Woke Something Up
Before Ivy could respond, the low rumble became a sudden crack! A blinding surge of light burst from the tree, the ornaments exploding in a cascade of glittering sparks. The room lit up like a thousand firecrackers had gone off at once.
“Down!” Roman yelled, diving behind a nearby rock. Jas and Ivy dropped to the ground, shielding their faces from the brilliant display.
And then, just as suddenly as it started, it was over. The room plunged back into darkness, save for the faint glow of the crystals on the walls. The once-magnificent tree now stood charred and smoking, its branches reduced to spindly black sticks.
For a moment, no one spoke. The silence was broken only by the sound of Jas’s flashlight clattering to the ground as they started to laugh.
“What is wrong with you?” Roman snapped, peering cautiously over his rock.
“I’m sorry!” Jas wheezed, tears streaming down their face. “It’s just… did we really come all the way down here… just to blow up a Christmas tree?”
Ivy, still sitting on the ground, let out a snort that quickly turned into full-blown laughter. She clutched her stomach, gasping for air. “This… this is what we get for messing with ancient holiday traditions!”
Roman tried to keep his scowl, but the corners of his mouth twitched. “You two are unbelievable.” But then, a chuckle escaped him, and soon all three were laughing so hard they could barely breathe.
They sat there, surrounded by the smoky remains of the tree and the faint hum of the crystals, their laughter echoing off the cavern walls. For a moment, the weight of the world above them didn’t matter.
Finally, wiping tears from her eyes, Ivy stood and held up the small vial she’d managed to keep in her hand through the chaos. “Well,” she said, still grinning, “at least we got this.”
Roman groaned. “If that thing explodes next, I’m out.”
“Fair,” Ivy said, slipping it into her pocket. “But something tells me this is just the beginning.”
As they climbed back up the spiral staircase, the laughter still lingered in their voices. Whatever they’d stumbled into, they’d face it together.