The Light of the Crystal Heart

Chapter 5: Aughra

All bowed to the newly crowned emperor, just then as they lowered their heads, a sharp and familiar sound was heard it was the call of the Crystal.

"Listen, the Crystal calls us!"

"The Crystal calls us, he calls us!"

"To the Crystal Chamber!"

Skeksis's group hurried to run into the Crystal Room. The Crystal Bats were creatures that were created by Skeksis to become lookouts whatever they see the Skeksis were able to see within the Dark Crystal. Whatever the Dark Crystal revealed sent chills to Skeksis's cold and hard spines. It was Vela, climbing a rocky mountain. Her vibrant red hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and her clothes were dusty also a bit shredded during her journey to Aughra's. All the Skeksis retreated, frightened and seemed to be at lost with words. But how could a Krisling live?! They had removed all the Krislings from the realm! How could there be one left? And what about the prophecy? Could there be a living Gelfling around too?

"Oh... A living Krisling?" wondered Skekung

"The prophecy! The Prophecy!" Fretted Skekekt.

"The prophecy says that a Krisling would purify the shard and a Gelfling will destroy us!" Recalled another Skeksis in the midst of all the frightened shouts. Skekung was not pleased with the recollection of that horrid prophecy! This could not be possible, or rather at least he had to make sure that it wasn't the case. He raised his arms and screeched "No! Garthim, Attack! Garthim, find the Krisling!" By that moment coming from the first floor, gigantic Garthim appeared. In addition to being the emperor, he had the power to master these monstrous creatures during his reign. They were Titanic! They were twice as large as the Skeksis. They were covered with the most invincible shell anyone has ever seen. Strange, as these exotic beasts were they had multiple layers of shells hiding dozens of paws. They had little shiny eyes, and two large arms towards the end they had sharp pinchers that could snap a bolder in half. They were bumping and slamming each other with an annoying noise. Their little paws at the bottom were in constant motion, even when they stood in one spot giving an air of hyper-active colossus to these famous soldiers.

"Garthim, I want the Krisling! Bring her here! Come on, get to the Krisling!" Skekung roared to drive his troops as they walked out to the exit. Behind them Skeksil the Chamberlain, who was very intrigued by the situation. He had just put on his once clean white shirt only now torn to shreds and groaned a thirteenth time before following them.

In the meantime, the Skeksis was watching Vela in the crystal. "What a hideous Krisling!" Said one of them.

For her part, Vela walked in the direction that her dear master had told her to follow. She crossed over and over again until she stops to look at strange creatures, they looked like these gigantic pink balls, soft and the hundreds of short tentacles that rolled when she approached too close to them. 'What is this?' Vela thought as she watched the creatures run away from her. 'What a funny place. Let's see...She's called Aughra. Follow the great sun for a whole day, and you will arrive at the Domain of Aughra.' Vela recited for the hundredth time during her travels. She walked towards a flat rock and took a brief break, and she looked up at two little beasts on a rock. They had an amethyst-coated shell on their backs. 'Uh, easy to say! I don't even know who Aughra is...maybe one of those things ' Vela thought while watching the little beasts run away. 'Do I really have to talk to Aughra? Was she dangerous?' She stood up once again and walked. "Maybe she kills Krislings? What am I doing here? " Vela muttered while she continued to scale up the mountain. However, she didn't stop to realize what she was walking into. Vela passed through these strange lianas that was found only in these mountainous regions, and which they coiled on to her figure and lifted her up. Vela started screaming and struggling to get the lianas off of her. She closed her eyes and started fidgeting, and clenching her fists to shoo the lianas away. When Vela opened her emerald eyes again, she saw an eye staring into her. A singular eye that was held by a hand! An old hand with yellow and broken fingernails. "Störtu! Störtu! Uh... Mĩy Äne Krĩslĩngleetsh?" Vela didn't understand what those words or what those words mean, she lowered her head to see who the hand including the eye belonged to.

She saw a small old woman, she was wearing a dark red dress with jewels embedded in the dress. The woman had long hair that was somewhat messy, thin, and gray. And on her head, anyone could see the woman has two horns that resemble that of a mountain goat's horns. The woman's face was wrinkled and had grey skin moreover her nose rose like a truffle. She had only one eye, which is one she held in her hand. Although with a gesture, she put it in her orbit and frowned by looking at Vela. "Are you a Krisling?" She spoke in an acute and bothered voice. "Yes, and my name is Vela." She answered politely. "Death the Krislings, you are not a Krisling! They were killed by the Garthim, you can't be a Krisling! ... You look like a Krisling, you have the smell of a Krisling." She took a break to sniff of Vela who flinched at the old woman's action. "Maybe you're a Krisling?" The woman stated.

"I come from afar, I'm looking for Aughra! "The old lady laid her hands on her broad hips by straightening herself a little." Who are you sending?" The old woman asked in spite. "My master, the wisest of mystics." Vela answered. "mm? Where what he is, then?" She asked by turning her head in all directions "He...He's dead" Vela said quietly as she lowered her head in sadness. "He's everywhere."

"So, are you Aughra?" Vela asked the old woman yet she did not look pleased with Vela's question. She frowned annoyed and approached Vela as if she was about to threaten her. "Am I scaring you, Krisling? You think I'm going to eat you?!" Vela endeavored her sharp emerald eyes but did not answer. Aughra stepped back and continues to watch the girl's movements. "So, what do you want from me?" Aughra asked with a huff

"A shard! A crystal shard." Vela answered quickly before the old woman sighed in weariness "A shard, that's all you want?" She reflects before Vela nodded her head towards the woman. Aughra then raised her right hand and turning to one of the walls covered with lianas of this great mountain. "Let her go! "she said as soon as the vines dropped Vela to the ground. Aughra, meanwhile, made little gestures towards the lianas of the other walls. "Bordü, Bordü Bordü!" She commanded as the Lianas were scattering away, uncovering a large hole in the mountain. A cavern, in which Aughra walked into, followed by Vela.