Chapter 17 - 17: Quarry Shadows and Feathered Foes

Crestmoore's quarry sprawled like a shattered skull, its veins of Zenoite, Teridian, Lunargent, and silver glinting under the midday sun, jagged cliffs casting shadows over sinkholes. Killyaen, his gold-tipped braid swaying, guided his Zorath through the uneven terrain, the beast snorting at the dust. His groin guard—etched with Supreme Sword Sleeps Here—clinked smugly, a nod to Marko's gift. Elyria's split-leaf amulet pulsed faintly, humming in tune with the quarry's eerie silence."Oi, fox, where's this glowing relic you're dragging me to?" Killyaen muttered, scanning for the luminescent fox. Its starlit fur had flickered at dawn, luring him from his camp straight into the quarry's depths. The fox was nowhere now—typical. He whistled Cursed Cat, smirking at Janko's neon-whiskered disgrace back in Opeka.A piercing screech split the air, and Killyaen's head snapped up. From the cliffs, a flock of Flaevyn—glowing birds with razor-sharp feathers, Beginner Scholar cultivators—dove like living daggers, their wings shimmering with crystalline light. Five of them, each hawk-sized, sliced through the air, their feathers trailing faint arcs of Qi. "Well, well, feathered ladies, ready to dance with the Supreme Elf?" Killyaen taunted, his gold-flecked eyes glinting. The lead Flaevyn swooped, its feathers whistling as they aimed for his throat. He rolled aside, the ground sparking where a feather grazed it, slicing a gash in his cheek. The sting faded fast, the curse's resilience kicking in during the fight.Killyaen drew Wind's Rebuke and Thunder's Edge, their Zenoite blades catching the sun, their Crystal affinity faintly glowing. "Let's make this naughty!" He unhooked the Feather-Tickler Trap, a spring-loaded net woven from vines, laced with Moonflower sap for stickiness, Gromble oil for slick chaos, and spiked with Zephyr Claw talon shards for extra bite. As two Flaevyn dove in a crisscross, their wings slashing like twin guillotines, he lobbed the trap skyward. It erupted with a pop, unfurling like a spider's web, glowing faintly as the sap caught the light. The sticky strands snared three birds, their enraged squawks echoing as they thrashed, feathers slicing uselessly against the vines. The remaining two circled, screeching, one diving for his eyes, the other for his chest.Killyaen spun Wind's Rebuke in a swift arc, the non-Qi strike mimicking a gale to bat the eye-bound Flaevyn into a sinkhole, where it crashed with a pained shriek. The second bird's feathers grazed his shoulder, drawing blood, but the curse's healing sealed the cut in moments. "Nice try, darling!" he laughed, charging with Thunder's Edge. The blade's heavy slash clipped the bird's wing, grounding it. He pinned it with a boot, slicing its neck clean with Wind's Rebuke. The trapped trio still thrashed in the net, and Killyaen carved through the vines with precise cuts, collecting a handful of their shimmering feathers. "These'll make a pervy pillow for Bera," he grinned, tucking the feathers away.The luminescent fox reappeared, its crystal-blue eyes glinting, and darted toward a sinkhole. Killyaen followed, his amulet pulsing stronger. At the sinkhole's edge, a glowing blue relic—a silver slab carved with Azurion's wave runes—hummed softly, its Moon affinity reflecting the quarry's faint light. "Ancient ruins, my arse," he whispered, tracing the runes with High Elven fluency, a secret even Goran didn't know. The slab whispered Tide's Heart, hinting at a Middle Sea mystery, but no altar revealed itself. "Tease," he cursed, pocketing a pinch of silver dust.In Crestmoore's market, traders hawked wyrm scales, Storm Roc claws, Teridian scraps with Fire affinity, Lunargent shards for Night Elves, and silver ingots for anti-spirit blades. Whispers of Spirit Stone mines near Adena—rich with Level 3 stones brimming with pure Qi—stirred tension, with tales of mercenary skirmishes over their control. Rumors also swirled of Adena's Starveil Auction House, where legendary Dracolisk or mythical Celestine might appear, drawing Dragonkin and High Elves alike. Killyaen haggled with a grizzled merchant, trading a single Flaevyn feather for a clinking pouch of gold coins. "Enough for Gromble oil and a naughty trinket," he chuckled, buying a vial of the foul-smelling oil and storing it. A commotion drew his eye—a woman with blazing red hair, curves rivaling Bera's, smashing a cart into splinters with a furious kick. This was Tira, a Beginner Knight cultivator, her fists clenched like hammers. "Oi, hot stuff, need a naughty toy to calm that temper?" Killyaen called, sauntering over, his grin provocative.Tira's eyes locked on him, narrowing to slits. "Call me that again, pervert, and I'll break your braid," she snarled, but a smirk tugged at her lips, her crude humor mirroring his. She strode forward, closing the gap in two steps, her presence radiating menace. Without warning, her hand shot out, grabbing his left buttock with a vice-like grip, nails digging deep enough to draw a sharp hiss from Killyaen. "Nice arse, elf-boy," she purred, her voice a mix of mockery and challenge, her fingers lingering as if claiming territory. "Keep up that mouth, and I'll carve my name in it." She shoved him back, laughing darkly, her eyes daring him to push further. Killyaen, unfazed, winked. "That's the spirit, love. Join me to Adena, and we'll raise hell together." Drawn to his chaotic energy, Tira nodded, her scowl promising no romance, only shared mayhem. "Don't slow me down, Supreme Elf," she growled, spitting the title like a taunt.Killyaen couldn't resist a prank to seal their alliance. He rigged a Glow-Burst Bomb, a fist-sized orb packed with Moonflower sap, Zenoite dust for dazzle, a Teridian shard for Fire-affinity sparks, a Lunargent sliver for Moon-affinity shimmer, and a silver flake for a subtle glow. The orb's spring-loaded trigger, crafted from stretched copper wire, ensured a spectacular burst. "Time to light up your day, Tira!" he shouted, lobbing it at her stall. It struck the cart's edge, exploding in a neon spray that painted the wood in glowing streaks, Teridian sparks dancing like festival lanterns, Lunargent slivers shimmering like moonlight, and silver flakes glinting softly. The blast coated nearby crates, splattering Gavric—a Middle Knight Earth cultivator—with neon goo that clung to his boots and beard, marking him as the prank's secondary victim. Tira's eyes widened, and her Fire element flared, a Flame Arrow scorching the air as she cursed, "You Gromble bastard!" Gavric roared, "Who's the fool messing with my market?" shaking his fists as the crowd laughed, the neon glow turning his stall into a glowing mockery. Killyaen cackled, "Welcome to my game, big guy!"Grinning, Killyaen leaned toward Tira. "Fancy a spar, firecracker? Let's hit the quarry and train—see if you can keep up with the Supreme Elf." Tira's smirk sharpened. "I'll bury you in that pit, pervert." They set off, leaving the market's chaos behind, their boots crunching on the path to the quarry. As they walked, Killyaen spun tales of Adena's promise. "Heard there's a tavern up north, The Scaled Fang, with answers to some old ruins I'm chasing," he said, tapping his amulet. "Ancient junk, glowing relics, maybe a shot at being the strongest bastard alive. Plus, their Starveil Auction House might have some shiny metals to drool over." Tira snorted, unaware of Brakus. "Ruins? Fool's errand. I'm going for the coin and the fights—better be worth it, especially with those Spirit Stone mines stirring up trouble with all that pure Qi." Her eyes gleamed, hungry for action, not secrets.At the quarry's edge, they squared off, dust swirling. Tira lunged first, her fists blazing with Fire Qi, a Flame Arrow grazing Killyaen's sleeve. He countered with Wind's Rebuke, the non-Qi strike deflecting her blow with a gust-like arc. "Nice heat, love, but my blades are hotter!" he taunted, dodging her kick. Their spar was a dance of chaos—Tira's fiery punches met Killyaen's fluid swordplay, her aggression matching his provocations. After a dozen clashes, they paused, panting, and shifted to training. Killyaen practiced Wind's Rebuke and Thunder's Edge, inspired by the Flaevyn's fluid dives and Azurion's runes. A new move emerged: Wave's Echo, a non-Qi sword strike blending speed and fluidity, mimicking water's flow. He tested it, slicing a Moonshade Squirrel's fur clean off, tucking it away. "Not bad for a qi-blind pervert," he grinned.Tira, drilling her Fire Wall technique, nodded grudgingly. "You're not useless, elf-boy." As dusk fell, her flames lit their camp. "Adena better have fights worth my time," she muttered, tossing a stick into the fire. Killyaen winked, "If it's half as fun as you, I'll make a Supreme Sword gadget for the occasion." The fox's silhouette flickered, urging them toward Adena—and the next relic.