The Cavern

The cavern they found themselves in was a strange blend of nature’s ancient design and the remnants of a forgotten civilization. Jagged rock formations jutted out from the uneven floor and twisted upward toward the cavern’s high ceiling, their rough edges casting long, jagged shadows in the dim light. Water dripped steadily from unseen crevices, forming small pools on the stone floor, their surfaces rippling with the faint echo of each drop.

Samina manifested an ethereal violet diamond that hovered above her hand, casting a soft, glowing light that bathed the surroundings in a ghostly hue. Its light revealed crumbling stone pillars that had long since been consumed by the cavern, their once-majestic forms broken and tilted, half-buried in the natural rock. Moss and vine clung to the ruins, thriving in the damp, dark air, while strange etchings still visible on the pillars hinted at a civilization that once called this place home.

Narwa, standing beside the injured Arsec, held one of her claws aloft, its sharp talons shimmering with a strange energy. The transformed appendage emitted a fierce golden glow, countering the cold violet light of Samina’s diamond. Together, the lights painted the cavern in shifting hues of purple and gold, creating an almost otherworldly atmosphere.

Ruined archways peeked out from the stone walls, leading to who knew where, and the remnants of an ancient road were barely visible beneath their feet, worn smooth from centuries of abandonment. The air was thick, almost suffocating, with the smell of damp earth and the weight of untold years pressing down on them. It was as if time itself had forgotten this place, leaving only echoes of its former grandeur.

The cavern stretched deeper into the unknown, winding, downward corridors of natural rock blending seamlessly with more forgotten structures, as if the land itself had swallowed this place whole, refusing to let go of the past.

Narwa stood protectively over Arsec, her entire body tense, muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike. Her eyes, glowing with fury, were locked onto Samina with an intensity that bordered on feral. The air around her felt charged, as though any wrong move would set off an explosion of violence.

Arsec lay slumped at Narwa’s feet, his once-brilliant red flames, which had always radiated strength and defiance, now reduced to faint, flickering embers that barely illuminated his pale, sweat-soaked face. The fire, which had always coursed through him with vitality, had receded deep into his core, leaving him weak and vulnerable. His breaths were shallow, and each rise and fall of his chest seemed a struggle.

Narwa’s transformed claw still glowed with that eerie, golden light, casting long shadows over Arsec’s form. She crouched slightly, never letting her guard down, her gaze never leaving Samina, and a low growl rumbled from deep within her throat. The cavern’s strange blend of natural rock and ruins seemed to shrink around them, the weight of the moment pressing down like the crumbling stone pillars scattered around.

Samina, despite the soft glow of her violet diamond, looked pale under Narwa’s unrelenting glare. She stood still, her hand hovering defensively near the glowing gem, but her confidence faltered in the face of Narwa’s raw, unchecked rage. Every attempt to reason, every gesture to explain had only fueled Narwa’s anger. Samina knew the gravity of her mistake—the guilt of striking Arsec weighed heavily on her—but Narwa’s rage was like a storm, building with every passing second.

The cavern, now dim and cold, felt suspended in time. The only sounds were Arsec’s labored breathing and the constant drip of water from the ceiling, amplifying the tension between the two women. Narwa’s protective stance made it clear that no matter what Samina said or did, any approach toward Arsec would be met with violence.

Finally, Samina spoke, "Will he be all right?"

Narwa growled beneath the mask, and her second hand transformed into a gleaming paw.

"Those flames," Samina pressed, "are they healing him?"

Narwa finally snapped. She let out a savage roar and lunged at Samina with a speed that belied her size. Her claws, glowing with their strange golden light, slashed through the air with wild abandon. Each strike came with a feral intensity, aimed to tear through flesh and bone, but Samina, with the poise and discipline of a seasoned warrior, moved like flowing water. She sidestepped Narwa’s frenzied blows, her movements calm and measured as if she were merely an observer.

Samina’s violet diamond pulsed faintly with each dodge, her body weaving gracefully as she parried Narwa’s swipes with effortless precision. When Narwa attempted to slam her claw down in a crushing blow, Samina twirled out of range, her shawl sweeping the air like a dancer’s ribbon.

"I don't want to fight you!" Samina tried to defuse the situation.

"Shut up, disgusting, sickening woman!" Narwa yelled.

The difference in skill was painfully clear. Where Narwa fought with raw, uncontrolled power, Samina fought with the sharpness of a blade honed over years of training. Every time Narwa thought she had Samina cornered, the genie would slip away, as though she were made of mist.

Narwa’s frustration grew with each miss. Her strikes became more desperate, her growls turning guttural, animalistic.

"Stand still!" she bellowed, her voice echoing off the cavern walls. She swung again, this time with both claws in a wide arc, but Samina ducked effortlessly beneath the blow, her feet never seeming to leave the ground.

Samina’s calm only further enraged Narwa. Her attacks became a frenzy of wild swings and brutal slashes, but they were all in vain. The more Narwa pushed, the more the gap between them became obvious. Each failed attack only fueled Narwa’s fury, and she became more reckless, her movements more erratic. Her frustration was palpable, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as her eyes flickered between glowing rage and the flickering light of Arsec’s diminished flame.

"Disgusting, you are disgusting, impaling him like that!" Narwa cried out.

"He was supposed to dodge!" Samina yelled, desperate, "It was all going to be a test! Cursed gems! How did this happen?"

Just as Narwa was about to charge again, something shifted in the air—a low, guttural sound that seemed to rise from the depths of the cavern. It was a sound neither of them had heard before: strange, eerie noises, like the whispering of countless voices, faint yet insistent. The noise came from the darkness beyond the ruined stone structures, where the torchlight could no longer reach. It was a chorus of haunting sounds, unnatural and chilling, as if the very cavern itself were coming alive.

Both Samina and Narwa froze, their conflict suddenly forgotten as they listened. The strange noises grew louder, echoing through the cavern like the groaning of ancient bones, or the whisper of unseen things moving just beyond their sight.

Narwa’s furious expression faltered for the first time, confusion and caution replacing the wild rage that had consumed her moments before. Her claws lowered slightly, her gaze shifting to the shadowy darkness beyond. Samina, though calm on the surface, narrowed her eyes, her fingers flexing as she sensed something sinister hidden in the pitch black void.

“What... is that?” Narwa muttered, her voice low and uncertain, her aggression suddenly tempered by a primal sense of unease.

Samina remained silent, her body tense, waiting. The eerie sounds continued but did not seem to close in.

"I... I think we're not alone here," a voice said behind them.

They both turned, seeing that Arsec panted and held his chest tightly as one ember still burned bright in his chest. Narwa's gleaming paws dissipated at the sight of him, and Samina's eyes widened.

The masked girl rushed to him. The encroaching darkness didn't allow Arsec to see her fully, but she just stood there, her face down and her hands closed, clenching her fists so hard and trembling that Arsec thought they would explode.

"Will you be all right?" she asked, her voice shaky.

Arsec smiled as he sighed, "I think so, it all went well, but it still hurts like someone stabbed me... wait..."

Narwa touched his shoulder, scanning with her fingers briefly before turning back to face Samina.

"Imbecile," Narwa said, her voice softening and her arms relaxing. She groaned and turned away, "I hate this, I hate you!"

"Em, right... I guess I hate it too...?" Arsec said as his eyes met Samina's concerned look.

The genie girl simply stood there, unable to speak or talk, her joyful demeanor had vanished completely.

"So..." Arsec started, running his free hand through his hair while he supported himself with the spear, "H-how did I do?"

Samina's head veered to the side in confusion.

"Yes, I-I mean, did I pass the test?"

"What?" Samina asked, somehow unable to believe what she was hearing.

"What test?" Narwa said, glancing over her shoulder.

"The test," Arsec repeated, "The test she was applying to—"

"Yes, I know about it..." Samina answered quickly, not wanting the context to be elaborated further, causing the masked girl's wrath again.

Arsec shrugged.

"So?"

Samina's eyes furrowed, shaking her head, "What?"

Narwa roared again, "Answer the goddamn question, you filth!"

Samina jumped, startled, "Eh—yes! The test... you passed it!"

Arsec's eyes watered as he smiled and touched the ember on his chest, "I'm glad..."

Samina leaned to him, albeit at a safe distance to avoid Narwa, "So-sha-nim... why did you—"

Again, the noises cut their conversation, and now they were too loud to ignore.

Arsec and Narwa drew close to one another, and Samina retreated too. The noise was still not closing in. It loomed in the shadows, as if there were life, dark and eerie, beneath the Khan's palace.

Just as the eerie whispers intensified, the sound of ropes uncoiling from above echoed through the cavern.

"We're coming down, guys!" Mesui yelled,

As the eerie whispers grew louder, ropes suddenly dropped from above, and Mesui, clutching tightly to one, descended with a bit of a struggle, her three cubs hanging from her waist or arms.

"Arsec! Arsec! I'll be right there! I'll be right—"

Her grip faltered, and Ronai was quick to catch her, pulling her close as they both landed. Two of the cubs managed to get a grip on either the towering ogre or the goblin, but the third missed the timing and kept falling.

"Fufu!" Mesui yelled.

The cub, however, simply spread her arms, and a furred skin membrane from her wrists to her ankles widened, giving the squirrel-like rodent to glide down.

Mesui sighed with relief, but then she realized her bare-skin waist lay too close to Ronai's bare and toned chest, and her goblinesque instincts went over the roof once more.

"Ah! Ah!" Mesui moaned as Ronai tightened his arm around her waist.

Although unable to see them coming down, those sounds made Arsec grin.

Mesui ended up wrapping her arms onto Ronai’s neck, slightly out of breath but clearly relieved—and very much pleased.

"Careful," Ronai muttered, steadying her as she held on, "Just a few more meters."

"Y-yes!"

Arsec simply shook his head as he kept listening to those two.

Behind them, goblin warriors descended swiftly, ten in all, setting up ropes and hammering hooks into the rock to create a more secure method for returning to the surface. Torches were lit, their flickering light illuminating the mix of ruined stonework and jagged rock formations around them. The last of them was Captain Abagai.

Mesui simply rushed to Arsec's side, unsheathing her blade and aiming it at Samina while Ronai helped the Kenet warriors.

"Stay back, Spellsword!" she urged, "There is no running now, you'll pay for what you did to Arsec."

Samina frowned. Ronai came and stood beside them, "You are a genie?" he said, "What is a genie doing in these parts?"

"Master ogre," intervened the landing captain, "she is Samira of the Purple Gemstone, one of the greatest Amethyst Spellswords to ever live."

"I don't care," Narwa said, "she stabbed Arsec, she deserves to pay!"

Arsec noted those words and turned to Narwa, "I didn't know you cared about me so—"

He felt a gripping hand on his neck, "You... you better shut up, Stinky..."

"Ugh, all right, whatever pleases you..." he lamented.

"Why would the Seventh Amethyst Spellsword be interested in Arsec?" Ronai inquired, "Why did you attack him like that."

Samina glanced at each one, culminating with Arsec.

"I... I..." She stuttered.

The young human noticed how her eyes diverted down in shame, her fists clenched. There was more to what she was trying to do, and her frustration was palpable. Yet more so, she seemed full of regret.

Narwa's head darted between Arsec and Samina restless. Mesui and Ronai looked at each other, puzzled.

Samina exhaled, her eyes desperate but also saddened, kneeling whilst her ethereal gem of light hovered in the air. She was now completely face down.

"So-sha-nim..." she said, her eyes closed, "I have nothing to say, no excuse to appease any reason... I am truly sorry for what happened... Still, if you'll have me, once again, I pledge myself to you, allow me to fulfill the sacred duty, bestowed upon me by the Purple Gemstone..."

"Sacred duty?" Mesui asked, "What do you mean?"

"So-sha-nim, allow me to be the Last Flame of the Dawn's maiden," Samira continued.

"Samina," Arsec said, motioning her to stop as he shook his head, "Not this again..."

"Arsec..." Mesui began, breaking the silence, "What does she mean by 'maiden'?"

"What's a maiden?" Narwa asked, her mask's eye sockets finding Ronai.

Ronai shrugged, "I believe we're about to find out, what kind of maiden, genie?"

"So-sha-nim..." she repeated, "please let me."

Samina grew restless as she knelt, her hands trembled as she shut her eyes, fearful.

"My calling" she wept in whispers, "It's all I have..."

No one but Arsec's eyes widened as he leaned his head towards Samina, which then turned into bending his knees and kneeling right in front of her.

"What are you doing, Arsec?" Mesui asked.

There was a brief silence as Arsec considered the veiled, yellow-skinned woman in front of him, curly, golden locks fell elegantly from the shawl, and her purple iris and black sclera locked into his as she awaited his answer.

"Samina," Arsec said, "C-could you raise your head at least?"

Samina sobbed and lifted her head.

"Listen... Um, I still don't want a sword maiden—"

The words struck Samina and her eyes fell in disappointment.

"—but if you're willing, I can be your friend."

Now those words lifted her eyes back to him.

"Friend...?" She asked.

"Friend?" Mesui asked.

"Friend?!" Narwa exclaimed.

"Fascinating..." Ronai said.

"Yes, let's get to know each other as equals, shall we?" Arsec proposed ignoring his companions.

"But the wound?" Samina said.

"Yes! What about the wound?" Narwa nodded.

Arsec showed her his shoulder, where the spear had pierced. Besides the clear hole in the boy's tunic, the skin remained untouched. Samina blinked several times.

"It was all a test, right? You tested my skills, and although I admit I am lacking in the discipline and prowess bits, I promise I will do my best not to disappoint you.

Samina's eyes still glared at the unharmed skin, her hand wanted to rise and touch to be certain, but she restrained herself.

"How can this be?" she said with relief and awe.

"I told you," Arsec said, "I follow the Red Blaze... he takes care of me... I don't understand it more than you do, but this is what it is."

Samina looked away, her eyes trembling as she considered him, then they returned and her cheeks lifted beneath her delicate veil in honest relief.

"Friends, then..." she said.

Arsec smiled.

"Stinky! What in the..." Narwa exclaimed.

"It's all right, Narwa," Arsec said.

"No," Mesui said, "I actually agree with what she is trying to say... what in the blasted winds was this test?"

"It was a test, Samina's laws dictate that a spellsword from the Purple Gemstone needs to test the strength of the person they serve, isn't that right?" he explained while turning to Samina.

The genie nodded.

Narwa, Mesui, and Ronai stared at Samina for some seconds.

"Trust me guys," Arsec said, "I trust there was no ill intent on that attack."

Narwa's masked eyes glowed at Samina, but then she shook her head and turned around, crossing her arms.

"Ehem," the Abagai interrupted, "M'lady Mesui, I've checked with the most experienced guards, there's no record of a tunnel this old in the Palace's history."

Everyone turned to the goblins behind them, who were still steadfast in establishing an easier transportation than just ropes.

"And yet, here it is..." Ronai said. He shrugged off his superficial concerns about Samina and went for the cavern's walls, "The rock seems to be humid as well, is there a river beneath Makeb?"

The captain nodded her head, "Not that I know of."

Narwa sniffed around, "There is definitely water beyond this tunnel, and besides, there's that noise..."

Arsec looked at the abyssal blackness beyond Samina's light and the goblin's torches. The sound was still loud enough to send shivers to the entire troop. 

"Mesui," Arsec began, "We were supposed to check the old city of Makeb, right?"

"Yes," Mesui said, turning to him, "What about that, you want to go back to sleep and then visit that place?"

"What if this tunnel leads to it?" Arsec proposed, "What if this is an unexplored area of the city's old parts, look at the ruins..."

"Hmm, what do you think, captain?" Mesui asked.

"Frankly, I don't know what to think, moments ago, the Khan's Archive was the farthest area in the Palace to the ruins of the old city, and now this is here."

"Do you think that... whatever is afflicting the city and the Khan's realm carved this tunnel?" Mesui suggested.

"Unlikely, there are a dozen chasms at the edge of the old city's entrance, the Archive was supposed to be on the other side of them..."

"So it is an unexplored part of the underground," Ronai noted, "It's worth a shot, princess, if there is nothing connected to the old city, and we happen to smite another of the Khan's troubles down here, wouldn't it count as double?"  

"That sound could be just an annoyed beast," Narwa commented, "But still, I was left wanting more fighting, so I'm in."

"Great," Arsec said, "Let's go then—"

"No supplies? No equipment?" Ronai said, worried, "I say we pack some of those and then be off."

"What if that sound is something dangerous, and it happens to storm out into the palace?" Mesui speculated.

"Ugh," Ronai said, "But..."

"What could possibly go wrong, Ronai?" Arsec said, "We have our weapons, yes?"

"But.."

"You can't be seriously wanting to sleep, you sloth," Narwa said.

"No, no! I'm just.. hungry," he finally said.

Mesui could not stop a small burst of laughter, "Aw, is that so?"

Ronai crossed his arms, annoyed.

"M-maybe we could go back for a snack?" Mesui commented, her eyes not diverting from Ronai.

"You can't be serious?" Arsec said, "What about the nightmares storming into the Palace argument?"

"Yes, Yes! All right, let's go! Sorry Ronai, breakfast will be ready when we come back!"

"A-all right," he said, "It's not like I'm that hungry..."

"Yeah, it's not like you started a whole argum—oof!" Arsec exclaimed as he was elbowed in the stomach by Mesui.

As all four started to walk towards the tunnel, Samina raised her hand in the whole conversation.

"So, may I come with you guys?"

All four stopped and considered her with a blank face, a bit ashamed that they had completely forgotten about the genie in the room.

"Yes"

"No"

"No"

"Why not?"

Arsec looked at the goblin princess and the masked girl, "Come on! I said it was a test!"

"Still, we don't know her!" Mesui argued. 

"She stabbed you!" Narwa noted.

"I-if I may..." Ronai said, "Look, we've been literally able to see each other in this darkness thanks in part to that light of hers, I reckon that having a Spellsword, and the seventh, seventh,  right?" Ronai looked at Samina, who nodded, "Having the Seventh Spellsword with us in this unknown place will be extremely helpful, considering that we might find this Black Demon General Akrumei mentioned."

"Shut up ogre, we barely even know you!" Narwa said, "Why would we listen to you at all?"

Ronai sulked, "Ah, yes, that's right... but still..."

"I-it's not a bad reason," Mesui said, "Ronai has a point."

"Come on, Ronai, brother, you're always full of reason," Arsec said, trying to cheer him up.

Narwa grunted a bit before relenting, "Do as you wish, idiots, I'm trying to say this genie is disgusting!"

"Everyone is disgusting to you, Narwa," Mesui said.

They all looked at each other, but then Arsec gently touched Samina's shoulder, "Do you have a weapon?"

"Don't worry about that, So-sha-nim," she said, smiling beneath the shawl.

"But your spear, where is it?"

"Oh, that?" Samina giggled, "That's just a spear I stole from the armory, it looked pretty and fitting for the... test."

"So..."

Samina pointed to her ethereal crystal floating above them, "See that? That is my weapon."

"Great, she only knows how to turn the lights on," Narwa scoffed.

"And yet, without it, you would not be able to even watch your steps, Stoaty girl," Samina replied, gaining some confidence by having Arsec's hand on her.

Narwa looked away and set herself ready to depart.

Arsec sighed and asked Samina, "Would you lead the way, then?"

Samina's eyes lightened as she walked past Narwa and intensified the light in her crystal, "With pleasure!"

"Just one more thing!" Arsec said.

Samina looked at him, earnestly.

"Just call me Arsec, yes?"

Samina turned back to the dark path, "I'll think about it."

"With that, her giggling echoed as she began to walk."

"Tihihihi... hmpf!" Narwa did a mocking impression of the genie as she followed suit, making sure Arsec saw it all.

Mesui smiled, amused, and looked at Abagai, "Inform General Akrumei that we have descended into the ruins beneath Makeb. Hopefully, we'll be back shortly."

The captain bowed and turned to coordinate the guards. With that, the party of five entered the dark cavernous tunnel.