"I want to test whether I have the qualities to become a 'Knight'... I mean a more precise test. You know, that's my dream."
Samer's voice was low, as if he was thinking of something. After hearing his words, Nike fell silent as well.
Dreams... everyone has them. But for the vast majority, that's all they ever are: fanciful thoughts confined to sleep.
"Looks like we're almost there, just up ahead."
Walking for an indeterminate amount of time, Nike, who carried the torch, suddenly stopped.
In the flickering light of the fire, they both could vaguely see the deep, bottomless crater ahead.
The light from the torch wasn't much help, making it impossible for them to discern the depth or the expanse of the hole. But if someone more knowledgeable were in their place, they would never dare to approach this pit.
A meteor crater this close to Turingen City that had blasted such a large pit should have made a noise loud enough for the whole city to hear. But the reality was that, aside from Nike, who happened to see the fleeting streak of light, hardly anyone noticed the fallen fire meteor.
"Hiss— Hey, Nike, you might really have found something incredible."
With a look of surprise, Samer lowered his voice instinctively, "There are actually Fallen Stars... I've heard that there could be something called a Star Core inside them. Even if there isn't one, the shell could sell for a lot of money."
"Stop gawking, let's go down and take a look."
Sticking their pitchfork into the ground, they began to carefully climb down the massive crater wall.
The soil around them was somewhat loose, not at all like the compact ground one would expect from the impact of a meteorite, and on several occasions nearly made them tumble down.
However, after several hours of effort, they luckily reached close to the bottom of the pit without incident.
"Be careful... Damn, the torch is dying out."
Cursing as the light from the torch grew dimmer, Nike threw it aside and continued on.
Fortunately, the weather was clear. By the Moon Light, they could barely make out each other's whereabouts...
With a misstep, Samer brought Nike down with him, and they both tumbled further downwards.
Along with a muffled sound, the two of them collided at the bottom of the pit.
"Hiss... I told you to be careful!"
"Of course I was careful; do you think I wanted to fall down? If you'd brought an extra torch, this wouldn't have happened."
With stubborn retort, Samer struggled to stand. In the hazy Moon Light, he began to survey their surroundings.
It wasn't as he expected; there was no giant meteorite, nor any sense of heat. They were simply at the top of a purely earthy pit, as if it had been sliced down to form a conical hole.
There was nothing around them, except a bit further away there was a faint reflection...
Nike excitedly exclaimed, "Is that a gemstone from a star, fallen out? My God, so the stars really are made of gemstones, I thought that was just fanciful imagination from bedtime stories!"
"Stop talking nonsense; those aren't gemstones. Look carefully, they're transparent!"
Samer walked closer. His vision was slightly better, so he could see a bit clearer.
It wasn't some massive gemstone, but a thin layer of an oval crystalline substance. It appeared gemstone-like, but was actually slowly 'melting'.
Although he didn't know what it was, Samer had an ominous premonition. A fire meteor fallen from the sky, an illogical crater, fantasy-like and magnificent crystal—none of it seemed normal.
Moreover, according to some ancient legends from the North... a star's fall was no good omen.
"Wait, there's someone inside, do you see that?"
Samer's face suddenly changed as he shouted.
As they came closer, illuminated by Moon Light, he could barely make out something beneath the crystalline layer, a humanoid figure.
It appeared to be a young man—perhaps a teenager, definitely not very old. He was handsome, with skin unmarked by labor, draped in a silver-white robe. Gold patterns adorned the garment, resplendent with nobility and refinement.
"A living person, great Goddess of Wisdom... Could what you saw not be a meteor but a gravely injured... Nike, what are you doing?!"
The pitchfork struck the transparent crystal wall, and in the reflection of the Moon Light, Nike's smile seemed somewhat ferocious: "What else would I be doing, of course I'm opening it up!"
"I don't care who he is, but now he's my Spoils of War. Do you see these clothes? I've never seen such exquisitely made garments, just a sleeve of it could be worth five—no, fifty Gold Coins (note 1)!"
"No buts. Don't you want to be a Knight? If this really is a powerful being who's badly injured, your chance has come!"
Another hit, and the crystalline layer began to crack. Nike seemed encouraged, but Samer feared the crack wasn't entirely his doing.
Regardless, they had come together, and if today's deed were to be discovered, neither could escape... Gritting his teeth, Samer joined in the pounding, just like before, what if?
With each strike, time slowly passed, the sky began to brighten with Twilight, the crystal shell grew thinner, and cracks multiplied.