Night crawled over the forest, swallowed every last bit of sunlight.

Inside the cavern, the massive warrior took another heavy step toward them—
his club rising higher—

Ashren’s breath stopped.

But then—

A booming shout echoed through the tunnels:

“BOBWA!
BOBWA!”

The sound shook dust from the ceiling.

The princess’s eyes widened.

“That’s… ”

Before Ashren could even blink, she jumped to her feet and yelled back:

“Bobwa! Bobwa!”

Then she elbowed Ashren sharply.

“Say it.
NOW.”

Ashren panicked.

“Wh—Bobwa? Bobwa??”

The woman with the baby echoed back softly,
“Bobwa…”

Her two children repeated it as well.

Even the massive guard lowered his club and answered deeply:

“Bobwa.”

Then he turned around and began walking out of the cave, motioning for everyone to follow.

Ashren and the princess exchanged stunned looks.

“…Wait. Did we just not die… because we said bobwa?”

“Don’t question it,” the princess muttered.
“Just follow.”

The children filed in front of them, and the adults behind, forming a long line. More blue giants joined from other tunnels, all saying “bobwa” like a ritual chant.

They marched deeper into the mountain. Ashren and the princess slipped into the middle, repeating the chant each time the children chanted it.

“Bobwa…”

“Bobwa.”

“…Bobwa.”

Ashren whispered, “I feel stupid.”

The princess whispered back, “Better stupid than crushed.”

The narrow tunnel widened into a stone gate.
Beyond it: light.

Torches lined the walls.
Stone houses carved into cliffs.
A whole underground village glowing in warm orange light.

Ashren stared with awe.

“I’ve never seen anything like this…”

“Don’t stare too much,” the princess whispered.

Ashren whispered, stunned,
“They built… all this… inside a mountain?”

“They follow order, not logic. Blend in.”

Whenever the tribe children said “bobwa,” Ashren and the princess copied softly.

Eventually, the line slowed.
Then stopped.

Ashren spotted a small empty stone hut carved into the side wall — dark and unoccupied.

He gently nudged the princess.
“There. That one.”

She saw it, nodded quickly.

When the tribe’s attention drifted, they slipped out of the line and slid into the hut, quietly pulling the heavy stone door closed behind them.

Darkness swallowed them instantly.

Ashren exhaled shakily.

“What… just happened?”

To be continued…

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