The girl braced herself for the attack. She waited but nothing happened. She opened her eyes to see a pink armored back in front of her.
"You cannot hurt her. My master requires her safety." Bubbles stated coldly, then cursed under her breath. Her smile replaced by a scowl as she gazed at Aqua.
"Our master is the Queen. " Aqua growled, his state becoming frenzied.
Behind them, the purple haired girl was sneaking towards the cave.
" Your master. Not mine." Bubbles panted.
" What do you mean? Who dares fight with the Queen!"
" You don't deserve to know his name." Bubbles' dagger glinted under the light of the moon.
"Prepare to die for discovering my identity." Bubbles' hand twitched as reason flashed in her eyes. But the darkness soon swallowed it up.
' Kill her! No! She lies! Liar! KILL!!!' Aqua's howled. He shook his head, yanking his hair, foam and blood flowing from his mouth.
Then he stopped.
He looked up, staring at the girl he allowed himself to trust.
He cackled hysterically, before lunging at her.
***
"Lovers' quarrels. Sheesh." Alexia muttered at the cave's entrance, shaking her head before limping inside.
With a tap to her chest, her vibrant purple hair faded back to its original ash-black. She rolled her shoulders, exhaling as she moved deeper into the cave. "Well, that was dramatic," she muttered, wincing as her fingers brushed the cut on her thigh. "Honestly, if I wanted to watch two emotionally repressed warriors try to kill each other, I'd have stayed home for family dinner."
Behind her, Aqua and Bubbles' fight raged on—clashing steel, snarls, and the occasional explosion that sent tremors through the cave walls. She didn't look back.
Adjusting her cloak, she pushed forward, her hair now fully darkened. "Alright, if the gods are feeling generous, maybe I'll find this Fire Heart Stone before anything else tries to kill me."
The cave loomed ahead—cold, endless, its shadows stretching like grasping fingers.
Alexia let out a breath, then grinned. "Oh well. No turning back now."
"Ow my face! Damn fish." She winced.
And with that, she vanished into the darkness.
As Alexia steps further into the cave, the temperature began to drop unnaturally. Her breath turns visible, curling in the dim light.
Soon she noticed the anomaly, it was becoming harder to see.
The darkness moved.
"Oh? What do we have here?"
The moment she spoke, groans echoed through the cave—mournful, drawn-out, like the voices of the long-forgotten. A chill crept over her, wrapping around her skin like unseen hands.
She rubbed her shoulders. It was an odd sensation, being caressed by darkness.
The whispers grew louder, now joined by agonized cries. Alexia took a slow breath, her heart pounding, but her voice remained steady. "You know, this reminds me of the time I got left in an ancient dragon cemetery when I was eleven. Spent a whole day and night there. No food, no company. Just bones and bad air."
The murmurs wavered.
She grinned—then winced as pain shot through her torn cheek. Still, her eyes gleamed with triumph.
Raising her palm, a small flicker of fire ignited, casting a dim glow. She arched a brow. "Is that all?"
The flames in her hand flared, pushing back the swirling fog. It recoiled but refused to disperse.
"Not so tough now, are you?"
The whispers and screams around her swelled in response. Alexia rolled her eyes. "Cut it out already."
As she moved forward, the fog grudgingly parted, revealing rough-hewn tunnel walls. She reached out, fingers skimming the gritty stone—only to hiss as it scraped her skin, drawing blood.
She winced, then frowned, studying the walls more closely. Her curiosity flickered, bright for a moment. "Interesting."
But the spark faded just as quickly. "Tsk, not even a single scratch or chalk mark."
Exhaling, she turned her gaze to the narrow path ahead. "It's now or never."
The dull echo of her footsteps, the flickering fire in her palm, and the growing murmurs marked her presence as she moved through the tunnel. Her fingers trailed along the gritty wall, leaving a thin smear of blood behind. "Guess I'm back to being alone". She pouted, though a flicker of something unreadable crossed her eyes.
Forcing a grin, she exhaled sharply. "At least now I have space to think of a plan. Right?" Her voice bounced off the tunnel walls, swallowed instantly by the swirling fog.
The groans around her twisted into whispers, then screams.
"So much for a quiet thinking session." She rolled her eyes, placing a hand on her hip. "I actually thought this would be more… I don't know. Dramatic? Something rumored to be built by the gods should be, what's the word?" She stroked her chin, deep in mock contemplation.
A low wailing sound rippled through the darkness.
Her eyes lit up. "Maelstrom! That's the word." She snapped her fingers in triumph. The fog recoiled slightly. Puffing out her chest, she smirked. "Pretty academic, right?"
Silence.
The swirling black mist didn't answer—it only thinned.
Her smirk faded.
A chill ran down her spine. The air had changed.
Shifting into a fighting stance, she scanned the tunnel. From the edge of her vision, she caught the faintest something—a flicker, a movement just beyond reach. Her breath hitched, her muscles tensed.
She turned sharply.
Nothing.
Her body screamed at her to run.
Panting, she yanked her sword from her storage bracelet. The moonstone embedded in the band flashed, illuminating the long silver blade.
She swung—once, twice—slicing through the empty air with a sharp whoosh.
Still, nothing.
Her grip tightened on the hilt. "A spirit?" she murmured, scanning the shifting shadows.
The silence was suffocating.
Then she grinned.
"Come out. Or are you too chicken? Squawk!" She flapped her free hand mockingly, eyes darting around.
The cave did not laugh with her.
Something moved.
The fog ahead pulsed red as a dazzling little flame flickered to life. Alexia tightened her grip on her sword, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. The movement sent a dull ache through her fingers—her knuckles were raw, her wrist stiff from deflecting Aqua's blade.
A fire spirit? Or a sprite? She inched forward, studying it closely. Small. Harmless-looking. Warmth radiated from it, a welcome contrast to the damp, suffocating tunnel. She exhaled, her breath fogging in the cold air.
"Are you dangerous? Evil? Should I be worried? Am I safe?" She chewed her lip—then winced, the split skin stinging.
The flame shot upward. Instinct kicked in—she leapt back, a sharp pain jolting through her thigh as her weight shifted too fast. She barely reacted, only hissing through her teeth as she steadied herself.
"...Was that a yes to the 'safe' part?" She blinked, tilting her head.
The flame wiggled, swirling in place.
Her lips twitched as she fought back a grin. Adorable.
"Are you familiar with this place?" she asked.
A crackling nod. She stared, mesmerized, before rolling her shoulders. The motion tugged at the slashes across her back, a reminder of the fight she definitely won.
Shaking her head, she leaned in, twiddling her thumbs. "You wouldn't happen to know where the Fire Heart Stone is, would you?" Her foot scraped against the ground, the damp earth clinging to her boot.
The flame hesitated before slowly nodding.
She beamed. "Can you show me? Pleeease?"
It wavered, its glow dimming briefly—then reignited, staring at her pleading face.
"Awesome!" She fist-pumped before dramatically gesturing. Clearing her throat, she deepened her voice. "You first, my good sir." She bowed with exaggerated formality.
The flame lingered on her for a moment, then bobbed forward.
Behind it, Alexia straightened an imaginary bow tie, stifling a squeal before resuming a serious expression. As she followed, her eyes darted around. With the little flame lighting the way, the tunnel's rough, ancient walls finally came into view.
Her fingers brushed against the stone, leaving behind a faint streak of red.
She paused. Stared at it. Then wiped her hand on her cloak, continuing as if she hadn't seen it.
"Guess I don't need this anymore, huh?" Alexia muttered, clenching her fists. The flame in her palm flickered before vanishing, swallowed by the darkness.
Then something caught her eye. Faint markings stretched along the stone wall, barely visible beneath the gloom. She stepped closer, fingers trailing just shy of the surface.
"Hail Lugus, the war god. Hail Aetherion, the unknown helper, his sacrifice will be honored. Hail Astra, the goddess of destiny. The void existed, the gods appeared, worlds came —"
She frowned. It just ends here?
Before she could investigate further, the little flame flared up, darting between her and the wall. The swirling fog thickened, shifting like a curtain to obscure the text. Alexia hesitated, raising a hand in surrender.
"Okay, okay! I won't get distracted, alright?" She sighed dramatically.
The flame crackled, pulsing with something that felt suspiciously like... disdain.
"Am I being looked down on by a flame? Even the elements despise me." She chuckled, shaking her head. With a sigh, she continued forward, her steps light but deliberate.
After a few paces, she glanced back, raising a brow. "Aren't you coming?"
The flame flickered a shade redder before darting after her. She smirked, turning her attention ahead as they walked in relative silence—aside from her occasional humming.
A few minutes passed before she halted, staring at the smooth rock wall in front of them. A dead end.
Alexia tilted her head. "That's it? You dragged me all this way just to stare at a wall?" She stepped closer, pressing her fingers against the cool surface.
The little flame bobbed in place, unbothered.
Her brows furrowed. "Some places have hidden doors, right? Maybe there's a lever..."
Closing her eyes, she focused, ignoring the sting in her bloodied fingertips as she traced the stone, searching for something—anything—that might reveal a way forward.
As her hands moved along the wall, her fingers brushed against a slight dent. Her eyes snapped open. Leaning in, she blew on the stone surface, only for a cloud of dust to explode in her face. She staggered back, coughing.
"Ugh—seriously?" She cracked open one eye, blinking away the dust.
Through the faint haze, she spotted something carved into the stone. She squinted, running her fingers over the words.
"The god of war asked: 'What force bends neither to strength nor will?'"
"The goddess of destiny answered: 'Can fate be controlled or prevented?'"
Alexia frowned. "Okay, now that actually sounds like a riddle. But what's the answer?"
Tapping on the wall yielded nothing. No rumbling, no hidden mechanisms. She even tried pressing down harder, but the stone refused to budge. Huffing, she turned to the flame, arms crossed. "Well? Any ideas?"
The little fire flickered, utterly unbothered.
"Great. Super helpful," she muttered, leaning back against the wall in frustration. But just as she let out a sigh—
Click.
Her breath hitched. "Wait. Did you hear that?"
The flame flickered sharply in response.
Before she could process what was happening, the fire leapt into her hands, its heat flaring against her skin. And then—
The wall lurched.
"Ahh—!"
With a sharp whoosh, the stone flipped inward, yanking her along with it.