Sunday Storytime: 003
CONTINUED FROM 002
Their body decided that it was time to lay down for a breather. This was the first moment of "rest" since back at that town, before everything happened.
They let out a trembling, pain filled sigh as blood slowly continued to drip from various wounds. Suddenly they became very aware that it was completely dark in here, and that they couldn't see a thing.
"Where did I put those...." they whispered under their breath, patting themselves down in search of the rogue tindertwigs. Moments later, they were found tucked securely inside an inner pocket, though a couple of them had snapped at various points and were unusable. After feeling around for a dry spot to use, they pull out one of the twigs and strike it against the stone.
A tiny flame roars into being, instantly illuminating the nearby rocks. Unlike a humans limited vision, they were able to see much further into the darkness with just this faint glow. With a deep breath, they brace themselves for the pain as they stood once more. Raising the light above their head, the massive underwater lake comes into view.
Great...just great.. they thought to themselves while looking out into the sprawling cavern before them. A moment later and the tindertwig went out, plunging everything back into darkness.
Crouching down, they strike another and walk closer to the ledge before peering down into the water. It appeared as inky black as the darkness that sprawled out far beyond their vision, and was equally as still. If not for the faint reflection of the flame, it might be difficult to even notice the water at all. Letting out another long sigh, their brow furls in frustration as their chest begins to tighten with a looming anxiety.
Their free hand reached into another inside pocket and delicately produced the strange stone that somehow kicked this all off. Before they could get a good look at it, the fire died out.
Striking another twig, the light returned, and their examination commenced.
It was such an unassuming little thing. Not even the size of a chickens egg, yet fairly dense and mostly smooth, this could easily go unnoticed in a pile of rocks for years. According to the stories, it has. Multiple times. Apparently, this thing was old. Really old. The kind of thing that's in books that don't exist anymore, old.
The kind of thing that people kill for.
Once more, darkness welcomed itself back in...
Grabbing for another tindertwig, they struck it against the rock but it faintly sparked and then snapped. This time they let out a much more frustrated sigh, and reached for another. This was the last one.
"Cool...I'm trapped alone, bleeding out in a cave, because of a rock...cool...cool..." they said to the darkness before striking the last twig.
As the stone came back into view, so did something else.
Standing not two feet away was a young boy with messy dark brown hair, and the most striking silver eyes you'd ever seen.
"You're not alone at all!" he said with a cheery, beaming smile.
"AHHHH!!" they screamed in startled confusion, stepping backwards out of instinct and tripping over a rock, sending them crashing painfully to the ground and extinguishing the last bit of light. Still confused and now dreadfully aware that they weren't alone, they scrambled to their feet in case they needed to defend themselves.
Slowly, faintly at first, a gentle light began to emanate from the stranger, until it grew into a relaxing daylight that filled the entire cavern. With all the added light, they could now see what appeared to be another area further out that had a tunnel leading onward.
"Does that help?" he asked with genuine concern, and that same cheery, beaming smile.
Leaning forward with childlike amusement, he said "Wow, I can't believe that you......."
