25.- Guardians of The House

The light from the red orb bathed the walls of the main chamber, reflecting off the vines and casting shadows that seemed to come to life for a moment before fading away. Aurora sat on the grass, legs crossed, her posture firm as she watched the hologram floating in front of the orb. The icons—Monsters, Traps, Treasures—glowed with an intensity that seemed to resonate with her, her green eyes fixed on them with a mix of curiosity and command. Sebastian approached, leaning against a root with a relaxed smile, glancing at the symbols without much interest. "Always something new," he thought, accustomed to the strange things that happened around him.

Aurora extended a hand and touched the "Monsters" tab with a precise movement, her expression serious and assessing. The screen changed, displaying images of creatures: skeletons with rusty swords, spiders with glowing eyes, bats with dark wings. She studied them carefully, her gaze scanning every detail—the curve of the bones, the gleam in the eyes—as if measuring their usefulness with silent authority. Then she looked at Sebastian, a warm spark softening her eyes for a moment. He smiled at her, stroking her green hair with a calm gesture. "More friends for you here, huh?" he said, his voice soft and confident.

She nodded, a shadow of reflection crossing her face. Protect, she thought, an impulse that beat stronger than before. She had hunted—destroyed without thinking—but now the dungeon was hers, and these creatures would be her extension. She pointed at the images, seeking his gaze with a contained intensity. How? Sebastian scratched the back of his neck, shrugging. "I don't really know how this works, but it seems like you can give them orders," he said, not giving it too much thought.

Aurora tilted her head, counting the glowing numbers under each image with almost instinctive precision—few, but enough. She pointed at the skeleton, a bony warrior with a worn sword, and examined it with a cold and approving look, assessing its structure as if it were a tool. "A skeleton," Sebastian said, approaching with interest. "Looks like a good guard." She nodded—Strong. Loyal—and touched the image decisively. The hologram glowed intensely, and a circle of light formed on the ground. A skeleton emerged, tall and lanky, its rusty sword in hand, a red glow crossing its empty sockets for a moment.

Aurora looked at it with authority, extending a hand. Friend? she thought, but her gesture was more of a command than a question. The skeleton turned its skull towards her, bowing slightly in recognition, and she placed a hand on its skull with a brief but firm caress, a gesture of possession rather than play. It stood still, obedient. Sebastian smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Amazing, Aurora. You've got everything under control, huh?"

She looked at him, her smile warm but restrained, and returned to the hologram. She pointed at a giant spider, studying it with the same assessing gaze—the long legs, the multiple eyes, its lethal potential. "A poisonous spider?" Sebastian asked, curious but unfazed. She nodded with a curt movement and touched the image. Another circle of light, and a huge spider appeared—hairy, with eight black gem-like eyes. He took a step back reflexively, but relaxed instantly, smiling. "Well, that's something else." Aurora approached the spider, placing a hand on its carapace with the same firmness, approving it with a nod before stepping back.

Aurora looked at the hologram again, her fingers pausing for a moment over the images—a silent hunger in her posture. But before continuing, Sebastian placed a gentle hand over hers. "Hey, we don't know how many of those... coins? you have left," he said, his tone calm but firm. "These are already good." She looked at him, a spark of defiance in her eyes, but nodded slowly, dropping her hand. He gave her a soft, warm hug. "Thanks for stopping, Aurora."

She relaxed in his arms for a moment, his warmth calming her, and then turned to her creatures, her expression becoming resolute. Protect? she thought, pointing to the skeleton and then to the entrance. "Good idea," he said, nodding. "Let it guard the door." Aurora raised a hand with a firm gesture, and the skeleton obeyed, walking with dry steps to stand like a silent sentinel, its sword ready.

Then she turned to the spider, pointing at it and then at the hallway leading to the stairs. Trap? "Hmm," Sebastian said, walking calmly to the hallway and examining the ceiling. He pointed to a crack. "It could hide there, catch anyone who comes up." Aurora nodded—Surprise—and with an elegant wave of her hand, she ordered the spider to climb. The creature settled into the crack, its eyes glowing in the dimness, ready to act.

The winged lizard from the previous day—the little green one—fluttered to her, landing on her shoulder. Green? Where? she thought, assessing it with a serious look. Sebastian thought of the third floor—dark crypts. "That one could go to the third floor," he said, shrugging. "Hide and scare whoever passes by." Aurora nodded—Scare—and stroked the lizard with a brief and decisive touch, her eyes flashing a fleeting red that he barely noticed.

Sebastian watched her, leaning against the wall with a mix of pride and calm. "You're amazing, Aurora," he said, sincere, his voice warm. She looked at him with those green eyes, deep and bright, and smiled, approaching to brush her hand against his. The hum of the orb resonated a little louder, an echo that vibrated in the roots, but he dismissed it—it was just another noise in this place that no longer surprised him.

Aurora walked through the chamber with confident steps, her creatures following her like extensions of her will. The skeleton guarded the entrance, firm and silent. The spider waited in its crack, still and lethal. The winged lizard fluttered, buzzing quietly as it explored the surroundings. She looked at them with approval, satisfied with their arrangement, and then turned to Sebastian, sitting next to him on the grass. He put an arm around her shoulders, relaxed. "You've got a good team," he said, and she nodded, leaning against him with serene calm. The dungeon was quiet, its guardians in place, and for today, that was all they wanted.