The Curse of Sochen Cave

Gabranth clenched his jaw, annoyed at her foolishness, " Princess, get in the hovercraft." He even tried to extend his hand, the small airship whirled silently as the propellers seem to whisk like a thousand steady blades, all secured within the steel and double-glass; the air sucking in and out, and she stared up at him. The chocobo shook its head, spilling small tiny droplets against the steady downpour, moving his flapping wings beside her legs.

Her reply was a determined shake of her head, "To where? I know you aren't going to take me back, but I'm not going to allow you to take me anywhere else."

"I realise you don't trust me, but this really isn't up for negotiation. Your disappearance is what I'm interested in."

"I would have allowed the matter to drop entirely," she swished her leg over to one side, sliding herself down the feathery yellow flanked wing of the bird, until her feet reached the wet ground, mud and grass painting the edges of her imperial shoes.

She even took a moment to place her hand over the chocobo, as if to tell the bird to stand by until she needed him, smoothing a long stroke over its hide. The bird squawked noisily, moving off to the side of the hill, taking this moment to enjoy the sodden fare of Tchita Upland's wild growing weeds.

"But you have not agreed to our terms, have you?" She sent him her usual irritated glower, her hand extended; "now if you don't mind, I'd like to have my sword, so that this fight between us may be fair. You're a man of judgment and of the law, upholding the commandment to its full maximum correct? I don't intend to follow you anywhere, nor is there any room for us to do any negotiating."

He paused a moment, looked at her condition in the pouring rain, the sun piercing through the swirling grey clouds like a white ray of lightning, haloing the ground where she stood, and if he were a sort of man that believed in the gods, he would have thought this—perhaps too much as a very bad sign.

"Just a moment." Gabranth moved into the small hovercraft, dipped his head down to push a few levers down, until the noise of the ship stopped completely.

When the ship set down, sunk its feet in the ground, the Judge walked out of the small open doorway, his double sword by his side, and another sword—hers—clasp in his other grip.

"You have more sense than I believe you possess." Ashelia lifted her chin, "permit me to say all the things I've longed to say, to you," her lower lip trembled, the rain wetting her cheeks, light hair darkened by the shower, plastering the sides of her face, wet locks curling against her cheek.

"I-," she opened her mouth, then, but the noise of a boy's voice interrupted them.

"PARDON ME!"

They both looked over to see a bright-haired youth waving his hand, an umbrella over his head to keep him dry, "You two look like you could help me!"

The boy rushed up the hill, his hand gripping the big black umbrella, and holding a piece of tattered parchment, "I would like to hire you two!"

"Hire?" Gabranth rolled his eyes, "I'm afraid that this isn't—,"

"Let him speak." Ashe interrupted him, her hand up, voice calmed considerably to a gentler tone as she addressed the boy, "we're in the middle of something, but if you're in trouble?"

"I've got a couple of men hired but they're not worth their salt, if you know what I mean," the boy's accent was very much Archades, and he stood looking at the Judge and Ashelia, assessing, "however, you both look like you're up to it, in fact, it's a hunt, that I'd be willing to give you something in return once you've managed to take care of some undesirables within that cave there."

He pointed in the distance a darkened opening, where there were swishing snakes wiggling by its entrance, "you go in deeper, past a few enemies that you'll no doubt find quite easy to vanquish—as I see you've got weapons, and when you enter further, there's enemies, that are, well, you'll know when you meet them."

"Quite a lucid proposition," Gabranth smirked, "I doubt that anything you own would be of any benefit to us, and no matter the price, I'm not interested."

Ashelia snapped her head up, "I am."

Gabranth heaved a sigh, "Of course, anything opposite of what I'm interested in,"

"Don't be too sure of yourself, Judge, I still have to get back to Dalmasca, and profit right about now, would be very promotional for my cause and my plight."

"If you needed funding I would have—," He offered, regardless.

"I don't need anything more from you." She quarreled back, "I am not especially fond of the charity you've given me—but there was no choice."

Ashelia turned back to the boy, "I will take up the offer, show me where I may find this hunt?"

The boy beamed, "I knew you'd take up the task, all right then, you just go into that cave there, and defeat all the enemies in the way—and inside, there's a secret passageway, that you must enter, lining the hallways."

"I recall seeing some large double doors along the halls as I passed through with my chocobo."

"Then it's settled, I'll see you both only after you've managed the job, as you'll find me somewhere in this area, and if you happen to see my father, he'll know if you vanquished the enemies. He'll pay you your fee. Use this key."

Ashelia took it within her hand, curled fingers cool and wet against the hard object.

The Archadian Wayfarer departed down the hill with a cheerful gait, umbrella the last to disappear. Ashelia walked up to Gabranth, taking her sword, "I can't very well fight them without weapons."

So, he couldn't help himself, because he thought her a royal pain in the witch's behind, "don't you possess magicks?"

She ignored him as she walked determinedly past, "I need my energy to get through this, but I still have words with you, Judge."

He watched her departing back, watched as she took a striking blow against the oncoming tailspin of Tchita's basilisks, slamming hard enough that the creature was sent back. But he saw that there were others approaching her—she couldn't possibly take care of all---

He clenched his jaw, looked from his airship, idly parked and the steady downpour has lightened, the sound of the dragon's wings from the distance forthcoming.

Gabranth only wanted to find a plan, to get him out of this quandary, perhaps go back to Vayne and inform him that she has gotten herself into a heat of trouble—perhaps lost within the fold of an enemy's belly, eaten whole and rid of.

And he couldn't watch anymore, but remained fixed---as she was being struck down by another basilisk, snapping at the corner of her shoulder as she had already annihilated one, her body falling back from the force, blocking the oncoming attack.

She kicked at the noxious creature as her hands gripped her sword tight, took to swinging at the fiend fully in the face, until it hissed, falling back.

When another basilisk shimmied its way towards her she didn't pause even a breath as she struck at it with teeth grit, emitting a muffled combat cry; a forward striking flash of her blade--dipping low and high until that enemy was vanquished.

She stood, chest heaved from the slight exertion, pleased. Glancing once to Gabranth, and walked within the dark cavernous mouth.

Where did she learn to defend herself so well? He could almost feel a slight tinge of admiration at her efforts, and he knew-- she knew—that he would trail behind. After all, a princess as intelligent and clever as her would know that he needed her, at least for now.

He followed her from a distance, silent watchful observer as she took down an enemy or two, but the imminent winged beasts were not going to be as easy to take down alone as the basilisks outside. Even he offered his blade when she was confronted by three floating winged beasts.

She turned to look at him, her expression blank. Gabranth realized that it was perhaps, too straining for her to accept his help, to accept anything from him. Their continued communication remained tense and silent.

When they reached past the cavern's rocky surface, through a doorway that brought them into a yawning cold hallway, she walked up to a towering double-door, took the key grasped between her fingers and proceeded to open what awaited them.

What awaited them was too horrific to even explain in words.

"Impossible." His words were a mere whisper, as his eyes narrowed, dark blond brows drawing together as his hands grip his double sword.

There, before them, jumping merrily up and down, plastered with open malicious grins, were round two-legged tomatoes, peppered-green vegetables, and pumpkin heads spouting senseless and no doubt malevolent speeches. There were several of them—all charging at once at the duo.

"Mandragoras!" Ashelia warned, "We need to get them one by one, Gabranth." Her hand waving him over, "you get the approaching Prince Mandragoras, I'll get that one there. That wicked-looking creature!"

"The Queen Onion?" He half smirked, finding the situation ludicrous, "suits you."

"Fight, Gabranth!"

But instead of fighting, they were running.

Prince Mandragoras readied his pollen powers, as the little creature flapped its little arms, moving to and fro, chirping deceptive sing-song tunes, but as the yellowish smoke furled out of its body, Gabranth stabbed at it, pushed it so far back by the force that it slammed into another—a tomato-stalk!

That tomato stalk managed to push against its brother and flapped its tiny arms, growling noises coming out of that one. The pollen managed to seep a little into his nostrils, and though he had managed to fight off the effects, what little soaked in made him dizzy, swaying a little, making him feel slightly euphoric. He shook his head to ward off the rest of its potency.

The Judge glanced from the corner of his eye to see a charging Pumpkin Star--orange bright and mouth wide with gnawing vicious fangs, "INCOMING!" Grabbing Ashelia's waist, he rolled her over, as an instinct to guard her.

He felt a violent-yet infinitesimal jabbing; a strident thud against his armoured back, Gabranth's eyes opened to look into Ashe's.

She blinked, pursing her lips, "Humpf!" Annoyed that he even tried to 'save' her.

"Was instinct."

Perhaps, it was their close proximity—saving her from the worst, malevolent attacks, that the Princess's half closed eyes looked sensually dangerous—as if she meant to give him a powerful nudge in the groin with her knee, and if that so-wrong image weren't enough, Gabranth felt the press of her hips against his; he groaned inwardly, annoyed with himself. Was instantly glad to feel Ashe nudging him with her small fist, "They're getting ready to charge!"

They both looked over to see the group of small, terrifying little vegetables, of different colours pouncing up and down, giggling in unison and almost evilly.

They avoided the charging first volley of catapults, Gabranth wishing he weren't wearing his bulky armour, loud awkward clanking noises deafening his ear, and by instinct—he watched as the Princess sent the Onion Queen on its back.

Instead of charging, the little creatures with overlarge helmet-armor, backed up and re-formed their group as their little swift leg took them to the other side of the coliseum.

"They're re-grouping, Gabranth! Be on your toes." She screamed out a warning at the opposite end.

The couple began a desperate trot, to and fro, back and forth-swiping, forward slash, backward jump, avoiding incoming catapulting throws, being back-rammed by a sniggering Aruane King, held and pinched their noses against lethal pollen strikes.

While they fought back to back, the Judge and Ashelia watched as they were being surrounded.

"Is this wise?!" Gabranth bit down, sweat forming on his forehead, "perhaps we should try another method?"

"I have Heaven's wrath!" Ashe proclaimed proud, assured of her ability, "do what you please."

Surely, there was his sentence move, but that seemed too much for these creatures. Was this slight underestimation of them wrong to assume? Instead he simply said, "Judgement." Nodding once, looking calm and collected, until Alruane King, reddened purple and ripened, rammed him over the back of his head.

"HEY!" he bellowed in frustration.

Ashelia tripped as she took a swung—the avenging Onion Queen determined to pick on the Princess; Gabranth was quick to reach out--a sentinel impulse to save Lady Ashe-- until he held her against him---their bodies rolled away from the pollen's fumes.

The rest of the creatures ran the other direction, their bodies waggling and swaying back and forth. Ashe had inconveniently landed on top of the Magister, "UH..." Gabranth wordlessly moved his mouth, hands in mid air--pausing, fingers spread out, inches from her waist, as Lady Ashe's body pressed down jerkily, in an effort to avoid a torpedo launching Onion Queen, who remained. Ashe's hands flew over her head, "OW!"

She looked down at Gabranth's shocked expression, "What? They're vicious! Time to get serious!"

"This wasn't serious?" he growled.


-to be continued-