-Felix-

Thank goodness!

They’d finally found a monster to talk to. It was even the humanoid one—who had laughed at him before and so probably had a human mindset. The way it moved was still incredibly creepy but, oddly enough, starting to grow on him. Its oddly silent, insectile body sent a prickle down his spine, but was beginning to seem catlike—what with all the predatory grace—and Felix couldn’t help thinking it was a little cute.

The creature tilted its head at him. Probably confused, or at least that was Felix’s take from his last experience with it.

“I mean, Celio got really hurt, but you guys don’t seem the type to shred someone that way… We were basically helpless last time, since you trashed me, ya know? But we got out fine.”

It took a minute, but the creature eventually nodded. Boy, was this thing scary! Felix bounced on his toes happily.

The creature was also shifting from foot to foot but seemed more uneasy than excited.

“Oh, that’s right.” Felix said sheepishly. “You can’t talk, can you?”

It nodded.

They both thought for a minute, trying to find a solution. Septimus was slowly moving to stand flank the monster, but he was smart enough to not attack.

It straightened, then turned towards the arch leading further into the Grotto purposefully. Felix frowned. Was it leaving?

Then it paused and gestured for them to follow.

“Oh! Okay.” There must have been a way to talk further in.

Felix began to follow, but Septimus grabbed his arm. “This doesn’t seem like a good idea.” His friend said.

“Don’t be an idiot.” Felix replied. “How are we supposed to know what happened if we don’t ask?”

Nova guffawed, grabbing his other arm. “Look who’s talking! You just drank Grotto-water!”

Felix shrugged off his overly cautious friends and followed the waiting monster.

“Felix!” Nova wailed.

He could hear Septimus murmuring something comforting to her before the sound of running water covered it.

“So!” Felix said, “Where are we going?”

The monster ducked around a razor-sharp spike, clearly pointing it out to him so he didn’t get shredded. Considerate!

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They navigated a maze of water jets (which likely would have taken his head off), spikes, and slippery, uneven footing. Felix soon forgot he’d asked a question at all, instead absorbed by the acrobatic feats required to get through. The water made a constant, thrumming sound that faded into his subconscious like a heartbeat.

The monster paused by an elaborate chest (with engravings Nova would drool over), opening it to pull out a red, news-boy style hat.

“I claim dibs!” Felix always looked good in hats.

But it pulled the hat out of his reach.

He grumbled and snatched at it again, but the creature put the hat on its own head and promptly disappeared.

“Whoa.” A hat of invisibility. That was so rare—Felix wished he’d grabbed faster.

A moment later, the humanoid popped back into focus. Felix could have been wrong, but the way its pouchy mouth was tilted, it seemed to be smiling.

Well, credit to the victor. No need to be unsportsmanlike.

“Congrats! That’s awesome!” He pounded it on the back. It let out a click-huff laugh.

Then it handed the hat to him.

“Wait—really?”

It nodded.

He snatched it out of its hands, not waiting a second. “Yes!”

It laughed again. The strange sound echoed in the narrow hall, watery and soft.

Felix put the hat on, then took it off, then tucked it in his pocket. It’d come in handy later. Yes, he had plans for this hat.

They continued.

He was starting to get tired. Nicked his shin on a translucent spike, much to the monster’s concern. Felix waved it off. Not long after, they arrived at the main room.

The room was…

Felix was not the kind of person to go into poetics. That was Nova’s area, and she was very good at it. All the same, he wished he could memorize the sparkling mist shrouding a ceiling of night-sky. The tall, silvery trees and burbling streams. It was like someone had taken the orchard outside his home and filled it with magic, with stories of the ocean like the ones Celio told when he was in a good mood.

Ah, right, Celio!

“Can you tell me what happened, now?” Felix said, but realized he was alone. The creature had left when his back was turned.

Fear crept up his spine. He fingered the knife at his belt but knew it would do him no good if the Grotto chose to attack.

Ghostly lights colored the pale mist. Felix startled as what he’d thought was a rock began to roll away, slipping into the water—where hungry maws devoured it.

When the humanoid popped out of the water beside him, he screamed.

The humanoid stood stock still. Then it began to laugh, pointing at him and clutching its side.

“It’s not funny!” Felix whacked it with an open palm, to no effect. “You know I’m at a disadvantage here!”

Still laughing, the creature pointed at a sparkling light emerging from the mist.

“What?” Felix asked peevishly. “You trying to scare me again?”

It shook its head and, looking at the light, Felix realized it was a faerie.

Unlike the one Felix had faced previously, this faerie glowed in soft silver shades. It—no, he—held a paintbrush in his hand and considered Felix with a melancholy expression.

Captivated, Felix reached out a hand. Tried to brush the faerie’s bright wings, only to be avoided. Instead, he reached out and grasped the boy’s finger. Like a handshake.

The greeting sent a warm buzz through Felix. He grinned.

Introductions finished, the faerie turned with a sharp nod and led the way. The humanoid stayed at Felix’s side this time. He could see other monsters, too, watching just beyond the mist. A half-translucent slime, glowing like contained moonlight. Flickers of an ominous, semi-human figure that nearly paralyzed Felix with instinctive fear.

The humanoid grabbed him by the hand, after that, pulling him along so he didn’t have time to take in the sights.

They reached a dusky-tan wall—the edge of the room—and the humanoid sat on the ground cross-legged. Felix joined it. His butt got damp.

The silver-tinted faerie swiped the wall with his paintbrush, clearing it of decorations.

“Oh.” Felix said, “Are you teaching a lesson? Like you do with a chalkboard?”

His new instructor paused. Nodded.

Then, with a broad sweep of his paintbrush, began.