"Are you gonna keep staring?” Alice said.

“Well, I mean, Just look at it,” Eli answered.

“It was either this or a long, flowing dress. Thinking about our current situation this seemed more appropriate.” Alice had manifested a skin-tight body suit that glistened with blue, and, though it covered everything from neck to feet, it left little to the imagination.

“I’m not complaining.” The tunnels were well lit, With what? Eli didn’t know, he was thankful nonetheless. He was tired of the dark.

“So … you were going to rip my throat open, were you?” Alice’s morbid statement came in a tone so unsettlingly frank Eli tripped. Alice helped him with a laugh

“Well, at the time I thought you had… killed… yourself. Shut up, it made sense at the time.”

“So you’re willing to kill for me?” Alice teased with a smile.

“Well-yeah.” They fell silent.

“You see that’s good,” She broke the silence. “Because there’s this person, super annoying, and I wouldn’t mind if you gouged his eyes out with that pointy rock.”

“Not happening,” Eli replied.

“But you said—”

“Forget that I said it.”

Alice pouted then smiled a soft smile with a lingering gaze.

“What? why’re you staring at me like that.”

Her eyes darted away, then came back with a sly glint. “No reason … kitten~”

“Hey!” Eli ducked away from her hand before it started that stupid reflex. “That’s it.” He lunged after her. She skipped out of reach and a chase ensued. The chase was cut short when Alice came to a sudden stop. Eli slammed into her back and both tumbled down a small hill.

“Hey! watch it!” Alice cried after they stopped.

“Watch it? You’re the one who—”

“Shhhh.” Alice interrupted. “Look. at. that.” She said wide-eyed.

At that moment Eli felt the coarseness of the ground and realized that they had landed on sand. Slowly, he looked up and his jaw fell open. They were on a beach. a real, full-sized, underground beach. A white sand shore stretched for miles, and waters glistened with the reflected blue light from giant glowing crystals on the ceiling. “I think we gotta cross it,” Alice said, pointing to a small wooden dingy beached on the shore.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Cross it? I can’t even see the other side.” Eli said.

“Then we better get going. Right?” Alice said, already making for the boat.

“Right,” Eli muttered.

The boat was lighter than expected and was easily moved into the water. “Alright then, better start rowing,” Eli said as he reached for an oar.

“I don’t think we need to, we’re already moving.” Alice pointed out. And they were. The row-boat moved at a considerable speed away from the shore and it wasn’t long before they could see the other. “Seems we’ll be having smooth sailing from here on out.” Alice nudged Eli, baiting for a reaction for her obvious pun.

“Not to be the downer but I doubt it.” Eli said.

“What? look around.” She extended her arms in both directions gesturing to the entire area. Despite seeming like a small beach, the waters were perfectly still, save for the ripples made by their boat. Peaceful and mirror-like. “Plus—” Alice stretched overboard and dipped her hand deep under water.

“Alice!” Eli shouted worried.

“What, look, it’s shallow. about waist deep actually, so I wouldn’t expect to see massive sea monster jumping out any time soon.” Eli sat back down a bit calmer.

She has a point, Eli thought, But still, his thoughts trailed off and both observed a moment of silence.

“Hey.” Alice muttered.

“Yeah?” Eli answered.

“After all this is over, I mean, after we get this shard, what happens?” She asked solemnly.

“Well, this Draven guy needs all four shards so, I think Corin and the others will take it and ensure that he doesn’t get them.”

“Well yeah, I know that I meant about us. we weren’t exactly acquainted before we met in the library, and all that’s happened sort of kept us together but after—”

“And after we will still know each other, and still be friends,” Eli interrupted with a sure tone.

“Yeah, I guess we will,” Alice agreed with a soft smile.

Now fully relaxed, Eli looked off in the distance. At the speed which the boat was moving, he guessed that it would still be a while before they reached the other shore. He started to nod off but woke himself. Peaceful waters aside, sleeping might be a bad idea. So instead he stared into the water… and the water stared back at him. It was the perfect mirror.

Eli stared into the eyes of his reflection. The longer he stared, the more alive the reflection grew. Without realizing it he leaned closer and closer. To him, it seemed that if he were to reach out he wouldn’t touch the surface of the water but rather the person within. He leaned in closer and closer still until he was so close his breath disturbed the water. In that instant, the reflection truly came to life pulling Eli off of the boat and into the water, which was definitely deeper than ‘waist deep’.

Deeper and deeper he was pulled into murky depths. Soon all signs of light faded, and Eli’s breath ran out. He couldn’t see, he couldn’t breathe, he didn’t even know the difference between up and down. Only that he was being pulled. His heart pumped dry, and his stomach clenched at the burning sensation in his lungs. no way. He thought, After all this. This is how it’s gonna be. An instant, not even a fight. As he finished his thought a spec of light appeared, a spec that grew as he approached at incredible speeds. It grew brighter and brighter until finally, air.

Eli burst out of the water gasping. After the initial shock he noticed something, he could stand. Eli stood up with water barely reaching his ankles. The depthless ocean he was just pulled into vanished. He looked around at his surroundings in utter confusion. The open, glistening white sand shore and shining blue water were gone, replaced with dreary stoned corridors that were poorly lit. Without a doubt, his situation was strange but somehow familiar. And as though he’d done so a thousand times, Eli began walking forward in the direction he knew he’d find what he was looking for. Even though he had no idea what he was looking for.

Back on the boat Alice, who had nodded off, woke up with a fright. Her first instinct was to look out for Eli who was leaning on the side of the boat, peacefully staring into the mirror-like water.