Caspian crouched low in the dense undergrowth, his sharp crimson eyes scanning the area for any sign of the hidden well.
The moonlight filtered through the towering trees of the overgrown jungle, casting eerie shadows.
'This better be worth it,' he thought bitterly, brushing off a spiderweb that clung to his sleeve.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered under his breath.
"Where the fuck is that well?"
He had spent the last few hours combing through the area, pushing past thorny bushes, stepping over exposed roots, and occasionally dodging the curious gazes of small magical creatures.
Yet, the legendary well described in the novel remained elusive.
Caspian stopped beside a large moss-covered boulder and slumped down with a sigh.
"What kind of idiot would hide a well in the middle of nowhere? No wonder it stayed hidden."
As he shifted his weight, his boot pressed against a loose rock.
It rolled down a slight slope, hitting another stone.
CLINK
A faint, metallic clink echoed through the air.
Caspian froze.
That wasn't a rock.
With his curiosity piqued, Caspian scrambled to his feet and followed the path of the stone.
He reached at the bottom.
Then caspian dropped to his knees.
His fingers trembled slightly as he pushed aside the vines, revealing what lay beneath: a circular stone lid, its surface weathered and almost entirely buried under a layer of dirt.
"No way," he whispered, his heart hammering in his chest.
His breath hitched, a mix of excitement and disbelief flooding through him.
"Could this really be it?"
There was no visible handle or opening mechanism, but the placement of stones around the lid seemed intentional, as if they were meant to obscure it further.
Caspian stood back, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles.
"Alright," he muttered to himself. "Let's see what."
He began clearing the stones.
His hands working tirelessly despite the strain in his muscles.
Some of the rocks were lodged tightly, requiring every ounce of strength he could muster to dislodge them.
Others rolled away easily, creating a soft cascade of noise that filled the otherwise silent jungle.
Minutes turned into an hour, and the sweat on Caspian's brow mixed with the dirt smudged across his face.
His breaths came heavy, but he didn't stop.
Finally, with one last push, the final stone shifted.
The ground beneath him trembled slightly, a low rumble reverberating through the air.
Caspian stumbled back, watching in wide-eyed amazement as the runes on the lid glowed brighter.
With a groaning sound, the circular lid began to slide open, revealing a dark, narrow staircase spiraling downward.
Caspian let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, his lips curling into a smirk.
"Looks like I found the secret," he murmured, his voice laced with satisfaction.
Without hesitation, Caspian stepped into the narrow staircase, the runes on the stone walls.
Behind him, the stone lid above began to rumble.
Caspian turned just in time to see it sliding back into place.
"Wait—hey!" he called out, his voice echoing in the enclosed space.
But the lid shut completely with a dull thud, plunging him into an eerie silence.
He sighed, rubbing his temple.
"Of course. A secret well with a dramatic entrance. Why wouldn't it lock me in?"
Shaking off his frustration, he continued down the spiraling steps.
The staircase seemed endless, but finally, after what felt like an eternity, the path leveled out.
Caspian stepped off the last stair and froze.
Before him was an enormous underground chamber.
The ceiling stretched high above, supported by ancient stone pillars carved with intricate patterns.
He took a cautious step forward.
The chamber was vast, with several small rooms lining the edges.
But what drew his attention most was the center of the room.
There, surrounded by a ring of white stones, was the pond. Its surface was unnaturally still, reflecting the soft glow of the chamber like a mirror.
The water had a faint silvery sheen.
Caspian approached it slowly, his eyes wide with wonder.
"So, this is it," he whispered. "The hidden pond."
He knelt by the edge, the cool air around it making his skin prickle.
Reaching out, he let his fingers hover just above the surface.
A strange energy pulsed from the water, gentle yet powerful, almost as if the pond was alive.
As he pondered, a faint sound caught his attention.
CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK
It was muffled at first but grew louder—a rhythmic clicking noise, accompanied by muttered curses.
Caspian's brow furrowed.
"What the—"
He followed the sound, stepping carefully around the edge of the pond toward one of the side rooms.
Peeking inside, he was met with a sight that made his jaw drop.
An elf, sitting on the chair, was furiously tapping a PC.
His long pink hair shimmered under the soft light, and his emerald-green eyes were narrowed in concentration.
"Come on, come on!" the elf muttered, his fingers flying over the keyboard.
"Stupid lag—ugh, why did I pick you in this game? Fuckiny noob."
Caspian blinked, utterly dumbfounded.
'What the fuck...' Caspian thought, his eyes narrowing in disbelief.
If I'm not mistaken, that's the elven prince Zareth.
But why is he sitting here, of all places, playing a video game?
His mind raced.
Wasn't Zareth supposed to be kidnapped?
How in the hell does he know about this hidden pond?
And more importantly... why is he playing a video game in an ancient underground chamber?
The absurdity of the situation left Caspian frozen in place.
His crimson eyes flicked between the glowing PC screen and the concentrated face of the elf.
The rhythmic
CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK —of the keyboard echoed faintly in the chamber.
Am I hallucinating? Caspian wondered, his instincts screaming at him to stay alert.
Suddenly, the screen dimmed, and the boy sitting in front of it shimmered—flickering out of existence like a mirage.
Caspian blinked in confusion, his breath catching as the figure vanished entirely.
Before he could react, a sharp grip clamped down on his shoulder.
"Who are you?" a cold voice demanded, just behind his ear.
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[A/N: Next update will be on 23]
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