Blue Abalone cavern · Dragon Village

Nov 3 (edited) • Nursery

Blue Abalone cavern

My name is Aliva Opaline Nanvuda.

Roughly translates to : Aliva in old english is “Noble Gift” Opaline is a lyrical acrostic poem ,and Nanvuda is troll for little sister.

Oh by the way Im a little small human that has been adopted by the trolls. Saved by Urglish (The One and only Urglish the Ugly but wise adopted mother of the guardian trolls) when I was just a baby. Each year I was taken in by a new troll group so I could learn and be a speaker for all the trolls if the need should ever arise.

I am a friend to all that others ignore or stay away from. I was sent on a treasure hunt to find ingredients to make a very special bashday gift for the youngest of the Trolls… His name is Grimgor (which means Guardian of hidden caves, and he has a thing for pearls and moss )so I have been asked by his mother to craft a gift for her son on his “bashing day “. Trolls are a funny lot most think they are mean and nasty and not very hygienic. But after a long day of Trolling around they like to soak in the water at the bottom of a waterfall and let the little fish clean between their toes, and sing .. well not to quietly funny lyrics to songs they have put together from listening to pieces of songs they hear while under the bridge. And quote very bad poems to see who can come up with the worst.

I have gotten most of the ingredients and Im looking for the last to make a special pearl to imbed into his club handle. Bashing day is when they get to pick out their very own club and each of his siblings Ive made their gems that is special for each of them. Ive traveled far and wide for each of their gems but this one is by far the hardest to acquire. Because it is in a place where I have to sneak past all the soaking trolls and Grimgor and go to a cave that is located behind the waterfall. It is a very guarded place due to the creature that lives inside it. No one has seen it for many years but the trolls are too stubborn (and I think a little scared) to go see if the creature is still there. Im running out of time to make the Pearl because it must be formed under the full moon light that shines thru the waterfall. Then and only then can the pearl be formed beautiful but strong and soft but hard. Which is tonight. So I can present it in 3 days time.

After dangling my feet in the waters edge and listening to the troll brothers laughter of the when the fish tickle their feet I decide it is time to make my move…. I yawn loudly and tell them all that Im going to rest…after putting on my shoes I walk to the tree line and slip quietly behind a tree that is closest to the hidden path up behind the waterfall….

The noise of the waterfall is crashing and the trolls are not paying attention so I stepping so carefully and light on my feet I make my way up the rockface behind the waterfall. 10 feet… I take a break and sit on a small ledge. 20 feet… I can see the opening to the passage it has a beautiful glow but not sure if it is because of the moon shining thru the waterfall or if it is coming from within the passage. I slowly pull myself up and stop to listen… I realize I cant hear the crashing of the waterfall.. instead I hear or I guess feel a humming coming from inside. I tiptoe in a bit farther and to my surprise I see the walls are luminescent with sparkling dust in the air. I can feel that magic has been preformed here many years ago.

Then I see what I came to acquire…a pile of blue abalone shells that look like mother of pearl with swirls in a pool of water in the middle of the cavern. I need a whole shell not just a piece so I must dig through the pile and hope there is at least 1 intact. The humming is making my staff warm to the touch…. Pleasantly warm. I quietly walk to the pile and kneeling I repeat the words I had learned from somewhere long ago…

To see the world in a grain of sand,

And heaven in a wild flower,

To hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,

And eternity in an hour,

Bless this moment.

Then opening my eyes I realize there is a strange ripple in the water.. I of course shrug it off and reach for the pile… the water slapped my hand. Jumping back in surprise I hold my staff in front of me to light the way but all I see is the pile in the pool of water… this time I slowly reach out and the water surrounds my hand. It feels like I had little bubbles running all over my hand.. In my mind I hear a soft sigh of laughter…

“Finally you’ve come. Take what you seek and receive my gift.” From the pile rose the perfect abalone shell.. unbroken and being held up by a small fountain of water.

“ Thank you” I said to the unknown whisper..

Then at that moment the water started to move aside the abalone shells and there in the middle being held in a bed of moss and sparkling water is the most beautiful egg I had ever seen. Slowly a swish of a tail moved thru the water and curled the egg tenderly and deposited it in my waiting hands.

The whisper was back like fairy laughter tinkling like falling rain… “She has been waiting for you. As she grows she will teach you many things and I hope she will learn from you also. (after a pause) the whisper said “lets wake her up… “

The water formed a water bubble in my hands and around the egg and glowed a deep teal color…

“Little one it is time, All things blest and all things fair, May thine onward journey share, and whatever the season be, Love and Shelter dwell with thee”

Then the water drained from my hand and there light as a feather was the egg. The shell looked like it was moving like water in swirls around it. I quickly put the abalone shell in my bag and cradling the egg I slipped it into the hood of my cloak so that it would not be damaged on the climb back down.

Now on to the making of the pearl while the moon shines brightly thru the waterfall.

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