Endless adventure

Chapter 8

Erza dutifully followed after the now quiet Archer. She had told her a lot. About the dragons she possessed. About the supposed gods of the white keys. About the ones she deems her siblings. They all sound interesting and she seemed very fond of them. She couldn't see it but Erza was sure the girl was smiling under that mask. Why does she hide her face anyway? She let her see what's underneath that mask earlier. There was absolutely nothing wrong with her. She looked like a normal ten year old. Of course there's the fangs, but that's nothing. Erza didn't ask her that. She has her reasons and maybe she'll tell her one day. She had a feeling that if she were to ask her at that moment she wouldn't give her the answer she wanted. Archer tends to be very cryptic and the times she does properly answer feel like a miracle.

She's exaggerating.

But still.

Erza stopped beside the silent and now unmoving Archer. There was a cave looming over them and those red eyes stared into its dark abyss intently. She couldn't tell what the mysterious girl was thinking. She was just staring with an intensity. Erza didn't say anything. She hardly moved. She felt like she would interrupt something if she did. Archer seemed concentrated, amongst other things.

And then she moved. One foot stepped ahead of the other and she made her way towards the dark cave. Erza followed. She fell in step with the silent girl. The intensity in her eyes had faded somewhat, but it was still there.

Something wasn't right with the cave.

The moment she stepped in everything changed. It's a tremendous contrast from the outside world. The sun was high and bright in the sky. It was warm and there was a nice breeze. The minute she stepped into the cave it was gone. The cave was darker than the night and freezing cold. Erza could feel the chill in her bones. Her arms went around herself in an attempt to gather some warmth, but it was futile.

Archer glanced at her. She wasn't affected by the cold. Her body temperature refuses to allow it. Erza wasn't like her though. She almost forgot about that. Archer said nothing as she touched the hilt of the Phoenix sword she had given her new friend. She added a new ability to the weapon then and there. She fused more of her magic within, her eyes focused and calculating. When her hand retreated the sword hummed in the darkness between them and did as Archer just instructed it to do.

Erza felt a sudden warmth. It was unexpected. She actually jumped in surprise. The warmth had started at her hip and she looked to her sword that hummed softly, it's red glow the one light in the cave. She then looked up to Archer. She could barely see her face, but those eyes seemed to glow in the darkness they found themselves in. The warmth quickly climbed over her entire being and the cold became nothing.

Wow.

"Did you do that? "

"Yes" Archer said simply, those red eyes staring at her as she tended to so very often. "I must apologize for just dragging you in here without a warning or anything"

Erza shook her head. Archer apologizes to her a lot, she noted. It was always sincere . She meant every word. It was displayed in those odd eyes.

"It's alright" Erza waved her off. She doubt Archer had anything to apologize for. It's not like she forced her to come. She was following of her own free will.

Archer nodded and looked ahead. It was dark. Erza could see nothing. She wondered if Archer could. There was a lot she found herself wishing to know about the odd girl.

Archer held up a hand. Within an instant a small ball of light formed above her palm and drifted into the air. Archer eyed it and hummed contently before putting her hand back in her pocket. The ball of light was small and Erza was not expecting it to be so bright, but it lit up the cave easily. It's white light drowning every shadow.