Cassiopeia Hollow

“Amrita, I want to show you something.”

“Oh?  What’s that, Aarik?”

“Just come with me…  I went there yesterday and thought-- I have to being Amri here!”

“You did?  Well where--?”

“Just follow me.  I promise I won’t disappoint you."

Aarik grinned broadly and held out his arm, beckoning me to join him.  I twisted my lips up into a mock smug expression before giggling, tugging up my hood and clasping Aarik’s forearm.

“Okay then, lead me!”

Before long we were tip-toeing through a dimly lit cave.  As it opened up, I saw just what the light source was!

“Oh Aarik, this is amazing!”

 

“Aye…  I thought you might like it.”

“It’s simply prismatic!  These colors… wow…”

“Kind of neon, huh?”

“Indeed!  Oh!  Look at the lily pads!”

I scampered to the water’s edge to get a closer look, then darted over to what seemed to be some sort of glowing plant near the cave wall.  Oh how their divine inner-light shown for all to see.

“Just be careful of the Sea Hare, it’ll unleash a powerful attack if you get too close to it.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah it just did to me…”

“I’ll watch out for it.”

I kept moving, curious what other wonders this place held, wanting to see more… And also hoping nothing spotted me.  I was so absorbed that I nearly walked into a wall!

“Nyaaa… Dead end!”

Silence.  Had I lost Aarik?

“Aarik?”

I held perfectly still and pricked up my ears.  Yes, in the distance, I could hear…  Very faintly…  The clanking of his armor.  Moments later, he jogged up to me, huffing and puffing.

“That guy, what a bastard!”

“What guy?”

I whipped out my wand, just in case.  Aarik chuckled as he leaned against the cave wall, adjusting his armor.

 

“The skeleton swordbearer, you didn’t see it?”

“No but… Don’t-  Move-“

“Huh?”

“Bomb.  Behind you.”

And without further thought, I pulled Aarik toward me by grabbing the leather straps that crisscrossed his chest and teleported us back to town.