Wolfram stood in horror as he watched Murata fall. He felt helpless. He didn't like feeling helpless. There was literally nothing he could do but watch as Murata disappeared.

The guard felt even worse. Here he and his partner were charged with protecting both Wolfram and Geika. At worse he'll get a sever reprimand if he got to keep his job at all for failing his duty. He knew his partner wasn't going to be quite so lucky. Once they report back to Lord Gwendal that they didn't have all the correct supplies like making certain they had long ropes and that his partner chose to remain with the horses rather than do his duty to stay with and protect Wolfram and Murata. Although the guard reasoned that except the failure of the supplies even if the other guard had been there, there probably wouldn't have been much either could do. Since neither of them had the power of wind, water or earth to save Murata they couldn't have done a whole lot. However he also knew Gwendal would simply see that as an excuse and possibly fire them anyway.

"What do we do Lord Wolfram? Do you think there's a chance he survived?"

Wolfram sighed, "I don't know, maybe. Regardless we have to get down there." 'Aniue is going to kill me. He didn't want me to do this and now I've gotten Ken killed. He'll never trust me or forgive me for this. He'll scold me telling me this was why it was a bad idea, that I should have just given Ken a chance. Then the town's people and even a lot of the royals will undoubtedly start accusing me of killing him to get out of the marriage. Although no one save uncle will dare say it out loud the rumors will start when word gets out. Uncle will undoubtedly yell at me that I shouldn't have killed him we'd have found another way or found a way to use Ken to our advantage. Even if I try to explain it was an accident no one but possibly Yuri and Conrad will believe me. Yuri… Yuri might never forgive me for this. Ken was his only friend from his world. Will he ever believe I even tried to save Ken?'Wolfram sighed the thought of the world and especially Yuri himself hating him was eating him up inside. So in a monotone voice he said, "Let's go."

"What about the crystals, sir?"

Wolfram turned raged and upset, "Idiot! If he really is dead then there's no longer any need to find them! If he's not then so be it we'll wait and if he recovers then we'll discuss getting these crystals."

"Ah, of course, sir."

No Wolfram thought, he couldn't even think of hunting for the crystals; no if he did that and Ken had somehow survived the fall and died as a result of his injuries. Then undoubtedly the guard wouldn't keep his trap shut and blab that instead of rushing to Ken's side and checking on him they hunted for the remaining crystals. Then he under Gwendal's glare have to agree but explain that he was sure Ken would use his powers or something to save himself…No his brother would never believe that and neither would anyone else. Truth was he was afraid, afraid that Ken died while saving him. He's the one who should be dead, not Ken.

x-x-x-x

Meanwhile Murata was ready to accept his fate and this time he knew there was no reincarnation coming. Suddenly he stopped moving. That seemed strange; he thought hitting the bottom would hurt a lot more. He opened his eyes and was surprised to see he was being held up by snow and ice spirits.

One of the spirits a girl with long flowing blue hair flew right up to him.

"Um, thank you for saving me. Not to sound ungrateful but why are you saving me? I wouldn't have thought that you'd willingly save a human."

The girl spoke and said, "You are the one who restored the crystals at Venus falls, correct?"

Murata was surprised and said, "Yes. I'm sorry I had to smash them."

The girl smiled and Murata suddenly found he was descending lower. "My name is Eira. I am a snow fairy. A lot of snow fairies and spirits are related to the ones at Venus falls. They too were saddened at the loss of the crystals as a whole but understood your reasoning. They too knew that people like the old beggar you took the crystals from would ultimately return to take them again. So mud sprites took the shattered pieces to reform them deeper under the muddy waters of the falls. Now thanks to you the all the sprits at Venus falls are happier than ever. Despite your companions reluctance to help you chose to anyway, rare for humans now a days."

"I see. I'm happy that I could help."

"Yes, the fairies at Venus falls wanted to repay your kindness. So they sent out word of your kindness and asked the fairy spirits to watch over you until the favor could be replayed. So when we saw you fall we realized we could return the favor by saving you."

"I appreciate this. But I didn't save the falls only to demand something in return."

"Yes, that is what makes you so unique! It is simply all the more reason we chose to help you. But how will you explain your survival to your companions?"

Murata gave a sad smile and said, "Don't worry I'll just tell them the truth. They'll never believe me. The companion you spoke of that didn't want me to save the falls in particular is hard headed and even if you were to chose to show yourself to him, he's the type that still would be unable to see you as he has a closed mind."

"I do not understand. Why are your friends with someone so closed minded?"

"Actually I accidently ended up married to him. We came here searching for Icedrops Crystals to try to get out of it."

"How does one accidently get married?"

"I was helping a friend get out of an unbreakable from his end engagement to the guy I'm now married to. The marriage was an accident due to a switching ceremony. I was only supposed to be engaged to him but it went wrong."

"Ah a switching ceremony, yes I have heard many tales of those. Mostly the reason to stay clear of humans to keep them from using us in them. It was noble of you to do this for your friend but if this accident happened due to a mistake you made why try to get out of it then? You had to know that the chances of you getting married to this person were there and you'd be unable to get out of it."

Murata sighed and said, "Yes, I knew all too well the odds of something going wrong. Personally I was willing to live with the consequences of my actions. It's my companion that doesn't. He wants out and wants out now."

Eira nodded her head in understanding then turned and dived into the snow only to reappear with four Icedrops Crystals. "You earned them. It is up to you to use them or not. They are very scarce on the surface. Most grow on the surface but then it snows and they become buried."

"I see, that explains why we had trouble finding them. Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Here you are on the ground safe and sound. I will lead you to a secret cave entrance. Few locals know of it. Only a few brave souls that venture forward."

"Thank you for all you've done."

"My pleasure, I was more than happy to repay the debt that the fairies at Venus falls owed you."

A few minutes later Murata found himself safely on the ground and now nearing the entrance to the outside world.

"Are you in need of more crystals for you new ceremony?"

Murata smiled and said, "I could have used your help for the last set of crystals I had to find. But no these were the last ones thank you." Then he remembered Wolfram's hording of crystals and refusal to let him know real from fake. "However if you'd like I could use one more small favor."

"Of course what would you like us to do?"

"Well you see my companion and I have had what you might call a disagreement. I…well really this started at Venus falls."

"Really? What happened?"

"Well truth is I like my companion and a part of me doesn't want to end this face of a marriage we've found ourselves in. I'd like to work it out. So you see it began when I started to shatter crystals in order to save the falls. He was enraged thinking I was lying about what the crystals were used for and despite my telling him till I was blue in the face they were not part of the ceremony he refused to believe me."

"I see your right, this marriage will never work. How long have you known each other?"

"A little over a year or so."

"I see, let me guess he failed to trust you after that and then you went on to shatter more."

"You must be very smart, yes a few days or so later we were in a cave I found a real crystal needed for the ceremony…"

"And you broke it and yelled at him you didn't want to end the marriage?"

Murata was a bit surprised but simply smiled and said, "What? No, there's no way I could ever tell him that! I did however break a crystal. Although not intentionally, what I mean is I didn't mean to drop it but I also didn't make an attempt to catch it. Then the next day he was slinging deadly and dangerous crystals around like they were toys. I got angry and shattered one on a tree and at first he was angry thinking I was shattering them for fun. And yeah he then told me he suspects I don't want out of the marriage."

"I bet he changed his tune when something bad happened to that tree."

"I wish, but no he went right back at it but this time being more cautious of them."

"WHAT? You tell him and show him their dangerous and clearly not what you need he insisted on them any way. And this is the guy you want to stay married to? Are you out of your mind!"

Murata laughed, "Yes, I suppose I am."

Eira huffed and said, "You hopeless. What is it you want from me then? Let me guess a sacrifice for the ceremony or something?"

"What? No of course not. The crystals are all I need although if you would I could use a bit of your hair to mix with some other powders. But your life would never be endanger and even if the only way out was with a fairy or spirit sacrifice I'd rather not do it."

Eira was stunned, she had fully expected this small favor he asked to be her life but instead a bit of her hair, "My hair? That's it?"

"Well no more than you'd get out by brushing it is all I'd ask for and no the other thing is my companion has been hording ALL the crystals so I have no idea what's real and what not. I'd like you to check out the bag and be sure that I have all I need." Murata went on to explain what he needed her hair for and what crystals he was looking for.

Understanding she wrapped a small bit of her hair around the crystals. "I'll be happy to help determining if a crystal is what you need or not is a very simple process."

"Good."

Eira frowned, "Although the more I hear of your friend the more I dislike him. How does he ever expect to try to get out of a marriage if he is not sure all the crystals are real? That'd mean a second trip and a total waste of time!"

Murata sighed, "Yes, I know. I've tried explaining that too but he won't listen. Now once we get outside I'll point out the horses and you can look through the bags."

"Right! But what will you do if they're not real?"

"Well you offered to get me any crystals I needed I was hoping if you found that none of them are real you'd be nice enough to get some for me?"

Eira thought for a moment. She had offered and it wasn't like he was saying he didn't have them only he wasn't sure. "Very well, you have a deal."

Eira flew over and into one bag then another. Then she returned to Murata and said, "Well you have all the crystals you need except for you only have one Aphrodite Crystal. And only two true Jakcor Crystals. You have many real Jakcor Crystals but all but the two are chipped or cracked and would be useless."

"I see thank you. I guess we'll or rather he will be making a second trip back out here."

"You are not going to tell him?"

"He's never believe me. He'd just assume I'm lying to him again. He'd never believe me that just because a crystal is chipped or broken that as long as it's real that's all that matters."

"I see. However I can offer you the quickest easiest and safest most effective manner in which to get out of this marriage. I have heard tale of it and it is this that I am offering to you. I am sure you know what I mean."

"Yes, I do but no! I refuse to do it."

Before more could be said they heard a noise and before Murata could say anything Wolfram suddenly appeared and hugged him. Then pulled him up and started checking him over, "How, How are you alive? Are you hurt? Did you break anything?"