Sorry that it took me some time to post this.
As Mike woke up, he poked around for any strange objects around the bed. There was nothing there. He opened his eyes and was surprised to discover the `bots weren't planning a wake-up call.
"No, there aren't any traps," Joel said from the other side of the room. He was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. A map of the region was sprawled out in front of him.
"They woke you up in the mornings, too?" Mike sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"I think the worst time was when they poured the box of hamsters on my head."
"Oh, dear God." Mike cringed at the image. He turned his head and looked at Joel. "What's that you have there?"
"I went downstairs and got a map of this region. The innkeeper tells me there's a lot of suspicious activity at the Magic Cave." Joel leaned over the map. "There aren't any caves on this map, though."
"Maybe we need to blow the door open or something," Mike suggested as he slipped out of bed. "The enemy isn't stupid. They'd conceal their hideout."
"Then maybe it isn't really a cave." Joel peered at a small area on the map. "The only conspicuous thing near the village is this thing." Joel pointed to a spot on the map. A large rock similar to Devil's Tower stood to the east of the village.
"Did you see Close Encounters of the Third Kind?" Mike said. "That's what that reminds me of."
"So why not head out there? If we have to blow the cave open, we'll just use our magic. If there are any bad guys, we beat them. If there's anything we have to break, we'll break it."
Mike grinned. "I like your attitude. We'll head out as soon as I get dressed."
***
The towering rock loomed above the pair as they approached it. Out of the corner of his eye, Mike noticed a red light near the ground. When he looked down, he realized what it was.
"My pendant!" he cried. "What's going on?!"
"I guess they didn't name it the Magic Cave for nothing," Joel stated. "I feel a strong force here. Your pendant must be reacting to it."
Mike moved closer to the rock. With every step, the pendant gleamed brighter.
"I feel like I'm being led by something," Mike said before he noticed a small indentation in the rock. It had the same shape as his pendant. He placed the pendant in the gap.
Both lost their footing as the earth began to shake violently. Large chunks of the rock came raining down as it began to split in half. Two pieces of the rock fell forward, and would have crushed Mike had he not run away. The earthquake subsided as soon as it had begun. The rock contained a large cave, which seemed to beckon them into its depths.
Joel climbed over one of the large rocks and followed Mike into the cave. He jumped when he saw a pile of human bones.
"Are you scared?" he asked Mike. He tried to keep his voice from trembling.
"Ask yourself." Mike's voice wavered slightly.
A blinding light radiated from the depths of the cave, causing Mike to shield his eyes. When it vanished, he found himself in a mirrored room. This would not have bothered him if Joel had not disappeared.
"Joel!" Mike ran through the room, which turned out to be a large maze. His reflection flowed through the mirrors as he went by. "Where are you?!"
***
Joel's surroundings appeared to melt around him as the brilliant light began to vanish. He looked down to find himself standing on a marble floor. A glass chandelier dangled from the ceiling.
"Mike?" Joel's voice echoed throughout the room. He looked around him. Mike was nowhere to be seen. Joel placed a hand on the hilt of his sword as he walked forward. His heels clicked against the floor, and the hollow noise reverberated across the area.
"Well, well...it's the weaker rebel."
Joel looked forward and gasped. The goblin he had faced at Zenan Bridge was standing before him.
"I haven't forgotten how much trouble you gave me. But without your friend to protect you, you're mine!"
***
"JOEL!" Mike was too tired to run any longer. He collapsed in front of a large mirror. He had tried to stay calm, but losing Joel in a maze was too much for him to handle. He fell completely to the ground, hyperventilating.
"Michael." A female voice came from behind him. "You must be lonely all by yourself. Come with us."
Mike glanced at the mirror in front of him. He pushed himself onto his knees and whirled around when he saw who was behind him.
"Mom? Dad?" Mike stood and approached the two cautiously. He was scared to be in a strange place without Joel, but happy that his parents were safe.
Or were they?
"There's nothing to worry about." Mike's mother extended her hand to him. "Go on, take my hand."
Mike inched his trembling hand towards his mother's. He was shocked to feel human flesh against his hand.
"You see? I'm real, not a ghost. Now, come with us."
"To where?" Mike asked.
Mike's father, who had snuck up behind him, applied a chokehold to his son. "To hell!"
There was a flash of light as the monsters that had impersonated Mike's parents reverted to their true forms.
"Foolish boy. You followed the anguish in your heart right into our trap." The monster behind Mike continued to choke him as the second tied Mike's hands together. "You should feel honored we're going to let you watch your friend die before we kill you."
***
The goblin's laughter echoed throughout the chambers. "Ignorant rebel. Didn't you remember water magic doesn't affect me?"
"No problem," Joel said as he drew his sword. "I'll take care of you by hand."
The goblin drew its broadsword. "Shut up and let your steel do the talking."
Joel swung his sword at the goblin, who parried his blow. Out of the corner of his eye, Joel noticed two monsters dragging Mike into the room.
Joel temporarily abandoned his battle stance. "Mike! You're all right!"
"Got you!" The goblin took advantage of Joel's momentary lapse of defense. With a firm swing towards the hilt of Joel's sword, the goblin sent the sword to the floor. It landed a few inches away from Joel with a loud clatter.
Joel slowly backed away from the goblin. He cast a desperate glance at Mike.
"I don't care what happens to me!" Mike cried. "Just get yourself out!"
"No! I can't leave you here!" Joel objected.
"Just go!" One of the goblins then cuffed Mike across the face. The impact caused Mike's pendant to sparkle. Beams of red light shot across the room.
"Impossible!" one monster cried. "How can a non-Mystic possess a relic from the Magic Realm?!"
"Forget that!" the other shouted. "What's with the light?!"
The goblin stopped in his tracks. "It is a sign that Lavos will come soon."
"I have a bad feeling about this," one of the monsters stated. "Let's go!" The monsters shoved Mike to the floor before running away.
The pendant shone for a little while longer before fading. However, that was ample time for Joel and Mike to acquire new powers from it. Joel did not hesitate to take advantage of his new ability.
"Crescent Freeze!" Joel threw his right arm forward and sent a torrent of water at the goblin. The goblin laughed when he saw it was another water spell, but immediately stopped when it was encased in a block of ice. The ice shattered, taking several pieces of the goblin along with its shards.
"What was that?!" Mike said in shock. He lifted his arms so that Joel could cut the rope binding them with his sword.
"It seems your necklace awakened some other powers between us. The goblin said it's shining like this because Lavos is coming."
Mike pushed himself up. "If that's the case, we'd better hurry."
Their surroundings melted around them a final time before transporting them inside of a Gothic cathedral. An inverted pentagram had been painted on the cobblestone floor. Four caldrons of fire stood at the compass points of the circle. Five triangular black candles had been placed at the points of the pentagram.
A man clad in black wizard's robes materialized before the pair. His long blue hair cascaded down his back. His narrow blue eyes flashed red when he saw them.
Mike reached for his rod. "The Great Magus, I presume?"
The sorcerer nodded. "I must commend you on coming this far. You are the first humans to pass through the Magic Cave."
Mike's pendant began to sparkle. Magus gasped in shock.
"That pendant! How come you--" The glass in the windows cracked as the ground began to shake violently. "
"Don't wake up now!" Magus cried.
A giant blue portal materialized above the three. Magus glared at Mike.
"You! If only you hadn't shown up!" he snarled.
A howling wind blew as the three were sucked into the portal. Shards of glass fell from the windows as the earthquake grew in intensity. The portal then vanished, leaving no trace of them or their whereabouts.