Classy, Controlled Chaos - The STEAM Team Adventures

⚔️ Swords Dance [11/12] ⚔️

Addison's POV:

"I've never felt this free in years!" I laughed, striding down the stone corridors.

I quickly overcame my fear of Spiritvale's caves, embracing the darkness around me.

My eyes adjusted to the lightless environment, tuning my vision so I could see easily in the dark.

Then I remembered about the tiny lavender flame I could summon, and I reignited that, too.

The tight underground hallways gradually widened, leading into an open, massive cave.

It was as if Heaven himself reached into the earth and carved a scoop of the ground with one of his giant marble hands, leaving a great crater for us to explore.

"Extend your hand darling, don't want you getting burned." Don warned me, lightly setting his warm palm on my shoulder and giving me a gentle squeeze.

I noticed how I was practically hugging the flame in my hand; One inch closer and I would have set my violet cloak ablaze.

"Oop, thanks for letting me know." I replied, reaching away from me to illuminate more of my surroundings.

Sir Blackthorne, who was leaning against a nearby stalactite, lifted his obsidian helmet and nestled it under his arm. "Why are we here again?"

The Raven Prince rolled his eyes, his dual-colored gaze practically burning through the darkness. "Rest, relax, and plan for taking over Lunarift, obviously."

The dark-armored Northwynd knight gave him a startled look. "Rest? Relax? What are you-"

"Hush." He interrupted, silencing him. "Every classic book antagonist doesn't immediately act on their villain arc. They contemplate a little and let the idea marinate in the back of their mind before actually working with it. You, my friend, are about to experience what I do while my thought marinates."

Before I could question his words, he abruptly spread his shadowy wings, flapping into the air and into the darkness.

Almost immediately, the world lit up around us, and I no longer needed the fire in my hand.

The cavern, which seemed to be endlessly tall and expanded limitlessly in all directions, was bathed in a deep, purple glow.

I could make out my partner's form as he soared through the dim lights, casting long shadows as he gracefully wove between the stalactites on the ceiling.

His wingbeats were so powerful that I could feel the stone vibrating beneath my feet from how forceful he was.

After a simple, yet elegant swoop, he dove to the far end of the cave, neatly landing on his feet with a soft thud.

A moment of silence passed as he approached what seemed to be the edge of a small stage.

"Spirits of Purgatory," He began, his voice smooth as it projected through the cavern. "I'm glad to see you all this wonderful evening."

More silence.

Was he talking to himself?

Did I fall in love with someone more delusional than I am, or am I going insane?

Sir Blizzard, who was standing just a few feet away from me, gave me a side glance that shared my reaction.

However, the second I turned to face Sir Blackthorne, I froze.

He was smiling contently, nodding his head to something I couldn't hear.

Secret was loosely coiled up around him (thank Heaven it wasn't me at least), also intently listening in on whatever I thought wasn't real.

I was too busy trying to piece together what was happening that I didn't hear what Don was cheering for in the very back of the cavern.

"Such a shame that she hasn't been able to see you wonderful ghouls tonight," He began, gesturing to me from where he stood. "Come on up, Addi, and I'll show you the paparazzi that would love to see the wonderful, soon-to-be Mrs. Nautilus."

Sir Blizzard visibly cringed at his comment, but I didn't think much of it.

I felt something thin gently nudge my ankle, and I immediately knew from the leafy texture of it that it was the vine snake trying to touch me.

I didn't want to make a fool of myself in front of whatever Don's imaginary friends were, so I took it as a sign of encouragement and made my way through the darkness.

Almost every step of the way toward him, I blindly tripped over a stalagmite or two, struggling to catch myself in the process but never falling.

My lover, who stood there with his arm out, encouraged me every step of the way, providing me with verbal support as I made my way toward the rocky stage.

Once I got there, he gently grasped his hand around my wrist, firmly pulling me up and supporting me by the hip.

He leaned in, looking at me with a satisfied gleam in his eye. "They love you, Addi. But not as much as I love you."

I couldn't render his words in time before he gave me a quick peck on the forehead, turning my face a shade of pink on contact.

Then, I heard it.

First all at once, then all together; A roaring, cacophonous cheer that promptly shook me to the core.

It was unorganized, yet sounded so synchronized at the same time, almost as if it were preplanned.

The moment I looked up from where the Raven Prince was holding me, my jaw dropped in a silent gasp.

Hundreds of silvery, translucent spirits were crowded in the cavern, merrily crying out to the stage.

All of them were shimmering in the dim, violet light, twinkling like stars in the night sky above the ground.

Some seemed fairly human, others were blurry (maybe my glasses weren't that clean), and a couple of them seemed to be just a cloud of hazy mist.

If they weren't all happily cheering and applauding for us, I would have bolted from the stage and sprinted out of there as quickly as possible.

We posed there for a couple minutes until the uproar died down, and Don finally got a hold of the floor again.

"It has been wonderful getting to see you all again," He smiled, helping me back to an upright standing position. "However, my beloved and I must rest. We have made quite the journey to return home to Spiritvale, and I would appreciate some time to recover."

Another wave of cheering came up from the ghostly crowd, joyfully echoing through the grand cavern and practically shaking the earth itself.

He leaned over, cupping one dark wing around me so he could subtly tilt my cheek toward his face and whisper in my ear. "It's been a while, and yes, I tell them about you all the time. They're ecstatic about your presence alone."

I gave him an understanding nod, smoothing my violet cloak to make myself more presentable after narrowly escaping the rain above ground. "Don't worry, it's fine. They must love you, though."

My partner paused for a moment, staring into my eyes for a brief second before giving me a soft smile.

"Not as much as I love you."