Ebonheim crept carefully ahead, keeping her eyes fixed on the shadows above her the entire time. Whatever lurked there made almost no noise beyond faint scratching sounds against solid rock. The faintest outlines of what appeared like sleek, chitinous bodies shimmering in the dim light, blending almost seamlessly with the dark rock and the bioluminescent glow that surrounded them.
What the— Are those eyes?!
She paused mid-stride at the sight ahead. Eight pairs of glowing orbs stared straight back at her from high above in the darkness—arranged neatly together like the faceted eyes of an insect. Then, suddenly, those same 'orbs' started shifting about haphazardly across the surface of whatever hid in the dark recesses of the cave ceiling...before receding out of sight again moments later.
She activated her Divine Sight.
Immediately, those obscure forms gained sharper definition. Compound eyes and a distinct carapace stood out clearly from the murky backdrop. Antennae waved from atop angular heads while six jointed legs shifted about in unison across the jagged outcroppings they clung to. Occasionally a mouthpart emerged from a narrow slit to gnaw upon the abundant mosses or lichens adorning the surfaces thereon.
"They're...some kind of giant insects," Ebonheim stated plainly after a long pause. "A little over a meter each. Six legs. Glowing eyes. I count...eight altogether. Hmm..." Her voice trailed off into thoughtful silence as she continued peering into the gloom beyond.
Meanwhile, Serelle had joined alongside her and peered through the gloom. She donned a pair of goggles affixed with a multitude of lenses around the edges—allowing her to switch between varying degrees of magnification and filtration to aid in her observations.
"Fascinating," she murmured under her breath before adjusting one particular eyepiece upward with an audible click. An ethereal blue hue enveloped the glass surface. "Their chitin emits mana. And there seem to be traces of earth-aspected arcane energy throughout their bodies as well...hmmm...intriguing...yet I can't discern its purpose or function. Perhaps a symbiotic relationship with these fungal spores flourishing throughout their habitat? Do you detect anything else unusual?"
Ebonheim frowned slightly as she focused upon the creatures once more.
[Name] Netherling Cryptid
[Health] 80/80
[Combat Stats] Melee Attack 19; Ranged Attack 19; Arcane Defense 17; Physical Defense 20; Evasion 21; Damage 13-16 Kinetic (Natural Weapons), 20-24 Fire (Plasma Projectile)
[Special Abilities] Damage Reduction 9 (Kinetic), Damage Reduction 16 (Fire); Bioluminescence; Camoflauge; Plasma Projectiles; Limited Flight; Burrowing; Environmental Adaptation
"Well...those are clearly not ordinary bugs," Ebonheim remarked dryly as she deactivated her power. She turned to address Orin who'd come to stand behind them with arms folded across his chest in contemplative silence. "Are you two familiar with something called 'Netherling Cryptids?'"
"Netherlings?" Orin furrowed his brow at the term. "No...I've never heard of them before. Serelle?"
Serelle shook her head. "I have not either. Netherling could refer to numerous types of beings that inhabit or originate from the Underrealm. A somewhat vague descriptor. As for these cryptids specifically...I'm unsure. I'll conduct further research upon our return to Ebonheim. Perhaps my library will uncover more details regarding this matter."
Ebonheim nodded before turning her attention back to the strange creatures hiding within the shadows above them. "They don't appear aggressive at least. Still though...we should try to steer clear of any confrontations with those things if possible."
They returned back to their party and informed them about their encounter. Lilin in particular listened intently before giving a firm nod.
"Right. Let's head back to the other chamber then and make camp. Stirring up a nest of giant insects isn't on my list today. If we keep going deeper, they might become more territorial. Tomorrow, we'll search for any other pathways leading out of here. Maybe we'll find an alternate path without these things around."
With that said, she spun about on her heels and began retracing their steps with the rest following close behind.
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They made their way back to the larger cavern from earlier in relative silence. Once there, Lilin immediately started setting up their tents and other camp necessities. Several other miners joined her efforts shortly after. Orin and Serelle meanwhile sat down together upon a couple makeshift seats made from flat slabs of stone to discuss whatever findings they'd acquired along their journey so far.
Meanwhile, Ebonheim remained standing at the edge of their little encampment and gazed upon the shimmering walls surrounding them. The ethereal glow produced by those abundant crystal formations still filled her with awe...as did the strange, almost alien beauty they seemed to exude in this otherwise bleak environment.
She ran her fingers across one particular formation nearby—feeling the smooth, cool texture beneath her fingertips as she did so. As before, a faint tingling sensation accompanied this touch as well...though whether or not this effect came from some sort of magical property embedded within the crystal itself or perhaps due to her divinity interacting with such things, she wasn't entirely certain.
She leaned forward and rested her forehead against the crystalline structure. Her eyes closed shut.
[Name] Eclipsium Cluster
[Type] Gemstone (Magical) - Unrefined Raw Form
[Description] A rare, luminescent crystal formation commonly found growing deep underground within regions containing abundant amounts of ambient arcane energy. When properly refined and polished, these stones may be utilized as conduits for various forms of elemental magic or even certain divinities depending upon their purity and grade. They're particularly well suited towards enchantments pertaining to light or fire due to their natural affinity for such energies.
"Ma déesse," Evelyne called out from behind her, "is everything alright? You seem distracted by something over there. Is something on your mind?"
Ebonheim slowly lifted her head from the crystalline surface and turned to face Evelyne who now sat cross-legged atop Orby.
"Oh. Yeah. Everything's fine. Just curious about these crystals I suppose. They seem valuable. I wonder why Lilin and her crew haven't tried harvesting them yet?"
Evelyne hummed thoughtfully before answering her. "Perhaps because they don't know how? Or perhaps because doing so requires specialized tools and skills that they lack? Then again, maybe there are other reasons for leaving these things undisturbed. It isn't my place to ask however."
Lilin chose that exact moment to approach them with two wooden cups filled with steaming soup.
"Food's ready," she said curtly before handing Ebonheim and Evelyne their meals respectively. She paused however upon noticing the curious expression on Ebonheim's face as she regarded her.
"Ah, about these crystals. I assume you have questions?" Lilin raised an eyebrow as she gestured vaguely towards the nearest cluster. "Truthfully, we're leaving them alone for now. They're hard to harvest, but that's not the real reason. See, these crystals...well...it's strange. But they react negatively when exposed to daylight."
"React...negatively...? In what way?" Ebonheim asked after taking a sip from her cup. She glanced toward Evelyne who simply shrugged nonchalantly.
Lilin frowned slightly at the question before continuing. "They lose their luster. Turn dull and grey...and sometimes shatter on their own after a few days' exposure to the sun. Even though they have an affinity for light-aspected arcane energy, they're averse to natural sunlight. No one really knows why either. That's why they're called Eclipsium. A crystal that blooms in the absence of light. It's a bit ironic. But anyway...enjoy your meal. I have to attend to the others."
With that said, she left to tend to the rest of the miners huddled together near the campsite.
Ebonheim stared at Lilin's back for a brief moment before shifting her attention back to the shimmering crystal cluster. She reached out and placed a hand upon its smooth surface once again. "Hmmm...a crystal averse to sunlight huh? Interesting..."
Evelyne chuckled lightly before taking a small sip from her cup. "I've never heard of such a phenomenon occurring within gemstones before...or any minerals for that matter. But...it sounds plausible enough. Perhaps this reaction stems from a unique characteristic inherent within its molecular composition...? Or perhaps an external factor influences this change somehow? Something to consider at least."
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She shrugged dismissively at her own words as she spoke aloud. "A mystery for another time I suppose."
Ebonheim nodded idly before turning her gaze elsewhere. She watched silently as Orin and Serelle shared a laugh over something she couldn't overhear from this distance. They seemed to get along rather well considering their vastly contrasting personalities...not unlike herself and Evelyne actually.
She smiled softly at the thought as she returned to her meal. Another day awaited them tomorrow after all.
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It had been a while since Ebonheim last awoke in a tent. She sat up slowly—her body aching slightly due to the hard ground underneath her makeshift bed. It didn't bother her though. After stretching her arms for a bit and rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes, she crawled forward toward the entrance and poked her head outside.
There wasn't anything particularly notable to observe, other than the dimly lit cave surrounding their encampment. Several miners sat around a small campfire nearby while chatting amongst themselves. A few others remained fast asleep within their own shelters nearby.
She crawled back inside afterward and grabbed her gear. After equipping her usual attire, she crawled out through the flap once more and approached Evelyne's tent.
"Evelyne? You up yet?" she asked aloud while peering inside. Therein sat Evelyne who currently busied herself tinkering with some kind of gadget upon her lap. At least...Ebonheim assumed that's what she was doing based on her posture alone.
"Oh! Bonjour! Didn't expect to see you already awake, ma déesse. I haven't finished maintenance work on Orby yet. Is something on your mind?"
"No. Not really. Just checking on everyone's status I guess."
"Ah, I see. Well, most of the miners appear to be awake already. The rest are probably still asleep. Serelle and Orin are off exploring nearby if I'm not mistaken. They wanted to do a bit more research before we head out again."
"Alright. Thanks Evelyne. I'll leave you to your work." With that said, Ebonheim retreated from the tent's entrance and wandered back toward the center of camp. She glanced about for a moment before spotting Serelle and Orin seated upon two separate stones.
The pair seemed engrossed in their own conversation as they flipped through several pages worth of notes contained within two separate leather-bound books resting atop their laps. Orin had his monocle flipped downward over one eye as he examined various illustrations sketched across certain sections whereas Serelle kept adjusting the many lenses attached to her goggles every few seconds or so.
"...and thus I believe these spores serve as symbiotic conduits for the arcane energy radiated by those crystals. The relationship between these fungi and the surrounding flora here seems mutually beneficial as well...or at least benign," Orin said without glancing upward from his reading material. "See here? I've marked several spots where these spores seem to concentrate themselves around the roots of various plants...almost like they're feeding off them somehow..."
"Yes...fascinating..." Serelle murmured absentmindedly before flipping back through a few previous entries. "But what about this specimen you found earlier today? This lichen growing directly atop the crystal surface itself. If your hypothesis holds true regarding the symbiosis occurring throughout this cavern's ecosystem...then shouldn't this particular species flourish even further when placed directly in contact with such a potent source of ambient magic...?"
Ebonheim cleared her throat audibly, causing them to pause momentarily in mid-speech and glance at her in unison. "Mind if I interrupt?" she asked politely as she approached.
"Not at all," Serelle answered with a faint smile before turning back toward the book in hand and flipping toward the most recently recorded entry. "We're discussing the symbiotic relationship between this environment's various organisms and its abundance of arcane energy...or perhaps vice versa...I suppose...?"
"Or perhaps both simultaneously?" Orin interjected. He leaned forward slightly and tapped his pen upon the parchment paper beneath his fingertips. "Perhaps this entire cavern acts as one giant...ecological circuit?"
Ebonheim blinked once and tilted her head ever-so-slightly. "Uh...what...?"
Orin merely chuckled lightly at her response as he continued writing additional notes within his journal. "Apologies...sometimes my mind wanders further than I intend for it to. Essentially...what I mean to say is that this cavern appears to host numerous interdependent species which rely upon one another for sustenance. So...rather than viewing each species as separate entities within a single ecosystem...maybe it makes sense to view everything together as part of an interconnected whole. Like cogs turning in unison...or rivers flowing downstream into one another."
"...Ah. I see," Ebonheim replied before taking another sip from her flask. "Well, regardless...I hope you two will remain cautious. Remember why we're here in the first place. It's easy to forget about potential dangers while engrossed in research or whatever else may distract you. Just stay safe and vigilant."
"We shall endeavor to do so," Orin reassured her as he closed his notebook with a soft thud and stood up to stretch. "For now however, I believe we should begin preparing for our departure. The sooner we discover whether this tunnel connects to the Underrealm or not...the better." With that said he strode off toward his tent leaving Serelle sitting alone upon her rock.
She closed her own notebook with a sigh before standing as well. "Yes...indeed. It would appear our brief respite has come to an end." After pausing momentarily to regard Ebonheim with a small smile and a slight nod of acknowledgment, she too turned away and walked back toward camp.
Ebonheim remained seated for another moment as she watched them go. Then finally she finished off her drink and made her way back to camp herself.
----------------------------------------
The magitech pickaxe she wielded struck hard against the solid stone before her once again, sending sparks flying outward in a brilliant display of light and color.
Ebonheim swung her tool downward again and again—striking with such force as to drive the head of the pickaxe deep into the rock wall each time until eventually a sizeable chunk broke loose from the larger mass and clattered to the ground beside her feet. She paused for a brief moment afterward to wipe away the beads of sweat that trickled down her brow.
Lilin had instructed them all to gather within a specific section of tunnel for this particular excavation task—the reasoning being that this spot seemed more likely to lead somewhere beyond this cavern than anywhere else nearby. As such, everyone now busied themselves with their own individual tasks. Some worked alongside Ebonheim at chipping away at the thick layers of bedrock ahead. Others sorted through piles upon piles of rubble collected thus far or hauled heavy carts laden with debris off elsewhere.
Evelyne, inside Orby, currently helped clear out the larger boulders using the mech's brute strength while Orin supervised the operation from afar. Serelle meanwhile took great care in separating various types of minerals and gemstones discovered throughout the excavation process—placing each into their own respective wooden crates before moving on to the next pile of sorted material.
As for Lilin herself, she had taken up position right alongside Ebonheim and her fellow deep miners, using her earthen magic to help clear out sections where their tools weren't quite enough.
Speaking of magic, Ebonheim had little doubt that some abilities stored in the Akashic System could be utilized to aid their efforts. Maybe a divine spell or two to uncover valuable deposits or speed along the process? But such conveniences could wait for a later day—the joys of manual labor shouldn't be denied.
And she didn't want to spoil the fun. After all, there was a certain satisfaction in performing backbreaking work and feeling your muscles scream at you for hours afterward.
So with a slight smirk, she continued her task, hefting her pickaxe aloft and bringing it crashing down once more.
*THUNK! CRACK! THUD!*
Over and over again...until finally the wall gave way beneath her onslaught.
"Well well! Looks like our day's picking up nicely," Lilin remarked aloud, pausing to examine the hole and giving an appreciative whistle. She then began inspecting the newly opened passage now yawning before them. A faint draft emanated from within—carrying along with it a distinctive musty scent characteristic of dank underground tunnels everywhere. "The path ahead seems stable enough. Let's go ahead and press on, shall we?"
Ebonheim nodded before taking a momentary break to wipe her forehead again and quench her thirst from the waterskin she carried at her hip. Afterward they began filing inside—Evelyne first with Orby to provide lighting and protection against whatever may lie within—then came Orin followed by Serelle with Ebonheim trailing closely behind. Lastly came Lilin and several other miners bringing up the rear.
The passage itself proved surprisingly spacious despite its cramped nature—easily accommodating Orby's bulk without much difficulty. Its walls glistened faintly from moisture seeping through countless tiny crevices. As they proceeded further inward, they soon found themselves descending steadily downward...and downward...and downward still.
A sudden tremor shook underfoot, forcing many of them onto hands and knees until steadying again after several seconds had elapsed without recurrence. Nearby rocks fell loose from ceiling cracks onto heads below while those standing further away stumbled against each other for balance.
"What in blazes?" Orin cursed under his breath while steadying Serelle who ended up colliding against him during the brief quake.
"Wasn't me!" Evelyne called out defensively from Orby's cockpit, sounding almost offended by the implication. "This wasn't caused by anything I did. I swear!"
"Wasn't saying it was," Orin quickly reassured her with a placating gesture.
"No need to fret, this tunnel's sturdy enough," Lilin assured them all as she cast her magic throughout their surroundings to confirm her assertion. "I sensed no fractures or instability nearby—damn! The way back caved in, though. Let's hope there's another exit down this path."
"I could shape the earth to open our way back," Ebonheim offered after assessing the situation for a moment longer.
Though she didn't currently have that specific power in her repertoire, she was confident that the Akashic System would accommodate her request to acquire such a useful ability in times like this.
Lilin shook her head. "It could cause further instability within this area by tampering with existing infrastructure around us. Not that I doubt your divine powers, goddess...just not ideal for the circumstances. Not even Obsidion could safely shift rock without spending time and energy attuning with the earth first to avoid potentially triggering greater problems elsewhere. I suspect it would be the same case for you."
"Alright," Ebonheim relented with a reluctant sigh.
She had to admit, the idea of relying heavily on divine magic for every contingency did seem rather boring compared to tackling natural obstacles head-on. That aside...Lilin made a valid point. Using a hammer to swat a fly may work, but you risk breaking whatever surface the pesky bug sits on.
She turned to Serelle and Orin. "What about arcane magic? Do you have any spells that might help dig us out without destabilizing things?"
Serelle adjusted her glasses as she contemplated the notion before shaking her head. "While many Arcana can manipulate elements and materials, none specifically exist for excavation. I doubt any spell would do anything beyond exacerbating our situation right now."
Ebonheim nodded. "Well, we still have to proceed either way. Let's get a move on, everyone."