Beneath the Dark Crystal

Chapter 4

Everything remains silent for a moment's worth. Aughra huffs, putting her arms on her hips as she paces around the lab. "Saw it! Hm! Might've burned half the land, Fireling, just to get here."

Thurma pouts and exclaims, "But the water! They drenched me! L-Look how dimly I look! I can't race like I did. It's a three-day journey to get back home, and I don't know if I have the heat! Please! There's no time to lose!"

Mavra steps closer to Thurma, saying to her in a whisper, "You need to shatter the Crystal, right?"

Thurma looks away sadly, slowly nodding. "I need that shard," Thurma mutters.

Aughra hums out, "Hmph! Whispering, huh? Why's that?"

Thurma avoids any eye contact with either Aughra or Mavra. "It's ... Kensho, I guess. He's very kind. When our hands touched I just-- ... I knew, ''she says.

Mavra smiles a little, glancing back at Kensho lovingly. "Yes. It's very easy to read him. He's ... amazing ..." Mavra breathes out absentmindedly.

Thurma and Aughra stare at Mavra in question. She turns back to them, her ears perked and her pale face flushed. "O-Oh. Did I ... say that too loudly?"

Aughra chuckles. "And you said he was easy to read."

Mavra crosses her arms, shaking her head. "N-Never mind that. Sorry ... w-what were you saying, Thurma?" She quickly tries to change the subject.

Thurma sighs and says, "I don't know. I just ... everyone looked at me like I was a monster. When I told them what I had to do. The only one who was willing to listen ... was you, Mavra."

Mavra feels herself grow sheepish and scratches the back of her head. "Well ... of course. I know how it feels, I guess. Being the next ruler to a whole clan, holding the responsibility of all life on your land. It's definitely ... a lot to take alone. I ... I also have a strange feeling that you may be right to ... to take the shard."

Thurma perks up in surprise. "Wait, really? You do?!"

Aughra narrows her eye at Mavra in suspicion. "What makes you say that--huh--gelfling?" She asks.

Mavra hesitates to answer, not knowing if telling them what was to come is a good idea. Luckily, Kensho came to the rescue. "Hah! Mavra, look! It worked! Praise the generous Crystal!" Kensho cheers showing Mavra his healed hand.

Mavra smiles and chuckles. "See? I told you so, dummy," She says jokingly, patting his back. She glances at Aughra, who just stared at her skeptically.

Thurma was also invested in Mavra's reason but concluded that she would ask her later when Kensho wasn't around. Aughra turns from them, still thinking hard. "No prophecy for this problem, is there? Hm! No ancient law. You want to know what's needed, don't you? Hm! Say it! 'What's needed'?" Aughra tells the young gelflings and fireling.

Thurma rolls her dark irises. "I haven't time for--"

"--What's needed?" Kensho asks.

Aughra sighs tiredly, sitting down on her large chair, facing her third eye up to the stars. "New prophecy. That's what. Consult the ... stars ..." Augrah's words drag as she slowly falls into a deep slumber, seeking the star's wisdom.

Thurma's jaw drops in disbelief, growing more impatient by the minute.

Kensho and Mavra glance at one another and shrug. "Don't worry, Thurma. Aughra's very clever," Kensho reassures her.

Thurma scoffs. "She's loud and she smells and she talks like a mad person. How long will this take?"

Mavra giggles and says, "I heard she spent a year like this once."