“We should wait,” Velouria told Nina, “probably stand a better chance of finding something if all of us can work on it.”
“You sure? With my treasure-finding eyes and your… sniffing, we’ll find it in no time!” Nina said.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I’m not fussed about getting there quick,” the wolfskin said, “so long as we’re back before dinner.”
“Nina! Velouria!”
Sophie was waving at them from across the square. She hurried towards them, hefting a large bag on her back.
“…that’s a large bag,” Nina pointed out, “what have you got in there?”
“Oh, this? Just some stuff we might need,” she replied, “you know. Food, water, things like that.
“You don’t need to bring any hay,” Velouria told her, thinking of Sophie’s unruly horse.
“Our allies three! Behold, they have gathered to await us!”
Ophelia and Soleil approached. The former also carrying a not insignificant among of cargo.
“You as well?” Nina sighed, “we’re not going on a weekend away, you know.”
“Hmm? Might you be referring to my belongings?” Ophelia asked, “’tis a mere fraction of what a diviner such as myself requires. Stones, scrolls, arcane writings… it is only natural that Ophelia Dusk be prepared for anything!”
“Prepared to tire herself out, if anything,” Nina remarked.
“Don’t worry. I’ll help her carry it,” Soleil volunteered, “anything for such a cute girl.”
Velouria was tempted to hurry back and gather some more of her precious treasures. But she reasoned that they wouldn’t be away for long.
“So, where are we going?” she asked.
“To the Outrealm Gate, first of all,” Nina told her.
“Inter-dimensional travel! For our treasure lies slumbering in wait, in a Deeprealm beyond!” Ophelia said, adding her usual flourish to things.
“Hey, slumbering in wait? That doesn’t make sense,” Sophie mused.
“Just ignore her,” Nina sighed, “anyway, let’s get going already.”
She glanced around furtively. Velouria wondered if she didn’t want their parents to find out about their little excursion. She herself wasn’t too fussed.
“All right, no-one else around… come on, we’re going to the gate,” Nina gestured.
A short hop through dimensions later, and the five girls found themselves in a new world. Clear blue skies and lush green grass greeted them, and a warm wind soothed their minds.
“Oh! Isn’t this nice?” Sophie asked.
“A beautiful view,” Soleil agreed, “but I’m more drawn to the four flowers near me.”
“This is… something of a disappointment,” Ophelia sighed, “I was rather hoping for an epic and foreboding place. A dark sky with scattered thunderstorms!”
“We could go to Nohr. Plenty of that there,” Sophie pointed out.
Velouria’s ear twitched as Nina unfurled the map. She studied it with a scowl, evidently trying to orient herself.
“I think we’re… here,” she muttered to herself. Velouria was just glad she was mumbling about something other than her weird fantasies for once.
“Which way do we need to go?” Soleil asked, leaning in, “towards that big ‘X’, I’m guessing?”
“Quiet a minute,” Nina waved her off, concentrating on the map. Since it seemed she wasn’t getting directions anytime soon, Velouria took to looking around. She sniffed the air and tasted the wind. It had a clean clarity that was rare, nothing to suggest that people actually lived here. She smelt only the wild.
But there was something else there too. Like damp stone, but not the kind that formed naturally. Man-made, if she had to guess.
“I think there’s something over there,” Velouria pointed.
“Oh! Have you detected something delectable with your wolfskin snout?” Ophelia asked.
“It smells weird. Maybe we should—”
“That way!” Nina pointed, without raising her head. She happened to indicate the exact direction the scent had been coming from.
“We could have just trusted Velouria’s nose,” Sophie pointed out.
She had to admit, the smell got her feeling a bit excited. There was a bit of a dingy sort of musk, the kind only neglected places had. She felt like she had a good chance of finding good treasure there, and that the map might not be her only prize from this outing.
“Come on, let’s get moving,” Nina suggested, taking the lead.
“You got it! Keep your eyes on the map, and don’t worry about the monsters,” Soleil told her, “I’ll keep my cute friends safe.”
“Monsters? Where?” Sophie panicked, grabbing at her lance.
“There are no monsters to be seen,” Ophelia said, “though not all monsters can be seen…”
“We’re alone, I think,” Velouria weighed in. She could hear various birds flitting about nearby trees, but otherwise there was nothing else around.
“We had best keep our wits about us. For who knows when dark demons may strike from the darkness?” Ophelia said with a pose. The others had already started moving, so she had to hurry to catch up.
Nina took the group down the hill, and into a light forest. The path continued downward, sinking into a valley. Walls of rock and soil curved up around the wandering women, giving the trees a boost that made them seem to tower above. A sight that was evidently making Sophie feel nervous.
“Are we descending into the ground?” she wondered.
“Into the earth, and into darkness! For that is where all good treasures are found!” Ophelia said.
“If you’re feeling afraid, come close to me,” Soleil said, “I’ll make sure you stay nice and safe.”
Every now and then, Velouria took a whiff of the air, to confirm Nina was still leading them in the right direction. She hadn’t strayed so far.
“This path… it’s like it’s funneling us towards something,” she commented.
“That hill over there, maybe?” Soleil asked.
“Hill? Oh.”
It was more of a mound than a hill, as far as they could tell. But it was the stone doorway that caught Velouria’s attention. It seemed to go deep inside, too dark for them to see much of what was ahead.
“An entrance! It calls to me,” Ophelia said.
“It looks super dark in there,” Sophie commented.
“Don’t worry, I brought torches,” Nina told her, poking a thumb towards the stack of them she carried. Velouria quickly counted five—it seemed she had wanted everyone to come all along after all.
“Mysteries and adventure await! No better place than the darkness! Oh, I’m so excited!” Ophelia gushed.
“This is definitely the place,” Nina announced, standing before the doorway. It was surprisingly short, barely tall enough for them to fit under without hitting their heads. Even when they were stood this close, they could see little of what lay ahead.
“This is going to take a while, isn’t it?” Sophie sighed.
“It wouldn’t be an epic quest if it was over quickly,” Ophelia told her.
Nina was setting about lighting the torches. She handed them to her friends one by one. Velouria took hers without comment.
“I’ll go at the front, because I’m so brave,” Soleil said, “feel free to cower behind me.”
“I’m the one with the map, so I’ll go first,” Nina insisted, pushing past her. Velouria wasn’t fussed, trudging along at the back.
The group left the daylight behind, venturing into the deep, dark corridor. Though the torch allowed her to see, Velouria didn’t notice much of interest. Just bricks surrounding her, but there were many intriguing scents coming from deeper inside.
“Hey, look. Torches on the walls,” Nina said, “we should light them.”
“What if they’re a trap?” Sophie asked, “that kind of thing can happen in these places, right?”
“Hmm… I don’t see anything suspicious…” Nina commented, examining them closely.
“Leave it to Nina. She knows all about traps,” Soleil said.
Glancing over her shoulder, the light of the doorway looked so distant to Velouria’s eyes. She wasn’t too worried, however. She hadn’t seen anything to panic about yet…
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