Happy anniversary!
Yes ladies and gents, it has been exactly ONE year since I started to upload this fic. ONE YEAR! and I've only uploaded 13 chapters. Sotrry about that. This is also a apology for not updating last month (I had a lot going on at the time) So this chapter is actually longer then most of the others (It's around 15 pages in bookman oldstyle size 14)
Hope you enjoy.
Dearing
CHAPTER 13
THE TEMPLE OF RECUMEN
"I don't like this," Muttered Vyse, "I don't like this at all,"
The path in front of them lay ahead, bright red moonstones lighting the way.
They were inside the Pyramid, having not found anything but a several slopping corridors, all heading down.
"I believe this is the right way though," Fina said timidly.
"I don't deny that," Vyse replied quietly, it's what's on the floor of this corridor that worries me."
Strewn across the path in front of them was the remains of bones and clothing, some of which seemed to still be drenched in blood. Across most of the floor was a fine powder, as though some bones had been crushed by something.
"I'll go first," Vyse said decidedly, "Then once I'm at the bottom you follow.
"No!" Fina suddenly cried out, surprising both Vyse and Aika, "If you were killed by this trap I would never forgive myself. We'll go together, that way we can look out for each other,"
Vyse nodded, taking the lead all the same.
The path was long and sloped downwards into a black abyss below, every so often large alcoves appearing out of the gloom, each easily able to contain a person or two.
"This seems…too easy." Aika murmured, walking cautiously down the corridor.
"Don't say that, "Vyse muttered quietly as they came up to yet another set of alcoves, "Every time you say that say that something bad happens!"
At that moment a sudden thud was heard from the direction they came from.
"See what I mean?"
Out of the gloom, bowling down the corridor with increasing speed, came a a giant stone ball. It's giant bulk reaching from one side of the passage to the other. It came closer and closer, bits of bone and clothing crushed under it's immense weight as it approched.
"We have to move!" Vyse yelled, "Now!"
But neither of the girls moved, their faces a picture of fear at the approaching stone mass.
Thinking quickly, Vyse in one fluid movement kicked Aika into the opposite alcove, at the same time grabbing Fina around her waist and dragging her into the other, holding her close.
The boulder lumbered past them, sending pieces of stone and bone at him, causing him to wince slightly as he shielded her.
Eventually the rumbling got more and more distant, before ending in a dull thump.
Vyse stood there quietly, holding Fina close, making sure that no other boulders would come down the slope.
"Are you ok?" he asked, checking her over.
She said nothing, she just stared at him, deep respect in her eyes.
"You…saved me." she finally said, "You risked your life for me."
Vyse looked at her kindly.
"I've promised I'll protect you," he replied, "No matter what."
She smiled at him, her green eyes shining in the dim light.
They both said nothing, standing there, looking deep into each others eyes, arms circled around each other.
She gently laid a hand his chest, over his heart, and Vyse felt it beginning to speed up. She noticed the change in its rhythm and looked up at him, her cheeks flushed with colour. When their eyes locked, he felt like he was unable to stand. Her eyes, so deep and full of spirit, so beautiful, bewitched him and filled him with more emotion than he had ever felt in his life.
He felt himself begin to lean towards her, he couldn't control himself.
She gazed up at him, her mind completely blank, focused only on him.
They were mere centimetres apart, eyes still fixed on each other, when All of a sudden there was a lot of coughing and hacking from the corridor.
Vyse looked alarmed and quickly let go and pulled back, his face red.
Out of the gloom, coughing a lot from the dust, came Aika and Cupil.
"Are you alright?" Vyse asked.
"Fine," Aika wheezed, leaning against the wall, "Just fine. Cupil absorbed all the debris from the boulder. Are you two ok?"
Vyse glanced at Fina, who gave him a shy smile and turned around to see if Cupil was alright.
"We're fine," he replied shortly, "I doubt any more boulders will come down here, right Fina?"
"I believe so," Fina replied quietly, as they walked down to the end of the corridor, "There should be a short path leading to the Guardians chamber before the Crystal itself."
"Guardians Chamber?" Aika asked.
"Yes, each of the Gigas are protected by a guardian, as a sort of last defence," Fina explained, "two however are protected by the Gigas themselves as well as a guardian."
"That's not good," Muttered Vyse as the door slid open.
Behind him took his breath away.
Before was a large cavern. So large in fact, he couldn't see the sides or the roof.
in front of him was a narrow walkway, wide enough for two people to stand slightly uncomfortably beside each other.
Far below them was the only thing lighting the immense room.
"What is that?" Vyse asked, shielding his eyes from the hot red light.
"It's lava," Fina said, looking slightly worried.
"Lava?"
"Yes. Lava is molten rock. Rock that has become so hot that it has melted into a liquid form," Fina replied, "When lava cools and hardens, it becomes land."
"So the islands are made out of lava?" Aika asked.
Fina nodded. "Exactly. It is the hottest substance that my people know of. I do not believe that we will be of much danger up here, however, to be to close will melt away the soles of your boots. To actually touch it will melt you to your very core."
Aika gulped and peered over the edge.
"That's hot." she said, "I guess we shouldn't fall off then."
"That would be advisable," Said a new, cold voice.
Vyse looked up in surprise, he hadn't expected anyone else to be in the pyramid. No one had followed them to his knowledge.
"Who are you?" he called out.
An evil laugh came out of the darkness, making him shiver slightly.
Out of the darkness came a member of an organisation hated by Blue Rouges and Black Pirates alike.
He was covered up from head to toe in heavy set clothes.
His feet were clad in thick boots made of animal hide, with matching gloves.
His head was encased in a bandanna of red witch covered his hair and mouth, with his eyes covered by red-len goggles.
"You're a part of the Zivilyn Bane," Vyse spat, clearly disgusted, "You steal valuable treasures from all over the known world.
"You are correct," the Bane sneered, "It is what we live for, What we die for. And this is are latest achievement."
He held up a small tablet, studded with rubies of the deepest red, engraved with an ancient text.
"That's the Rune of Ill Omen!" Aika gasped, "That's the most valuable treasure in the Nasr Kingdom!"
"Your wrong redhead," the Bane said smugly, "You see although this treasure is valuable, I'm looking from something more powerful. A Red Jewel so powerful, that it could power a Valuan Battleship for centuries. A Jewel so powerful, It could control a living weapon, people call…a Gigas."
Fina gasped and put her hands over her mouth.
Vyse said nothing for a moment, angrily unsheathing his swords.
"If you want the Crystal," He said angrily, drawing his cutlasses, "Then you'll have to go through me."
The Bane looked blankly at him, before laughing out loud.
"You dare try and face me? One of the brotherhood of the Zivilyn Bane!?" He laughed again as he unsheathed his short Nasrean cutlass, "Very well. So be it, Rogue."
With a sudden cry he charged at Vyse his blade ready to come down his head.
Vyse managed to block his attack with ease by crossing his cutlasses.
He shoved the Bane back into the darkness, keeping him away from the girls, before running after him, the lava below his only light.
Another war cry and the Bane launched himself into a series of fast and precise blows, only to find they glanced off Vyse's armour.
Vyse then tried to return the blows, only to find the fine Nasrean steel of the Bane's blade in his way.
By this time they were at the other end of the cavern, the large door of the guardians chamber looming out of the darkness.
Although most of the Banes blows had merely scratched his armour, Vyse was starting to tire, his blows beginning to get weaker.
With an almighty shove he managed to push the Bane away, giving him time to breath.
"Time for me to end this." The Bane sneered.
From his pocket he revealed a small Valuan explosive called a grenade.
With lightning movements, he pulled the key out of the top and threw it at Vyse.
The resulting explosion threw Vyse off balance, sending him flying backwards onto the cold hard stone.
He heard Fina scream and Aika call out his name with fear.
The path in front of him was engulfed by flames, the narrow path crumbling slightly from the force of the explosion.
"And now to end your suffering my friend," said a voice from the darkness.
Vyse looked up to see the Bane high in the air over the curtain of flame, his blade held above his head, poised for the final deadly blow.
Vyse thought fast.
In one swift movement he reached for his grappler, aimed, and fired.
The Grapple hook shot out in a blast of steam, hitting the Bane square in the chest.
The force of the impact threw the Bandit of balance, causing him to miss Vyse and the walkway itself entirely.
The last thing Vyse heard was his terrified screams as he plummeted to his doom, before blacking out.
"Vyse? Can you hear me? Please be alright Vyse."
Vyse let out a groan, his head pounding like someone was firing cannons inside it.
"Aika! He's waking up!"
"Where are we?" he murmured, "And why does my head hurt?"
His vision was blurred, his arms aching.
"You saved us Vyse." The excited voice of Aika chirped up, "We owe you big time!"
As his vision cleared, he noticed he was on his back, his head being held carefully in someone's hand.
When his vision finally cleared up, he realised that Fina was bending over him, making sure he was ok.
"Hi Fina," he said weakly.
She gave him a small reassuring smile and helped him into a sitting position.
"I performed the Increm to help wake you up," she explained, "Here drink this, you'll feel better."
She gave him a small canteen of water, from which he drank deeply.
"What happened to the Zivilyn Bane?" he asked,
Fina looked uncomfortable as Aika explained.
"You pushed him over the edge with the Grappler. Not the nicest way to die. Apparently No armour or clothing can protect you from a full contact with lava."
Vyse's eyes went wide with shock.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, "I didn't realise it would be painful. I didn't know. I didn't think. He was bearing down on me and I just reacted…"
"We know," said Aika, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Sometimes we act on instinct when our lives…or the lives of those we love…are on the line. Even Daccat made a few choices in the heat of the moment. It just happens."
Vyse nodded. Still angry at him self.
"I was only trying to protect you guys," he said as he sheathed his cutlasses, "If either of you got hurt I…I don't know what I'd do."
Aika smiled reassuringly but it was Fina's reaction that surprised him the most.
She stood up suddenly and without hesitation hugged him tightly, burying her face in his tunic. He blinked and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, enjoying her closeness.
"I know you'll keep Aika and I safe, Vyse," Fina replied. "I'll be brave...for you…"
"And I'll protect you two with my life. I promise." he replied, stroking her hair gently.
Aika and Cupil gawked at the two of them as they embraced.
"Err…hate to interrupt," Aika said hesitantly, "But don't we have to fight some monstrous beast on the other side of this door. Can we save the mushy stuff for later?"
The Silvite looked alarmed and quickly let go.
"I'm Sorry! Did I do something bad? I thought I was thanking him! I meant no disrespect!"
Aika laughed at her apologies.
"I know you mean well," She said wiping the tears from eyes, "I'm just saying this isn't really the time or the place for mushy stuff. Save for when we're safely back in Maramba."
Fina nodded and bowed slightly to her before bowing apologetically to Vyse, who made her stand up straight.
"You don't have to constantly bow to me every time you think you do something wrong," He said with a sigh, "I'm your friend, everyone makes mistakes."
She looked at him curiously, slight confusion crossing her features.
Vyse rolled his eyes at her before heading for the giant stone door.
Inside he actually found it to be surprising.
They found themselves in a considerably smaller room, with a large pool of lava separating them from the door on the other side. Oddly enough, the chamber was roughly hewn and not nearly as elaborate as the other rooms had been. It looked much more primitive.
"What kind of monster lives here?" Aika asked looking around.
Fina looked at her with fear.
"A Rockwyrm." she said fearfully.
Suddenly, out of the lava there came a mighty roar.
The lava in the pool began to slowly swirl downwards as a massive beast began to slowly raise up.
First came an array of small spikes, followed by dark tanned rock-like skin. Then came a squared shaped, jagged head, with small round, beady eyes, its mouth filled with sharp dangerous teeth. The rest of it's segmented body was covered in spikes.
It towered above them, eyeing them with indignation.
"I don't think it likes us," Vyse muttered.
Suddenly the Rockwyrm roared again and drove for Fina.
"Fina look out!"
Vyse ran and knocked her to ground, just in time.
"Are you all right?" he asked her quietly.
"I…I think so," She replied meekly.
The giant monster reared it's ugly head once more as it turned it's beady eyes to the creatures in front of it. Suddenly with out warning, it darted for Vyse, it's mouth opened wide in anticipation of a small morsol.
Without so much as a second thought, The Blue Rogue's larger cutlass was out in a flash, it's blade thrust up into the Rockwyrm's jaw as it passed him.
The immense monster roared in pain, trying to shake the cutlass loose of it's firm lodgement in it's mouth.
"There's no way we can get past that thing!" Aika gasped as the Rockwyrm swung it's head into a wall, "Nothing is impossible Aika!" Vyse yelled back, "There has to be some way to defeat it."
"Oh," Fina exclaimed and reached into her pouch taking out the Rune of Ill Omen, "I wonder if…"
She suddenly stepped boldly in front of the pained beast, holding the Rune out in front of her.
The Rockwyrm finally dislodged the cutlass, sending it clattering into the lava. It eyed Fina warily, unsure of how to proceed.
"Fina what are you doing?!" Vyse whispered frantically, "Get back here quickly before it hurts you."
Fina said nothing, she just held the Rune of Ill Omen in front of her and began to chant.
"In this my time of need.
I call forth the power
Of the Red moon
May the great beast
That I chant this,
The Rune of Ill Omen, to
Have his worst fears
Come True!"
As she finished her chant above the Rockwyrm gigantic rain clouds began to appears.
The Rockwyrm looked up with fear as the clouds began to swirl and thunder.
Suddenly rain hailed down onto the beast beginning to slowly corrode it's skin away.
The Rockwyrm bellowed in pain, as the rain also pelted the lava, sending burning hot steam up on to it's now unprotected skin.
In an attempt to get away from the cascading rain it ducked under the lava, coming up again a moment later, and blasting hot ash in Fina's direction.
Aika suddenly ran out in front of her only to be engulfed by the ash.
Vyse shaded himself from the storm, knowing there was no help for his friend.
When the ash died down, what he saw made his heart stop.
Both Fina and Aika were petrified, standing as still as statues, each covered in ash.
Aika stood defensively over Fina, who was hunched over the Rune.
With Fina gone, the rain clouds dissipated, leaving only Vyse, the Rockwyrm, and Cupil.
The silver ball began to squeak frantically as it's master was turned to stone.
It wasn't that that surprised Vyse the most however, it was the fact that he could here a voice in his head.
"What will I do?" it asked frantically as Cupil circled his head around and around, "What'll I…do? Mistress Fina is turned to stone, I'm lost! What will I do? I…I can't hear her thoughts, I have no instructions, I'm alone! What will I do? What will I…"
"Cupil!" Vyse yelled, far louder than he had wanted.
The Voice in his head stopped and the silver animal looked at him with astonishment.
"You…you can hear me?" the voice said, clearly alarmed, "But…but only Mistress Fina can hear me. How can you hear me? Your not even a Silvite!"
"It's something I'll have to ask Fina when we rescue her," Vyse said irritably, pressing himself against the wall so the Rockwyrm couldn't see him, "There is a way to rescue her and Aika…right?"
Cupil nodded frantically,
"Oh yes, yes, but first we must defeat the Rockwyrm. Otherwise we are in big trouble, HUGE trouble!"
"But how do I do that?" Vyse asked.
Cupil suddenly closed it's eyes and disappeared into thin air, reappearing in his hand. It was warm and slippery to the touch.
"Concentrate you energy through me," It said, "Picture the most powerful sword you know of. Then, you must drive me directly into the Rockwyrm, allowing me to take it out from the inside!"
"But what if it ducks below the lava?" Vyse asked, knowing how much Fina loved the little ball of…silver stuff.
"I am indestructible," The voice in his head replied proudly, "Nothing can destroy me!"
"No need to brag," Vyse muttered mutinously as he thought up the most powerful sword he knew of, the sword of Daccat.
It was roughly half his height, with little spikes jutting out along one edge to increase the damage done by it.
He felt movement in his hand, like someone had dropped a couple of worms on it.
Upon looking down he realised he was looking at the sword he had thought up, only it was entirely silver and had two little black dots of a pair of eyes stretched along the blade.
"You must get me to at least to the top of the neck for this to work," The voice said.
Vyse smiled and unsheathed his second cutlass from under his tunic.
He started to run towards Rockwyrm, his cutlass and Cupil ready to strike.
The Immense fire beast roared in defence as the Blue Rogue ran towards it.
Vyse jumped high into the air ignoring the searing heat of the lava below, landing on the remains of one of spikes on the back of it's neck.
Vyse acted quickly and drove his smaller cutlass into the Rockwyrm's back, giving himself something to support him so he could climb up to the head.
The Rockwyrm kept shaking it's ugly head, trying to shake off the small creature that had decided it would be fun to poke it in the back.
Vyse finally reached the segment between the head and body.
He once again drove his cutlass into the Rockwyrm's back, giving him a place to stand on.
The beast howled with pain and began to thrash again.
Before he attacked he looked over at the still form of Fina and Aika.
"I do this for you," He sighed.
With all his might, he thrust Cupil deep inside the Rock monsters tough hide, causing it to scream out in pain.
As he pushed it in further to the hilt, Cupil slowly changed again, allowing itself to slip into the monsters blood stream.
The Rockwyrm froze for a moment, before beginning to writhe in pain, throwing Vyse of it's back and into a wall.
Vyse felt pain spasm through his body as he hit it, blood leaking from his head as he landed on the floor, the taste of iron filling his mouth and senses.
But that was nothing compared to the pain that the Rockwyrm was going through.
It was screaming, so high that it hurt Vyse's eardrums.
It threw itself against the walls of the chamber, as if trying to rid itself of something by beating it out.
Suddenly it began to grow purple, it's body looking as though it was freezing over!
Vyse gasped as sure enough, small pockets of crystals were beginning to pop up all over it's skin.
The pockets grew into large spots, the spots began to merge and cover the entire beast.
It was all the Rockwyrm could do but look fearfully as it was frozen from the inside out, despite the lava around it.
Soon it was completely frozen, bobbing slowly like a bottle in water.
Vyse stood up, a confused look on his face.
Suddenly the ice began to crack, before totally shattering, leaving the limp form of the Rockwyrm to fall back into lava and sink below the burning liquid.
As the last of it sunk below the lava, Cupil seeped out of it's mouth as ash suddenly fell from Fina and Aika like dust from a shelf.
Aika fell to one knee, clearly drain of all her energy, panting for breath.
Fina blinked and stood up straight, gazing about.
"Ok…What just happened?" Aika panted, standing up straight.
"I am not certain," Fina murmured, looking down at the rune in her arms, "The last thing I remember was casting the spell of the Rune, and then…and then,"
Her eyes suddenly fell on Vyse, down on one knee, Cupil hovering worriedly over him.
"Vyse!" she gasped as she ran over to him, kneeing down beside him, "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," He said, forcing a smile through the pain in his head, "I'm just fine,"
She looked at him with worry.
"You can't keep protecting us like this Vyse," She said, "You keep getting badly hurt."
"Jimmy's dad says 'things that don't kill you will hurt at first, but it is that which makes us stronger,' " he said with a grin, "I've been beaten up far worse than this before. Hey I'm still alive, and as long as I'm still alive, I'll protect you both with my life."
She smiled at him as Aika came up behind her and hugged Vyse tightly.
"Your brilliant Vyse," she murmured, "Not even pain stops you,"
Vyse smiled slightly at the compliment, although something was on his mind.
He had heard Cupil in his head, and yet, now he couldn't hear anything, just the bubbling of the lava. Why was he able to hear Cupil? He had never heard the silver animal before, why had he been able to hear him in his most time of need.
He suddenly noticed Fina was staring at him, her eyes slightly out of focus.
"Now why are you staring at me like that?" he wondered.
All of a sudden Fina blinked and looked down, as if ashamed.
Deciding he would ask her about when they were out of danger, Vyse uncoupled Aika from around his neck and stood up.
"Is the crystal in the next room?" he asked Fina as he pulled her up.
"Yes," Fina said quietly, averting his eyes.
"But there's just one problem," Aika said, standing on the edge of the pool of lava, "We're over here, and the doors over there, how are we supposed to get to it?"
As if in answer to her question, the door shunted downwards slightly, before falling down to the floor with a bang, creating a bridge across the lava.
"I think that's how," Vyse said with a smile at the look of shock on Aika's face.
The trio walked slowly across the bridge to the next room.
What they was made them gasp.
The room itself was made of stone, the walls were decorated in elaborate gold pictures, depicting the Red Civilization in the height of its glory. Hieroglyphics narrated the scene, forming borders around the walls, and the pictures were coloured in with glass and semiprecious jewels. They were standing on a raised walkway and below them were coins, jewels and treasure of only Aika's wildest dream.
In the centre how ever, was a treasure that made all the others pale in comparison.
It was sitting on a small gold alter, shaped like a four headed beast, each head as long as it's legs, each easily two metres long.
Each head looked outwards, as if protecting the treasure that sat in the centre.
"Is that…?" Aika breathed.
"Yes," Fina said with a smile, "That is the red crystal."
She slowly walked towards it, the red glow reflecting in her dark eyes. "Look at it" She said quietly, "although thousands of years have passed since the destruction of the Old World, the crystal still shines as bright as ever."
"I get weak in the knees just looking at it..." Aika replied, staring at the crystal unblinkingly. "I've...I've never seen anything like this!"
"A moon crystal is pure power," Fina replied, "It is the most concentrated source of energy you'll ever see. This crystal alone has the power of thousands...no, tens of thousands of moonstones."
"I can see why it's needed to control something the size of the Gigas," Vyse concluded in awe.
"Exactly." Slowly, Fina reached out, then took the crystal in to her hands. She shivered a bit upon making contact with it, then smiled, turning back to them and holding it out for them to see. "We've finally found the first crystal! And it was all thanks to you!"
"No, Fina, it's thanks to you too!" Vyse grinned, "There's no way we can let Valua get their hands on something like this! They're gonna have to take it off my dead body before I give it to them!"
She smiled gratefully up at him.
"Thank you Vyse," She said warmly, "I'm sure you will do your best."