256 THE LION THE WITCH THE WARDROBE
The cool evening breeze carried the faint scent of blooming flowers, and the stars began to dot the night sky. They settled onto the roof, drinks in hand, ready for another one of their long, meandering conversations.
As they sat under the stars, Leo noticed the troubled look on Rabama's face. "What's bothering you, friend?" he asked, leaning forward.
Rabama hesitated before moving closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Do you remember the secret place behind the waterfall?"
"Of course," Leo replied as his curiosity was piqued.
"Well… I've been keeping Hanna imprisoned there," Rabama admitted.
Leo raised an eyebrow. "That's a clever hiding spot. No one would ever think to look there."
"That's what I thought," Rabama said, his voice tinged with frustration. "But the problem is, Hanna's been trying to contact players wirelessly—any player—from inside her fucking cage. Eventually, she's going to get through to someone, and they'll find out where she is."
Leo frowned. "Then you need to move her to a safer location."
"That's the issue," Rabama sighed. "The waterfall is already the most remote place in Eoloth I could find. I don't know where else to hide her without leaving Eoloth."
Leo's eyes lit up with an idea. "What if you moved her into a magic realm?"
Rabama's face brightened for a moment before falling again. "A magic realm? That's brilliant… but I don't have one."
"I do, it's a magic realm that I keep some random but important stuff," Leo said simply.
Rabama's eyes widened. "Really?"
Leo nodded, his tone growing serious. "I'll handle the magic realm, but there's one condition: you can't tell anyone about it—not even your wife. The realm is… not exactly kosher. If people found out, there could be serious consequences."
Rabama's eyes widened slightly, but he quickly nodded in understanding.
"Oh, of course. Your secret is safe with me. But where do you plan to place the entrance to the realm?"
Leo thought for a moment, then replied, "In your secret cave behind the waterfall. No one knows about it, and it's the perfect spot—hidden and secure."
Rabama clapped Leo on the back, his earlier worries melting away.
"You're a true friend, Leo. I won't forget this." His voice was filled with gratitude, and for the first time in a while, he felt a sense of relief.
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Leo and Yun-Yun together with Rabama made their way through the cascading waterfall in Eoloth, the cool mist clinging to their clothes as they entered the hidden cave.
Inside, Hanna sat in her cage, her eyes narrowing as she saw them approach. She hissed like a cornered animal, her voice sharp and venomous.
"Why have you come here?" she spat, glaring at Leo.
Leo stepped forward, his expression calm but firm. "I came to free you, of course. You won't be staying in this cage any longer."
Hanna's eyes widened, a flicker of hope breaking through her anger. "Really? You're freeing me?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"From the cage," Rabama added with a smirk, earning a scowl from Hanna.
Yun-Yun paid little attention to the conversation and instead focused on surveying the area in the cavern behind the waterfall.
Her eyes eventually landed on a large wardrobe tucked at the back of the cave. She approached it, running her fingers along its ornate frame.
"Where should we place the door?" Leo asked Yun-Yun.
Yun-Yun glanced around the chamber, her gaze sharp and calculating. After a moment, she nodded.
"This is perfect," she said decisively.
She stepped forward, opened the wardrobe door, and with a graceful wave of her hand, revealed its interior.
The wardrobe was spacious but completely empty.
"What are you planning to do with an empty wardrobe?" Rabama chimed in, his tone lighthearted.
"I originally bought this to store Hanna's clothes, but I guess there's no need for that now—she doesn't wear clothes anymore, hahaha!" He laughed at his own joke, but Yun-Yun remained serious.
"We'll place the gate inside the wardrobe," she stated matter-of-factly.
"The wardrobe? Why?" Leo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's the best spot in this chamber to conceal a magical entrance," Yun-Yun explained. "I can cast an illusion on the wardrobe to hide the portal."
Without waiting for further questions, she began weaving a spell, her hands moving in intricate patterns as she chanted under her breath.
When she finished, Leo stepped forward and anchored the entrance to his dungeon into the wardrobe. A shimmering magic portal materialized inside, its surface rippling like liquid light.
Rabama's eyes widened in astonishment as he stared at the glowing gateway.
"Wow, is that it? A magic door inside a wardrobe?" he asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and amusement.
Then, with a playful grin, he added, "Where's the Lion and the Witch?"
Leo chuckled, recognizing the reference to the Earth fantasy classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
"Well, we've got the witch," Leo replied, gesturing toward Hanna.
"Where is the lion?" Rabama asked curiously.
"The lion … would need to be replaced with… hounds," Yun-Yun added dryly.
"You watched that movie in 1982?" Leo asked, surprised.
"We have libraries for children's books," she replied curtly, her tone leaving no room for further discussion.
Rabama laughed, shaking his head in admiration. "This is a fantastic idea. Nobody would ever think to open this wardrobe, even if they stumbled in here by accident."
"Even if they do, the illusion on the wardrobe will conceal the entrance to most people," Yun-Yun added confidently.
"Your wife is really something," Rabama said, his voice filled with genuine appreciation.
"Now, let's bring her in," Leo said, turning to Hanna.
Together, they guided her through the shimmering magic portal. As they stepped through, the scene shifted dramatically.
Gone was the damp, dark cave. Instead, they found themselves in a vast, sprawling rose garden. The air was fragrant with the scent of blooming flowers, and the space was bathed in soft, golden light.
"A rose garden? How romantic," Rabama remarked, looking around in awe.