There was a disturbance in the world as something changed. This had happened a few times already, but it was still difficult to not believe the sky was falling and the world was going to cave in on itself–again. After Dalanesca, Xunatar, and even Angela you would think she would've gotten used to it already, but Shiloh was still as paranoid as ever. When the world did not implode and meteorites failed to pelt the earth into oblivion, she assumed everything was fine. Probably. The first thing she realized upon examining the global information her staff had gathered for this week was that her neighbor was missing. Ever since Antikythera emerged in Railoch, the deity of Light and Strength had become her neighbor just over the nearby mountain range. She hadn't visited since she had been thrust into her role as a deity, so this was the first piece of news she was hearing about it.

Sitting before her workdesk in Serenitas, she had her hands folded with a solemn expression on her face. "…I should probably send a present…or something." Racking her brain, she tried to brainstorm ideas on what the man would want. Normally people would place things they liked in their house to personalize their space, she rationalized, as she had learned of the Reaper and Mother's aesthetic preferences from her first visits to their temples. "Ok, let's start with the basics. What did he have in his old temple?" The rogue muttered to herself. There was a long and stiff pause as she thought aloud. "…He had crystals, and…more crystals." Her mind was drawing blanks when she tried to think any further. No matter what she did, it all came back to rocks. Shiny, colorful rocks. Despite what most people believed, that was what gemstones really were–unusual and rare shiny rocks that looked pretty when you broke them the right way. Think of it this way; if granite and limestone were more precious and harder to come by than corundum, people would start wearing them instead. With basically nothing else to go off on, she decided to make a short trip to Baltil to see if there were some oddly-shaped geodes or something. 

Deep within the mountain, there were several people seated in velvet seats as a man in a prim suit stood behind a podium. A small gavel was in his gloved hand as he adjusted the narrow spectacles resting on the bridge of his nose. "Ahem! Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the fiftieth annual showcasing of the best Baltil's mines have to offer. Now, let us proceed with the auction!" A pair of uniformed attendants unveiled a small sparkling stone cut in the shape of a heart cushioned by a lavender silk pillow. It was a deep fuschia, like a clear glass of rose wine. "This here is a lovely piece, cut from a large diamond. This coloring might not be as rare as the blue or colorless variants, but its size is nothing to scoff at. The bidding will start at one thousand and five-hundred silver." 

With the pound of the gavel, the first round of bidding started. Shiloh took one glance at the diamond and said nothing. Sure she knew it was valuable, but it didn't really resonate with her. A giant diamond in the shape of a pink heart was too…boring. She passed, letting the other attendees have it. The next round was a large star sapphire from nearby Ataiyo, which she also showed no interest in. There was a perfect cube of pyrite, a phoenix brooch carved from ammolite, a golden statue of a lion with ruby eyes from Mamlak, an amethyst figurine, and a jade dragon carving. All of these she showed not a speck of interest, resisting the urge to fidget with the wooden sign that had her number. None of these things were special. They were too standard, too boring. Then, the next phase of the auction commenced. Raw uncut gems freshly dug out from the mines were being hauled in for wholesale purchasers and gem aficionados. The first item for the round was a massive spear of alexandrite, weighing likely several hundred pounds and the size of a small caravel. It was a massive crystal growth bearing iridescent colors that changed with the sway of the lanterns hanging above illuminating the auction hall.

"Our first piece for this phase; a crystal of the most vivid and clean alexandrite found in this side of the mountains in decades! The largest veins of emerald and corundum pale in comparison to this beautiful obelisk–unmatched in both size and color intensity! Now this is a very special type of gem. One of its properties is its ability to change color in different light settings. Under different conditions, it can be anything from a sea green to a blood-red. The bidding for this colossus of a crystal will start at a modest price of three thousand silver. Let the bidding commence!"

She didn't have to wait to hear the clack of the gavel to know what she was aiming for. Before he had gotten halfway through his explanation, her eyes were already fixated on the gigantic chunk of colored rock. As soon as the auctioneer began calling for offers, her hand shot up as she shouted: "Four thousand!" A silence fell on the entire auction hall as everyone stared. Her eyes set like flint, she kept her arm straight like an arrow. Then another voice spoke up. "Four thousand and five hundred!" Her head snapping to see who it was, she made eye contact with a burly dwarf with a thick black beard that was almost down to his waist. He gave a smug smirk as he noticed he was being watched, with a look in his eye that was egging her on. Slamming her hand on the armrest of her seat, she thrust her arm with her number in hand up again. "Five thousand and five hundred!" Gasps rippled through the onlookers as the dwarf curled his lips into a snarl. It was on.

"Six thousand!" "Seven thousand and five hundred!" "Seven thousand and eight hundred!" "Eight thousand!" "Eight thousand and nine hundred!" "Nine thousand and three-" The dwarf and the deity were going back and forth, shouting numbers at the top of their lungs. The rest of the bidders were cheering, some were even placing bets on who'd win. The numbers were climbing higher and higher with each call, with as many zeroes that would make a man's head spin. They were finally at eleven thousand, and both of them were glaring daggers at each other like two male tigers locked in a small cage. This man wasn't giving up, and neither was she. Having had enough of the number game, she decided to end it once and for all. Throwing up her sign, she shouted as loud as she could. "Twenty thousand!" The entire hall erupted into a deafening roar as the dwarf let out a battle cry pounding his fist on the wall. With a face like that, she knew he wouldn't be able to top that offer and after the auctioneer's third call–it was sold.

After signing the papers to gain ownership of her new obelisk of crystal, she caught a glimpse of the same dwarf who she'd been fighting back in that bidding war point to his eyes with his index and middle fingers before pointing them at her. He then disappeared off into the crowd as the day's auctions drew to a close.

Days later, somewhere above the amethyst structure within the Himira Scar a portal opened. At first it was small and hovered a few meters above the ground. A triangular point of a purplish-pink crystal came through, but became stuck partway. Unable to pass, it was pulled back and the portal closed. Seconds later a much, much larger opening in the fabric of space emerged several stories high in the sky. Suddenly, a massive obelisk of the same crystal dropped smack-dab in the middle of the temple grounds with an earth-shaking boom! A small scrap of paper drifted down from the portal in the sky as it landed gingerly upon the iridescent megalith, then the portal sealed up and vanished. On the piece of paper, inked in neat letters a short message read: 'Housewarming gift. P.S. I fought a dwarf for it. -Shiloh'

There were many strange things he had become accustomed to in his short time of living in The Valley of Vada, but a portal opening and struggling to push a giant something through it? Not so much. The portal’s breach alerted him immediately, and he was quickly at the outer edge of the ring of mirrors in time to see the crystal finally make its way through. His lips parted, and for the first time in what felt like too long, his eyes lit up fully. They were a shining emerald normally, but right now they circulated quickly through all hues of the spectrum from the amount of excitement he felt.

Never before had he seen such an impressive specimen, and made of alexandrite! A piece of this size was practically unheard of, even in the scar. Around it was a shimmering aura which he quickly recognized as that of a fellow deity. There was something more to it though, something that was more personal, something he recognized. But now that there were over a thousand years-worth of memories, he couldn’t sort through fast enough.

He disappeared in a blurry haze of colorful smoke and reappeared right next to the towering slab. His fingers brushed along the cold surface and his forehead gently pressed against the coolness; eyes closing as if greeting an old friend. He adored crystals, gems, all treasures that came from the earth really. They were the upmost physical representation of patience and pay off, and were what he could connect to most in nature on a spiritual and energy level. And this one? This one brought him so much relief that his eyes began to brim.

A small piece of paper tickled near his nose as if trying to remind him that this great beast of a stone hadn’t really come from nowhere. He pulled his head back, eyes opening to find the slip of parchment, and he gently pulled it loose. The words were short and simple, and he laughed when he saw the name. Housewarming gift indeed. It was more than that to him though, and suddenly facing this new world didn’t seem quite as daunting. He wasn’t sure if she was able to hear him, but he spoke gently all the same, “Thank you, Shiloh…” The moment her name left his lips he remembered who she was.

His smile grew.