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Earendil smiled warmly and he gave Miyuki's hand a little squeeze. He liked the feeling of them being united just as much as she did.

Aurin stepped ahead of them, one fist held up and burning with flame. "Watch where you are stepping," he cautioned the others. "There are many dangers in the cave - shafts, precipices, rocks, and debris from when the dragons did live here."

He paused, then added with a mischievous smile, "but it is all worth it in the end, when you reach the innermost sanctum of the dragons. There you will see one of the most beautiful sights in the world."

Aurin shook his head, his eyes sparkling brightly. "If I told you, it would take away the surprise," he told her. "Is it not more exciting to have a surprise to look forward to?"

Earendil had no idea what the captain was referring to, and he had to admit that his own curiosity was growing - and quickly.

"Shall we go, then?" he asked.

Aurin chuckled softly. "Indeed. Come."

He motioned for them to follow him into the cave.

At first it was very much the same: darkness, a smooth floor with a few rocks; but slowly the passageway began to narrow, until it was only half as wide as it had been at the beginning. The stone was darker inside as well, nearly black. But despite the blackness of the rock, there was a shimmer to the walls of the passageway.

Earendil looked at the shimmers curiously. "What is that?" he asked Aurin.

The captain glanced to the side. "Gypsum growths. They become more frequent as we go deeper into the mountain."

Earendil's brow furrowed in confusion. "Gypsum?"

"A type of crystal." Aurin smiled and pointed ahead. "Look. Ahead, the cave grows wider again. There you will see even more of it."

Aurin shook his head. "That is not my area of knowledge," he answered Miyuki. "I do not know. There are those that have studied it, however, and they would be able to answer your question. Perhaps you could ask Lady Alena when we return to the castle. All I know is, it has grown much even in the four hundred years that we have been able to explore this cave."

On one side of the floor, there was a slight depression with a liquid that seemed almost like water in it. It was pale white in colour, slightly foamy, and it smelled slightly ... bad.

"Mind that." Aurin pointed it out to the others. "Sulphur. It will burn through your skin. There are a few puddles in here, but there's not enough to be dangerous unless you touch it."

Aurin shrugged. "I have no idea. No one knows what these caves were like before the dragons. It could well be something from the time of Melkor, for all we know. Or something natural. Again, Lady Alena would know more. But note ..."

He pointed at the walls, which seemed to positively shimmer and gleam in the firelight.

"Where there are pools of sulphur, there are far more crystals."

Earendil could only admire the glimmering walls. So deep underground, and yet there was such beauty ...

He smiled down at Miyuki. "You're awfully quiet," he grinned. "Cat got your tongue?"

Strange phrase, but Kaito had explained to him what it meant, and it seemed to suit the situation.