Chapter 13: Grotto Cat

Eli ran his thumbs up and down the dark metal of the dagger's blade and twirled the hilt with his other hand. The plume of fur jumped with his movements. There was something hypnotic about the weapon. The way the blade felt as it sliced through the air. I wonder how it would feel through flesh.

"Eli?" Alice's voice caught his wandering mind. What was I just thinking about? He looked at the blade. I don't like this.

"Yeah?"

"Are you even seeing this right now?"

Eli turned and saw Alice gaping at the halls around them. Only then did he notice. The journey up until then was dark, But now the halls were lit and a sight to behold. The walls were ancient and cracked, allowing brushes of brown and green plants that somehow took root. But this couldn't take away from the sheer splendour of the intricate carvings, the way the stones were set, that gave the hall a feeling of life.

"To think we're living on top of all this." Alice said.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Eli cringed as he pressed his fingers on his side, the pain was quick and sharp, though nothing seemed to be broken. He pressed it again just to be sure and his tail whipped in response.

"That thing's weird," Alice said suddenly.

"Weird? What?" Eli whipped his tail around and held it to his chest. "What do you mean weird?" He said more defensively than he meant to.

"Ha, nothing, it's just, At first I thought maybe you had one because of your magic type buuut~ you need to be able to use magic to have a magic type. So it's weird that you just have a, you know—le tail. I bet your mother freaked."

Eli let his tail go with a roll of his eye. "Actually, my father had one."

"Well, does his magic- wait had?"

Eli didn't respond.

"I, jeez, I, I'm sorry, I didn't—"

"It's fine, I never knew him. He died before I was born." Eli smiled, but it didn't touch his eyes. "My mom rarely talks about him but when she does, she always says he was a great man. Once she said he was better than Penitulus, Ha, as if." His voice seemed hollow. A silence crept up on them. Eli could almost feel Alice grasping for a word. "Wait, do you hear that?"

"What?"

"That." the sound was a faint hush. "Is that water?"

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As they continued forward the hall darkened. The stone carvings were slowly consumed by moss.

"I hear it, whoa, look!" There was a familiar glow—faint and fire-like. Their pace increased to a run as they made it to the end of the hall. A sudden wet spray hit their faces. The hall opened up to a grotto, lush and green with plant life. Turrets of water sprayed from holes high up on the wall and filled a pristine lake. At the centre of it all sat a small island with a single tree twisting at its summit. Resting in a crevice at the tree's base was the shard. "Ha!" Alice started off.

"Whoa, hey!" Eli said as he stumbled to follow. Alice hopped on smooth stones which made path to the island. Eli took his time, his movements were made clumsy by the hurt he got from the golem. "Slow down." He froze as a chill ran from his tail and up his spine. The chill reached like tendrils, gripping his innards. More so than usual. "Alice!" he roared, "Stop!" She stopped as she reached the bank of the island. She turned with a worried expression.

"Jeez, kitten, why so—" A deep rolling sound echoed throughout the grotto. Eli felt his knees become dough as the sound rocked his marrows. Alice turned in time to see white coming over the rise of the island. Massive paws found footing, large emerald eyes with black slits gazed at them evilly. Alice fell back as the beast yawned showing teeth like sabres. It pulled itself over and prowled lithely. Muscles moved beneath a white coat like mice beneath silk sheets. It stepped with distinct boredom. It lay with its head on its paw, a lion-like tail swung behind it as it watched the motionless Alice, it watched her with a dare.

"Eli," Alice said softly. The beast barely took notice as it rubbed one of two sinuous horns against the bark of the tree, they curved back and were as white as the rest of the creature. Alice rose slowly and the creature followed suit. As she made her way back the beast pounced lazily, obviously not trying to reach her. She made it back to a star-eyed Eli.

"Is that—"

"A magic beast?" Alice finished. "Yeah."

"I've never seen one before, it's so cool."

"Sure, tell it that, maybe it'll be charmed enough to let us grab the shard."

Eli paused. That's right, how the heck— He remembered the blade he had tucked into the waist of his pants. He remembered the plume of fur—white, stained lightly with what could only be blood. This, I'm supposed to use it on this. He drew it from his waist. The beast straightened immediately. The skin on its muzzle peeled back as it stared Eli down. It pounced with a shrill roar. Eli moved quickly, though slowed by the hurt, he barely escaped.

"Eli!" Alice said as the beast came again. Eli turned and ran. The beast followed wildly, no doubt mad that something was eluding it. Eli clutched on to the blade like it was the difference between life and death. In one leap, he flew across the water and landed on the island, as did the beast. He ran up the summit and scrambled up the tree, given no time to even think about grabbing the shard. The beast followed. it's broad face twisted to show death. Eli leapt from the tree onto some hanging vegetation. He scrambled up moss and vines when the creature landed. Its claws dug into stone as if it were butter. Eli did his best but the beast approached. Kill it, he thought, sink the blade between its eyes. With a snap, crackle, and pop a light hit the beast. It roared. Another hit. "Get out of there!" Alice said.

Eli looked down. Kill it, kill it now. Another projectile hit. The beast grew frustrated and started a mad scramble that the ancient wall was in no condition to sustain. rocks entangled in vines fell. Eli pressed himself against the wall in time for the debris to pass over but the creature was caught in the vines and pulled down into the water below. It bobbed, clawing for solid ground before sinking again. Eli slid to the ground. Good. He thought, "No!' he roared as he looked at the blade. He remembered the golem, how calm it became. The undead. If he were strong enough he would have barreled through them, but he wasn't and instead found another way, there was always another way. He dove into the water. The beast kicked and scratched. And when it saw Eli it became frantic. The blade Eli realized. He let go and let it sink. the eyes of the beast followed him as went to work on the vines. He moved one, then two, and the beast lunged free and grabbing him in its jaws.

He gasped as the beast carried him out of the water and dropped him on the bank of the island. It took a step away and gazed at him. The slits became broad dark circles. Its head tilt to one side as it stared expectantly. "Umm, good, grotto cat?" It leapt and padded up the hill and came back with the shard, dropping it at Eli's feet. It stared expectantly. Eli lifted his hand and the grotto cat pressed its wet nose into it. the creature then pressed forward and rubbed its massive head on Eli, pushing him to the ground. Its rolling purr felt like a truck engine.

"Of course you make friends with the monster."

The grotto cat sat back on its haunches and gazed at Alice with a tilted head. "I don't suppose you know how we're getting out of here?"

***

They stood on the edge of the well-hidden hole the creature carried them out of and watched as it reluctantly descended again. They looked about and Eli recognized the weeping willows. "We're in the park," he said as they started walking.

"Yeah, and in a lot of trouble." Alice noted the brightening horizon.

"You have no idea." They screamed at the sudden voice. Penitulus Ren towered behind them, arms crossed. His eyes widened at the sight of the shard that Eli held. "And you've got some explaining to do."