Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to shake like a giant beast was grumbling below, and dust fell from the ceiling of the treasure-filled cave.
The earthquake grew stronger with each second, cracks spreading on the walls, and little rocks starting to drop one by one from above.
But Axelius? He didn’t even stop. He just kept laughing, throwing more treasure—gold coins, gem-covered bracelets, glowing stones—into Owen’s squishy body, who had no choice but to absorb them into the inventory.
"Axel! We need to leave! Now!" Owen shouted, eyes wide and bouncing in place as more cracks appeared on the ceiling.
"Just a little more! Just one more chest!" Axelius said with a huge grin, already wearing three different necklaces, several rings on each hand, and even a crown on his head like a child playing king.
"Look at ! I’m rich!"
"You’re already rich!"
A loud rumble ca next, followed by a piece of the ceiling crashing down beside them with a sharp thud, dust flying everywhere.
Owen panicked. "Run! Run!! You idiot!!"
Axelius looked up, saw more rocks coming down, and with a helpless sigh, shoved a handful of coins into his mouth, cheeks puffed like a chipmunk. "Mmph! Okay! Let’s go!"
They both turned and dashed toward the water at the end of the cave—Axelius with gold spilling from his pockets and Owen hopping ahead in panic.
As another huge rock broke from above, they jumped into the water together just before the entire entrance collapsed behind them.
Bubbles burst around them as they sank, but Owen, acting fast, shifted his sli body into a slick rope shape and wrapped around Axelius’s arm, swimming fast through the current and pulling them toward the other end.
The water tunnel twisted and narrowed, but finally, after what felt like forever, they reached an opening and burst up into the air, gasping loudly.
"Pwaah!" Axelius breathed hard, spit out the coins from his mouth, and imdiately started shoving more of the treasure from his clothes into Owen again.
"Here, here! Hold this—take that too—I got more!"
"Axel, seriously?!" Owen wheezed.
Axelius grinned and pointed back at the water. "Hey Owen, I think a box-shaped crystal fell into the water. You think we can still—"
Owen glared at him with the flattest expression a sli could make.
Axelius blinked. "Wait, wait... are you glaring at right now?"
Owen’s voice was dry and tired. "What do you think, huh?! You’re still greedy as always!"
Axelius just laughed, stretching. "Sorry, bud. Anyway, we’re out now, safe and dry!"
They looked around and saw that they were in the middle of a quiet forest, having erged from a small, hidden water hole surrounded by moss and rocks.
The sky above was growing darker with clouds, the thick trees casting heavy shadows all around them.
Owen spotted a strong, low-hanging tree branch. "Let’s climb up. It’s dark. Too dangerous to stay down here."
But when he turned, Axelius was already halfway up a different tree, climbing quickly with excitent.
"Hurry up, Owen! It’s dangerous to stay below!" Axelius called out from the top, waving.
Owen stopped and stared for a mont, then muttered under his breath while bouncing high into the air, "I just said that, you know..."
*****
Outside of the forest, the sun was high in the sky and it was already past lunchti. Seraphina stood near the edge of the trees with her arms crossed, her face calm but clearly worried inside.
Since last night, Liselotte and Adelheida had been begging her non-stop to go into the forest and look for Axelius.
They kept asking if sothing happened to him or if he was hurt or lost, their eyes full of worry, their voices shaky every ti they spoke his na.
Even during breakfast earlier, they didn’t eat properly, just staring at the forest like they were waiting for a ghost to appear.
"Please, Seraphina," Liselotte said again with teary eyes, grabbing her hand. "Let’s go find him. What if he’s—"
"Yeah! What if he’s hungry or hurt or worse?" Adelheida added, her voice almost trembling.
Seraphina sighed, brushing her hair back, then nodded slowly. "Okay... we’ll go find him. He’s been gone too long."
But just as she was about to step into the woods, Wilmar, who had been sitting on a nearby log looked up and spoke calmly, "He’s back."
Everyone’s head snapped toward the trees.
And sure enough, walking casually out of the forest, completely relaxed like he had just gone for a short walk, was Axelius.
He was eating a strange-looking fruit in one hand and holding more fruits in his arms like he had just co from a grocery store.
His clothes were wrinkled, so pieces of leaves stuck to him, and there were even sparkly things sticking out from his pocket.
"Axelius!" Liselotte and Adelheida cried at the sa ti and rushed toward him.
Liselotte wrapped her arms around him first, followed by Adelheida, both of them clearly relieved.
"Where have you been?!" Adelheida said, smacking his arm lightly.
"You made us worried sick!" Liselotte added, tears almost in her eyes.
Axelius smiled awkwardly, still chewing. "Sorry, sorry. atleast I’m back right?"
Seraphina walked over too, her usual calm expression still there, but her eyes softer. "You could’ve at least left a proper trail, Axel."
He just grinned and held out a fruit. "Fruit?"
She sighed and took it anyway.
Soon after, they all started preparing to leave, deciding it was ti to go back ho before anything else happened. Owen, still tired from all the pulling and swimming, hopped into the carriage early and didn’t say much.
Liselotte and Adelheida had taken seats beside him, but before they knew it, Axelius was leaning back, mouth slightly open, completely asleep.
His head leaned to one side, arms crossed over his chest, and a piece of gold coin still tucked in his shirt like he was guarding it even in his dreams.
Adelheida covered him with a light blanket and whispered, "He sleeps like a baby."
Liselotte smiled. "Aww, Should i adopt him?"
"Shh, Sera will get jealous. Isn’t Axelius amazing? I thought will brought back dead body but now. He survive alone in that forest, He does have the blood of Dravenhart." Adelheida said.
Owen, resting near the window, mumbled, "Arghh, annoying..."
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