As they progressed down the tunnel the air grew warmer and humid. Soft tendrils of a gentle fog began to curl around their feet as they walked. The tunnel had not deviated in direction nor had any branching path so far which was both a relief (no potential ambush zones) and a terrifying prospect for the oldest vet in the group (there was nowhere to go in the event of a trap or a collapse) his anxiety gnawed at his stomach with every step forward. He raised his lantern higher despite the growing protest in his arm from the prolonged weight, squinting in the distance trying to pierce the darkness with his eyes… a flash! A spark of light ahead. Legend stopped dead in his tracks and brought his hand to the pommel of his sword out of reflex. The others noticed and thankfully moved much the same gathering in a defensive formation.
"What is it…What do you see?" Wild asked quietly, under his breath, his eyes serious for once.
"I don't know yet…" Legend replied with a hiss. "Be ready." They slowly stepped forward again, moving as a group, Legend's eyes darting, looking for another flash of light like the last…for anything.
When he finally saw it, his shoulders relaxed into a slump. It was a large crystal sticking out of the ground at an angle, it was simply reflecting the light off of his own lantern. He muttered a curse under his breath in relief as his companions broke into a muffled fit of giggles.
"Little jumpy, huh, Vet?" Wind teased and shoulder checked him playfully making the older man stumble a step forward.
"Yeah yeah…" Legend grumbled crouching down to rap his knuckles on the giant blue crystal.
"That's really pretty!" said Wind, unable to resist anything shiny. "What is it? Do you think it's worth something?" He reached forward and yanked hard to see if he could pry it loose.
"I don't know," said Wild leaning over him with a hand on the wall peering down watching the youngest Link strain in vain to pull the rock from the floor of the tunnel. Wild began to laugh at the sight, a full-throated chuckle. Seemingly in reaction to the sound of his mirth a light began to softly glow from within the previously inert stone. All three men jumped back startled: weapons ready.
When the light dulled and ebbed back into nothingness they approached it again, albeit more cautiously.
"What was that?" asked wind in a hoarse whisper, eyes wide.
"I…don't know." answered Legend. I think it reacted to us somehow…something we did."
"But…. we didn't Do anything." Said Wind to unnoticed looks of mild irritation from his companions.
"Maybe it didn't like it when you tried to steal it?" Wild replied teasingly, earning a dirty look from Wind.
"Hah!" Legend snorted at the exchange and the crystal lit up briefly again. All eyes were on the object once again. Legend crouched down near it and began to sing out a short tune "…..LA-LALA-LAAaa.." The crystal illuminated brightly pulsing in time with his voice before dying out again when he went quiet. "He chuckled as he stood up, brushing himself off. He turned to his astonished friends with a smirk. "It's the sound…It's reacting to the sounds we make. I guess if it's not loud enough it doesn't respond.."
Legend turned back to the stone "I wonder what this could-"
"HEELLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo!" called Wild into the cave. Legend turned to him, horrified, cold sweat breaking out in prickles all over his body as the echo bounces around ahead of them. A faint pulse of blue light rocketed down the seemingly endless corridor. Shining ahead for a few brief moments showing them a glimpse of what was to come. Giant blue crystals dotted the visible length here and there jutting from odd angles. The light flickered for a moment and then faded out leaving them in darkness again. Legend turned to his companion; eyes full of indignant rage turned up to meet the smug face of his taller friend.
He threw his hands up as he stepped right into Wild's face. "WHY? Why would you do that? You have no idea what else might be down here! What if-"
A shrill cry echoed back up the tunnel from ahead, once again igniting the stones briefly. The smugness melted from Wild's face as Legend gave him a meaningful look, his mouth now a grim slash upon his face.
"Something like …that?" Wind said with a shaky voice. "L-Legend? What was that? Do you recognize-"
Legend raised a finger to his lips, silencing the younger man. "Quiet now..." He said in a low voice. "He made a gesture to keep moving and the others fell in behind him in silence, implicitly trusting his expertise in the environment ahead