The Winds of the Past [Rune Factory 4]

Chapter 51

“Remind me why I agreed to this?” Avani said as she peered into the entrance of the black cave before her.

I grinned at her. “Because you love adventure and excitement and danger?”

“Oh. Yeah, that’s right,” she said, grinning back at me. She sighed and hoisted her pack up onto her shoulders. Then she turned to me with a mock scowl. “And I know all about you and caves. So none of your funny business, mister—we’ve no idea what we might find in there, and we need to keep on our toes.”

My grin broadened as I replied, “Does ‘on our toes’ include…”

“No. It does not,” she interrupted firmly before slowly edging into the opening, giving her eyes time to adjust from the bright sunlight to the dim interior of the cavern.

Waiting my turn, I looked down the path we’d taken here, back towards the lake where we’d set up camp. From our perch high up on the side of the mountain, the large lake looked like a brilliant gem sparkling in the sunlight. We’d ridden Thor up to the cave opening, and left him to graze while he waited for us. Baldur, Fenrir, and Charmie all had remained on guard at our camp.

“Leo? Are you coming?” I turned and saw that she had vanished into the mouth of the cave, her voice echoing faintly as she called to me. Since I had the keen vision of a fox, I didn’t need to allow time for them to adjust as she had—I just hurried to catch up to her.

Since I could see better in the darkness, I led the way through the caverns as we explored. There was a little light in some of the caves from small openings in the walls—most too small to let anything but light, air, and insects to pass through. The caves were fascinating, full of stalactites, stalagmites, and other, more peculiar, rock formations.

Deep into the system of caverns, we found a large cave containing a deep pool of water. A great number of fissures along one side of the thick stone wall provided more than the usual amount of light, so we decided it was as good a place as any to stop for a rest and a quick meal. We lit a pair of lanterns, and while I rummaged around for the food we’d brought in the light of one lantern, Avani strolled over to inspect the pool, carrying the other lantern with her.

I had just started to unwrap the sandwiches we’d packed when suddenly I heard Avani scream, and then as I whirled around, dropping the packet in my hands, I heard a loud splash. I rushed to the pool and found her lantern placed atop a nearby rock, but there was no sign of her. The glow from the lantern reflecting on the water revealed ripples on the surface, so I quickly shed my sandals and clothing, except for my belt and belt knife, and dove down, thinking that she’d only fallen in.

At least, I hoped that was all it was.

Swimming down into the frigid, dark water was incredibly disorienting, even with my heightened senses. Fortunately, the lantern I’d left on the rock above shone a little ray of light into the water and provided some sense of direction. Just ahead of me, I could barely make out a peculiar form, not quite human and not quite piscine, swimming swiftly away from me. Flung over the creature’s shoulder—if indeed it was a shoulder—I could see Avani, struggling to free herself as the creature swam ever deeper.

Enraged and frantic, I forced my half-numb limbs to their limit, swimming as rapidly as I could after them. Although the creature had an advantage with its fish tail, Avani’s struggles seemed to counter some of that advantage, and I began to gain on them. The fish-man dove down into an underground cavern and vanished from sight, and I followed, desperately hoping to find a pocket of air within.

The cavern was completely dark aside from some faintly luminescent fungi, but I slowed only a little, not wanting to be ambushed but also in dire need of air. My keen vision quickly adapted, and I was able to make out dim shapes above me. I swam up towards them, and discovered that the shapes were several of these fish creatures, surrounding a rocky island.