Chapter 29: The Moment of Epiphany
As Fiona draws closer to the front door of Jenetta's Inn, the sound of a blade slicing through the air catches her attention. The sound originates from the side of the large building, prompting her to make her way over to that location. Here, she finds Cyrus taking practice swings. 'Why did I just assume it would be Evelyn or Valerie?' She remains at the corner, simply observing her comrade's form and movements. Nothing strikes her as out of the ordinary until Cyrus motions into a heavy swing that causes his blade to rip through the air; this produces the same sound that led her here, only now it is far more pronounced. 'He doesn't usually commit that intensely.' It is now that she calls out to him, stepping over as he lowers his blade and turns to face her. "Why aren't you in bed?"
He shakes his head to this, sheathing his blade. "I get restless, Fiona; you know that."
"Your wounds were pretty bad, Cyrus; practicing is the last thing you should be doing right now." She rests a hand on her hip in an effort to strike an indignant stance, but her expression is capable of showing only concern; her voice matches this concern in turn. Instead of admonishing him, in spite of her desire to do so, she asks, "What's on your mind?" He looks away, albeit briefly, as a shamed countenance takes over his face. When he looks back, Fiona's expression is maintained. "The way you swung your sword just now, that's not how you usually are, Cyrus."
He smirks at this, offering a depreciative chuckle in kind. "My, aren't we attentive today?"
Fiona chuckles in turn, though she offers a warm smile instead of a smirk. "Fae opened my eyes, so my clarity has improved. I have…" Her voice trails off as her expression sinks into something more somber. "I've started to see things that I hadn't noticed before – about you."
That smirk of his turns into a conniving grin as he asks, "Ah, so you've finally noticed that my hair isn't actually black?" She sighs at this, opting to flick his nose as punishment. He recoils, gripping his pained nose with his hand as a scream is suppressed. "Fu- damn it, Fiona; this needs to stop…"
"What you said to Fae put things into perspective for me." Her comrade's attention is caught, though he has yet to let go of his nose. "For a long time now, I've tried to understand where you and I went wrong."
"Fio- ow, damn that stings." He takes a deep breath and exhales, steeling himself to speak through the pain his nose is still in. "Fiona, I thought we cleared this up after the Amalgolem was defeated."
"No, that was only part of it. I understood why you were so focused on the Chain Squad, but not where our conflict came from." She takes a step closer, crossing her arms as she looks to him with a saddened expression. "Everything you said to Fae back in the Fetid Necropolis; was all of that the reason why you behaved as you did in Armoroad?" He says nothing, and though his expression is certainly telling, Fiona is by no means content with that silence. She steps closer again, wrapping her arms around his back as she pulls him into a gentle embrace. Her grip on him tightens, if only slightly. "I'm not here to fight, nor am I here to criticize you again. I just want to understand what you're going through." She lingers in her silence, partly expecting an answer, but also expecting Cyrus to make some effort to slip away – he commits to neither, instead pressing his arm to her back to bring her closer. "Fae's right, you know. We can't just ignore this and hope you get better in time."
"I don't deserve that kind of help, Fiona; if I don't work this out on my own, I run the risk of losing the people I care about."
"For a time, that second bit was probably true. You're stronger now, Cyrus, and I'd like to say your allies are as well. You're wrong about being undeserving, though; anyone would tell you the same." She pulls herself back so that she may meet his gaze with her own; there is a sincerity to her stare, though it is somewhat clouded by her pressing concern. "I can't let you suffer in silence anymore; not when I've learned what I have. I don't know why you couldn't admit this to the others, nor do I understand why no one has called you out on this until now." She brings him closer again, resting the side of her head against his. "I suppose none of that matters, because I'm here for you now, and I promise to remain as such."
"Am I even worth that effort, Fiona?"
"You're worth that and so much more, Cyrus." She pulls away from him, choosing instead to grab hold of his hand as she takes her place at his side. Smiling at him again, she says, "Let's go eat; I know you're hungry after that battle." It is at this moment her own stomach growls, causing her to look down at it before returning her attention to Cyrus. A blush is upon her cheeks as she says, "That was you, not me." He chuckles at this, but is given no proper chance to reply before being pulled along. 'Worst. Timing. Ever.'
The break suggested by Fiona lasts much longer than the party initially intended, keeping them from returning to the Fetid Necropolis until after nightfall. As they make their way back to the secret area of the 13th floor, Gwenivere does take a moment to point out that the group currently entertains the boon of not having to worry about toxic marshes. With the guards safe and secure back in Iorys, the paths that weren't chosen are now free to be explored. The top-most path is closest to the party, so they choose it as their first travel point. The path sports two turns, and is yet another trail that would have been mired by toxic marshes had the party explored this during the day.
The Seekers arrive at a clearing marked by a few tombstones. As is the standard with this stratum, the grave markers are too faded by the abuse of time to be deciphered. As the party approaches a dead end tucked away in a corner, they are beset by a group of five enemies. Two Eerie Chokers occupy the front; two more occupy the rear line, and a Spriggan is accompanying the four for reasons the party honestly could not be bothered to take an interest in. Instead of coordinating a proper assault with her comrades, Gwenivere triggers the use of Tri-Magic, which obliterates every enemy barring the path. As the remnant traces of aether flow from her hand, she lets out a scoff. The dead end proves to be simply thus, so the party departs from here in order to choose another path.
The next route to take is the second in the sequence; it immediately leads to a dead end where nothing occurs. One path remains, and it is arguably the one that makes the party feel the most grateful for their decision to return here at night. Judging from the map Cyrus had drawn earlier, this path was almost entirely comprised of toxic marshes. This notion bears much credence, for even after the initial path is cleared, the party is met with a branching point – one is completely clear, but likely leads to a dead end, while the other would have also been mired by toxic marshes. The party chooses to traverse the clear path first, but it ends up being a longer route that loops around to lead to the same clearing as the toxic path.
As the party steps into this clearing, 9PM strikes. A door lies before them, but they elect to take a short break before continuing through it. Sitting beside Hayato, Cyrus asks, "Are you well, prince?"
"Yeah, I don't feel too bad up here." He points to the giant skull of what he presumes to be a dragon. "Do you really think dragons were part of the war up here, Cyrus?"
"Assuming they weren't used by the Despot or his enemies, these creatures could very well have been the original denizens of this place. That's not exactly a pleasant thought, considering there could be an undead dragon roaming around."
Hayato shudders at the thought. "You'll jinx us, Cyrus; don't bring up possibilities like that." Before he can admonish his comrade any further, Fae walks over to the two and offers each of them a cheddar biscuit. "Ah, thank you, Fae."
"Are you two OK?" She focuses her attention on Hayato upon asking this, going a step further to say, "You look a bit spooked, prince." He blushes at this, quickly stuffing his face in some effort to hide his embarrassment. Completely missing the point, Fae puts a finger to her chin as she says, "Huh, I guess you were just hungry." Cyrus snickers at the sight, but says nothing to fuel it any further. "Uncle, the FOE Radar was going off earlier, right?"
"Indeed. There is likely an FOE puzzle of some sort beyond this door." He frowns at this, directing his gaze at the door the party will soon step through. "That is honestly not to our benefit, since we may very well want the sunlight to make it easier to deal with the FOEs in there." He sighs, massaging his left temple as he says, "You haven't seen them yet, but there are FOEs up here that are just like the Luring Phantom we fought earlier. Their patrol routes…are difficult to weave through during the night."
The break ends shortly after this explanation is complete. The party proceeds through the door, and is met with more toxic marshes to notate and, worse still, a pile of bones that brings disgust to Gwenivere's expression. A loud groan of anguish sounds from her throat as she points to the bone pile closest to the party. "I detest Skeleswords." By following the lead of Cyrus' careful direction, as well as throwing in a bit of Fiona's dance-based improvisation, the party eludes a trio of Skeleswords in order to step through a door tucked away in the top-right corner of this room. In here is a treasure chest. "Ooh, I wonder what our reward could be."
Fiona rushes over to open the chest, pulling an intricate necklace from it. "I think this is Iorys' equivalent to the Fortune Necklace." She removes the necklace Fae is currently wearing in favor of having the child wear this one instead. "There we go, dear; now you'll have an even easier time landing your ailments." Fae giggles at this, fumbling around with her new necklace as she thanks Fiona. Departing from this place, the party returns to the large area housing the slumbering Skeleswords. The map is finished shortly after the hour strikes 11PM. As she stares at the map in Cyrus' hands, Fiona says, "I was expecting more." She can see a grin forming on Cyrus' face. "I know that look; what sort of dastardly setup have you thought of this time?"
"Now, now, Fiona. That would be telling." He chuckles maliciously after saying this, sending a shiver down her spine. "Now is the not the time to shudder, my dear; save that for when the proper time arrives."
"This side of you scares me sometimes."
"And at others?" Just as Fiona opens her mouth to make a reply, she notices that Fae is standing next to her. She quickly looks back to Cyrus and crosses her arms to form an 'X', suggesting that, whatever feelings she may experience during these other periods, she cannot possibly share them with the child present. Cyrus blushes at this. "Oh dear. You didn't strike me as the type, Fiona." He makes no effort to continue the conversation beyond that, and pulls out a spool of Ariadne Thread to warp the party back to Iorys. The hour draws close to midnight, so Fae retires for the evening. Hayato and Fiona join her, but Cyrus and Gwenivere remain awake.
The duo currently stands in a forest clearing a short distance away from Jenetta's Inn. Looking to her husband, Gwenivere performs a curtsey. "You have my gratitude, darling; out of everyone in the party, I know you require the most rest after what happened today."
"I take it you wish to discuss the matter in private?" To his surprise, she shakes her head. "Oh?"
"Perhaps I should be more forward or intrusive, but I trust you; if there is something troubling you, I am fully aware that you know you can always speak with me. Even after I become Overlord, and inevitably become swamped with work, I will always make time for you." She crosses her arms, her expression becoming despondent. "The more I tell myself that you'll step forward with your problems, the more I feel that I should take Terri and Lissa's advice." Seeing the inquisitive look in his eye, she heaves a sigh, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "Our beloved Terri has suggested in the past that I should take advantage of my position and start ordering you to be more direct with us when it comes to addressing your depression." She sighs again, her countenance shifting to show distress. "She does not yet understand just how much it bothers me – to know that, at any given moment, I could relapse and treat you as poorly as I did back then."
"I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit, Gwen."
"Sometimes I fear that you give me too much of it." Allowing her arms to fall back to her sides, she looks to him with a resolute expression. "In any case, I shall stand firm by my decision; I won't pry – I'll trust you to bring this up when you're ready. I called you out here for a different purpose." She blushes, repeatedly breaking eye contact as she starts to fidget in place. Cyrus awaits the continuation of her request in silence, patiently allowing her to sort out whatever emotions course through her at present. "I am in need of your counsel." A blank stare is his initial response. "Is that…not permissible, my love?"
"Why the fidgeting?"
"I am unaccustomed to showing such hesitation to you; the only people I typically allow to see this side of me are Annabelle, Reginald, and my mother." She points at him, a frown forming on her lips. "You and Overlord Ginger are the two most important people before whom I must maintain my image. As your liege and future Overlord, it is imperative that you see me at my peak; I shall not settle for being less than perfect in your eyes." Her blush returns as her finger goes limp. She lowers her hand shortly after, heaving another sigh. "Alas, tonight I address you – not as your liege, but as your wife; I am at a loss with my Skill focus, with only you and Master Annora to turn to. Since you are my teacher in this field, I felt it was only right that I prioritize asking you first." Her blush deepens as she begins to fidget again. "I was also looking for an excuse to spend time with you on my own for once."
"Perhaps we should have made a day of it. I admit to missing your company. Of course, we can always make up for the lost time down the line. For now, we'll focus on your current dilemma."
"Yes, thank you, Cyrus. You see, I've been practicing my spells as of late, but I recently noticed during our battle against Crow that my focus has been slipping. I wanted to perfect the Focus Chant, but then I started working towards Quick Chant." Cyrus chuckles at this, causing Gwenivere to puff out her cheek as a pout forms on her lips. "And what, pray tell, is so amusing about this?"
"All of us from Erdboden fall for this trap at some point, my love. You can't take every Skill in this world; you spread yourself too thin and end up being unable to excel in any category." He takes hold of her hand, gently holding it up between them as he stares into her eyes. "Just as you do back home, you must run your role here in this world so that it plays to your strengths."
"I was…considering the act of shifting my focus to a Skill known as Clever Strike." Cyrus nods to this, off-handedly noting the potential issues Gwenivere might run into when using this Skill. "It is as you say. As a Witch tied to the rules of this world, I can only make use of staves and firearms." Her expression suddenly becomes irate as she rests a hand on her hip. "Staves are mired by some sort of nonsensical melee range penalty, and the firearms of this world aren't custom-made to better facilitate the channeling of aether." She lets out a huff, crossing her arms as she says, "What utter rubbish." Cyrus snickers at this, to which Gwenivere responds by blushing and pointing at him. "Now you cease that snickering at once! The absurdity of this world and its rules are no laughing matter, darling! What sort of Overlord has to pick and choose when she could just have her cake and eat it too?"
"I understand your rage, love, but those are the rules, and we must abide by them."
"To the Seven Hells with that! I have half a mind to change them instead." She shakes her head, a loud exasperated sigh escaping her. "Am I wasting our time by trying to make this Skill work, Cyrus?"
"No, no, not at all. Clever Strike is plenty useful; it's just difficult to put into standard practice. I understand that you wish to use the most powerful option available, and for that, you'll have to take to the front lines." His expression suggests that he intends to admonish her adherence to such a dangerous strategy, but his eyes are gentle in contrast. "I'll protect you as best I can, but you've seen that I've been having trouble recently."
"That was against an FOE, Cyrus – and a much stronger version of one that already exists, mind you. The enemies of the 4th Stratum, barring the FOEs therein, won't be nearly as strong as the Luring Phantom." She smiles at him, crossing her arms again as she asks, "How do you suppose we set this up?"
"Clever Strike will always deal Bash Damage in some capacity; with an Elemental Oil or an Elemental Prayer, we can convert it into a composite Skill." Gwenivere opens her mouth to speak, but relents, instead opting to look at her husband expectantly. "As a composite Skill, it can then take advantage of Smokeblight, Dance Oracle, and Amplifier while still entertaining the boons of supplements for physical damage. From here, we need only pick the best options from each set."
Holding her chin in her hand, Gwenivere closes her eyes to take a moment to think on this matter. Before long, without opening her eyes, she says, "Amy has been working on drawing out the full potential of Overexertion; we could use that." She opens her eyes to gaze upon her husband again; as she does so, a memory returns. "A Bravant would work as a replacement for Amplifier; unless I miss my mark, I have yet to reach a level of proficiency where that Skill outpaces the tonic."
"There are two more boons to consider."
"Hm? I missed a couple? What could they be?"
"Head Bind and the Sleep Bonus."
She gives him a blank stare as she asks, "Darling, what in the Seven Hells is a Sleep Bonus? This is not a tabletop RPG." To her surprise, he doesn't snicker; his expression is straight-faced. "You're being serious, aren't you?"
He nods. "When you strike a slumbering enemy with a physical attack, you deal extra damage."
"Hold a moment. Are you implying that magic doesn't get this boon?" He shakes his head, which causes her eye to twitch with rage. "Blatherskite." She heaves another frustrated sigh. "Please continue."
"I believe this has something to do with how INT-Based damage is the only kind that can benefit from the damage bonus you receive from Head Bind." He can see that Gwenivere is motioning to admonish him for his word choice, so he preemptively intercepts her fury. "Not my terms, love." She relents, though her expression remains. "With Clever Strike dealing physical damage and being INT-Based, it should be able to receive the boons of both."
"I am normally not one to challenge your expertise on these matters, but this Head Bind boon you speak of…I don't think that exists here in Iorys." He raises an eyebrow to this. "When I strike enemies that are suffering from the effects of Head Bind, my regular spells do not deal increased damage; I have only been able to bolster my offense through Common Magic and Dance Oracle thus far." Cyrus' expression seems to go pale at this notion; "Are you alright?" He doesn't respond, instead sitting upon a tree stump as he holds his head in his hand. She walks over to him, crouching down to get a look at his face. "Cyrus, speak to me."
"Everything I know is a lie. I suppose next you're going to tell me that the defensive effects of Mana Guard and Magic Shield don't stack."
"…They don't." He immediately lets out a cry of anguish. "Lissa and I learned that the hard way."
"This is bullshit; you cannot just change rules like this."
"I wonder what else has changed…"
"At the very least, the Sleep Bonus hasn't; I've confirmed that one personally on several occasions." His expression becomes irate, and he takes to biting the nail of his thumb. Rising to his feet, his voice practically drips with venom as he says, "I need to review my notes; apparently, I need a separate section to note the differences here in Iorys."
"Don't you want your reward, first?" As expected, the expression he wears as he turns to face her puts his confusion on display. "Of course, you're never expecting a reward, but I want you to know that I appreciate the time you dedicate to me." She pats her thigh twice, smiling at him as she follows, "We'll have to ask Jenetta for a private room tonight." His confusion has given way to pained confliction. "Is something wrong?"
"I…might have to pass on thigh time, Gwen."
Her eyes widen at the notion. "Excuse me? Cyrus, are you listening to yourself? Not once in our history together have you ever passed up a chance for thigh time. Need I remind you of that evening concerning the release of that Crystal Maiden volume? That manga volume was in full color and you were waiting on its release for months. That release date was during a scorching summer, as well; Terri and Amy told me that you nearly passed out on several occasions while you waited in line. Despite that, you still chose thigh time over your chance to read it that evening without a semblance of hesitation."
He gives a content sigh as a nostalgic smile traces upon his lips. "Ah, that was such a fun evening; that volume was worth the wait, too." He then shakes his head, remembering the pressing matter at hand. "Alas, I can't do this, Gwen; these mechanical changes plague my thoughts – I wouldn't be able to properly enjoy our time together as I am now."
She rests her head in her hand, her expression somewhere between shock and amazement. "I can't believe this. Well…bollocks, there goes my evening for the next hour or two." She looks to him as she says, "Nothing for it, I suppose; I'll assist you in your research – I stand to gain from this knowledge anyway." She grins at him, chuckling to herself as she follows, "That aside, someone has to be there to make sure you don't destroy something in a fit of rage."
"That was one time, darling, and it was during a session of C&W."
"I dare say you have the capacity even now, darling."
When morning comes, the two are found by Clarisse; she steps through the door leading to the library wing of the inn. Within, Cyrus sits at the end of a table with Gwenivere at his side. The Witch is asleep, resting her head on his shoulder as she continues her peaceful slumber. Cyrus, however, is awake; though it is difficult to tell at a glance due to his reading glasses, there are visible bags under his eyes. His gaze is mostly empty, practically lifeless as they slowly shift to gaze upon the one stepping into the library. He says nothing as Clarisse steps up to him and sets a tray down in front of him. For breakfast, she offers a bowl of rice topped with steak, onions, and a unique blend of sauce he has never seen before.
Clarisse smiles sweetly at him, her eyes gentle. "Co, this is for you. I made this, but Stinger is the one who suggested it." Cyrus snaps his fingers to conjure a portal from which he pulls a pair of chopsticks. "Huh, you don't use spoons to eat rice?" He doesn't give her an answer, instead using his chopsticks to cut the steak into a small portion that can accompany the rice. He notes how simple the task is to perform, but offers little else before taking his first bite. Seeing him swallow the food, Clarisse hesitantly asks, "How was it?" He looks to her, a tear streaming from one of his tired eyes. "Co?"
"Clarisse. Marry me."
Though taken aback by this, Clarisse retains her composure, even with the blush reddening her cheeks. She takes a step back, resting a hand on her hip as she lets out a haughty laugh. "Love at first bite, eh? I guess it can't be helped; 'tis only natural that you'd come to see my charm."
He yawns. "To be fair, you had plenty of charm before this. You already had me with the tsundere act." She glares at him. "Oh, and the glare; I adore that gaze."
"Sometimes, I can't stand you." Taking another look at him, she can see that his complexion is pale. "Were you up all night?" He nods. "No wonder you look like Hell." It is at this moment Lissa steps in, prompting Clarisse to turn and face her. "Hey, Lissa; bad news: he wants to marry me. Worse news: he was up all night." Lissa shades her eyes, though Clarisse cannot tell what this act is in response to. She remains silent, unwilling to add fuel to this potential fire.
Lissa turns to Cyrus, casting her withering gaze upon him. "Love? Have you an explanation for yourself?" He slides his notebook over to her, saying nothing as he looks to the table. With an eyebrow raised, she takes the notebook into her grip as she reads the page opened to her. "Head Bind doesn't boost magic damage anymore?" She moves the notebook to the side so that she may look to her lover. "Are you serious?" He looks to her again, his tired eyes showing no sign of insincerity. She glances back at the notebook. "What else did you learn…"
"That's what you're worried about, Lissa? He asked for my hand in marriage."
"Didn't I already say I was fine with that?" Seeing that much of Cyrus' serving is still present, she takes his chopsticks and secures a bite for herself. "Yeah, I can see why, Reese." She looks to her friend with a wide smile on her face. "You can marry me too, while you're at it."
"You're impossible." Looking to Cyrus, she asks, "You're not going into the Labyrinth today, are you? You're in no shape to do so."
"I'll be fine after finishing this meal; I thank you in advance, love."
"L-Love? I haven't accepted that proposal, Co!"
It is at this moment that Gwenivere awakens from her slumber. It is not the noise, but rather the enticing smell of breakfast that has jump-started her senses. In between Cyrus' efforts to feed himself, she takes his chopsticks and takes a few bites of her own. Her eyes light up in an instant as she is filled with a surge of energy. "Delicious." Pointing the chopsticks at Cyrus, she says, "You should add the chef responsible for this dish to our harem. Immediately."
"Come on, BB; not you, too."
"Oh, so it was you, Clarisse?" She brings her hands together, smiling warmly as she says, "Most fortuitous; so much the better that the chef is an established friend."
"You really have no reservations, BB; it's admirable, in a way."
When breakfast is over, the Chain Squad departs from the inn to make way for the 4th Stratum. Having not seen the Stratum until now, Cyrus' four comrades are given a moment to take in the spectacle of this crystalline cavern. Fae is unable to control her excitement, and has taken to dancing around the area. "It's so pretty up here!" Pointing to a large cluster of purple ore, she looks to Cyrus as she asks, "Uncle, you can turn ore like this into pretty jewelry, right?!" He nods, causing a smile to form on her face. "When I get older, would you make me some earrings?"
"Of course, sweetheart. I could make you a bracelet if you can't wait." Her expression brightens at this, though Gwenivere silently admonishes him for encouraging such behavior with a slap to the shoulder. Lowering his voice to a whisper, he asks, "Come now, my sweet; is it only acceptable when I spoil you? Does our little angel not deserve this in turn?" She crosses her arms and lets out a huff before walking away, not deigning to provide a proper response.
The party heads north, unaware that what awaits is a dead end. Just before arriving at this dead end, a pair of large leeches drops from the ceiling, bringing the party pause. Fae suffers a flashback, reminding her of the poisonous leeches from the Tutelary Forest – specifically how they nearly killed Cyrus with their venomous spit. She grabs holds of a Dark Bomb and beans one of the leeches in the face as she shouts, "To the darkness with you! Hiya!" Only one of the Cave Leeches is blinded by this effort, and that was primarily due to being struck directly in the face by Fae's bomb. Through a concentrated effort of fire attacks, the pair is slain. Letting out a sigh of relief, Fae says, "That was easy."
Cyrus steps forward, his attention drawn by a crystal that seems to shine more brightly than what has been seen thus far. He takes a moment to study the hexagonal cut before him, going so far as to procure some implements from the bag on his back. "It would appear that some pieces have chipped off, but the beauty of this gem is far from tarnished." He takes the shard into his hand, and suddenly feels a surge of aether course through him. He takes a step back, somewhat overwhelmed. Fiona steps over and offers him support, fearing that he might fall backwards. "Whoa."
"Are you alright?"
"I do believe this is the shard of a dragon." He turns it in his grip, admiring the luster. "This is a scale to be precise; I can only assume the dragon from which this fell has a mineral-rich diet of some kind."
Fae's eyes light up at this. "You think there's a dragon up here?!"
"It's certainly possible." He secures the Draconic Shard with his Guild's belongings before saying, "Let us continue; we'll hold on to any additional shards we find. I don't think I want to sell these just yet." He leads his party to the path west of the Geomagnetic Pole, soon arriving at a path blocked off by an incredibly large crystal that pulsates with energy. Whatever source of power flows through this crystal causes it to periodically shift from a deep shade of purple to an aetherial shade of blue. Cyrus lets out a whistle at the sight. "Damn, that is a fine chunk of ore."
Fae attempts to squeeze through the gap formed between the crystal and the wall, but is unable to do so. She knocks her knuckles against the ore a few times before taking a step back with a frown on her face. "We can't break this. What do we do?"
Resting a hand against the crystal, Cyrus quickly realizes that the child is right. "Yeah, we can't do anything about this as we are now." He motions for the others to follow him back to the Geomagnetic Pole. "We'll have to head back for the moment."
