A Devious Exchange

Did You Say Something?

"Isn't this a wonderful surprise."

A deep voice murmured in displeasure. Their nails drummed evenly against the rocks, a faint moisture gathering onto the cool surface from the concealed stream beneath. The fine notches and etches of the stones tugged against the skin of their bare palm and forearm, the rough calluses rolling the sediments off the ledge without much thought.

Nothing but a pale blue radiance engulfed the large space, mimicking the waters' pale white mist and the onlookers' squinted eyes.

They layed patiently on their side as the scene unrolled before them. Between them, a deep fissure of rock split the ground into a gorge, a winding stream twisting and turning against their stone captivity in their descent to deeper depths.

Crawling at the surface hung the fool's beauty. Pure white crystals held a translucent glory, shining like actual gems that lied deeper within the cave. They closely resembled diamonds if one weren't looking hard enough, but their earthy, mineral smell was indicative tenfold of their lies. They hung like shards of broken glass, a nasty cut foreseeable of an unlucky wanderer. There was no telling how long they've been on display, nor even if they were ever touched by man.

They had seen it for centuries now, memorizing every little peculiarity of the stone, every little bend in the stream, even gone as to memorizing the small changes in yearly erosion.

It was nature at its peak of original beauty, enough to attract them.

The bane of his existence. Even at the dawn of time, man deemed themselves the greatest; the most knowledgeable, the most attractive, the most superior. It was humorous at first, knowing it was only a matter of time before some force of nature snapped them into place. Perhaps the powerful winds of the north, or the hungriest beasts of the plains, or even the rough tides of sea would take the responsibility.

But that never was the case. As time grew older, man became more destructive, even towards their own kind. Forests were burned for the sake of pride, land was uprooted of all its nutrients, and man stomped even the kindest creatures into inexistence. It was clear nothing of divine flora would stop them from their rampage.

A more forceful correction was needed, and that's when he stepped in.

He remembered the interaction vaguely, and even now it left behind a bitter taste on his tongue. Nothing of regret, more so an unpleasant feeling forever lingering. The learned hatred coiled around inside his chest in a strong chokehold. They were just what he predicted; horrid creatures not worthy of all the glorious treasures they stole. So he did what he thought was best, and they learned their place.

What he didn't expect was their quick healing and thinking, as well as their hard-headed drive to seek what they can't have. You'd think one who gets burned wouldn't want to play with the fire again, but again, that never was the case with them. They continued their onslaught of petty fights and prideful jests that eventually, he had enough. He escaped to his untouched paradise after one last warning.

...Until a few weeks ago.

Audacious as ever, a group strongly resembling their ancestors, though having a more protective and flaunting style, roamed into his domain. It wasn't just out of curiosity either, as based on the previous expeditions. No, they were here for one thing and one thing only.

He knew it would happen again, but why so soon?

Already bored with a growing headache, he lied still, just peering down at the new group with one palm holding his head and the other continuing to drum at the rock. Glancing towards the entrance across the gorge, he counted at least twenty of them this time, each yielding a sword and navy coat. They were a mixture of lads and men, some appearing as if they joined only a few moons ago. Many wandered towards the walls where the blue glow originated. He supposed it was a bit magical for the newer eyes, the earthy moss holding their captivations whilst hiding in the deepest depths of the earth.