It really, really is.

They seem to be spiraling gradually down into the heart of the mountain. At one point they emerge from the end of a corridor into a huge natural-looking cave, lit by veins of luminous crystal in the walls and floor and ceiling, with an underground river flowing through it; in the very center of the cave, the river splits around a massive crystal formation, a cluster of seven perfectly clear six-sided pillars that reflect and amplify the light of the smaller, cloudier, brightly-glowing crystal spars around them.

Zekanare clears the broad path of the water in a single casual hop and keeps walking, though he slows down a little to let her get a good look at the place.

Everything is absolutely gorgeous everywhere.

"How long did it take you to do this?" she wonders.

"I've been working on this mountain almost all my life. I think I've been working on this cave for a few years, but I don't mess with it very often; I did most of the work on it in a day."

"You're incredibly talented."

"I have a lot of practice!"

"I can imagine! Ooh, can you teach me that?"

"...Teach you what, exactly?"

"Magic! Architecture!"

"I can teach you shaping, I guess, though I can't promise I'm any good as a teacher. I wouldn't even begin to know how to teach you architecture."

"How'd you learn it?"

"Centuries of trial and error!"

"Well, I could try that, too, I suppose."

He laughs. "If you like."

"How'd you learn shaping?"

"On my own, mostly."

"Oh it's the kind of thing you can learn on your own? I guess that would make sense."

"It's not easy but I'm good at it."

"Is there a first step?"

"I'll show you when we get to the garden, if you like."

"I'd love that."

He laughs.

She settles in and continues to watch the pretty and brainstorm ways to get him to be happy.