Andrellia

18. Maya

The illuminated path, a shimmering lifeline carved into the darkness, led them on a twisting ascent. Joan followed it with unwavering determination, Maya secured on her shoulder. Each step was a testament to her will, a silent promise to see Maya through this ordeal.

Florence, her eyes fixed on the path ahead, continued her murmured incantation. The ancient words seemed to resonate with the cavern itself, drawing forth a soft, ethereal glow that pushed back the oppressive darkness. The air crackled with a strange energy, and Joan felt a tingle course through her skin a tangible reminder of the Energia at play.

After what felt like an age, the path leveled out unexpectedly. Relief washed over Joan in a tidal wave. The cavern walls seemed to recede, replaced by a soft, diffused light filtering in from… somewhere.

Joan quickened her pace, anticipation building. With each step, the light grew brighter, revealing a smooth, moss-covered incline leading upwards. The air, heavy and stale within the cavern, transformed into a cool, refreshing breeze.

Finally, they crested the incline, and Joan gasped. Before them stretched a breathtaking vista. Lush green forests carpeted the rolling hills, while a sparkling river snaked through the landscape, its gentle murmur reaching their ears. The sky, a canvas of vibrant blue, was dotted with cotton-like clouds.

They were outside. No sheer cliffs, no treacherous climbs just freedom bathed in the golden light of the setting sun.

Joan sank to her knees, overwhelmed with a mixture of relief and awe. Maya, still unconscious, lay limp in her lap. But for the first time since the fight began, a genuine smile touched Joan's lips. They had made it.
Florence stood beside her, her face etched with exhaustion but a spark of triumph in her eyes. The lantern in her hand flickered faintly, its magic nearly spent.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, Joan looked at Florence, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you," she whispered.

Florence nodded her head, but then urged Joan with a hint of amusement in her voice, "We need shelter. You'll be best at that, I'd wager.  I will start tending to Maya now that we're safe."

"Of course I'll help you...However," she began, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "I need to attend to this first..."  She trailed off, heading towards the mouth of the cave with a determined stride.

Florence watched her go, a hint of curiosity replacing her amusement.  She couldn't quite make out what Joan was doing, but the focused expression on her face and the way she traced intricate symbols in the air with her finger piqued her interest.  The symbols glowed faintly, a strange blue light emanating from them as they coalesced into a intricate circle at the cave entrance.

"What are you doing, Joan?" Florence called out, her voice laced with a hint of concern.

Joan straightened up, wiping a smudge of dirt from her forehead.  "Just adding a little extra security," she said with a wink.  "Think of it as a magical 'Do Not Enter' sign.  This way, even if someone stumbles upon this place, they won't be able to get in easily."

Florence watched her go, a hint of curiosity replacing her amusement. She couldn't quite make out what Joan was doing at first, but the focused expression on her face and the way she traced intricate symbols in the air with her finger piqued her interest.

The symbols themselves were mesmerizing. They began as faint wisps of  light emanating from the tips of Joan's fingers. As she traced them, the light intensified, swirling and coalescing into shimmering strands of energy. The air around Joan crackled with a low hum, a sound that vibrated deep within Florence's chest. The very ground seemed to thrum in resonance, a deep bass note underlying the electrical hum.

With each intricate line Joan drew, the symbols became more complex, resembling ancient runes glowing with an otherworldly light. The cerulean hue deepened, taking on an almost electric quality that danced at the edges of Joan's fingertips. The air shimmered, distorting the cavern walls behind her in a heat haze.

Finally, with a flourish that sent a shockwave of energy rippling outwards, Joan slammed the tip of her sword into the center of the symbol, embedding it into the cavern floor. The cerulean light flared, blindingly bright for a moment, before condensing into a glowing circle that pulsed with an otherworldly hum around the cave entrance. The intricate runes that formed the circle seemed to burn themselves into the very stone, the magic leaving an undeniable mark.

The ground trembled violently, a low rumble echoing from the cavern depths that seemed to shake the very foundations of the world. Dust motes danced in the sudden twilight as the air shimmered and distorted. Cracks snaked across the cavern walls, growing wider with each passing moment. The rumble intensified, morphing into a deafening roar that shook the very earth beneath them.

Joan and Florence stumbled back, clutching onto each other for support. The cavern entrance shuddered, and a cloud of dust billowed outwards, obscuring their vision momentarily. Rocks rained down from the ceiling, some the size of boulders, sealing the entrance shut with a thunderous crash that seemed to split the sky in two.

The tremors subsided as abruptly as they began, leaving an eerie silence in their wake. The air hung thick with dust, the only sound their ragged breaths. Joan and Florence stood there for a moment, stunned into silence by the sheer power of the cave-in.

Finally, a low moan broke the silence. Maya stirred in Joan's lap, a frown creasing her brow as she struggled to open her eyes.

"Miss.." her voice rasped, weak and disoriented.

Relief flooded Joan, momentarily pushing aside the dust-coated world around them. "Maya! You're awake!" she exclaimed, her voice  filled with a surge of joy.

Florence kneeling beside her,  gently brushed a stray strand of hair from Maya's face. "Easy there, girl," she soothed, her voice calm and reassuring. "You took quite the hit in your leg"

Maya blinked slowly, her vision clearing bit by bit. She took in the scene around them  the dust-filled clearing, the collapsed cave entrance, and the worried faces of Joan and Florence hovering above her. Confusion clouded her eyes.

"What happened?" she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

"We made it out," Joan said, squeezing Maya's hand gently. "We're outside, Maya. We escaped the mine"

A flicker of memory sparked in Maya's eyes. The fight, the darkness, the creature... and then nothing.

"The creature," she croaked, her voice filled with a hint of panic. "Where is it?"

Joan and Florence both just realized that the creature was no longer in sight.

A prickle of unease ran down Joan's spine as the realization dawned on her. The creature, the source of the bioluminescent light that had guided them through the cavern gone.  She scanned the clearing frantically, searching for the small, winged form, but all she saw was the dust-shrouded landscape and the imposing form of the collapsed cave entrance.

"It's not here," Florence confirmed, her voice laced with concern mirroring Joan's own. "Maybe it…" she trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence. Did it escape during the cave-in? Did it choose to stay behind for some unknown reason?

Joan cradled Maya closer, a new wave of worry washing over her. "Don't worry, Maya," Joan said, her voice firm despite the tremor of fear in her heart. "We'll find shelter and get you looked at.  We'll figure out what happened to the creature later."

Maya, her face pale but her eyes regaining some focus, nodded weakly.  "Alright," she rasped, her voice barely audible.

The setting sun cast long shadows across the landscape, painting the scene in shades of orange and purple.  The air, once thick with the stench of dust and decay, was now tinged with the crisp scent of pine and damp earth.

  Despite the uncertainty surrounding the creature's disappearance, a sliver of hope flickered within Joan.
They were alive.  They were out of the mine.  And with the setting sun painting a hopeful glow on the horizon, a new challenge lay ahead finding shelter and ensuring Maya's safety in this unknown territory.