MCSM: A Rather Ridiculously Ravishing and Romantic Anthology

The Quest: Part IV

The Classiest Chocolates

Lukas took in the surroundings, it was surprisingly attractive for a cave. "Wow... all this, formed for millennia since its existence. I wonder if I should..." He snapped off a stalagmite growing from the ground, and noticing that itbwas 100% chocolate, bit into it. "Hmm. Whoa. Now THAT is chocolate! I've never tasted anything far richer and stronger than this! It's amazing how chemistry could form such sublime treats." Jesse limped towards a ridge in the cave walls, and ripped off a shard of it before biting into it. "You're right. This is worthy of- No, this redefines the meaning of dark chocolate! This is real chocolate my friend."

They were immediately impressed by the cave's offer, but they knew that "the Classiest chocolates can be found deep in the cave where the crust meets the mantle, and where the magma infuses the chocolate, giving it spice and sublime characteristics." They knew how much danger this will pose, but considering that they've gone too far to back away now. felt they have NO choice. "Well, here we go. And Petra. If I don't make it out alive. I just want you to know that... that... that I'll always be there for you, in your heart." Lukas followed with "My sweetheart, if I don't return to embrace your heart again, you should know... that I am never away from you, no matter how distant I am from your love, you will still have a place in my heart..."

The cave dropped down immediately, but somehow, it had almost seemed as if a path down had been engraved into the walls for them. "This is starting to freak me out a bit. First, we find that two reddest roses have been picked, and now we have a path straight down made for us." Jesse said in light of what he haw just seen. But undeterred by this supposed coincidence, they advanced down into the depths of the crust, in search for the classiest chocolates.

The pathway descended nearly 100ft down into the crust, and the intense heat had got into Jesse's mind, corrupting it and making him think of everything cold rather than the one he loves. Lukas was also diverting away from thinking about velvet to huge bags of solid nitrogen freezing his melting body. "Yeash. It's... so...... hot down here........." Jesse moaned. "Hot is... an... UNDERSTATEMENT!. I could............ barely breath now." Lukas croaked weakly. His determination were what kept them both going, despite the huge risk being taken to ensure their girlfriends' joy on the day romance displaces hydrogen as most abundant in the living Universe.

When they reached the bottom, Jesse had grown so hot his shirt appeared drenched despite it not raining. Lukas' leather jacket had turned blistering to the touch, but the interior coating kept him away from this heat. The classiest chocolates were before them, except they had to be removed from the walls. Unfortunatelyl the chocolate was hard as diamond and tough as titanium. "Just how will... we get these... off the walls? I can't even... pull them off..." Jesse hopelessly croaked. Lukas then noticed he had two ampuoles full of cryogenic concoction in his pocket, and handed one to him. Jesse emptied it, and within a split second, the scorching 199 degrees Celsius dropped immediately down to just 272 Kelvin (-1 degrees Celsius), and he began to shiver. "What... is... this stuff? It's... so cold..."

"Supercooled water. Don't worry, it won't hurt. Science-y stuff that would bore you and you to death." Lukas replied. "Oh, I also remembered my obsidian knife I made last month, should do the job just fine," he added, producing a jagged purple blade which shone like polished amethyst and an edge capable of causing a severe cut just by contact (the blade is covered by rubber). Removing the rubber, Lukas started to slice the chocolate off the wall, and with a single swift strike, the jagged rock dropped to the ground with a thud. It felt like frigid snow in his hands, when in fact, it should be red-hot solid ember.

Jesse tasted some, and he was immediately drowned in its sublime flavour. "So much for chocolate. It's... too rich! Yet it's so moreish-" Lukas shook him up, reminding him that they've got to leave, "We gotta go, now! The potion only lasts for 2 minutes!" And they were about to begin their monotonous trek back up when

"I'm not doing this again. Nu-uh, without my trusty Potion of Swiftness!" Jesse rapidly took a small flask from his inventory and gulped down the contents. The world slowed to a halt, and Jesse sped up the path without breaking any sweat.

Lukas too had gulped down a potion, "Sorry cave. But I gotta run!" He hurtled the 100ft in a nibble of time and was stopped by Jesse. "Well, looks like we are gonna have to stay in this cave until dawn. We can head for town tomorrow. Not so far now, agreed?" Lukas nodded in concurrence, and the cool inviting wintry breeze acted as their air conditioner as they bed down for the night.

It remained silent throughout the cave opening, Jesse couldn't sleep and was sat outside, overseeing the meadow and a family of pigs ahead. He noticed them, and dropped his head in despair. "I know you're thinking of him, but he's gone now. And you've always told me to forget things or it'll damage you forever," Lukas said, sitting beside him. "Yeah, I was also thinking of other things."

"What things?" Lukas asked. Jesse said "Things. Things I would like to confide with myself. Let's just, go to sleep. Today's been harsh." Lukas concurred.

Tomorrow is another day.