The cavern was back to how it was before. It was darker, sure. And the ground was becoming smoother and smoother.

The monsters, though, were changing as well. Becoming more and more humanoid… but somehow, acting more and more erratic. They made sounds like clashing swords, and oftened seemed to wander confused.

“Do you have any clue why this is happening?” Minfilia asked, after she knocked one of the humanoid crystal people down - as they collapsed and turned into rubble, tiny crystal shards. Bolormaa kneeled down, picking one up…

…and then tasting it, licking it curiously. Bolormaa gave a little shrug. “It does not taste like a soulkin. No soul. I don’t think so, anyway?” Still, Bolormaa began to crunch on the crystal, as they continued to move.

Minfilia couldn’t help but stare at the larger Au Ra - did they all eat rocks? “I wonder if the colour means anything, though.” Bolormaa added, tail swishing. That was true… they all seemed to have different colours, depending on the battle style they used. The brown-yellow one that Bolormaa had sampled seemed to carry many weapons, made of the same crystal as everything else.

Still, they continued. But this floor was massive. Corridors which seemed to lead into each other, and rooms that the two swore they’d seen again. Eventually, Minfilia looked to Bolormaa. “I’m switching to Miner, my friend - so we can mark the walls. I know this place is not ours to desecrate, but we must need mark our way.”

Bolormaa gave a nod, and she then paused. “Pardon me for a moment. I’ll modify your pick so it’s like our weapons.”

As Bolormaa crafted, though, Minfilia saw more of the crystal people. This one was staring - their turqoise skin shimmering. It did not strike right away - it watched, quietly. Minfilia stepped forward - her weapon put away. She got closer, and closer - and the strange person mimicked her, stepping just as she did.

They were face to face, and Minfilia could see how humanoid they were. There were little imperfections, little scars. But as she watched it, the creature seemed to shimmer and change. And it changed into a copy of her, from turquoise to aquamarine - letting out soft sounds at her. They were able to copy people… and this one almost seemed docile. And so, Minfilia gave a soft little smile. “You’re quite amazing.”

The crystal being, however, continued to stare. Even as Minfilia tried speaking to it. She was quite concerned, mind you, that this being would strike. Or that Bolormaa might fight it. “What are you? Are you… aware?”

The creature stared. It did not speak, nor did it seem to be thinking. But it then drew its’ daggers. Darn it. It was going to fight, and it began to flail around the daggers. It didn’t know how to use them - Minfilia drew her own, and struck it a few times - watching as the crystal crumbled.

Bolormaa walked up behind her, and picked up some of the crystal - tasting it as well. “…This is going to sound strange either way, Minfilia, but this tastes like you. Not like your flesh would, but it still tastes like you,” Bolormaa rambled, as she handed over the pickaxe - continuing to suckle on the new bit of crystal.

It was only a bit creepy. But Minfilia sighed. “I thought they may have had minds, Bolormaa,” she explained. “But it seems all they know is fighting.”

“I think Sadu would like them,” Bolormaa replied, as she watched Minfilia prepare. “Well, if they were more of a challenge, that is. Perhaps a hundred versus one?”

Bolormaa continued to ramble on, as they walked - as Minfilia began to trace across the left wall. This way, she hoped, they’d not get any more lost…

“It wasn’t the sun, was it.”

Fordola and Lyse sat outside, in the moonlight. They had not remained inside Quarrymill - no, they had returned to their caravan. Quarrymill wasn’t their place, and both of them knew it.

Lyse looked to Fordola, her gaze so very tired. “…What do you mean?” she asked, before letting out a soft sad yawn - a few tears dropping as she yawned. Fordola didn’t even need to talk - her gaze broke Lyses’ resolve. “Yeah. Even if the sun was weird, that wasn’t it.

…I wasn’t one of them, Fordola.”

Sitting up a little, Lyse wiped at her eyes. “I wasn’t one of those Unseelie. I wasn’t born one. Just like… just like I’m not really an Ala Mhigan.” Taking a deep breath in, Lyse tried to hold back her tears. “Even if I have Ala Mhigan blood, I’m not really one - otherwise I’d know what it meant to be one. I spent most of my life in Sharlayan - I don’t remember much about home. I remember some of the food, and how my dad cared for me, and— and how we’re meant to fight, we’re meant to bring Ala Mhigo back from the Empire, but I don’t even know what Ala Mhigo is.”

Sitting up a little more, Fordola scrambled onto Lyses’ lap. “…In order to rise up in the ranks, I had to abandon whatever I knew about Ala Mhigo. I— I don’t really know what the old place was like, either. I want Ala Mhigo, but I want it to be better.

And my dad thought that the Garleans would bring that. And so, I followed th’path given to me.” Fordola wasn’t making excuses - at least, she didn’t think she was. Still, she looked right up at Lyse. “But it’s like— there’s a difference between living it and only hearin’ about it? And you— you have people you can ask. Those Little Ala Mhigans.”

Lyse shook her head, biting her lip. “Not really. They— they know Yda. And that’s a problem.

…Yda’s Garlean, Fordola. Full blooded Garlean.”

Both of them went silent, and then there was a soft slapping sound - Fordola had facepalmed, which was weird for the tiny Ifrit. “Fuck. So she’s the one I was hunting? Yulia—”

“—yeah. Yeah, she was. Uh, sorry?” Lyse said, actually managing to smile a little. “But she’s Yda now. Plus - you don’t know, imperials might be listening.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper, a little hurt mixed with the amusement. 

While Fordola had not been told her target, she’d put it together. And a lot of the Ala Mhigans had heard the story of Yulia - a deserter who gave it all away for Ala Mhigo, even being captured again and given to experiments, only to escape again. She’d been seen as a traitor, though and though. But Yda seemed like a kind woman - gods. This was so confusing. “…does Minfilia know?” Fordola then asked, her tail flicking. Lyse shook her head, and Fordola looked back towards the strange caverns.

“…ya know. Yda seemed fully Ala Mhigan to me. Not… y’know. Garlean. She had that feel t’me. I think she proves it. Even if you’re not naturally one of ‘em, you can become Ala Mhigan.”

“…and even if you are born like them, you can become… not Ala Mhigan,” Lyse finished - trying to hide her sorrow behind a sad chuckle. That wasn’t where Fordola was going, but Fordola flopped backwards into her lap.

Before getting an idea. “How about we take a trip t’Little Ala Mhigo after this? You, me, and maybe Minfilia. Unless we’ve gotta hunt down a Primal, that is.”

That… sounded nice. Lyse laid backwards, looking up at the trees above them. “They accepted Yda pretty easily… well, not really. She had to fight to be accepted by the Resistance, and they still don’t trust her as much as me. But she’s done a lot more then me.

…all because of her forehead. She actually decided to try and remove it once, but uh.

It didn’t go well,” Lyse said, touching her own forehead. “But there was no lasting damage.”

It was almost warm, the two of them sharing stories - as Lyse spoke of Yda, Fordola spoke of her allies. Her Lupi - though she also called them her Skulls. They were finally bonding. Even if it took a secret to begin it…

Minfilia and Bolormaa did not expect to see anything except crystal - but there was a dull grey ahead of them. Stone - bricks? No, there was steel as well, warped and curled around. Bolormaa was leading by this point, and suddenly put an arm out to stop Minfilia. “There. Up the top.” Bolormaas’ voice was firm, as the two gazed up there.

A dragon…? The creature sitting up there had large dragon-esque wings, at least. Minfilia nodded to Bolormaa - as they stopped. “I know, Minfilia. We try to talk first, right?”

Bolormaa knew Minfilias’ methods. She needed somebody who’d protect her when they went wrong, that was all. And, thus, she let the Midlander step forward. Minfilia stepped forward, one foot in front of the other. As she got closer, though, she could feel rubble under her feet - it was a little odd, moving from crystal to broken paths.

But as she approached, she could see the other figure better. He was no dragon - he looked like a mix of man and dragon, his body covered in broken Ishgardian armour—

—ah. He may be a heretic. One of those who laid with dragons. Minfilia kept her hand on her dagger, as she approached - stopping as soon as she was close enough to hear the others’ snarls. Now she could see him clearer, their eyes met - his were narrowed, more like a Miqo’te then an Elezen. Spikes stuck out of his face, blackened horns at the top of his hair. But instead of scales, he seemed to have brown fur sprouting over him - even his wings were slightly fluffy. Pink marks broke up the fur - patterns, of course. All the man did was snarl, warning her.

Minfilia spoke up. “I am not Ishgardian, nor shall I slay you. Please— how did you end up down here?”

The other snapped to stare at her, gaze narrowing, wings moving to try and cover him. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed them? But his voice was deep, as he shouted at them from behind his wings. “Stay back! The Steel Vigil is mine…!”

The Steel Vigil? Hmm… Minfilia thought back, but she— oh. It had fallen before the Calamity, hadn’t it? Perhaps fragments of it had been pulled into this dungeon, like Earthgift had been. She wished she knew more about Ishgard at this moment. Still, Minfilias’ voice was as kind as it could be as she yelled up at the half-dragon. “I do not mean to harm the Steel Vigil, Ser! I simply wish to talk!”

“Don’t look at m-me…” the other then whined - and Minfilia complied. She knew that Bolormaa would protect her, if he struck. “You’re not one of them…? The crystals…?”

Shaking her head, Minfilia put her hands up. “No - I am not. Me and my ally are simply lost here, Ser—” she began, her voice interrupted by a gust of wind. Soon, she saw the source of it - while Minfilia did not look up, like she promised, she could see the feet and legs of the changed man. He was muscled, that was for sure - even if he no longer wore boots.

A warm snort of firey smoke brushed over Minfilias’ head - and the other spoke, voice almost hoarse. “…It’s been a long time since I sent my men away,” he said, softly, in his own way - fangs snapping shut. “I did not think any— any would come here. Are you truly not sent by Ishgard, to put down one of their own?”

Bolormaa spoke up this time. “I do not like Ishgard. They are cruel to other Au Ra - I have heard stories of them killing entire tribes. Not out of a thrill and desire to fight, but because they mistake us for being dragons.

But, um, you’re…”

The half-dragon looked to Bolormaa. “I’m aware. It’s— it’s why they’ll take me down. I hope that my family has not suffered…”

Minfilia looked up, gently, and met the eyes of the other. “Please. Tell me your story, Ser. We are not Ishgardian - nor are we crystal. Perhaps I can help?”

“Pah.” The half-dragon shook his head. “Come in, then.”

They were close to the stairs. They could rush down there… but Minfilia now sat across from the other. His name was Chlodebaimt, he said, and he began to become a dragon as he fought Svara. But he didn’t think… he didn’t think that was how it worked.

“I’m a holy man - or, at least, I was. I followed every rule. Even when I thought it was unfair. I cared for my family, and treated them all with respect. But that day, my body began to change under my armour.

I’ve been holding it back, since then,” Chlodebaimt said, bowing his head - his teeth still gnashing together, hands gripping to the long-rotted table he sat at. “I thought I’d simply fallen into the shallow ruins, when the Vigil began to fall beneath me.”

Minfilia was now thinking. “Forgive me. I don’t know much - may I ask how you thought Ishgardians became dragons?”

Chlodebaimt sat back, leaning onto the wall - his wings still hiding much of himself. “When one sides against their fellow man, and they ingest the blood of a dragon, their body and mind are changed - and they become our enemy.”

“Is it instant?” Minfilia then asked, as she began to narrow her gaze. As she noticed the other shaking his head, about to speak, she continued. “Then perhaps— it’s just dragon blood, right? There are some foods which may include such.”

Chlodebaimt paused. And then, he gave a long sigh. “There are some items that could include such, but… hm. We had been given new supplies from the Holy See before then—

—but they wouldn’t do such. The Holy See would never… perhaps they were intercepted?” Chlodebaimt gave a soft groan as he spoke, more smoke pouring out of his mouth.

It was years ago. Over five, at least. Perhaps he was right. “I can imagine that it happens a lot,” Minfilia said quietly, “that some attempt such. If that’s the case…

Come with us.” That caught Bolormaas’ attention, and she looked at Minfilia with a confused look. “We do not know if those crystal people are going to strike us again, Chlodebaimt. And if you were truly targetted - either by heretic or… well… we need to find the truth. It has been quite some time, but still - you have family, do you not? They might be in danger.”

Chlodebaimt gave the first little smile he’d given in quite some time. “I’d like to. Those stairs - I think they lead down to… well, the way out of here. Sometimes, some of those crystal people come out of there.”

The three moved down the stairs…

…and they all froze. There did seem to be a teleporter out, yes. But instead of crystal, the place around them was… well. Hellish. The teleporter laid on a giant throne - a large statue shattered and crublbed around a circular area. The walls were painted with images of meteor showers, with silvered scales mixed in.

But that was not what made the three freeze. In the center of the arena was a massive skeleton - one which seemed to cover the platform. It was no Spoken - though it had similar bones to one. But the skull had massive horns, which were pointed like a demon. Arched above them were the bones of wings - some of those crystal people pierced and twitching on them. If they were paying attention, they’d notice the four hands scattered as well - shifted, turned into makeshift tents. Whatever this being was, it was dangerous.

Bolormaa spoke up first, in a whisper. “…maybe it made the crystal people,” she said - sounding a tiny bit afraid. She placed a hand on one of the massive horns - before tapping it. “Minfilia… we should take a tiny bit.”

“…So we can try and figure out what this was? I think it was a Voidsent,” she said - but, still, she picked up her pickaxe and got to work chipping away the horn. Chlodebaimt, meanwhile, moved towards the exit - making sure they had an exit. And yet, he couldn’t help but stare at the walls. At the walls that seemed to be alive, the fires and meteors seemed to be alive.

None of them could dismiss the fact it could be a Voidsent. Bolormaas’ gaze turned to the walls as well - before she suddenly seemed to zone out. Minfilia could recognize what that expression meant, though, what that slight hiss she gave before collapsing was…

Bolormaa was having a vision. “Chlodebaimt. We can go now - if we carry Bolormaa. Shall we?”