DING!
The store entrance bell chimed, Oswald was immediately hit by the smell of old metal, wrinkling his nose.
Inside the shoebox-sized space, an assortment of mining gear hung from the walls: pickaxes, lanterns, shovels, and other excavation tools in various sizes.
"Whoa!"
Oswald's eyes fell on the tiny pickaxes. He walked up and lifted the one the size of his palm.
"Heh, these are cute."
Aelindor placed a lantern on the counter alongside the other two and then joined Oswald.
"O, these? They are for the younglings' sport; mine own cousin's son, but ten years of age, possesseth one. Hehehe, he hath been riving the stones outside their house in twain. 'I shawll find tweasure, thou shalt see,' quoth the son."
"Hahaha. Ah, kids. Correct and clueless at the same time."
"Come you two, it is time to depart!"
"Coming!"
Thou shawlt see. HAHAHA!
The three picked up their lanterns and left the shop, Oswald still laughing at Aelindor's impression.
* * *
"HOLY MOTHER OF CAVES!"
His voice echoed through the mouth of the cave. His neck craned up to see the top of the cave's maw.
"Heh. The prince wasn't kidding when he chose these! This is absolutely huge."
That's what she said. Hahaha—this is the second one! Hahaha!
Aelindor and Percival stood on either side of him, the same bewilderment on their faces.
"It would not astonish me to discover that this cavern serves as the lair of the mother wyvern."
No kidding! First try!?
"Well, nothing to it but to do it."
He led the way, lantern thrust forward, the others falling into step close behind. The light wavered around them, illuminating only a few meters of the cavern floor at a time. The deeper they went, the heavier the silence grew—broken only by the tap of their boots and the distant drip of water.
A sharp exhale escaped Oswald.
"I just— I can't get the protest off my mind." He looked behind at Percival, his face enveloped in orange hue. "I don't know what it is but… everything seemed off about it."
"I concur. A century of sovereign rule does not, in itself, constitute a justification for protest." He turned to Aelindor. "Is this a common occurrence?"
"Nay. Not in all the years of my living."
What is it, man?
"I must needs inquire of my father in the next epistle I do dispatch."
What's weird about that protest? Why is my gut going off…
What!
Oswald's train of thought was shattered by light in the distance.
Light!?
He heard gasps behind him as he jogged toward the light, reaching the source.
"WHAT IN THE FU— HOLY SHI— GOODNESS ME!"
Before him, crystals of every kind—emeralds, lapis lazuli, rubies, amethysts, and more—jutted from the walls of the cavern, bathing it in a rainbow hue. The light came from a rough circular opening far above the crystal-walled cavern.
"Damn it! We should've brought pickaxes! We could've been RICH!"
Aelindor walked to an emerald jutting out the wall, touching it. "This is… a sight to behold. These be the genuine article."
"Haaah." Percival sighed, turning around. "This is an unfortunate conclusion to our stay, but our quest compels us to press onward."
Yeah…
Oswald and Aelindor nodded, leaving the cave behind for the next one, close by.
I'm not seeing a place like this ever again and it's ashame.
* * *
ns216.73.216.247da2
and then Add to home screen.