Ch 4
Pepper landed tiredly on the path two levels above the now collapsing dome of fire and light. Caleb sat still and silent for a few moments, listening to the sobs behind him. Despite the knowledge of what had happened, the doll felt his own tears run down his face and quickly wiped them away, reprimanding himself for briefly thinking anything had gone wrong with Incineration. Pepper looked glum as she managed to lie down to rest.
"Why? Why did he do something so stupid as to sacrifice himself for us?" Ginger sobbed and slid off, rubbing at her eyes. "After all the mean stuff I said to him too, he probably died thinking I'm a real witch or something!"
"He's not dead." Caleb told her, climbing off of Pepper and patting her side comfortingly, "I'm not sure how he is now, though. This is only the second time I've seen him use that spell." Ginger stiffened and turned on him.
"Second time? He's done this before? A spell? What the hell kind of spell does something like that?" she yelled out. "Why didn't anyone warn me that the Wonder Chef could cast spells?"
"Because he can't. That didn't come from him directly." Caleb shot back in irritation, "I told you before that the Wonder Fork was powerful, didn't I?" The confectioner blinked and gaped at him in shock.
"Are you telling me that big blast came from that stupid little fork?" she cried, "How?"
"It's magitechnology, and one of the last surviving pieces of the original technology of the old world." the doll replied simply and began walking down the stairs towards Wren's location. Ginger followed him numbly with Pepper slowly walking after them with the blue candle.
"Magitechnology? That fork is magitechnology?" she mumbled.
As before in Moria, the portions of the temple that could be seen were covered in the burnt shadows of the dozens of monsters that had plagued the group. Ginger looked all around, mouth open in awe as Caleb peered down each path in hopes of finding the one that would lead him back to his friend. She hadn't expected anything like that to come from such a simple-looking fork. And to think that DuGorge once had that very same power in his hands. If he had learned how to truly wield the Wonder Fork the way the Wonder Chef could...
"This world would fall under Dark Chef rule faster than anyone could ever dream." Ginger murmured in quiet horror.
"Pepper, stretch ahead with your power. Can you pick up Wren anywhere?" Caleb called back softly. The mana beast closed her eyes and reached out with her Ascension abilities, rippling outward in search of the chef.
"Yummy not happy. Yummy... making bad thoughts! Bad Yummy!" Pepper griped as she fluffed up her fur indignantly. "Guardian make Yummy stop stupid thoughts!"
"Stupid thoughts? Like what?" Caleb asked in confusion as the group traveled further down, toward the path that had been where they made their stand.
"Yummy think Pepper get cooked in big pot! Pepper no din-din for stupid Yummy. This bad thought!" the mana beast answered irritably as Caleb smiled in relief. "Pepper eat Yummy hat!"
"What's going on? Is Adam okay or what? Stop making fun of this!" Ginger demanded and dashed forward, "How can you call yourselves his friends if you're not making an effort to find him? I'll do it myself!" Caleb yelped and raced after her as Pepper bounded along, hoping to keep them in the light of the blue candle so as not to have one or the other fall off the stairwell into the depths of the darkness.
"No! Ginger! Wait! Pepper! Where's Wren?" the doll shouted as they descended further towards the dead end path.
"Down where Pepper, Guardian and Candy leave Yummy!" the mana beast called out, "Yummy thinking falling!" Caleb looked back at her in concern.
"What? Why?" he exclaimed as the group turned onto the path where they had been cornered by the monsters.
"For the love of Martel, somebody pull me up!" Wren's voice shrieked out. Ginger yelped again and the doll came to a skidding halt, eyes wide as he watched the girl run up and kneel by the end of the path. The stone was broken off, as if it had just collapsed for no reason, though in truth the Incineration blast was plenty reason enough for it. Pepper trotted up in confusion as her friends both knelt at the wrecked edge and peered over.
"Wren? What happened?" Caleb asked in disbelief. The blonde glared up at him from where he dangled, gripping the handle of the Wonder Fork with all the strength he had left. The prongs of the fork were shoved into the stone, the only thing supporting him and preventing him from falling completely into the pits of darkness.
"Caleb, I'll tell you all about it over dinner... after you pull me up!" he snapped and cringed as the fork bowed a bit further, "Hurry it up!" Ginger lay out on the floor and reached down with an open hand.
"Hang on! Here! Grab my hand! Red! Do something!" she cried and stretched towards the chef. Wren shifted to move part of his weight onto the side of the broken column of stone, then carefully allowed one hand to let go of the wooden handle to reach back. Caleb hurried back to Pepper and murmured quickly to her, pulling a length of rope from the pack on her harness, then unhooking the lantern. The mana beast blinked, looked at him uncertainly, then sighed and bobbed her head in agreement.
"Pepper hope this good idea." she muttered as she unfurled her wings, shielded herself with the illusion of darkness and dove over the edge of the column away from the two cooks. Tying the rope around one broken monument, Caleb took the other end of the rope and ran for Ginger.
"I've got a rope to pull him up with!" he exclaimed and suddenly fell as the cord snapped tight and swept him off his feet, "Whoa! It's caught!" Ginger growled irritably as she reached further, straining to grab onto the outstretched hand struggling to get closer.
"Red's about as useful... nngh!... as an inmate's last meal!" she grumbled, completely unaware of the hidden mana beast hovering just below her and the blonde chef. "Push up on the stone! You need more height!"
"If I move any more, the fork will slip free!" Wren growled back and the metal shifted, sending bits of stone and debris into the shadows to prove his point. "I've almost got you, just reach down a little further!" Caleb struggled with the rope, putting on a show of complete ineptness as he raced to get it 'untangled'. He glanced back at the confectioner.
"Hurry up and save him!" he murmured softly, "I can't think of anything else to get you both to change!"
"Why can't you just teleport up here?" Ginger growled as she made a final lunge and grabbed Wren by the wrist. She pulled back and grunted softly as the chef slowly began scaling the stone to safety. Reluctantly, he left the Wonder Fork embedded in the stone and grabbed the edge of the column. With Ginger's help, Wren climbed over and coughed as he collapsed onto the floor in relief. Caleb untangled himself from the rope as Pepper flew back up towards the stairwell for her 'late appearance' in catching up to the group.
"The prongs." Wren finally said as he got up and dusted himself off. He looked first in irritation at Caleb's sudden lack of grace and intelligence, then at Ginger's confused expression. "The Wonder Fork is made of dark aionite and the prongs are the focus of its power. If anything blocks them, I can't make use of it." he explained briefly and returned his attention to the edge of the column, "Speaking of the Wonder Fork, I have to get it loose!" He pulled off the hat and cape he wore to keep them from falling or getting in his way, then lay on his stomach, reaching over the edge in attempts to grab the handle. Ginger peered over at it and shot him an irritated glare.
"Give it up! You're going to fall again trying to get it!" she snapped at him. Wren mirrored the expression, shooting it over his shoulder as he continued stretching for the utensil.
"Go help Caleb. Let me worry about my own hide." he grumbled and turned back to the fork, "Come on! Just a little bit further down..." The confectioner scowled, then crawled over to grab his ankles. "Hey! What the heck are you doing?" Wren yelped in shock. He looked back over his shoulder in surprise.
"I'm going to lower you enough to get your stupid fork, then I'm gonna try pulling you back up." Ginger growled between her teeth as she braced her legs to support his weight, "But I'm not strong enough to hold you for long, so make it fast!"
"Okay, down a little." Wren sighed and turned back to the fork, waving his hand towards the utensil. Caleb sat put and watched with a smile on his face. This might actually be working to his advantage. If the doll could help the Sardonyx Ring do its job, both Wren and Ginger would scurry off to do their human thing and Caleb would be left with Pepper to get really serious in the archival of the world. He drummed his fingers on the floor, waiting for something to happen.
"Now?" Ginger whimpered as Wren snatched the Wonder Fork free from the stone.
"Yes! Got it!" he exclaimed triumphantly and yelped as the utensil suddenly took on an eerie green-black aura, "What the-?"
In a burst of dark energy, both Wren and Ginger disappeared, leaving a very stunned Caleb to stare at the empty space.
The Dark Chefs trooped through the giant chambers of the Famine Temple, loading crates of candies and chocolates into Elemental Cargos for world-wide shipment. The recipes had been perfected and DuGorge smiled at the idea of so many pieces of his plan falling into place. One cook ran up to him and held out a box of candies.
"Master Chef, these are the specially ordered candies you requested." he told the blue haired chef. DuGorge studied the candies carefully, then smiled.
"Good, very good. Have the shipment of these boxes sent to those 'very special' people." he ordered and laughed, "With them out of the way, this world will be ripe for the picking! All that's left is to reclaim what should have belonged to me!" The messenger bowed and hurried off with the box of sweets. He looked over his shoulder and smiled again as a feminine figure walked up to stand beside him, gazing emotionlessly down at the many hundreds of chefs and cooks carrying crates and boxes of candy from the kitchens to the shipping vehicles.
"Ah, it's so nice to have you join us, my dear. I have heard that twins have an uncanny connection between them. Tell me, dear Eve, where is your brother now?" the Master Chef asked smoothly. Eve gazed down a few minutes longer, then pulled away from the stone-carved balcony.
"Adam is currently sealed in darkness. I feel a turmoil of emotion; surprise, unease, fear, anger, dread." she answered in a dead tone, the Exsphere at the base of her neck shimmering as it subdued her mind. DuGorge raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Darkness? Is he afraid of the dark?" he remarked in confusion.
"He fears the shadows not for himself, but for another who is sealed with him." Eve replied. DuGorge sighed and shook his head.
"I don't have a clue what you mean, but I suppose it's safe to assume he won't be interfering with my plans anytime soon, right?" he asked. Eve nodded. "Good. In the meantime, I want you to join Leo, Sauri and Eula in overseeing the distribution of this candy to the people of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant. Make sure the candy marked with my personal insignia is sent to the rulers of the major cities around Symphonia." he ordered and grinned as Eve bowed and left to obey the orders. "Perfect, perfect! Things are moving as smoothly as honey!" he gloated and walked off with a smug expression, "This will be the end of the Voraci's Wonder Chef Family and the rise of the Dark Chef Alliance!"
Pepper stood in irritation as she watched Caleb run around on the column, peeking behind monuments, inside tombs, over the edges of the stone pillar and knocking on the floor at random spots. He had yelled for Wren and Ginger, then called for her to come help him find the two cooks. Wondering over what had happened, the mana beast fluttered the rest of the way down the stairs to join the doll and immediately wished she could just bop him on the head too.
"Wrennn! Ginnngerrrr! Where are youuu? Come out, come out, wherever you arrre! Wren, this isn't funny!" Caleb sang in near hysteria, "Come on, man, I'm supposed to be protecting you! You can't just disappear on me like this! Especially with a girl!"
"Guardian look stupid. Why Guardian run like scared rabbit?" Pepper growled in annoyance. The doll was holding his head as if trying to keep it attached to his body.
"Because I lost the Wonder Chef, that's why! I don't get it! It looked like he teleported himself and Ginger away, but where to? And why aren't they back?" he wailed, "Sir Estéfan is going to roast me over an open fire if he catches wind of this!" He looked around in a panic. "Wren! Come on! You can't do this to me! If I had a heart, I'd be dead from a heart attack by now!"
Pepper shook her head in exasperation and began sniffing around the stone in search of clues. There were several cracks in the floor that hadn't been there before the bright eruption of the spell Incineration, and she assumed that it had damaged enough of the temple's structure to split the stone. That would explain the broken tablets around the pillar and why the Wonder Chef was hanging over the edge of infinity like that. There was also the smell of mana, the same mana as the shadows around them, but far stronger, more potent. It seemed to be thickest at the edge where Caleb had said the two humans had been when they vanished.
"Shadow power here." Pepper finally announced and turned back to see Caleb pounding on his head in chagrin. "Guardian! Shadow power here!"
"What?" the doll finally asked, blinking at her in surprise. The mana beast nodded towards the edge.
"Shadow power strong here. Maybe Shadow take Yummy and Candy?" she questioned. Caleb looked confused, folding his arms over his chest as he cocked his head in thought.
"Why? Summon Spirits need food about as much I do. What would Shadow want with two human cooks?" he murmured and picked up the lantern. "Thanks for snapping me out of my panicked state, Pepper. I wasn't thinking clearly." He reattached the lantern to Pepper's harness and unrolled the hand-drawn map of the temple that Zelos Wilder had loaned him. "According to these black zig-zags and that purple-black squiggly thing there, Shadow's seal is only two levels away." Caleb deduced and sighed in exasperation, "Idiot Zelos, did he have to doodle this out like a five-year-old with a box of crayons?"
"Why Shadow want Yummy and Candy?" the mana beast asked in confusion as Caleb rolled up the parchment, grabbed Wren's belongings and began walking towards the next set of stairs.
"Dunno, but can you search ahead and see if they really are down there? I don't want to be sent on a wild goose chase." he returned. Pepper nodded and stretched out her power, then shook her head in surprise.
"Pepper can't see. Shadow power blocking all. Shadow feel... mad..." she replied in worry, "Pepper no like Shadow mad. Shadow have much power, more power than Pepper. Shadow Dark; Pepper Light. Shadow hurt Pepper much with power if Pepper get hit."
"He's not going to hurt you or anyone!" Caleb told her firmly and pressed on with grim determination, "We're going to see Shadow and demand to know what he did with our friends!"
The first thought Ginger had upon returning to awareness was of what a strange dream she had just had. Some of her mental fog lifted and she could feel someone shaking her shoulder and calling her name. The voice was familiar, and yet strange as well. She groaned and made a weak attempt at slapping the hand away from her. Ginger was preferring the numbness over fully awakening and facing whatever it was that was now wrong with her world.
"Ginger, wake up. We're in a bit of a situation here and I can't leave you to dreamland." the voice urged gently.
"Yesh, ya can. Beat it, Wonder Boy." Ginger slurred, finally recognizing the voice. She frowned in her grogginess as she strained her hearing at the response. Was that idiot laughing? The confectioner struggled to sit up and rubbed her head, slowly climbing out of the heavy fog that tried to pull her mind down again. "What the hell is so funny?" she demanded grumpily, a bleary expression on her face as she searched around for the source of the laughter. Wren knelt beside her, shaking his head as he continued chuckling.
"I was worried about you for a bit." he explained with a smile, "It's been so long since you called me Wonder Boy, I thought you might have hit your head on something." Ginger blinked and uttered an annoyed growl as she shook herself back to full awareness. "By the way, thanks a lot for helping me."
"Excuse me?" the confectioner asked in suspicion. Wren shrugged, still smiling at her cheerfully.
"When you pulled me up from the edge of that pillar, then helped me get the Wonder Fork back. I never got the chance to thank you for it." he replied. Ginger gave him a strange look.
"Uh, you're welcome?" she stammered and folded her arms over her chest, clearing her throat to hide the prior uncertainty, "So, where are we? Where'd you teleport us?" The blonde stopped smiling abruptly, sitting back with a deeply concerned expression instead.
"I don't know. I didn't do anything. Look around us." he told her and waved a hand around. Ginger finally turned her eyes to her surroundings, eyes going wide at the bleak world around them. The earth was cold and dead, hard and cracked from drought; the trees and plants of the ghost forest around them were shriveled and wilted, blackened wood with leafless branches clawing at a dark sky, churning with thunderclouds that promised no rain; a thick gray fog sat on the earth, masking all possible escapes from the hellish land. "I don't know this place. Someone else took control of the Wonder Fork and used it to send us here."
"That's possible?" Ginger asked incredulously, standing up to try getting her own bearings. There were no familiar landmarks, nothing recognizable they could use to find a way back to the Temple of Darkness. She turned in a circle, then sighed, hugging herself as she looked back at the chef, who was studying the ground in confusion, tapping it with his fingertips. "I don't like this place. It's creepy!" Ginger finally whimpered, "There's nothing alive here except us! Where's Caleb and Pepper? Why aren't they here with us?" Wren didn't answer, too intent on his examination of the earth. Ginger frowned. "You don't look worried."
"No point in it." Wren replied and stood up to knock on a nearby tree, a strangely focused look on his face.
"You're used to having an outside force beyond your control just yank you right out of familiar surroundings into a place devoid of life for the purpose of scaring the holy hell out of you?" Ginger asked sarcastically. The chef stopped and looked back at her, expressionless.
"Yes."