Varian and the Seven Kingdoms (Varian's Seven Trials)

Bioluminescence

Varian created the solution of salt water and walked to the map. He used a rag from his bag to scrub it clean.
"S'there anything you haven't got in that bag?" Hugo joked but Varian paid him no attention. Once the map had been cleared enough to read, Varian took out his journal and copied it down.
"Ok, I guess we'd better move on. Assuming the water ahead is magic like the rest, this map should hold up." Varian stood up and walked to the archway. The others followed and they waded through shallow water in the darkness. Varian shook his staff and it lit up their way.
"Not bad. How does it work?" Hugo asked.
"A chemically manufactured imitation of Bioluminescence."
"Bioluminescence? Say that five times fast." Hugo sniggered, looking at Yong, who took on the challenge;
"Bioluminescence, bioluminescence-"
"Ok, let's not! We need to stay on guard. Who knows what we could face in here."
"Maybe we'll meet a talking fish." Hugo grinned.
"Oo- what if we meet a mermaid?" Yong smiled.
"That- would be pretty cool, actually." Varian admitted with a laugh.

Eventually the cavern opened up into a small chamber with a large rock in the centre of the shallow water. Upon the rock was a basin. Varian moved forwards and climbed the rock, examining the basin of water.
"What is it?" Yong asked.
"There's writing;
'This trial can only truly be complete, when you've undone the damage of flames and heat'." Varian furrowed his eyebrows then looked to the others, "Any ideas?"
"We just completed the fire trial. Maybe it's something to do with that." Yong suggested.
"But what?" Varian pulled his goggles on and took a closer look at the basin.
"I wanna see!" Yong climbed the rock to join Varian. Hugo took this opportunity to discreetly check the ripped pages from Ulla's journal. They mentioned that the gemstones from the previous trial were needed. Hugo sighed and tucked the page away.
"What would you do without me?" He muttered and Varian looked to him, confused. The blonde pulled the gemstones from his bag and joined the others on the rock.
"You stole those?" Varian asked, unimpressed.
"Be thankful I did, or we wouldn't be able to finish this trial." Hugo dropped the stones into the basin. "'when you've undone the damage of flames and heat'," Hugo started, "Take one and clean it with the water." Hugo instructed and Yong done as he was told. Varian unwillingly followed.
The three rubbed at the gemstones until their true colours started to be revealed. The shining red colour had been washed away to reveal a dull blue.
"Amazing..." Varian commented, "I wonder what these are. I guess we have to bring them along for each trial. That's genius- you can't complete the trials without them, meaning by luck I started at the right trial."
"Bet they would've sold for a lot." Hugo muttered in annoyance.
"Do you want to finish these trials or not?" Varian rolled his eyes.

The boys continued forward through the cavern, wading through the shallow water again. Distantly, there was a muffled melodic sound again, similar to the one Varian had heard in the lake. The boy stopped walking and Hugo bumped into him.
"What is it, Goggles?"
"Do you hear that?"
"What?"
"Sh. Stop moving." He looked back at Yong and they all stood in silence in the dark cavern. The sound was becoming louder and it was almost entrancing.
"Singing?" Hugo looked puzzled.
"I told you I heard singing!" Varian smirked in victory that he had been right. Suddenly the water they had been wading through, that had been knee-height for Hugo and waist-height for Yong, started to rise. Yong practically climbed Hugo to reach safety.
"Hey- get off of me!" Hugo grabbed at the boy.
"Let's just keep going, and quickly." Varian said and they moved through the water quickly, but it continued rising and the singing became louder the further they went. Hugo had eventually agreed to carry Yong on his back and Varian was struggling through the chin-height water.
"Struggling there, Shorty?" Hugo asked and Varian stopped in his tracks. He turned to Hugo,
"Ok- Goggles; fine- Hairstripe; I'll allow it, but never call me 'Shorty' again." Varian seemed very offended and Hugo grinned,
"You got it, Goggles. There will be no further mentioning how incredibly short you are."
"Ok- but Yong's short too."
"Yong's twelve." Hugo snickered.