Chapter 27: The Grotto Crystals
After several rounds of fun and Yue Lixue's hunger was sated, Korran pulled up his leather trousers and dived into the entrance way to retrieve Yue Lixue's underwear.
She had no top but this was good enough after their fun.
"Let's explore this cave a little, look around just a little?" Yue Lixue suggested, her eyes back to being bright and gleaming in the crystal bioluminescent light.
She was so beautiful in this light it made Korran's heart hurt. How could he refuse her, "Of course." Korran helped her up, the water sluicing off their bodies as they rose, leaving trails of starlight in their wake. Yue Lixue smiled, her eyes scanning the cavern, her curiosity piqued. "It's beautiful, isn't it? I've never seen anything like it."
Korran nodded, his eyes reflecting the same wonder. "It's been here for centuries. A hidden sanctuary, a place where our people and the Leopard tribe have shared and guarded. We can come to rest and rejuvenate. The crystals, they're supposed to have healing properties."
Yue Lixue went and tapped a finger nail against a small crystal tower on the wall. "How do you know this place was here?"
"Veylan," He smiled softly as he reminisced, "He was shown by Maria, who was shown by her mum, Halika."
After a long moment of thought, Yue Lixue asked with hope, "Do you think these crystals and this cave... that they might help my memory sickness?"
They amplify spiritual energy, and they can enhance one's connection to their beast spirit." Korran led Yue Lixue deeper into the cavern, his hands cupping her naked shoulders, his touch warm and reassuring. She shivered slightly, not from cold but from the intensity of the moment. The crystals cast an ethereal glow, making the walls shimmer and dance with light.
Yue Lixue's breath caught in her throat as she gazed at the ancient carvings that adorned the walls. "What are these?" she whispered, her voice filled with awe.
The crystals Yue Lixue had tapped then suddenly dislodged fell and smashed into several pieces.
Korran's eyes widened in surprise as he watched the crystals shatter, the sound echoing through the cavern like a gunshot. "Careful, Yue!" he warned, his voice echoing slightly in the enclosed space.
Yue Lixue looked down at the shattered crystals, her eyes filled with a mix of guilt and awe. "I'm sorry, Korran. I didn't mean to break them."
Korran shook his head, his voice softening. "It's okay, Yue. They're just crystals. They can be replaced." He paused, his eyes scanning the cavern as if searching for something.
Then, to his surprise, Yue Lixue began picking up all the shattered pieces of crystal. Korran frowned, taking a step toward her. "Yue, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice echoing slightly in the enclosed space.
She looked up at him, her eyes gleaming with the start of an idea forming, "I have some ways for these broken crystal pieces to be used," she said, her voice filled with excitement. "I think they could be useful." Korran raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Useful for what?" he asked, crossing his arms as he watched her gather the pieces.
Yue Lixue stood up, her hands full of the crystalline shards. "You'll find out later, help me collect some more of the broken pieces," she said, her voice filled with determination.
His brows furrowed in confusion, but he nodded and complied nonetheless. Largely out of curiosity; picking up the larger shards of crystal that littered the floor of the cavern. After a few moments of silence, Yue Lixue turned to him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Have you heard of metal?" she asked, her voice laced with excitement.
Korran paused, a crystal shard halfway to the small pile he had been forming. He looked up at her, his expression one of bewilderment. "Metal? What's that?" he asked, his voice tinged with a hint of skepticism. He wondered if she was talking in tongues again, like at the shamen's place.
Her excitement dimming slightly at his response. Yue Lixue's face fell, she had been so certain that this idea would work, but it seemed that she had underestimated the knowledge gap between their worlds. " Never mind, it would be like armour but made of shiny rocks," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "It's a substance that is really hard, but can be shaped into tools, weapons, and decorations. And it can be melted and formed into different shapes."
Korran's brow furrowed deeper, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. "Shiny rocks, melted and shaped? Yue, that sounds impossible. How would one even began to make such a thing?"
Yue Lixue's face lit up with excitement once again, her eyes sparkling like the crystals around them.
"Well, imagine if something like these crystals could be heated and shaped into something hard and strong, but still light enough to wear," she explained, her voice filled with passion.
Korran, however, shook his head, a bemused smile playing on his lips. He tried to imagine what Yue was describing, but all he could see were images of beastmen, like turtles or armadillos, clad in crystal armor. He chuckled softly, "That would look ridiculous, Yue. Strong beastmen have no need for armor. The stronger we get, the tougher our skin becomes. It's how we protect ourselves."
Yue Lixue's excitement dimmed slightly at his dismissal, but she persisted, "But what if there was a way to make something even stronger than our skin?" She turned her attention back to the crystals in her hands, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Korran raised an eyebrow, his skepticism evident in his expression. "And what would that be useful for?" he asked, his voice filled with a hint of amusement.
Yue Lixue laughed at him, "Me?"
Korran's expression softened slightly, his gaze growing thoughtful. "That does sound useful," he admitted, his voice tinged with a hint of intrigue. He reached down and ripped a part of his leather trousers below one knee, tying the bottom to create a makeshift bag. He handed it to Yue Lixue.
"Here, let's put them in this. We can always find other uses for them later, if you change your mind about the armor." He chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
As she finished collecting the crystals, she explained, "I'm not interested in armor, really. That's just what metal could be used for." She held up the makeshift bag, her eyes sparkling with excited curiosity. "I'm thinking more along the lines of jewelry. A necklace, maybe."
Korran raised an eyebrow, his gaze quizzical. "Jewelry? What's jewellery?"
Yue Lixue grinned, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Jewelry is something thst was made from precious metals and stones, usually worn to adorn the body. Like these crystals, only in the form of earrings, necklaces, or bracelets." She held up her hand, mimicking the action of putting on a bracelet.
Korran's brow furrowed deeper, his confusion evident. "Why would anyone want to adorn their body with shiny rocks? That seems... impractical." He shrugged, his expression skeptical. "And what are these precious metals you speak of? There are gold, silver and copper coins, but it's not used for adornment."
Yue Lixue's smile softened, her gaze growing distant as she thought of her past life. "In my... old home, certain metals are rare and valuable. They're mined from the earth and crafted into jewelry, a form of art and self-expression. Lady's loved it."
Yue Lixue swiftly gathered all the broken crystal shards from the floor, dropping them carefully into the makeshift bag. She then scooped up some of the bioluminescent moss, adding it to the mix. Noticing a gap in the cavern wall, Korran asked, "Are you up for exploring a little more of this cave, Yue?" His eyes sparkled with curiosity, a hint of adventure lurking behind the question.
Yue Lixue looked up from her bag, her eyes reflecting the same excitement as Korran's. "Absolutely," she replied with a nod and hadded the bag to Korran who tied the bag securely around her waist. "Where do we go next?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.
Korran's lips curved into a smile as he pointed to the gap in the wall. "There's a passageway over there. It's lit by the shimmering crystals, see?" Korran pointed to the gap in the wall, the light from the crystals bouncing like stars off of his wet black hair. He led the way, his lithe form graceful as he stepped into the narrow passage. Yue Lixue followed, her eyes taking in the breathtaking sight of the crystals lining the walls, casting an ethereal glow that danced with every step they took.
"I've really never seen anything like this before," Yue Lixue whispered, her voice filled with awe. She reached out a hand, her fingertips brushing against the crystals, they didn't breat this time but left left atrail of stardust in their wake.
Korran chuckled, the sound echoing through the passage. "It's a sight to behold, isn't it? I've always loved this place. It feels... almost magical, doesn't it?" He continued, his voice echoing softly in the passageway. The crystals here were even more densely packed, their light bouncing off the walls and ceiling, creating a mesmerizing display of shadows and sparkles. They walked for a few minutes, the passageway not long at all, before they emerged into a larger grotto. The sudden increase in space made Yue Lixue gasp, her eyes widening as she took in the sight before her.
The larger grotto was breathtaking. The same crystals but there were huge versions of them as much as their smaller varieties. The bioluminescent moss lit up and danced by refraction around the whole grotto. Stalagmite pillers made rhe place feel regal. In the center of the room was a small dark pool of water, different from the water they had entered.
Immediately Yue Lixue noticed the walls were covered in depictions of many different women surrounded by beastmen, their forms majestic and powerful. Some were carvings and some where drawings, each were intricate, each line and curve telling a story of its own. Yue Lixue walked up to one of the drawings, her fingertips brushing against the cold stone. "These are incredible," she breathed, her voice filled with awe.
She walked up to one of the drawings, her fingertips brushing against the cold stone. Beside her, Korran recognized the woman immediately, his heart skipping a beat. "I know this one!" he whispered, his breath catching in his throat.
Yue Lixue, who had been examining another drawing, turned to him at the sound of his voice. "What? Which one?" she asked, her eyes scanning the wall until they landed on the carving she was studying. His eyes widened in recognition as well, and a wide grin spread across his face. "It was a Moonborne hundreds of years ago. Her name was Savannah, and she took many mates. They say she founded Crossroads City at the center of the Beast Continent." He walked over to her, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "That's why she's depicted here. The Moonborne are powerful figures of myth who have always looked highy upon by the Leopard and Panther tribes, that's why figures have always been recorded here." Korran explained, his voice filled with a sense of wonder and pride.
"Who are the beasts?" Yue Lixue asked, her eyes scanning the intricate carvings on the walls. She noticed the various shapes and forms of the beastmen surrounding the woman in the center, but they were all foreign to her.
Korran's gaze followed hers, his lips curving into a smile as he pointed to each beast. "The wolf there, that's Lunaris. He was an ancient wolf god, one of Savannah's mates." He continued, his voice filled with reverence. "And that deer beside him, that's Tempus Veridia. He was the ancient deer god she accepted as a mate too and he and Lunaris were rivals before her." Yue Lixue listened intently, her eyes scanning the intricate carvings on the walls. She felt a pang of guilt at hiding the truth about her identity from Korran; he seemed to love these stories so much, and he knew so much about them. She wanted to tell him, but she wasn't sure how he would react. Would he still treat her and love her the same wat if he knew the truth, that she was the next Moonborne?
As Korran continued his explanation, Yue Lixue's eyes fell on another figure beside the dark haired lady. There, in the corner of the grotto, was a bear. Not just any bear, but a bear with a crown, a bear king. "What about that one?" She interrupted him.