| "The Adventures of Kat and Clara" Part XXI: Guilty Conscience "Wake up, Kat," Clara whispered, nudging Kat's shoulder. "We have arrived." Kat slowly opened her eyes and rolled over in bed. "What?" she whispered back, trying to sit up. "Is it morning already?" "Yes, it is," Clara answered. "Get yourself up and be dressed. We have arrived at the Crystal Shores." Just then, Captain Hermione entered Kat's quarters. "Is she awake yet?" she asked. "Kat, wake up! Come see the beauty that is the Crystal Shores." Kat sat up in bed and covered up her bare breasts. "Just a moment, please," Kat said, struggling to open her eyes. "What time is it?" "It's daybreak," Hermione said. "Get up and dress yourself. There is a long day ahead of us." Kat sent Clara and Hermione away to join Salem on the deck while she dressed herself up. She groggily put on her leotard and cloak, then slung her sheathed sword over her shoulder and put on her gloves on the way out of her quarters. The four adventurers arrived on the deck to great the beautiful morning, complete with bright sun and a cloudless sky. With the Covenant anchored securely, Hermione -- who brought her cherished crystal fighting chain -- led Kat, Clara, and Salem to the plank of the ship, upon which they walked down to the mossy shoreline. "Behold! The Crystal Shores!" Hermione exclaimed, lifting her arms to the nature before her. Kat and Clara stared in awe. "This is a beautiful land," Kat said. "Good fortune to those who live here." Indeed, the Crystal Shores were a sight to behold. The land was encrusted by a relatively thick layer of shimmering, white crystal that seemed to grow up its deciduous trees, most nearly to the middle of the trunks, some all over. Large growths of sticky, slimy moss sprung up from the trapped soil under the crystal and spread over the crystal surface in patches, making the landscape appear a splotched green and white pattern. Other crystal spires sprung up randomly around the trees, some many feet in height. "What do people do here?" Salem asked, as the group began to walk from the ship. "This land," Hermione began, "is useful to the most skilled warriors and wizards in the universe. It is here that such people have used the land's naturally-occuring crystal to forge weapons and imbue the crystals they cut so precariously with magical energy. It is because of this that we must be extremely cautious, for they may turn on us at any moment. Every one of us must be on their best behavior." "We have always," Clara said, "and we will always. Now, where should we go first?" "I will take you to Great Magi Faolin first," Hermione said. "He is the most powerful jewel wizard in this land. He is the one who forged my fighting chain and blessed my family; he had done so because he is a devout S'Allumer Penitent. I will respect him always. Follow me; I believe he lives a mile or so from the shore." Kat, Clara, and Salem followed Hermione until they were stained green up to the calves from trudging through the moss growths on the slippery crystal. Hermione's boots, too, were stained from the moss, much to her chagrin. Occasionally, the group encountered occurrences of other precious gems, such as rubies and emeralds. "Faolin's home should be not far ahead," Hermione said, leading the adventurers over a ridge of crystal. Below them was a great valley that dropped significantly far below the level of the sea. The valley was coated with a slippery layer of crystal, stained green with organic matter. At the bottom of the hill was a large out growth of crystal in the shape of a home, covered at the top with sheets of wood. "That must be his home," Clara said. "It is," Hermione said. "I haven't visited this place in years. Now, then, we must all be on our best behavior; Great Magi Faolin is an extremely devout wizard and warrior who is very strict in his mannerisms." "We will, Hermione," Kat said. Hermione approached the great sapphire doorway of Faolin's estate. To the side was a rope that was attached to a bell that hung inside his house. After pulling the rope, Hermione and her friends heard a great ring that seemed to echo across the whole valley. A moment later, the door opened slowly. A great wolf man stood in the doorway, looking down at the party of travelers. He was indeed very large, standing nearly eight feet tall and dressed up in a set of archaic crystal armor. In his left hand, he held a large spear with an emerald spike at its end, and on his back was a kite shield made of topaz. He was very muscular, and towered high above all before him. "Yes?" he asked, in a deep voice. Then his eyes widened. "Hermione? Captain Hermione Whitefur? Is that you?" "It is I, Magi," Hermione said. "I am happy to be back." Hermione and Faolin embraced, happy to have met after nearly fifteen years apart. "Sometimes I receive letters from King Jervin of your achievements for Trillan," Faolin said. "The entire country must be proud of you." "Thank you, sir," Hermione said. "I'd like you to meet my friends. This is Kat, Clara, and Salem. They are travellers from Lamuth who have come to you on a quest." "It's a pleasure," Faolin said. "I am very grateful to meet you. A friend of the Whitefur family is a friend of me, and always welcome in my home." "We come here on a quest of S'Allumer," Kat said, "for we strive to find his sword." Faolin's eyes widened. "The Sword of Many Parts?" he asked. "That is indeed quite a quest! Few have ever returned from such a journey. Some say that once a part of the sword is discovered, the others move further away on their own." "Fascinating!" Clara said. "But we have been handed this quest by our lord S'Allumer and we must complete it." "What have you so far?" Faolin asked. "We have all but the second half of the sword," Clara answered. "Also, we have the six gems from the hilt, but we cannot dislodge them from their, uh, resting place...." Clara then withdrew Ophelia's bracelets from the sack and held them up. "These are the bracelets of our Queen, Ophelia. The gems socketed into them are the same gems that belonged to the Sword of Many Parts. Captain Hermione suggests that you may be able to assist us in removing them from the bands." Faolin looked closely at the bracelets. "I may be able to help you," he began, "as a man who has studied such precious materials for so long. Come with me inside my house; I may have something that could dislodge those gems. Also, let me get you something to clean off your legs; the moss growths are out of control this time of year!" Next page >> |