Gembond Celebration - The Search 2/3

Bragi and Søren finally reached the river. It was a serene place, nothing but the chirping of the birds, the splashing of the river running through the rocks and moss of the forest, and the light breeze rustling the leaves of the trees above them, allowing some stray beams of light through to the forest floor. Bragi kneeled next to the stream, letting the cold water run through his fingers. His brother kneeled down a little further down the stream, taking out the bowel from its sack, starting to carefully clean it together with the spoons. The cold water was a welcome distraction from the long trip. Bragi must have agreed, shifting his weight to pull his legs free from under him, placing his hooves into the cold water.

“I’m glad spring is on its way. While I do enjoy the winter time, I miss the vibrant colors of the trees and plants. The sun is rising earlier - the days are getting longer, the birds are chirping, life is coming back to the land - can’t wait for everything to have the rich greens again!” Søren scrubbed the bowl clean, carefully placing it in the sun to dry by itself. After, he did as Bragi, dangling his hooves in the water, leaning back for a moment. “So, what happened next?”

Bragis ears twitched as he looked ahead, he could see the foot of the mountain from where he sat, soon they would have reached their destination - he couldn’t wait to show his brother his favorite place. “I went to the door, locked, obviously, and was told there was no key. But the bugs were definitely trying to get inside, so whatever they were looking for was behind the door. I stepped in between them, pulled a few off the door and placed them in a safe distance, before I kicked open the door, wood flying everywhere. I hurried down the stairs, and deep in the last corner of the basement, stood a crate. The bugs came swarming, scratching and pulling on the crate - and when I opened it, I saw the reason everything had gone so out of hand. Inside the crate, tugged away under fabrics and hay, were the eggs that had been missing from the nest. I took the crate, carried it up the stairs, bugs following me until I stopped in front of the house. The townsfolk were looking at me confused, watching the bugs circle me, observing, but never approaching too closely. They started to ask questions, and so did I. Isak, still sitting where I sat him down, stared at me and the crate. When I asked where it had come from, why it was there, why he didn’t say anything, he only said he was asked to take care of it for a while - a traveler had come by and asked if he could store it in his basement until he returned. He didn’t know what was in it, nor did he know why he was asked specifically. He wanted to be helpful, so he accepted. In hindsight that was an absolutely stupid idea - as soon as he saw the egg in the crate I was holding, and the townsfolk put two and two together, they were outraged. He was the reason the town was overrun by critters basically every night! They were furious, this did not just affect their sleep, it affected their daily chores, their work, their livelihood. Isak apologized profusely, and while I understood everyone being upset, they started to dogpile on him. So I stepped between them." 

Bragi stretched, lifting his hooves out of the water and watching them drip into the stream below. He got up, shook his legs for a moment and looked over to his brother, offering him a hand to help him back on his hooves. "Come on now, it's only a little bit further that way~"

Søren huffed in defeat, pulling himself up on Bragis arm, dusting himself off before picking up his gear. "You know, it's nice to hear you talk so much. I remember when we were younger, you used to be so shy! What changed?" He looked at his brother with adoration, he was proud Bragi had become the man he was today, but he was also surprised.

After all this time, all the things they went through when they were younger, Bragi had developed into a strong, caring young man. He was independent, confident and willing to fight for what he believed in was right. He looked so much like their parents, he had their mothers kind eyes, her tail, her fur - his fathers voice, his horns and hair. Color wise he was a mix of both of them, if that made any sense. Søren was amazed how much he resembled them, even in his personality. After that fateful day, the boys hadn't seen each other for years. While Søren grew up at their grandparents' place, Bragi decided he needed time for himself. So he took whatever he could carry, and left before the sun rose and before Søren even had the chance to say goodbye. But he couldn't be mad at his older brother. After all, he saw what happened. Bragi was with them when they were taken. He couldn't imagine the pain his brother was in. Even though he tried to hide it, Søren could see it in his eyes. The few days they spent together at their grandparents' place were so hard on him. Their nana tried to protect Søren by not telling him why his brother had left - but he knew. They used to be so close, they could communicate without words. The morning Bragi had left, Søren found a single Geranium blossom on his desk. One of the flowers Bragi had carefully raised in their old greenhouse together with their mom. Søren knew how much this flower meant to his brother, so he dried it, and always kept it somewhere close - as a good luck charm so to say. He never told his brother though, he wouldn't know what to tell him anyways. Together, they started to approach the foot of the mountain. "So… how high up do we have to go for that… bug cave?"

"Just up that path - if we keep up this speed it should only take a few minutes until we find the entrance." Bragi smiled at him, a warm, trustworthy and sincere smile. One Søren only remembered from his childhood. He seemed genuinely happy, and this meant a lot to him, Søren was glad he was allowed to be a part of it. 

"Would you like to continue your story while we're on the way? I'd love to know how everything turned out. I mean I assume everything went well in the end, after all you're still here, in one piece." He giggled, looking up to his older sibling, who stuck out his tongue in return. 

"You just want me to distract you from the fact that you have to walk all the way. But alright, I shall entertain you~" Together Bragi and Søren started to follow the trail up the mountain, each step carefully placed so as not to stumble or break something loose. 

"I stepped in between the mob and Isak. It wasn't necessarily his fault. After all, if the situation was so dire, they could have followed those bugs themselves and came to the conclusion of these eggs being here. It was no emergency, it was more of an inconvenience. They could have taken care of this themselves, but simply decided not to. They didn't like to hear that, but it kept them from tearing Isak apart. I promised them to take care of the bugs, to lead them out of the city, back to the mountains where they wouldn't bother anyone. They agreed, told me they'd repay me with riches beyond my wildest dreams, not that I cared much at this point. But Isak seemed incredibly thankful. He rushed over to give me a hug before quickly returning to a safe distance from the bugs. I just wanted to return the eggs, so I took the crate and carried it through the village. The bugs that were already following me were chirping and clicking behind me, and with every step I took, more and more of them gathered behind me, until every bug that was in the city slowly followed me out, through the fields, the forest and back up the mountain. It didn't take me very long to return to the cave. Most Wooly I met on my way decided to not cross paths with me and my entourage. Couldn't blame them if I'm honest, it must have been an odd sight to behold. Once we entered the cave, the bugs started to rush inside, leaving me at the entrance on my own to make my way back to the main hall. I carefully carried the crate through the many levels of the cave, making sure not to shake them or bump into anything. When I finally reached the great hall, most of the bugs that were traveling with me had returned to their nest and families. Some of the bigger ones were waiting by the bigger nest, chirping and cooing as they watched me approach. I kneeled down and carefully placed the crate in front of them so they could expect it, they gathered around it, their chirping turning into shrill screams and their legs clicked against each other. And then there was this loud screech coming from deeper inside the cave. So loud and so high pitched that the cave seemed to shake. The bugs in front of me moved out of the way, and out of the depth of the cave climbed a creature I had never seen before. With a shimmering shell, fur around its neck and horns so majestic I almost got jealous. It was a magnificent creature.”

Bragi shuddered at the memory of the situation, “But the closer it got, the more aware I became of its size. And the size of its mandibles. It was massive, and it stopped only a few feet in front of me. If I wouldn't have seen it for myself, I wouldn't have believed something like it would be able to exist. I carefully took the eggs out of the crate under its watchful gaze, and laid them to rest back into their nest. The massive creature hummed, almost like a purr, and the other bugs joined in on it. It sounded as if they were singing, all at once, I could feel their voices echo and vibrate in my chest. And then everything turned silent as the bugs gathered around the nest. The eggs seemed to shiver, rock back and forth, they seemed to react to the humm of the hive, and within minutes, the shell of their eggs started to crack and crumble apart. Out came a handful of small larvae, shimmering in many colors. They chirped and screeched, turning to their mother I assume, who leaned over the edge of the nest to inspect them. Happily she returned the chirps and picked up one after the other, placing them on her back. The bugs around me started to move, their young following them deeper into the cave where that massive one had originated from. But the big one lingered for a moment longer. It loomed over me, stretched and stayed there for a moment, its free legs running along the underside of its body, scratching at a scale hanging on its torso until it fell off and fell to the floor. It returned to the spot in front of me, fidgeting with the scale in its mandibles until it held it out towards me. When I took it, the creature hummed once more, turned around, and carried its young deeper into the cave, leaving me alone in the shortly before bustling hall. I waited a few minutes, took the scale, and left to return to the village, where the townsfolk were eagerly awaiting my return." Bragi climbed up a ledge, turning on the edge to offer his brother a hand, who was slightly out of breath.

Søren took his hand and was abruptly pulled up without much effort. "Thanks - So what did the townsfolk pay you for your hard work?" 

"When I returned, some of them had prepared baked goods for me to take with me on my travels, others had gathered some coins for me to make sure I could buy whatever I needed on my way. And Isak handed me a cape he had made himself, but it was a little small for my stature, so it turned out to be more of a scarf. I was thankful non the less~" Bragi turned around to continue a bit further up the mountain. 

"What happened to the scale???" Søren ran after him, barely able to keep up.

"The scale? I had it turned into beads and bits of jewelry~ It's nacre color scheme was just too pretty not to use. I kept a few of the finished pieces, and gifted others to friends and family." He stopped a few feet ahead of his younger brother, turning to face him. 

"WAIT - Are you telling me that pretty bead bracelet you gave me, and the necklace you're wearing is made from bug parts!?" Unaware of his brother stopping as he tried to catch his breath, Søren ran right into him, stumbling back and landing on his butt.

"Sssht -" Bragi offered him a hand. "We're here."

Søren held his breath for a moment before pulling himself up with Bragis help. He looked around, spotting a somewhat roundish hole between the rocks in front of them. He turned to look behind them, they had made their way up the mountain quite far without him even noticing, he was too invested in Bragis story to even question it. But now that they were there, and the entrance was right in front of them, Søren started to get nervous. "Are you sure it's safe to go in there? What if those bugs get territorial? What if they don't like being disturbed? Or worse, what if they're hungry!?" 

Bragi looked at his younger brother, raising an eyebrow. "Really? You're starting to worry about this NOW? Don't you think it's a little late for that!?"

Søren gulped, leaning forward to look into the cave. It was dark, barely anything visible from where he stood. 

His brother sighed, rubbing his temple. "Look, if you don't want to join me in searching for the gem, FINE. But then you'll be staying out here. Alone." Bragi took the shovel and the pickaxe from his brother, turning to the cave entrance. "Last chance."

Søren nervously tiptoed from one hoof to the other, biting his lip as he fidgeted with the bracelet on his arm. He looked down the mountain, and back to his brother, who was now on his way into the cave, vanishing into the darkness. He has to make up his mind. "Hngh… WAIT! Don't leave me here!!" He looked down the mountain once more before rushing into the cave. "I SAID WAIT!" He caught up to his brother relatively quickly, staying close to him as he anxiously scanned the cave. 

"You don't have to worry. Even if the bugs still reside in this cave, they have no reason to leave it. They prefer the dark over being out in the sun."  Bragi jumped off a ledge to a plateau below, offering Søren a hand. "And back then they didn't seem to be very fond of leaving the cave even for the eggs. They're not made for daylight. It doesn't kill them, but long exposure causes them great pain. 

Soren stopped on the edge of the ledge, he sat down, held onto it and slowly slid down. It was a little higher than he was tall, so to be able to reach his brother, he had to let go and jump. "Good to know this already super dangerous cave filled with heights that could kill us doesn't have a giant bug problem anymore." He looked down at Bragi, who nodded encouragingly. And with that, Søren closed his eyes and let go. For a moment his heart skipped, scared of dropping to the ground, but he found himself safe and sound in Bragis arms, who carefully placed him back on the ground.

"You good?" Bragi looked him over, his younger brother nodded, dusting himself off before they returned to their journey. 

The cave twists and turns, passages getting bigger and smaller, more and more scratches decorating the walls the deeper they got. Søren watched his brother, admiring his confidence, his eagerness for adventure. On his own, He himself would have never entered a cave like this, there were too many risks, too many factors he wouldn't be able to take into account. He had never been one for dangerous adventures. He was more of a comfortable person. 

They had been walking for a while, Søren was starting to lose his breath, so he came to a halt, leaning forward and holding on to the cave wall. "Can we stop for a second? I need a moment..." 

Bragi nods, offering his brother his waterskin and leaning against the wall next to him. "You're not used to trips like this, are you?" He watched his brother chugg down the water, letting out a loud sigh as the waterskin left his lips. "It is only a little bit further, you think you can handle this"

"Of… Of course - I can - Who do you - Think I am!?" Soren leaned back, taking deep breaths, desperately trying to look professional.

"We can rest here for a little while, if you need the break~" Bragi smiled at him, raising an eyebrow. "I know stuff like this is pretty new to you - An inexperienced adventurer needs the breaks every now and then~"

Søren's head snapped to look at Bragi and his posture straightened. "Absolutely not! I don't need a break! I'm as energetic as I've always been! How dare you suggest I need to rest! I will make this trip, and I will make it in one piece, and we'll find the prettiest gem the world has ever seen!!" He puffed up his chest in pride, before Bragi poked him in the side and all the air escaped his lungs. "The audacity!" 

His older brother chuckled, picking up the gear before turning around. “Only around this corner, a few feet further is the entrance to the place I want you to see. Are you ready?”
With that he walked ahead, looking over his shoulder at his younger brother “I promise you, it will be more than worth it!” he said, before vanishing behind the next turn.

Søren took another deep breath, before stumbling after his brother “I’m warning you, if this isn’t as worth it as you say I’ll-” But the words got stuck in his throat. He stopped, dropping his gear to the ground and stared in wonder.

In front of him was a massive cave system, covered in crystals, the ceiling was held by colorful, gigantic pillars and light bounced off of every surface. Intricate little constructs decorated the ground, the ceiling and the pillars themselves, looking like petrified plants climbing across every surface. Bragi walked along a path, etched into the stone, down to the bottom of the cave halls, waiting at the bottom for his brother, who still stood there, gobsmacked. "Are you coming or would you prefer for me to pick you up once I'm done?"

Søren snapped out of it, shaking his head and rushing down the steep path. "Don't you dare go into this miracle without me!!" 

Bragi laughed, slowly walking on and looking over his shoulder. "I thought you didn't like the cave, what did you say? Too much of a risk??"

His younger brother huffed "Shut it! I still find this stupidly dangerous - but you have poked my curiosity. I need to see this! So off with you! I am right here!" He skipped a step or two to be able to keep up with Bragi, he didn't mind - his excitement was far greater than his fear or exhaustion. He looked around like a child in a toy store, everything was shimmering and glistening - in the middle of the hall, ran a river through the rocks. That was where Bragi came to a halt.

"Are you ready for the special part of this cave?" Bragi held the torch in front of his younger brother - who only nodded, looking at him with big eyes. Bragi took a rock from the floor as he slowly extinguished the torches' flame in the river.

"Wait what are you doing!? We need that!!" But Søren was too late, the light of the torch went out, leaving them in the pitch black of the cave. "Bragi what the he-"

"Shhhhhhh…" Bragi shushed him. "Look around".

As Sørens eyes got used to the darkness, he noticed small glowing specks along the floor, walls and ceiling.The crystals emitted a dim glow as well, and he was again able to see the faint silhouette of his brother, who pointed towards the floor. Sørens eyes followed, and as soon as they reached Bragis hooves, he lifted his leg, stomping onto the floor loud and hard. His younger brother's eyes went wide when suddenly, from where Bragi stomped, waves of light spread into every direction. Once these waves hit the crystals, they emitted a low hum, sending waves of light into every direction as well. It climbed up the pillars, woke up the glowing rocks in the ceiling, which almost seemed to twinkle like stars from where they stood, and once they hit the water, small glowing specks could be seen along the shoreline.

"Holy mother of Mazri…" Søren gulped, rubbing his eyes,before he then looked around in disbelief. As the glow came to a stable state, he looked at his brother, still speechless, 

he walked closer to the river, running his fingers through the water, watching the small glowing specks follow the whirls his fingers created. Was he imagining this or was the water warm?