Catalyst

Prologue Pt.1

-Enjoy and comment your thoughts!-

"Chase, I really don't think we should be down here." Jaysen was all for making a new discovery and all that, but something in his gut was telling him to turn back...now. Maybe it was from watching too many horror films, but being out in this quarry late at night with only Chase... This was a classic, 'You gone die!' moment that he would always say to the characters on the screen before they met their predetermined end. Plus, with all these gems in this cave giving off this eldritch glow, he was starting to feel a bit hypocritical.

"Do you really think that I'm going to let some senior grab the good stuff before me? Hell, nah." he says hammering away at the stone face. "If we don't take our shot now before this section gets fully accessible to the others, we might never create a name for ourselves. So if you're done whining, help me out here. I'm almost through. "

In a way he was right. If they do not explore this new area first then the seniors would get first dibs with their license professors leading the project for their field study. No way they would let a few second years with no experience go into this side of the cavern. In a way Jaysen could see the appeal, however he was also thankful for rules. It does not take a genius to understand the dangers of exploring travel sites, not previously investigated. With great reluctance, he began to work.

"And what are we going to say when the college finds out that someone has been digging here?" Doubtful that he would have planned that far ahead.

"We say nothing and no one will know it was us." Easy for him to say. Jaysen knew that he couldn't keep a secret to save his life. Just the sort of half baked plan I'd expect from ya. All he could do now is pray that no one questions him about the events. With all the students on campus, maybe he can get lucky.

"There, we are in!" Chase announced verifying that the small entrance they've created was large enough to slip through to the other side. "Grab the equipment and let's go." You could at least grab your own stuff... Exasperated, Jaysen collected the small bag of essentials and shimmied his way through the crack. Emerging through he found himself surrounded in complete darkness.

"Chase!" Silence was his answer. Deciding not to panic too much, he hastily searched the bag for a flashlight. "Chase! Dude, this isn't funny man!" The pace of him feeling around through the bag quickened as his anxiety started to rise. Shit! Should have organized this shit better! Just as he was about to give up and turn back his hand found the cylinder shape that he sought. " Finally!" Sparing no extra time he quickly lightens his path and finds himself standing inside something he would not have thought possible. Is this a fucking...

He had no time to finish the thought as something large wrapped its arms around him. With a heart full of dread he gave the loudest screech he ever made. A sound that echoed continuously through the walls. Breaking free from his capture he quickly pivoted the light and found... Laughing obnoxiously... Chase.

"Damn, I knew you were a wuss but..."

"Shut the fuck up man!" Jaysen shoved the tools into him furiously. "That wasn't funny aight!?"

"Whatever haha." Grabbing his own light from the bag he focused his light onto the walls around them. Strange markings covered the walls engraved onto emeralds, rubies, amethyst, and so forth. Almost like each stone was carved into plates and placed meticulously into place in the walls that surrounded them.

"Look alive Jaysen boy. We found our mark on the world." Jaysen could only respond with expression of awe as he examined the artwork. A clear depiction of skeletal figures of different colors making offerings to a god holding an ornate book close to his heart.