Shortly after leaving her home, the huntress arrives at the Silent Grotto. For the time being, the area was void of any threats. The frigid air claws at her face as she stares briefly at the wide-open dark cavern. Her eyes move to the ground, spotting footprints leading into the cavity. She steels her heart and enters the cave.

The grotto’s internal structure was rather jagged with elevations that partially wavered through each step the huntress took. She navigates carefully through the cavern, walking slowly to dampen the noise of her boots scraping against the rugged terrain.

Several minutes after traversing the unknown ground, a slew of distant footsteps caught her ear. The fleeting sounds of light tapping effortlessly bounce off the walls. The instant the noise reaches her ears, she freezes and glances around, but cannot spot the disruption's cause. Cautiously, she inches closer to a faint blue light at the end of the corridor. 

SQUISH

Another step forward, and the soles of her boots trampled against a puddle of liquid. The bluish light from the end of the hall helped identify the unknown substance: a fresh puddle of blood. Her eyes widened, and she immediately scanned the area. The surrounding area was filled with a plethora of mutilated beasts thrown into the corners of the cave. Some creatures were impaled into the very terrai, while others were tossed aside, left to die with shattered bones. Cyrene felt her senses sharpen while she frantically searched for the cause of the monster's death. She snapped her head left, right, back, and forward, yet couldn't find the source of the attacks.

During her brief period of panic, the huntress attempts to compose herself. She shuts her eyes, takes a deep breath, and recalls the unknown power she tapped into previously. The young woman grips her right wrist and forms a claw with her left hand. She tightens the muscles in her arms, and her face becomes rather strained.

"C'mon...!" She whispers.

Thoughts of her previous bout and memories of hunting and training with her brother gave her the strength to conjure the blade in her hand. The weapon bursts into her palm as airy dark energy. She grips the sword in her hand and examines its deadly curvature. The young woman revels in her triumph and grins.     

“Yes…!” She cheers quietly.  

Nonetheless, her moment of triumph was soon halted. The armament she conjured struggled to keep its form, and within seconds, dissipated before her very eyes, her weapon dwindling into small wisps of ethereal energy. She clasps her palms with her fingers, trying to grasp the energy.

"No!"

The young woman balls her hand into a fist and grinds her teeth.          

“Are you serious…?!"   

SWOOSH TAP TAP TAP

Cyrene throws her arm to the side and snaps her attention to the room, attempting again to find the source of the fleeting footsteps. Wary of the potential company, she treads swiftly into the next room.  

Each step forward further illuminated the cavern, improving her sight in the process. Reaching her desired location, her eyes feasted upon the innards of the grotto. A collection of aquamarine crystals shone with lustrous colors in all corners of the cavern. Brown stalactites dripped beads of water that plopped into a pool below. Stone archways overhead led to various unknown paths throughout the hollow. Cyrene could not help but feel temporarily hypnotized by its stunning structure. She moves over to the small body of water on her left and examines the aquatic life swimming through the crystal-clear liquid. 

SWOOSH

The reflection from the water portrayed a shadow sprinting from far above. Cyrene whips herself around and prepares to strike. She attempts to summon her weapon by throwing her arm out to spawn the blade, but again she is unsuccessful. Rather than strenuously attempting to spawn her sword, she stops, looks down at her hand, and reminisces on the conjured blade. She shuts her eyes, extends her arm, and holds out her hand. 

Concentrating with all of her power, she tried to muster the energy to spawn her weapon. Fifteen seconds of silence passed, yet nothing occurred. She sucks her teeth.

“Ugh, this sucks…” 

Cyrene opens her eyes and is exposed to an upside-down young man, shooting the young lady with an inquisitive stare. His head tilted slightly as he stared directly into her eyes. He greets the young woman calmly.  

“Hello.”