"You want the helmet to complete the ridiculousness of your outfit?" James teased Joey, eyeing the pile of mismatched items they had gathered over the past few days. Joey, clad in his wedding dress and pink shoes, looked up with a playful grin.

"Nah, there's enough confusion to go around here," Joey chuckled, waving off the suggestion. He adjusted the piece of straw still hanging from the corner of his mouth, giving James a knowing look.

James laughed along, enjoying the levity of the moment. Joey had always been able to lighten the mood, no matter how dire things got. His carefree attitude was infectious, and in a place as dark and dangerous as these caves, it was a gift.

But soon, curiosity got the better of James. His expression grew a bit more serious as he turned to Joey. "What level are you now, Joey?" he asked, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "You mentioned that you've been fighting a lot, and judging by the amount of loot you have, you must have leveled up already."

Joey's face lit up, a proud glint in his eyes. He puffed out his chest slightly, and they started walking along the rocky path that led out of the cave. James' lantern illuminated their way far better than the faint, otherworldly glow of the mushrooms scattered along the walls. Nyx's ears twitched at every sound, her gaze constantly scanning their surroundings, as if expecting danger at any moment.

"I made it to level five!" Joey finally exclaimed, his voice bursting with pride. He tried to look nonchalant, but it was clear he was excited to share the news. "I went out after you were gone for three days, I had to spend a lot of time recovering before I could get back out there. So I wasn't really fighting the whole time." His voice dropped at the mention of recovery, and James' expression immediately changed to one of concern.

"Recovering?" James asked, his brows furrowing in worry. He stopped for a moment, staring at Joey intently.

Joey quickly waved his hands dismissively, trying to diffuse the tension. "Nothing too serious," he assured, though James didn't look entirely convinced. Joey hesitated before continuing, a mischievous smile creeping across his face, like he was about to share a big secret. "But it was during that time that I got my third skill!"

James raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. Joey seemed to relish the suspense, staying silent for a few more moments as they kept moving. Nyx jumped off James' shoulder, padding along beside them, her tail flicking curiously as if sensing something interesting about Joey's secret.

"Well, come on," James finally broke the silence, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer. "Don't leave me hanging here!"

Joey's grin widened until it practically stretched from ear to ear. "I got {Recovery}!" he announced triumphantly. "It boosts my health regeneration by 50% when I'm resting somewhere safe!"

James' face lit up, a mixture of pride and happiness evident on his features. He slapped Joey on the back, causing the other boy to stumble a bit. "That's awesome! That means you’ll be back in shape in no time if anything happens. Hopefully, you won’t need to use it often, but if you do, you’ll recover quickly!"

Joey stopped walking and started flexing dramatically, his muscles straining against the seams of the wedding dress, which was definitely not designed for such a display. It was as if he had just taken steroids and worked out for six months straight. The ridiculousness of it all was not lost on either of them, and James couldn't help but burst into laughter, doubling over as Joey struck a series of absurd poses.

"Speaking of recovery," James said, finally catching his breath, "how long was I actually down in those caves? I was in and out of consciousness, so I lost track of time."

Joey's expression grew more serious, and he hesitated before answering. "About five days," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "It’s hard to tell exactly, though. It all kind of blurred together."

Nyx’s ears suddenly perked up, her gaze snapping to a dark passageway to their left. She let out a low hiss, her body stiffening as if preparing for a fight. James and Joey instinctively crouched, Joey shifting the lantern so that its light flickered and cast long, eerie shadows on the walls.

"Shh," Joey whispered, his eyes narrowing as he stared into the darkness. "I think something is in there. This is where I fought a couple of salamanders last time." He paused, then glanced at James with a questioning look. "Same strategy as last time? Me up front, you hit them from behind?"

James nodded, his heart rate quickening as adrenaline began to course through his veins. "Got it," he replied, keeping his voice low. He handed the lantern to Joey, freeing up his hands to wield the trident. "Let’s go in a bit deeper and see what’s lurking there. Here, you take this so I can use both hands."

Joey frowned slightly, clearly not thrilled with the prospect of being the designated light-bearer, but he understood the reasoning behind it. He took the lantern without complaint, holding it high to cast light across the damp, rocky passage ahead.

Nyx refused to follow them. She stayed at the edge of the tunnel, her eyes glowing in the darkness as she watched them move further in. James gave her a pleading look, but she remained firmly planted, her ears flattening against her head as if to say, "You’re on your own for this one."

Stolen story; please report.

The boys crept forward, the air growing colder and more stagnant with each step. The tunnel was narrow, the ground uneven and covered with loose stones that shifted beneath their feet. They moved slowly, trying to avoid making too much noise. After about thirty feet, a sudden movement caught James' eye. Before he could react, something dislodged itself from the ceiling, dropping onto Joey's back with a heavy thud.

"Argh!" Joey shouted, stumbling under the unexpected weight. Sharp claws tore through the lace of the wedding dress, getting tangled in the fabric. Joey's initial shock quickly turned to fury as he reached behind him, his hands finding purchase on the creature's rough, scaly hide. The lantern dropping to the ground in the process.

James tried to line up a good thrust with his trident, but the angle was all wrong, and he couldn't risk hitting Joey. Before he could reposition, Joey let out a roar of frustration and charged forward, slamming the creature into the rocky wall with all his might. The impact sent a shockwave through the tunnel, dislodging bits of dirt and rock from the ceiling.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Joey muttered, his voice thick with self-reproach. "Look up, Joey. You learned this last time." He continued to pummel the salamander, even as its body began to dissolve into dark mist, the life already gone from its eyes.

James watched, a mixture of amusement and concern playing across his features. He took a step forward, lowering the trident. "Joey, I think it's dead," he said gently.

Joey looked down at the dissipating remains, then at his bloodied knuckles. He sighed, shaking his head. "Oh, right... I was supposed to let you get some hits in, wasn't I?" He gave James a sheepish look, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Sorry, I got carried away."

At that moment, Nyx padded over, her small form weaving between Joey’s legs as she deftly avoided the dark blood splattered on the ground. She looked up at him with what seemed like a judgmental glint in her eyes, her tail flicking dismissively.

James sighed, his shoulders slumping a little. "No item drop, huh?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Joey shook his head. "Nothing, unfortunately." He looked genuinely disappointed, his gaze dropping to the ground.

"I’m so close to levelling up," James murmured, his frustration evident. He looked down at the trident, the polished tips glinting in the dim light. "If I had just gotten an assist, I probably would’ve leveled up."

Joey clapped a hand on James’ shoulder, giving him a reassuring grin. "Hey, no worries it'll come. Next one’s yours for sure. Plus, I think I need a new dress after this." He gestured down at the shredded remains of lace hanging from his shoulders.

James couldn't help but laugh, the tension easing from his body. "Maybe this time we can find you some armor that actually makes sense," he said, shaking his head. "Or at least something that isn’t covered in frills."

The two of them turned back toward the main cavern, retracing their steps. The silence was only broken by the sound of their footsteps and the occasional drip of water from the cavern walls. The air was thick with moisture, the glow of the lantern barely illuminating every crevice. They were both on edge, every shadow potentially hiding something dangerous. Even Nyx seemed a little more cautious, her ears constantly swiveling to track every sound.

"You know, Joey," James said after a long moment, his voice cutting through the tension. "You’re actually pretty strong. I mean, that salamander didn’t stand a chance once you got mad."

Joey grinned, puffing his chest out proudly. "Yeah, well, I’ve got to keep you safe, don’t I? It’s kind of my job. Besides, I think I’m getting the hang of this whole ‘adventurer’ thing."

James gave a small smile. "You’re definitely getting better. I remember when you wouldn’t even pick up a weapon. Now look at you, throwing salamanders around like they’re nothing." He paused, glancing at Joey’s outfit. "Though, I think you might need an upgrade in the wardrobe department."

Joey chuckled, looking down at the tattered wedding dress. while grabbing the lantern again "Yeah, yeah. I know. Maybe something a little less ‘bride’ and a little more ‘warrior.’ But I swear, if the SYSTEM gives me something even more ridiculous, I’m going to have a word with it."

James laughed. "I don’t know, I think the pink shoes add a nice touch. Makes you look… approachable."

Joey rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his face. "Approachable, huh? I’m going for ‘intimidating.’ You know, the kind of guy that monsters run away from."

"Well, maybe if we get you a helmet to go with it," James teased. "Something with horns, maybe?"

Joey snorted. "Oh yeah, that’ll do the trick. Horns and a veil. I’ll be the fiercest bride out there."

They continued their banter as they made their way back to the main cavern. Nyx trotted ahead of them, her tail high as she led them to the edge of the underground lake. When they reached the shore, she sat down, giving them a pointed look before letting out a demanding "mew."

James raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Nyx? You want us to sit?" He exchanged a glance with Joey, who shrugged.

"Maybe she wants us to take a break," Joey suggested, dropping down onto the rocky shore with a dramatic sigh. "I’m not gonna argue with that. My feet are killing me. These shoes weren’t exactly made for hiking."

James chuckled, settling down beside him. He rested the trident across his lap, his eyes drifting to the dark waters of the lake. The surface was calm, reflecting the faint glow of the luminescent moss that dotted the cavern walls. It was strangely peaceful, a rare moment of calm in a place that had otherwise been filled with danger and uncertainty.

Nyx padded over to James, curling up against his side. She let out a contented purr, her eyes half-closed as if she were finally allowing herself to relax. James smiled, reaching down to scratch behind her ears.

"You know, I think she’s smarter than both of us," James said, glancing at Joey. "She probably knows we’re both exhausted."

Joey nodded, leaning back on his hands. "Yeah, she’s got a good head on her shoulders. Way better than mine, at least." He looked over at James, a serious expression crossing his face. "Hey, James… thanks for coming back for me. I know it wasn’t easy, and I wasn’t sure if you’d… you know, make it out."

James met Joey’s gaze, his expression softening. "Of course I came back for you. We’re a team, Joey. I couldn’t just leave you here. Besides," he added with a grin, "who else is going to make fun of you wearing the wedding dress if not me?"

Joey laughed, the sound echoing through the cavern. "Yeah, yeah. I guess I am the only one who can pull it off." He paused, his smile fading slightly. "But seriously… I’m glad you’re okay. It got pretty lonely here without you."

James nodded, his eyes drifting back to the lake. "I’m glad I made it back too. And I promise, we’re getting out of here together. No more getting separated, okay?"

Joey held out his fist, a determined look in his eyes. "Deal. No more getting separated."

James bumped Joey’s fist with his own, a sense of resolve settling between them. They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their promise hanging in the air. The cavern was quiet, the only sound the gentle lapping of the lake against the rocky shore.