Seeing no other way out, Zora ran, howling anxiously. Seeing the entrance, she clenched her teeth and glared determinedly. The last fireball hit moments before she slid inside. The trio was safe. At least for now.
The interior of the cave was dark and damp. Drops of water echoed down its entire surface.
"Is everyone alright?" Aidan asked from the dark. All he could feel was the hard rock surface under him.
"I am fine," Anna said.
"Me as well," Zora replied.
"Alright, stay put," he said. The prince lit a torch and noticed that in addition to the multitude of cave decorations, there were many dark passages. Looking around, he pondered whether if they lead anywhere important. From the outside, muffled dragon howls could still reach their ears.
The winged black monster hovered over the area. He looked around, searching for them. Not seeing or scenting their charred bodies made his blood boil. He roared angrily and spat fire that burned the ground in front of him. Managing to destroy all the vegetation, he still could not see the opening. The cave entrance was well hidden behind some rocks, with a hole small enough for a human.
The three trapped royals peeped through it, afraid and exhausted.
"Do you think he will find us?" Zora uttered, clenching her body each time he flew over her limited viewpoint.
"I doubt it. He would have killed us by now," Aidan muttered serious.
"Oh my! He is furious. Who knows how much longer he will fly over us," Anna said, worried. Prince Aidan nodded with equal concern.
"What are we going to do now?" Zora asked as an involuntary yawn left her mouth.
"We are safe for now. We should get some rest," he said.
"But who is going to watch for the creature?" Anna added.
Aidan tapped his chest. "Leave it to me. I will keep a lookout, until you get some sleep."
"Are you certain? Are you not tired as well?" Zora said, concerned.
"You must be. After climbing down," Anna added.
"Not in the slightest. Go on," he said determined and placed his cape for them on the ground.
The girls sighed and yawned. "I truly am exhausted," Anna uttered. "I don't remember my arms ever being so sore. Come Zuzy. Let us lie next to each other."
Zora pressed her lips, unconvinced. She turned to her husband. "Are you certain?"
Aidan caressed her messy hair and spoke softly, "I will guard first. Please, go to bed."
The princess nodded and yawned again. "Alright, but do not go outside. And no abrupt acts of heroism. Understand?"
"My dear, your suspicion hurts my soul," he said, offended. "Do not worry. I do not plan on getting myself killed so soon. That would be embarrassing," he joked.
"Promise me!" she said determined, clasping his hand close to her heart.
The prince bowed his head. "As you wish, my love. I promise I won't get myself hurt," he murmured.
The princess sighed with relief. Finding a spot on the floor, she put her head on the thin fabric and fell asleep instantly.
The prince sat down, holding his sword. Chirp came out and stretched his wings.
As the prince stared at the passages, the bird flew around bored. "Chirp, do you think there is another way out of this cave?" he asked, curious.
"Chirp! I would not know! There is little I can do in such narrow space," the bird said.
The prince inhaled weary. His eyelids felt heavy. The noise from the outside ceased, giving him some hope that the dragon went away.
"You do not look well. Why don't I search the cave while you take a nap? Chirp, chirp!" the little bird offered.
Behind them the princess moaned with a drowsy voice. "Who are you talking to?" said princess Zora with her eyes still closed.
The bird hastily took cover.
"No one, my dear. It is all just a dream," the prince said calmly.
Still sleeping, she nodded and continued to snooze. Aidan puffed relieved and whispered to the tiny bird, "Alright, go. But come back quickly."
The bird obliged. The strain on his head and tail seemed to glow in this light-absent chamber. Another very handy spell created by his deceased master. With its bright tail disappearing behind the creases, the prince was left to fight his sleepiness alone. How strange, he could usually endure it for longer. His heavy head soon fell onto his breastplate. And then...
The prince's footsteps echoed as he ran down the wet floor of the cave. Tiny drops fell from the stalagmites, and the tunnel he walked through seemed longer and darker. The torch barely lit anything. Panting more and more, he ran faster, stumbling onto a bright hole. He fell and found himself in the great hall, with masked creatures around him.
"Hello?" he stuttered. The creatures turned to him with their uncanny masks, gawking and mysterious. The prince could notice their pointy black ears and long clawed fingers.
"Where am I?" he said with his voice echoing in an unusual way.
The masked creatures opened their mouth, roaring from laughter.
Taken aback, the prince swung his sword, but found his hand empty. The creatures cackled louder, some falling to the ground in perverted delight.
The prince took a deep breath. He looked at his feet, firmly planted on the rock floor. The jeering laughter continued, except it did not feel as humiliating as before. After a while, it sounded like noise. Like nothing more than annoying static. "Look at this tiny man. Doesn't he look scared?" one creature shrieked.
"I'm not afraid of you," he murmured, through the noise. The creatures stopped laughing. They gawked at him, smirking.
"What did you say?" one of the creatures slithered. I
"I said, I am not afraid of you!" the prince yelled.
A burst of brightness came out of his mouth, causing the things to shriek. The powerful light, engulfed everything, making all disappear in a powerful blast.
The prince jerked out of his dream and found himself even more shocked. He did not recognize the place he was in. The princesses were gone. All that he could see was Chirp laying on the ground next to him. The noise he heard became clearer. It was nothing else but the eerie hissing of thousands of bats on the ceiling above.
"This is not good," he thought, additionally startled by his nightmare. Drawing his sword, the noise of the cold steel echoed through the chamber. The bats heard it and panicked, flying towards him in a swarm.
He swung his hands, unable to see. As he yelled out, one bit his fighting arm, making his sword fall down. That sudden sound disturbed the bats even more. The hissing intensified.