Gwenika

Gwenika awakened to a golden light. The wisps of a beautiful dream, a dancing maiden more brilliant than the sun, tingled at the edges of her mind.

She was still in the cave, but she appeared to be alone except for a glowing ball of yellow light that hovered in front of her.

Come with me.

Gwenika couldn’t stand in the cave, so she crawled after the puff of light through the catacombs. At last, the unhewn rocks in the floor tilted up an incline. Gwenika crawled faster. Soon she realized the ceiling was tall enough that she could stand, so she did. The glow puff didn’t wait. She hurried after it.

Pale as it was, the moonlight stabbed her eyes when she first emerged from the cave. She recognized where she stood—the center of the Stone Hedge.

Tavaedies dressed in elaborate costumes stood in between the large monoliths. Most of them stood in shadow, except for one, who held a torch.

He called aloud to her in a sepulchral voice, “Follow the brightest light you see.”