Complete Zakaden Crystal Souls

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby's lips pursed, looking at Kyra's eyes with teary eyes of her own, she reached for her, tugging Kyra for a moment. "I don't know. But don't stand still." She said, getting her legs to move herself while she approached the bulk crystal.

Once again, her eyes glowed with a negative coloring, flickering while she frowned, widening her eyes when she noticed something.

"One of them... The spirit... It is still--" Ruby frowned, holding her breath and suddenly getting in physical contact with the shield, touching her bare skin on it, allowing the coldness it held to prickle her while she released her magic into the crystal.

It sought, trying to rescue the soul that was still there.

The magic embraced whatever was in there, soon pulling, like a rope reaching for someone at the depths of the abyss, pulling them back to the surface and then...

"Hnngh?" A faerin girl, with the same appearance as one of the faerins stuck into the crystal appeared. Her body was mostly incorporeal, pale, and glowy like the phantom she was. Her mana wings widened, fluttering for a moment before she finally noticed the presence of someone.

"... You... You are..?" Her eyes widened slightly, hopeful for a moment, but as soon as she noticed who the two women were, her expression became droopy "... Ah... You are not..."

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

As soon as Ruby reminded her to continue moving, the soft touch only accenting that need, Kyra felt herself start taking steps again. Shifting her weight, she was careful to step back and forth as Ruby continued to pass over the crystalised Faerin, trying to figure...something...out, some secret inside it, likely.

"Do you see something in there? Other than the...you know...them?"

She averted her eyes, not wanting to consider the last moments of the tiny creatures stuck inside the crystal. Ruby's interest was only growing, and Kyra was wondering if she should pull the girl away, before something suddenly shifted in the air.

"Hey what's tha-"

Kyra's eyes went wide as she suddenly saw the small Faerin hovering in the air, seemingly pulled from the very crystal that had once contained her. For a few moments, Kyra stared at the Faerin, trying to figure out exactly what had happened. Slowly, her eyes turned to look at her companion, eyes still wide and a shocked look on her face.

"Uh...Ruby? Ruby what's going on? Why...why is it out of the crystal? What did you do?"

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

"For now... nothing else... there is just... a soul in it." She said, just before the faerin materialized.

Ruby looked at the newcomer up and down, lowering her ears and glancing at Kyra as soon as she questioned it. "Her soul was stuck inside of the crystal. It refused to pass on for some reason." She said, then looking at the faerin.

"I've dragged her out and manifested her. Usually it happens naturally with time, but it seems like this zalrisis is much stronger than I expected... or... something else got her stuck in here." Ruby said, looking at the phantom, still holding on her sword, but having a gentle expression in her eyes.

"Please, don't fear me. I mean no harm." The faerin pleaded, noticing the hesitation of one and the sword of another, looking at the two girls with a saddened expression. She then halted, holding her chest and looking down at her body. Her lips pursed, realizing her fate.

"I suppose... I suppose I am dead by now..." She said, as if expecting it. Then, she looked up at the two girls. "For how long I've been dead?"

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

This thing is just a...spirit? Is this what Ash sees when he talks to them? She had to resist the urge to reach out and try and pass her hand through the Faerin in front of them, realising that would likely be rude.

"Err...we...we don't really know...we just...kind of found you here..."

Her eyes darted between Ruby and the Faerin, before mouthing a question to Ruby; What do we do? She wasn't sure how to proceed, other than to tell the Faerin what little information that they knew - which, granted, wasn't a lot. But none of it seemed to be any good news, at all.

Dancing around the Faerin, trying to keep herself moving - because that was the safe thing to do - Kyra considered what else she could do, before realising the information didn't need to flow just one way. Clearning her throat, she decided to take the initiative.

"Do...do you remember anything about what happened right before you...well, before you passed away? Any details at all could help us to figure out what happened here, and maybe provide you a bit of closure, too..."

The question felt horrible. There was no better way of asking 'hey, how did you die?', but still Kyra felt like it had come out harshly. She waited, curiously to see what the Faerin would say, her own eyes darting back to Ruby as she waited.

@Crimson Ruby​

 

[Crimson Ruby]

"Yes... We simply found you... And I happened to feel your soul, so I decided to rescue it from its prison."

Kyra's eyes turning to Ruby made the cat girl side glance at her. The questioning look Kyra had was expected and very fair, and honestly not even Ruby had a right answer for her question, at least not until she knew everything about the situation of the Faerin.

"First, let's hear her out..." She said, looking at the phantom and figuring that it was better to let Kyra's questions sink in before she decided to ask anything. After all, the last thing they needed was to have a phantasmagorical force becoming overwhelmed by existential questions.

"... What happened... I only remember a weird smell, followed by a cloud. After that, we couldn't move... As if paralyzed. And then..." The faerin turned to look at the crystalized self and her friends, wincing with a hurt expression.

"It was supposed to be just an exploration... This cave was supposed to be safe, this zalrisis was meant to have a cure... We thought it could be the answer to cure the true zalrisis." Her eyes clenched shut, tightening her fists before turning to the girls.

"Clo... Sure..." The faerin pursed her lips. "... If there is one thing I know, is that him... My dearest... He wouldn't stand still if I never came back." She frowned. "I have no idea how much time had passed... But depending on how long, he is either on his way to try to find me, or he already went through here... Or perhaps... He never did find me." Her shoulders dropped, looking around with uncertainty.

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

A cure. So they came through too, looking for the same thing we are. Is there a cure? Is it a false hope? The thoughts passed through her mind so quickly, she wasn't even sure where to begin.

"Your...your partner...what's his name? Where would we find him? What...what would you want us to tell him, if we did find him? And...and if we don't...if we don't find him, who else should we let know?"

Her words stumbled as she fought against the emotions boiling up inside her. She knew it had to be asked - knew it was important, at least as important as the other questions she had bottled up inside her. For now, she would focus on what little they could do.

"And...and did you...did you find anything about the cure? A clue? A hint? Any evidence of it at all...?"

She didn't hold much hope. The fact alone that they Faerin and her friends had been caught in the crystal spoke to the fact that it was likely a fools hope - one that they were carelessly chasing, one that would likely lead them to the same, cruel fate.

@Crimson Ruby​

 

[Crimson Ruby]

The mention of a cure made Ruby's ears twitch. It seemed like the cave attracted people with the same ideas, perhaps because it was a sign of hope that this deadly disease had a solution. She continued to keep her body in movement, wondering about the words of the faerin and Kyra's questions.

"A cloud that paralyzed you? So you didn't suddenly get affected by this cave's zalrisis, it was a cloud that forced you to stand still until you got affected by it?" Ruby asked with a scowl.

That situation didn't sit well for the felis, not at all.

The faerin shoot an apologetic expression when requested a name, realizing her mistake. "My deepest apologies... It was rude on my part. My name is Elva. My partner is... was... Luke." She corrected herself with a painful tone in her voice. "We are nomads, to find him... It would hardly be possible... But if he did come in search of me, I can only ask you to confirm for me... If he has met a similar fate as me in this cave." Her fist clenched, hoping that it wasn't the case.

Her gaze tightened for a moment, with wings fluttering. "The cure... No. We do have the cure for this alternative zalrisis, but the cure for the real zalrisis remains a mystery for all of us." Then, she nodded slightly.

"That's correct. We... Couldn't move, so we could only wait helplessly for our fate."

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

Kyra had to restrain herself from once again reaching out to the Faerin, hoping to comfort the smaller girl with the suddenly depressing words and expressions. The ethereal spirit hovered, so life like, before her that she often forgot that it wasn't real. That it wasn't something she could pat, or hug, or show any sort of affection towards physically. It was, for lack of a better term, a ghost of an individual.

"I can't promise that we'll find him...but if we do...if we do come across him, I'll make sure to pass on to him whatever words you wish us to, even if it's just to say...goodbye..."

She struggled. Fighting back tears, fighting back sorrow that had built up in her voice. She knew that her own feelings wouldn't help the Faerin now. Only that calm demeanor, the control, would help. She glanced across at Ruby as she slid to the side slightly, still making sure to keep moving.

She was so wrapped up in the words of the Faerin, that she missed the commentary about the cure, stuck trying to figure out how they could right the wrongs of this world, or at least what little they could do to try and make it a slightly better place. You can never fix the whole world...but you can fix your little piece of it, and hope that a small ripple becomes a tsunami...

@Crimson Ruby​

 

[Crimson Ruby]

The kind words of the beastfolk girl made any stress endeavor of the faerin fade slightly. The woman dropped her shoulders, placing both of her hands over her chest while looking at the two of them.

"A goodbye... Should be enough." She said, pausing for a moment. "... Tell him that..." Her eyes shimmered for a moment. It was strange, could ghosts even shed tears? "... Every painful moment. Every hardship this land gives to us... All of it was nothing compared to all the joy he gave to me." Her lips pursed. "... And tell him... Because I know how his heart works... Tell him it isn't his fault." She mustered a small, bittersweet smile, then taking a few steps backward until her back rested against the crystal her body was locked on.

She turned, facing the other friends she had, resting a hand on the crystals while looking at them with a sorrowful, but accepting, expression.

Ruby squeezed the grip of her sword at the words, some of them hitting a bit too close at home, in particular the last ones. She breathed erratically, taking a step back and clenching her fists before averting her face.

Then, her eyes shifted to focus on Kyra again, having a saddened expression on her eyes. "We will do it... Kyra." She said, turning to face her friend.

"... I was thinking. Maybe we could keep ourselves uncorporeal while exploring this cave... And only turning corporeal when we need, in case we find something that needs our touch." Ruby held her breath.

"I've come prepared with potions this time... I have a bad feeling about this."

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

The moment the small faerin had begun speaking the words she wished conveyed, Kyra's hands had been in motion. Pulling the small, purple leather-bound journal from her hip pounch, the pen scribbling frantically in order to capture it all. She kept her eyes on the Faerin, writing even as she watched the small being turn back to the crystal.

"We'll do it..."

She mirrored Ruby's words, mere moments after the other girl had stated them. She had no doubt that they would try their hardest to pass on the message, but she wondered whether they would actually be successful or not. Success doesn't matter, only that you try.

She turned to face Ruby, realising that their interaction with the Faerin spirit was likely over. There was doubtfully anything more they could provide, even if the two were to try and press their questions further. Instead, they needed to focus on moving forward, overcoming whatever trial they were facing now.

"Do they actually taste good...? Or are they going to make me gag it all back up?"

She moved around the area, checking the other crystal pieces for any signs of...well, anything. Nothing stood out - not a single sliver of life. Tucking the book back into her pouch, she glanced back at Ruby.

"So...incorporealness. That's a brilliant idea. Why didn't you think of it sooner?"

She winked at Ruby, a smile dancing across her face as she jested the other girl. She was just glad that the more experienced player was here, ready to give advice and guidance - and possible solutions - that Kyra never would have considered.

@Crimson Ruby​

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby pondered about Kyra's question, shrugging right away. "I've never drank potions, I usually just spill on my wounds." She explained. "But I've heard its taste is fairly strong. Which makes sense, since the smell burns nostrils."

"Last time you weren't too fond to it." Ruby said, looking at Kyra. The girl did seem a bit more courageous than the first time they met though.

Reaching for her, Ruby's hand became phantasmagoric, just like her arm and then her whole body. The etherealness spreaded through Kyra's body, if she did accept it, and Ruby looked at her eyes.

"I am stronger than before, but it is still rather energy consuming." Ruby admitted. "Let's try to be quick." She said, with her eyes focusing to the path they would go through. It would be rough, but it was what they had to do if they wished to free that faerin from her suffering.

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

A flash of memory as the endless staircase came into Kyra's mind once more. She'd almost forgotten that feeling entirely, the sudden...emptiness, that her form had become. A flash of an apprehensive smile crossed her facial features as she considered what she had just so willingly agreed to.

"Oh...uh...yeah, that. I guess that would...be a great idea. I mean, it would keep us safe from the...the crystals, and everything. So that's good. Definitely a good idea. No concerns. Let's do this."

She tried to keep up her enthusiasm, hoping the other girl wouldn't see through it. Well, being a ghost temporarily is definitely far better than being a ghost permanently. At least we can de-ghost this way...

A sudden thought occurred to her as she remembered the strain that the magic had put on Ruby last time. Her brows furrowed as she considered the issue, her pacing slowling as she thought - not quite coming to a stop, but definitely not as fast as it had been a moment ago.

"What about...only you go incorporeal? That would use less of your energy, right? And one of us is still protected, so that if the other were to come into danger, then you could react...And we wouldn't need to worry about suddenly shifting out sooner than expected because you overworked yourself. Plus...then we can know the dangerous areas. I can also limit any sort of effects through hemomancy."

I think. She didn't say the final part aloud. She wasn't entirely sure if it would work, but she thought that the basics of hemomancy would at least allow her to slow down any negative effects a bit, protecting her slightly from either a gas or the crystals of the cave.

@Crimson Ruby​

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby casted a glance at Kyra, shaking her head. "I will warn if my energies run too low. It won't be ideal to accidentally get one of us stuck in a crystal just to save some energy... I don't even know if either of us would be able to cure each other before it is too late." She said, fixing her gaze for a moment before slipping out a sigh.

"I'm not the same Ruby from months ago." She said, continuing to allow both of them to be incorporeal, moving further and deeper into the cave.

"So don't worry."

As the two moved deeper, the crystals intensity and density grew. Soon, every step they took were on a crystal, in a way or another... Just like an icy cave that was covered with shiny ice, the crystal cave was brimming with its shimmering gems, spreading through the ground, walls, and ceiling.

Steam escaped from the crystals, revealing a scorching nature within them, along with the heat distortion it caused. The two of them couldn't be affected by the heat thanks to their body composition, but since it wasn't entirely effective, it was still possible to feel the heat covering them.

Ruby frowned, looking around. "That's a strange place..." She muttered, slowly moving her eyes that soon set on a... Crystalized, humanoid figure from afar, standing by a lake.

"... We aren't alone... Huh..?" Ruby stared.

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

Neither of us is the same as we were months ago, my dear Ruby... She resisted the urge to say it aloud, knowing that it wouldn't come out in the endearing way it was meant to be. Instead she allowed Ruby to lead them on, silently following the other as they moved deeper into the cavern.

The heat that rose up as they continued worried Kyra. Sure, it had no immediately effect on them now, but she didn't wish to remain. Not if there was a chance to move on. Her worries, however, were drawn away as Ruby pointed out something in the distance, something that appeared humanoid in shape.

"No...no we're not...I would recommend we not go ask it if it wants to play. Just in case. Last thing we need is some sort of giant crystaline robot that wishes to do nothing more than crush us and leave us for...whatever eats the leftovers in this place."

She pictured, for a brief moment, a crystal raven. Against her better will, she found herself giggling at the image, something about it absolutely silly, but still hilarious in a way.

"But...we're going to go say hi, aren't we, my little adventurer?"

The words were said with a humorous tone, but still Kyra felt like they were harsher than she'd meant them to be. She raised a hand to poke Ruby, stopping only as she realised they were both ghost-figures, and that the touch likely wouldn't do anything but pass through the girl's form, unhindered. Although... She pushed her finger upwards, poking at the side of Ruby's head and smiling broadly, whispering as she did so.

"Eeemmmpppttttyyyyy..."

@Crimson Ruby​

 

[Crimson Ruby]

"Sure wouldn't recommend either." Ruby pursed her lips, tilting her head for a moment and trying to focus on understanding the figure from afar. A crystalline robot would certainly be an unwelcomed encounter, but as long as they were in their uncorporeal form, it should be fine.

The words Kyra spoke, almost as if foretelling what Ruby wanted to do, made the felis turn to look at her and nod briefly. "We need to find out if there is anyone else in this place, after all." Ruby said, turning to face the crystal figure again, frowning and squinting as she tried to keep a distance. Her eyes once again shimmered in negative color, flickering while she tried to figure something out and...

A brief flame could be seen inside of it, blue-ish like the souls they always see.

"That thing... It has- Eek?!" Ruby shuddered at the phantasmagorical touch on her sides, going through her as she bent back and looked at Kyra with a scowl before it softened with a faint giggle. "What you doing?" Ruby asked, phasing her hand through Kyra's ears to retaliate with some chills herself.

However, as she tried to play with Kyra's ears, the steam on the crystals tightened, and their phantasmagorical form flickered, slowly turning them corporeal once again.

The heat increased, just as if they were inside a glass house under the sun, followed by the sounds of a heavy step coming from the lake...

The crystallized figure revealed itself, with scarlet crystals growing from its neck and upwards, and big chunks of the same red crystals growing across all of its body, that had an opaque gem surface. Inside of the crystals above, the skull of the victim laid intact, though there was no skin or flesh as if the crystal had consumed all of it.

Despite the lack of eyes, the eyesockets of the skull remained firm on the girls, glaring intently while a threatening aura escaped from it.

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

"Sorry I- hey! That..."

Her words fell away as she saw the crystal figure appearing, somehow both terrifying and oddly curios in a way. She found herself draw into those empty eye sockets, her body slowly feeling heavier as it came to a sudden standstill, her desire to keep moving, to keep away from danger falling away.

Need to keep...odd...it looks so odd...and somehow...welcoming... Two sides of her brain seemed to clash against one another as she remained stationary, staring into the skull's empty sockets, trying to figure out what the thing was. Humanoid, for sure. Overcome with crystals, no doubt. But something about it felt otherly. She could only describe it as seeing something that shouldn't belong.

"Tant...alizing...isn't it? So...beautiful...so minacious...so..."

She couldn't tear her gaze away. Whatever it was, it had her trapped. Focused on it. Unable to look away, to run. There was no escape. I need to...to leave...to break...to...escape...can't stay here...can't...must...must figure out...figure out what it is...what it wants...

"...friend?"

@Crimson Ruby​

 

[Crimson Ruby]

The aura was strong, but Ruby tried to keep her resolve, gripping her blade and taking a step closer to her friend.

"KYRA!" Ruby yelled, giving a harsh shake on her shoulder and pullign her closely to try to catch her attention while making her move along, just before striking a glare at the humanoid.

"That thing, there is a soul in it!" She said, drawing her sword and taking a step forward. "But it is corrupted, we need to do something about it, Kyra!" Ruby called her name once again, glaring intently at the creature in front of her and bracing herself for what would be coming next.

The creature clicked, taking one, two steps forward before its limbs turned into sharp scarlet crystals, as if it wielded blades on its arms and legs.

Soon, the clicking turned into a shriek, and the creature charged forward with a trampling speed. Gritting her teeth, Ruby pushed Kyra aside, out of the way of the danger before shoving her blade forward and parrying the cross slash attack coming from the monster that towered the felis by a whole feet of height.

"D-Damn you--!" She gritted her teeth, stomping the ground and rolling to the side while her sword sharpened against the crystal in a blade dancing move. The crystal limbs of the creature were deflected aside, slamming against the ground and cracking the crystals on it, that soon regenerated as the creature fiercely glared at the crimson cat again.

Ruby scowled, preparing herself for the next attack while she hoped Kyra would get back to her senses.

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

She could hear the voice, as if from far away. A familiar voice, a voice that she knew. Yet...it was so far, so far away. She didn't want to move, didn't want to head for the voice, for the world that it called from. Here, here was where she needed to be. But why do I need to be here? The voice in her head asked her, prodding for her to consider it. Instead, she pushed it aside.

Almost as suddenly, she was laying on the ground, the sound of clattering metal on crystal reaching her ears. It was as if there'd been a huge shift in...everything. A transition from one world to the next, and suddenly she was here. Back in the cave, laying on her side as she looked up to find Ruby engaged with the crystal creature. Need to move. Needs help. The voice again. Her voice.

She was up in a matter of seconds, her scythe in her hands as the chain rattled slightly, drawing the attention of the creature towards her. Kyra didn't wait for it, rushing forwards and lashing out with the scythe's blade, catching the foot and pulling slightly. It didn't go down, but it was definitely off balance.

"Ruby! Now! Don't let it recover!"

She was moving again, ducking and dodging, looking for openings and hooking the legs every chance she got. She wouldn't let this thing hurt her friend. She wouldn't. You might capture me. But you will not lay your hands on her

@Crimson Ruby​

 

[Crimson Ruby]

As soon as Kyra pulled the leg of the creature, relief washed Ruby's senses and her ears perked up at the warning, giving a fierce nod and reaction. "I won't-!" She growled, noticing the creature relentlessly trying to aim for Kyra. But in the same way Kyra was protecting Ruby, Ruby would protect Kyra.

She charged, with the stars of her blade shimmering just as she took a step left, then a step forward to jump and make an acrobatic strike, trying to thrust the blade into one of the creature's openings.

Thanks to the distraction provided, Ruby managed to sink the blade deep into the creature, making it shriek and flail its sharp blades aimlessly, nearly going for Kyra- But Ruby was quick to pull the blade toward her, motioning the creature and forcing it to stagger backwards while the scythe on its foot made it fall.

Ruby coughed when the weight of the creature fell on top of her when both of them fell on their backs, and a throbbing pain on her sides weren't good news, especially when she noticed part of the crystals of the creature's body piercing through her flesh.

"MNNNEEEEOW!" She roared, forcing the blade forward to use as a lever to snap a big chunk of crystal out of its body, making the monster release a shimmering black blood.

@Kyra Vashtana

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

Blood. Kyra saw it, and although at first she thought that perhaps Ruby had been seriously injured, the colour was off. Too dark, far, far too dark. Which means this thing bleeds...

She was off and moving before she could even consider the repercussions of what she was about to do. Coming to hover over top of the creature, Kyra sliced open her own hand, placing it on the crystal creature's back, where Ruby had pulled free the crystal. A brief smile at the girl still stuck beneath it before she closed her eyes, letting the blood flow out of her and into the crystal golem.

"Now we see just what this thing is..."

She spoke, even with her eyes closed, her hand still pressed against the creature. The magic flowed through her, and into the other - the hemomancy coming at a mere thought as she willed it into existence. There was a sharp connection - a piercing sound, either in her head or the air around her - and then silence. Silence, as image after image strobbed through her mind, causing her to stumbled backwards, even as she felt the connection slowly dying.

"It's...it was...a person..."

The words slipped out before she could stop herself. In her surprise, she'd released her control of it, however, and she felt herself slammed backwards, the right arm of the thing coming up and tossing her aside, forcing her to roll across the floor.

@Crimson Ruby​