Part 2:
The bed was warm and soft, and the portion of the room that Gusto could see through his half-closed lids looked cozy and inviting. He snuggled deeper into the blankets, trying to will the portion of his brain that had awakened to fall back asleep for just a few more minutes.
But wait, his mind spoke up as he eyelids flew open, this wasn't where he lived. Where was the roar of the waterfall or his art supplies? He jumped up only to slam his head into a shelf that was above the bed.
"Ow," he mumbled, rubbing his head. He could feel a small knot forming already.
"Are you trying to wake yourself up or knock yourself back to sleep?" a familiar voice asked.
Gusto's gaze drifted upward and saw Artie perched on a small shelf above the door. "Artie? Where am…" His voice trailed off as the memories of the previous day slammed into him with such a force he involuntarily flinched. Before he could force his mind to forget, visions of the destroyed city and Gummi skeletons swam before his tired eyes. He shook his head as he pushed the images deeper into his mind. His memory was usually horrible, but the one time he wanted to forget something it seemed impossible.
He looked up at Artie and gave his best impression of a smile. "How long have I been asleep?" he asked, trying to sound cheerful. He stretched while still lying on the bed.
"I don't know," Artie answered, "When I came down here this morning they told me you were asleep. I was a little worried when you didn't show back up at your place." His voice made it obvious he was more than a 'little worried'.
"The only way I could've made it back," Gusto responded, still stretching, "Is if I went sleepwalking." The muscles in his legs were knotted tightly from the previous day's excursion and hurt when he moved. He kneaded the taunt muscles with his hand, but he couldn't seem to work out the tightness.
"Oh, and Grammi said that Zummi finished translating the diary or something like that," Artie said.
"Journal," Gusto corrected, quietly, "I remember her saying something about that last night, but I wasn't sure if that was real or I was just dreaming."
Yawning, he got up from bed and quickly straightened up the blankets and sheets. Unfortunately, the wrinkles in his clothes couldn't be straightened so easily. He had fallen asleep without changing and had even left his sandals on. He wasn't vain really, but he still hated looking so disheveled and didn't dare look into a mirror just yet.
Once the bed was made, he lifted his right arm out and Artie flew down and landed on his shoulder. These actions were done without any words being passed between the two for they had been around each other so long that they had learned to recognize each other's actions and emotions. That was why Artie knew that something was bothering Gusto, but he would wait until his friend felt like talking.
Gusto walked out of the room and into the long hallway that ran the length of Gummi Glen. When he walked into the main room, he was not particularly surprised to see all the others, except for Cubbi, gathered there.
"Mornin' Everyone!" Gusto greeted them, smiling. He tried to put every ounce of happiness he could muster into his smile, but it still felt false upon his false.
The other Gummies mumbled their greetings with far less enthusiasm. Tummi looked worse than Gusto felt with dark circles around his already tired and bloodshot eyes. Gruffi however appeared to be feeling perfectly fine despite their ordeal the day before.
"I guess since Gusto decided to wake up, we're all here," Gruffi said. Only his voice, which was somewhat coarser than usual, betrayed his state of mind. Gusto ignored the verbal jab, knowing that Gruffi was still shaken up from their discovery.
"Cubbi's not up yet," Sunni announced, "I'll go wake him." She started to get up.
"Let him sleep," Gruffi commanded, "He needs his rest." Gruffi glanced at Gusto; both of them knowing that Cubbi might be very upset when he awoke. "So, what did you find out from the journal?"
Zummi jumped slightly when he realized the question was directed towards him. "Uh, yes the, uh, journal," he stammered. Standing up, he looked at his friends. "The journal was written by an old Gummi who only referred to himself as Elder. Oh, and the language the journal was written in wasn't ancient it was actually more modern than what we usually use. It was just a foreign language not usually used around here." He took a deep breath after his short speech.
"The city was called The Sunset Cavern," he continued.
"Pretty name," Sunni mused aloud.
"Uh, yeah," Zummi agreed, "I guess it was. Anyway, the city wasn't all that well known. I had to book it up in a look, er, look it up in a book."
He picked up a large book from the table and, like a teacher showing a picture from a story to a class, he pointed out an illustration of the city. It was an unusual style as it had four large pillars about the city. "It was not originally supposed to be a city for Gummies to live in," Zummi continued, "It was build to hide the Sunset Caves."
"Sunset Caves?" Grammi repeated.
"Yes," Zummi said, "There were several small caves around the city, but one held a great magical power that not even the Gummies who lived there fully understood. When the light from the setting sun hit the largest of the caves it would glow brightly. According to the legends, if a sorcerer was in the cave at this time, he could obtain unimaginable power. That's why the city was build. The four pillars represented strength, but they also blocked the sight of letting sun, light of the setting sun, from reaching the caves."
"But why did Gummies start living there?" Gruffi asked.
"According to the journal," Zummi explained, "There was some disagreement among the members of one royal Gummi family as to who was to rule. Instead of arguing, the family split into two halves, allowing some of the family to rule over The Sunset Cavern. A small group followed and although the city was fairly large, not all that many Gummies lived there."
Zummi paused as he took a deep breath and looked at the others. "Then, the city was destroyed."
"What?" Grammi exclaimed, leaning forward.
Gusto watched Zummi closely as he waited for him to continue. Since he had seen the overwhelming destruction of the lost city, he hadn't really thought of what had caused this destruction – only the pain and suffering it had generated. Yet, now the answer of the origin of the evil, which he had felt so very strongly in The Sunset Cavern, was about to be revealed and he couldn't help but be intrigued.
Zummi skipped to the back of the journal, but the last half was filled with blank pages. Finding the last page that had been used, he faced the others once more. "I didn't take the time to translate all of it," he admitted, "After I read the first bit, I thought it would be important to read the last since Gruffi, Gusto, and Tummi were going there." He looked down upon the page as he ran his fingers over the words, which had been written by a trembling hand.
"What does it say?" Gruffi asked, his voice unusually soft.
"A sorcerer came to the town," Zummi answered, "He destroyed the four pillars along with the entire city so that the sunlight could now reach the caves. Elder was in another one of the caves at the time when he heard the noise, but by the time he reached the town it was too late. The sorcerer apparently took the magic from the Sunset Cavern and left."
"And the other Gummies?" Sunni asked, slowly.
Zummi looked at her evenly, tears welling up in his eyes. "Elder was the only survivor," he said, his voice breaking.
"No!" cried Sunni as tears came to her own eyes.
"I'm afraid so," Zummi continued, "Afterwards, Elder burnt what was left of the city. There had been a quick car tunnel being built, but it wasn't completed yet. He placed this journal at the mouth of the tunnel so he could tell anyone who found it what had happened."
"What about Elder?" Grammi asked.
"I don't know what happened to him," Zummi admitted, "His last entry only said what he planned to do. However, from some things that he said, I suspect he was quite old at that time, so I truly doubt he would be alive today." He paused to wipe a tear from one of his eyes as he turned to Gruffi. "Was the city burned?"
"Yes," Gruffi answered, tonelessly. He didn't seem to care to elaborate.
"How sad," Grammi remarked, "So, what are we planning to do now."
Gruffi stood up. "I'm going back," he announced.
"But why?" Gusto exclaimed a shade to quickly, jumping to his feet.
"I'm going to have to close off the quick car tunnel," he responded, "That way, if someone found the city, they couldn't make their way back here. Plus, I need to make sure that no one could ever tell that it had been a Gummi city at one time. I know it was burned, but you can never be too careful"
Gusto started to say something else in response, but was interrupted when suddenly Cubbi cried out in his sleep. Instantly, the other Gummies ran into his bedroom where he lay, thrashing in his bed trying to fight off the night demon only he could see.
"Cubbi, dear!" Grammi cried, as she ran to his side and took the still sleeping Gummi in her arms.
"The skeletons," Cubbi mumbled as he woke up slightly.
"Gruffi Gummi!" she yelled, "What did he see yesterday?"
**************
Zummi walked slowly back into the library, his soul feeling as if it weighed 100 pounds inside his chest. After Cubbi had cried out, Gruffi had admitted that there was more destruction that he had originally stated, but seemed reluctant to elaborate. He was holding something back – and Zummi knew exactly how he felt. He wasn't telling the whole story either.
He reopened the journal and turned to the last entry once more. He ran his trembling fingers across Elder's words as he read the final paragraphs.
Why? Why? I've asked myself that question so many times it no longer seems to have any meaning. There is no 'why' anymore. All there is now is what I have to do. I hate this. To be the one who has to kill this young Gummi – the future king of the Sunset Cavern. An innocent yet a liability. He looks so much like his mother when she was a child. I was like a grandfather to her – but now I must kill her child.
The words sound so harsh, but is there a way to soften the act of killing? It's murder, but I see no other way. That demon sorcerer called it a gift, but it is a curse. What if that curse could destroy many lives? I can not take that chance. I can not. Forgive me.
Why does it have to be by my hand? I know why. Because I am the only one here. Yet, if there were a way that I could turn this decision – this act to someone else, I would gladly lay down my own life. But that is not the case.
I will do the horrible act while he is still sleeping and I pray he feels nothing. I don't want him to feel the sting of death as his parents had to. They say that eternity is bliss to the young and innocent. I wonder what it will be like for the old ones that have seen too much.
I am rambling, so I guess I should stop. If there is any wisdom to be taken from this tragedy, then I beg you to take it and please do not pass judgement on this foolish, old bear. Yet, I know I am asking forgiveness for a crime that I could never forgive myself of.
Elder Gummi
The candle burning nearby shone upon his face, as the tears glistened down his cheeks. He knew why Gruffi hadn't told all that he had found. He hadn't told the others about the young prince that had been killed by Elder. There was no use; the young Gummi was long since dead.
Wiping his eyes, he had planned to translate the rest of the journal at one time, but now there seemed to be no reason. He already knew how this story ended.
**************
Gusto looked at the massive painting that he had spent so long working on. Just the other day, he had been so pleased with the work, but now it seemed faded and unimportant. It was as if the destruction he had seen had taken the joy from his heart.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Artie asked.
"Fine," Gusto replied automatically, "I'm still just a bit tired is all."
"If you say so," Artie responded, sounding unconvinced.
Gusto turned away from the painting and found a smaller, unused canvas, which he placed on an easel. Gathering his paint about him, he slowly began to paint the familiar strokes of blue and green gliding expertly across the canvas. As the painting began to take shape, he felt his uneasiness slowly began to slip away.
"Gusto?" Sunni called out from outside, "You here?"
"Come on in, Sunni," Gusto called back as he finished the painting before him. When she walked inside, he greeted her with the first real smile he had been able to produce since first going to the Sunset Cave.
"Wow!" Sunni exclaimed walking up to the massive painting, "I love it!"
"Thanks," Gusto said, "Now if we can figure out how to move it, we'll be doing great!"
Sunni laughed, "But where are you?"
"Right here," Gusto said, pointing to the image of him painting.
"That's all," Sunni stated, "I thought you said you were going to include yourself in this painting."
"I did," Gusto replied, "I told you though, I really don't like painting myself." He walked back over towards his new painting and Sunni followed him.
"When did you do this one?" she asked.
"Just finished it."
"I like it," she complimented, "but it doesn't look like your usual paintings."
Gusto turned his head sideways. "I guess it doesn't," he admitted, "I'd never thought of that before."
"But I like it, anyway!" Sunni said, quickly.
Gusto laughed again, feeling more like his old self once more.
**************
Gruffi was exhausted by the time he made it back to Gummi Glen. He had returned to Sunset Cavern the day before, yet he told the others he wanted to go alone. He really didn't have that much work to do and he really didn't want the others to see this place. Gusto had seen it before, but Gruffi wasn't sure how well he was handling the situation.
Elder's fire had destroyed almost every Gummi artifact in the city, just as he had apparently planned to do. The only thing Gruffi had found intact was a part of a portrait of a young Gummi girl. The fire had destroyed most of the portrait so that now all he had was a small piece and the weathering had faded it to only a black and white image, but it still haunted Gruffi to look at it. She looked so young and carefree; it was hard to think that she might have died in the destruction of the city. Gruffi knew he was being ridiculous: she could have merely been the creation of a creative artist (he had seen Gusto invent a few Gummies before in his paintings) or, if she did exist, there was no guarantee she was in the city at the time. Still, he couldn't help but wonder.
After he examined the city, he had pulled a remained of a stone wall on the Gummi remains that had not been destroyed by the fire and had closed off the entrance to the quick tunnels from the inside. Later, he would close off the end that led to the Glen, but he could do that later. Right now, he wanted a hot bath and sleep.
He was walking down the hall just as Sunni came out of her room. "Hi, Gruffi," she greeted, "You look beat."
Gruffi nodded and started to say that he was tired, when suddenly his eyes opened wide with apparent shock as he stared at Sunni.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, feeling uncomfortable.
"This can't be," he mumbled, "It just can't be."
End Part 2
I just know how much everyone loves cliffhangers *tee hee*. Anyway, next part is coming along. I would have had it done, but some things came up that I wasn't expecting. I have the next part of "Of Dragons and Angels" that I'm working on and I'm almost done with "Grasping At Love's Last Straws." Oh, guess who now how a literary agent! Look for my first book, "Mark of Spade" coming soon!