Caves were nice.

They were calm, collected, plentiful.

He could be alone here, with no one to attack or bother him.

SSundee felt at peace here and only here. His safe space. It was also where he could harness power via the minerals generated when magic mixed with the earth.

He was testing his luck now, trying to find something to boost his power.

A wind swept through the cave, causing SSundee to shiver. A wind?

SSundee turned towards the source, preparing to meet a monster, but instead found a small flicker of light. SSundee tilted his head, stepping cautiously towards it. When he neared, it quickly zipped away.

SSundee followed suit.

He chased the flickering light through the caverns, dodging obstacles along the way.

It halted at the opening of a geode, zipping inside and disappearing with a small pop.

SSundee hesitated at the opening of the geode. A dark mass covered the floor of the geode, with a weird stringy substance hanging from the ceiling.

He fished in his pocket for a torch, then lit it. He sucked in a startled gasp at the sight. It looked an awful lot like skulk, but with a purple tint rather than teal. Tentacles wrapped tightly around one another, or attached to the walls and ceiling. The tentacles moved, shifting and creating a sort of pulsating effect.

"Uh...Hello?" A voice whispered, echoing off of the walls of the cavern.

SSundee snapped around, looking for the source. His eyes landed on a figure tiptoeing from behind the geode.

SSundee widened his eyes, "Nico?"

His friend studied him with calculated eyes, "SSundee?"

"You're- you're here." He breathed, taking a small step forward.

Nico observed him warily, "I am."

"But you died," SSundee said, taking another step forward, "You're dead."

Nico nodded slowly, "I am."

"Well then how-," SSundee asked, pausing. There was a feeling that something was wrong, but he shook his head, "How are you here?"

Nico stepped out from behind the geode, then gesture to the opening, "That."

SSundee turned his attention back to the odd mass of tentacles. He noticed two small eyes watching him from inside. He took a cautious step back.

"What?" He questioned, turning to his dead friend.

Nico jabbed his thumb over at it while keeping his eyes locked on SSundee, "You heard me. This isn't from y- our world. I- it is from somewhere else but was sent here. It said that if I help it, it will bring me back, but I can't necessarily help it if I'm dead."

"It will bring you back?" SSundee asked.

"Hopefully," Nico replied, putting a hand on his neck, "If you can figure out how to bring the...geode to the surface."

"Well that's easy enough," SSundee said, holding up his fist to show the infinity gauntlet. The creature in the geode reared up, showing a reptilian face. It shrieked, causing SSundee to jump. Nico's image flickered as he jumped back.

SSundee took a few steps back. Nico narrowed his eyes at the gauntlet.

SSundee raised his hands, "Look, I know this is how I killed you before, but it was an accident, and I'm sorry. These stones aren't a weapon. They're a tool. And I can use them to get you out of here."

The creature shifted, narrowing its violet eyes at the golden gauntlet.

"If you- if you try anything, then I can't come back," Nico murmured, moving in front of the geode.

"I won't," SSundee replied, starting to feel offended by the accusation.

Nico nodded slowly, "Alright then. Let's get it over with."

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Word Count: 602