(Feydon Ray’s point of view)

Years spent watching my sister made the musings of fire all too familiar to me. Most would consider fire a wild untamable force, but in my view fire was as predictable an element as any.

I watched the campfire dance as the sun rose over the horizon. It was hypnotic. Like the push and pull of a tango, the flames flitted across blackened logs. There was a certain chaos to it, but even in chaos there is order.

The dance came to a steaming halt when Fin came with a bucket to douse the flames.

“Get up,” Fin shouted over the hiss as the last of the fire died. “The sun’s up, so no more excuses. Whoever’s not ready can just get left behind.”

“That’s funny, I don’t recall you being the leader,” Carletta snapped. She was already awake, none of us talked, but neither Fin or I got any sleep after the group reconvened.

“Shut up gimpy! It’s your damn fault we’re still waiting here anyway. Why didn’t you cast even one spell to slow your fall, hm? Oh that’s right, you’re the spare, Lenora’s the sister with real—”

“That’s enough, Fin!” Mai shouted. Clusters of ice spears shot up from the ground around her. Even as they started to recede, the atmosphere remained tense and suffocating.

Sydney and Audrey filed out of the tent behind her. Both already prepared for another day of hiking.

Audrey had her auburn hair tied up behind her head with a few loose strands tucked away behind her ears. She wore a ruffled miniskirt with torn black leggings, exposing her supple thighs. Black boots came halfway up her calf, hugging it tightly as if they were afraid to be left behind. Her shirt seemed a size, or more, too small as it struggled to properly cover her breasts. The jacket she wore was similarly small and could not be zipped. It was blue and cut off just below her chest. Her CAD dangled from a loop on one sleeve, she’d only have to close her hand to grasp it. The other arm was almost fully exposed.

The coat of arms on the back of the jacket told me this was her Sky Haven Uniform. The entire outfit seemed impractical, and maybe a bit too sexy, given it’s intent as a protective battle armament; but when you have magic and a knight to protect you, I guess defense can take a back seat to glamour.

Sydney also wore her uniform, which was significantly more practical. It was more like a bodysuit with the only exposed skin being the curve on either side of her body, begining below the arm and continuing down to her hips. The fabric was skin tight and highly elastic, but when she twisted or turned I couldn’t help but stare. Sydney wasn’t as busty as Audrey. Though it still looked as if her chest could come uncovered at any moment. When I noticed Sydney looking back at me, guilt gave me the strength to turn away.

I wondered why Mai wasn’t in her uniform. Perhaps because she found it distasteful, or maybe it was because I was inept. With me as her knight defense was something she still had to worry about, although, as Ms.Nordblum had pointed out, Mai was probably the most capable mage in our group. She didn’t need a knight with those brilliant blue chains.

Carletta’s brief moment of confidence had faded. She shriveled up on herself like a dying flower and waited quietly while the rest of the group got up. She had been the girl to glare at Fin after the entrance exams when it was revealed he’d hurt her sister. Now she looked too meek to swat a fly. I wondered what trauma she must’ve been through to hollow out her grit so thoroughly.

Mai pulled Fin aside and gave him what looked like a stern scolding. As she lectured him, Fin turned away, shaking his head dismissively. He said a few words, then Mai cut him off. The exchange was short, ending when Fin walked away from her and leaned against a tree near where the fire had been.

Once Cole finished changing inside the tent he went to comfort Carletta. For a moment I wondered if she might also be inept, but I pushed that thought aside when I fully processed Fin’s statement. He hadn’t been shy about directly calling me out, but he didn’t call Carletta inept, he only implied that she was weaker than her sister… even a harsher interpretation would only see him calling her talentless.

With everyone ready, Audrey began packing up the camp. The mechanic tent folded itself back into a neat cube that she tucked into her bag. Byron offered to carry the food we’d salvaged from the wreckage, but Audrey declined.

When she finished gathering everything and we were ready to set off, Cole chimed, “you know there’s a storage function on the CAD.”

Life is so unfair!

“There is?” Audrey asked, “how does it work?”

Taking Audrey’s CAD, Cole activated and pressed a few buttons on the cylindrical device. When he pointed it at the bags on Audrey’s back they disappeared, then he tossed the CAD back to her. “Easier to show than tell,” he said as he walked away.

“Thanks, they should really make a manual for these things,” Audrey replied with an appreciative smile.

Fin bumped her shoulder as he walked past her. “They do.”

Soon after we departed from the camp, Cole stopped. “Listen, are you guys sure you want to go in the caves?” Cole asked nervously. “That beast was—”

Mai held up a hand to stop him. “You said the tear is in the cave right?”

“Well, I mean yea, it’s more likely than finding it out here, but the caves are dan—”

“Then we’re going.”

Fin led the way back to where his group came out of the cave network.

Howling winds roared ominously. Eerie moans came from within as mites ran out. Hanging vines twisted deliberately away from the opening and only wilted shrubs remained in the area.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

My skin crawled as I stared into the deep darkness. There was nothing particularly unique about the cave from my limited perspective, not that I had any prior spelunking experience. Still, a subtle sense of foreboding lingered, nagging at my thoughts, urging me to turn back.

“Do we really have to do this?” Cole asked. “Something doesn’t feel right, and Carletta’s injury…” he trailed off.

Fin groaned. “Her injury is fine. She walked by herself all the way here. That’s the whole reason we waited.”

“I know, but still.”

“What if we just split up?” Sydney, suggested.

I guess that’s her solution to every disagreement.

“Fine,” Fin spat.

“No!” Mai insisted. She and Fin glared viciously at each other for a time.

Fin caved. “Whatever! Let’s just go. The longer this takes the longer it’ll be before we can go back to Sky Haven.”

Mai turned to the rest of us. “We aren’t splitting up. There’s a zephyr out here, and it’s already angry because someone didn’t heed my warning,” Mai paused to give Fin another scathing glare. He scoffed and waved his hand like he was swatting away her words. “We don’t really know what’s in the cave, but we do know it could be dangerous,” she continued.

“Any objections?” Fin asked with a menacing expression that dared anyone to speak up. “Good, then let’s go.”

As we took the first steps into the cave, Byron suggested, “We should use the brightest light spell we can. If it doesn’t keep the beast away from us, it’ll at least allow us to spot it coming from a further distance.”

“Or it’ll just make it mad,” Audrey grumbled under her breath.

“No, that’s a great idea.” Said Cole. “Besides, using fire for light is definitely not a good idea. I got lucky before, but I was almost as crisp as those monkeys in the beast's lair.”

“Let’s go.” Mai waved the group on. “We’ve wasted enough time.” Then she held up her CAD and said, “Illuminate.” The device emitted a brilliant white light that was painful to look directly at.

Following her lead we pressed into the darkness looking for any sign of roots or glowing plants. The search seemed fruitless, until we came to a tunnel that was larger than the rest of them.

There were no grooves on the walls or ceiling but there was oil covering the floor in this chamber. Luminous vines covering the walls eliminated the need for a light, but Mai kept her CAD activated anyway.

“Something doesn’t feel right.” Audrey said with a frown. “I think we should go back.”

Mai frowned at her and shot back, “has there ever been a moment in your life when you didn’t have misgivings about something?”

Audrey’s mouth flattened into a thin straight line and she rolled her eyes, but didn’t answer Mai’s question.

We continued down the tunnel until we came to a fork in the path. Cole walked a short way down each path then returned with a look of consternation. “I think Audrey might be right.”

Fin, who had been clearly on edge the entire time, finally lost his patience. “Why? I bet the flower is just down this path. Come on, I'll even take the lead. Just follow me if you’re scared.” He was already walking backwards down a path, but no one was following after him. “Stop waiting around! We have a mission to—”

“A bunch of kids?” A mysterious voice bellowed from the darkness. “I guess Oderra was right. We didn’t make enough noise, if they’re this relaxed.”

Fin swiftly rejoined the group at the sound of the ominous voice. Due to his panic and the oil covered floor, Fin barely managed to stay on his feet as he slipped and slid back to the group.

A man wearing a black cloak laughed at the sight as he stepped out of the distant shadows. The man wore a wooden shadow stalker mask with gently glowing amethyst runes carved into it. He held a frantic beast in one arm and an oddly shaped glowing bulb in the other. As he continued casually walking towards us his movement seemed unaffected by the oil.

“Lillian’s tear,” I whispered, but wasn’t sure if I was right. There was no flower on the bulb, but I couldn’t think of anything else someone would come here for.

The beast squirmed violently as it tried to escape the man’s grasp. “Calm down there little guy. You’ll have the spotlight soon enough.” He said, squeezing his arm more tightly and punching it in the face.

Cole stepped forward to ask “w…who are you?” His voice quivered and cracked anxiously.

“We don’t have much time to chat. So I think you should be more concerned with what I’m doing here.” The man dropped Lillian’s tear and pulled a vial of dark liquid from his pocket. “I’m going to give you all a valuable lesson. Does anyone know how to create a spirit relic?” The man asked enthusiastically.

We exchanged looks of incredulity and confusion. “No one can make a spirit relic.” Mai scoffed.

“Oh dear students!” The man huffed as if he was personally insulted. “Is that what they told you at school? Well let me give you a little demonstration.” He said while forcing the strange liquid into the beast's mouth. The creature whined and whimpered but the man didn’t stop. “Drink up, you little shit!” Wide lesions began forming on the baby beast’s body. Within a few moments the creature hung limp and lifeless in his hands. He immediately got to work carving symbols into the dead creature.

“Now this next part is crucial and must be done quickly and accurately or it’s all pointless.” He continued, pausing and looking up from the task to ask, “are you paying attention? Ah well… not like any of you will survive anyway.”

“Who the hell are you!” Fin roared.

“Oh my! Are you Gill’s little brother?” The man asked. The symbols he’d carved were starting to glow. “I guess both brothers have their role to play! But do me a favor would you? Go ahead and call for some enforcers. I can’t have you dying here or Gill might kill me.” He dropped the knife and pretended to tremble.

“Shut up you creep!” Fin snapped.

“Was that not convincing?” The man tapped his foot impatiently then suddenly snapped his fingers. “Well how about this. If you don’t call the enforcers they just might kill poor old Gill!” He never lost his casual uncaring demeanor, but by the way he spoke we knew he was serious about Gill getting killed or at least hurt. However I couldn’t understand why enforcers would attack a high ranking noble. It had never happened before and their job was literally to ensure safety so unless…

“I can tell by the look on your face that you’re finally putting it together. Unfortunately it might be too late for you, but if you call now then you can still save your older brother.” The man’s body dissolved into shadow before he finished speaking, but his voice lingered on even after he was gone, echoing off the cave walls.

The lifeless corpse of the beasts was left behind, piled in a heap on the ground. When its body began twitching Audrey shrieked. “It’s possessed!” She screamed as the twisted heap of flesh and bones rose up from the ground. With the possessed creatures roar, the space around us twisted violently. The surface of the rock became metallic, the vines withered almost instantly and fell from the walls. Even the smell of the air changed drastically from an earthy order to a sweet aroma.

The grotesque creature stood at the center of it all and as its rampant energy rippled outward the space twisted even further. A few yards in either direction we could now see exits from the cave, only they didn’t lead to the surface of the mountain, but to a strange alien land.