The moving pavement finally stopped completely.
In front of them stood what looked like a massive wall made entirely of crystal. The structure rose dozens of meters high, its pale surface glowing faintly under the soft light of the sanctuary. The crystal was smooth, almost polished, and thin veins of blue light ran through it like frozen lightning.
Shalotte stepped off the pavement first.
His legs were still trembling slightly from the strange ride.
"Th-this place…" he muttered, staring upward.
Kiel walked beside him, eyes wide with amazement. The boy slowly turned his head from side to side, trying to take in everything at once—the glowing crystals, the distant waterfalls, the strange birds flying above them.
Klaus, on the other hand, looked directly at the massive crystal wall.
He knocked on it lightly with his knuckle.
"Are these precious stones?" he asked casually.
Daiope shook his head.
"No."
"They are simply normal quartz."
Klaus immediately lost interest.
"Nothing interesting then."
Maddy sighed behind him. "You only care when something can be sold."
Ulon stepped closer to the wall, examining it with curiosity.
"You, Quartzmen, live hidden deep beneath the earth," he said, "and you still need walls?"
He crossed his arms.
"For what?"
Daiope's calm smile returned.
"Sometimes," he said, "the inhabitants of the sanctuary can be… playful."
As if answering him, the crystal walls suddenly began to move.
Thin cracks appeared along its surface.
Then the entire structure slowly parted to the sides like a pair of giant doors.
The moment the entrance opened, something rushed out.
A herd of small rhinos burst from the trees inside.
They were much smaller than normal rhinos, their bodies no bigger than large dogs. Their dark grey hides shimmered faintly under the crystal light as they ran past the entrance, snorting and bumping into each other like excited children.
Kiel laughed in surprise.
"Woah!"
Shane raised an eyebrow.
"…Pygmy Rhinos?"
He watched the animals disappear between the crystal formations.
"I thought they were extinct."
Daiope shook his head gently.
"That is why we call this place a sanctuary."
He gestured toward the open gate.
"Many creatures here are the last of their kind."
Then he stepped aside and invited them in.
"Please."
The group entered slowly.
Once inside, the crystal gate closed quietly behind them.
After a few steps, Daiope stopped.
"Visitors," he said politely, "my apologies."
"I have other duties to attend to."
He turned toward the pale Quartzman beside him.
"Daiowon."
Daiowon stepped forward.
Daiope continued, "Please escort our guests to their friends."
He paused, then added, "And if possible, give them a short tour of our domain."
He looked back at the group, "Let them experience Quartzmen hospitality."
Daiowon nodded and replied in their grinding language.
Grk—krn—tik.
Ulon grimaced behind them.
"There it is again," he muttered. "That grinding and clanking."
He rubbed his ear.
"Their conversation really irritates me."
Maddy elbowed him sharply.
"Shut up, fool."
Daiope left quietly.
Daiowon gestured forward.
The group followed him deeper into the sanctuary.
As they walked, Klaus began observing their surroundings carefully.
Something felt odd.
There were no houses. No structures at all.
Only enormous crystal clusters rising like pillars and scattered trees growing between them.
After several minutes, Klaus finally asked,
"May I ask something?"
Daiowon looked back.
"Yes… visitor?"
"Where do you live?"
Daiowon pointed at a nearby crystal formation.
"There."
Ulon frowned.
"How do you live inside a crystal?"
Then he added bluntly,
"And how do you eat?"
Before Daiowon could answer, Shalotte suddenly raised his hand.
"Ah—sorry—important question."
Everyone looked at him.
"Where is the bathroom?"
He shifted uncomfortably.
"I really need to pee."
Daiowon stared at him for a moment.
Then pointed toward a large tree.
"Pee… there."
Shalotte didn't wait another second.
"Thank you!"
He ran toward the tree at full speed.
The rest of the group watched him disappear behind the trunk.
Daiowon calmly continued explaining.
"We sleep… in crystal."
"We eat… crystal."
"We need… only crystal."
Ulon nodded.
"As I thought."
They continued walking.
After a moment, Shalotte came running back, looking extremely relieved.
"Sorry! Continue!"
Eventually, they reached the center of the sanctuary.
There, a towering structure stood.
A massive dark crimson crystal pillar rose from the ground like a monument. Unlike the natural crystal formations around it, this one was carefully shaped and polished.
Its surface was covered with countless carved marks.
Small dashes and tiny dots.
Thousands of them.
Each is arranged in different patterns.
Klaus stepped closer, "What is this structure?"
Daiowon looked at it quietly, "Monument… war."
Klaus frowned.
He slowly scanned the endless rows of symbols.
"Are you saying these represent Quartzmen who died in war?"
Daiowon nodded. "All dead… war…"
"Thousands… more…"
He paused.
"Elder Daiope… family… too."
Kiel's expression darkened slightly.
Daiowon continued slowly, "Daiope… elders… survive…"
"Run… here."
Klaus folded his arms.
"No wonder the old man snapped earlier."
He looked back at the monument.
"Looks like he lost everything in that war."
Ulon tilted his head.
"You said only a few elders survived."
Then he squinted suspiciously at Daiowon.
"How do you reproduce if you have nothing?"
His eyes slowly moved downward toward Daiowon's groin.
Daiowon stopped walking.
He turned slowly.
"You… rude… visitor."
His crystal eyes narrowed.
"You… need… know… nothing."
Then he turned and continued walking again.
Shane rubbed his forehead.
"Ulon," he said calmly, "maybe you should keep your mouth shut for a while."
"We might get into trouble."
Ulon raised his hands defensively.
"Alright, alright."
He shrugged.
"I was just curious, boss."
As they continued walking, a faint sound reached them.
At first, it was distant—soft and scattered, like echoes bouncing between the crystal mountains.
Then it became clearer.
Laughter.
Kiel slowed down slightly, his head turning toward the sound. Even Ulon stopped talking for once.
"Do you hear that?" Petra whispered.
They walked around a cluster of tall violet crystals and several thick trees whose roots wrapped tightly around the stone.
And then the place opened.
Behind the crystals stood a small settlement.
Few wooden houses had been built between the trees, simple but sturdy.
It looked strange in the middle of the glowing crystal world, yet somehow peaceful.
Children ran across the clearing, chasing one another with sticks while laughing loudly. A few elders worked nearby—some repairing roofs, others carrying baskets of fruit.
Watching them quietly from the side was Anaya.
She stood with her arms folded, patiently observing the children as if making sure none of them got hurt.
Shane stopped walking.
His eyes softened slightly.
"Well," he said quietly,
"Looks like we're here to say goodbye."