Logan held on to Rubina, his grip firm as he felt Luna's fangs gripping onto his pants. They were currently falling through a tunnel that twisted and turned like a giant water ride.
The dirt and rocks below them served to slow their fall, making it bearable and cushioning the impact enough for them to survive the explosion. As they tumbled through the twisting tunnel, the chaotic ride seemed never-ending.
Finally, they landed with a heavy thud in a chamber beneath the battlefield. Breathless and bruised, Logan and Rubina looked around, taking in their new surroundings. The chamber was dimly lit, with small green crystals embedded in the walls, radiating a faint glow.
"Are you okay?" Logan asked, helping Rubina to her feet carefully.
"Ouch, my left foot, it seems to hurt a lot," Rubina said, wincing from the pain.
Logan stared at Rubina, noticing various features that weren't in her human form. She had small wings on her back, and small horns on her head. "Rubina, your form changed," he said, his hand near one of her wings. It felt very strange, sort of elastic in some parts but warm as one would expect from a limb.
"Yes, it seems… I lost a lot of mana back there. It will take a while to recover, so let's take it slowly. Hopefully, the other two don't find us right away," she replied, her voice tinged with exhaustion and concern.
Logan nodded, his expression serious. "We'll move carefully. We need to find a safe place to rest and recover our strength."
With Logan supporting Rubina, they began to navigate through the chamber, the atmosphere was heavy with an eerie silence.
[Luna, are you alright? Do you sense anyone around?] Logan communicated to his tamed beast, hoping for a clear response.
Luna, sensing her master's concern, sniffed the air and scanned the area. Despite the darkness and the lingering traces of the explosion, her instincts were sharp. She growled softly, indicating that there were no immediate threats nearby.
Logan felt a wave of relief. "Good girl," he murmured, patting Luna gently. "We need to keep moving, but stay alert."
Rubina nodded, leaning on Logan for support. "We can't afford to let our guard down. If they find out I am a half-demon, you, my father, and I will be executed. I'm sorry for dragging you into my problems."
Logan's expression grew serious, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I know, Rubina. And don't worry about it... you have helped me a lot so far."
Rubina managed a weak smile. "Thank you. Now, let's find a place to rest; my leg is burning with pain," she said, wiping a tear from her cheek.
Logan nodded, supporting her as they continued through the dimly lit chamber, the faint glow of the green crystals guiding their way. "We'll find a safe spot soon," he reassured her. "Just hang in there a bit longer."
Walking through the room, Logan gave the embedded glowing rocks more attention. "Hey, do you think the rocks are safe to be around?" His mind was racing with thoughts of nuclear energy and the potential dangers of radiation.
Rubina glanced at the glowing crystals. "Well, all I can say is that we could be the richest teenagers in the kingdom… this seems to be a mana crystal mine, and by the looks of these, it's rich in energy. I wonder why it hasn't been discovered yet."
Logan's eyes widened in realization. "A mana crystal mine? That explains the glow… but rich? If there's one thing I know, it's that exposing yourself is dangerous."
Logan glanced around, his mind racing with possibilities and temptations. "Maybe it's hidden for a reason. We should be careful and not draw too much attention. I mean, it is the guardian's forest, right?" Logan shuddered, thinking about the power of the great monster who had gifted him Luna.
"Agreed," Rubina said seriously. "The Kingdom sometimes forgets that the forest belongs to the great divine beast. My father used to tell me stories of whole kingdoms destroyed by greed."
Logan noticed that Rubina grimaced with every step, so he stopped walking.
"Hold on, here let me help you," he said, crouching down in front of her.
"What do you want me to do?" she asked, looking at him curiously.
Logan gave her a reassuring smile. "Climb onto my back. I can carry you so you don't have to put weight on your leg."
Rubina hesitated for a moment, but then nodded, understanding that she had little choice. Carefully, she climbed onto Logan's back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
"Just hold on tight," Logan instructed while feeling a strange sensation, not only because of the girl's mature body and the warmth that was transmitted on his back, but also because he never thought he would be placed in such a situation.
With Rubina securely on his back, Logan continued to navigate through the chamber, the faint glow of the green crystals providing their only light. Each step was taken with care, ensuring he didn't shake Rubina too much.
"Thank you again... Logan," Rubina whispered around his ear, making him shudder. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
Logan chuckled softly. "Well, we are a team for now, right?"
He pressed forth, trying to maintain a good pace even with the added weight. The cave began to show them a different view. In front of them, there was a large opening where the cave seemed to radiate even more.
He suddenly felt it in his body, the energy around them was enough to reinvigorate his mana.
"Wow, it almost feels like I took a mana potion. Good thing, too. I can even hide my form now..." Rubina said, her voice tinged with amazement, she then made a devious smile thinking of her next words. "Say… which form do you prefer?"
Logan felt a blush creeping up his cheeks at Rubina's question, his mind racing. "Well, uh," he stammered, trying to keep his thoughts straight. "I think both forms have their charm. But tis… it's your personality… is what counts no?"
Rubina's devious smile softened a bit, and she gave a light laugh while placing her head on Logan's shoulder.
"Good answer," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "But I'll keep that in mind."
With the tension momentarily eased by their playful banter, they continued toward the bright entrance. The radiance grew stronger as they entered the new area. It was a large room where crystals reigned supreme—covering the ceiling, the floor, and the walls.
This stunning display was overshadowed by a vast body of water that extended into the distance, almost like a hidden underground lake.
Every part of the room shimmered with the glow of the mana crystals, creating a breathtaking and almost otherworldly sight.
"Wow," Logan whispered, his eyes wide with wonder. "I've never seen anything like this."
Rubina, still on Logan's back, was equally awestruck. "This is incredible. It's like we're in a whole other world."
Luna, sensing no immediate danger, padded ahead, her tail wagging slightly in the glowing light. [Master, safe, water] she communicated again, reassuring them of their newfound refuge.
Logan gently set Rubina down near the edge of a large stone. "Let's rest here for a bit. We can tend to your leg and regain our strength."
Before them, the reflection of the water was almost blinding. It was hard to tell if the crystals in the water were merely reflections or if there were also large, pointed mana stones beneath the surface.
"Say, do you think it's okay to drink it?" Logan asked, noticing his little pup was close to the water's edge, sniffing the liquid before taking a few licks.
Rubina watched Luna and then turned back to Logan. "It seems safe enough," she said cautiously. "But we should still be careful. If Luna doesn't show any adverse reactions, it might be okay for us too."
Logan nodded, keeping a close eye on Luna. "We'll monitor her for a bit. If she's fine, then we'll know it's probably safe for us."
They waited patiently, observing Luna as she continued to drink the water without any visible signs of discomfort.
[Master, tasty, healing, amazing] Luna communicated, her excitement evident. The little pup jumped up after taking her fill, seemingly energized, some of her wounds seemed to clear.
Logan smiled, feeling a sense of relief. "Looks like the water is not only safe but beneficial too. But I'd rather we don't take any risks—it might be something only useful for monsters."
Rubina nodded in agreement. "You're right. Better safe than sorry. Let's just use it to clean up, but we'll avoid drinking it for now."
Taking out a few towels from his ring, Logan got close to the water and dipped one of his fingers inside. Seeing no immediate effects, he decided to soak one of the towels in the water. He then brought it back to Rubina before soaking another towel for himself.
Rubina took the towel gratefully, using it to clean her wounds. "Thanks, Logan. This should help."
Logan nodded, while going back to soak another one, this time though he felt a bit of resistance as he tried to pull the soaked towel out.