Mr.Who2123: Sorry for the big lengths of no updating…I've been addicted to Guild Wars…
Kratos: (Reading hours a day Mr.Who2123 has played the game) It says you have an average of playing Guild Wars for seven hours a day.
Mr.Who2123: He…he…
Kratos: She owns nothing. Oh, and you need to spend those hours writing. (Grabs Mr.Who2123 by ear and drags to laptop.)
Mr.Who2123: Alright, alright! Geez, I'll get started now…
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The interior of the cave-like mine was depressing as a whole. The whole place was dark and dim, with only sparse torches as a real light. Every step, there seemed to be the sound of scuttling feet, alerting the group that there was always some monster of sorts following them.
"I heard the boulders all over this mine turn into evil rock monsters and attack you," Sanaro commented after a strange noise was heard by the Seraphim. Anna still had the normal hearing abilities she was born with, so these noises were nonexistent to her.
"Rock monsters?" Anna asked, her hazel eyes widening slightly. Sanaro nodded.
"It's just a rumor though. I've heard it as well," Yuan added.
"It doesn't matter what it is. As long as it's not Yggdrasil, I can kill it," Kratos retorted. Everyone was in total agreement. What could three 4,000 year old Seraphim not be able to overcome? Besides the fear of tomatoes for Kratos…
They continued through the first hallway until it opened up to a dead end in front and a strange machine at the right.
"Hey, what's this?" Anna asked, stepping towards the contraption. It had a metal stand with two glowing dots on it. There was also a lever, assumed to change the dominant light bulb. Anna inspected the machine, noticing the top button was glowing far more than the bottom; it shone a crimson red.
Sanaro also approached the machine, and after inspecting it, he grabbed the small lever.
"If we push this down," he said, and as if in response, his hand pulled it. The red light dimmed while the green one grew much brighter. "Then we can go on the platform."
A panel of metal hung on a series of metal strips began moving over a deep cliff. The group watched it move, dust flying everywhere, towards the automated door across from it. As it came back to carry the passengers, Anna was a bit skeptical.
"It doesn't look very stable…," she muttered as the panel awaited her to step on it.
"I'll fly you over," Kratos blurted. Yuan looked to Kratos for a minute before smacking his own face in annoyance.
"I forgot we had wings…," he muttered. Sanaro sighed, letting his wings come out. They were an emerald green, as bright and clear as the jewel itself. They were a bit longer than Kratos' azure ones, and curved slightly up. Yuan released his wings as well, the dark purple fading to a pink as you moved away from his back, so the very tips of them were a light shade of rosy pink while the stem was a dark purple, almost an indigo.
Kratos' wings were Cerulean blue, and almost transparent.
"Nice wings, Yuan," Anna commented, a malicious grin on her face.
"Seriously…those are a more girly color than Martel's wings," Sanaro added. Everyone looked to the Seraph, confused.
"You saw Martel?" Kratos asked, his eyes narrowing. "How do you know?" Sanaro backed away, his hands up in defense.
"Promise not to kill me…but I followed you closely under Mithos' direction. I've been with you secretly since the first real skirmish against Tethe'alla," he explained. Anna looked closely for the other Seraphim's responses.
"So you knew what everyone said and did?" Anna asked. Yuan was beginning to feel invaded, while Kratos felt a ping of disturbance from the secret Mithos had kept the whole time.
"I can't believe the little brat," Yuan muttered. He could now imagine a Sanaro snickering while Yuan was with Martel. Panic rose in him to a greater degree.
"How close did you watch?" he demanded.
"Guys, guys, don't worry. I didn't watch you guys pee or anything…Mithos just wanted me as a secret envoy, you know, just in case you guys pull a move against him. Although I was told to watch Yuan constantly ever since he voiced his love for Martel. He was super protective of her," Sanaro continued. Seeing the unsatisfied, he quickly added, "But I would stop watching you guys after you slept, don't worry."
With a grudge, Yuan lifted himself up with his wings, flying over the gaping cliff to the other side. Sanaro did the same, while Kratos held the back, carrying Anna in his arms.
As they entered the next room, the group decided to split up to look for the white silver and the diamond.
"Sanaro and Anna go for the white gold while Yuan and I go for the diamond," Kratos decided. He looked at an old map of the mine, and pointed in the direction of the silver mines for the knight and the ex prisoner.
With a wave, they left, both intent on not coming back until they got what they came for.
"Yuan, the diamond mines are in the very back, near the waterfall," Kratos observed, and led the way, which was the opposite direction of the others.
"Yuan," Kratos began, looking to his oldest friend. The blue haired Seraph looked back to him, ready to hear the statement. "I would like to marry Anna soon, but I need, well..,"
"A ring?" Yuan answered his grin wide. It was a blissful moment for him. I think I finally got them together! He thought joyfully. "Don't worry, Kratos. I'll talk to a smith in the woods near Iselia. He's a dwarf, and his skills are very well known to all of Sylverant."
Kratos smiled back at his old friend, relief on his face.
"You would do that…for me?" he asked, however it was more to himself. Yuan answered nonetheless.
"Of course! What are friends for?" he exclaimed back. He swung an arm around the solemner Seraph's shoulder, the two chatting of old times as they made their way to the end of the mine.
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"According to this map copy, the gold and silver mine is…down here," he said, his face plastered to the map. Finally, he tore his eyes away from the old paper, and pointed to the elevator that moved downwards.
Anna nodded, and entered the metal machine. Slowly, it began to move down, the cogs making loud noises as they worked their rusted gears.
"Sanaro?" Anna asked, unusually timid for someone so bold. A turn of the blonde's head was a confirmation that he was listening for her to continue. "Well, I want to marry Kratos, and to really do that…I need, well…" Her cheeks flushed a dark pink, and Sanaro did his best to keep his wide grin at a minimum.
"…A ring?" he answered for her, and Anna looked up at him, bewildered.
"Yeah, do you know someone who could make one?" she asked, her voice rushed now, as she waited for an answer.
"Well, I spent most of my time in Tethe'alla, and I found an old dwarf working for Cruxis. He's a nice enough fellow that he'll gladly make you something for him. And don't worry about the pay. I've helped him enough as it is," he answered. Anna took a moment before answering, her face showing she's in deep thought.
"Sure, I'll take you up on that offer," she said, a smile on her face.
They reached the bottom of the mining site, and the two dispersed to look for any sign of the needed material. For minutes, they didn't talk, hands digging into loose dirt, and breaking down small rocks. For what seemed three hours later, although it was actually much less, Sanaro noticed a machine pass behind him. He turned toward it, curious of what the machine does.
The automated contraption was merely a quadruped with a metal box shaped on it. These machines walked along a metal conveyer belt, hidden under a thin layer of dark dirt. Sanaro looked down at the box, and noticed there were rocks in it, not yet mined, but clearly had white gold, considering the white glow that emitted from some of the under layers that showed.
"Hey, Anna, come here," Sanaro said, his eyes still on the machine, and waved a hand to beckon her. Curious as well, Anna approached the robotic quadruped, also looking at the contents inside.
"Hey, that's white gold in there!" she exclaimed. Her hand reached for the rocks, but the gloved hand of Sanaro quickly stopped her.
"Let's follow it. They probably have these machines bring the rock in another machine to be broken apart, and then the material is separated. We can just take the pure white gold then," he explained. Anna nodded, and the two followed the thin belt that led them to who-knows-where.
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Kratos and Yuan made their way to the waterfall with much success and no interruptions. The two were in high spirits as they crossed the wooden bridge, the creaking noises deaf to their ears. The sound of rushing water was constant in the background, the water now white foam as it roared down the steep precipice.
The Seraphim reached a load of boxes, one containing ore for exspheres, one holding zircon, and others held more important materials. Kratos easily moved the boxes aside, looking for the one that would have diamond labeled on it.
"Kratos, I found it!" Yuan called, his hands on a box. It was positioned in the far corner, out of the huge pile. Who would put it all the way over there? he wondered, slightly disgruntled. Yuan pried open the wooden lid, throwing it off of the box. Inside was a pile of shining diamonds, glittering thousands of colors in the dim light.
The sight was purely beautiful, as the two stopped, just watching the jewels in amazement.
"Wow…," Yuan muttered, and whistled. "Hey, let's get one of these for Anna's ring!" Kratos looked to his friend, enjoying the idea, and nodded. So, swiftly they grabbed two of the largest diamonds, and closed the lid once more.
Quickly, they ran back towards the other two companions. Kratos put a diamond in his pack with his Aionis, while Yuan pocketed the other for Anna's ring.
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Sanaro and Anna had made it to the machine that was the source of all the conveyer belts. About five stemmed from the giant machine, and little quadruped machines were coming towards it, as well as leaving to get more ore.
"Whoa," both murmured at the same time, watching the quadruped with white gold empty its findings into a slot in the machine. A pipe from the machine steamed as it processed the ore, and for a moment, the two had thought that the machine had stopped working. Sanaro walked to the other side of the machine, waiting for the pure ore to come out.
Suddenly, a clump of white gold about the size of a fist came from the machine. It was on a conveyer belt, and the clump landed into another metal bin. Quickly, Sanaro grabbed the clump, feeling the soft ore mold in his hands.
Anna had caught up by then, and stared wide-eyed at the pure material.
"A clump this size would be about 600,000 gald, I assume," Sanaro observed. Quickly, he placed the ore into a thick bottle, and put it in his pack. "C'mon, let's get Kratos and Yuan." As he started to leave, he turned around.
"Oh, we have way too much white gold just for one ring. We could use the leftovers for a wedding band," he added. Anna smiled wide, nodding.
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Mr.Who2123: Well, that is how Kratos and Anna got their rings. I created a bit of an explanation for rings that would look nice. I don't think Kratos could afford a diamond.
Kratos: I'd make the money.
Mr.Who2123: And do what?
Kratos: Be a mercenary…they get good pay if you get a good client.
Mr.Who2123: Whatever…well readers, please review!!