[Murdoc Niccals]

Tʜᴇ ꜰɪɴᴀʟ ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟ!
❝ This is the last crystal before your hero can face the evil! Please tell me they can find it, or this whole thing will be a bust. ❞

"So you spent and entire night at a witch's house for something that tasted like-"

"Listhen! I don't want to talk about it!" Corneria gave a sigh, her ears pinned back against her head.

Castor sighed. "I was slightly worried when you didn't come back. At least she didn't like, skin you for some weird spells or something..." Castor tutted, checking the ink on his spellbook. All charged for the day. "But, I got to meditate and prepare my spells, so that's a plus to this whole debacle."

"I'm pretty sure all that potion did was taste bad..." Corneria shivered. She could still taste the foul taste of that thing...

The chattered away as they followed the path, making small note of how the weather seemed to be getting foul. Again, they reached a more spacious part of the Coves, where pillars rose from the ocean. It was quite scenic, if there wasn't an active thunderstorm raging around them.

"Ugh, I know I sensed magic here..." Castor growled, shielding his face from the driving rain.

"Lilith said it was this way too..." Corneria agreed, yelping as a lightning bolt crashed down near them.

They tried to concoct a game plan in the interim, hiding in the Cove's many caves from the rain and thunder. Eventually, they had their plan. Castor made a mage shield above them and they ran towards the highest peak, wading through the water towards the worn stone steps. The thunder didn't hit them, but the steps were slippery with algae and water, making Corneria shiver as her paws had to touch cold, wet seaweed. Ick.

The top of the structure was flat, with the crystal right there! Corneria and Castor blinked, looking at each other. Castor reached out, but pulled his hand away when he touched the crystal. "It's electric!" he yelped, nursing his hand.

Corneria felt bold, though. She decided to grab, and then pull. For some reason, she couldn't feel the same shock Castor did. Was it... the potion? Something to ground electricity that was, no doubt, coursing through her at this very moment. Letting go, she touched it. No shocks. That actually helped when she started to wrestle the crystal from where it was kept, pulling it out in a spray of small quartz crystals. Immediately, the lightning stopped and the rain started to let up.

Crystal get!

[**Snowwhisper**]

Prompt Sixteen:

"Tʜᴇ ꜰɪɴᴀʟ ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟ!
This is the last crystal before your hero can face the evil! Please tell me they can find it, or this whole thing will be a bust. "

The misshapen adventures of Nadia and Avery

"I can see it!" Avery yelled to Nadia, who was waist deep in one of the glittering pools of water. She had been diving down to the bottom to see if they could find the crystal. But it seemed that the crystal could only be see from the bank, so Avery was directing her mother, who was a much better swimmer than her, to where it was.

"Well that's all and well, Avery but it doesn't do me any good. Right or Left?" Nadia said sarcastically. 'This is ridiculous, she thought as Avery point left, prompting Nadia to move to the left. She took a moment to gaze around the floor of the pool before sighing again and looking farther out and as she was gazing into the water, something caught her eye. A small flash of something. She waded out a bit further before she too saw the glowing of the final crystal.

She called back at Avery, "I've found it! I'll go a grab it and then lets go!"

And with that she dove into the water, squinting as she swam deeper and deeper, the light dissipating as she swam. Finally, only the light of the of the reflecting crystal was left. Nadia's lungs were burning but she was determined to grab the stupid thing before she returned to the surface.

'Gotcha!' She thought as she grabbed it. And as she did, the light went out, and Nadia was left in darkness. She internally screamed before hightailing it out of the depths. s she broke the surface, she threw the gem to Avery and swam too shore. She pulled herself up onto the bank, gasping as she flopped onto her back, "I'm never doing that again."

[yen.]

The day was a little fuzzy when they woke up. A little blurry at the edges, the world so slightly distorted. The crystals reflected the light of the water, too bright to look at for very long. The morning was groggy; dried forest berries and bits of fish were all that was left. Under cooked, because the fire had gone out a long time ago. The only words exchanged were that of the small creatures that roamed about, chattering endlessly to each other, while the two kalons were silent as the crystals around them. This day was just another one forward, another one of fruitless searching, they both knew it. Pack up your bags, put the spare tent away. Callisto's face was blank and his mouth was shut as he put everything away, stoic as he waited for Synesthesia to figure out her armor for the 20th or 30th time. Deeper into the caves it was, always prepared because even fighting shadows had gotten boring now.
The water sang to Synesthesia today, a sweet melody that lured her in like a fish on a hook. She strayed away, winding herself through caves and tunnels, entranced by the song. It was like the night in the forest that she wandered off, guided by a song once more. The tune was almost familiar, but she just couldn't put her finger on how.
The kalon emerged into a small cave-like area, lit only by the water on the other end and the crystals throughout. There was a figure in the middle of the pond, seemingly levitating only inches above the water. Bright eyes looked down at the object it held so tenderly, as if it may shatter if held to firmly. The scene was horrifyingly familiar.
"You're back... they always come back." The figure spoke, voice still as melodious as always. "What colour is my voice, darling?"
Synesthesia was taken aback, though she answered truthfully. It's voice was red, red like a vibrant sunset.
At her reply, the stranger nodded slowly, contemplating.
"Correct."
Synesthesia felt something forming in her grasp, and looking down, she found a certain crystal in her possession.
"Off you go now."
She had so many questions, but they went unanswered. The final crystal was hers, and the journey finally begun.

[Carnations]

Prompt 16
Feat Jaden

Found in the middle of the stream on a rock.

[trans]

❝ Tʜᴇ ꜰɪɴᴀʟ ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟ! ❞

- - - - -

ᴇᴅᴇɴ, ᴡɪʏʙʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀʀɢᴀʀᴇᴛ.

- - - - -

[ ʜᴇʀᴏᴇs, ᴡᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ]

crystals loom high above the ceiling, sparkling like stars and making it a bit difficult to see. the colors blend and mix together, and you find yourself dizzy as you walk the path lilith told you about. she said it would lead you to the crystal and the potion she brewed was to help you along. it sure didnt feel like it so much now, but you still believed in her words and thanked her silently for her kindness.

"where do you think it will be?" wiyby asks, uncharacteristically uncertain, though you suppose anyone would be in your three's collective situation. this is the final crystal, as far as all of you know. you're almost done with this whole thing, finally. yet there's a lingering sense of nostalgia that doesnt really make you want to finish it. yet here you are, about to.

"i have no idea, but hopefully, somewhere in here." you reply, and the rest of the trek through the caves is silent.

once you feel near the end of the caves, you come to a crossroad. you figure one way must lead to the crystal, while the other is a dead end, meant to trick foolish adventurers.

"dont suppose you have any idea which way we're supposed to go?" wiyby remarks, though you can tell she's just as nervous as you are about all this. she was never one to cope well with anxiety or stress.

"no clue, but we'll just have to see, wont we? eden, can you take the right just fine on your own, or would you rather stay as a group?" you turn to the silvery kalon, and watch the conflict in her eyes before she slumps, nodding while clutching her wand in her tightly in her hand.

"i can manage."

"good, but if you need us... dont hesitate to ask, okay?" you reaffirm, then turn to the left cave and begin to follow the winding path. it leads deeper into the cave, until eventually the path becomes nothing but patches of dirt, worn down by the few previous footsteps of those who dared walk this far inside and surrounded by very small pebbles. the tunnel begins to grow dark the further you press, and you resort to throwing down glow and night owl potions at the walls and on yourselves to help light the way.

"do you really think it's here, maggie?" wiyby whispers, and you can do nothing but shrug. you arent really sure, to be honest,
but you have to believe. for the sake of the kingdom and its residence, you have to believe it is here and you will find it. that is a task you have promised to complete since day one, and you promised you wouldnt fail. you cant now, not when you're so close to the end.

it feels like another hour passes by before you see a faint glow in a small cove to the side. you're low on potions and both you and wiyby are probably exhausted to death, but you pursue, and you end up finding the crystal sitting neatly on a stand, surrounding by a birdbath filled with sparkling water. it looks harmless enough, but the bowl is burning hot to the touch, and the crystal is freezing cold. you have to use your scarf to pick it up, and even then, you quickly deposit it into your bag so you dont have to hold onto it longer than necessary.

you share a relieved look with wiyby, then turn back towards the way you came, shoulders slumped and a weird mixture of anxiety and unease, but also relief and excitement, stirring in your gut.

[Mima]

No matter how many times she experienced it, there was still something oddly foreboding hidden within the serenity of the Crystal Cove.

Salvia's quiet footsteps and the incessant drip dripping of the water through the ceiling were the only things she heard for the longest time. The dull glow of the plants on the sides of the river and the crackling embers of her lantern were her only light in the deep darkness. In the distance she could make out a faint square shape- a pedestal, an altar just like the other two had described to her. That must have been it. Her footsteps quickened.

Quietly, and then deafeningly, her own thoughts echoed in her mind.

It was as if shouting into an echo chamber within her head. Incessantly, the same observations, the same wonderings were repeated over and over again like that drip-dripping water. The dull crystals around her began to glow with unnatural light the farther she got, the louder the inside of her head got. Even from within them, she began to hear the whispers, the laughter of her own mind repeated, over and over, again and again, louder and louder each time. The shadows in the back of her mind mocked her.

Her pace slowed. She clutched her head with her paw. Her footsteps dragged. Her body crumpled. She fell to the floor, onto her hands and knees.

The darkness laughed back.

Weakly, she tried to clear her mind. But her brain kept clanging pain at the front of it. Which echoed, increased in strength, reverberated through her core. It hurt. She wanted to go home. Anything but this.

"Your own mind is your enemy."

She laughed. Her whole body focused on that thought, and she moved on, unthinking.

Her paws barely touched the crystal, pulling it from its place, before she collapsed in silence.


[309 words]

[gojo]

Username: asada Kalons used: amaru the ronin, yumi the knight, mitsuha the necromancer

wanted to clarify this art isn't for the prompt

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

story:

xxxxxxxHis stomach twisted violently and his vision was becoming hazy. In the depths of what they had though was a wasteland had creatures lingering at every turn the closer they got to the crystal. Despite the armor that he wore, Yumi still felt like he was a about to collapse from the first hit. He felt useless. He had always been the one that was dragging Amaru and Mitsuha behind. He was foolish to think that he would've been able to do this alone, he can't even do it in a team. In his daze, he watched Amaru, fighting on despite looking more beaten up than he was and he didn't even have armor on. Same went for Mitsuha, even if she had those summoned creatures to protect her.

xxxxxxxFor those few moments, all he could think about was pathetic he was, and the pain coursing through his body. "Dammit..." Yumi whispered. They were going to die here for sure, and it was all his fault. A single tear fell into his hand, followed by a few more as he sniffled. The more he thought, the more he just wanted to curl up and-

"Yumi, please!"

The sound of his comrades voice snapped him out of it. He lifted his head to see Amaru, holding the monstrous thing back with his sword while Mitsuha desperately summoned creatures to stop it. In those few moments, Yumi snatched his axe up from off of the ground and and heaved it onto his shoulder. He widened his stance, and ignored the pain in his body now. His armor was dented,
his axe was dull, and there were tears running down his fragile face. With a powerful wail, he began to run towards the creature,
its head whipping around to face him. The armor was heavy, but this was the lightest that he had ever felt. With a mighty jump,
and a swing, his blade cleaved right between the monster's eyes.

[ωolfie]

prompt sixteen

hmm...

oh look! how convenient ... the last crystal is right on top of that big crystal !! :0

hooray for last minute drawings

[✧ 花chéngzhǔ.]

xx

Day Sixteen Prompt is now over! Day Seventeen is up!

❝ We're entering the last land of our tales! It's been exciting!
I can't wait to find out how they end. ❞

Day Fifteen Winners
Art Prompt -- Panromantic [1st] // Kouhai [2nd] // Glomp [3rd]
Writing Prompt -- ♠Trollish♠ [1st] // Takk [2nd] // Sketchiimutt [3rd]

[cocogerber13]

Prompt 17



Still confused as ever, apparently