An Eye For Change!

Gasps of surprise filled my ears as the cave of the Hidden Grotto became visible once more. My eye fluctuated with power as the two men took in their surroundings.

"The hell?! We were just in the inn, and now we're back here?!" Q exclaimed. His tone carried his distress.

"The Hidden Grotto?" Bonner mumbled.

Thanks to their assistance, I could remain standing while the pain in my eye subsided. Without having to assist me, the two men would step away and pace frantically. Bonner would retain his reserved expression as he quietly observed the aquamarine crystals that decorated the area.

The elven man touched the crystals with his palm and traced the edges as he spoke, "Let's not get too rattled. Teleportation was expected, but I am surprised to see it so quickly upon our arrival. Mark- ready yourself and explain what has happened."

I shook away the cobwebs that had filled my head for a moment. The throbbing pain ceased, and with it, I began to assess our situation. I turned my back to the men for a moment. Sure enough, we were back in the Hidden Grotto. It was peculiar to be back so soon after being sent off by Sine only a few hours ago. Yet, here I found myself within the lair of the dreaded Lynx.

My anxiety would have gone up in typical situations, but I found myself mirroring Bonner's demeanor. 

"This isn't teleportation," I said plainly.

Q would let out a confused sound before I heard his footsteps approaching me. I would turn to face him, but his motion stopped once I caught his eye. He seemed to be taken aback by something that confused him. His fingers snapped rapidly, catching the attention of Bonner, who was focused solely on the crystals. Snapped out of his investigation, the elven man turned toward my direction. His stone face cracked with bewilderment. He returned to my position before they stared into my left eye.

"The hell is that, bud? Playing tic-tac-toe with your eye? There's a damn purple X in your pupil!" Bonner said. 

"It's oozing some green haze from it too. Kinda freaky if ya ask me. That shit don't look right, Mark.", Q added.

'Purple X?' I thought.

The description seemed familiar, so I was quick to place it. Walking past the two of them, I stared into the river water that carved through the cave's floor. Just as they informed me, there was a substantial change in my eye's appearance. It glowed with a dark green haze as the purple X pulsed. Following my confirmation, I pushed up my lens before facing their direction. A wide grin etched across my features as I looked around the cave.

"It is freaky, but it served as a reminder of my deal with a specific Goddess. Her name is Sine. I mentioned her briefly." I said.

"You're making deals? Don't tell me you're giving up your soul for power this early. That's the coward's route." Q said while crossing his arms.

"That remains to be seen. While our enemies attacked me, I bestowed this eye by Sine in return for helping her regain the prominence she had in the region. When I repelled Valdus' attack, she suddenly appeared like a demon. She ripped my eye out like a savage and then plopped one of her eyes into my skull." I explained. "There was more that she wanted to tell me, but I was suddenly dragged back into this world. She didn't get to explain how I can benefit from having her eye lodged in my skull."

Bonner seemed to examine my words with his previous reserved expression. He nodded along to my story before approaching me closely. It was awkward when he invaded my personal space, but he focused solely on the eye.

"That will do it," Bonner states with a firm nod.

It was my turn to be stricken with confusion. I stepped back before Bonner turned to face Q, who was just as confused as I was with our friend's actions.

"You speculated that we didn't teleport, so explain to us how we ended up at this cave. What makes you so sure that we didn't teleport? As I recall, you were behaving strangely when we were last at the Hidden Grotto. Those crystals brought out bizarre behavior from you, and now, once presented with one, we end up back in this area. There is a connection, and your expression tells me you know something."

"This is the third time that I was pulled to this place outside of our appearance in this world. Both Valdus and Sine have dragged me into this cave. When I first saw it, I assumed that I was starting from my last checkpoint as if I had died, but that was not the case. The tunnel pulled me there the first time, and I believe it happened the second time. Yet, it didn't happen here. I wonder why, though." I responded to the elf.

"If we aren't in the actual cave physically, then it is possible that we are here in a different fashion. The catalyst of our arrival is rooted in your connection with those new crystals." Bonner responded. He stroked his chin after he spoke.

"You did suddenly get weak in the knees when you touched that crystal. If we were dragged into here with you, then I would assume that those crystals were your kryptonite." Q would shake his head as he scratched the back of his neck. "You were a kitsune... was there any abilities that might be similar to what we are experiencing right now? An ability to pull people into their memories or something like that?"

I thought about his question briefly, but Bonner beat me to the response first. A light bulb must've gone off his head as his stone face fractured into enlightenment. He snapped his finger before pointing in my direction.

"Recall that bullshit kitsune... The wannabe empress from the Dark Forest? She was a Mage with the ability to pull people into a pocket dimension of her Mana Core."

"You're talking about Lilanna? Ah- You're right. She did that bullshit ass move to us before we exploited its weakness. I think I know where you are going with this, and I must remind you that I was a Kitsune Lancer rather than a Mage. I specialized in spear combat more so than spells. The- Deceit Realm was an ability that Roktavor had not unlocked yet. I would have had to fork over more moolah to partner those varying routes." I said with a huff.

"There was an ability like that in Infinity Unleashed, and you chose against it?" Q asked with a shake of his head.

"Yes, and proudly. Kitsune Mages were a dime a dozen. Some with other more bullshit moves than that, but I specialized in spear combat with a few Kitsunic mage spells sprinkled in. It was that decision that allowed Bonner and me to overcome Lilanna in the first place.", I said.

"Didn't you do your power siphon within her Deciet Realm?" Bonner asked.

Q's eyes widened at his question. His attention shifted between us as he spoke, "Power siphon? You had a power siphon ability?"

I nodded as an answer to their questions. I would ponder on the best way to explain off the top of my memory.

"Lilanna the False Empress is what I dubbed her as Bonner, and I bested her army of vampires and kitsunes. You were offline then, so the two of us marched our small unit to correct her transgression. Her people were formidable, but they allowed me to level up to forty. That gained me three skill points, and I used them to develop and hone my three ancestral skills: Kitsunic Commandship, Bolster Yelp, and Fox Hunt."

"It was during the final square-off with Lilanna, herself when Mark decided to take the gloves off and use them bitches. I almost left his ass until I was forced into her Deciet Realm."

"I was glad, too. Karma is a bitch for that. You tried to leave me high and dry, but she knocked your ass right after that. You see, Fox Hunt is a branch of Mana Manipulation for Kitsunes. It allows a person to steal mana direction from a person's core. I wiggle my little tail and pounce on their asses like an Arctic fox right after that too!"

Q shook his head with a light chuckle. He facepalmed at my physical display. "I can understand that, but how is the Deciet Realm relevant to now? Are you saying that someone has hit us with that same spell?"

"Mark did.", Bonner states flatly.

I had stopped my Arctic Fox routine when he said that. That was quite the accusation, and it caught my attention fully. 

"No, I didn't. I was not able to unlock the Deciet Realm before we got transferred. Even if I hunted Lilanna's mana that once during that ability, it doesn't mean I have access to it now."

"It would mean you have been exposed to the effects of the abilities. It is just as you said prior. You hunted Mana directly from her core. It is possible that the goddess did something to you that furthered your body's progression. Think about it like this... This is your third time being here. You were here with Valdus, then Sine, and now you are here with us. There is one constant in that story."

"He does have a point, Mark. You have been the link," Q says with a firm nod. "From what Bishop is saying, it is plausible that the crystal worked as a supercharge for your abilities. The fact that you keep ending up here tells me that we should return to the actual cave again. Although we did bring the cave down, there might be an alternative way inside. If we can get more, then perhaps our power problem could be relieved."

"There is something that bothers me though other than that pulsating X in your eye." Bonner mentioned before pointing toward my shoulder.

"You have quite the observant eye, Master Vigilis, but then again, that means your abilities are awakening nicely."

A familiar voice spoke next to my ear, and it stunned me. Once again, I heard the sound of my voice, but this time, it didn't come from my mouth. The sound originated from the shoulder that Bonner was pointing at, and before I could ask what was going on, I felt a weight lift from that area. To be honest, I don't know how I didn't notice the previous weight, but I didn't.

Soft footsteps pinged in front of us before a green light warbled on the ground. It was bright, forcing each of us to cover our eyes in protection. As the light came to an end, my voice echoed throughout the cave, although I was not the one to speak.

"I suppose the jig is up. Hearing you lost ones chit-chat was amusing, but it's time that the star takes his rightful place. Revel and rejoice in my splendid figure, gentlemen, for now, you stand in the presence of Fawkes the Magnificent!"