Level 2 + The Three Staircases
Sublevel 3 + Tempest Sea
As she climbed the last few stairs, Fuu noticed that the hallway was widening. The walls gradually drifted away as she crept up, finally becoming so far apart that her fingertips could not touch them if she spread her arms wide apart.
Then, as she came to a standstill on the third step from the top, she looked up at the huge, heavy twin oak doors that stood before her. They were as wide as the hallway, and they reached all the way to the high ceiling, coming to an arched point at the apex. Fuu furrowed her brow, wondering how she would ever get those gigantic doors open.
She came up to the doors, grasped the intricately carved handles, and pulled experimentally.
Nothing.
Fuu placed her palms against the smooth, polished doors. She pushed.
The doors opened easily, swinging away from her so swiftly that she nearly fell. They creaked and groaned until they came to a rest, wide open before her.
Beyond the doors, a tempest sea raged. Before she had any time to react, the fierce waves reached into the hallway, snatching Fuu up in their greedy hands and pulling her in.
The strength of the stormy sea dragged Fuu deep beneath the surface. She was disoriented, unable to find her sense of direction. Do not panic, she told herself as she was thrashed about. Let yourself go.
She stopped struggling, and as the air in her lungs grew stale, she found herself drifting towards the surface. Immediately, she regained her bearings and swam for the top of the waves.
Upon her surfacing, Fuu didn't even get to take a breath of blessed air before a wave smacked her in the face, dizzying her and pouring seawater down her throat. She choked, vomited, and gasped for air, struggling to keep her head above the water.
Fuu scanned her surroundings hastily. All she saw was water towering over her on all sides, pummeling the surface, pummeling her. She was dragged under again, then again, then again.
Weariness began to set in as Fuu fought the angry waters. Her limbs were screaming for rest, and her lungs were aching and slowly filling with water. She was just beginning to consider letting herself simply drown when the fierce waves slammed her against something hard.
Stars swam before her eyes. Fuu reached out, her trembling hands groping for something to hang on to. Then --- oh, then --- she felt the most lovely thing she had ever felt in her life.
Another hand wrapping around her own.
She felt herself being hauled up, but before she could look up to see her rescuer, a rush of water banged her head against the side of the rock or boat or whatever she had slammed into.
Her world grew dark.
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
When Fuu opened her eyes, the world was blurry and made up of shadows and smears of color. She closed her eyes again, groaning softly. She was acutely aware of her burning throat, her aching lungs, the pain that stabbed every nerve in her body.
"Oh, God, just let me die," she whispered.
"Sorry, miss, but I don't think you'll be dying anytime soon."
Fuu's eyes flew open. Her vision was still blurred --- where were her damned glasses? --- but there was someone leaning over her, close enough that she could make out the masculine face.
"Sir?" Fuu found her voice shaky and hoarse. "Might you please hand me my glasses?"
"Your... Oh!" He placed them on her face gently. "There. That better?"
Fuu smiled weakly. "Much. Thank you." She saw that he had tanned skin and bushy black hair, along with thick eyebrows that were just as bushy. There was a small, x-shaped scar on his chin. He was smiling a little, but looked concerned. Fuu summoned her tired voice, asking, "What happened?"
"It was storming," he replied, "and I looked outside and saw you out in the waves. You were close to the island, so I ran out and pulled you up from the rocks."
She smiled. "Thank you. You have saved my life... er..."
"Geo."
"Geo-san." Fuu sat up painfully, wincing. She sighed. "I wonder what my test will be this time," she murmured to herself.
"Test?" Geo leaned forward. "Miss, are you one of the girls playing the game this time?" She nodded. "Oh... I didn't realize." He furrowed his brow, silent a moment. Then he stood, striding out of the room without a word.
Fuu stared after him, concerned. She didn't like his sudden change of attitude. It bothered her very, very much.
She slid off the cot she had been lying on, wincing again as she was strongly reminded of the pain. But it had lessened, and it continued to dimish as she walked to a mirror hanging on one of the blank white walls.
Peering into the mirror, Fuu saw that her headpiece had been removed. Her hair hung wet and nearly straight around her face, darkened from its usual blond to a deep caramel from the wetness. Her pallor was exaggerated beyond its normal tone, and there was a dark, ugly bruise on her forehead, another on one cheekbone, and a third at her jawline. I must have hit the rocks rather hard, she thought, frowning in distaste at the sickly-looking marks.
Turning away from the mirror, Fuu sighed, crossing the room and standing at the wide window that was placed on the opposite wall, next to the cot. Outside, the sky was a solid, steely gray, and the thin sheets of bleak rain and the vaguely choppy surface of the water showed that the storm which had been so violent to her was winding down.
Fuu was gazing out the window dreamily, her mind wandering for once, when she felt Geo enter the room again. She glanced back over her shoulder, and she saw that his face was grim. There was no smile upon her lips, either.
Are you ready, Fuu?
She balked, startled. Geo was speaking to her in the way that she had thought was only possible by herself --- that speaking without words within one's mind. Fuu stared, shocked. You... you have the same gifts that I have?
Yes, although I doubt that yours are as developed as mine. Geo closed his eyes, rubbing his temples wearily. To speak with words is so tiring... This way is much easier, yes?
I am afraid that it is quite the opposite for me, Fuu sighed, gazing out the window again. To speak within my mind is rather tiring.
Geo came up behind her, handing her her headset. She placed it back upon her head as he grabbed her wrist gently in his strong hand. Come with me.
Fuu found herself suddenly outside in the heavy yet somehow gentle rain. She blinked, startled, and glanced over at Geo. He had his arms crossed over his chest, the short sleeves of his dark green shirt plastered against his muscular arms, wet from the rain. Fuu, he began, do you see what I am seeing?
She closed her eyes, shutting out the visual world. Through the link between their minds, she "saw," so to speak, the cave nearby, cold and wet and opposing. She felt the fear, heard the cries, and she shuddered.
Geo-san... what is inside that cave?
He took her wrist in his hand again, this time walking, leading her over the slippery rocks and down to the cave itself. A thin, sorrowful wail, trembling and frightened, rose from the darkness within.
Save her, was all that Geo said.
Fuu didn't question. She stepped inside the musty-smelling cave, shivering in the cold. She was out of the rain now, but the dampness in here made her wonder which was better.
She crept deeper, crouching down to keep from bumping her head on the low ceiling. She pressed a button on her earpiece, and the visor across her eyes immediately kicked in, allowing her to see through the darkness, seeing the cave in a greenish glow.
Fuu came to a little cliff; she lowered herself gently onto the slope, sliding down it with one hand behind her and another out in the air for balance. At last, she slid to the bottom, and there she saw the girl.
She was a little girl, with very pale skin and dark hair tied up on either side of her head. She was curled up in a tight ball, whimpering and shivering and crying. She wore simple, dark crimson robes, which she pulled tight around herself as meager protection from the chill of the cave.
Fuu crawled over on her knees, reaching out and touching the girl's shoulder. "Are you all right?" she whispered.
The girl's violet eyes snapped open. She whimpered pitifully, shrinking away from Fuu. "Go away," she managed in a shaky voice. "Go away, you mean ghost."
"I am not a ghost." Fuu gathered the little girl in her arms, hugging her tightly. "Are you very afraid?"
"Yes." She sniffled.
"Then I will get you out." But Fuu stopped. How could she get the little girl back up the slope and out of the cave?
Then she knew.
Fuu closed her eyes, holding the girl close to her as tightly as she could without hurting her. Focusing every fiber of that wretched gift of hers, Fuu thought of one place and one place alone: the seaside rocks where Geo waited.
She felt her atoms breaking apart, felt them rushing faster than she had ever thought anything could move, felt them reassembling. Then she felt the slick rocks beneath her feet, and the little girl in her arms, and Geo's presence at her side.
Fuu opened her eyes.
The little girl was staring up at her in admiration. "You saved me," she whispered.
Fuu smiled. "What is your name?"
"Aska."
"I am Fuu." She set the girl down. "And now you are safe."
Geo's golden-brown eyes rested on her. You have won, Fuu. Just as I expected you to.
And the darkness ensued.
Sublevel 3 + Tempest Sea
As she climbed the last few stairs, Fuu noticed that the hallway was widening. The walls gradually drifted away as she crept up, finally becoming so far apart that her fingertips could not touch them if she spread her arms wide apart.
Then, as she came to a standstill on the third step from the top, she looked up at the huge, heavy twin oak doors that stood before her. They were as wide as the hallway, and they reached all the way to the high ceiling, coming to an arched point at the apex. Fuu furrowed her brow, wondering how she would ever get those gigantic doors open.
She came up to the doors, grasped the intricately carved handles, and pulled experimentally.
Nothing.
Fuu placed her palms against the smooth, polished doors. She pushed.
The doors opened easily, swinging away from her so swiftly that she nearly fell. They creaked and groaned until they came to a rest, wide open before her.
Beyond the doors, a tempest sea raged. Before she had any time to react, the fierce waves reached into the hallway, snatching Fuu up in their greedy hands and pulling her in.
The strength of the stormy sea dragged Fuu deep beneath the surface. She was disoriented, unable to find her sense of direction. Do not panic, she told herself as she was thrashed about. Let yourself go.
She stopped struggling, and as the air in her lungs grew stale, she found herself drifting towards the surface. Immediately, she regained her bearings and swam for the top of the waves.
Upon her surfacing, Fuu didn't even get to take a breath of blessed air before a wave smacked her in the face, dizzying her and pouring seawater down her throat. She choked, vomited, and gasped for air, struggling to keep her head above the water.
Fuu scanned her surroundings hastily. All she saw was water towering over her on all sides, pummeling the surface, pummeling her. She was dragged under again, then again, then again.
Weariness began to set in as Fuu fought the angry waters. Her limbs were screaming for rest, and her lungs were aching and slowly filling with water. She was just beginning to consider letting herself simply drown when the fierce waves slammed her against something hard.
Stars swam before her eyes. Fuu reached out, her trembling hands groping for something to hang on to. Then --- oh, then --- she felt the most lovely thing she had ever felt in her life.
Another hand wrapping around her own.
She felt herself being hauled up, but before she could look up to see her rescuer, a rush of water banged her head against the side of the rock or boat or whatever she had slammed into.
Her world grew dark.
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
When Fuu opened her eyes, the world was blurry and made up of shadows and smears of color. She closed her eyes again, groaning softly. She was acutely aware of her burning throat, her aching lungs, the pain that stabbed every nerve in her body.
"Oh, God, just let me die," she whispered.
"Sorry, miss, but I don't think you'll be dying anytime soon."
Fuu's eyes flew open. Her vision was still blurred --- where were her damned glasses? --- but there was someone leaning over her, close enough that she could make out the masculine face.
"Sir?" Fuu found her voice shaky and hoarse. "Might you please hand me my glasses?"
"Your... Oh!" He placed them on her face gently. "There. That better?"
Fuu smiled weakly. "Much. Thank you." She saw that he had tanned skin and bushy black hair, along with thick eyebrows that were just as bushy. There was a small, x-shaped scar on his chin. He was smiling a little, but looked concerned. Fuu summoned her tired voice, asking, "What happened?"
"It was storming," he replied, "and I looked outside and saw you out in the waves. You were close to the island, so I ran out and pulled you up from the rocks."
She smiled. "Thank you. You have saved my life... er..."
"Geo."
"Geo-san." Fuu sat up painfully, wincing. She sighed. "I wonder what my test will be this time," she murmured to herself.
"Test?" Geo leaned forward. "Miss, are you one of the girls playing the game this time?" She nodded. "Oh... I didn't realize." He furrowed his brow, silent a moment. Then he stood, striding out of the room without a word.
Fuu stared after him, concerned. She didn't like his sudden change of attitude. It bothered her very, very much.
She slid off the cot she had been lying on, wincing again as she was strongly reminded of the pain. But it had lessened, and it continued to dimish as she walked to a mirror hanging on one of the blank white walls.
Peering into the mirror, Fuu saw that her headpiece had been removed. Her hair hung wet and nearly straight around her face, darkened from its usual blond to a deep caramel from the wetness. Her pallor was exaggerated beyond its normal tone, and there was a dark, ugly bruise on her forehead, another on one cheekbone, and a third at her jawline. I must have hit the rocks rather hard, she thought, frowning in distaste at the sickly-looking marks.
Turning away from the mirror, Fuu sighed, crossing the room and standing at the wide window that was placed on the opposite wall, next to the cot. Outside, the sky was a solid, steely gray, and the thin sheets of bleak rain and the vaguely choppy surface of the water showed that the storm which had been so violent to her was winding down.
Fuu was gazing out the window dreamily, her mind wandering for once, when she felt Geo enter the room again. She glanced back over her shoulder, and she saw that his face was grim. There was no smile upon her lips, either.
Are you ready, Fuu?
She balked, startled. Geo was speaking to her in the way that she had thought was only possible by herself --- that speaking without words within one's mind. Fuu stared, shocked. You... you have the same gifts that I have?
Yes, although I doubt that yours are as developed as mine. Geo closed his eyes, rubbing his temples wearily. To speak with words is so tiring... This way is much easier, yes?
I am afraid that it is quite the opposite for me, Fuu sighed, gazing out the window again. To speak within my mind is rather tiring.
Geo came up behind her, handing her her headset. She placed it back upon her head as he grabbed her wrist gently in his strong hand. Come with me.
Fuu found herself suddenly outside in the heavy yet somehow gentle rain. She blinked, startled, and glanced over at Geo. He had his arms crossed over his chest, the short sleeves of his dark green shirt plastered against his muscular arms, wet from the rain. Fuu, he began, do you see what I am seeing?
She closed her eyes, shutting out the visual world. Through the link between their minds, she "saw," so to speak, the cave nearby, cold and wet and opposing. She felt the fear, heard the cries, and she shuddered.
Geo-san... what is inside that cave?
He took her wrist in his hand again, this time walking, leading her over the slippery rocks and down to the cave itself. A thin, sorrowful wail, trembling and frightened, rose from the darkness within.
Save her, was all that Geo said.
Fuu didn't question. She stepped inside the musty-smelling cave, shivering in the cold. She was out of the rain now, but the dampness in here made her wonder which was better.
She crept deeper, crouching down to keep from bumping her head on the low ceiling. She pressed a button on her earpiece, and the visor across her eyes immediately kicked in, allowing her to see through the darkness, seeing the cave in a greenish glow.
Fuu came to a little cliff; she lowered herself gently onto the slope, sliding down it with one hand behind her and another out in the air for balance. At last, she slid to the bottom, and there she saw the girl.
She was a little girl, with very pale skin and dark hair tied up on either side of her head. She was curled up in a tight ball, whimpering and shivering and crying. She wore simple, dark crimson robes, which she pulled tight around herself as meager protection from the chill of the cave.
Fuu crawled over on her knees, reaching out and touching the girl's shoulder. "Are you all right?" she whispered.
The girl's violet eyes snapped open. She whimpered pitifully, shrinking away from Fuu. "Go away," she managed in a shaky voice. "Go away, you mean ghost."
"I am not a ghost." Fuu gathered the little girl in her arms, hugging her tightly. "Are you very afraid?"
"Yes." She sniffled.
"Then I will get you out." But Fuu stopped. How could she get the little girl back up the slope and out of the cave?
Then she knew.
Fuu closed her eyes, holding the girl close to her as tightly as she could without hurting her. Focusing every fiber of that wretched gift of hers, Fuu thought of one place and one place alone: the seaside rocks where Geo waited.
She felt her atoms breaking apart, felt them rushing faster than she had ever thought anything could move, felt them reassembling. Then she felt the slick rocks beneath her feet, and the little girl in her arms, and Geo's presence at her side.
Fuu opened her eyes.
The little girl was staring up at her in admiration. "You saved me," she whispered.
Fuu smiled. "What is your name?"
"Aska."
"I am Fuu." She set the girl down. "And now you are safe."
Geo's golden-brown eyes rested on her. You have won, Fuu. Just as I expected you to.
And the darkness ensued.
