After coffee and getting properly dressed, we teleported to the waypoint Gilded had set up yesterday, but... there was no trace of him.
"He must have been teleported somewhere else," Llewellyn said.
Yeah. He should at least tell us where he was.
I took out my phone to text him.
Ryo: We're here. Where the hell are you?
Gilded: It was too cold to stay still! And this place is creepy. I'm here I think, wait
He added a copy of the photo we took yesterday with his location circled.
Ryo: Got it. We'll try to reach you.
"What do you think Penguin?" I asked him, showing him my phone.
Penguin stared at it then chirped enthusiastically and set off.
Well, damn. I mean, he'd always been good at guiding us and he was amazing at figuring out the next move just by glancing at the board when playing Dungeons and Realms, but… this was something else.
We followed Penguin back to the three-way fork we found yesterday, and this time took the second path.
The dragon statues suddenly multiplied, if possible even taller than before. And… we ended up at a dead end.
"We should be in the right place this time," Llewellyn said, frowning. "But there's nothing here. Where the hell is he?"
"Gilded?" I called.
"Up here!" Gilded's voice came from somewhere above.
What? I looked up.
Platforms filled the space above us, all the way to the top of the cave.
What the hell.
I squinted. Gilded was up there, sitting cross-legged on one of the platforms, looking down at us, still in what looked like silk pajamas.
"How the hell did you get up there?" Llewellyn asked.
"What do you think? Magic, obviously. I tilted the gravity of the place and walked up. Want me to do it again?"
"Don't even think about it," Llewellyn said. "We can manage."
"Come up here then. There's something interesting."
Penguin chirped and activated the feather artifact, flapping upward toward Gilded.
"Hello you," Gilded told him. "It's always great to see you. Have you been well?"
Penguin chirped.
I sighed.
Llewellyn didn't look pleased, but summoned a gust of wind and wrapped an arm around my waist, lifting us smoothly to Gilded's platform.
"Where's Gléonwon?" I asked.
Gilded stood, brushing dust off his pajamas.
"He went to explore ahead while I waited for you."
The platform was larger than it looked from below, and extended into another tunnel.
"Caerwyn's mark is getting warmer," Gilded said with a grimace, showing us his wrist. "And look at what we found."
He led us into the tunnel.
Here the dragons were carved directly into the walls, which were full of reliefs showing dragons in flight, dragons with treasure, dragons breathing fire.
At the center of each scene was the same symbol on Gilded's wrist.
"Caerwyn's mark," Llewellyn said.
"Yeah, but watch." Gilded touched one of the marks.
One of the dragon's eyes lit up. Suddenly, the whole wall opened, revealing a circular chamber beyond.
In the center sat a pedestal with… nothing on it. It felt as if something should have been there though.
The pedestal itself was beautiful and made of crystal.
The itch in my chest flared while Penguin chirped in awe.
Gilded stepped into the room first. The moment he crossed the threshold, his tattoo flared bright gold. He yelped, grabbing his wrist.
"What—" Llewellyn said.
"I have no idea! I already explored this room before you two came here and nothing like this happened!"
The golden light from Gilded's wrist exploded outward, filling the chamber. I grabbed Llewellyn's arm as the air itself seemed to thicken and swirl.
"What the hell did you do?" Llewellyn demanded.
"Did I look like I did anything?!" Gilded said. "I just want to live in peace! What is this bullsh—"
The light condensed, pulling itself together into a… human figure.
The person who appeared in front of us was massive, with white hair, an immaculate beard and sparkling eyes, and was wearing something that looked like… tweed.
"Well, well, well!" The figure's voice boomed. "Finally! It's been some time."
Damn.
Wasn't that Caerwyn?!
Next to me Llewellyn had gone still too.
Gilded stumbled backward, clutching his wrist. "I didn't mean to—"
"Didn't mean to?" Caerwyn said, looking in great spirits. "I appreciate it regardless. My boy, those are interesting pajamas. Is that silk?"
"They're—yes," Gilded fumbled, looking like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Excellent choice. Now then." Caerwyn's gaze swept the room. The joy left his face.
He moved to the pedestal, then looked around again.
"They took it all," he said. "I bet it was those two." He sighed. "But where did they put them?"
"Those two… who?" Llewellyn tried cautiously.
"The young scholar and his lover," Caerwyn said. "What was his name? I think he said he was a king."
…Wait a second. Was he talking about King Eoghan and Yoon Juhyung?
But he said, 'his lover'! Wait… had they actually been lovers?!
Suddenly King Eoghan's actions made a lot more sense.
…Ah, I couldn't believe the shippers had been right again.
Penguin chirped sympathetically from my shoulder.
"Oh," Caerwyn said. "A penguin! Well, I never. Can I shake your hand?"
Penguin thought about it and extended his flipper. They shook hands.
"…"
I was so flabbergasted I didn't even know how to react.
Llewellyn also seemed baffled.
"Hello?" Gléonwon's voice said suddenly. "Are you guys here?" He poked his head in.
"A DRAGON!" Caerwyn said, his entire demeanor lighting up again. "Oh, but you're the one who's been seeking refuge in my temple! Look at you, strong and healthy. How do you find it?"
Gléonwon, who'd just come in, sat down on his paws, looking startled.
"Hello," he said. "My name is Gléonwon."
"Gléonwon!" Caerwyn said. "What a perfect name. Do you fly well? Have you started hoarding yet?"
"Ryo and Llewellyn chose my name," Gléonwon said. "They blessed me too. And I've been collecting crystals until Gilded offered me gold for them."
"Good," Caerwyn said. "A dragon needs a proper hoard. It's essential for their development. Though crystals are a sophisticated choice. And setting up a business? That's definitely new." He scratched his beard.
Before any of us could say anything, Gilded cut in.
"Look," he said, clearly unimpressed with Gléonwon's crystal-for-gold capitalist venture, even though he was the biggest—and only—beneficiary at this point. "I'm glad everyone's having a nice chat. But can someone explain to me why I'm marked and trapped here?!"
"Trapped?" Caerwyn frowned. "That shouldn't be happening. What do you mean trapped? Let me see that mark."
"I get teleported back here as soon as I try to leave!" Gilded said, though he did reluctantly extend his wrist. The dragon tattoo was still glowing.
"Ah," Caerwyn said. "Well."