Location: The Caverns

Yet again, Tabitha squeaked as she almost slipped on the humid cave rocks, and her shrill gasp made my nerves slightly twitch. No matter how much I let myself be exposed to her powers, the effect of her voice certainly didn't lessen. "If this is tough on you, we can always go back, you know..."

The curvy bat girl quickly shook her head at that, however. "N-no! Y-you said you felt some dark energy lingering around w-when following the witch woman, and I noticed it t-too before! So I want to help you c-check it out! With my hearing, it shouldn't be a problem!"

I sighed, and kept on following behind her. "I know. I trust you. I've just never gone that deep before, and I don't think you have either..." We were far from the mountain entrance into the caverns, very far from Tabitha's home and where Amy lurked. Even further than where Elly and I had faced Venefica. I had sensed something back then... and gotten curious. I hadn't prepared myself to visit the capital yet, and didn't even know if I was ready... so why not explore the places I already knew first? And thankfully, Tabitha did have an amazing sense of direction.

Not to mention... whatever I'd sensed when following Elly and Venefica hadn't been pleasant. Whatever the shadowy figure had channeled to make the bunny woman berserk, that had to be it. It had just been... a shiver when going back. Something deeper in. But I knew what magic felt like by now, and this type certainly hadn't felt pleasant.

Despite that, I wasn't too worried. What was the worst that could happen? I'd already faced two Commanders, and the barrier around Lucidia was a thing, I told myself.
Maybe I should just worry about Tabitha tripping and hurting herself rather than what was down there-

But as I thought that, Tabitha suddenly stopped out of nowhere- and I bumped into her from behind. Making her yelp out a "Kya-"

Thankfully, I caught myself (and her) before one of us could fall. I gently grabbed hold of her shoulders, just to make sure she'd stay in place. "Are you okay? Why'd you stop?"

In response, Tabitha lifted a hand, and pointed her hand down. Now that I wasn't lost in my thoughts, I finally realized... There was light ahead. Faint, blue light. Not to mention... the air was colder here. And it didn't feel natural.
I expected Tabitha to keep moving, but she didn't. And once I looked more closely at her, I noticed... she was shivering, and her eyes were open wide, staring ahead. She didn't just look cold, she looked... scared.

It was a look I'd never seen in her eyes, or barely even in anyone's since I'd come to Lucidia. Not that I was much good at reading people's faces, but this... felt like simple, raw fear. So I grasped the bat girl's shoulders tighter, and turned her around to face me.

"Tabitha! What's wrong?" Tabitha kept shivering as I held it, and as her eyes finally focused on me, she pointed behind her.
"C-can't you hear it...? T-there's someone d-down there... I can hear a heart b-beating. And t-the magic... It feels awful. I c-can hear the hatred in it, I c-can feel the barriers... i-it's locking something in. I-I don't think we should be here!"

As she spoke, I gazed into Tabitha's eyes with an astonished look. What had I expected when coming down? An old artefact? Maybe a monster girl? Certainly not this. I couldn't just push forward right now, not with Tabitha in this state.

So I gave her a hug, pressing her against me, and gently turned her around, pushing her towards the way we'd came. "You go home, then. I'll just give it a quick check, and then I'll leave too, alright?"

Tabitha responded by throwing her arms around me, and gave me a very worried look. "Y-you want to go down there on your own? N-no way! T-that's too-"
I gently shushed her, placing a finger on her soft lips. "Come on, I can take care of myself. I beat two Commanders of the Demon Queen, remember?" Don't mention Sofia, do not mention Sofia. "We've come this far. I'll see what it is, and then get out. I remember the way out. But if we left now, we'd have to come back together, and I don't want you to go through the trouble again. Okay?"

Tabitha looked at her feet, her hands twitching together with a fairly unsure look. "... Hnnnn. O-okay. Y-you better be careful!"

I couldn't help but smile at that. I gave Tabitha a small kiss, and a headpat, turning her frown into a happier look. "I will, don't worry.~"
With a small hum, the bat girl looked at me, then down at the faint light one last time, before flying away. She sure was faster when she didn't have a slow human trailing after her.

After watching her leave, I looked down as well... and walked the final steps, stepping into the cave. And as I felt the cold magic surround me, I understood exactly what Tabitha had meant...

And I stared in stupefaction at what I had found.