Andrew woke up to a pillow being yanked out from under his head, making him fall out of the bed in alarm.
"Aghhh! What the-!"

"Wake up sleeping beauty!", Set greeted, hitting him in the face repeatedly with the stolen pillow, "We're here."

Feathers flew everywhere for a minute as Set mercilessly whacked him with it over the head and face. Fending him off tiredly, he snatched the item back from the teen's hands, "Okay, OKAY! I'm up!" Sighing, he stood up and looked at Set, "Couldn't you have just woken me up normally?"

"What would be the fun in that then?", he responded, looking slightly disappointed the pillow was now gone.

Andrew shook his head and pulled his shoes on before pulling up his hair back into a man-bun, "Okay kid, why did we stop? I know you said we're here, but why not just go on through even if I'm sleeping?"

"Because it's the checkpoint, people don't just waltz in on through, duh.", Set replied, "People have died in there y'know, and I thought you would've wanted to strategize the best way to get through before, I don't know, we all died 'cause you were sleeping."

"It's a cave... I'm sure the stories have been exaggerated."

The teen raised an eyebrow, "Feeling confident much? Have you learned nothing about magic by now?"

Andrew walked over to the food supply, "Believe me kid, I'm not confident at all here and I very much have learnt about magic. I know more then you probably know or would ever understand about the fact that magic is a problem and it can and will kill people. I'm just trying not to freak out over some cave! The last thing I need to do is stress over a hollowed slab of rock, so excuse me for being 'confident' here."

"It's not just any cave. It's a cursed cave."

"Yes, thanks for correcting me here, very helpful.", he said annoyed before realizing something, "Wait, I thought you knew how to counteract curses.", he said pulling an apple out of the cabinet, "So can't you just take it all on your own kid? Like, undo them or something."

"No. I can't.", Set said flatly, "I'm an exorcist. I deal solely with demons."

He looked at him, "But most dark magic and cursed things stem from demonization, so why can't you deal with it? I don't understand exactly what your power capabilities are here."

"It's complicated okay?", Set huffed, "I can release some forms of possession and cleanse the objects or people who have been tainted, but it's a constant roll of dice. It depends on what level the demon is for starters, how powerful the demon magic is and like twenty other factors. It just depends with my ability, it's all specifically targeted to counteracting demons. Not for cursed caves meant to keep people out of a mysterious, pretty-much forbidden continent."

"Are you sure it's cursed though?", Andrew questioned, "How do you know it's cursed?"

He sighed and grabbed his arm annoyed, pulling him outside the caravan into the early morning which smelled earthy and wet from dew. "How about you go in and tell me Hubert?", he suggested, "Since you think it's not that big of a deal."

Set pushed him forward, a giant mountain range towering over them with a small cave entrance the size of two caravans in width and height. The hole was completely devoid of light, and a chill seemed to blow out faintly from the entrance. Some bones also sat plainly in view in front of the cave, mutilated thorny vines encircling them adding to the unsettling vibe the place radiated.

"Point proven.", Andrew nodded stepping away from the cave, clutching the apple, "Its... its most definitely got some kind of curse."

"Ya think?", he scoffed.

Andrew gave him a look, "Being sarcastic isn't going to help us figure out how to get through there, okay? I know now...
But since we obviously both don't know what's in there we should move forward. I don't think there's much more we can do but try to get out of there as fast as possible."

Taking the apple from his hand and biting into it, Set spoke with his mouth full, "I've already tried getting the horses to go in, they refuse to go a step further then where we are."

He looked at his now empty hand and at the teen, "I thought you said you stopped because you wanted to make sure I was up."

"I did say that, and I did. But it doesn't mean when I was planning on stopping right at the entrance that the horses didn't go against me. They won't go past this point,", Set waved his arm at Fidella and Fuego's position, "They aren't budging."

Andrew glanced at the tense horses before staring back into the completely black cave.
Whatever was in there was bad enough to want to keep animals away and even the light itself. The whole mountain had a grim and hostile presence.

But he had to go in there... he had to find Cassandra, and maybe that Diverion kid...

He still wasn't sure what to do about the strange violet-haired teen, whether he should be seeked out or left alone. Him looking like Varian couldn't have just been a coincidence... he obviously wasn't Varian, but he had to have some connection to him, didn't he? Why else would he stumble across their path, looking like the person Cass wanted to find just for them to find out he was some demon?
There was some tie... some connection that made fate bring them together. But then Diverion also looked like his sister...

He shook his head, trying to focus. One thing at a time.

He had to cross this cave in order to even try to help Cassandra and her quest for Varian. Everything else had to wait.

Andrew took a deep breath and went over to the horses, grabbing the bridle's gently as he held their muzzles. "Listen, we need to find Cassandra. She needs us and could be in danger. So I'm asking you to be brave and help us through there, through that cave, so when we find her, she'll have you and the caravan.", he said softly, "I'm scared of going in there too, but if we do it together I'm sure we'll make it."

Fidella snorted nervously and pawed the ground restlessly as Fuego shook his majestic head, his mane flashing in the rising sun.
Both horses didn't move an inch as he tried to lead them forward, their nostrils flaring and eyes wide from fear.

"Told you they wouldn't move man.", Set said coming up behind him, "Nice try with your little pep talk though."

Andrew pulled a little more on the bridle, ignoring him, "Please... please you guys, come on!"

Fuego then whinnied loudly in protest and dug his hooves into the faded dirt path, shaking his head and pulling free from his grip. Headbutting him roughly, Andrew fell back onto his rear painfully, looking at the horses in disappointment as they backed up as far as they could.

Andrew shook his head up at them, "After everything Cass has done for you.., you're not willing to go in there and help her back? Where's your loyalty? Your honor?", he questioned, brushing himself off quickly as he stood, "Are you really going to abandon her? She's taken good care of both of you, giving you treats and practicing her training while giving her trust in you. She cared about you."

"Uhhh man, what are you doing? That isn't gonna work."

"She would've gone in there to find you if you gotten lost or taken, and you both know it! The least you could do is the same!!", he continued, "She would run into danger for her noble steeds..."

Set snorted, "Steeds?"

"AND she is now in danger, or most probably in it being in the most dangerous place possible.", Andrew said going over Set's interruption, "We need to bring her back and make sure she's safe! We need her to help find Varian. There's so much we have to do and we can't do it without her...
So I'm counting on you to help. To pull this caravan through there so once we get her back, she'll have a place to recover and plan. She needs both of you."

Fidella straightened her neck as she nervously pawed the ground, glancing at the cave behind him.

"I know... it's dangerous in there. But you got this. You're strong, fast and intelligent horses... if anyone can get through there it would be the both of you.", he said stroking her forehead.

Andrew then watched as she whinnied and nodded in response, her body language still fearful but now determined to go through the desolate and grim cave.

He smiled up at her relieved, "Thank you."

The mare snorted and whinnied at Fuego, causing the stallion to flinch as she pawed the ground stubbornly this time. After a few minutes of communication the horses moved forward toward the cave, stopping at the entrance nervously.

Andrew patted both of them before climbing onto the front seat, grabbing the reigns as he motioned for Set to get on, "Let's go kid, we're going in."

The teen stood there dumbfounded, jabbing a thumb at the horses, "Did you really just convince them to go in?!"

"We're not in quite yet.", he nervously laughed, "But yes, I pretty much did."

Set shook his head and muttered something before climbing on beside him, looking straight ahead into the black dark hole, "Okay then... I guess we're going in. Into the cave where we will most likely die...", he then pumped his fist forward energetically, "LETS DO THIS!"

The two horses whinnied in response as Andrew then whipped the reigns, the two walking forward cautiously as Set lit the candles in the lanterns.

The dark void immediately closed around them after they entered, the light from the outside disappearing even though they were only a few feet in.

Everyone was silent as the light provided fought its way through the shadows, the glow only making their view a foot ahead from their face. Occasionally a glimmer of some small creature would catch the lamp light before disappearing, making everyone tense in anticipation.

The sound of the wheels turning against the stone and sticky dirt made Andrew's heart pound loudly in his ears, as his eyes strained for danger.

It felt impossible to keep this up much longer, but he knew with certain sinning dread that the tunnel of the cave continued on for quite a while.

"Some cave am I right?", Set softly asked, trying to break the creepy noises filling their ears, "Haha, super cursed..."

"Don't do that.", Andrew said as Fidella's ears swiveled around as small noises echoed.

"Don't do what? Talk?", he said annoyed, "The silence is killing me.."

Sighing he glanced at him, the eerie candlelight casting more shadows on his face then clarity, "Don't make fun of the cave.", he hissed, "That's another thing about magic, you don't provoke it. Otherwise we will probably end up dead. Let's just take this and be happy."

Set leaned against the wall, "You worry too much- the chances of that happening are not very high. I didn't even insult the cave outright."

Water dropped off in some unknown place in the background as a cool breeze blew over Andrew's skin, making him shiver and tense even more, "Okay. Great. Just stop talking about the cave. Please..."

"Fine.", Set huffed biting into the apple again before crossing his arms, "But you know, I'm aware of irony and jinxes in curses right? So you don't got to coach me."

"Yes, I'm aware... a reminder doesn't hurt though. Cassandra would totally be the kind of person to curse out a cursed cave...", he said, now thinking about her, "She, unlike you, needs coaching.", he laughed softly.

The teen finished off the apple and threw the core over into the dark abyss around them, "You're blushing now."

Andrew felt his face get hot at that, "No, no I'm not kid."

"Yeah you are.", he said bringing a lantern to his face, "In fact, you're now red. I think that's blushing."

He looked at him, pushing away the light annoyed, "What do you want?", he asked exasperated, "Why are you giving me a hard time about this?"

"I'm not trying to give ya a hard time, I just want to point out how you very obviously have feelings for that demon Cass lady...", Set stated, "And I already told you if you don't accept the fact that she's a demon and that you like her, it's gonna hurt more then it would if you had. I'm just trying to help steer you in that direction."

"Well stop.", Andrew said firmly, "It's getting on my last nerve kid."

The golden-eyed boy looked at him offended before turning his back to him, looking off into nothing as he swung the lantern in his fingers idly, "Fine. I'll be quiet then.", he replied saltily.

Biting back a reprimand, Andrew refocused on the questionable path ahead, trying his best to help the horses do their job. With the darkness over them it was pretty much impossible though, so he just had to trust that Fuego and Fidella would lead them on safely.

After about ten minutes of the horses slowly picking their way through the black cave, they came upon a makeshift campsite that was abandoned and cold.

Shivering as he looked at the torn fabric that gently blew out, Andrew couldn't help but feel a little worried wondering if that'd be them next.

"WHAT THE HELL?! Give IT BACK!!", Set suddenly yelled angrily, jumping off the caravan in a muddled blur of shadowy color.

"Set!!! What are you doing?!", Andrew yelled after him, standing up in alarm as Fuego reared and whinnied loudly in fear.

Heart beating fast, Andrew grabbed the second lantern on his side and jumped off the caravan, looking for the teen in the darkness as he heard running and shouting.

He then saw the glimmer of light flash off Set's metal bowstaff before the teen tackled whoever was holding it.

"GIVE. IT. BACK!", Set yelled trying to pull it out of his grasp as the two tussled.

"HEY, HEY!! STOP!", Andrew yelled, "No bashing in heads SET!!" He then quickly ran over and put the lantern on a boulder, taking the staff and pulling it out of the offender's grasp. Breathing hard, he pushed it into Set's hands and glared down at the thief, "W-Who are you kid?", he questioned, "And w-what are you doing in h-here?"

He stared down at the dirty and disgruntled teen who was stuck under Set as he tried to free himself.

"What does it matter to you?", the thief replied saltily, "And counter question, why were YOU dumb enough to go in here?"

Set looked outraged, "Why does it matter?! You stole my bowstaff!!! I wouldn't be sitting on top of you for any other reason!!!"

"Not my fault you made it easy to steal.", he retorted trying to push Set off, "You were a wide open target."

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't bash your head in!!", Set threatened, brandishing his staff.

Andrew held up his hand, telling him to calm down, "Okay, that's enough. No one is bashing anyone's head in!", squatting down he looked at the teen, "Why did you take it? It's not like it would've been edible or helpful in here. And how long have you been in here? You look awful kid."

"I'm not a kid.", he snapped, "And I was planning on knocking you guys out with it so I could see if you brought any food or shit, plus it looked expensive so why the hell not. BUT NOOO, genie pants just had to ruin everything.", he huffed.

"If you're under eighteen you're a kid, kid.", Andrew said, "And if you needed food, you could've just called out and asked for help. We would've been more then happy to help."

Set scoffed, "Speak for yourself- I wouldn't have trusted him anyway."

"Are you going to let me up or are you going to sit on me all day.", the teenager said flatly resting his chin on his hand, giving up.

"Ha, yeah no. I'm not letting you go anywhere kid.", Set laughed coldly, "Not til' we restrain you or something."

He raised an eyebrow at him, his slightly oversized glasses catching the light, "Heh, kinky~"

"WHAT?! Oh my GOD, NO!", Set blanched getting off of him quickly in disgust.

Andrew then grabbed the skinny thief as he tried to break for it, holding his shirt and holding his arm firmly, "Nice try kid. You need help and I can't have you running off."

The teen glared at him mutinously with stressed and dark bags under his eyes, trying to pull out of his grip, "I'm not a KID!! I have a fucking name damn it!!"

"Great, why don't you share it then?", Andrew responded holding him.

"I vote to call him Thief, and we just tie him up and leave.", Set spoke up putting his bowstaff back in place, "We can't keep hanging around here." He motioned to the dark expanse around them, "Have you forgotten we're in a cursed place?!"

"Which is why we need to help him.", Andrew said glancing at him, "And we can't do that until we reach a mutual agreement so we can help the kid."

"I don't want your help! Okay?! And it's HUGO!! Not kid!! I fucking swear if I hear you call me that one more time, I'll kill you! I'm fifteen, almost sixteen now, which isn't a kid!", the skinny and dirty blonde yelled, "I'll fucking leave already if you just let me go!!"

Andrew winced at the angry teen's vocabulary, "Listen, Hugo, you probably need water and food... and I can't leave you in here!", he reasoned, "You look like you need some medical attention as well, let me help you!"

"We could just knock him out. Y'know, karma.", Set piped up picking up a rock.

"NO!!", Andrew yelled exasperated, "What is your deal with trying to bash people's heads in today?!"

Set tested the weight of the chunk of stone, "He asked for it. He stole my sacred bowstaff!!"

"And you stole my breakfast, yet here we are!!", he shot back, getting frustrated trying to hold onto Hugo and keep Set in line, "So get over it! It's not like he actually got away with it!"

The light in the lantern then flickered for a moment before going completely out, shutting all of them into complete darkness.

Andrew felt Hugo stop trying to break away, his breath hitched and strained as he went dead silent.

Everyone was quiet as the horses snorted quietly in fear several feet away somewhere, their sounds echoing in the darkness as the chill of the cave blew over them.

"The l-light... you got to get it back on.", the blonde choked out, "Hurry!"

Andrew's eyes strained in the deep blackness, trying to see if he could find the lantern again, "Yeah I'm on it kid.", he replied his heart beating fast.

Hugo didn't bother to correct him as he gripped Andrew's arm with his hand, stepping forward blindly toward the general direction of the boulder, desperately grasping for the lantern.

"How long have you been in here again?", Set spoke shakily as Andrew heard him shuffle forward looking for the item as well, "What's the frigging curse?!"

"If we don't get a light on in the next few seconds you'll find out!", Hugo whisper-screamed, "I finally got a break, I'm not going back into that hell zone!"

Andrew felt the scared teen then cling onto him fearfully as a sudden ice cold chill swept past them, wraithlike darkness settling onto their shoulders.

Shuddering as he heard both younger boys gasp, Andrew's vision of the black around him was suddenly full of twisted distorted images. Violent colors flashed before his eyes, death and regret radiating off every single one of them.

He looked around the cave, his eyes somehow able to his own hands which were suddenly covered in blood.

Crying out in surprise he slipped and fell, seeing the Separatists of Saporia glaring at him, yelling at him accusingly. They shouted and blamed him for their deaths, how he had betrayed him, how it was foolish for him to think he could be anything better then he had been...

Their words drove into him making tears fall to his face as he watched Zaryn, his only sister, get killed with him not able to do anything about it. All over again...

Her scream filled his ears along with the angry chanting of words, melding into a horrible mess as he tried to pull himself free of it.

It wasn't real... he knew it wasn't! It was the curse...

He sat there shaking and tears streaming from his face as the blood on his hands pressed onto his face, the horror of it all becoming more and more real.

Every mistake he ever made, every shame and regret he had felt throughout his life taunted him, pain and the price of his actions weighing down on him.

He couldn't make himself move, knowing it was all true... everything that was shown before him was true. How could he fight or deny this?

Suddenly everything then was gone, the screaming and angry voices, the blood on his hands...
Looking up shakily he saw the lantern shine weakly through the shadows, Hugo holding it tightly in his hand as his face was pale and aghast.

Set was choking back sobs as he looked up confused, relief and pain all over his face.

"I-It's... gone...", the skinny blonde whispered weakly, "As long as there's a light it'll leave.. u-us, it'll leave us alone.", he swallowed. He then slid down against the boulder, sitting there his green eyes wide with fear as he clutched the lantern like a lifeline.

Andrew double-checked his hands, seeing that there was no blood as he touched his face gently. The only wet thing that showed on his fingers were tears... proving that the horror he had experienced and felt was only the curse.

Standing up weakly, he went over to Set and helped him to his feet, putting an encouraging hand on his shoulder, "I-It's alright... it wasn't real. You'll be okay...", he told him softly.

Set just nodded his head numbly after wiping the tears away roughly. He then went over toward the horses, holding their heads gently for comfort as he led them closer to the light.

Fidella and Fuego looked startled but not shaken with the shock the three males had experienced, the horses presumably not affected by the curse the same way as them.

Andrew watched him stroke their noses for a minute trying to calm down his beating heart as he kneeled down beside Hugo, putting a hand on his shoulder as well, "You'll be alright... we'll make sure the light stays on and we'll all get out of the tunnel together."

The pale teen shook his head, his fingers turning white as he clutched the metal handle, "The light will go out eventually... it always does... and I've been in here for at least a week... m-maybe more..."
He was barely breathing as he stared into the darkness around them, "It was so much worse getting out to only come right b-back in... I've tried to leave... but the place wouldn't let me..", he was holding back tears as his voice dropped to a whisper, "I can't go back to those damn things out there..."

Andrew shook him slightly, "Hey, it's going to okay now. You got help. I understand... we won't have to stay here much longer. It'll be alright."

"Things...? Like what things?", Set questioned lighting another lantern he had pulled from the caravan, "Do you know what's out there then?"

Hugo pulled away from Andrew's hold, shaking his head, "No, I'm not sure what they are. J-just that... that they're not like anything I've seen... They're eyeless, shadowy and cold. They make you see things and they follow you... They're terrifying..."

"How have you not lost your mind?!", Set exclaimed breath shaky, "I almost flipped out and that was only like five minutes?!"

Sighing, Hugo pulled his big, round glasses off and cleaned them the best he could before pushing them back onto his face, "Running blind... knocking myself out a couple of times or passing out from exhaustion... just dealing with it...", he laughed bitterly, "I don't know.."

Andrew stared at the distraught and pale faced teens, deciding it was time to move as he felt the cool breeze blow lightly on his back. "How about we get on the caravan and get out of here already... we can talk later.", Andrew suggested standing up and offering a hand to Hugo, "This all will be a bad memory the sooner we leave this behind."

Hugo ignored his offer and pushed himself up, taking shaky breaths as he climbed into the front seat where Set had previously just climbed onto.

Andrew then climbed up and took the reigns, going as carefully and quickly as possible through gentle urging of the two nervous horses.

The farther they went into the tunnel though the colder it became, the breeze becoming more of a constant flow of chilling air. Nerves were high as the lantern light flickered even in the safe panes shielding them from the wind.

"Set, how about you take Hugo inside and help him some.", Andrew suggested quietly as the caravan rolled forward, "See if you can find anything else in there in case the lights go out."

Set nodded, "Alright... you sure about bringing him inside the caravan though? I still don't trust him, man."

"If the lights go out, the matches are inside.", he whispered, "And I can't help him or do anything myself out here. He's the one that also pushed through and got the lanterns lit, so just in case you have problems in there, he'll know what to do."

Sighing, Set stood up and climbed onto the roof, relenting, "Hey kid, up here. Help me get some stuff."

Hugo looked up annoyed, "Hugo. Not kid. I think I made that pretty damn clear didn't I?"

"Stop being edgy and just get your rear over here, I'm trying to get you some water and get those cuts treated.", he shot back, slipping into the opening, "So c'mon."

Andrew nodded, "Go on. I can't go because I got to help Fidella and Fuego through. Set will help you."

"I'm good. I don't need anymore help then getting the hell out of here.", Hugo said sitting there stubbornly, "Especially so called help from that punk who tackled me and wants to tie me up."

"You need to get some kind of treatment.", he said looking at him, "And Set isn't going to tie you up. Just go on. Please."

Hugo stared him down before getting up, climbing up into the caravan, "I'm only getting some water, that's it.", he said grumpily as Andrew smiled a little.

He just somehow kept running into interesting kids... and it was like he had to parent them all-

Andrew then groaned; was he becoming a dad now?? Shaking his head, he tried to focus back on the path that lay ahead of him, he could question if he was becoming uncool or not later.

Hopefully they'd get out of this cursed place before the lights could go out again.

Heya readers, I appreciate the constant support on this book so far... sorry that the update took so long! I was doing school and shit XD but yeah- I think bak baby! See you guys soon (I hope)