Ico
IV : Vertigo
"Come on, the door is this way!"
A misty, foggy courtyard was surrounding the two companions, the doors to freedom standing wide open. Both of the kids were running at full speed, straight for the doorway. Lunging through the open gates, Ico was suddenly jolted back as Yorda came to a halt.
"Ico!"
He turned around to find the courtyard swimming in shadow; just before the door, Yorda had been taken around the legs and was being pulled into the darkness. With panicked whimpers, she clung weakly to his hand.
"I won't let you go, don't worry!" Straining, he began to pull back, trying to pull Yorda free. Sinking quickly into the dark mass, Yorda suddenly gasped as a hand latched onto her head and began to push her down.
"No! You can't have her!" Struggling with all his might, Ico continued to pull- suddenly her cold hand slipped from his own like air."
"Ico!" She screamed as she was engulfed, the courtyard now a thick, pitch black. Stumbling back, Ico felt the gates shut behind him, and all at once he was swallowed.
"Oh!"
He opened his eyes, glancing about the cold walkway.
"Just... just a dream?"
Looking down, he noticed Yorda's hand lying close to his. Eyes running up her figure, he then found her to be resting her head against his own, like he hadn't a pair of horns. She appeared to be asleep, with her eyes closed and her face held in a soft, relaxed expression; her breathing was calm and smooth like a steady autumn breeze.
"Hey..." He gently nudged her, "Wake up now."
Yorda's faded eyes slid open slowly, looking at Ico's own sleepily.
"How long have we been asleep? Why didn't you wake me up?"
Righting herself, Yorda glanced around. No longer was it the early morning, but rather, some time around noon. The sun beat down, making the stones of the castle a touch warmer than before.
"Well, come on, let's go." Rising off the couch, the boy helped his friend up. "I don't think a short nap hurt anything, huh?"
Again she was gazing about the walkway, silent. She only moved when she was pulled along, stumbling behind her energetic friend.
Around another corner, the two found themselves standing atop many buildings. The wind angrily whipped around the stone roofs, whistling a deathly tune. They were so high up that the base of the castle couldn't be seen, nor the lapping of waves against the island's walls.
"We're up so high..." Ico's hands were trembling some, "We've got to be careful when walking around up here."
Slowly he started off, Yorda in hand, looking about the round rooftop. A staircase wound down around it's outside, heading to some tracks down below. Walking over, they began climbing down, both hugging the walls with good reason. The wind angrily slapped at their faces, and Yorda was having a hard time keeping her hair out of her face. Upon reaching the bottom, they found a suspended railway running around the wall.
"That's weird, maybe there's a cart?" Ico glanced around, somewhat apprehensive of standing on the narrow tracks. His hand suddenly felt wind rush against it's palm, signaling Yorda had let go. "Yorda?"
She was walking on the track, mindful of the gaps, around a corner.
"Wait, come back!"
Instantly she came to a halt, and walked back to him, taking his hand.
"Don't wander off up here!"
"..." She was staring off at the track around the curve.
"What, is something over there?" Standing on the tracks, walking slowly and carefully, the boy began to head in that direction. Coming around a curve, a trolley was awaiting at the end of a broken track. "Hey, good eye!"
Climbing up, he pulled Yorda up then walked to a switch. Giving it a pull, they suddenly lurched backwards at the broken track, causing Yorda to collapse into a seated position on the platform.
"Woah! Wrong way. Are you hanging on?" After making sure she was safe, he pushed the lever ahead, and the cart smoothly began to run across the track. Around the curve, they were suddenly overhead open seas.
Keeping his eyes on the path, Ico paid no attention to the waters below. Yorda, still seated, was staring down at the sea with a natrual sense of vertigo. Moving to the center of the trolley, she hugged her knees and closed her eyes.
"Here's our stop!" Ico let go of the lever slowly, the ride ending before a wooden block. Up against a wall, a ladder was awaiting the two. "Are...you okay?"
Pained whimpers were emitting from the pale girl.
Kneeling down beside her, Ico rested a hand against her back. "Don't be scared. You won't fall down."
Looking up at him, she blinked thin tears out of her eyes.
"Don't cry, either." Taking her hand, he slowly rose up, pulling her upright. "Come on, we need to go up the ladder, okay?"
Letting go of her hand, he climbed up the ladder and waited at the top. With a bit of encouragement she came up, as well, instantly clinging to him when reaching the top. The path ahead ended, where it once fell apart, making a large gap from building to building. An old, open-walled tower was housing a crane, still holding a huge crate.
"I wonder if it still works..." Walking to the edge, he let go of Yorda, staring at the crane. "Don't wander off, I'll be right back!"
As Ico began to search for a way to climb to the tower, Yorda dropped down and hugged her knees, silently rocking back and forth. The wind was still whistling, and as far as she was concerned, that became the 'sound' associated with heights. Heights were unpleasant things, now, in her mind, and she thought that if she couldn't see them, they weren't there.
Climbing across the stone wall Ico hopped to the crane's domed house and found the switch. Giving it a pull, the crane suddenly swung around to the side, the box lowering just before Yorda. With a run, he leapt onto the crate, which swung momentarily but remained steady.
"Hey, come on!" He walked to the edge, holding his arms out.
Looking up, she rose upright, shaking. Walking to the edge, she managed a weak jump and was caught in his arms. Upon being moved to the center of the crate, she yelped when she felt her hand loose contact with Ico's. Opening her eyes to a squint, she saw him climb back to the main tower, and pull the switch. All of a sudden the crate moved, so she collapsed onto her side and clung for dear glory.
It swung back around and went up, stopping just near the next rooftop.
Silently trembling, Yorda remained still, eyes closed, until she felt a pair of feet drop down beside her. Slowly looking up, she saw the boy stare at her with a very concerned face.
"Don't cry, please?"
"..."
Turning, he leapt to the rooftop, then turned around, holding his arms out at Yorda. Rising to her feet, she jumped, and was caught in his arms. Hand in hand they both ran across the roof and into another building.
It was a great hallway, with boarded up windows and a huge bridge that ran across it's center. Above, sturdy wooden beams ran across, holding up a black chandelier. Down below, the next door awaited, but the floor had long given away, leaving a dark pit.
Walking slowly across the bridge, Ico gently pulled Yorda along, glancing all around the room. As they walked, she was staring at the black iron chandelier, complete with glowing candles, noticing a weak chan holding it up. She came to a halt, bringing her friend to a halt as well, staring at it.
"What is it?"
Silently, she continued to look up.
"That? It's just some fancy lights."
"..." Suddenly she was tugged along, still looking back at it. Reaching the far wall, Ico ran through a door that led to a balcony. A pair of bridges were held up by ropes, but there wasn't a way to get them down.
"Guess we've got to get through downstairs... Hey, where are you...?"
Yorda ran back into the room before, looking at some of the windows.
"Don't run off like that!"
She pointed at the windows, looking up and down them.
Doing the same, he suddenly realized what she wanted him to do. Instantly climbing up the windowsills, he found himself on the wooden beams in no time. Down below, Yorda was watching him move, running about the room to keep an eye on him.
Slowly walking in the center of the beams, he wandered to where the chandelier was anchored, then suddenly dropped down on it. At once, the chain snapped, and the object fell through the air.
Both of the kids shrieked as it smacked against the center bridge, causing a wooden support below to splinter; the metal chandelier split apart, the top half falling onto the floor below, and the bottom off into the darkness.
After everything came to a halt, Yorda ran to the center bridge and found Ico lying across it. Giving him a tug, he rose and gave her a weak grin.
"I think I broke it."
Looking down, Yorda noticed two of the candles had survived the fall in their holders, and pointed at them.
"Okay, let's try to get down there." Staring at the room below, he noticed a door led to the half of the room where the chandelier rest. Grabbing Yorda, they both ran out the first door and found a staircase which wound down. Hurrying, they came to the bottom and stumbled upon some rather odd objects.
Big, and round, with wicks, the objects were lying before the doors.
"Are these candles? They're WAY too big..."
Yorda, at this time, had already wandered into the room ahead.
On a hunch, Ico grabbed one and wandered in, looking at the splintered wooden beam holding the bridge up. Glancing at Yorda, he found her to be staring at the candles. Slowly a thought grew: Wood could burn. You could light candles and they'd stay aflame for a long time. Thus, if they could light the candle then place it directly beside the beam, they could eventually burn it so it'd collapse, becoming a bridge to the other side.
Running over, he set the 'round candle' beside the beam, then walked to the chandelier. Lighting the end of his stick (he had kept it in his free hand at all times, the smart kid) he then walked to the candle and lit it.
Yorda looked confused, watching him walk back, blowing out the end of his stick. He seemed to have noticed her look of confusion.
"If we can burn the beam, you see, it'll fall down and make-"
Both of the kids suddenly dropped to the floor, clinging to each other, as the candle- or rather, a bomb- exploded. The beam was knocked off it's support, which began to fall. The stone bridge cracked, and with the beam, the end fell down; when the beam was caught on the floor, the end of the bridge came to a halt on the other side, the rest of it collapsing into a slant. Thus, there was a bridge leading to the other side.
"W-w-woah!" Ico looked up, staring at the new bridge, "Thank the stars I moved, huh?"
Yorda rose up, looking at the bridge.
"Let's go across!"
By the time they had climbed back up and were about to descend down the newly-made path, pools of dark shadow had formed near the door. Nearly slipping off, the two had made it to their destination.
"Quick!" Ico pushed Yorda to the statues, "Open it!"
The shadows came at them, ready to attack. However, as soon as the statues came to life, they all disintergrated, as if the power also affected them.
"...good job."
The statues slid apart, leading out into bright sunlight. Before Ico could react, Yorda had run out. Following her and taking her hand, he laid eyes upon the open gates ahead.
"The doors are open!" They were at the beginning of a sun-drenched courtyard, "Come on, we can get out now!"
Taking into a hurried walk, the doors suddenly began to close.
"Hurry!" Taking off into a run, Ico pulled Yorda with all of his might, Yorda, stumbling along, tried to keep up, but her foot hit the groove of the stone path and she fell. Coming to a halt, Ico whipped around to help her up when the doors came to a close.
Behind Yorda, a huge dark mass began to swarm up.
"I'll protect you!" Stick at the ready, Ico was about to lunge at the darkness- he stumbled back when a human face appeared within the mists.
A woman, dressed in the darkness, stood behind Yorda, staring through hardened eyes. A faint ringing could be heard around her, and the force of pure black magic felt like a weight pushing against the soul. She spoke, harshly, "Unne compte deus vi'tor ae ue terre, Yorda!"
Stunned, Ico continued to stare up at her.
"So, you are the one aimlessly leading my daughter astray, are you not?" The woman turned her eyes upon Ico, "Do you know who this is?"
He remained silent, staring, unsure of what to do.
"This is Yorda, my beloved daughter; who are you to take her away from me?"
"I'm a prisoner- she is too- we're both going to get out of here together!"
"Fool!" Her voice boomed, "You can never leave this place together OR alone. She is bound to me by fate; there is no way you can leave. She lives in a world, very different from that of a boy with horn's: A world you cannot enter, a world she cannot escape!"
"..." Ico looked down for a moment, feeling quite hurt. How could she be in another world? Could he not touch her, or hold her hand? He responded, strongly, " will help her escape!"
"There is no life, here, or outside the castle walls; accept your fate and die, demon! Leave my daughter, or pay with your life!"
The woman disappeared in a blast of dark light, having run out of energy to remain in the courtyard. Having left her daughter behind, she slunk back to her throne.
"Are you okay?" Ico got down on his knees before Yorda.
"Si'terre ein ule unne, fortiel ein ducant..." She looked up at him.
"Ecanth... du etula... sem'rei." The voice of the queen drifted around the courtyard.
"Come on..." He reached his hand out to Yorda. Silently, she took his hand, and the both rose to their feet. "I made a promise. I'm not going to go back on it just because we're different."
Yorda gave a faint grin.
"Let's see if we can open the gate."
After searching the courtyard up and down, the two came to rest upon a stone couch. The fading sunlight provided a nice warmth, casting a dreamy feel over the two. Drifting off into much needed slumber, both Ico and Yorda were hand in hand, in reality, and within dreams.
"Aeroute..." The word drifted sleepily out of Yorda's mouth as she rested her hand against Ico's. "Aeroute unne."