A dark lush cave cavern lit with only glow lichen, glow berries, and a fountain of lava hummed and echoed as voices were heard. The screeches of the dark brown bats seldomly sailed into earshot as those furry winged creatures were heard flapping their filmed, distinctive wings. Shadows were warnings of danger that might be lurking around in the unknown. Stalagmites dripped from the unreachable ceiling where the long vines and cave vines hung, glow berries beamed, and threads of pale white cobwebs were dotted among the crags and corners of the rocks above. Magenta spore blossoms bloomed wide and open among the glow berry and caves vines. Green drops of liquid dripped off those underground blossoms frequently and vanished once it touched the ground. Pools of water surrounded by dirt and clay littered the ground. Thick layers of moss carpeted over the dense floor, and crawled on the walls toward the ceiling, which marked as another sign of life. Small and big dripleaves stood quiet in and near the clear waters. Once in a while a ripple was heard as wild axolotls with different shades of colors swam and splashed about.
Five humanoid figures, some with glowing markings, and some with hair of different designs and colors sat by a naturally formed well of lava. Three of the five sat as near the lava as their body would allow, taking the heat to warm and dry their body from the cold damp cave. One figure, possibly a Magnorite, directly settled inside the lava, while the last member of the crew sat in the shallow water several yards away from the lava but in sight and earshot as the light of the lava still emitted the pale figure's face.
Five humanoid figures, some with glowing markings, and some with hair of different designs and colors sat by a naturally formed well of lava. Three of the five sat as near the lava as their body would allow, taking the heat to warm and dry their body from the cold damp cave. One figure, possibly a Magnorite, directly settled inside the lava, while the last member of the crew sat in the shallow water several yards away from the lava but in sight and earshot as the light of the lava still emitted the pale figure's face.
"I had enough of these hidin' days as if we're a simple group of useless cowards," grunted the Magnorite in the identical low, rough, stone-like tone of a Magnorite. Except this Magnorite's voice was feminine, instead of male as most Magnorites appeared to be. Dipping her fist inside the lava, the Magnorite made a gagging noise, maybe coughing, and continued, "Why not just storm out and kill everyone that blocks our path?"
"We cannot," said an Ardoni, his markings and skin rather pale for the lack of sunlight. He sighed, and rubbed his weary eyes although most of their time in the cavern was spent sleeping- aside from the Magnorite. "Eta, they can be searching for the Primes on all corners of Ardonia. If we show up, surely someone will sense their presence and we will be discovered. The war may start again. It just ended in less than ten years. Besides-" he glanced at the pale figure in the water. "Blue cannot be seen either. The experiment is at its white hot point. If she's seen- She is dead."
"Lime, stop?" Blue asked, sitting straighter in the water with a soft splash.
"Sorry," the Ardoni said. "But also, do not call me 'Lime'. My markings are not lime."
"If they weren't, they are now," a gray haired felina said teasingly, his amber eyes glinting in the reflection of the lava pool. "Sleeping on moss for all these days did dye your markings lime."
"That is enough," said a second Ardoni, a Voltaris, his markings were deep red then paled to reddish amber. His voice was steady and calm, but that did not hide the hopelessness in his eyes. Even though his markings were red, if he had real Voltaris blood inside him or if he joined the Clan later was unknown. For after the Great War, all the known Voltaris were slain except Master Senn, who was a halfling. "But Lime is right, Eta. If the Hunters did not have luck on us, the rest of the ardoni clans would take care of the work. We hurled in, took the most valuable items of the clans with the help of an outlaw, an outcast, and a wanted. Then we vanished. If we show ourselves now, our fate is sealed to death."
"Call me an outcast again and I'll roast you! Did they even se'us?" Eta asked.
"Many endermen did, and surely they will report to the Enderknights somehow," said the Felina with a sigh. "Over half in this group are already wanted. It would be enough to recognize us from what the endermen would say. We all have freakish spots." He stroked the side of his head, where his right ear should be, but it was missing. It was from a strangle with an enderman. Every part of his body was screaming with pain, his fur and clothes were stained by blood. He did not make the discovery of the missing ear until they escaped.
"Unique," Blue corrected, her ice gaze sternly glaring at the Felina.
"Anything you say," the Felina yawned. "I wonder how we can leave. Maybe through a Nether portal?"
"Thama," Blue said. "I dread heat."
Thama's throat rose a Felina snarl of anger, but it wasn't activated by Blue. "Why did we even get these crystals in the first place?"
"You said you would rather help us than be imprisoned," said Lime.
"Oh shush, Lime. I know I accidentally set a farm land on fire. Don't mention it." grunted Thama, drawing his blade, a short metal knife about the length of half his arm and flicking it from side to side, feeling its smooth flatness of the blade. The memory of where this calm reaper came from stung his heart.
"Why is everyone calling me Lime now?!" Lime- or not Lime- real-name-unknown Ardoni complained, but still scooted over and laid an arm over Thama's shoulder. He too knew the shadowed past of the knife. "Horial will always be remembered."
Thama nodded, the picture of the smiling Sendaris with cyan blue markings as if a warm ocean was clear in his mind.
" 'Llow me to cut in," Eta said and stretched inside the lava pool, droplets of lava sizzling as it dripped from Eta's arms and landed on the ground. "What's the decision with those power charges?"
"Split," Blue said, always reluctant to use unnecessary words.
"Mind to explain?" Eta asked.
"Divide among us," Blue explained, and gently lifted a brown axolotl from her pool and inspected it.
"They're so sluggish," grunted Eta with narrowed eyes.
Blue said nothing.
"That is, in fact, a good idea," said the Voltaris and took out three glazed spheres of red, golden, and green containing the unimaginable power. Setting them carefully in a row, and the Voltaris looked up. "Thama?"
Thama wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and took out the final, cobalt one from his inventory and handed it to Lime, which he passed to the Voltaris.
"Any ideas of how to divide?" asked Thama.
"Y'all split. My lifespan's too short."
Everyone turned to Eta with her unexpected volunteering.
"Quit starin' at me like that. I wish to do more farmin' and buildin' than fightin' or killin', or hidin'. " Eta said. "Or some blacksmithin'... K'arthen awaits. The Great War ended, and the Magnorites started to learn what you call 'friendliness'."
"That was... Unexpected..." Thama said.
Silence.
"Blue should keep one," Lime said, breaking the air. "If she is going home soon, she should be able to safeguard it. Her lifespan is the longest among us."
"Protisium," Blue said, released the axolotl into a deeper pool, and looked up at the others questioningly as if asking whether they agree.
"I am fine with whatever you all decide, not like I can wield Songs anyway." Thama said.
"Of course," Lime said and glanced at the Voltaris.
"Sure." Was the Voltaris' short reply.
"Then it is decided. How about you, Ky'Voltaris?" asked Lime with a hint of mischief.
"I'd like to have the Aggresium Prime." The Voltaris did not flinch for the slightest bit being called with that title, as if he was teased like this all the time.
"Okay," Lime said. "I will have the Mobilium Prime."
"Leaving the Uselessium Prime to me?" asked Thama with thin humor.
"It is not like we are going to use it anytime soon," Lime said, standing up. "I heard a spider, our lunch is here."
"Yeesh," Thama huffed, he hated spider eyes. "Can we have glow berries?"
"Save light source." Blue's short, cold, reply ended the conversation, but her gaze looked up at the glow berries that lit the cavern in wonder. Glow berries look like fireflies, lighting the cave, and illuminating their faces as they went down the cavern.
"Misty woods, frozen grounds,
Longed yearningly for the sound.
The sound of new spring,
When golden flowers ring.
Of what yet to come, or yet to be?
Fades into arms of summer,
Fades into an undisturbed slumber.
Dawn light shines up north east.
As the wind howls as if a beast.
The times of the weathers,
Changes like the wither of flowers.
Who shall know, when morning arose?"
Someone sang out in the darkness.