Master Of None

Bree didn't hesitate to lead them toward one of the openings in the ground by the base of the massive tree. She spoke the entire time about her elemental spirits which followed them the entire walk. She also couldn't resist speaking about her granddaughter. 

"She was visiting me and was barely about to take her own steps when she was tickled by my elemental spirits. The next thing I know is she is trying to bond with one of them. She couldn't even say anything but for mama and papa. It was a surprise of a lifetime." Bree was gushing over the stories of her granddaughter like any grandmother would.

Walker and Su were still struggling with the fact that she looked so young to their standards. "So, I know we are going under ground, but what exactly are we going to?' Walker found a chance to cut in and ask where they were heading. 

"Oh yeah, sorry I just get so caught up, you will be like this one  day too. we are heading underground to the crystal smiths. They work near the roots of the tree so that the excess mana can be absorbed by the tree. Then from there, we can go to the underground crystal mines. They are more of a farm in a way than a mine though." 

Walker couldn't help but get excited to see the crystal smiths. These crystal craftsmen were more specified than the crystal mage in creating things out of the crystals. Walker was sure to see the people who made the water spikes or even just shaped elemental mana crystals in general.

"I think it will be exciting to watch these elves work. Our kingdom doesn't have a crystal smith or craftsman at all." Su drew Bree's surprise with this.

"You really don't have them? I would have thought every kingdom has them in spades. Without them, we would be missing so many things for the city. I couldn't even do my job without them or advance my system level." Bree knew just how important crystals were to their city.

"Now we head down here and we will reach the general working areas for crystal smiths and craftsmen. We will probably see a few crystal mages as well if you're lucky." Bree beckoned for them to head down a large staircase. There were multiple groups of elves heading up and down towards the surface or the depths.

"I actually already met a crystal mage. I was able to work with them and create some interesting things as experiments. It's how I got the crystal crafting skill." Bree was taken by surprise yet again hearing Walker. 

"If you want you can come down here anytime while you are visiting. I am sure that another person with crystal crafting skills will be welcomed. If you could even take some work off of the ones that are growing crystals you might be considered a saint." Bree laughed knowing that the crystals were always in high demand, even if they increased production the demand would mirror it.

"I think we should at least look to see what we can do to help. It is only fair since we are guests to your people." Su was only hearing the fact that they might need some help. Bree smiled warmly hearing this, Su was full of intoxicating kindness.

"I feel like these stairs are going on forever…" Walker was looking at the long staircase still stretching before them. There only things that made the view change were the elves coming back up to the surface and the light crystals put on the walls to radiate a faint light on the steps.

"Well, the roots are very deep. We are only going to some of the medium depth roots. The deepest is in a place much too dangerous for normal people to go." Bree was speaking about the chambers where fire crystals and lava crystals were made naturally. There were some tough tree roots that would move in and out of pools of lava. 

"Miss Bree, we only have a short time until we need to be at the surface for the full moon tonight. That is why we are worried." Su was trying to keep their time which made Walker appreciate her much more.

"There's no need to worry. We aren't going far down. The place we need to go is fairly high in the levels. If we went all the way down it would take all day." She said this like it was a simple fact but Walker and Su had a hard time imagining the fact that they would have to travel all day to reach the lowest floors of the elven crystal growing operation.

"These light elemental crystals are set in the wall, but they are attached with the same rope that they used on us when we were imprisoned." Bree coughed a little when Walker said this. She had heard of the incident and didn't expect Walker to bring it up so casually. 

"You are right. It is a similar rope that can easily drain or transmit mana. It is made from some hair from the unicorns. I know you met them as well." Bree tried to divert the attention from the while imprisonment incident but Walker hadn't been focusing on it in the first place. 

"Does that mean that the mana gathered in your prisons is transferred to light elemental mana crystals to help keep them in working condition?" he could only imagine the benefits that this caused. It kept the city running without harming prisoners in a cruel manner. The only rough thing was that the ropes would need to bind them.

"Yes, that is the case. It is one of the more safe and humane ways to do good for our people and not harm those we punish." Bree gave up on trying to sidestep the conversation and gave Walker the answer he was looking for.

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