There was a loud knock at the door, it startled both Maia and her mother.
“Who’s there?”
Her mother stood up and shouted, but was stopped by Maia before she could go to answer it.
“I know who that is…”
“Hmm? And who that may be?”
“C-Cass…”
She tried to avoid eye contact, thinking her mother would be mad if she invited a man without telling her. But her mother could only chuckle and smile, she knows exactly how Maia felt, she's been through the same thing after all.
“Ah… Young love”
“N-no! We’re just… friends?”
“Maia… how do you think i have you, you don't just appear one day don't you? Go have your fun… but don't go too far, promise?”
“Okay…”
“Don't be so sad, I'm not saying I don't approve of it…”
“No, i just… wish i could be here a little longer”
“Oh don't be so clingy, you’ll have to live on your own one day, not everyday i could be right by your side… except where?”
“Here…”
She looked at herself, at her own chest, where her heart would be, she didn't actually understand what it meant.
“Remember that”
She nodded, before standing up and ran to the front door.
“Maia! Don't-”
There was a resounding *Thud* from somewhere near the front door and the sound of something falling, followed by-
“*OW! Damn you chair!*”
Followed by that.
“...Run in the house… hmhmm… that girl will make it far…”
—-~----
“Was that your mother I heard?”
Cass asked Maia as they trudged a path outside the town, he had an idea for a little trip to some supposedly beautiful places.
“Yes…”
“Oh, i thought that was your voice, it sounded young and majestic”
She gave him a certain look, Cass couldn't tell if it’s good or not.
“Aren’t you a flatterer?”
“You can say that, safe to say i learned some from all those other girls chasing me around”
“When you were at the market picking up your old man, you had a few girls following you, you know?”
“Really?”
“Really, I guess being a miner….”
She looks at him, she’s not usually this up close to him.Cass is a miner, not ones below, but ones atop local mountains, just as hard, if a bit more chilly. He’s…. Burly, which is par for the course, but he sure is kind of dusty, maybe he just finished work?
“...has its benefits”
“It’s kind of tiring, i barely know half those girls and they’re hounding me all the same”
“Do you expect anything different?”
“From… what?”
She looks at herself, then back at him.
“Uhm… somewhat?”
“Are you really looking for something different or do you just like me in particular?”
“Both…”
She has to admit, she didn't expect that answer, she stopped and with her brow raised high she looked him in the eye.
“You’re… fascinating… it’s all i have to say”
“T-thanks…”
She shrunk, suddenly she didn't feel as confident, she's also much redder than before, so there's that.
“uh-huh… hey, what is that?”
“What is what?”
“That”
He points at her neck, precisely at her necklace, she’s hidden the pendant under her clothes, and only a bit of the necklace is visible. Cass’s eyes though, were used to spotting shiny things in low light, so he spotted it easily.
“Oh… that's… my day of coming gift, pretty right?”
“It’s today?”
“Yes, why?”
“You should've told me, i would've brought more for you”
“Oh… no need, wait, more for me?”
“I was waiting until we arrived there… but well… why not?”
He presented her a ring, made of seemingly silver, it isn't decorated much, but there is clearly fine craftsmanship that went into it.
“This is… a lot of gifts for one day…”
“You don't like it?”
He looks worried.
“No! Not at all… it’s beautiful, thank you, where did you buy it?”
“Dad thought i’ve spent enough time swinging picks that i should start swinging hammers… a few days ago was my day of coming, he gave me my own hammer, thought i’d give it a try for real”
“Huh… So you made this?”
“Yes!... Do you… want it?”
He smiled, rather innocently, as if giddy to be told he did good.
“Obviously…”
“Great! I mean… uh…”
“I know what you mean~”
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She gave him a wink, if the look he gave back isn't a sign of his heart stopping for a moment she doesn't know what. Noticeably also, his hand shook as he put it on her fingers, he even almost dropped it.
‘poor boy’
Is all she can think of the sight.
“Fits perfect… how do you know?”
“Ah… my old man’s got a thing for you”
“what?”
“Not like that! I mean he really does like you, he’s as grumpy as a storm a lot of the time, but he’s calm everytime i ask him what you two’s talking about… so much so he remembers every detail about you, including… well… that”
“Oh… surprising… he forgets a lot doesn't he?”
“He does, even forgot my name once! I couldn't believe that old gaffer! He remembers a lot about you though…”
“You know… you sound a lot like him when you’re mad”
“Really?”
“Mhmm…. You two have something for throwing strange words when mad”
“Ah… you know… i’m no local, least not a long time local, i was born here, but my dad’s a newcomer if anything”
“Your accent is so weird… i love it~”
He looks like he’s about to explode.
“Hahaha… G-good to know… you should hear my dad, he’s like that all the time, not my old man though… i really think he forgot how to do it”
“I don't doubt it, where are we going by the way?”
“Oh? We’re almost there, you’ll like it”
“So far out of town, my mother would be furious”
“Oh… sorry, do you want to go back?”
“No… no one says we can't be rebellious sometimes right?”
She gave him a feisty smile, he seems to not know how to respond, and looked away, she can still see him smiling though.
“No…”
“Then it's fine”
“Probably… I think we’re here, hmm… definitely here”
“Where?”
Maia asked, as all she can see is a line of trees ahead of them, the path ended a long time ago, it turned but they didn't take it.
“You’ll see, I go here sometimes to enjoy my time… and…”
“And?”
“The view”
They went through the tree lines, and arrived at the edge of a cliff. At the bottom is a flowing river and just to its right is the waterfall it came from. A really big waterfall, all the way from the top of the cliff to the bottom where the river is.
“Beautiful no?”
The waterfall isn't just big however, it’s also glimmering, it was at just the right angle from the moon that its light reflects off the water in a way she's never seen before. It was mesmerizing, hypnotic, near otherworldly, and certainly…
“And romantic?”
She looked at him, the same way she looked at him before, now along with her mouth agape.
“Is it really a surprise?”
“N-no… not really, but… so soon?”
“Well I thought… better take my chances with the town’s gem before any other man takes her… and i did”
“God, is that why you have a thing for sweetroots? So you can keep that sweet tongue at its peak?”
“Hahaha! You can say that! But… Can you tell me about something then?”
“W-what?”
“If I'm such a sweet tongue, does it taste sweet when I do this?”
“Do wha-”
Before she could speak clearly, she was grabbed by the cheek and kissed on the mouth. Her limbs went limp and her legs immediately buckled, and she fell to the soft grass below. Cass, who wasn't prepared for her to just fall, lost balance, and almost fell on her.
“Maia? Are you good?”
“I… i… y-yeah… yeah…. hehehe… hehe… Mhmm…”
“You do seem to enjoy yourself”
“hehehmm… uhm…. Again?”
“Sure…”
Cass said, before making her limp once again.
—-~----
“Time passes too quickly doesn't it?”
“What? That was your first and you still want more?”
Teased Cass. That was indeed Maia’s first kiss, and may just be the moment she’ll remember forever in her life.
“We should go back, it’s almost midnight”
“Okay….”
“Hmm? Gloomy are we?”
She giggled.
“No… just…”
“Wish you could spend more time here?”
“Read my mind”
“Hmm…. I suppose we could walk some more? This cliff’s a beauty in every part, not just here”
“Of course!”
She got up excitedly, they were laying together in the grass, looking at the stars, kind of, Cass stayed on top of her for most of it. Cass can’t help but laugh a little.
“For someone who spends her day selling sweetroots and tending to a small garden you sure are everywhere”
“You expect a farmer and a merchant to be calm? Then that’s a mistake on your part”
He laughed again as he stood up.
“I should say i’m glad i’m wrong, not like the others you’re not”
“And you’re a lot more…. *Wild…* than i thought”
“Is that so? I don't pass as animal i don't think”
He joked as he wrapped one hand around her waist, and brought her to walk around the cliff.
“Mhmm… i thought you a shy miner boy”
“Closer than you expect really…”
“Maybe… But i know now why you’re such a spice back at the town, you certainly… left a taste~”
“Was it sweet?”
“A little, but a bit more… hot”
“It’d be odd if it’s cold, no? Hahaha!”
“I’ll enjoy it either way….”
She looked at the vast forest just beyond the cliff, it widens out the further they go, and the further they go, the world beyond them just seems to grow bigger and bigger.
“A sight to behold eh?”
“Mhmm… shame it’s so far away”
“I don't know, it seems close to me…”
He looked at her, and smiled, before kissing her on the cheek.
“If you had been like this back in town, every woman would fall for you”
“Well… my heart’s on one so too late for that”
“There it is again, if you keep doing that i may just pass out”
“Least you’ll be passing out in my hands, all the easier to bring you back”
“Aww… stop it you”
“Sure… anything for you”
He joked, technically still not stopping with the flirts. Now that she isn’t constantly blushing from all the flirting, she could focus on the view, and it’s beautiful. She wished she could go to it, experience it firsthand, if it’s so beautiful this far out, it could only get more beautiful closer, she thought.
“Hmm….”
But something caught her eye, she noticed something a little strange, some sort of stone spire peeking through the treetops. The forest around the spire seems to be older than the rest, larger trees, and thicker foliage, and something felt old about it.
“Do you see that?”
“See what?”
“That… what is that?”
She points at the spire, Cass squinted to see it, and seems to be just as confused as her.
“No clue, i don't think i’ve noticed it before”
“It looks strange doesn't it?”
“A spire like that? I don't know, does look odd a bit”
“Oh well… hey, there's a lake down there, right below”
“Hmm? Oh… looks nice don’t it?”
Maia was about to say yes when she felt the ground shake, the two froze for a moment, fearing the worst. When it didn't come, Cass hurriedly brought her away from where the cliff was shaking.
“That was terrifying…”
“L-let’s be more care-”
Before she could finish, a large chunk of the cliff collapsed to a landslide, including where they are standing. She lost her balance, and fell off the falling piece. As she fell, all she could hear was Cass yelling her name, her heartbeat and her own thoughts. All to be dimmed and taken away as she hit the lake, the force of hitting the surface knocked her cold.
But it didn't take her out long, she used to swim a lot when she was younger, back in the day where her only job at her mother's garden was to go to the river with a bucket and get water. Naughty, she was, and chose to have fun swimming first. She woke up, still sinking, her mind racing to remember how she used to swim back then, and swam to the surface.
“*Gasp…*”
She gasped for air and coughed out much of the water she swallowed when she hit the surface. The first thing that came to her mind as she regained the ability to breathe normally was Cass, who was falling alongside the crumbling cliffside.
“Cass!... Cass!...”
It was then she remembered something old man Kass once said, about something that runs through his family:
‘*We can't swim for shite*’
She took a deep breath and dived down, the once clear water of the lake was muddied by the rubble, falling and kicking up its sandy floor. She swam towards what remains of the cliffside, now broken up and submerged, hoping to the Gods Cass is alive. She looked for any bubbles going up, the only way she can tell if something’s within the cloud of sand.
“.....!”
There were many, but one was moving around all over the place. She dived into the cloud of sand, hoping that chaotic movement actually meant what she hoped it meant. Her irritated eyes lit up as she faintly saw something moving around, without much thought yet all of her strength she made a dash for it.
“*Cass-*”
She almost shouted, it would’ve flooded her lungs with water. She almost couldn't help it, as she had bumped into a panicking Cass, whose leg was stuck to the roots that once ran down the cliff face. He stopped panicking for a moment when he saw her, before gagging as he starts to run out of breath.
She held him tight and attempted to pull him up, her efforts were naught, and she lost hope. But a glint caught her eye, on Cass’s belt, a small dagger, she took it and cut the roots tangled on his foot, before pulling him up as he starts to lose consciousness.
—-~----
“Ehk! Egh! Hah… hah…”
Cass coughed out a lot of water, dirty sand water, it took Maia a few hard slap to his back to help him get all of it out.
“Ma- hek! Maia… are you…”
“I am, you should worry more about yourself!”
“I'm… ugh… fine…”
She let out a sigh and hugged him, he didn't say anything, he couldn't, he won't. It lasted for several minutes before she let go, finally showing a small smile.
“Thank the Gods…”
“A thanks? Sure, but only to you… where do you learn to swim like that? You're so fast…”
“I’m a… quick learner”
“Oh? Well… that better be true because…”
He looks around, she does the same, both realize they're stranded, with any way to get back up either doesn't exist or very far away in a direction they would have no way of knowing.
“Oh… Oh no”
“Ya’know? Stranded in the wilds far from home isn't exactly what i’d think this night will go to”
“We… should stay here, people at the town will know we’re missing, surely! They’ll send someone to look for us? Right?”
“What else? Problem’s not that though, but how long until that happens? For all we know it could be a few days!”
“Oh… you’re right… So what now?”
“My dad used to tell me, living on a hill’s no different than in a forest, just gotta find yourself a…”
He looks somewhere to the distance, squinting.
“...High ground, there's a big hill there”
“We go there?”
“The trees are higher, if we climb that we could see all around, who knows? Maybe that cliff has an end somewhere…”
He said, as he looked up the cliff behind him, from down here it looked almost unbelievably tall, and it may just be that tall.
“Besides, all these trees are wet here, probably the lake’s causing that, dry wood burns better”
“Okay… i’ll…”
She took a good look around, it’s very dark, damp and uncomfortably silent, she shrunk just thinking about it.
“...follow you”
—-~----
The two reached the hill, the trees there weren’t as dense as the field near the lake, allowing moonlight to light up the place. Bright enough to find firewood, and a decent shelter, a small cave, or perhaps… hole, at the side of the hill, facing the cliff. They placed some dry grass over the cave’s wet floor and made a fire pit inside.
“Cass?”
“Yes?”
Cass responded, half mindedly as he was figuring out how to start a fire.
“Why do you have this?”
Maia pulled out the small dagger she used to cut him free, he looked surprised when he saw it, somewhat embarrassed too.
“Ah… my first knife, made it after that ring i gave you, just to see, it’s bad… the blade’s too sharp and the metal’s brittle… I can work that ring fine, maybe ‘cause it wasn't much metal? But that knife? That turned my mind sideways”
“It’s nice, has a shine on it at least”
“Thanks… can you give it back to me?”
“Obviously”
She gave it back, he stared at it for a minute, before striking it with a flint he found, it sparked easily.
“I guess being too hard and brittle has its perks…”
With little effort spent, the fire was lit, and the new couple sat next to each other in front of it.
“Cass, can I say something?”
“Hmm? Go ahead”
“If… *when* this is over, are we still…?”
“Of course! This isn't your fault, mine really…”
“No it’s not?”
“Well i took you on that walk, if i hadn’t…”
“Doesn't matter now, right? It’s not your fault”
“I appreciate it Mai…”
“*Sigh* I love you Cass…”
Cass laughed.
“That's fast!”
“Thing’s been going by really fast the last few hours anyway, thought i’d do my part on it”
“How about some sleep? That’ll slow things down”
“I’ll love that…”
She laid down and pulled him along, he was unprepared for it.
“...only if i have something warm, lucky you’re here”
“Again… not what i think would come out of this… Good night Maia”
“Good night Cass…”
—-~----
Something awakened Maia, she looked outside, she saw the slight yellow on the horizon, signaling dusk. But that's not what woke her, nor is it the movement of Cass, who's asleep, and embracing her. It was a feeling, in her chest, a strange feeling, it felt like something's pushing on it. She looked at it, and noticed her necklace, more specifically, the pendant it hangs on, glowing.
“*Huh?*”
She gently escapes Cass’s embrace to get a more proper look at it, and now she's sure it’s glowing.
“Uhm…”
Then she felt a second strange feeling, or a calling of sorts, it called for her to walk out of the cave and… just go somewhere. She refused, knowing it could be dangerous outside, but that feeling is getting stronger, it felt practically like instinct, she needs to go out there, and find… something.
“N-no!”
She tried calling Cass for help, but her mouth seemingly fights against her, refusing to say the words. She resists still, and whatever force calling her, had enough, and she blacked out. At least… not from her perspective, she did blackout, and walked out of the cave, unconscious and driven by something that is not her. But from her perspective, everything went black for a second, before she woke up and found herself on the edge of a pit.
“What? How did I get here? Cass!”
Cass wouldn't hear it, he’s far away, in a cave, still asleep. She found herself unable to walk away from the pit, even looking away resulted in what felt like her head being pulled to look at it.
“Gods… please, free me from this… demon! Agh!”
She couldn't control her own leg and walked off the pit’s edge, sliding down the slippery and moss overgrown inside. A small pool of water at the bottom broke her fall, it was there that she felt like a thousand chains had been taken off her body, as she was free to once again.
“Heh… heh… what?”
She doesn't understand how or why she’s here, all she knows is it had something with her pendant. It is faintly glowing, and felt warm to the touch, it felt like a heavy weight on her chest, despite being actually quite light. She took a look around, the pool she stands in is incredibly clear, and just as incredibly cold. She’s in a pit, deep, wet and slippery, surrounded by a forest of titanic trees, almost unnaturally big.
“......”
Amongst the trees, is something she has seen before, a spire of stone and metal, piercing the thick canopy of leaves, she knows what it is. There's some text written on a brass plaque on the spire, some illustrations as well, none of which she recognizes. Despite everything around her being foreign, she can't help but feel she knows this place, or has been to it in the past, but that couldn't be right?
“Oh… by the Gods… where even am i…”
She felt a strange sense of serenity however, maybe because of the cold water, or the oddly comforting silence, two things that made her anxious not too many hours ago. She decided to walk around the pool a little, maybe there's a flat enough path she could use to climb out, but something draws her to the center of the pool.
“hmm?"
This time she didn't resist, as she saw something that made her curious. Something large is sticking out of the water, she could tell it’s only a small part of something though, something bu