The Stories He Has to Tell | SabreTober Prompts | Hosted by IcyWillowSong

~| Day 1: Crystal |~

Series: Rainbow Quest

AU: Sabre, rather than a human, is a being made entirely of crystal.

Context: Orange Steve and Red Steve are exploring in a cave, unaware of what's been curiously following them through the colorful caverns underneath where they're walking.

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[Orange Steve's POV]

"Careful Orange, don't rush it, you might slip." Red calls out as we make our way along the cavern wall.

"I know, I know!" I say, trying not to look down at the ravine below us. "Just- Hang on!"

We're walking along an opened cave that leads into a ravine covered in crystals, especially the large ones below the rocky path that look like stalagmites. I'm trying to hurry past the open part, because the drop past the fenceless path we're taking is a really high one. How is Red not terrified right now?!

"Just a little longer, buddy. Stop trying to run on the path." Red says behind me, carrying the torch we're using to light the way. "Like I said, you might slip. All of the moisture down here collects on the stone, including the stone we're walking on right now."

"But, the-"

"You're not gonna fall down the ravine, chill out."

I stop running, now just walking towards the closed-walled section of the cave path. I just want to get this part over with.

"Why do we even need these crystals? We already have the Chromatic Crystals, can't we fix this with those?" I ask.

"The Chromatic Crystals have no effect, we already tried remember?" Red replies. "The strange illness that's been affecting everyone needs a potion to cure it, and an ingredient for it is the supposedly magical-propertied crystals we're looking for down here. Since these crystals have a very low melting point, enough to turn liquid in a brewing stand, and they're said to have better effects than a Healing Potion, they were supposedly used in a time this illness was first discovered many years ago. Apparently, though, they're guarded..."

"So that's why you made me bring a sword?" I say, clutching the scabbard at my waist. Red grabs his as well.

"Yes, no one's ever really come this far down, so we have no idea if that's true or not." Red continues. "Or what's guarding it, if it is. So keep a lookout."

I sigh and look towards the large crystals that are next to us one the path, growing out of the bottom of the ravine. It takes my mind off the high place. They're really pretty... and clear, too. Almost like glass, if it wasn't for the distortions because of the shapes of the crystals. There's a lot of different colors, some are even shades of different hues rather than just being normal colors. It's nice.

I suddenly see what looks like a person run through the forest-like crystal groups below us. I stop and try to spot them again.

"Orange? What is it?" Red asks.

"I swear, something just ran through the crystals down there..." I say, scanning the ground. I keep my distance because of the height.

"It was probably just a creature that lives down here, we need to keep going." Red answers, walking closer to me.

"No, it looked like a person. Kind of... maybe." I say, still looking for what I saw. What even was it...?

Red stays still for a moment, concerned. He then grasps my shoulder and attempts to get me to keep going.