With Kai’s quick thinking, she pulled out her phone and snapped some quick photos while shooing Maomao out of the shot.

He snorted rudely at Kai, thinking that she disturbed his playtime intentionally and longingly gazed at the medallion that was halfway out of the hand which he poked and prodded its way free.

After satisfying the inner photographer, Kai bent down and gently wiggled the gold item from the skeletal grasp. It was light and held a mysterious aura even though it was old and lost its luster due to time.

Smiling and applying the term, finders’ keepers, she picked it up and slid it on Maomao’s stoic face down to his neck, feeling as though she was somehow a queen performing a knighthood ceremony on the cat.

Maomao stood there proudly, showing off his new regal figure, both unaware of the rapid unsought of decay on their skeletal friend beside them.

Kai did not attempt to further provoke the skeletal remains; time did that for them. In a matter of seconds, the figure seemed to crack and crumble into dust in a pile, with only the clothing remained on the dusty heap.

“Sorry, may you rest in peace.” Kai said as she clasped her hands and bowed to the dust pile to appease the soul of the departed.

She took a moment and digested her thoughts. It felt it strange that the bones disintegrated, albeit immediately, after placing the medallion on her cat, as if the bones were waiting for something or someone to pass on the torch.

Kai was swept up in her emotions and almost felt as if she performed that action almost mindlessly, which was unusual for her rational mind.

She always went by her mantra, cause and effect, and this moment was no exception. Her action of placing the ancient artifact on her cat almost felt as though it caused the bones to shatter and fade, like a domino effect. Deep down she knew she had instigated something she would not be able to get out of.

Kai walked over to her pack and started to rummage through the contents, looking for something that would be used as an offering to their dead dusty friend. She couldn’t really leave it in a pillaged state, and decided to provide something nice, as the saying goes do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Kai felt a moment of equivalent exchange and had put a lot of thought into her gifts.

She found a few spare small crabapples and started a donation pile. She added a spare cheap plastic Maomao plate as a base and started to assemble the gifts. A piece of handmade beef jerky, one of each mushroom foraged earlier, a few grapes and a plum from the grocery store made its way onto the plate. Kai placed a trio of skinny asparaguses in lieu of incense, standing vertically, which she then gingerly positioned the offerings beside the dust corpse.

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She clapped her hands together and said a small grace to the departed, I hope you like these. Thanks for the gift. I hope you enjoy these and may you rest in peace.

Maomao, almost reading Kai’s thoughts and the mood in the room, sat in silence and bowed his head at the same time. A minute passed by and kai finally felt refreshed after coming across this lonely traveler.

She looked up from her clasped hands. As she did so, she looked at the offerings and saw that the asparagus seemed to release some form of smoke? That wasn’t right, right? She did a double take. Smoke was coming off the asparagus tips and pooling around the pile of ashes. With her lack of light, she rubbed her eyes, thinking that maybe a wind gust made the dust swirl up, however that was not the case. There was no breeze present and the corridor started to feel a little colder then earlier, especially since she could see her breath form little clouds as she exhaled faster and faster.

Kai’s heart started to race as she thought, Oh shit, is this a ghost?

A light chuckle could be heard, or more like, in her head, as the smokey cloud started to resemble a form.

The cloud started to form from the bottom up, as cat-legs started to emerge atop the dust pile, sans feet. Next was the loincloth hips and a strong chiseled torso, following cat-like paw-hands and arms. Succeeding that, a cloth-like short shredded shirt trimmed in fur seemed to assemble while a head formed atop broad shoulders.

Kai seemed frozen in her spot. I’m gonna shit myself, she thought, dazed at the wonderous magnificent creature that appeared ghost-like in front of her. The apparition seemed to hover just below the cave ceiling however it gave off a mysterious type of glowing light that was able to be seen past the dark without the aid of the small flashlight.

Clear thoughts or messages was conveyed in Kai’s mind, as the figure did not seem to be able to speak out loud, or probably unable to communicate in English. Telepathy seemed to be the only reason in this unreasonable strange setting.

{You there.] It said, gesturing while speaking its thoughts into Kai’s mind. {Thank you for freeing my soul. I have waited centuries for someone worthy of my charge.}

Kai looked at the gestures, which were not aimed at her but in fact her cat. She looked down at Maomao, who seemed proud as he sat there with what one could assume was a cat-grin. Hes talking to both of us! Kai thought, glancing between the two.

{Indeed I am.} it clarified, looking back up from Maomao to Kai, reading her thoughts.

{I am one who was once called Kapt’n. I sustained a grave injury and was trapped in this place while protecting the sacred jewel} Kapt’n stated his thoughts and took on a forlorn appearance.

Kai felt sad for the… thing… and felt uncomfortable at the same time.

{You have my thanks. Worthy Travelers, I must ask of you to return to my realm}

Ooooh shit, he said what now? Kai thought, reading the typical and obvious red flags being thrown into the open.

{Please, let me explain}