Echoes of the Abyss: The Stone of Prushka and the Lost Arm - Light of the Crystal Corridor — Coordination and Leaked Obsession

Morning in Serenie was always dim. The Everlight Stones embedded in the walls pulsed slowly, casting a pale blue-white glow. Outside the pipes, hot water ran with a steady, rhythmic gurgle — gloop, gloop, gloop. Riko sat on her bunk, having removed the brace from her left hand, and studied it. A thin metal frame and leather straps. All her fingers except the thumb refused to move at her will. Half a year should have been enough to get used to it, yet every morning she woke and confirmed the reality all over again. (Today's the preliminary survey of the Crystal Corridor.) Riko refastened the brace, tightening the straps with her teeth. That numb sensation crept across the back of her left hand. She couldn't tell whether she was touching anything or not. Against her chest, Prushka's stone gave a small wobble. Riko gently closed her hand around it. A life-resonating stone. The material of a White Whistle, housing Prushka's soul. At night, the stone trembled and delivered its voice to Riko alone. "...Good morning, Prushka." She murmured it softly and climbed down from the bunk. In the passage toward the kitchen, she passed Reg. He was carrying a load on his shoulder — the one without a right arm. Short, near-black brown hair, with a cowlick at the crown. His amber eyes flicked to Riko for just an instant, then looked away. "...Morning." "Yeah, morning." That was all. Since the day of that argument a week ago, their conversations had been reduced to the bare minimum. Even sitting across from each other in the mess hall, their eyes met only briefly. When Riko spoke, Reg answered in clipped tones. (Is Reg still angry?) Watching Reg's back as he walked away, Riko felt a small, sharp ache deep in her chest. No — that wasn't it. He wasn't angry. She knew that. But she didn't know what words to offer him. The delvers of Serenie were buzzing with rumors of the Sixth Layer. In a corner of the mess hall, Black Whistles spread out maps and talked about the Crystal Corridor. "The Lost Thing, huh. They say it grows back your arm." "If that's true, I've got no choice but to go." "Do you even know about the Sixth Layer's curse? You lose your humanity." "Even so — if I can get back what I lost." Riko listened to their talk while quietly sipping her soup. (Everyone's lost something. And still, they're trying to look forward.) Her left hand gave another small tremble. The preliminary survey departed from Serenie's central hall. Ozen stood in the hall. Her back was extremely hunched, her head jutting forward past her spine. A massive frame over two meters tall. The Thousand-Man Pins embedded all over her body reflected the pale light in dull glints. "You're here." Ozen's sharp black eyes swept over the assembled delvers one by one. Riko, Reg, Nanachi, and several Moon Whistles and Black Whistles. "Today is the preliminary survey of the Crystal Corridor. We go as far as just before the Sixth Layer entrance, and record the disturbances in the force field and any relic reactions." Ozen pointed at the map of the Crystal Corridor hanging on the wall. "The Crystal Corridor is a vast, maze-like cavern formed by countless crystal pillars. Light reflects chaotically and destroys your sense of direction. Don't chase the light. Identify what reacts to light." Riko repeated Ozen's words in her head. (Don't chase the light. Identify what reacts to light.) The entries in the relic catalog overlapped with Ozen's words. A certain item surfaced in Riko's mind. "Newt-type Abyssal creatures... they react to light and attack." Riko murmured it under her breath. Beside her, Nanachi turned their reddish eyes toward her. "Nnaa, Riko. Did you remember something?" "Yeah. The catalog said there are newt-type Abyssal creatures in the Crystal Corridor that react to light. They're drawn to light, but they're weak against strong light." "Hoh." Ozen reacted to Riko's words. "You've memorized the catalog?" "Yes. I can't do all of it, but I've got most of the Abyssal creature entries." "...You're starting to resemble Lyza." Ozen smiled — a small one, truly small. Riko's chest warmed at those words. (Like my mom.) She was happy. But more than that, she wanted to know more. The path to the Crystal Corridor ran along Serenie's outer wall. Riko was turning the pages of the relic catalog with the brace on her left hand. Since her fingers other than the thumb wouldn't move, even turning a page was a struggle. She pinned the edge with her thumb and carefully flipped with her right hand. "...Want some help?" Reg spoke as he walked beside her. "No, it's fine. I'm used to it." Riko answered with a smile. Reg said nothing more, just resettled the load against his one arm. Every time Riko drew near a crystal pillar, he silently stepped in front of it. (Reg really is watching out for me.) Watching his back, Riko felt a gentle warmth spread through her chest. The entrance to the Crystal Corridor was a massive fissure in the crystal. Crystal pillars tens of meters tall towered to the left and right, radiating pale light. The light refracted within the crystal, forming rainbow bands that vanished into the depths of the cavern. "...Amazing." The words slipped out before she could stop them. "Amazing! Why's it glowing so much?! I wanna try it!" Riko started to dash toward the crystal pillars. "Watch out!" Reg planted himself in front of her. "Riko, don't go ahead alone. This place is a maze. If the light leads you astray, you'll never find your way back." "...Yeah, sorry." Riko nodded honestly. Ozen came to a stop at the entrance to the Crystal Corridor. "From here on, follow my orders. Spread out and record the force-field disturbances. Don't chase the light. Identify what reacts to light." Ozen's voice echoed off the crystal walls, sounding strangely distorted. The delvers scattered into the Crystal Corridor, each holding a lantern. Riko braced the tool for recording relic reactions with her left-hand brace and wrote on the parchment with her right. (Refraction index of the crystal pillars' light, force-field disturbances, relic reactions...) Riko drew on every bit of catalog knowledge she had and kept observing. Reg walked a few paces behind her, load against his one arm, keeping watch on their surroundings. "Riko, don't go too deep." "It's fine, Reg. I can see properly." Riko spotted traces of small creatures hidden in the shadows of the crystal pillars. "...These are newt-type footprints." She pointed at the trails of slime left on the ground. "Abyssal creatures that react to light. They move in packs. Weak against strong light." Her voice echoed through the Crystal Corridor. That was when it happened. A single thread of light leaked through a gap in the crystal. The next instant, countless small shadows burst from behind the crystal pillars. "—Tch!" Reg grabbed Riko and leaped back. It was a swarm of newt-type Abyssal creatures. Bodies about thirty centimeters long, semi-transparent. Bathed in light, their bodies shimmered in rainbow hues. "They're out!" "There's too many of them!" The delvers cried out. In Reg's arms, Riko raced through her thoughts desperately. (They react to light. They move in packs. Weak against strong light.) "Everyone! Fall back into the shadows of the crystal pillars! Put out your lights!" Riko shouted with all the voice she had. "They follow the light! If we kill the lanterns, the swarm will scatter!" The delvers followed Riko's orders, hiding in the shadows of the crystal pillars. They extinguished their lanterns and held their breath. But one delver was attacked by an individual hidden in the crystal. "Uwaaaah!" A newt-type sank its teeth into the man's arm. "—!" Reg stepped forward to shield Riko. In that instant, one of the newt-types leaped at Reg's shoulder. Zashh. Sharp claws tore across Reg's shoulder. "Reg!" Riko's scream echoed through the Crystal Corridor. Reg grimaced in pain but swung his left arm. "—Not on my watch!" Reg's left arm extended into a stretching limb and smashed two newt-types, crystal pillar and all. Gagiiin!! The crystal shattered, and newt-type bodily fluid sprayed. Riko swung her lantern, brace and all, with her numb left hand. "Over here! The light's over here!" Riko focused the lantern's light on a single point, drawing the swarm's attention. The swarm of newt-types rushed toward Riko's lantern. "Reg, now!" "Yeah!" Reg brought his left arm down on the swarm gathered toward Riko's lantern. Gagohh!! The center of the swarm was pulverized. The surviving individuals, frightened by the strong light, fled deep into the crystal. Silence settled over the Crystal Corridor. Still gripping the lantern, Riko sank to the ground. "...Hah, hah." Her breathing was ragged. Her heart pounded violently deep in her chest. "Reg, are you okay?!" Riko ran to Reg's shoulder. Deep claw marks remained on his shoulder. Blood soaked his clothes red. "...I'm fine. This is nothing." Reg smiled through the pain. "Liar! You're bleeding so much!" Riko pressed her hand to Reg's shoulder. The brace on her left hand slipped on the blood. "...I have to treat it." With her trembling left hand, Riko took out bandages. In the shadow of a crystal pillar, Riko began treating Reg's shoulder. Her left hand couldn't move any finger but the thumb. She tried to tie the bandage and failed again and again. "...Ngh." Riko bit her lip. (Frustrating. At a time like this, my hand is useless.) Riko wrapped the bandage with her right hand alone and held it in place with the left-hand brace. "...Sorry. It hurts, doesn't it." "No, it's fine. Riko, don't push yourself." Reg looked at Riko's left hand. It was trembling. The brace clattered softly. "...Riko." Reg spoke quietly. "I... I don't have the confidence to protect you anymore." Riko's hand stopped. "I lost my right arm, and I can't use the Incinerator Cannon either. Even today, I could barely manage to shield you. I've... gotten weaker." Reg's voice was shaking. "At this rate, I can't protect you in the Sixth Layer. And if I can't protect you, this time I'll really—" Reg cut himself off. Riko tried to say something. (You don't have to protect me.) The words rose to her throat. But she swallowed them. She mustn't say it. That day, those words had hurt Reg. Riko stayed silent and kept tying the bandage. "...Done." When she finished tying the bandage, Riko looked Reg straight in the eye. "Hey, Reg." "...What." "Next time, I'll watch the front, so you watch the back." Reg looked slightly surprised at her words. "...You'll watch the front?" "Yeah. I can't fight, but with my catalog knowledge, I can find the enemies' weak points. You move the way I tell you. I'll watch the front, so you watch the back and cover what I miss." Riko spoke in a serious voice. "I don't want to just be protected — I want to fight alongside you, Reg." Reg stared into Riko's eyes. "...Riko." "Please. Let me fight too." Riko's voice was low and full of resolve. Reg gave a small nod. "...Got it." On the way back, Riko and Reg walked toward the exit of the Crystal Corridor. Walking beside Reg, Riko opened her mouth several times and closed it again. (Let's go together. But I don't want to just be protected — I want to fight alongside you, Reg.) She had already said that. But there was one more thing she wanted to tell him. "...Reg." "What." "Let's go together." Riko gently took Reg's hand. Reg's body gave a startled jump. "...Riko?" "Let's go to the Sixth Layer together. Me, and you, and Nanachi — all of us." Still holding Reg's hand, Riko faced forward. "I want to get back what we lost — together with you, Reg." Reg stared at Riko's left hand in its brace. "...Then I'll cover your left, and you cover my right. Together, we make one whole person." Riko broke

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Episode 3

Name: Echoes of the Abyss: The Stone of Prushka and the Lost Arm
Author: Novelia

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