"Now," Apphira continued, "let's discuss the origin of the Infernal Crystals…"
Back at the make-over camp, Apphira had just finished telling Alvan and Emelda the tale of the Time Orb—its origin and potential uses. She had just said those words as she was about to continue her tales about the Infernal Crystals. That was when she was interrupted by Emelda.
"Don't you two think it's strange that those four haven't returned yet?" Emelda chimed in while glancing towards the entrance of the camp, the only part not coated with membranous vines.
Apphira glanced at Alvan before turning to Emelda with a reassuring smile. "They should be fine. They went out in pairs. If anything happens, I'm sure they will have each other's back. What's more, this part of the forest is safer than you can imagine. There are fewer beastial plants and probably no beast as well."
"I suppose we should learn about the Infernal Crystals while we wait for them," suggested Alvan. "After that, if they still haven't returned, then we might go look for them, especially Lyra."
Emelda seemed to find Alvan's words more comforting than Apphira's. As she turned toward the fire, it was still crackling away, but with less illumination, as if it were extinguishing. She extended her right hand and, using her elemental abilities, conjured dried twigs. The twigs were used to reignite the fire, and that's how she had been maintaining the fire ever since it was first lit.
Apphira began her story. "There are various crystals in Etheloria that have special attributes. Some are mostly used to forge weapons and armor, while others are used to enhance one's control of ethereal energy manipulation. However, of all the crystals, the Infernal Crystal is the most precious and sought after," she paused and tapped her Astral Ring, causing a large crystal to materialize in her grip.
The crystal radiated a somewhat dazzling golden-yellow glow. Normally, crystals are dim and dull with impure mixtures of colors. They never glow unless activated with energy, whether ethereal or cosmic. But this one is special and of a unique quality.
Even though Alvan had seen the crystal before when the High Priest gave it to each of them, he was mesmerized when he set his eyes on it.
The dark surroundings made it seem as if its luminance was amplified as well. If one were to hyperfocus on the inside of the crystal, they would surely notice the squirming of golden-red energy within.
Apphira continued, "It is special not just because it is a high-grade crystal, but it has versatile applications and is used by all, both Aetherians and Non-aetherians… But before I talk about those, I think you two deserve to hear the tale of how they came about and are formed."
"The Infernal Crystal can only be found in a type of mountains known as Magma Mountains. The Magma Mountains are enigmatic formations, and no one knows exactly how they produce these unique crystals. Many people have speculated on the origin of the mountain and the crystals within it. There are many of them.
She paused, fiddling with the crystal in her hand, and glanced expectantly at the two people she was telling her tales to.
To her, this was a kind of suspense that she was creating, and she couldn't imagine how eager they would be to hear the rest of the tale.
She continued, "But there is only one theory about the magma mountains and their infernal crystal that seemed most feasible and believable. And guess who hypothesized it?"
That was a question she asked, but before they could answer, she continued. "It's Elara, the greatest healer of Etheloria—your mother."
Alvan was stunned.
He didn't know that his mother was so famous in Etheloria. He couldn't help but imagine what it would have felt like if she had been the one telling him the story herself – the story for which people knew her.
However, he remained silent, showing no expression, as he wanted to hear what his mother had proposed regarding the crystal in his Astral ring and Apphira's grip.
"Elara was a healer who discovered the healing attributes of the infernal crystal. Then, she proposed a theory to explain how the crystals are formed. It was created from the Infernal Core of Vitality of the Demon Black Dragon."
According to history, the dragon, heavily wounded from celestial tribulations, was believed to have been ambushed by a primordial ice sorcerer while it was recuperating in a cave that extended into the heart of an enormous mountain. Spacious enough to accommodate the gigantic dragon.
The ice sorcerer was well-known as an immortal who could control water elementals and perform enchantments with cosmic energy. A feat no one else in history had been able to achieve.
This is because it is rare to find a cosmic mage attuned to two of the three magic abilities: elemental, healing, and enchantment.
The ancient black dragon is unique among its kind. Other dragons include red dragons, known for their ability to fly and manipulate flames (commonly called pyro-dragons), blue dragons found in aquatic habitats and oceans (commonly called water-dragons), and white dragons, which can also fly and freeze water vapor in the air with their breath attacks (commonly called ice dragons).
But this one is black, the reason for being called demon dragons.
Being the strongest dragons might also be another reason, or maybe because they can manipulate a variant ability known as Flames of Hell, a mix of black flames and gale that leaves destruction of whatever it touches at its wake.
This specific one is the last of the black dragons and was believed to have been mass-attacked by celestials just like its other kin. Demon dragons, they believe are species of creatures that can solitarily bring destruction of this world, Gaville.
After managing to escape from the onslaught of the celestials, the black dragon sought refuge in the once tallest and largest mountain in Gaville. To recuperate and heal.
After successfully fitting into a particular expansive cave there, it went to the deepest it can go and slept (a special ability of black dragons that helps them to heal and rejuvenate back to their greatest strength no matter the level of injury).
However, while sleep-healing, it was ambushed and attacked by the primordial ice sorcerer, who was trying to win the favour of the celestials by killing the demon dragon that ran away from them.
How he tracked down the dragon, no one knows.
He succeeded, especially because the dragon was in its weakest and most vulnerable state. This was the disadvantaged condition of all black dragons, when they sleep-heal.
But this particular black dragon was a prodigy among its kind. Initially, it managed to escape from the clutches of the celestial beings. And before it perished, the creature managed to unleash its final attack: a self-destructive inferno that shattered the mountain, dividing it into smaller peaks, and engulfed the ice sorcerer. It left behind the Infernal Core of Vitality in the heart of the original mountain's residue.
This central, residual mountain is now known as Magma Mountain. This is because the dragon's core, located within the heart of the mountain, periodically melts the mountain's Oklixian rock into magma, which flows within the mountain and leads to the formation of the Infernal Crystals.
Apphira continued, "The Infernal Core of Vitality of the dragon is now known as the Infernal Forge within the Magma mountain. This is where the Infernal Crystals are believed to form. So, Elara explained that the crystal's healing attributes were inherited from the sleep-heal of the black dragon.
"The essence of the dragon's core (representing the air element) present in the Infernal Forge, mixes with molten magma (representing a mixture of fire and earth elements) which absorbs water vapor (representing the water element) to cool and crystallize into crystals. All these four main elements combined constitute the Infernal Crystals, with fire and earth being the most abundant.
At that moment, Apphira paused and took a deep breath as she observed the pensive Alvan and the captivated Emelda, who had been listening to her tale. She smiled at them before continuing.
"So, from the story I told you earlier about the crystal, I guess you should have a good understanding of its abilities and uses. But let me still tell you too... Just as you have seen, it is used by blacksmiths to forge the strongest and most flexible weapons and armor, imbuing them with fire attributes depending on the blacksmith's skill level. It can also be used in its raw form to enhance and refine one's core, expanding it for greater ethereal absorption and control. Especially for those with an affinity for the elements of fire, water, wind, and earth, enhancing only one of these. Then..." she stopped abruptly, with a serious gaze fixed on the entrance of the camp.
Alvan was the first to notice, as he was the most engrossed in her tales. Then Emelda also looked towards the entrance and back at her with a questioning gaze.
This time, she was beginning to remember how annoying Apphira could be after the tale. However, Apphira, unfazed by the menacing look from Emelda, stood up and returned her crystal to the spatial Astral ring she was wearing.
"I think something is wrong. I just sensed a fluctuation in cosmic energy nearby. We should check on the others."