Han stared with wide eyes at the floating blue gem before him. He was sure he had heard a voice coming from somewhere nearby, but it couldn't have come from the gem, could it? He wasn't sure at all.
He squinted and leaned in closer. The gem didn't have a mouth, so how could it possibly speak? Yet he had definitely heard a voice just moments ago. He was certain of it.
"...Hello?" Han said cautiously.
The gem flickered briefly. Though it had no face, Han had the strange feeling it was looking right at him.
"Um... my name is Han?" he offered, uncertainty lacing his voice. The gem had asked who he was, after all.
When it didn't respond, Han glanced toward the tunnel, briefly wondering if he should go fetch Alwyn and Erika to share this strange, fascinating discovery. But just as he took a step back, the gem spoke.
"Hello..."
Han's eyes widened. "Oh, you really can talk!" he said, leaning in closer to the floating gem.
"I do… I'm sorry, but I can't tell you my name. I don't seem to remember it," the gem replied.
"That's okay! Maybe it'll come back to you later," Han said with a cheerful smile. He had once struggled to remember his own name, so he couldn't exactly judge someone else for the same.
"So, what are you anyway? This is the first time I've seen a talking rock," he said, tilting his head. "Wait… are you one of the people who used to live here in Ashdune Vale?"
"Ashdune Vale?" the gem repeated softly.
"Yeah, that's what we call your world now," Han explained. "I thought all of your people had perished."
"Perished?" the gem echoed, its voice quiet and uncertain.
"Um… this might be a little beyond me," Han admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do you mind if I go get my friends? They know more than I do."
"If you wish," the gem said gently.
Han smiled and turned back, heading toward the main chamber where Erika and Alwyn were still busy mining the aether crystals.
"Hey! Where did you run off to? Don't start picking up our stupid master's bad habits," Erika said as soon as she noticed him returning. She had seen him leave earlier and was tempted to scold him, but chose to focus on mining instead. She figured the curious teen would wander back on his own. And if he got lost, that would be his own problem.
"I found something. Or actually, someone. Really interesting!" Han said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Alwyn stepped away from his chosen mining spot and approached him. "You found someone? Is it another exploration team?"
"Nope! It's someone cool!" Han said, then motioned for the two of them to follow.
He led the other two teens back to the chamber where the floating gem still hovered in place, patiently waiting.
When Alwyn and Erika saw the floating gem, their eyes widened. They had never expected to encounter another living being here, aside from the other adventurers who had entered Ashdune Vale with them or the Starfiends that roamed this broken world. Yet here it was before them, undeniably alive. And not human at all.
"What the heck…" Erika muttered as she stared at the gem.
"I met them when I wandered into this area," Han quickly explained. "They don't remember anything though."
"Well, that's not surprising," Alwyn muttered. Based on the murals they had found in Ashdune Vale, the people who once lived here were said to have somewhat humanoid forms, even though they were made of gems. Yet the one floating in front of them was just a small stone hovering in the air. No doubt their condition was affecting their memory.
"You three are the first living beings I've met in a long time," the gem said.
"You've been trapped underground all this time?" Erika asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, though I cannot remember how long I've been like this," the gem replied.
"Well, that sounds rough, buddy, but I'm not sure how we can help," Erika said. Finding a talking gem was certainly unexpected, but her main priority was still mining the aether crystals. If Alwyn and Han wanted to waste time entertaining the gem, that was up to them. She wasn't planning to get involved until their quota was done.
Almost as if reading her mind, Alwyn spoke. "I think it would be wise to help them. We should gather as much information as possible and document everything properly. The Starvanguard aren't the only ones interested in the Echorifts. Researchers and wealthy patrons with a fascination for these places would pay a great deal for rare discoveries like this."
"Tell us everything you remember, and we'll do our best to help you," Erika said, changing her tone without missing a beat. She gently picked up the gem, handling it like a rare and valuable artifact.
Han snorted softly. After spending so much time with Erika, it had become easier than ever to read her. Her habits, her reactions, and especially her tendency to switch gears when something caught her interest. Alwyn had known her longer and could probably talk her into just about anything with the right words.
"Ah… thank you for your offer…" the gem said, trailing off. She didn't know their names.
"The name's Erika. The first idiot is Han, and the second idiot is Alwyn," Erika quickly supplied.
"Erika… then I appreciate your offer. But I'm not sure if my condition can even be improved," the gem said. "I've just been floating here for so long that it wouldn't be a surprise if I simply dissipated the next moment."
"But you haven't," Han said. "Aren't you curious about your past? People say visiting familiar places can jog memories. Maybe we could start by taking you somewhere else."
"Do you remember anything? Even a direction would help," Alwyn asked. Even the smallest clue would be useful. He was curious about Ashdune Vale and the Echorifts in general, and this was an unexpected chance to satisfy that curiosity.
"I… I'm not sure… but I've been wanting to explore deeper into this place," the gem said. "Though I couldn't move too far from my spot. I'd always get too exhausted and nod off quickly."
"Deeper, huh," Erika muttered, glancing at the dark pathway they had yet to explore. Until now, they had only stayed in the chamber filled with aether crystals and hadn't ventured beyond it. It wasn't that Erika was afraid of being underground, but she was reluctant to leave before completing the mining. Still, looking at the gem's fragile state, she couldn't shake the worry that if they waited too long, it might vanish altogether.
"Fine. Let's go then."
The three of them left the chamber, still filled with glittering aether crystals, and continued deeper into the ruins. Erika consoled herself by ordering the system to mark the location, just in case they had time to return later. The hallway ahead seemed to stretch on endlessly, sloping downward at a slow but steady pace. It felt as though they were being drawn into the planet's very core. The walls surrounding them were pale white and cool to the touch, carved from smooth stone, while the darkness pressed in from every side.
As they walked, Han finally broke the silence.
"You know, I still don't get how we can understand you, Bluey."
"Bluey?" the gem asked.
"Well, we can't exactly keep calling you 'the gem' or 'you,' right? So I think Bluey fits. At least until you remember your real name!" Han grinned brightly.
"I'm pretty sure it's ruder to just name someone one-sidedly," Erika grumbled. "Just because you gave yourself a random name doesn't mean you should do it to others too."
"Hey, that's not true! I didn't just come up with it randomly!" Han protested.
Alwyn ignored their bickering and returned to the topic. "Still, it is rather curious how we can hear you at all. You're clearly not using normal speech through sound waves in the air."
Bluey responded after a moment. "Hmm… I'm not quite sure how to explain it, since I don't fully understand it myself. But no, I don't speak like you three. It's more like… sending out my intent using the Worldflow."
"Worldflow?" Han echoed.
"Perhaps they're referring to the aether," Alwyn guessed.
"I mean the energy that flows from the world itself," Bluey clarified. "But… I suppose there isn't much of it left anymore."
That much was true. With the world already dead, what remained of the aether was thin and sparse. It was one of the many reasons why exploring the Echorifts was so dangerous. Unlike in Arboren, where aether was abundant in the air and people could passively regenerate it by resting, here in the Echorifts, every bit of aether had to be used sparingly. Recovery was only possible through aetheric consumables. It might still be possible to gather aether from the surrounding environment, but the process would be painstakingly difficult and barely worth the effort.
Eventually, the stairs came to an end, and the three of them arrived at a massive series of interconnected chambers. White sheets hung from the ceilings, and the space appeared to have once been used by the people who lived in Ashdune Vale. The most striking feature was a large pool of liquid at the center. It didn't look like regular water. Its shade leaned toward pale green, faintly luminous and oddly still.
"Did you guys like to swim or something?" Han asked, daring to dip his fingers into the liquid. It was strangely warm. As he tried to look deeper, he noticed what seemed to be several pedestal-like structures at the bottom of the pool.
"No... I don't think so. This place..." Bluey murmured, floating closer. "I think this is where the young ones were born."
"Young ones? Like kids?" Erika asked. She had already pulled out her Runesnap Device and began taking photos of everything. She wasn't sure what was important, so she made sure to capture every detail.
"I remember that my kind would visit this place and then..." Bluey trailed off.
"They used the pool?" Alwyn asked.
"Yes, the pool. We were born from crystals and minerals. Our essences seeped into the stone itself. It was a blessing from the world," Bluey said softly.
"No need to force yourself to remember," Alwyn said, noticing how Bluey was beginning to struggle with the explanation.
"I'm sorry," Bluey replied.
"We're not that interested in hearing about another species' sex life anyway," Erika muttered, still snapping photos.
The group continued exploring. The underground area was enormous, and they found several more pools similar to the first. Eventually, they came across another pathway. This one led upward. They climbed a long set of stairs that opened into a structure above ground. Erika had to shield her eyes from the sudden sunlight streaming through the large windows. Like the chamber below, the ceiling was draped with white sheets that fluttered gently in the breeze. The building was constructed from the same pale stone and was both spacious and open.
"This is..." Bluey began to speak.
Suddenly, the gem vibrated and started glowing. A pulse of light spread across the room. In an instant, the empty hall transformed before their eyes.
Furniture appeared. The silence was replaced by voices. People moved around them, unaware of their presence.
"What the—?!" Han exclaimed, turning in place with wide eyes.
"It's an Echo," Alwyn said, calmly observing the surroundings. "Sometimes people encounter echoes of past events when exploring Echorifts. Some believe it's the world trying to remember itself. Others think it's the lingering aether of those who once lived, reacting to our presence. Either way, there's no need to worry. These are just shadows of the past."
Erika continued taking photos at a rapid pace, making sure she missed nothing important. The people around them looked mostly human at first glance, with eyes and mouths, but their bodies were entirely composed of gems. Their skinless forms shimmered in different colors. Some had applied markings or designs onto their surfaces like body paint. They wore long, flowing robes that covered their androgynous forms.
"Ah... I think I remember something else," Bluey said quietly. "These are the young ones. The newly born were kept in the creche until they had learned everything they needed."
"They're kids?" Erika asked. It was strange. Everyone looked to be about the same age, resembling teens more than children. If the ones wearing the most elaborate robes were adults, there was little visible distinction in age. Then again, if they were made of gemstone, aging probably worked differently.
The room was peaceful. Some sat reading in silence, while others chatted in small groups. That quiet atmosphere was suddenly broken as two figures burst through a nearby door.
All three turned toward the sound. A red-colored gem wearing an elaborate robe was dragging a blue-colored one behind them. Judging by their appearance, the blue gem seemed to be another youngling.
The red gem muttered, "How many times do I have to tell you to stop running off like that, Evara?"
Evara pouted. "But it's boring being stuck here."
Han, Alwyn, and Erika watched the pair closely. There were other blue gems in the room, but this one felt familiar.
"Ah... I think that's me," Bluey said quietly.
Or rather, Evara.