The air inside the dungeon grew heavier as the group ventured deeper, each step muffled by the oppressive silence. The walls, jagged and scarred by age, glimmered faintly with streaks of luminous moss, casting eerie green hues across the narrow passage. As they turned a final corner, the chamber opened into a small room dimly illuminated by the gentle glow of a magical lamp.
Two figures sat huddled near the lamp’s light.
Princess Agatha’s deep yellow eyes were fixed on the glowing artifact, her expression distant, as if lost in thought. Her dark red hair cascaded over her shoulders in disarray, a testament to the long hours spent in this confining space. Beside her, Princess Rissane of the Elf Kingdom shifted nervously, her vibrant green eyes darting to the shadows as if she expected danger to spring forth at any moment.
The tension in the room broke the instant Prince Meron stepped inside, with Gulam close behind. Both princesses froze for a heartbeat before their faces lit up with relief.
“Meron!” Princess Agatha sprang to her feet and rushed to her brother, nearly colliding with him as she enveloped him in a tight hug.
“You’re alright,” she said, her voice a mixture of exasperation and relief. “I thought you’d gone off to play hero all by yourself again.”
Prince Meron blinked in mild surprise, though a smirk quickly tugged at his lips. He seemed more amused than shocked by his sister’s uncharacteristic display of affection.
“Ah, so you do care about me,” he teased, leaning back slightly to look at her. “Perhaps I should wander into dangerous places more often. I’d love to be greeted like this every time I return.”
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Agatha pulled away with a huff, giving him a light smack on the stomach. “Don’t get used to it,” she said, crossing her arms with mock indignation.
Her reaction drew laughter from Gulam, Princess Rissane, and even Meron himself. The atmosphere, once fraught with unease, softened into a moment of warmth and familial camaraderie.
However, Rissane’s attention shifted. Her gaze flicked past Gulam and Meron to the two figures lingering at the back... Emma and Maverick, who had chosen to remain in the shadows, avoiding undue attention.
Stepping forward, her emerald eyes curious, Rissane raised a hand in greeting. “Hello,” she said in Eldan, her voice carrying a soft, musical cadence. “Were you also lost here?”
Emma froze for a moment, processing the unfamiliar words. She didn’t understand Eldo-Clearoth language and felt a pang of frustration at being addressed in a language foreign to her.
Sensing her discomfort, Gulam quickly stepped in. “My Princess,” he explained in Eldan, “she does not speak Eldo-Clearoth language. She may be from the elven regions, but she does not speak Eldan.”
Rissane’s face brightened with delight at the mention of Emma’s potential elven heritage. “Ah, is that so?” she said, switching to the more universal elven tongue as she approached Emma. “Are you from the elf race, then?”
Emma met her gaze, her voice calm but tinged with weariness. She answered in fluent elven, “Yes and no. Yes, because I have a bloodline connection to the elves. No, because my father is from the human race, and my mother is a Hulve.”
Rissane tilted her head thoughtfully, her expression caught between curiosity and excitement. “Oh,” she murmured before smiling brightly. “That doesn’t matter. It’s wonderful to meet someone with elven ties, regardless.”
The enthusiasm in her tone was almost infectious, though Emma merely offered a polite nod in response. The room settled back into relative silence, the soft hum of the magical lamp filling the quiet.
After a moment, Gulam turned to Emma, his expression serious. “Miss Emma,” he said, his voice carrying a note of urgency, “we should start moving. There’s no telling how long this place will remain safe.”
Emma inclined her head, gripping the magical egg nestled in her hand as if drawing strength from its warmth. “Yes,” she replied simply. “We should.”
The group began to gather themselves, the light of the magical lamp casting elongated shadows on the rough stone walls. The dungeon's oppressive air seemed a little lighter now, but the journey ahead was far from over.