On the other side of the door were pipes connecting to a piece of large machinery in the center and dried seaweed hung from the rusting ceiling. It must be the engine room, smelling like raw sand and metal in sewer water.

Past the engine, Jenny spotted a giant crystal ball on a pile of rocks, as big as a stove, shining like a bright star. “What is that thing?”

Barry smiled. “That is a Star Crystal.”

“A Star Crystal?”

“It is what my tribe called. It fell from the sky while shining like a star. That fragment actually came from a comet that impacted the Earth. It has an unusual power source, which I could never determine. The inhabitants said it is magic.”

“Magic?”

Barry approached the rock pile and touched the crystal. “Sorcery, mysticism, you name it. I believe it contains unknown cosmic energy that can give people power. But it can also change things and strengthen them. These crystals are also responsible for the existence of the Beastmen and the monsters roaming this Earth.”

Jenny rubbed her chin. “You mean they were born from the comet?”

“No. The comet's energy mutated them, like radiation. The animals became sentient humanoids while some changed into monsters. Even new life forms grew from the crystal energy. It changed everything here.”

“So the giant lizards were original reptiles from our present time?”

“Some of them, probably. Others became humanoid, just like the Beastmen.”

“How long have you been studying them?”

Barry rubbed his forehead. “For as long as possible. I still couldn’t understand how the power works. Being a man of science has limits."

Jenny walked up to the crystal, admiring the glimmering sparks of light inside, moving around like an ocean. “Where did you find it?”

“Inside a cavern,” said Barry. “One of my spies heard our enemy was looking for it in the mountain ranges. Their chief, Horde, wants to use the crystal’s power to destroy all the clans across the earth.”

“But why?”

Barry stepped down from the crystal. “Horde believed his tribe can never live in peace with the other clans. They suffered through many battles and attacks. No matter how many victories he fought in wars, his enemies never stop attacking his tribe. If he wanted true peace, murdering every single clan was his only option.”

Jenny dropped her mouth. “That is crazy.”

“I know. That is why the crystal is safe here. We also heard he is building a weapon to control the crystal’s power. Somehow he learned to harness the crystal’s power and use it for destructive purposes. Nothing will change Horde. That is why my clan is fighting him.”

“But I thought you wanted your clan to live in peace?”

Barry shrugged. “We can only earn peace with violence. If we don’t stop Horde, he will doom our way of life. But with the crystal hidden here, he cannot harm this world. Our only task is to protect this crystal from anyone who wants to use its power for evil.”

“Why can’t you destroy it, or leave it someplace where nobody else can get it?”

Barry walked up to the crystal and tapped his cane on it. The crystal whistled and blinked. “We cannot destroy it. I tried it once, but the crystal is indestructible. If there was a volcano here, I would have pushed it down into the unreachable firing pits."

He took a deep breath. “But there are no other secure places for it. Keeping the crystal here under our watch was our only option. When we find a good place to get rid of it, we will deliver it there.”

Jenny held out her hands. “But... What if Horde finds it here?”

Barry stared at the floor and glared. “Then we will fight him.”

“Really, while your clan is outnumbered?”

“What other choice do we have? I called my tribe the Brave Blood Clan for a good reason. I raised them to keep fighting without fearing death. If we have to die to protect the crystal, it has to be done for the sake of this world.”

Jenny frowned with water in her eyes. Perhaps her father lived in this brutal world for so long, all of his logic and reasoning became lost.

Barry placed his hand on Jenny’s shoulder. “Do not worry. We are still safe here. In the meantime, we should have dinner later. I want to know everything about you and what happened since I left."

Jenny nodded. “Okay."