Elira and I moved quickly through the hills, keeping to the places where the guards' eyes could not reach us. Behind us, the screams of terror and confusion echoed from the two outposts Beelzebub attacked. Even the third began to panic, its bells ringing loud enough to shake the air. Monster raid, they shouted, scrambling for weapons against the supposed demon. They had no idea their great threat was a tiny winged menace chewing through half their garrison.

How did I know? Because of the thread between us, that strange bond we shared, letting me feel the strength he unleashed and the chaos he carried with him.

"Will Beelzebub be alright?" Elira whispered beside me, careful with every step she took to stay silent in the tall grass.

"Of course," I said softly. "He might look like a cute hamster, but he is my summon. That little devil is probably having the time of his life right now." I giggled under my breath. A heartbeat later, we slipped far enough away that the main outposts vanished behind the hills.

From here on, the rest would be easy to sneak past once night fell, but the danger still lingered. The air here carried a heavy scent, the metallic tang of beast blood. This place must have been a hunting ground, a place where every creature passing by was slaughtered either for food or for amusement. It meant stronger predators were nearby, waiting, watching, and hungry for anything foolish enough to step into their territory.

I believed he sensed that shift as well, because the shouts in the distance slowly turned away, the pursuit dragging itself in the opposite direction from where we hid. Smart hamster. His chaos bought us enough time to settle behind a cluster of trees, lying low until the noise faded and the hills grew quiet again.

Hours passed before a small shape fluttered down and landed on my shoulder.

"Great job," I whispered, running my fingers gently over Beelzebub's soft fur. He was unharmed, though completely exhausted. His tiny body sagged the moment he touched me, and I let him curl up against my neck, his small head pressing into my skin as he drifted into sleep.

The sun burned at its brightest, hanging stubbornly above us. At least five hours remained before it would even think about setting, which meant we needed a plan. Either push forward under open sky and risk being seen, or stay hidden here with barely any cover. Neither option felt safe, and my mind sifted through possibilities, none of them good.

"Beatrice, what is that?" Elira's fingers curled around my sleeve, tugging gently. Her voice carried a strange note, something between caution and curiosity.

I followed her gaze. Far ahead, tucked into the slope of a smaller hill, something shimmered faintly under the sunlight. It looked like a cave at first, just a hollow mouth in the rock, too close for comfort to the enemy outpost ahead. Nothing about it seemed unusual at first glance.

"Looks like a cave. Maybe someone lives there?" I said lightly, brushing the thought aside. But Elira didn't look away. Her eyes were fixed on that shimmer, drawn to it as if something inside was calling her.

"No… there's definitely something special about that place." Her voice lowered, almost hushed. "We should take a look."

Her words made my eyes widen a little. Since when was she the brave, reckless one? Usually, I was the one dragging us into danger while she tried to be the voice of reason. Yet now, something about that cave pulled at her, tugging invisible threads tied to her core.

"You want to explore it?" I asked, watching the way her shoulders tensed.

"Ah? No, no… it's too dangerous. We can't risk that." Her eyes dropped, lashes trembling. But the truth was written all over her face. She did want to go. Something there was calling to her, even if she couldn't explain it.

And I could not help but wonder what exactly was inside that cave to make Elira react like this.

"Do you want to go explore it? We might find a treasure, or maybe an opportunity, or we might die a horrible death." I teased lightly, hoping to ease the tension, but Elira did not find it amusing in the slightest. Her expression flattened, her eyes narrowing just enough to tell me I had missed the mark.

"I am kidding, alright? Relax. No need to glare at me like that." I sighed and softened my tone. "Come on. If we sneak quietly, we can reach it before anyone notices. And who knows, maybe we can even camp there until nightfall. I am curious too."

I wrapped my fingers around her hand and gave a gentle tug, but she resisted immediately, digging her heels into the dirt.

"No. I am really okay," she murmured, shaking her head. "We should just focus on crossing the mountain. We cannot waste time or we might get caught. I do not want to cause you trouble…"

Her eyes dropped, and for a moment she seemed almost afraid of admitting what she truly felt. The hesitation in her fingers, the way her gaze lingered on the cave despite her words… she was lying to herself more than she was lying to me.

"Come, let's go. I am not asking you. We need to check it out." I pulled her along happily, and even though her steps were reluctant, she still followed behind me. For nearly twenty minutes we moved carefully through the hills, slipping behind trees and rocks to stay out of sight from the distant towers. Bit by bit, the cave drew closer until its dark mouth opened before us. The shimmer we saw earlier had faded from the entrance and now glowed faintly somewhere deeper inside.

I knew very well that this was exactly how people died in horror movies. But unlike those poor fools, I actually had a way to defend myself. So I guided Elira into the cave, step by slow step.

And at that moment, the one thing I jokingly brushed off as impossible happened.

The cave sealed shut behind us.

A heavy thud echoed through the stone, cutting off every trace of light from the outside world. Darkness swallowed the entrance completely, leaving only the faint shimmering glow deeper within the cold, damp tunnel.

I exhaled slowly, the sound far too loud in the sudden silence.

"So… great. Perfect," I muttered softly. "Exactly what I did not want."

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