Hannah's POV:
Today, I'm finally going to face what's been haunting me for so long. The bottom level of the mines. The last stretch of this nightmare to get the stupid Skull Key, retrieve the Prismatic Shard, and put an end to this madness once and for all. I need to do this—not just for Stardew Valley, but for Abigail's safety. She doesn't know it, but that's what this all boils down to. I'm not sure why she's the only person who's managed to crawl under my skin and become someone I care about. I've never had a friend like her before, not someone who just accepts me, flaws and all. After everything she's been through, she still knows how to love, how to smile through the hardest moments. And that, somehow, has made me promise to keep her safe. Even if she doesn't understand it.
For the town, I'm doing this research to keep us all safe. Marlon warned me about the monsters lurking under the town's surface—the witch, the beasts, the dark magic that needs to be sealed away. I owe it to them, and I owe it to my farm. My grandfather gave me the opportunity of a lifetime when he left me this land. I can't fail him, either.
I step outside with a basket of food in hand, my sword at my side. Then, I stop dead in my tracks. A large, glass-walled building has appeared in the empty field of my farm overnight. It wasn't there yesterday. I furrow my brows, confused.
I approach it, heart skipping a beat. There's a small gravel pathway leading to a wooden door. I pull it open, and the sight inside nearly takes my breath away. A greenhouse. The floor is mostly taken up by a patch of rich, fertile soil, and two lanterns in the back promise warmth and light once the sun dips below the horizon. I smile, almost disbelieving. This changes everything.
As I step inside to take it all in, my eyes catch a small, golden piece of paper tucked among the vines. The writing on it is familiar—Junimo script. "Thank you."
I smile, tucking the note into my pocket. I don't know if the Junimos are the ones responsible, but I'm certain this greenhouse will make all the difference. With that thought, I turn to leave, determined to get to the mines and finish what I started.
I head down the back road, trying to keep the large Katana hidden as best I can—only Linus is around, and I'd prefer to avoid the gossip. But before I reach the mines, I hear a voice.
"Hannah!"
I freeze, heart skipping a beat. It's Abigail, jogging toward me, face flushed but set with determination. She stops in front of me, hands on her hips.
"Hannah," she says, sternly, "You're not going alone this time. Not for me."
My gut twists. "Abigail, I've been in these mines countless times. Why are you even here?" I ask, taken aback. "How did you even know I was coming?"
Abigail pauses for a moment, her lips tight with frustration. "Alex stopped by Sebastian's earlier. He didn't know I was there, but he told him everything. He doesn't understand why you're doing this for me, but I do. And I'm not letting you go down there alone."
A deep sigh escapes me. The clock is ticking, and the last thing I need right now is this conversation. I roll my eyes, irritated. "Why would Alex tell Sebastian?"
Abigail's eyes flash with desperation. "He thought Sebastian was the only one you'd listen to."
Ouch.
"Well, considering it's just you here, I'm still going, and you're not." I stick my tongue out at her, but then I see a silhouette at the entrance to the mines. Great. I know who that is before he even comes fully into view—a cigarette hanging from his lips.
"Really?" I gesture toward Sebastian, but keep my eyes on Abigail, who hasn't moved.
Abigail's eyes don't waver. "You're doing this to protect me, and that's why you're not going alone. I don't care how much you underplay it."
I cross my arms, feeling the irritation rise. "You are not risking your life for me. At least I'm used to it," I snap, the words bitter on my tongue.
"Then why should I let you risk your life for me?" Abigail counters, her voice louder now, more desperate.
I open my mouth to argue, but before I can, Sebastian's voice cuts through, dark and guarded. "As much as I wish this conversation were going somewhere, Hannah, are you really going to let her go down there? 'Cause the only way to stop her is by not going."
I swallow hard. His words hit like a punch.
"I have to do this," I say, the weight of it settling on my chest. "I've got ten more levels to go, then I'll have that stupid key, and this nightmare can end. I didn't ask either of you to come. I didn't even mean to tell Alex, but since everyone keeps prying—yeah, this is a lot on me, mentally, but I've been down there before. I've faced worse. But you're not prepared, Abigail, and I won't let anything happen to you."
I wince, realizing how emotionally charged I just got.
Abigail doesn't flinch. In fact, she steps forward, her eyes filled with fire. "I'm not going in there to save you, Hannah. I'm going because you're not going into the dark alone. This town, me, everyone—yeah, you were chosen by the Junimos or whatever, but half of this is for me. And I could never forgive myself, nor would Sebastian, if something happened to you."
I glance over at Sebastian, his face unreadable, his eyes on the ground, staring at the cigarette butt he crushed with his boot. He doesn't say anything. His silence speaks volumes.
"Fine. We're wasting daylight." I throw my hands up in frustration. "Come on."
Sebastian looks at Abigail, disbelief flickering in his eyes. "You're really going down there, huh?"
Abigail nods, nonchalant. "I brought bombs and food."
I raise an eyebrow. "You've been preparing for this, huh?"
She shrugs. "I've been reading about the mines since grade school."
I blink, surprised by her level of preparedness.
"Well, I guess I'll come too," Sebastian mutters with a resigned sigh.
"Great," I mutter, now doubly worried.
Sebastian smirks, though there's no real humor in it. "It would be nice to die." His voice is hollow.
Abigail rolls her eyes. "You need therapy."
We all step onto the elevator together. I press the button for floor 110. As the metal doors close, I can't shake the feeling that this isn't going to go how I expect
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