The cave quickly changed from one that felt like it had been dug into the mountain, and into one that felt more natural. Slick and smooth stone on the walls, stalactites dripping quietly from the room, though there were no stalagmites that Phoebe could see.

The further into the cave, the darker it seemed to get. Despite the little floating flame, the shadows got closer and closer with each step, leaving Phoebe beginning to hate some of the aspects of this new and strange world.

Shadows that could really move, and ignore the light, was something that Phoebe had not expected to exist in any world. Gruna did not seem to care about it at all - the orc's face as stiff as ever, though the intensity of her glowing eyes might be a little more.

The glow highlighted the shape of Gruna's nose, and her two hooked teeth casting their own shadows. Strangely, it made Gruna's fierce expression somehow softer. A certain smoothness to her chin, a little redness to the cheeks.

Phoebe looked away quickly, staring firmly straight ahead as she realised just what her head was thinking, her own cheeks going bright red.

The orc noticed the rapid movement, grunting quietly, and speaking at a whisper that carried easily in the cave. "These old places, of the time before the old times, they carry a certain nuanced weight to them. It is not unusual to feel much. They raise the pronunciation of all things, including those we may not yet have realised we were feeling. Following as you are from trauma, there might be much. You should speak of it."

"Nope." Phoebe said quickly, blushing harder.

"I would take it, that you do not know of the ancient history of this world. It would be quite a coincidence, were it to be familiar to you." Gruna reasoned and, before Phoebe could find a polite way to shut them up, continued, "There was but void and darkness in the beginning. Nought but nothing, except the One."

Phoebe felt the emotions that Gruna had been talking about. The mild attraction she had to such a strong-willed woman as the knight, now exploding into something that was completely intoxicating as the deep tones of the orc washed over her.

"The One spoke, embedding their words into creation, turning the words to power, to the magic that bound the universe into being." Gruna stated with a mild sort of awe. "Alone in her vast emptiness, the One took their soul, and used it to illuminate the void, tearing themself into every bead of light that spilled out and across the world."

Phoebe swallowed, finding her mouth completely dry, and croaked, thinking it polite to add something. "Curious myth about the sun."

"Are they but myths where you are from? The One became the gods. I was anointed by Go'ruuk." The knight said with a frown, "I have heard of many gods of your world. Yet you doubt that they exist?"

"Doubt... Is the right word. I dunno." Phoebe swallowed a cough, "I really... Just don't. Agnostic? That the word? Not atheist. Not Christian or Jew or whatever. I just... Dunno. Never thought about it that much. Sorry... That was probably offensive, right? What with you being a literal holy knight and all."

"Knight apprentice." Gruna said with a hint of amusement, "I have yet to swear my heart to none but Go'ruuk."

"So... If the One became the sun, where's he from?"

Gruna grinned and clapped a firm hand around Pheoebe's shoulders, fingers grasping her shoulder with a strength that was both gentle, but also informed her that those same fingers could intertwine with her own. Hold their hands between their chests.

Phoebe went bright red, "Holy shit. This emotion thing... Uh... Go'roo... Uk?"

"Go'ruuk." Gruna nodded, ignoring the first comment, "But a worthy attempt for one so unfamiliar with the language of my ancestors. He came from the sun, as an essence of the One. There was a moment, far before any living creature walked this world, when the sun... Exploded, to put it simply. It became superheated, expanding violently -"

"Supernova." Phoebe realised, "Holy shit, your sun actually went supernova? How the hell is there still a planet here?"

"The gods." Gruna smiled proudly, "It was Arcturus, who shielded the world, and it was Go'ruuk who beat back the power of the sun. They were formed by it, and they keep it in balance - they and the other gods."

"Arcturus... Like... Arthur? King Arthur?"

Gruna looked at her curiously, "I have heard that name from some of those who came before you. Visitors of your world are rare, so I have not been afforded the chance to learn the stories of who this one is, and whether they are indeed the Arcturus of your world."

Phoebe shrugged, uncomfortably feeling the relaxing weight of Gruna's arm, "Well, I don't know crap about Arthur. He was a nobody, pulled a sword from a lake and somehow became king from it? Also had a friend who was a wizard. Merlin. But... It's just a story. It never actually happened."

"The Great Myrddin! This one, I have heard many tales of." Gruna said with excitement, grinning broadly at her, "Myrddin, the wizard who aided Ambrosius, spawn of Arcturus! There are so many tales of the man. He forged an empire from the dust of this world. Born of virgin and demon, creator of the portal site of Stonehenge!"

Phoebe laughed in disbelief, "Motherfuck. Of course Stonehenge is a bloody portal place."

"You know of Stonehenge? It is a place of much importance to our world, but the location is not known. It was lost in times past." Gruna said curiously.

She shrugged, "Big stone circle? Yeah. It's in England. Never been there, but nobody knows what it was for."

"If there is no longer a portal at the great Stonehenge, then it must be true that magic has departed your world." Gruna replied, "It was designed to draw in the natural magics, so that the door would always be open were Myrrdin to need it."

"Huh. So... Is there something like it here?" Phoebe asked in surprise.

Gruna smiled sympathetically, "I am afraid the way home is not so easy. Such magics were lost when the witch took Myrrdin from this world. Where she trapped him, none can say."

"The... Witch? The one you're after?"

The orc grunted, tusks becoming more pronounced, "Indeed."

"She... She brought me here." Phoebe said angrily, convinced. "It wasn't the world. That doesn't make sense. Your world has magic and shit, mine doesn't. Mine can't send me nowhere. The only way to open a portal, is to find magic."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Like yours." Gruna whispered.

Phoebe shot a glare at her sphere of flame dancing nearby, "Exactly. So... The witch was trying to shortcut shit. Dredging magical wells or whatever. I was an accident."

"An intriguing theory, to be certain. Especially from one with so little experience of magic."

She frowned, "Oh, but you know better?"

"Not at all. It was the honest truth. Such a theory does deserve to be explored. It is entirely possible that such holes in reality manifest from the destructive properties of dark magic." Gruna shook her head.

"... But?"

The orc gave a small laugh, "It does much to remove destiny from your path. A thing you seem quite intent on doing. It is not Drektanion alone who believes that your appearance here is far too coincidental."

"Magic of the world controlling my fate." Phoebe rolled her eyes, "I'm a freaking office worker. I am not the next King Arthur, let alone Merlin."

"If you were the Heir of Myrrdin, may all the worlds quiver before you." Gruna laughed loudly, "No. No, that is not my thinking. However, that there is some fate before you... Perhaps. It seems at least as likely a theory as your own."

"Yeah... Absolutely hate that idea." Phoebe crossed her arms, dislodging Gruna's.

The orc looked at her curiously, "Is that so? I do have some sympathy to such perspective. I may serve an orcish god, but I am attempting to become a holy knight. Few of my kind ever aspire to such a thing. We live in isolated tribes, for we indulge in a culture of violence that few may appreciate."

"I... Was never going to raise that. Cultural stuff can... Hurt."

Gruna chuckled, "A world without magic, that is not inhabited by my kind, knows of our violence. Our culture appears to be so violent it can pierce the veil of worlds."

"Maybe there were orcs, once. If we have the legends."

The other woman frowned, "Perhaps. Such a thing is a possibility, most certainly. It would come as no surprise if it were to be so, but I find it more likely that a traveller from another world brought such stories in their wake."

"A traveller. So... Someone who got ported? Or someone like Merlin who could make a portal?"

"There are some who claim to be able to control a destination, albeit with much difficulty. They are also often economically poor, if not spiritual also, and without much hope before them. I would not take such tales seriously. It is a lost knowledge, not yet recovered." Gruna cautioned.

"Con artists."

The orc shrugged, "I am sorry to disappoint in such a way, but there is truth to the accusation."

"You... You talk like that on purpose, don't you?" Phoebe blurted out without thinking.

The orc's eyes dimmed in the darkness for a moment, before speaking with a quieter, but far deeper voice. "Yes."

"You want to forget your past, as much as I don't want my future to be here." Phoebe floundered to find a way to make up for prodding at that particular bad memory. "I don't know you, and you don't know me. Our worlds are completely different. Maybe... Maybe we can use those differences. Help you become a knight, help me get home. Make things better."

Gruna blinked and raised an eyebrow, "If I were not to believe that, then I would not be beside you in this moment."

"I kinda thought the dragon forced you to stay. You were taking me to a town, and then leaving."

The orc shook her head slowly, "Perhaps once, but no... No, I could never leave you, Phoebe. Never would I leave your side."

"You... I..." She stared.

Gruna stopped walking sighing and spreading her hands, "Is it not a thing that you have seen? You may know little of me, but I cannot say that it feels that way. In a place such as this, you feel not a stranger, but my wife of many years, dear Phoebe. I say this, knowing it may offend, but because I cannot deny it."

"I..."

The orc stepped a halfstep closer, reaching out to lift Phoebe's chin with her leather wrapped hand, looking at her seriously, "I would gladly depart this world, were it to keep you in it. I swear by Go'ruuk that I will return you to your home - wherever you decide that it may lie. I swear it."

"F-fuck." Phoebe struggled to breathe.

"Affirmative consent is a thing of my order. I take it that your exclamation is one of... Approval?" Gruna asked, swallowing and looking at Phoebe.

The emerald eyes asked a deeper question, with a desperate desire that was so much gentler than anyone that Phoebe had known before. Just proposing that consent should come before something as innocent as a kiss, was more than any man had done in her life.

"I... Have never kissed a girl." Phoebe swallowed.

Gruna leaned down, and as Phoebe's heart kicked up two notches, her warm lips pressed in. It was the gentlest kiss ever, a raptured peace that made the entire cave disappear as the other woman's hands shifted slightly to hold her cheeks.

The greater sensitivity of emotion in the cave struck, and Phoebe felt the warmth race through her spine, stomach, and down below. She gave a feebled gasp into Gruna's mouth, before pushing her backwards and into the cave wall.

The orc grunted in surprise, but didn't resist, as Phoebe's tongue suddenly found itself encircling and exploring a rougher one than her own. The underside of it was slipperier than her own, the top with strange grooves down either side, almost as if there used to be a half-dozen rings in it.

Gruna's hands travelled down Phoebe's back, tracing her spine whilst feeling more gentle than anyone she'd ever kissed, and simultaneously like the orc could snap her in half without an effort. Which Phoebe was surprised to learn sent a rather fierce thrill through her.

The other woman pulled back from the kiss, looking at her carefully, with her soft and kind eyes. "Phoebe?"

"Just a thought. Distracting. Forget it." Phoebe said quickly and tried to resume the kiss, but Gruna pulled back.

The orc frowned, "Tell me."

She sighed heavily, and winced, "So... You did something that made me maybe realise I like something, I might not be entirely okay with liking. Get it?"

"Not in the least." Gruna gave a chuckle, but leaned forward.

It was Phoebe's turn to pull away, putting a hand to Gruna's breastplate. She winced, looking around them with a glance, "Ah, fuck."

"What is that brings you to curse, this time?" Gruna sighed, before she also spotted it. The axe was instantly drawn from her back, and the orc let out a heavy growl. "Netherbeasts."

"No idea what that is... But I should be running, right?" Phoebe cringed.

Gruna shook her head a little, glaring at the shadows that very much now had three dimensions. One of which had a ten-fingered hand wrapped around Phoebe's blue flame and appeared to be trying to strangle it.

"Next time we see Drek, remind me to kill him." Phoebe said bitterly, raising her hands.

She didn't really know how to fight, but it also didn't feel like she exactly had a choice. They were surrounded on all sides. Maybe she had a chance - she'd managed to summon a tiny fireball, maybe she really had magic and could do something.

To protect herself, to protect Gruna, she had to embrace the fact that she was a witch.

The blue flame went out, the shadow suddenly shoving it into a cavernous mouth and swallowing it. With that, Phoebe was instantly blind, lost in a complete darkness.

There wasn't even a hint of a shadow, as she heard Gruna let loose with an angry roar, followed almost immediately by a heavy thunk that shook the ground beneath her feet.

Phoebe screamed as freezing fingers laced around her throat - squeezing violently and cutting off her voice. She stomped her feet, trying to find the bastard attacking her, only to hit empty ground and air.

She'd never been in a fight before. Not like this.

Gruna's thrashing began to grow dull in her ears, as Phoebe's chest ached and burned. Her lungs pushed forward, clawing at her throat. She waved her hands around desperately, trying to grab at the arm to the thing grabbing her and finding... Nothing.

She might as well have been getting choked to death by a ghost. She couldn't grab at anything, she was just flailing about and waiting to die. There was no way out from this.

Her heart pulsed away in her throat, and despite not being able to see a damn thing, Phoebe found herself falling backwards, the entire world spinning around her fast enough to make her sick.

She dropped away from everything, plunging down through a floor that was no longer there. Wind flew through her hair, before ripping it out with a pain that would have made her scream if she still had a voice.

Fire hit her face, burning her useless eyes, as the most bitter taste she'd ever had filled her mouth. It turned into a squirming slug, forcing itself down her throat. Squirming away and into her stomach, before curling up and turning to stone.

It lodged into her gut, turning to ice that exploded outwards in violent bursts, stretching out throughout her, freezing her into place even as it sliced her every vein open, from the inside.

Phoebe panicked, like she had never before. She could feel herself being ripped to pieces, and all she could think was that she wished she had the fire from before. Wished with all her might that it would ignite inside her, or inside the shadow that had attacked her.

Something, anything.

She tried to scream out for Gruna's help. Her voice was gone, her throat a twisted mess, but she couldn't care. She tried, and tried. Forcing it with all the strength she had left, as she felt the last vestiges of herself slip from any semblance of the world.