Page 67 of Quest

I searched for Darcel’s arm and one by one we linked, Sir Jiang’s firm grip on Darcel’s hand, while behind him I heard Kael’s rustle as he reluctantly took up the rear. Their presence was steady, but it was Darcel’s reassuring touch that anchored me, a silent promise of his trust. “Lead the way, Mei. I’m right here with you.” His whisper was a warm contrast to the chill of the cavern; his unwavering confidence in me even in the face of our grim surroundings stoked my courage.

With a steadying breath I lifted Lumis and faced the path of living darkness. The lantern’s glow was faint and nearly imperceptible, barely illuminating beyond the immediate ground underfoot, leaving the vast darkness beyond its reach impenetrable. Yet as I mustered the courage to take a tentative step forward, the lantern responded, its light slightly intensifying, a subtle but encouraging sign.

With each hesitant step I took, its golden light reached farther into the darkness, unveiling the path incrementally. It seemed Lumis’s glow was contingent upon my willingness to advance despite the uncertainty, revealing the way forward only as I demonstrated the courage to continue…making this gentle progression of light not just a physical guide but a profound symbol of faith and trust.

We advanced step by precarious step, guided by Lumis’s faint glow we made our way further into the depths, advancing step by precarious step into the heart of shadows with a steadfast belief that beyond this suffocating darkness lay the light we so desperately sought. The darkness seemed to press closer as we moved, a tangible entity intent on swallowing our resolve. The wind tugged at our clothes and skin with icy fingers, as if the shadows themselves sought to pull us apart.

The path underfoot was uneven, tangled with roots and treacherous dips concealed by the underbrush, but despite the difficulty rendering every step, we pressed forward. Darcel’s hand never wavered from my shoulder, his presence a constant reminder of his faith in me. Each time my foot found secure footing, I felt a surge of gratitude for his trust that bolstered my own faltering confidence.

The air grew colder, the shadows denser, as if the darkness itself was alive. My uncertainty swirled like the enveloping mist, causing me to question whether I was truly on the correct path. I focused on the light Lumis cast, a small but steadfast beacon in the overwhelming darkness that connected us to the path ahead.

With each forward movement the path became clearer, illuminating the darkness one tentative step at a time. Time held no meaning as we traveled deeper, swallowed by the encroaching shadows. Eventually, our echoing footsteps entered a vast clearing. The surrounding bamboo stalks stretched high above us, their canopies forming a natural ceiling that blocked out the sky stretching far beyond the reach of Lumis’s glow to disappear into an oppressive darkness that seemed to absorb every flicker of hope, suppressing even the memory of starlight.

Can you give us more light?I asked.

At my request, my lantern shone brighter, a warm pulse that caressed my thoughts with Lumis’s words. “There is a place meant for light just above your head.”

The soft golden hue was enough for me to navigate my way to the center of the clearing, where a natural alcove awaited me just beyond my reach—formed within the dense lattice of interwoven bamboo stalks, shimmering with crystals. Though I didn’t yet understand, I followed Lumis’s instructions and lifted my lantern, fitting it into the niche. The moment its light touched the bamboo’s reflective surface, a cascade of illumination burst forth.

The effect was instantaneous and breathtaking. Lumis’s glow scattered, bouncing off the hollow stalks, refracting between them like a prism, illuminating the entire forest in a dazzling display. The once-ominous shadows retreated, unveiling an ethereal landscape—the forest transformed into a grand, cathedral-like expanse where wild, luminous flora thrived in the newly awakened glow.

The brilliance reflected back on us, bathing the space with warmth and a sense of wonder. For a moment, the entire forest stood still, our collective breath caught in awe as the newfound light illuminated the faces of my companions. Once etched with doubt, they now reflected a quiet reverence from the radiance that now enveloped us. Until now they’d been unable to see Lumis’s light, only for its unexpected radiance to bathe us all in a soft, ethereal glow.

As my wide-eyed gaze took in the splendor, I felt a surge of pride and relief. The magical architecture testified we had been led to a place of significant power and ancient majesty, the deliberate placement of the crystals a testament to the knowledge and capabilities of those who had come before us.

“This is the correct place for our quest,” I murmured.

Darcel stepped up beside me, his hand once more finding mine. “You led us right where we needed to be. I knew you would, Mei.”

His confidence reaffirmed my belief both in myself and our current path. Amid the grandeur of our surroundings, the simple touch of his hand grounded me, reminding me that no matter how fantastical our journey, it was our unity and shared purpose that illuminated our way forward. Surrounded by Lumis’s light and with Darcel’s unwavering presence beside me, the shadows no longer appeared quite so threatening.

High above, the canopy of the bamboo forest shimmered with newfound luminescence, revealing a breathtaking display. A celestial pattern had been woven into the network of branches and leaves, forming constellations scattered across the heavens like silver dust. Each glowing petal of the star-shaped blossoms embedded in the bamboo shone with an otherworldly blue light that shimmered beneath Lumis’s indirect illumination, mirroring the sky that had been lost to this land for so long. Each star within sparkled intensely, each point of light a carefully embedded diamond that caught and reflected the rays from Lumis, creating a glistening celestial dance around us.

As I studied the intricate display, my understanding began to connect like the lines forming the floral constellations before my eyes, as though Lumis’s light was not just illuminating the path ahead but also awakening forgotten knowledge that had lain dormant within my mind. Each beam seemed to spark connections, revealing insights that felt both new and strangely familiar.

The riddle from the ancient scroll once more unfolded through my thoughts: “Amidst whispers of despair and a land bereft of light, roots entwine with secrets rare, hidden from mortal sight.” I had initially interpreted the ’land bereft of light’ as the realm of shadows we’d ventured through, but now beneath this enchanted canopy, the truth unraveled before me, as if the night sky were unveiling its starlit secrets.

I gazed upward at the stars piercing the dark veil above. ’A land bereft of light’ wasn’t referring to the shadows on the ground but to the celestial darkness above, with the stars forming a constellation of a grand tree whose roots seemed to extend across the heavens, entwined with the legend’s secrets.

My heart raced as I connected the additional pieces. ’Hidden from mortal sight’ appeared to speak not to something invisible, but rather something overlooked in plain view…meaning that what we sought was not buried in the shadowed earth like the shadowroot had been, but instead mirrored in the constellation above us, the rare secrets not of the ground but of the sky.

Excitement swelled as this revelation reshaped my understanding: the true plant we sought was not one buried in the darkness below but one that thrived in the secret light above—the legendary star flowers, born from the celestial echoes hidden within this enchanted grove.

The idea of these mystical celestial blooms seemed fantastical, yet all legends held kernels of truth. Lumis flickered softly, as if encouraging my conclusions that we needed to find a way to obtain the celestial blooms that thrived in the darkest part of this shadowed land.

I shared my thoughts with Darcel, who listened intently, his eyes reflecting the enchanted starlight above us. “So it’s not a plant rooted in the earth, but one grown from the light of the lost sky itself.” Wonder laced his voice.

His gaze drifted upwards to the bamboo-woven constellations, which now appeared as not merely an artistic depiction created from nature but as a map—a secret garden concealed by the night itself, representing the final mystery to unraveling the curse we’d set out to break.

“Try lighting something.” My suggestion was merely a formality to confirm the theory unfolding in my thoughts.

Sir Jiang struck a match and touched it to a torch, but the flame sputtered and died as quickly as it had sparked, unable to pierce the enchantment that shielded this space. This darkness remained impervious to ordinary light, affirming that only Lumis’s otherworldly glow—which had been my steadfast companion from the start—could unveil the truths hidden in this shadowed realm and guide us to the healing we sought.

I took my lantern down from its niche, glancing at my companions to see if they could still see the light. Although Lumis’s light dimmed significantly once it was no longer reflecting the crystals, the others made no move to recreate our human chain. Casting my light about for direction, I started off, the others trailing behind me as we hunted for the herb we needed.

The vivid image of the mural etched into our minds contrasted sharply with the barren stretches of terrain that extended before us, broken only by the nearly-dead bamboo stalks. At first glance we couldn’t find any plant resembling the celestial depiction. I recalled how Lumis’s light had transformed the space, revealing secrets hidden in plain sight, and stopped my wandering, tilting my head to look back at the tree constellation, with its roots that stretched towards the north, deeper into this land of darkness.

“The roots.” I pointed upward. “We need to follow them and find our way to the stars…or at least as close as possible. A plant born from starlight will not grow under this canopy.”

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