The Taste of Seduction

Especially with getting the next clue from the leprechauns so they can get over with this quickly.

As they stepped inside, the air grew thick with the smell of damp earth and the sound of trickling water echoed throughout the caverns. The walls were lined with glittering gold coins and precious gemstones, and the distant laughter of leprechauns could be heard from deep inside.

They could tell that the leprechauns were male and that wherever they were, they were enjoying or conversing with each other. Austin looked at the two and shook his head, talking to them in a hushed tone.

"They may be jolly, but once they feel threatened, they will not hesitate to attack. Let me do the talking instead, yeah? I have what they want right here."

Atlas and Meredith nodded. As he held her hand while they walked, he gave it a small squeeze, reassuring Meredith that he will protect her at all costs just in case something happens.

The trio followed the tunnel, eager to discover what lay ahead. Suddenly, a tiny figure appeared before them. It was a leprechaun with a mischievous grin and a glint in his eye.

"Top of the morning to ya!" the leprechaun exclaimed, a hint of sarcasm in the tone of his voice. "What brings you here in our cave?" he asked, Atlas and Meredith looking at Austin as they followed what he said, letting him do all the talking.

"We\'re friends of Maxwell," he said, the tiny leprechaun arching a brow at them.

"A friend of Maxwell?" There was incredulity in his voice. "Prove it."

Opening his bag, Austin got a golden chalice. With Maxwell\'s initial on it, the leprechaun nodded slowly, still a bit of doubt present on the expression of his face.

"How do I know that you did not sabotage the man and took his position?"

"He told me the tale of how he found this cave and what his motive was," Austin began, a small smile on his face. "Since he only came for rare ingredients, you granted him a wish. He did not touch any pot of gold here. And we\'re the same. We need help," he added, the leprechaun not saying a word.

"Alright… but once you meet Baloobas, you hafta tell everything--why you\'re here, especially if you\'re a friend of Maxwell."

Without hesitation, Austin, Atlas, and Meredith eagerly followed the leprechaun into the cave. They could sense that something magical was about to happen, and they were excited to see what lay ahead.

As they ventured deeper into the cave, the leprechaun suddenly disappeared from sight. The trio was left alone, but they could sense a strange presence lurking in the shadows.

Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed throughout the cave, causing the ground to shake beneath their feet. The walls began to close in, and Austin, Atlas, and Meredith were trapped!

"Fuck!" Atlas exclaimed, kicking a rock near his foot. "That little weasle… he dared to--"

"Quiet!" Austin exclaimed a bit harshly, shutting him up immediately. "They\'re just testing us. Just do as I say and don\'t say or do anything to provoke them. Or else one of us may experience the man\'s curse or something worse."

With quick thinking, Austin remembered a story Maxwell had told him about a secret passageway in the cave. He searched frantically until he found a hidden lever that opened a secret door. With a sigh of relief, the trio escaped just as the walls met with a deafening crash.

"They\'re really a careful bunch, aren\'t they?" Meredith commented in a whisper, the three of them continuing onward.

As they caught their breath outside the tunnel, the leprechaun reappeared with a hearty laugh. "Ye three are quite the adventurers!" he exclaimed. "For your bravery, I will grant ye one wish each."

Atlas and Meredith just looked at him blankly. With no intention to say their wishes as they sense sarcasm in his voice, like mocking the legends, Austin just sighed and threw his hands up in the air.

"Didn\'t we just do what you want us to do? Please… just lead us to Baloobas."

"Alright," the leprechaun said, continuing to walk away with his little stubby legs. "Follow me. You\'ve passed the test, friends of Maxwell."

Soon, they were led in the middle of the cave. The moment they were inside, they could see a big hole that can let sunshine or moonlight through, illuminating the big pot of gold on a boulder. Lots of male leprechaun were seen at the side of the area, lying on piles of coins as they watched the group.

"Oi," one exclaimed, getting the attention of the other leprechaun. "Who\'re they? Up to no good, stealing our gold?"

"No," the leprechaun leading the three replied. "Friend of Maxwell, wanting to meet Baloobas. They want help."

Soon, murmurs of Maxwell echoed in the cave. There were all smiles, but soon, doubt filled their expressions when their attention went back to the group.

"Ye came looking for me?"

Despite being a leprechaun, he had a big deep voice for one. He then emerged on top of the boulder beside the pot of gold that\'s even bigger than him, his expression stern as they rarely have guests in their cave.

"Friends of Maxwell? What do they want?"

The three of them stopped in front of Baloobas. As they came face to face, Austin spoke first.

"We come in peace; we are only looking for clues on what we are looking for. The Book of Spells.

The leprechaun Baloobas looked at them condescendingly after his hesitation. Then, his voice echoed in the cave as he spoke.

"You may be a friend of Maxwell, and you may have come here with clear intentions. But whatever it is you seek, we have no intentions to--"

"I\'m willing to give these up, every single one," Austin interrupted, making all leprechauns gasp in surprise when he showed him the content of his bag. "But in exchange, a clue leading to the book. Please…"