Despite our efforts, the rest of the group acted like they are in a trance.
The room is getting hotter in which, in my desperation, I took my Buddhist staff and struck each of them on the head, knocking them out cold.
I'm sorry, everyone! It's for a good cause!
After knocking them out cold, Sly hurriedly took their bodies and placed it on a makeshift sled.
Sly piled them together while I took everyone's bags and placed it on the sled.
After that, Sly pulled the sled while I walked beside him, glancing around as I tried to find an exit as I didn't saw an exit while I was roaming around earlier.
Wait!
The seeds!
I was about to ask Sly if he took it when he gave me a grin, telling me that he already placed everything earlier inside his magic bag.
While we kept on trying to find an exit, he asked me why i took the sacks filled with insignificant stuff on it than the treasures.
I told him that the sacks contains stuff that is worth more than the treasures they took. He looked surprised then exclaimed that he didn't expect my answer and now he's curious of what makes it more valuable.
Though I admitted that I wasn't sure but what the sacks contained are seeds which can grow stuff that may be edible for us to eat. Also, there's a possibility that they may not so I have to do an experiment on them first before cultivating everything.
He was about to ask me about cultivation when suddenly, flames began to appear on the walls.
Now both of us are panicking.
Sly tried his best to pull the sled as fast as he can while I'm running around like a headless chicken on trying to find an exit of some sorts.
Wait.
How stupid of me!
My Buddhist staff!
I remembered that I can also use the Buddhist staff to break magical seals and locks. Also, I can use it to uncover hidden passages or doors that are covered by magic or spells.
But how to do that?
The flames are getting stronger in which I tried to hit the walls that has no fire yet on them.
Whack! Whack! Whack!
Sly somehow understood whatever I'm doing as he helpfully tried to find walls that has no fire yet on it.
Whack! Whack! Whack!
Someone groaned in which Sly, after taking a deep breath, punched them on the face in which they became silent.
I do hope for his sake that it's not Lion.
Whack! Whack! Thud!
What's that?
A thud?
Using my entire strength fueled by adrenaline, I struck the wall that sounded with a thud and suddenly, a door revealed itself to us.
The door looked suspicious but it's either go inside door or let ourselves be burned to death.
When I opened the door, all I can see is the presence of darkness. Like you can touch and feel it because of its thickness.
Sly insisted that he should go inside first which I agreed as I'm pushing the back of the sled as he looked like he is having a hard time pulling it.
With an almighty push, Sly and the sled with the rest of the pack and our bags on it, went through the darkness.
After awhile, I tried calling out to him but there was no answer.
Oh, I am so dead.
Well, here goes nothing as I might have a chance to live if I go through it than being burned to death.
With that thoughts as I held my Buddhist staff tightly with both of my hands, I yelled several curses then jumped into the darkness.
It feels cold.
....
When I opened my eyes, I'm inside a dilapidated room. It's a bit dark though my Buddhist staff thankfully started glowing.
I should not think of scary stuff.
I wonder where Sly is?
My voice trembled as I hesitantly tried to call Sly while I slowly tried to find an exit of some sorts.
This is so creepy.
Sudden thoughts of Ghost telling me about the undead started to fill my mind in which I started to cry silently and tried to recite all sorts of Buddhist mantras for my own protection.
I can feel a cold breeze surrounding me in which I increased the volume of my voice in reciting the Buddhist mantras.
It's still dark but somehow, the Buddhist staff grew more brightly and I can now see a bit of my surroundings.
I'm currently in a hallway that seemed ancient looking as the walls shows the decay and numerous missing sections.
Thankfully, I did not see any skeletons around although I seemed to hear someone calling my name very faintly.
Now I'm FREAKING out!
Where is Sly?!
Tears flowed down my face as I spoke the Buddhist mantras loudly, making the Buddhist staff glow even brighter.
I don't know if I should be happy that I can see better because of it or terrified that it glowed even brighter as it may indicate the presence of bad spirits or other evil beings.
I do hope that I won't meet any demons though.
And the undead.
Something seems to whisper my name into my ear that I glanced around to see miniature sized Sly flying beside my ear.
I didn't scream this time but I fainted instead.
....
My head hurts.
I rubbed my head as I slowly sat up while holding the Buddhist staff tightly with my other hand.
I must be hallucinating.
Is this what they meant by trying to distinguish reality from hallucination?
The miniature Sly tried to land on my shoulder, freaking me out that I started to hyperventilate.
Breath in, breath out.
I AM DEFINITELY FREAKING OUT RIGHT NOW!
Despite trembling with fear, I stared at the miniature Sly walking on my shoulder towards my neck.
I'm definitely hallucinating right now but the miniature Sly looks kind of cute though.
He sat down beside my neck in which I can feel him hugging my neck.
Okay.
I know that this is a hallucination but it somehow feels real.
And it's so cute.
Oh, well. I should probably humor my hallucination. At least I won't feel alone now as I will try to find the exit and the real Sly.....
Wait.
What did the miniature Sly said?
I was too engrossed with my thoughts earlier that I didn't hear what the miniature Sly is talking about.
He must've noticed me looking confused as he flew beside my ear and told me that he's my Ember.
What the...
Sly???
It's real?!
I began to sob as I tenderly held him on the palm of my hand.
Between sobs, I tried to ask him what happened.
He told me that when he went inside the door, he stepped on something that immediately turned him into this size. He can hear me calling him but can't see me as it was too dark earlier. He tried to follow me but since he's small, it took him sometime to reach me.
I told him that I'm glad to see him and that we should try to find the exit together.
Oh, wait.
Where are the others?
Sly looked horrified as it's clear that he forgot about them.
We went back to the door in which I saw the rest of the group still unconscious.
In miniature sizes.
Now, how on earth should I carry them all without squashing them?
I can't place them inside a bag or else they might suffocate.
I glanced down at my chest in which I suddenly have an idea though quite embarrassing but desperate times calls for desperate measures.
My face turned red as I tried not to look at Sly as I told him that I would place him between my....
He didn't complain though I noticed that he is unusually quiet.
Since he is very safe now, I tried to find a way where to tuck the rest of the group. I don't have any pockets and all our magical items are inside our bags.
Of course since everyone turned miniature, our bags turned miniature as well.
I removed the scarf from my head and made it into some sort of a sling bag which I placed everyone and everything inside.
If they return back to their normal sizes, they would definitely have bruises but at least they are still alive.
As for Sly, he seemed too quiet that I asked him if he's comfortable with his current location or he wants to move....
No, he doesn't want to move and assured me that he's extremely comfortable in his current spot.
Okay then.
Now that Sly and the rest of the group are here with me, I feel less afraid.
Even though they are all miniatures and it's up to me to protect them.
I hope that I won't meet any undead or demons while trying to find the exit.
....
I met several traps while trying to find another door. I nearly fell into a hole that seemed like an endless abyss that is staring at me.
Also there are plenty of spikes that suddenly appeared from the ground that nearly wounded me.
Since after that incident, I used the end of the Buddhist staff to touch the floor in front of me before walking towards it.
Of course, I nearly got squashed by several pieces of the ceiling that suddenly fell down.
Where's the exit?!
I know that we are underneath the surface and that is why I tried to find a door, portal, ladder, anything just to get out of this cursed place.
I hit the floor and the walls like a mad woman as I'm desperate to get out of this place before meeting any strange creature or being.
Sly is helpful to me as he kept me from going around in circles. He didn't talk much but continued to snuggle towards me, making me feel embarrassed though I soon got used to it.
If you think about it, it kind of looks cute seeing him tucked safely between my...
Oh, wait!
I have to check the others if they are awake.
No, they are still unconscious but at least they are alive.
Though I can hear all sorts of groaning from them.
....
Finally, after a long time of trying to find an exit, I finally found a tunnel that led me to the surface.
Ah!
Fresh air!
But when I glanced around, we are not at the ruins anymore.
We are in some kind of an oasis.
But I don't want to go back so yeah, I'm definitely staying here.
And it's definitely not a mirage as I can still see the tunnel.
After checking the entire place, Sly told me that it's safe in which I removed the sling bag and placed the rest of the group in a comfortable position.
They looked so cute while they are sleeping.
As for Sly, he seemed reluctant to leave his spot though I told him that I have to take a bath while the rest of the group are still sleeping.
If he wants to sleep then he can lie down beside...
No, he doesn't want to sleep and he insisted that he will keep watch in case there's enemies around.
Really.
Oh, well.
He's my mate after all and there's no reason for me to be shy around him as he already saw my entire body plenty of times before.
After removing my clothes, I slowly submerged my body into the water that feels cool and comfortable to me.
Sly kept flying above my head that I told him to sit on my shoulder in which he did.
While I rested my back against a boulder, I started talking to him about all sorts of things while he listened.
I don't know why but somehow this oasis reminded me of a memory.
I asked Sly if I had been to an oasis before in case I must've forgotten a memory.
Sly looked puzzled in which he began to murmur all sorts of stuff when suddenly, he became alert.
Surprised at his sudden reaction, I asked him why he became alert and if there's presence of enemies around.
He realized that he's scaring me that he reassured me that it's nothing like that.
He flew towards my face and gave me a kiss then asked me about the memory I had.
I told him that I had a memory of being in an oasis before though I don't recall being with someone at that time.
With a chuckle, I admitted that it seemed ridiculous as I'm always with them almost all the time.
Sly stared at me with an indescribable look in his eyes as he persuaded me to tell him more about the memory.
I apologized to him that I don't recall anything else at the moment except that I seemed to run at an endless desert with a single oasis.
That's all.
The memory is strange.
Suddenly, Sly seems to grunt in pain that he stopped flying that I hurriedly caught him with my hands.
Soon, I can hear all sorts of groans from where I left the rest of the group.
Ah.
The spell must be wearing off.
Sly panted in pain in which he slowly grew bigger and bigger that I placed him on the ground as he was getting heavier for me to carry him.
Despite him panting in pain, he gave me a grin in which he told me that he likes the feeling of being carried by me.
I can see the rest of the group returning to their regular size in which I saw Lion trying to find me.
Now that Sly is back to his regular size, he called Lion in which he glanced towards us.
His eyes widened when he saw us and he hurriedly ran towards me.
He immediately carried me in his arms as he nuzzled me all over while asking me why I wasn't wearing any clothes.
Um.
I was so distracted seeing Sly returning to his normal size that I forgot that I was in the middle of bathing.
Sly and I told him that it is a long story in which Lion removed his clothes and told us to tell him about it as he wants to join me in bathing.
At the end, everyone joined us in bathing though Lion covered Deus and Khamsin's eyes with a cloth.
They kept complaining that it's kind of ridiculous since the others did not cover their eyes, making the rest of the pack laugh while reminding them smugly that they are my mates.
As for Bubu, she was placed under a sleeping spell by Lion as she started biting everyone, except me.
She made a mistake of trying to bite Lion that he instantly placed her under a sleeping spell.
She looked like she is having a good dream though.
Sly told everyone everything that happened, starting at the time when both of us saw that they are all under a spell in which Lion had a horrified look on his face upon hearing it.
I laughed as I told them that they looked so cute in their miniature sizes.
Of course, I didn't tell them where I placed Sly while we were trying to find an exit.
It will be our secret.
I glanced at him in which he gave me a subtle smile that seems to say that both of us are thinking the same thing.
I snuggled towards Lion in which he placed me on his lap, embracing me while giving me a kiss on the forehead.
He told me that he's so proud of everything I did and thanked me for keeping him safe.
The rest of the group thanked me in which I felt embarrassed and told all of them to thank Sly also, much to his amusement.
After a bit of bantering, the group suddenly became cheerful in which several bottles of liquor appeared and they all started to drink.
Lion gave me a drink from his bottle of liquor in which I exclaimed that I liked the taste as it doesn't taste weird at all.
Everyone had a confused look in their faces in which Alpha asked me what I meant by that.
I told them that by tasting the liquor, I was reminded of the alcoholic beverages I had back in my previous world.
Of course, the pack especially Lion got interested, as they already tasted the cocktails I made for them.
Also Sly, as he was impressed with the liquor that I made for him that made him drunk after tasting it.
Since Deus and Khamsin kept asking questions, Ghost and Alpha told them that I'm good in making special beverages in which they pleaded with me to make them some also.
I told them that I will but not right now as I'm exhausted from earlier.
After saying that I'm exhausted, I began to feel sleepy in which I closed my eyes as I felt Lion holding me tightly with one of his arms.
I was almost asleep when I heard Sly whispering to Lion, something about me recalling some of my memories.
What did he mean by that?
Lion asked him what I managed to recall in which Sly told him about what I said.
After a pause, Lion mentioned something about his suspicion being correct and that they are almost finished trying to solve the puzzle.
Are they trying to investigate something?
Those were the last thoughts I have as I finally fell asleep.
