“Oh sure, just run if one turns yellow,” Azza mumbled as she shuffled across the chamber with the bag. “Don’t mind the fact that we’re underground. Where would I run to?”

You know I can defend myself. At least, her teacher should know. Maybe he forgot, like how he forgot to pack extra socks for the trip. Azza seemed to attract absent-minded mentors. Elijah in particular was hard to read. He would treat her like delicate pottery one moment, and a piece of iron to be hammered into shape the next. Was this like having an older brother? She smiled at the thought.

Despite her initial grumbling, Azza set about her task with a spring in her step. It felt good to be out of the dingy observatory, get some fresh air and meet new people. Even if ‘fresh air’ was a dusty tomb and ‘meet new people’ meant eavesdropping on strangers’ conversations. Still, it made walking around and waving crystals at the wall much more interesting.

“What’s for lunch today?” asked a skinny dark elf in scribe’s robes.

“More hardtack and jerky, I’m sure,” replied a dwarf woman with dark circles around her eyes.

“Again? With how hard they’re pushing us, they could feed us some real food.”

“Go complain to Sabal, then.”

“You first.”

’Nothing fun...’ With a sigh, Azza moved along the wall. She circled past Rehtul. The ice mage was far more focused on the walls than she was, staring at random spots with squinted eyes as snowflakes fluttered around him. ’Maybe he’s having better luck,’ thought Azza, frowning at her crystal, which remained stubbornly blue now matter how hard she waved it around.

Another group of researchers walked past, muttering to each other. She pretended to work as she followed them along the wall.

“Have you seen Melen today?

“No, not yesterday either.”

’Now this is interesting…’

“Did she leave? She didn’t say anything to me.”

“I wager she got hurt, and the higher ups are keeping it quiet so nobody makes a fuss.”

Distracted by the conversation, Azza’s hand brushed against the strange golden sword sticking out of the floor. Her crystal changed from cold blue to a fiery orange. “Eli- er. Master Elijah! What does orange mean?”