Aira snuck out the next day before sunrise, heading towards the forest shielding Mirstone town from various creatures and beasts living on the mountain. There were various paths Aira could have chosen to take so she could quickly reach the cave that sheltered the mysterious plant. However, all but one were sowed with monsters.

Thus, she took the longest but safest path, which most adventurers found inconvenient. The outgrown bushes, the annoying yet harmless insects, and the steep rocks were unattractive to many.

Adventurers also preferred hunting beasts and monsters, eyeing the awards they could receive for cleaning the lands of dangerous creatures. On the other hand, Aira did not possess the mana or training necessary to afford that choice. It was safer to arm herself with a sharp knife and the bug-repellent potions she stole from the baron’s shelves.

“Uh!” she breathed heavily while climbing a steep portion of the mountain. The cave was visible but hard to reach and she had forgotten to bring a rope. She managed to steal some of Noah’s old clothes, a pair of pants, and a shirt that fit her. She did not find boots; thus, she had to wear an old pair of shoes unfit for climbing rocks that she found in her room.

“I’ll have to exercise as soon as I get home,” she huffed.

“You definitely should,” a voice replied, taking Aira by surprise.

A young tall, dark-haired man was sitting on a tree branch that grew against the odds, rooted in the rocks. Startled by his voice, she failed to grab onto something and thus started to fall.

“Are you perhaps an idiot? Did you climb the mountain just so you could fall to your death?” he asked, grinning, holding her by her wrist.

“You piece of …,” she tried to catch her breath as soon as the man quickly brought her to even ground. “Are you crazy? You almost had me killed,” she yelled, holding her hand against her heart that almost burst out of her chest.

 “You chose the hardest path. Up to this point that was an easy walk, I could say - a child’s play. Did you believe that it’s going to be this easy from now on?” he mocked.

“Who are you to care?” she asked, looking around to check if other people were present. She found it strange that there was someone else beside her in the area. At least, she was crazy enough to have taken that path. It was surprising that the man chose the same unless he was as crazy.

“I am but a wandering mage. I was looking for some entertainment when I thought I saw a little rabbit struggling to climb a mountain. It turned out to be a reckless little human with no trace of mana, willingly throwing herself into the mouth of wolves. Do you expect the same luck once you are in that cave? Do you even know the reason why no one in this country managed to get their hands on this Acarasa?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” is all Aira said, then proceeded to climb the remaining wall of the tall mountain, ignoring the nonsense coming out of his mouth.

She did not bother to find the man’s identity, whether he was human or a ghost, or why he was truly there.

“Do you even know what you are doing?” he asked.

“Not a clue! Goodbye!”

“How rude! After I just saved you from falling,” he complained but his face showed a wicked smile.

“You are the reason I almost saw the door to the underworld. We are even,” she replied and continued to climb in a rush.

Aira did not know his identity, nor his reason for being there. If he was after the Acarasa, she had to hurry and obtain it before him.

He did not seem to have any intention to harm her, otherwise he would have let her fall to her death.

The young man she left behind was no longer in sight, but she finally reached the cave. The sun was already behind the mountain, thus the entrance to the den gave off an eerie feeling and Aira had already started making up horror scenarios in her head.

She took a small crystal lamp out of her pocket. She ‘borrowed’ the magic device from one of the baron’s halls. She was doing him a favor after all. The lamp had been abandoned in a corner, accumulating dust, after he had purchased better ones. He was the type of person who would rather keep old things than give them away to someone in need but did not care for them.

 She did not care about the beating awaiting her once its stingy owner found out. She had already run away from home to chase a fleeting dream, so she knew that a punishment would be inevitable upon her return if fate allowed her that chance.

The cave walls were cold and wet, and water drops fell from time to time, annoying Aira at some point after she had walked for who knows how long. She could only hear her breath and her heart beating. The murderous silence between each water drop ended once Aira started to see some light.

Once she walked into it, she saw a fallen temple with a cracked roof above, through which the sun rays gloriously made their way in.

A stone altar was placed in the middle of the round cave chamber, and on top of it she saw a golden flower in a strange, cracked stone pot. She first checked her surroundings, then walked towards the altar where she noticed a creature resembling a white fox near the pot. The foxy creature seemed to have been asleep but, as Aira walked, its ears started to twitch with each step she took. The snowflake-like little creature finally opened its eyes but did not move, only observing, looking at the intruder with curious eyes.

Aira waited for a while before reaching for the mysterious potted plant. She was not afraid, but the excitement went through her hands which trembled when extended gradually towards the flower. When her fingertips touched one of its petals, the ground started to tremble, small rocks and boulders raining down.

A large crack cut under Aira’s feet, swallowing her together with everything that decorated the room. The fox’s smile was the last thing she saw before losing consciousness.

Author notes:

QUIZ:

What would you do if you found yourself inside a dark cave?

A. Sing to check how your voice sounds inside a cave.

B. Pray.

C. Speak to the lonely walls.