Part three of "For Havenkeep" as seen on my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/springfallendeer
This is an interactive story in which patrons vote on choices made for story progression. If you like what you're reading and want to be involved in making choices, stop by and join my Patreon. The lowest tier is only $1 USD.

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The choice is made: You descend


Despite the unease which came with peering down the mouth of the cavern, you muster up the courage to continue down the path. You had come this far already. Nothing about the voice implied that it sought to harm you - in fact, it wished to do the opposite. Whatever calamity it was that fast approached your home, the voice - or whatever it belonged too - was attempting to help you. After taking a moment to take a deep breath and calm your nerves, you begin your descent into the cave. The cluster of dancing lights remains beside you as you make your way along the path, helping you to maintain your determination as you make your way into the unseen depths.

The cluster continues to grow as you pass by the lights which had already been in the cave. Their presence proves to be something of an additional benefit as they distract you from your own subconscious. The stone path beneath your feet offers no sound as you tread upon it, but the breathing of the cave seems to grow stronger the deeper that you traverse. What was once a nearly undetectable rhythm of air quickly becomes obvious. Your hair blows back with every exhale of the cave. As it breathes in you find yourself being pulled along faster. Despite this, the floating lights continue about their business undisturbed. They dance and they flicker at the same pace, completely unaffected by the strength of the wind that pushes and pulls at your body.

As you continue along the path, the number of flickering lights begin to thin out. You encounter fewer and fewer of them as you walk, until eventually it appears as though they have finished leading you to your destination. In the distance you can see the cavern widen and whatever light there is for you to follow now radiates from that distant space. Having lain your eyes upon what must be your final destination, the dancing lights rush away from you. The dozens of them that you have collected begin to quickly fly towards the light at the end of the tunnel, flickering vibrantly all the while.

Bright flashes of color emanate from them as they leave you behind - it feels as if they’ve been overwhelmed with excitement and can only express it by exploding with color. As you watch them leave, you initially feel as though you’re being abandoned. However, you soon realize that some of the lights refrain from pulling too far away from you. Quickly they straighten themselves out to form long strings of flashing light that decorate the remainder of the path. Just as they finish with this, the breath of the cavern grows unbearably strong; it feels as though the cave is taking a deep breath. The air which pulls at your body manages to pull at you so strongly that you have no choice but to rush forward to keep from falling on your face.

The lights swarm around your back again as you run past them, their flashing colors growing brighter and faster with every step you take. Then at last you find yourself standing in a dark cave before an underwater pool. The air here proves damp and the air is chilled. Though you know not what you had been expecting to find on your arrival, this was definitely not what you thought it would be. The light that should have been at the end of the tunnel was nowhere to be found. As the confusion sets in and you find yourself looking around, the flashing lights move past you so that they might hover above the water.

You watch, bewildered as the lights cluster together - morphing into a singularity which ripples with flashes of color. Then the light submerges itself. The light melts into the pool of water, seemingly merging with it - the water itself becomes the source of all light in the cave. Despite your lingering confusion, you cannot help but feel a sense of awe as you gaze into the glowing water.

“Well done, child.” The voice calls again, this time sounding closer to you than it had ever been. As it speaks, the water before you appears to ripple ever so faintly - the liquid light appears to be the source of the voice.
“Quickly now. Step forth. Wade into the pool and I shall grant you the tools needed to fight the encroaching calamity.” The voice instructs, ripples of light continuing to shine from the pool as it speaks. You cannot help but hesitant for a brief moment. After all that you had seen, are you still so willing to follow these instructions without question?

Will you obey without question, or will you ask what needs to be asked?