Excavation in Gotor
"You know, I don't think it's her..." Kili remarked, tilting his head to the side.
"Yeah, the Sssaria we know can't be more than 15 yearsss old. The woman in this picture looksss at least twice as old." Yolando added.
"That's not what I meant!" Vik grumbled. This was the earliest he had ever been up during summer, which officially began with the ceremonial smashing of the alarm clock. The guys of Clan Senbunsu were seated in a circle in a crowded airport terminal. Few people around them were actually passengers. More than half of the crowd bore insignias; either on an article of clothing, necklaces, or tattoos identifying them as FPAR employees. Each of them carried their work in carry-on luggage bag since, given the time and place, one would look out of place with out one. "I know for a fact that this person isn't Saria." He continued, snatching the watch out of Yolando's hand. "Up til' now, she was living in a marble. It's not like she would...or could step out just to take a picture."
"Then tell us, what exactly do you mean?" Asked .
Before answering, Vik inspected the room to make sure no one was listening. He didn't want this to spread beyond this circle, not even to the captain. "It can't be just a coincidence that this woman bears such a resemblance to that girl..." He began, bringing his voice down to a hush so his friends had to lean in to hear. "I think they're related."
"Kupo? As in family relations?" Vik nodded.
"So what are you saying? That this is her mother or sister or second cousin twice removed?" Mosely uttered.
"I'm not sure. All I know is that this can help us find out where Saria came from. If she has relatives, she must have parents. And if she has parents..." Vik couldn't bring himself to say it but everyone knew what he was getting at. This would prove to them...prove to the whole world that Saria wasn't fake. That she possessed life granted by nature and not by science. "Only problem is..." Vik continued, "We don't know who she is to begin with."
"Can I see it?" Mosely asked, stretching out his palm. Feeling that there was nothing he could do to destroy it any further. This was proved wrong, however, when Mosely produced a copper can from his bag. The word 'GROG' was stamped in bold red letters under a skull and cross-bone symbol. "Hand me your knife, Kili." He dug the blade in between the gap and popped the top open.
"What the hell is that?" Vik inquired as the smell of burning rubber filled the air around them.
"Grog. It's a kind of alcoholic beverage from overseas." Mosely answered, dipping a popsicle stick in it and stirring. "My uncle bought me a few cans when he was on his honeymoon over there."
It took all of three seconds after contact for the entire stick to dissolve, attracting stares of awe from the other clanners. "What'sss in there?" Yolando mouthed as Mosely tossed the remains of the stick into a nearby trashcan.
"In order from smallest to largest amount: Kerosene, propylene glycol, sulphuric acid, artificial sweeteners, red dye No. 2, yellow 5, axle grease, battery acid, and rum. I also threw in about 141 Gil, just to see them melt."
"And people drink that ssstuff!"
"Only a little bit at a time. It's usually a test of will-power." Mosely withdrew a cotton swab and gingerly dipped it into the beverage. He quickly applied it to the back of the clock, being careful not to spread it onto his hand. "Don't worry about the watch. If it's really made out of copper, the stuff wouldn't be able to do a thing to it."
By the time the swab had completely broke apart, the back of the watch was sparkling again. "Inconceivable!" Kili exclaimed, looking over the final product. "It ate right through the rust. And look, it even cleaned out the engravings!" Sure enough, the words 'Roberts & Sons Co.' appeared on the back "R&S Co? Kupo! I know that place! It's a few blocks from the bus stop in Newport. I pass it every time I feel like taking the long way to my dad's place. They're known for their handmade watches."
"So they should be able to tell us who bought it. There can't be many of these out there to begin with." Vik said hopefully.
"Yes, but there are a few things to consider." Mosely added. "This watch might be a counterfeit, meaning there could be thousands of these in circulation right now. Also, Roberts & Sons is well over a hundred fifty years old. The condition of this watch tells us it is at least a hundred years old. Their records might not go as far back as that."
Kili raised an eyebrow. "How do you know so much about that store."
"Because my uncle, the same uncle who sent me the GROG, works there as an apprentice clock-maker. There's been some talk of severing family ties with him but we're having some problems with the paperwork." The soldier responded, punching the cap back on the can. "Personally, I don't mind. Our family has fallen on some hard times and sometimes we feel we might as well forget all about chivalry and bloodlines."
"People tend to live in the past." The Bangaa grunted. He leaned back against the foot of the bench and slumped lazily. "They go around bragging about all the things their ancestors did and never once think about going out to make a name for themselves. Folks like that are forgotten quickly in the eyes of history." He creaked open a single eye and gave Mosely a hard stare. "I mean no offense to your family, of course."
"It's okay." Mosely replied. "You're completely right. But I would advise you not to say that to Elena. Unlike mine, her family still wields quite a bit of influence."
"Tell me what?" Came a voice from behind Kili.
The four of them looked up and saw Elena with her hands o her hips and an amused smile on her face. "Nothing!" They announced in unison.
"Fine don't tell me. I might even be better off not knowing." She said, seating herself on the bench next to Mosely. There was still a full 20 minutes before the plane arrived so she might as well spend it with someone she doesn't despise.
It took a few moments for Vik to notice that if Elena was there, Saria was too. He scanned the terminal and found her sitting on the other side of the room, staring at the planes. He was about to call her over when he noticed her expression. It was a mix of confusion and emptiness, much like the one she was wearing the day they first met. Vik knew that feeling well. He also knew it was best to leave her to her thoughts. "I probably shouldn't bring up the picture either..." He thought, pocketing the watch. "It'll only confuse her more."
---
The ride down to HQ was a bit more crowded than Vik remembered, but that was probably because every employee that worked the ten to four shift had crowded into that single lift. When the doors opened, a hundred and fifty men and women pushed their way past Vik and proceeded through the door, where they were suspect to identification checks. He and his team stood in line for over 15 minutes as ultra-violet scanners looked over every inch of the person's form. Everyone was a bit hesitant when it came time for their turn but a Nu Mou, dressed in Blue robes and a straw, pointed hat, gave them some motivation in the form of a electric jolt issued from the front of a staff. "Is it just me," Kili said, rubbing his eyes after exposure to several retinal scans, "Or has everything just become strangely yellow?"
"Why can't they just remember our facesss?" The Bangaa moaned. When everyone was cleared for entry, he and the group headed through the doors and onto the bridge. Where they were greeted by a smack to the head by a brown parcel.
"Your uniforms!" grunted Dr. Nicros, chucking another envelope at Kili. It hit him square in the chest, knocking the wind out of the moogle's stomach. "Well, don 't just stand there! Hurry up and get changed! Except for you three..." He pointed at Vik, Kili, and Mosely. "You've got a special treat for today. You're going on a mission!"
"A mission?" Kili repeated after catching his breath. "To where?"
"Gotor Sands. The team of miners we hired a week ago to dig out some artifacts are afraid of monster attacks. We need someone to help guard them as they work. Get your battle gear on, you leave in one hour when the next plane arrives."
"But why are you just sending us?" Mosely interjected, "With things the way they are nowadays, don't you think we should send in as much help we can get?"
The Nu Mou flashed them a look that altogether answered his question but decided to give them a worded response as well. "It is a fairly simple mission." He said, "The chances of a monster attack are slim to none. Dispatching three units will be more than enough. And besides, out of the rest of the group, you three have the least experience. This is a chance to get you up to par." The three of them stared down at their feet as blood rushed to their faces, in both anger and embarrassment. "Well, seeing that now all our questions are answered, let's get to work."
"Wait!" Vik cried just as the Nu Mou started to walk away. "You mean you made us wait an hour for a plane and go through all those security checks just to send us back up to some desert? Are you insane? I've seen bad systems before but this is outrageous!"
The Nu Mou smiled slightly but continued walking. "That's the government for ya. Get used to it!"
---
One hour later, Vik, Mosely, and Kili were back on the lift along with the departing night shift. Their eyes were swollen red and the way they held themselves showed evidence of stress and labor. But despite all this, they managed to preserve an attitude of self-fulfillment; like they had done something to change the world. The ride up was pretty uneventful. The only difference this time was that they were actually getting on the plane. The Gotor Sands was a little under 400 miles from Bagabu; about a six-day journey on foot, an 8-hour journey by car (minus gas and rest stops), but a 30 minute trip for an airplane. Before they even had a chance to adjust to the altitude, the plane touched down in the small, dusty town of Mazanbique.
The word town, however, was nominal; existing in name only. The only man-made structures present were a couple tents and a General Store made of stacked logs. A runway had been cleared in the center for aerial landings but looked like it had never been used. They also noticed there was a shortage of people in the town and that the three of them were the only ones who got off. The second they were clear from the path, the plane took off for its next destination. "What kind of crazy people would build a civilization out here!" Vik grumbled as they headed east towards the excavation site. "It's freakin' hot, the grounds practically rock and sand, there isn't any source of water for miles; there's no way anybody could have survived out here."
"I'm sure they found ways." Mosely put in, "Maybe there's an underground stream or an oasis somewhere."
"Well they ended up buried under several layers of earth. Obviously, something went wrong!" Kili remarked, removing his bandanna and wringing out the sweat. "So what do you think is buried out here?"
Vik shrugged. "The usual I guess; broken plates, vases, silverware, tapestries, the occasional skeleton. Why do you ask?"
The moogle smiled deceitfully. "There's always the possibility of finding gold or jewels. If we find any treasure, we can kill the diggers and split it three ways. It's the middle of nowhere, they'll never find the bodies. And when they do, we'll be long gone. That is, if we don't kill each other out of greed first, kupo." Vik and Mosely stared in shock at Kili, horrified by his lurid plan. Upon seeing their faces, the moogle burst out laughing. "You actually thought I was being serious? Kupo, you guys are too gullible!"
"Still, it wasn't a bad idea." Mosely admitted, "Anything would be better than going back to that airport. I don't think I can take another blood test." As they drew nearer to the site, the rocky surface suddenly dropped down, giving way to a massive quarry. The sound of mining tools striking the solid walls echoed across the wide chasm. But when they finally reached the edge, what they saw was far from their expectations. A little over a hundred Goblins and Blue caps, armed with shovels and pick-axes, were breaking away pieces of rock from what appeared to be a row of doorways. A few doorways on the end had been fully cleared out and were broken into and looted. They appeared to be looking for something more important, because the objects they found in there were found smashed up in the corner of the site. In the center of it a moogle, dressed in black robes, barked orders through a tin loudspeaker.
"You know, this is just a hunch," Kili said as they observed the madness below their feet, "But I don't think this is the crew we hired..."
---
"Keep digging, you idiots! I want it found by nightfall!" Dorian the dark-robed moogle pronounced through the metal funnel, cracking a whip at a pair of blue caps that were had decided to take a break at the worst possible time. With snake-like speed, the inch wide leather strap lashed out at the monsters, drawing a red gash along their rear ends. "Get back to work, kupo!" Squealing with pain, the goblins automatically grabbed their tools and continued picking at the rocks. That was the great thing about monsters, they never stand up for themselves. With the flick of a whip, they would bring to completion your every wish. They could be worked to their limits, unlike humans who give in halfway through. And most importantly, ever since the great rebellion over a decade ago, monsters have lost the ability of speech, though their interpretation of the English language was near flawless. They occasionally uttered a grunt or roar, but they were only mere sounds; having no meaning behind the noises, making the possibility of an uprising impossible. And without speech, there was only one thing that kept them organized. And that was the receiving end of the animist's whip.
Pausing temporarily to wipe the sweat from its eyes, a goblin gazed up at the sun to check the hours until sunset and caught sight of two figures (Kili's too short!). Straining to get a better view, he saw that they were humans. But not just regular humans. In the back of his mind, a sunken memory suddenly sparked, sending a rush of hatred through its expression. It was a memory built into each monster, a memory that was only fortified through each generation: the savage outlook on clanners. A blood-thirsty cry rang from its throat, successfully diverting the other Caps away from their work to the humans. Curious to see what they were angry about, the moogle turned and stared in their directions. "Clanners? All the way out here? Impossible!" From around his neck, he drew a whistle and pressed it to his lips. With two shrill chirps, the goblins arranged themselves into three rows. "They've seen too much. Try to keep at least one of them alive for questioning but allow none of them out of this area! Attack!"
---
"I think they saw us, kupo" Kili announced when the roar of the first goblin resounded throughout the valley.
"Gee, ya think?" Mosely muttered, his sword instinctively coming to his hand. The two others did the same but kept their eyes on the commanding moogle. They've seen it before; the black robes, the silver insignia, and the commanding way he spoke to monsters.
"He's one of the people that attacked the Holding Facility." Vik growled, placing his right hand in a Kaiser Knuckle and his left in a cat claw.
"Or at the very least, he knows them." Kili added.
Mosely gave them a curious look. "The Holding Facility? You mean they're responsible for the outbreak?" Before they had a chance to answer, a sudden flash of light appeared between them, causing the three of them to jump backwards. With a intent cry, a tawny chocobo leapt from the portal, mounted by a man in brilliant armor.
"A judge? Kupo, don't tell me we've been engaged."
"Charge!" Shouted a voice from the valley, presumably the moogle's since none of the monsters could talk. The goblins lunged forward, scaling the rough wall easily with powerful hands. The few possessing even shred of imagination would have realized that their tools could be used as weapons. And those that did went around to the side of the chasm and climbed up on the ramp. "Okay, here's the plan." Vik said, already running to the left. "You two stay here and deal with the the horde climbing up the wall. I'll try and see if I can keep the Caps with shovels from getting any closer."
As the first of the goblins rose from the edge, the first thing he got was a blow to the face from a leather boot. "What makes you think you can take them on by yourself?" Kili asked, tipping a goblin back and watching him crash through the rows behind him.
"Because. The ramp is only big enough for a few of them to get through at a time," Vik explained as he plowed his fist into a Blue Cap's stomach and tossed him over the side. "And since they're in a straight line, I can do this. Earth render!" He slammed both his fists into the ground, situating a mass of earth and chunks of rock into a tidal wave and sending it crashing down on the monsters.
---
"Wow. I almost forgot he could do that." Mosely commented, watching as the alleviated earth swept over the monsters, burying them in a matter of seconds.
"Stop worrying about Vik. He can take care of himself, whether you choose to believe it or not. Besides, kupo, we've got bigger problems. Kili motioned at the edge, where a group of Red Caps had made it over the edge, their feet now planted firmly on the ground and fists curled angrily at their sides. Offering only a snarl as fair warning, the goblins charged at the moogle. Acting on the first impulse, Mosely swung his blade over Kili's head, cutting each goblin across the chest. At the same time, Kili slashed at their ankles with his knife. Simultaneously, the beast fell backwards, because their feet were no longer connected to their legs. A final blow to the head knocked them out for good. Involuntarily, Kili bent down and began searching their pockets.
"Now's not the time!" Mosely yelled when he noticed the moogle's underhanded action.
"I'm a thief; it's what I do." Kili pointed out, pocketing the few gold coins he managed to swindle from the goblins.
"True, but there is a time and a place for everything." Mosely objectified. As he spoke, he motioned at the ledge, which had spawned yet another row of goblins. "And at the moment, it is neither."
---
Vik drew in several deep breaths, panting erratically. The sun-baked earth was a lot harder to manipulate than the loosely patted soil of the city. Still, he had managed to bury about half of the Caps attempting to ascend the slope. When enough of his energy returned, he looked up at the remaining population and found that most of them had shaken off the shock and had reassumed their homicidal attitudes. They climbed over the ridge created by the extent of the wave and continued to climb towards the clanner. Seeing that he no longer possessed the strength to summon another wave, Vik grabbed an orphaned shovel sticking out from the newly turned earth. Assuming a battle stance, he charged, spade first, at the massive horde. He succeeded in getting the first strike, impaling a blue cap in the chest. The goblin roared with pain, dropping his pick-axe in the process. It clawed desperately at the human attacker's face but failed to cause any major damage. In his last seconds of consciousness, he felt himself being raised off the ground at hurled at a group of his allies.
"Far Fist!" Vik bellowed, detonating the area he thought had the greatest concentration. A blast of sound energy materialized in the center, knocking a few Caps flat on their feet and detaining the ones behind them from gaining more ground. He dived to the left, narrowly avoiding a Blue Cap's hatchet. Reflexively, he jabbed the end of the spade handle into his face. It stumbled back, its vision hazy from the blow, right into the approaching row. In a second, before the crowd could get a hold on the situation, he turned the shovel sideways and slashed along their throats. Red slits inescapably followed, gushing liquid life from the newly opened fissures. Another sonic eruption sent them flying in all directions, striking other nearby monsters as life-sized missiles.
But despite Vik's attempts to suppress the horde, their numbers were just too many. The had begun to curve around Vik's region of attack and soon had him surrounded. "Crap" He thought, ducking to avoid spade attacks from 4 o' clock, 7, and 10:45. He swung his own shovel in a full circuit, knocking the leading row back temporarily as he gathered his strategy. "Ok, let's see here...fighting them one on one is out of the question; there are just too many of them. Swinging my shovel around like a maniac might work, if I don't pass out from dizziness first. Or, I could just use earth render..." The last option was definitely the riskiest. If he could perform Earth render one more time, he could clear a path right back up to the surface and get reinforcements. The downside, the monsters wouldn't hesitate to block him. He could no longer rely on the surprise factor, since they already saw him use it, and they would waste no time in barring his escape. Ducking to avoid another head shot, he stared right at the ramp and was struck with inspiration. Gathering the last of his energy, he punched his fists into the ground, raising a triangular wall of yellow earth. It tore through the rows of monsters behind him, forming another ramp right back up to the surface. Without even stopping to catch his breath, Vik leapt right onto the recently developed ledge and sprinted towards the top. Like all ramps, the walls at the end were far too high and steep for anyone to climb so the only way up was to walk over to the other end and start climbing from there. The only thing left to do now was to outrun the monsters behind him. Vik quickly abandoned his shovel, hurling it at the leading goblin's head. This bought him a few extra moments, which he definitely needed due to his state of exhaustion. "Hey guys!" He shouted as he emerged at the top, sliding down the edge of his ramp. "I think I need some help."
"It's about time, kupo!" Kili grumbled, landing an elbow on the neck of a Cap that tried to get back up. "We were getting bored with these guys."
"Really, Vik. What made you think you could take on several dozen goblins with pick-axes using only your fist?" Mosely asked mockingly.
"It's a common mistake. Sue me!" Vik rebutted.
"In the future, there won't be any room for common mistakes." Mosely said as he advanced on the approaching monsters. "There will be times we won't be around to help you."
"But we're here now! So let's finish this, kupo!"
The three of them stood back to back, slashing angrily at the gathering horde with blade and claw. "You know, this might be a sign that we need a mage." Vik remarked, eying the crowd of monsters just waiting to take a swing at them. "We could use the attack range and the broader area of damage."
"Yes, we'll take note of that." Mosely responded before slicing off the tops of a clump of pick-axes. "But for now, shut up and keep punching!"
---
"Oh dear, kupo. The boss isn't going to be happy with this." Dorian muttered through gritted teeth as his mass of workers were reduced to lifeless bodies. "Oh well, maybe with some luck they'll overlook this little attack and we'll just come back later to finish our business." The moogle rolled back his sleeves and plucked a small yellow feather from the band on his arm. "Though the chances will be greater if the three of them don't live to tell the tale!" He cleared his mind, blocking out all images except for the feather and himself. He felt the mana pour from his fingers into the hollow center of the stem. "Chocobo Rush!" He exclaimed, the feather bursting into flame and spark as he uttered the words. As the spell began to take effect, Dorian backed up into a shadowed area of the quarry and disappeared.
---
After several moments of fighting, the last monster finally hit the ground, staining the earth with scarlet paint(it's blood, in case you don't get it). Overcome by exhaustion, the teens collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily. "How much experience do you think we got?" Kili said as the judge disappeared with another flash of light.
"I don't know." Mosely stated, "Were any of you keeping track of how many Caps you killed?"
"I have yet to meet a person who could, in the midst of battle, maintain a state of mind stable enough to count, since most of us are too worried about getting our heads chopped off!" Vik answered, pressing his head against the ground. He was about to fall asleep when he noticed two things. They had not yet dealt with the dark-clad moogle and that the earth was vibrating beneath his forehead.
From beside him, Kili sat up and looked around, disoriented. "Do you guys feel that rumbling?" He asked and was immediately rejoined by nods. Vik automatically pulled himself up and scanned the horizon. His gaze finally came to the west, where it was met by an approaching dust cloud. In its very center, Vik could make out several orange and yellow specks.
"Um...guys? Do Chocobos live in the desert?" He asked unsteadily.
Mosely shook his head. "And migrating season has been over for 2 months now. The only reason they would be here is..."
"If someone summoned them." Vik finished solemnly. "No doubt the moogle's doing,"
"Should we start running?" Kili suggested desperately.
"No." Vik answered, calling the green aura to his hands. "Just lay right back down on the ground."
---
A loud thump could be heard from behind the iron-casted doors of the throne room. The guards could be heard grimacing from the hall. It was never a pretty sight when their leader was displeased and the two of them were thankful for the thick wall between them.
The room was dark, the only light source being the sky-light directly above the Minister Zaora's chair. Their leader sat there unemotionally, watching the moogle Animist getting pummeled. Dorian struggled to pull himself back up but a kick to the stomach sent him curling back onto the ground. "Please, you highness!" He pronounced in a breathless tone, "It wasn't my fault, kupo! They came out of nowhere and attacked us relentlessly!"
With a sneer, the attacker kicked the Animist once again; this time in the ribs, causing Dorian to roll over. "There were three of them. Three! You expect us to believe they single handedly defeated a group of a hundred goblins?"
"Well, the monsters were a little weak. And the clanners had a field advanta-" His sentence suddenly broke off when a leather shoe pressed down on his throat.
"Don't try to shift the blame, fluffball! The one who has failed our organization is you and you alone." He increased the pressure on his neck, crushing the moogle's windpipe. Dorian immediately began squirming, pounding hopelessly at the shoe. "You can feel it can't you?" The attacker whispered. He shot him a twisted smile, the faint sunlight glimmered against his saliva. "Your vision getting dark, your mind getting fuzzy, every organ of your body begging for air. Can you feel the cold grip of Death's hand squeezing your heart? It must be nice, like drifting into an eternal sleep!"
"That's quite enough, Matthew." Called a hoarse voice. The leather sole lifted itself from the Animist's throat. A rush of air suddenly filled Dorian's throat, causing them to irritate and exhale in a series of coughs.
"Neo-Zaora has shown mercy on your pitiful life. Offer your gratitude and get out!" Matthew whispered to the Animist before striding back to leader's throne. The moogle gasped an inaudible thank you before bolting out of the room. "He doesn't show much appreciation for your gift, sir." The attacker said as the guards wordlessly closed the doors behind them.
"It doesn't matter." The minister responded, replacing his glasses and cracking open the Zaoran bible. "I could just as easily take it back."
"And what about the scroll? We were depending on him to find it."
The reverend looked up from his tome just long enough to smile elfishly at his bodyguard. "My dear boy, it has already been found!"
---
The dust took about a minute to settle after the stampede had finally subsided. Even while in a feral state, the Chocobos maintained enough sense not to keep going when they come to the edge of a cliff. They were now grazing peacefully along the desert ground, picking any weeds they came across. A bright-red chocobo was just about to polish off a un-bloomed dandelion when a human hand shot underneath it. The chocobo mourned its lost meal for a second before continuing his grazing, taking little interest in the strange advent. Not a single chocobo cared when two humans and a moogle climbed out of the ground. Their only concern was food. And the clanners didn't look the least bit appetizing.
"Just lie right back down on the ground, kupo." Kili said in a poorly imitated voice. "This has got to be your worst idea yet!"
"Using Earth Render to bury us wasn't a bad idea. You guys just can't appreciate my ingenuity." Vik returned, pulling his boot free from an underground root.
"Hey, at least we didn't get trampled on. If you ask me, I'd choose getting buried under a foot of soil over several pairs of steely talons any day." Mosely added.
"But we could have died either way, kupo." Kili said grimly as he took a seat on the dry, cracked desert floor. "Any of you guys getting second thoughts about this clan business?"
The two humans exchanged unassertive glances. On one hand, they had things they had to live for; goals that could only be accomplished in life. On the other hand, the clan wars offered new challenges and opportunities. They could really make a difference in the world if they continued as a team. "We can't let this get in our way." Mosely said finally. "We have only begun our journey and giving in to an event as small as this means we couldn't handle clan work to begin with."
"Well, I would hardly call this a small situation..." Vik responded, "But you definitely have a point. We can't give up now; we've experienced too much. And furthermore-" Vik's foot suddenly came in contact with metal. Nervously, all three of them turned their eyes to the ground where Vik was standing. "What the hell..." Vik mumbled as he reached down and brushed the loose earth off the surface of an iron chest. It was about a foot tall with an arched top and U-shaped handles. A small metal box resembling a lock was placed on the front, but a keyhole was nowhere to be found.
"Where the heck did this come from?" Mosely said as he helped Vik pry it from the earth.
"Kupo! It must have gotten tossed up with all those Earth Renders." Kili speculated. "You got any more of that grog stuff, Mosely?"
"Yes..." Mosely said as he removed the can from his pack. "But shouldn't we try opening it by hand first? For all we know, the chest could be worth more than whatever's inside."
"Intrinsic value doesn't count!" Vik said, grabbing the can from Mosely's hands and spraying a few drops on the lock. A faint hissing could be heard as the Grog made contact with the metal. As the barricade dissolved, the lid cracked open, spilling an immensely sour smell into the air.
"Dear lord! What died in there?" Kili exclaimed quickly before catching and holding his breath.
"I dunt gnoe." Vik said with a pinched nose. "Bert ahm gunna find out right now!" He slid his fingers into the newly-opened gap and creaked it open. With much difficulty, the cover lifted off, exposing the chest's contents. Vik stared wide eyed at the innards before turning to his friends, who were staring at him nervously. "It's..."
---
"A scroll? Is that all that was in there?" Captain Nicholas turned to the three teens,who, in return, nodded.
"That...and half a sandwich. We assumed it was probably Tuna and a whole sandwich when it was put in there." Vik added. "We had to throw it out. They wouldn't let us bring it onto the plane."
"And there doesn't seem to be anything important on the scroll either, kupo." Kili continued. "We opened it up on the plane but couldn't make sense out of it. All that's in there are page upon page of numbers and symbols. There weren't any signs of sequencing or repetition. Whatever language it's written in, it's not English."
The captain gave Kili a small whack on the head with the scroll. "And that's why you're not paid to decipher ancient documents!" He said mockingly. "We'll get someone to work on this right away. But for now, you're dismissed. Hurry up and change out of you job outfits. There's still work that needs to be done!" Groaning, the teens hoisted themselves out of the comfortable arm chairs and headed down the hall towards the lockers.
As soon as they were gone, the captain unfurled the parchment and read it for himself. It was exactly how they described it: a series of numbers and symbols without pattern. After studying documents like these for most of his life, it made a bit more sense to him than it did to the teenagers but was still unclear. However, one thing caught his eye. In the top right hand corner of the page was a symbol: a skull with seven snakes sprouting from scalp. "Aegis..." He whispered. Upon seeing the insignia, his initial intention was to burn the scroll. But his natural curiosities soon took hold, barring back his arsenic actions until he had a chance to fully investigate it. After all, it was his life's goal to study the supernatural. But he could clearly see that it was now corrupting his better judgment.
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A/N (Ignore this note if everything makes sense...so far): Well, once again my chapter was too long so I split it into two parts. But the last time I did a double update, most of you completely skipped the first chapter (chapter twelve). Now if you don't read every chapter, none of this is going to make sense. Especially the part about the going to work when the plane comes. If you actually read chapter 12, you'd know that the plane is just used as a distraction. While everyone on the outside thinks they're getting on the plane, they hitch a ride to their underground base via elevator.
Anyways, the fifteenth chapter will be updated a few days later. It's for your own good!