calmly before him in her massive wolf form. Her silver fur is still sparkling with traces of ice. She exhaled a frosty breath right onto Clive. Being underneath a beast breathing above him is sure to make anyone get goosebumps.
"Master…" the beast bellowed. Lima noticed her terrified Master, and knew what she had to do. In a plume of chilling ice, the beast had shrunk, and Lima returned back into her humanoid form. "Master!" She yelled, running up to him and giving him a big hug. "Lima did it!"
"Y-yeah…" Clive stuttered. "G-Good job." Just what kind of monster did he befriend?!
"Can Lima get a treat?"
"Treat?"
"More of Master's snacks!" she said, pointing at Clive's pouch.
"Oh...you want bread portions huh?" A trembling Clive picked out a nice piece of bread for his little subordinate, who took it and immediately enjoyed all her bites.
Suddenly, a noise could be heard from the entrance of the cavern. Both Clive and Lima turned their heads to face the threat…and were met with two well endowed elf women that Clive knew all to well.
"Little Clive!" Arianna said excitedly, "You're safe!"
Just as she was about to run over to the prince, she was held back by Tipha. "Wait…" she said sternly, eyeing the silver haired wolf girl. She then opened her Grimoire, the pages flipping maniacally.
Lima was on all fours again, with an icy mist emanating from her body. "Master…" she said, moving in front of Clive, "Lima…will protect you!"