"Now, we will be entering the 'Fairy Cave,'" the female guide announced in a calm, soothing tone, her voice carrying a sense of anticipation.
After an hour of cruising through the serene sea, where the group had witnessed dolphins, sea birds, and even a magnificent whale, they finally arrived at the much-anticipated destination. The sight before Lucan and Maris was both awe-inspiring and imposing: a towering rock face, its rugged cliffs rising vertically from the water, dominated the landscape.
Despite the sheer cliffs, there was an entrance—an imnse cave about five tis the width of the boat, with dark waters flowing gently into its mysterious depths.
"Please take your seats. We are now entering the interior of the cave," the guide instructed as the boat slowed to a crawl, the rhythmic sound of the waves lapping against its hull becoming more pronounced in the sudden stillness.
The cave was vast, its arched ceiling high above, with a deep water channel that comfortably accommodated the boat. The atmosphere was heavy with the scent of damp stone and the faint, salty tang of the sea. As the boat inched forward, its pace steady and unhurried, the sunlight gradually faded, swallowed by the cave's yawning mouth.
Darkness enveloped them, but it was a soft, inviting darkness, not one that inspired fear.
"Oh...!" A collective gasp rose from the passengers, their initial apprehension turning into awe.
The cave walls around them began to glow with a faint, ethereal light—a soft green luminescence that bathed the boat in a gentle, otherworldly glow.
"Wow..." Maris whispered, her voice barely audible, as if speaking any louder would shatter the delicate beauty around them.
"It's beautiful..." another passenger murmured, echoing the sentint that filled the boat.
The walls, coated with a thin layer of moss, emitted a light that was both enchanting and surreal. This was no ordinary moss; it was imbued with magical properties, casting the cave in shades of green that flickered with hints of red and blue, creating a srizing display of colors.
The interplay of light and shadow painted the cave walls in a dance of complexity, making it seem as though they had stepped into a living, breathing work of art.
"This is the 'Fairy Cave.' The moss on the cave walls has magical properties, which is why it emits light," the guide began to explain, her voice soft and reverent, matching the cave's mystical ambiance.
"Why the moss glows is unknown, but local legends say that this cave is a eting place for sea fairies, where they gather and hold secret feasts. It is said that the moss growing on the rocks lights up to help the fairies see."
Maris, her eyes wide with wonder, turned to Lucan. "It's beautiful, isn't it, Lucan-sama?"
"Yes, it's beautiful..." Lucan replied, his voice equally soft.
Suddenly, Maris's hand rested lightly on Lucan's. It was an involuntary gesture, a natural connection rather than a conscious choice. The warmth of her touch spread through Lucan's hand, but there was no need to pull away. The mont was too perfect, too serene to break.
As the boat ventured deeper into the cave, the glowing light grew stronger, the colors more vibrant and complex. The passengers were silent now, lost in the beauty that surrounded them, their senses overwheld by the sheer wonder of it all.
When they reached the heart of the cave, the boat ca to a gentle stop. Above them, a massive rock formation lood, its surface covered in the sa glowing moss, but here, the light was even more intense. It appeared as though a band of seven-colored light was slowly swirling around the boat, creating an effect that was nothing short of magical.
"Eh...?" Maris gasped, her eyes fixed on the swirling lights.
"What is that...?" another passenger murmured, their voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation.
In the direction the boat was heading, the seven-colored glow began to concentrate, the lights coming together to form a shape. The passengers watched in rapt attention as the light took on a humanoid form, its outline shimring with an almost unreal clarity.
"Is it an enemy!?" one of the passengers blurted out, their voice tinged with panic.
But before anyone could react further, a soft, lodious voice echoed through the cave, calming the rising tension. 'Do not be afraid... Children.'
The figure that erged from the light was breathtaking. She was a tall, ethereal woman clad in silver robes that seed to flow like liquid tal, reflecting the cave's light in dazzling patterns. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, with delicate features and eyes that shimred like the deepest oceans.
Her jade-colored hair cascaded down her back, and she had wings—translucent and delicate, like those of a dragonfly—glistening with every color of the rainbow.
"Is that a... fairy?" Maris whispered, her voice filled with wonder.
"Yes, but... it's huge. It's human-sized," Lucan replied, his eyes never leaving the figure before them.
Though the figure resembled what was known as a fairy, there was a difference—fairies were typically small, dainty creatures, but the woman before them was the size of a human, radiating an aura of imnse power and ancient wisdom.
Lucan knew this woman. The woman who had appeared was the Fairy Queen Elysia, the ruler of the fairy race, whose purpose for manifesting was to deliver an urgent warning to Maris about the impending monster attack on the beach.
'You are Saint Maris, correct? My na is Elysia... the queen who rules the fairies,' Elysia spoke, her voice as soft as a breeze, yet carrying the authority of soone who commanded respect.
"Y-yes... I am Maris..." Maris stamred, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and awe.
"Saint?"
"Did she just say Saint?"
Murmurs spread through the other passengers, their confusion and surprise evident.
Elysia's gaze softened as she looked at Maris, a delicate smile playing on her lips. 'Saint Maris, I have co today to thank you.' Her voice was gentle, filled with an emotion that seed to transcend words.
"Thank ?" Maris asked, her confusion evident.
'Thank you for defeating the sea creatures... I believe you already know that those creatures were tainted because the Water Source is corrupted. I hope you can purify the Water Source so that such incidents won't happen again.'
Maris, still grappling with the surreal nature of the encounter, managed to respond calmly, "No problem, I was planning to do it today."
Elysia nodded, her expression one of gratitude and relief. 'As a token of our appreciation, please accept this.'
With a graceful motion, Elysia raised her hand, and two particles of light erged, floating gently down into Maris's outstretched hands. As the light settled, it transford into two exquisitely crafted rings, each one adorned with delicate, swirling patterns that seed to shift and change in the glow of the cave.
"What is this...?" Maris asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she stared at the rings in awe.
'These are rings imbued with fairy protection. They possess the power to dispel darkness, so they should be useful to you in the future,' Elysia explained, her voice filled with the sa warmth and kindness that had characterized the entire encounter.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Maris said, bowing her head slightly in respect.
'You may call Elysia, my dear Saint,' the fairy queen responded, her smile widening ever so slightly.
"Then, please call Maris. Elysia," Maris replied, her voice soft but filled with a newfound confidence.
'Yes... We will surely et again soday... Farewell, Maris,' Elysia said, her form beginning to dissolve into the sa seven-colored light from which she had erged.
With those parting words, Elysia disappeared, the light fading away and leaving behind only the soft glow of the moss-covered walls.
The two rings in Maris's hand were rewards.
As the boat slowly made its way out of the cave, the passengers were left in a state of quiet reflection, the enormity of what they had witnessed slowly sinking in.
Maris told Lucan about what she did at night yesterday, and then also made him wear one of the ring she got.
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