Citizen 1028 Seia

Seia took a breath as she rechecked her pack a second time, and then a third, just for safe measure.

Looming before her, the yawning darkness of The Learich Abyss waited, the shadows almost playing tricks on her eyes as they seemed to move and writhe, though deep in her heart, Seia knew that wasn’t truly the case. 

The Abyss was known for being a treacherous trek, a twisting, twining series of caverns and tunnels deep below the Posian Isles where legend holds that a cave of glittering crystals awaits those that venture into the depths. 

Seia seemed to vibrate in excitement. She had a reason for venturing into the underworld, even if others seemed to think it was strange. When the young alchemist wasn’t creating potions or the like, she fancied herself an apprentice artist, experimenting with any and all methods of creation that she could get her hands on.

In this case, Seia was searching for a series of gemstones, ones that could be cut and polished to be crafted into a series of pendants she was working on. And to do that, Seia needed the best, and that was among the glittering caverns of the Learich Abyss.

Seia steeled herself, nodding as she shouldered her pack, settling it on her shoulders. A last glance towards the city on the horizon, and the dark-furred rexalia took her first step into the darkness.

It seemed to swallow her whole, her dark, black-patched fur seeming to blend into the shadows as she followed the winding path downwards.

For a moment, it was dark until Seia’s pale green magic flickered into life, sending cool tones across the stone walls of the tunnel. 

As she ventured deeper, there were small tunnels and off-shoots and Seia peered into some of them, her eyes widening in wonder at the strange rock formations and pools of water that resided in them, and the odd creatures that lived among the pools and nooks and crannies.

In one, Seia noticed a small, almost glowing lizard that didn’t seem to have eyes, but noticed her nonetheless if the way it froze for a brief moment before skittering into the darkness to hide was any indication.

With a shake of her head, an ever-growing look of awe on her features and a desire to see what else the underworld had to offer, she pushed on.

Seia wasn’t sure how long she walked for before the path widened and she gasped, eyes gleaming as she took in the sight before her: seemingly growing from the rocky walls, crystals in all colors, glowing with an inner light, her own magic flickering off the facets of raw gemstone.

A few steps further, down the naturally carved stairs, and Seia smiled as she tilted her head: the faint sound of water falling into a pool, not much further from where she paused to listen.

Careful of the slick stone, Seia picks her way further, eyes widening as she takes in the expansive cavern before her: 

Wide, even moreso than some of the other caverns she’d seen, glowing with an ambient light that seemed to come from all numbers of things: the faintly bioluminescent plants, crystals, and her own magic, casting refracted light across the expanse.

A cool mist brushed her face and Seia cranes her neck up, excitement growing as she notices the stream of water falling in the center of the room, filling a wide, shallow pool where small, likely blind creatures skitter and flit among the darkness.

Setting her pack down, Seia took a careful step forwards, claws trailing through the water before she turned to examine a vein of gemstones growing from the wall: bright green, emerald, if she had to take a guess. 

Her excitement was palpable and Seia forced herself to take a moment to rest before the hard task of finding suitable stones.

She settled on a wide, flat stone, unpacking the small lunch she had packed: bread with a thick crust, some cheese, chicken and honey. She took a bit of time, munching on her meal before finally pulling herself up to examine the veritable rainbow of gemstones that glittered around her. 

It took time to find the right pieces, Seia taking care to examine every stone she found, looking for only the best pieces for her current project, taking care to not break or fracture them as she used her claws and the small hammer and chisel to pry them from their stone prison.

Soon, Seia had a collection of stones: glittering opal, quartz, and emerald in a pile that was steadily growing as she continued to pick her way along the crystalline caves.

It was hours later it seemed, when Seia finally packed up her tools and gear and, with a final smile towards the glittering caves she had discovered, turned and made her way back towards the surface and home.

Author: DrakElias