Time has passed steadily. Cassius's treatment commenced at the Magic Tower; however, he remained unresponsive. Meanwhile, Elara's anxiety continued to escalate. The master of the Magic Tower advised her to remain within the Tower, but Elara declined and chose to return to the Dungeon.
Seated upon a stone in the Dungeon, Elara found herself in space in her mind. The dungeon looks scary and empty on the outside, but inside it is surprisingly luxurious, similar to a noble room. The light shines on the bookshelves and other furniture inside.
Elara looked upset and deep in thought when a voice asked, "Is something bothering you?"
A female voice inquired, followed by a child's voice stating, "Of course, her brother has not awakened, and a week has passed."
This sparked a disagreement among the voices. Even though Elara was the only one in the Dungeon, her frustration grew.
"Will you be quiet now?" she said, and the voices stopped. She wondered,
Why hasn't he woken up? Is there really no way? I need to try to see him today. Her thoughts became more stressful. Outside the Dungeon, the morning was coming, filled with the sounds of birds and the growls of wild animals like foxes, tigers, and lions.
Elara's magic became unstable, causing destruction around her. The voices returned, sounding loud and scared, telling her to regain control.
One voice said, "Stay calm." Another voice, identified as Lily, asked, "Sister Lily, please get help." Lily and her friends had rescued Elara and Cassius after their carriage accident.
One month ago, in the dungeon.
"This is so dreadfully boring, sister. When will Master return?" the boy sighed, stifling a yawn as he gazed at his sister, a hint of impatience in his eyes.
"Yawan… She will come back when the time is right," she reassured him softly, her voice calm amidst the dankness of their surroundings.
"Fifty-five long years have passed!" he protested, frustration bubbling within him. "I don't get why we're trapped in this dismal dungeon!" He surveyed the cold stone walls, shadows dancing menacingly in the flickering light.
"Because… everything in this world holds meaning and purpose…" she replied, her expression turning contemplative as she pondered their fate.
Suddenly, an electric sensation surged through their minds, as if the very fabric of reality was shifting. In an instant, radiant light burst into the dungeon, shattering the ancient seal guarding their prison.
Their laughter echoed joyfully in the chamber. "The moment is here…" they cheered, tapping into their magic to propel themselves into the open air. As the silvery moon cast its enchanting glow, they transformed into fleeting shadows, racing toward the mysterious pull drawing them into the night..
The night is eerily silent, broken only by the crunch of gravel beneath hurried footsteps. After an hour of relentless searching, they had finally arrived.
A vast chasm stretched before them, its depths lost to an eternal void. The abyss was an unforgiving maw, a place where the very concept of survival ceased to exist. Even the moonlight hesitated, its silver glows barely skimming the jagged of the cliff.
Scattered along the piercing site lay the wreckage of a carriage. Splintered wood, torn fabric, and shattered wheels littered the ground. After the violent crash, a faint scent of burning filled the air, but there was no fire and no heat. Only the dark flames remained.
They flickered unnaturally, twisted and curling in the air, yet they did not consume anything. Instead, they seemed to protect something—shielding it from the outside world. The flames pulsed, almost alive, reacting to the presence of the newcomers.
Lily took a cautious step forward, her breath steady but tense. Beside her, her brother followed, his muscles coiled, ready for a fight. But as they moved, their forms began to shift, fur melted away, claws retracted, and in mere moments, they stood in their human forms, their breaths still ragged from transformation.
Then, a voice broke through the quiet. Smooth. Unhurried. As if someone had expected them all along.
"Welcome back my ****. We've been waiting for you." Joyful voice, shown to someone her greetings. Lily and her brother kneeled. "We waited for you years…. Trapped in a dungeon"
The dark flames shifted, revealing what lay within them. Cassius, his body covered in wounds, lay unconscious on the ground. Blood stained his torn clothes, and his finger twitched slightly—his body clinging to the last threads of awareness. And his beside him Elara.
She lay still, her dark hair spread out around her like ink on paper. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow but steady. She was alive, but barely. The flames wrapped around her like a barrier, as if refusing to let anyone take her away.
Lily and her brother used what little power they had. The flames allowed them to help, seeming to understand their intention to protect Elara and her brother. They brought the siblings to the Dungeon.
Exhausted from using magic, Lily and her brother transformed into butterflies. A week passed, and neither Elara nor her brother woke.
"Sister, why haven't they awakened?" the boy asked. "I think that man was—"
"Shut your demon mouth, Zeil, before I sew it shut myself!"
Zeil's endless chatter ceased, and the Dungeon fell silent.
"Ahh... nnngh..."
Lily's gaze fixed on Elara as she began to stir, her voice breaking through the week's silence.
"Sister... sister... Master is waking up," Zeil muttered, his voice strained.
"Shh... she'll fear us if she hears our voices."
Their power weakened after they used it to bring the siblings to the Dungeon, because they had been trapped for years. They remained as butterflies, knowing that a normal human would flee in terror upon hearing disembodied voices, assuming ghosts were speaking.
"Wh-Where am I?"
Elara opened her eyes, blinking, and fear immediately seized her. "Br-Brother..." She tried to run, but her injured legs betrayed her, and she collapsed to the ground.
"What is this place... how did I end up here?" The questions came rapidly, one after another.
A voice answered, "He is beside your bed."
Elara turned and saw her brother lying there. Her guard dropped, and she released a long sigh.
But fear still ran cold in her blood, raising goosebumps across her skin. In the room with only her and her brother, she asked, "Who... who are you? Did you save us?"
"Yes, don't fear us. We are sprites. Unfortunately, we ended up as butterflies, as you can see."
Two butterflies fluttered down from above, their wings shimmering with an otherworldly iridescence. One had wings of midnight blue with silver markings, while the other's wings glowed with a gentle golden hue. They landed delicately on the bedpost near Cassius.
"I am Lily," the blue butterfly's voice echoed softly, "and this is my brother Zeil. We've been waiting in this dungeon for someone like you."
Elara's eyes widened, her gaze moving between the butterflies and her unconscious brother. "Waiting... for us?"
A weak cough from the bed drew everyone's attention.
"Brother!" Elara rushed to his side, forgetting her fear of the sprites.
"The magic that protected you both," Lily's voice grew serious, "they weren't ordinary magic. They recognized something in you."
Zeil fluttered closer to Elara. "Master sent us to wait here, and now—"
"Zeil!" Lily's sharp tone cut him off. "Some truths must wait for their proper time."
Outside, the morning sun climbed higher, casting long shadows through the dungeon's windows. A warm breeze carried the scent of spring flowers, mixing with the ancient magic that permeated the walls. Elara sat beside her brother's bed, watching his peaceful face, while two butterfly sprites kept their vigilant watch—guardians of secrets yet to be revealed.
In the distance, the Magic Tower's bells tolled, marking the beginning of a new day, and perhaps the beginning of something far more significant than any of them could imagine.