Ico
X : Solitude
Waiting until the cage swung close to the next, Ico took a flying leap and landed on the edge of the second; climbing up, he ran to the edge and waited until it swung close to the next. The sky continued to grumble angrily as he leapt, nearly missing the cage.
Climbing up, he took a minute to recover, sitting on the wooden cage, dripping wet. The rain slapped at his skin, like little hands scolding him gently. Wiping the water from his eyes, he stood up again, then waited until the cage swung close to the next. Leaping, he caught the edge and pulled himself up.
He continued along the makeshift path of cages, until the could leap to the island edge. Being EXTREMELY careful on the wet rocks, he found a pathway into an inner cavern. Heading down the wet path, he came into a room that was full of machinery.
"What's all this for?" He walked to a gate, peering through. Most of the wheels and cogs were still, but some things were rotating up above. Nearby, a switch stood by the gate- without hesitance, he gave it a pull, which lowered a chain to the water beyond the gate.
"Some help that was." Glancing at the opposite wall, he noticed a broken ladder ran up to the top of the gate. Below, nothing but water was waiting. Then, looking around, he found a crate. Experimentally, he shoved it into the water, then dove in behind it.
Rising to the surface with a gasp (as the water was VERY cold) he pushed the box under the ladder, then climbed atop of it. Managing NOT to tip, he climbed up and found a switch. Pulling it, the gate slid open, giving access to the rest of the cavern.
Merely jumping into the water, Ico pulled the crate to the chain, then climbed up and on. Up above, there was no place to go- but straight ahead, a platform, and a strange looking track-and-trolley awaited. Throwing his weight, Ico began to swing over the waters, then launched himself across, landing on the platform.
Getting up, he looked at the strange trolley on the small track, then gave it a shove. It moved rather smoothly; pushing it into place, it activated all of the machinery in the room.
"Huh. Wonder what it's all for."
He then noticed a large cog was spinning near an exposed surface of rock, one that spun up and around to the next platform. Without hesitation, he leaped off the platform into the deep water. Underneath, it was clear, bitterly cold, and dark- quickly rising, he swam to the makeshift shore and to the cog.
Grabbing a spindle as it came around, Ico found himself quickly rising. Hopping off, he slipped in a puddle produced by his clothes; for a minute, he lay still, but eventually got himself upright. Finding himself face-to-face with long pipes, he was immediately crawling across the wall to the next platform.
"That woman better not have done anything to Yorda..." Ico growled to himself, quietly, crawling across the wall. "She'll regret it if she did!"
Reaching the end of the rope, he found himself having to make a leap to a chain. Doing so, he swung through the air, then let himself swing back. Further on ahead was another chain; making another swing, he let go at the peak of his flight and caught the other chain. Again swinging, he leaped off onto a platform. Climbing up a ladder, he found himself atop parts of the machinery.
"Here we go..." Leaping onto a spinning wheel, he paused for a moment to regain his balance. Leaping off onto the next, then onto another, he finally made it to the end of the cavern, and through a tunnel. The path here was slick and wet, so he went slowly and carefully. Making it to the outside, he had to literally hug the rocks. Down below, the sea threatened to swallow him whole were he to fall, as the sky grumbled angrily above.
Winding up and down the rocks, he came across (finally) a wet path. Huge iron pipes ran in through the cave, providing a path. Climbing up, he ran across them, following around a corner, and to the hole from which they entered the new room. It was a HUGE tower, much bigger than Yorda's, with a giant circular column in the center of the room. All around, the walls were lined with ruin paths- somehow, he'd have to safely crawl down below.
"I remember this room... this is where that moving platform was..." Running to the end of the bridge, he found a chain and crawled down it. Giving a bit of a swing, he launched himself onto the narrow path around the center column. Slowly curling around it, he ran across a bridge then followed a path around the walls. Soon, he came across yet another 'bridge'; hopping up, he found a strange track-and-trolley switch like from before.
"What's this for?" Looking down, he noticed a chain was hanging from the trolley. Pulling it to the wall, he hopped back down onto the pathway below, then crawled down a broken ladder- lining up with the chain, he leapt off and caught it. Swinging, he launched himself to the center column again, on a lower level. Walking around it, he came to another broken ladder.
Crawling down, he looked behind himself and noticed the next level of path on the wall was close enough to jump to. With a risky jump, he caught the edge, then pulled himself up. Taking a moment to rest, he crawled to the wall, and let his head flop against it. His horns clacked against the stone as he did, but he paid no mind.
After getting back up, he wound himself back down around many pathways, then found himself in a very familiar area. Behind him, a row of statues blocked the door to the column- but ahead of him, a cavern entrance awaited. Walking in, he suddenly froze still.
"This is where..."
A spare boat from Ico's trip awaited onshore. It was the cavern that first brought them to the castle; staring numbly, Ico could do nothing but listen to the storm outside.
"I'll bring Yorda here as soon as I get her back."
Walking around, he noticed a makeshift path led up to a strange altar. Climbing up, he headed across the slick path until he came across a seat-like carving. Across it, a large sword lay, glowing softly in the dark light. He identified it as the one his captors had used for a key to the statues- picking it up, he turned, and quickly ran back to the tall tower.
Standing before the statues, he held the sword up- with a flash of light, the statues slid apart, allowing him into the elevator. Walking in, he recognized it as the one that had brought him to his tomb; grabbing the switch, he gave it a pull, then watched the floor.
Several symbols glowed, then a huge slab of stone slid around, until it matched with the 'selected floor'. Reaching the top, he ran out, and found himself in the room lined with caskets. His own still graced the floor, open wide. Slowly stepping out, with an unknown fear, Ico suddenly gasped as he looked at the staircase ahead.
Above, on the second floor, a flock of demons were congreated around a strange platform, all dancing.
"Yorda!" He took up the sword, then took off in a run to the staircase. Up the steps and to the top, he faced the flock, noticing Yorda's figure in the center of the mass. "You fiends! Get away from Yorda!"
Lunging headfirst at the foes, he swung the glowing blade, cutting them asunder in one hit. A few escaped, flying across the room- around him, a handful of the caskets began to glow, more demons appearing in the room. Pausing for a moment, he ran to Yorda, about to grab her hand.
"Yorda, I'm-" He suddenly froze still, his heart missing a beat.
She was still reaching out in the pose from the bridge; her skin was a dark-grey stone, being cold. The girl was staring lifelessly off into the distance, looking like a perfect statue. Ico let out a faint whimper, reaching to her. Touching her arm, and finding her to be solid stone, he suddenly choked out a sob.
Looking back at the demons fluttering about the room, he slowly rose, tears running down his face. Supressing a sob, a strange light began to glow in his eyes; two lights that exploded into bright flames. Staring at the foes, his hand around the blade curled tighter...
"You... YOU WILL PAY!" Suddenly throwing himself off the staircase, he held the sword out ahead of him, skewering a few foes mid-air before landing. Running back upright, he found more coffins to activate, thus revealing more demons.
With a loud yell, he began chasing after monsters- the glowing blade traveled up and down everywhere, powered by pure devotion. More and more demons came from their coffins; all who got too near were sent to rest in the afterlife.
"You monsters! You fiends!" Ico was chasing after one who didn't seem keen on dying, "All of you will become dust!!"
Slaying the last of them, Ico slumped to his knees on the floor, leaning against his newfound blade. It glowed dimly, illuminating the heavy tears that rolled down his face. Silently, he began to drag himself up the staircase, and was soon standing before Yorda's figure.
"You will be okay." He rested a hand against the cold stone, his tears wetting the top of the girl's head. "I won't leave you."
Looking to the wall, he found a door which led into a grand hall. Taking the sword along, he swallowed his tears, then ran in. The huge hall was greatly designed, even though the ages had worn on it greatly. Running up the long path, he finally came across a massive throne; cautiously, he approached it.
Glancing around it, he could hear a faint ringing in his ear. However, there was nothing to be seen in the chair, so, after a minute, he turned and began to run back to the hall. After making it down the first mini-flight of stairs, he was shocked to hear a voice.
"Wait."
Looking back over his shoulder, he spotted a dark mass welling up in the throne. Suddenly a face lit up; the Queen was awkwardly leaning in the throne. She looked as if she couldn't keep herself upright, her face holding a weakened expression. Slowly turning, he walked back up the stairs, then stopped in front of the woman. Angry fires burned within his eyes at the woman; she stared back with a gaze as cold as ice.
"What did you do to Yorda?" Ico shouted, glaring at the woman.
"Silence, child, you are too late..." The Queen shifted slightly in her throne, speaking firmly. With a sharp draw of breath, she continued, "My body has grown old; not much longer will it last..."
Ico stared, silent, waiting for the rest of the explination.
"But Yorda... she holds the potential for my ressurection... Her fate is to be the vessel of my soul!"
"Vessel of... you're going to...?"
A faint smirk smeared across the woman's face. "When Yorda's body awakes, it will no longer contain her soul. Do you understand what I am telling you?"
A stunned silence filled the room.
"Put down that blade and leave. It is what Yorda wanted you to do."
Slowly staring down at the sword, visions of Yorda ran through Ico's head. A frown sprouted across his face. In his mind, he could see the girl staring at him with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, something that hadn't come until after they had left the tower. Slowly, he remembered her hand, holding him from falling; to have Yorda's spirit gone from the world, he felt, was like ten year's drought and plague.
"..." Suddenly grasping the sword in both hands, he let out a yell, "You can't kill her! You have no right!"
Taking off in a run, he swung the sword sharply over his head...