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With Xilya gone, however, it was just her and Ryziel, and she was feeling glad for it. They hunkered down by their packs, and Aly took off her helmet. She brought out a few meal bars from her bag. Nothing extravagant in the least but it was exceptionally filling. She offered one to him, and he hesitated before taking it.

"Thank you," he said.

She unwrapped hers and took a bite, chewing it slowly, trying not to grimace. Trying and failing.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Does everything here have to taste like a lump of stale bread dipped in salt? Half the time, I don't even know what I'm eating."

Ryziel's eyes flickered at her in amusement as he unwrapped his own. "When it comes to these...I'd say you don't want to know."

"Please, don't enlighten me." She took another cautious bite, chewed, and sighed. "If there is one thing I miss about home, it’s the food. Southern cooking was probably the only thing good about my home life. And when I didn't have that, I had everything else. Burgers, pizza." Aly sighed again. "I'd kill, seriously kill, for a stack of fries with a shake." Aly looked over at Ryziel and her face heated as she realized he probably had no idea what she was talking about.

Ryziel took a bite of his own, his expression never changing. "I miss Nihl food too. Valsh and nebaa bread will be the first meal I have when I am back."

"I bet it's good. Too bad Shadowpoint doesn't expand into a diner."

Ryziel snorted. "Miners are so used to their drink, food is rarely appreciated here, I think."

Aly smirked. "And that's really just another reason why this place stinks."

Ryziel’s mouth curled, and he let out a soft laugh. "It does. Though, I'm willing to bet the ancients of the Keep had something better to offer."

"I hope so. Maybe sluth was a delicacy."

Ryziel grimaced at that. "Now you are just trying to make me feel sick."

Aly laughed. She took one last bite of her bar, offered the rest to Ryziel, who soundly refused, then threw it back in her pack. She downed some water then stood up. "Well, I guess we should get back to it."

Ryziel nodded, agreeing.

Aly looked around the cave system, shifting on her feet. "Um, I might need one more second though, if you don't mind. Over there somewhere." She gestured into the dark tunnel beyond.

Ryziel looked at her, confused. "Why?"

She shifted again on her feet. "For privacy..."

Ryziel frowned then realization seemed to hit him. "Ah." He looked to the dark. "All right, but stay where you can see me."

"Will do."

Ryziel watched her as she started for the dark tunnel. When she looked back, he was still watching her. She cleared her throat, and he seemed to get the message. He looked away, pretending to turn back to his work. Smiling to herself, Aly turned the lights off on her suit and moved on a little farther into the dark around the bend of the tunnel, where she could hide but still see Ryziel from afar. She did her business quickly and started back to join Ryziel when something caught her eye.

From within a crevice not far above, a green gem glowed. Aly had never seen such a rock before and was curious what it might be. Thinking she could easily dislodge it from where it was and show it to Ryziel, she started to climb up the rock and stretched out her arm.

As her hand nearly clasped the shining gem, however, it seemed to pull away from her. Aly frowned in confusion then stretched for it again, but it once again evaded her.

Annoyed this time, she clicked on her suit lights and aimed those on her wrists toward the glowy green object.

A giant worm stared back at her, the gem, its eye. Aly gasped then yelped. She lost her footing on the rock and fell to the ground with a loud thunk, chunks of rock falling with her.

"Aly?" Ryziel called.

Aly coughed and waved away the dust that drifted up around her. The worm slithered back into its hole out the other side.

"What happened?" Ryziel was now beside her.

Aly picked herself up and brushed the dust off her suit. "I'm an idiot, that's what," she muttered with embarrassment. " I'm sorry, I guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time..."