Korrin

KORRIN

W here was Denna?

I shifted, feeling the weight of rocks and dirt pressing against me. A faint glimmer of light caught my eye through a small crevice. I dug frantically, rocks cutting into my hands as I clawed my way towards the light.

Finally breaking through, I squinted against the dim glow filtering in.

"Denna!" I called, my voice echoing in the oppressive darkness. Silence answered, fueling my growing dread. "Denna, where are you?

My heart stopped when I saw her still form a few feet away, half-buried under debris.

"Denna!" I scrambled over, brushing dirt and pebbles off her face. Her skin looked pale, too pale. Terror seized me. Why did she have to be so delicate?

I cradled her in my arms, pulling her close. "Denna, wake up. Please..." I brushed strands of hair from her face, feeling for a pulse with trembling fingers.

Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped for air. Relief washed over me like a tidal wave as I clutched her tighter.

"?" she croaked, blinking slowly. "Are you all right?"

A humorless chuckle escaped my lips as the adrenaline faded. I was overwhelmed, simply grateful she was alive. "I should be asking you that."

Denna tried to sit up, grimacing. "I think I'm okay, just shaken." Her gaze traveled down my leg and her brow furrowed. ", your knee..."

I followed her line of sight to see my knee bent at an unnatural angle, already swelling. The dull ache of pain registered belatedly. I must have injured it in the collapse.

Gingerly, I shifted away from her, leaning back against the cavern wall with a grunt. "It's nothing. Just a sprain."

Her eyes shone with concern in the low light. "We can't go back the way we came. The tunnel's blocked."

I surveyed our surroundings, the unstable piles of rubble above making it clear she was right. Escaping that way was too risky. "Then we push forward and find another way out. With luck, we'll run into the others."

Trying to stand, I hissed sharply as a jolt of pain shot through my knee. Denna was instantly at my side, steadying me with her slight frame.

"Here, let me help." She guided me back down, disapproval etched on her face. "You're not going anywhere on that knee without support."

The fierce look in her eyes stopped me from saying a word. A small smile tugged at my lips despite the situation. She had spirit, this little human.

Denna scanned the area, then froze, eyes widening. ", look!"

She pointed, and there, half-buried in the debris, were the massive bones of some long-dead creature. Its thigh bone was easily as thick as my arm and twice as long.

A slow grin spread across my face as understanding dawned. "Well, aren't you the clever one?"

With effort, I dragged myself over and wrenched the bone free, handing it to her. Denna quickly fashioned a crude cane, offering it to me with a satisfied nod.

"Shall we?" She extended her hand, blue eyes sparkling with a hint of challenge.

My breath caught momentarily at her radiant smile. So much strength in one so small. Pushing aside the distracting thoughts, I grasped her hand, letting her help pull me to my feet.

Leaning heavily on the makeshift cane, I motioned ahead with my chin. "Lead the way, little warrior."

We proceeded slowly through the dim tunnels, the only sounds our ragged breathing and the tap of the bone cane against the stone floor. My knee throbbed with each step, but I gritted my teeth, determined not to show weakness in front of Denna.

If I had met her at any other time…

As we walked, I realized how much her presence both calmed and unsettled me. My duty to the baroness weighed heavily, yet I found myself increasingly drawn to this enigmatic woman.

But now, all of my duty led me to rescue the baroness. I reached up, fingers tracing the pendant that never left my neck.

Why did Denna want this so badly? And what about the matching necklace she wore herself? It pulsed faintly in the dim light, mirroring the rhythm of my own necklace. What secrets did they hold?

The air grew thicker as we descended, carrying the scent of damp stone and ancient secrets. Our footsteps echoed in the silence, each sound seeming to awaken long-dormant spirits of the earth.

As Denna helped me over a particularly treacherous section, her hand lingered on my arm. Our eyes met, a moment of unspoken understanding passing between us.

I stayed alert as we continued through the tunnel, my eyes trained on Denna's slender form ahead of me. Despite the dimness, I could make out her every curve and movement with startling clarity.

Then I realized it wasn't just my enhanced vision. The tunnel was growing brighter.

A warm, golden glow emanated from up ahead, beckoning us forward. Denna must have noticed it, too, for she picked up her pace, curiosity sparking in those brilliant blue eyes.

We rounded a bend, and suddenly the tunnel opened up before us into a vast, cavernous space. I could only gape at the incredible sight.

The cavern was immense, easily large enough to fit a hundred Valti warriors standing shoulder to shoulder. But it was the source of the soft, radiant light that left me truly awestruck.

Crystalline structures jutted from the cavern floor and walls, refracting the gentle luminescence in a breathtaking kaleidoscope of colors. They ranged from delicate finger-like protrusions to thick, twisting pillars reaching towards the vaulted stone ceiling far above.

Denna gasped beside me, her eyes wide with wonder as she drank in the ethereal beauty surrounding us.

"What is this place?" she murmured, slowly pivoting to take in every facet of the cavern.

I shook my head, utterly transfixed. In all my journeys, I had never encountered anything like this underground realm of crystal and light.

Then we heard it.

Past the crystals.

A sound that made even this beauty pale into insignificance.