[NE0N-UMBR30N]

Prompt 13

(word count ;; 243)
Featuring these nerds
______________________________

The brown Kalon's eyes shone with delight at the sparkling rainbow colored crystals. She gasped in awe as she looked around, moving closer to one batch of them on the ground to touch it. "S-so cool!" She squeaked as her companions watched her with amusement. Her tail poofed up like a scared cat's would, except Addie's fur did it when she was really happy. Naomi chuckled at her as she darted around the cave almost like a child hopping around because they got the toy they wanted.

Castiel shared Addie's happiness at the crystals beauty, however he didn't follow her in prancing around everywhere. Instead he stood next to Naomi and looked around slowly, thankful that it was not his ability to see that he'd lost. He found beauty in nature where ever he went and he would be devastated not to be able to look at it. If he could find a piece small enough or break a small piece off he had an idea, but he couldn't seem to find any tiny pieces. He hoped he'd be able to soon though, maybe he could make someone really happy with what he had planned.

He turned his attention back to Addie who was peering closely at a crystal and smiling at the colors that ran across the floor. She was having fun and it wasn't because she was playing a prank, she was just happy looking at something pretty. That was great.

[NightFlame22]

Is it wise to be on edge in a place with no danger?

Cinna was incredibly relieved when the dark volcanic rock gave way to the cool, smooth stone of the crystal coves. She was able to relax in the clean, ash-free air, and it was nice to not have to constantly watch her step for deadly lava. The crystals growing from the walls glowed with a soft light, and their rainbow hues reflected all over the caverns. After the molten wasteland she had just endured, the coves were a beautiful paradise.

Cinna stopped at an especially clear pool to wash her paws and get a cool drink. The water was just as refreshing as it looked, and she thought she had never felt so rejuvenated. Still, as wonderful as the place was to look at, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. A beautiful cave of crystals that had barely been touched? And right before she found the water crystal? It just seemed too easy. She had a sickening feeling that something would come up sooner or later, and she dreaded to find out what.

And yet, there was no danger in sight as she wandered along the shore. All was quiet and peaceful save for the soft dripping of water. One could take a nap here without being disturbed, but maybe that was all the more disturbing. “You'd think the area surrounding the last crystal would be the most dangerous one, but this feels safer than even the village…”

Cinna’s voice echoed throughout the cave as she spoke. For a few seconds she feared that the noise would awake some beast deeper in the tunnels, but after a few tense moments of anticipation, she decided nothing was coming and continued on her way. It was unnerving; the whole caverns seemed too innocent. She had expected danger from the land furthest from civilization, and yet the opposite appeared to be true. She didn't dare let her guard down, though; she had learned that lesson from the mimic incident. And so she was constantly on edge for an attack that never came, jumping at the slightest echo of a rock grinding against the stone underfoot or the shifting of the other crystals in her pack. One might deem her paranoid, but recent experience told her to be on guard for anything. Thus she went deeper and deeper into the caves, hyper-aware of everything around her.

It was the perfect way to send a kalon spiraling into insanity.

(419 words)

[Medd]

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

probably the nicest you've been yet. Crystals everywhere, my kind of place for sure.
How does your hero feel about it? ❞

Artemis

Prompt 13
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Artemis separated from the other kalons, inhaling the fresh cavern air from the beautiful crystal surroundings. Interlocking crystals with captivating beauty remained snug in the cracks and crevices of the chipped, shadow-cast walls. Artemis had always been in touch with his environmental side. The environmental aspect of these enchanting minerals didn't dissapoint. Every individual was uniquely crafted, as if created by a professional craftsman, architect or designer. An enormous spectrum of vivid colours danced on the wall surfaces and reflected in the gently rippling water. Tranquility in motion. Artemis approached the turquoise, still water and prodded it tentatively. What followed was hypnotising to Artemis. The lapping waves followed a Mexican wave fashion of movement, passing on their energy through fleeting contact. These crystals must be priceless! Artemis concluded, giddy excitement rushing crushing along his veins at the thought of the riches to be had. Reality soon brought him back down to earth however. This stunning paradise wasn't to be tampered with. It was untouched, pure and precious. Could it even be deemed as a natural wonder of the world?

Suddenly, temporary apprehension flooded over the solitary individual with all these radiant crystals scattered around this one section of the cave, how on earth am I going to find the one we actually require? Artemis thought, with a moment of internalised horror at the thought of journeying so far to only fall at the final hurdle. A tranquil breeze comforted him slightly, allowing him to stand in silence for deep thought. Don't be ridiculous, Artemis scolded, stretching his toes into the monochrome gravel that dispersed beneath his weary feet. It'll be easy to indicate: the way they emit a powerful glow, Artemis explained to himself, finding reassurance in his self-confidence. He acknowledged that although he wasn't currently with them, Electra and Ronan would do their upmost to help find the crystal to help save Kalokairi. Perhaps they have curative properties also, Artemis suggested, approaching the crystals, which were surprisingly cold to the touch. The curious Kalon walked around the cave, admiring it's symmetry and charm. Their glossy surfaces reflected the pale moonlight that filtered into the deserted cave. He inhaled calmly and closed his eyes, sitting in the centre of the cave peacefully.

[credit]

Prompt Thirteen
Featuring ;; Link and Sunset

Since we last saw our heroes, Sunset and Link have regained quite a bit of their skills since their days of youth. They had collected quite the bounty and gathered a plethora of items and gems. Link’s favorite item by far was the fish bones he’d been able to gnaw on along the trip. Sunset rubbed his temples listening to Link crunch on the bones. “Are you ever going to stop that chewing?” he asked. Link smirked and dropped them back in his pack, “If it annoyed you so much you could’ve just asked a while back oh mighty archer” Sunset rolled his eyes. Once they made a full cycle, his ears perked in the direction of his interest. He slowly headed towards the left, letting Link continue straight forward. “Hey Sunset, how about once we find your kid we can talk about splitting the loot?” Once Link caught on to the silence in response, he quickly turned to find that his party mate was nowhere to be found. “Sunset” he called as he stood along the path.
Sunset rustled through the bushes. There was a light guiding him through to a glistening entrance lined with the most finest of gems. “L-Look at all of these minerals!! I-I think I might be in heaven!!!”

[cocoa]

Prompt 13

The team had never seen anything like the new crystal land they entered, upon leaving the blistering heat of the lavalands.

Or so was what Sen thought. (Poor Sen. Left out of the big leagues, so young...) The small, blooming potionmaster had never left home and the forest since he was a child. The same did not bode for Ragiel and Ulyana - one, a boundless adventurer (Correction: bandit), and the other, a gilded information broker who went from town to town and from natural wonder to natural horror daily in search of every scrap of information she could squeeze out of the lands. It was natural for Ulyana to have heard of the crystal caverns and their powerful magic and the travelers it attracted. Even more so, it was natural for a bandit such as Ragiel to attempt to plunder the crystals and sell them on the black market.

Ragiel shudders at the memory, staring once again at the beautiful, soft blue-rainbow glow that saturated the mute colors of the cavern. It was a relief to the eyes after the searing color of the lavalands, but equally gave him chills from his attempts to steal the crystals.

He and his bandit colleagues had taken a cart and several enchanted mining pickaxes to the caverns. They'd picked out of the prettiest, most rainbow-colored crystals and began hacking away at its base with the pickaxes. Each strike had released a terrible screeching noise into the air that had nearly made their ears bleed. But they had continued, foolishly, not heeding the caverns warning - and with each dent they placed, the spirits of the cavern grew angry, angry, oh - so terribly angry.

They'd swarmed them, brought up from the depths of the crystal that was unnaturally dark to its previous vibrant glow. The spirits were tangle, almost, their hands flying through Ragiel and the other bandit's fur, leaving a terrible chill and chunks of their fur on the cave floor when they grasped. It quickly became clear that attempting to hack off the crystal was futile - so they ran, the cavern roaring behind them, dark in its anger.

Ragiel was glad the cavern did not recognize him. After all, it did not have eyes - and after all those years, Ragiel had a soul of a different quality, if subtle, the change.

Ulyana had led them here, knowing it to be the resident of the water crystal. "Considering we found the fire crystal buried under all the lava, twenty feet under in the earth," she muttered, "we can assume that this one is in a pool of lava or fire here that has the water crystal." It made absolutely no sense, but for the displaced location of the crystals, that seemed to be the point. Sen nodded in seeming agreement, but as Ragiel snuck a glance at him, he was pretty sure he was just going through the motions.

Sen, the only one never to have been in the caverns before, stared at their surroundings with all the awe of a nature-lover (which he was). He seemed drooling to see what kind of ingredients he could gather for his potions (which he would have previously had to buy from ingredient shops, likely), and if that spot under that glowing crystal would really be as nice a place for a nap as it looked.

It was funny - the difference in their expressions, really. Sen: excited, awed; Ragiel: wary, jumpy; and Ulyana: professional, jaded. But that was just their chemistry, they supposed.

[found.]

username;; ❤ Rosette ❤
kalons being used;;
Ryean
Adeline

{271 words}

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Adeline was glad to be out of the Lavalands.
What an awful place. She recoiled at the mere thought of its broiling heat, the persistent stench of sulfur gases and ash. The pair had earned themselves many burn wounds in the place, which, as soon as they had left the Lavalands, Adeline had treated with a makeshift poultice with whatever beneficial plants she could find.
It barely served to stifle the pain, but Ryean and Adeline were glad for even a smidge of relief.

So now, they stood on the lip of an enormous cavern, laden with glittering crystals. Cassius, the dragon they had met in the Lavalands, made a great cry of excitement and slithered out of Adeline's bag. He plopped onto the ground, skillfully, and dove into the cave to get a closer look at the gems.

A wave of damp, peculiar air wafted out of the cave system. It was bone-cool, sending shivers down both adventurers' spines. Still, it was a refreshing and much welcomed change from the heat.

"It's rather beautiful," remarked Adeline. "And Cassius seems to like it."
Ryean nodded eagerly and bent to retrieve a broken shard of crystal from the cave floor. "These are stunning."

Adeline nodded in agreement and hoisted herself down. Ryean followed.

Immediately they were greeted by someone, adorned in a plague-doctor suit. Ryean and Adeline, both, were startled by such a sudden appearance. The stranger offered protective suits, and informed the pair that the caves were filled with radioactivity.

Adeline began to fidget, nervously, at the information. Surely it couldn't be worse, here, than it was at the Lavalands. Right?

[Kyar]

Daily Prompt 13 ------- 661 words

A ɴᴇᴡ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴇ!

Yushin walked steadily ahead.

Kibasha, meanwhile, seemed all but connected to her hip as Rita walked carefully alongside her companions. Arm still bound, bruises and thin gashes still scattered across her body, she moved now at a slowed pace. But she was okay.

After the fall, Kibasha and Yushin had brought her back to the makeshift town at the center of the lavalands, of course turning first to Raffi, Kibasha's favorite new ally, to find them a healer. She was told that it wasn't far, that the woman was kind and talented, but she didn't remember much. It had taken a full day before they were able to revive her, partly due to the exhaustion that had overwhelmed her by the time of the fall, but also to ensure that she didn't wake too quickly and strain herself. After all, they hadn't really known how bad her injury was.

Yushin supposed it had been about forty feet she'd fallen, hitting the sides along the way. In some ways, it seemed that had probably cushioned her fall ever so slightly. But she was rather seriously battered, and the risk of a head injury was high. For now, it seemed that all was well. Her most severe injuries healed up over the course of the three days they remained after finding the crystal having passed with her movement minimal, her recovery watched intently not only by the healer, but by her sister and Yushin as well.

Kibasha had been unusually quiet ever since her fall. Now, she glanced Rita's way almost every minute like clockwork, smiling and scanning the area as casually as she could manage. But Rita knew why. It was so obvious. Both she and Yushin were shaken by the fall, even more so than Rita was herself. It was a complete fluke, and that was the danger of trekking off the paths. She knew that. And she understood exactly what the danger could be. Even now, as she carefully followed the glistening crystal trail ahead, she knew that it wasn't without its own dangers, dangers they couldn't yet predict.

But Kibasha and Yushin… they were taking it too far. Rita felt Kibasha's eyes on her again, and she smiled to dismiss her sister. Yushin, ahead, walked with his head constantly turning from the ground to the ceiling of the cavern, scouring each wall, each turn, each pebble, it seemed like. It was honestly… too much.

She wanted to help, and she wanted to be a part of the team. Now, she might as well have been an infant. But… she didn't dare say anything. How could she? It was only because they cared, and yes, she had been hurt. But she couldn't even enjoy the beauty and serenity of the place they'd entered this morning. It was a strange journey, moving from the heat and desolation of the lavalands to the beautiful mystery of the crystal cove.

Gorgeous aquamarine waters lapped gently at the edges of countless tide pools, the cove itself teeming with a strange and delightful array of sea life, plants, animals, fish, even birds that nearly defied reason. The colors were unnaturally bright and glistening, iridescent and crystalline. The crystals themselves, jutting out at angles that seemed so random but upon closer inspection were absolutely precise, grown in flawless fractals. And all together, the gentle brush of the wind along the cave walls, rushing gently over the surface of the cove… it was incredible.

"Take it easy here," Yushin grunted from ahead. The path was admittedly a little rougher, but it was nothing compared to even the smooth areas of the lavalands. This was getting ridiculous.

"I'll be alright," Rita mumbled, but the look she got from her sister just proved it. She was an infant, a burden only there to be protected. Taking a shaky breath, she reached for the silver locket her sister had given her the day they left. Maybe I should've stayed home…

[Blumoonwolf]

PROMPT 13
A ɴᴇᴡ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴇ!

"This place is probably the nicest you've been yet. Crystals everywhere, my kind of place for sure.
How does your hero feel about it?"

Kalons being used;; Fir
Quest Response;

Finally.
She took in a shaky, relieved breath as she collapsed onto the smooth stone floor, her lungs finally able to take in full, deep breaths of the soothing and cool air. The only thought she could think again and again as she lay there was, 'if I never see another volcano, it'll be too soon.'

But with the heat gone and the cool waves of air slowly washing over her, she soon had the energy to rise to her paws and take a glance at her surroundings. It was dark, yet there was a soft glow from the crystals that garnished the cave walls. The reflective crystals held so much color in the darkness that she was naturally drawn towards it, and as with most kalons... well. Let's say that as she ventured deeper, some crystals disappeared from sight. Possibly into her bag.

The air grew colder, a very welcome feeling, though the shadows on the walls didn't sit as tight with her. They almost.. danced as she passed. Though she never saw or heard anything. And as she looked longer at the shadows, she realized that they were flickering over something. Rubbed off, almost completely faded, she realized what it was- paint. Paint.
She took a step back and slid down towards the floor, ready to close her eyes. So there had been.. something here. Something able to draw and possibly even tell stories with art. Had there been kalons here, forever ago?
She closed her eyes, leaning back and ready to sleep away all of her weariness.

That, however, never happened.
Soon after she heard footsteps, echoing. For all she knew the creature that made them could be standing on top of her or be a mile away, there was no trusting how far sounds could echo from. She flickered awake when something crawled up her leg. Shrieking, she flailed to her paws as the creature evaded, slinking away. It was rodent like, but it seemed like it wanted something.
With a sigh, she realized she was still far from rest, and decided to take the possibly idiotic route. She'd follow the creature and see what it needed.
[364 words]

[Flowerlily]

PROMPT 13
A ɴᴇᴡ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴇ!

"This place is probably the nicest you've been yet. Crystals everywhere, my kind of place for sure.
How does your hero feel about it?"

This is probably the first time Eda Cassidy has slept in a long time.

[Fallen ❤ Dreemurr]

Prompt 13

A ɴᴇᴡ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘʟᴏʀᴇ!
❝ This place is probably the nicest you've been yet. Crystals everywhere, my kind of place for sure.
How does your hero feel about it? ❞

-

Once retrieving the crystal they needed to proceed, the three heroes wave goodbye to their friends from the volcanic area and headed onward to the next area. As they walked along the path, they noticed the scenery change dramatically. The once volcanic rocks and ash that was on their feet was disappearing, and the sight of crystals and the scarcity of trees and vegetation becoming more common. Eventually, the three stop in front of the cave entrance, where greater and much more colorful crystals confronted them. Blue, pinks, yellow, even purple crystals were scattered along the path, lighting up their way and showing them the way. Cliff excitedly hops up to one of the crystals an presses his face against its cool surface, rubbing against it.

"I like this blue one." He says happily, turning to Ghost as he says. His leader was pondering over the crystals and rubbing his chin, while Barnaby was focused on the path ahead.

"I can tell," Ghost observed, watching Cliff trying to climb on top of the crystal, but continually falling off of it. The smooth surface won't let him stay on, and him keeping his small steady paws on it wasn't working at all,"But I'm afraid you can't keep it."

"Why not?"

"Well... for starters, it's three times our size." Ghost noted as he approached the blue crystal, tapping on it with his smallest claw,"And it'll be too heavy to drag out, anyway."

Ghost had always hated bringing down the mood, but what he was saying to him was the honest truth. A crystal this massive should stay where it truly belongs, and not be dragged along for a journey that didn't seem to end. But this didn't stop Cliff from pulling his pouty face, finally getting off the blue crystal and walking back next to Barnaby.

"I guess your right...." Cliff sighed, folding his arms tightly to himself,"But I was hoping that I would have a memento from this area... ya know?"

Barnaby twitched his ears and whistled to Cliff, getting his attention with a a face that can only be described as a mix of sad and confusion. The toony Kalon made a small grin as he placed something into the smaller Kalon's paws, which felt similarly cool to the touch to Cliff. When he looked down into his paws, he gasped in delight as he placed around a roughly made string necklace on his neck, which at the end had the a teeny piece of a blue crystal attached to it.

"Wowzah!!" Cliff gasped, giving Barnaby a big hug as he said it,"Thanks a bunch, Barnaby!!"

Barnaby made a nod as he playfully ruffled Cliff's head, and gesturing to the path ahead. It was time to go now, and see what's in stored for him. And of course, Ghost couldn't agree more.