Page 120 of Magical Melee

The moonlight bathed everything in a silvery glow. The strange, otherworldly flowers I remembered from my first visit were in full bloom. Their petals shimmered faintly and cast subtle blue, violet, and scarlet hues across the landscape.

But it wasn’t the flowers that caught my attention.

Something moved at the far end of the garden, where the path curved toward a cluster of ancient stone statues. The movement was subtle—a flicker of shadow, a disturbance in the air. I squinted, taking a cautious step forward.

And then I saw it.

Standing among the statues was a figure cloaked in deep indigo robes. The fabric seemed to ripple like water, reflecting the moon's light. A hood obscured the figure’s face, but her presence was undeniably commanding yet eerily serene.

Her graceful movements hinted to me that she was a feminine soul.

She didn’t move. She didn’t speak.

She simply stood there as if waiting.

I swallowed hard as my pulse quickened.

“Hello?” I called softly.

The figure tilted her head slightly, her movement almost birdlike. A strange energy pulsed through the air, gentle but insistent. It felt like a distant heartbeat connecting me to her—or this place.

I glanced back toward the tunnel, wondering if I should call for Twobble.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped closer to the figure.

As I approached, she raised a hand with her palm outward. A soft, golden light emanated from her hand and illuminated the surrounding statues.

Behind her, a large building I’d never seen before surfaced. The silhouette was enormous and inviting as she motioned her hands into the air. Vines crept up the brick exterior.

I stopped in my tracks, unsure whether this was a gesture of greeting or warning.

The light intensified. For a moment, the entire garden seemed to hold its breath.

Then, the figure lowered her hand. The light faded, leaving only the soft glow of the flowers.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she extended her hand toward me, offering something unseen. My instincts were at war with my curiosity. I hesitated a bit too long, and the figure slowly began to fade.

The indigo robes dissolved into the air, becoming one with the shadows until nothing remained but the statues and the moonlit path.

My heart pounded as I processed what I’d just seen.

Why did I hesitate?

I looked around the garden, feeling a knot tighten in my chest. The building had vanished along with the woman.

I blew it.

After a few moments, I forced myself to move, retracing my steps back to the tunnel. Twobble greeted me with an expectant grin as I climbed down the ladder.

“How’d it go?” His eyes lit up. “You didn’t die, so that’s a great start.”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah, but I blew it.”

“What do you mean?”