Clasko greeted them when they approached the canyon that was leading to the command center.
"Lady Yuna," he called. "Good to see you again. And all of you as well. Please, come this way! Maester Seymour and Maester Kinoc requested your presence."
"My presence?" Yuna said. "And Maester Kinoc is there as well? What could it be, I wonder..."
"Well, we'll never find out by standing just here," Tidus said. "Let's go!"
While Clasko was guiding them through the rocks, Ranma nudged him. "Hey, Clasko. How's it going between you and Ukyo? Still nervous around her?"
"Ranma," Akane chided him. "That was rude."
Clasko blushed furiously. "We... we're just friends, that's all. After all, she's my superior now. It wouldn't be right..." the sentence ended in inarticulate mumbling.
They were passing Captain Lucil, who was talking to Chappu. Wakka was throwing his brother a glare, which he returned coolly.
"Lady Yuna," Lucil saluted. "It is an honor. I am Captain Lucil of the Chocobo Knights. The troops are relieved with your presence. Thank you very much."
While Yuna was talking to Lucil, Kasumi wiped her brow. After all this walking, she felt tired. She went over to a little rocky pillar to have something to lean against. That's when she saw a little monkey climbing along the canyon's walls.
"Oh, how cute," she smiled. She approached the little animal and held out her hand. "Come here, little guy," she called. "Come, I won't hurt you."
Curiously, the monkey came skittering down the rocks and tilted his head. Kasumi's smile widened. "You're really cute." She took one step closer to the monkey.
But suddenly, the rocky ground beneath her feet gave in and made her collapse in a shower of rubble.
Heavily, her body landed in a dark cave that was below the ground. The numerous rocks and pebbles fell down around here, but luckily, no one seemed to hit her.
A large cloud of dust enveloped her. Kasumi began to cough.
"Kasumi," Akane's voice called. "Kasumi, are you all right? Answer me!"
Kasumi stood up and called back: "I'm fine, Akane... although a little dusty..."
"I'll get you out of there," Akane shouted. "Just a minute."
"I have a rope," Chappu said. "Let me lower it down to her."
"I'll be fine, Akane," Kasumi shouted. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up with you later. It's all right, this young man will certainly take good care of me."
"Um... if you say so, Kasumi... be careful, anyways, okay?"
Kasumi smiled. "Don't worry, that I will."
And while the others continued to follow Clasko to the command center, Chappu climbed down into the chasm.
"Don't worry," he called. "I'll get you out of here in no time."
"I'd be grateful for your help," Kasumi replied.
What no one noticed, was the little monkey that was still skittering around outside the cave. Sniffing, it approached the rock where Chappu's rope was secured. Taking it for something edible, it nibbled on the rope.
And when it was chewed through, Chappu fell down the last part of his climb with a loud 'thud'.
"Oh my! Are you all right?" Kasumi worriedly rushed over to him.
He got up. "I'm fine..." He looked up at the opening. "Well, dang. That was my only rope. How are we supposed to climb out now?"
Suddenly, Lenne spoke in Kasumi's mind:
'Kasumi... I... I feel something...'
'What do you mean?' Kasumi asked.
'I really can't say,' Lenne answered. 'But... I feel like something... familiar is calling for me.'
Unconsciously, she took control over Kasumi's body and stepped further into the darkness of the cave.
Chappu turned around. "Hey. Hey, where are you going?"
Kasumi blinked and stopped. "Um, I just thought... if we can't go up the way we came, we must find ourselves another way up, right? And if we explore this cave, perhaps we'll find some way."
Chappu thought about that. "All right, but let me take point. So you'll be safe if something attacks us. Who knows if there are fiends around here."
"Sure, go ahead..."
Together, they advanced into the darkness.
----
Wakka angrily approached the machina weapons that were aligned at the cliff.
"Curse these..." he muttered, walked up to one and gave it a furious kick. "Ow!" He was hopping on one leg while holding his hurt foot.
"He really hates them, does he?" Tidus asked.
"He told me that his brother refused to use the sword he gave to you and fight with an Al Bhed weapon instead," Akane quietly said.
"That's got nothing to do with it," Wakka snapped. "I just hate these sacrilegious contraptions."
----
Kasumi and Chappu were searching their way through the dark caves. 'Did you recognize what's calling to you?' Kasumi asked Lenne.
'No...' Lenne replied. 'But I have the strong feeling it's something, or someone I know... Somehow, I suddenly have these strong feelings inside my heart,' she said.
"Hey," Chappu suddenly said. "You have been travelling with Yuna and my brudda for a while now, did ya?" Kasumi nodded.
"Well then, may I ask you something?"
"Um... sure," Kasumi uncertainly said. Chappu stopped and turned around. "Did my brother ever... ever... say if he... hates me?"
"Oh no, most certainly not," Kasumi shook her head. "But I know from Akane that he really didn't want to hurt you. He... just was afraid when you joined the crusaders. He had the feeling that something... terrible would happen if you did."
"Well, something terrible happened all right," Chappu sighed. "The woman both he and I loved is dead... killed by Sinspawn."
"I'm really sorry to hear that, Chappu," Kasumi said. "But, you know... I don't think that it is his fault... or your fault, for that matter. From what Akane told me, Lulu made this decision by herself. And no one could have predicted that the fiends were attacking your camp that day."
Chappu lowered his head. "I know... I know that... but still..."
Kasumi smiled at him. "Don't worry! I think, if both of you give each other a little time, you and Wakka will soon forget about your hatred and forgive each other."
"I wish I could, Kasumi," Chappu murmured. "I wish I could..."
Suddenly, something appeared in front of them, in the darkness. Kasumi winced when a sharp pain jolted through her head.
'Ow,' Lenne cried. 'What is... is this feeling? Anger... pain... hatred...'
Chappu drew his gun. "Stop! Who's there?" he called.
Then they came out of the darkness. Human bodies, dressed in armor similar to those of the crusaders. But they were walking like they were in a deep trance... and pyreflies were surrounding their bodies.
They didn't talk, just moaned and groaned while approaching the two. And then, they raised their weapons.
"These are Unsent," Chappu realized. "Dead people that have never been send to the farplane. But how...?" Then he registered the emblem on their uniforms.
"It can't be..." he muttered. "It's the Crimson Squad..."
----
Several years ago, Yevon brought to live the Crimson Squad, an elite team of warriors that were send to infiltrate the crusaders. They were supposed to report to the maesters if the crusaders were still following Yevon's teachings or not.
According to a story that has been told between the crusaders, the Squad got order to investigate a mysterious cave near Mushroom Rock. Because no one ever returned, it soon became a mystery. They called it the 'Den of Woe'.
Supposedly, no one of the Crimson Squad managed to come out of the cave again.
----
Chappu fired his weapon at the unsent soldiers. That was just great. Not only were they attacked by the spirits of soldiers long dead, but if the story was true, then the true horror was still waiting for them, inside the cave...
See other episodes by Shritistrang
(Posted Wed, 19 Jul 2006 14:38)
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