This took me a bit longer to get up. I got distracted by a wedding in the family last weekend, so now I'm back at my computer hammering out some more stuff. Right now it's still a lot of Rydia's own thoughts, very introspective. Cecil's still a bit silent, as his character at the moment, even in the game at this point, doesn't say too much, and (as far as we know) doesn't take off his helmet, so his expressions are a bit limited too. That's going to change in the next few chapters, especially as Rydia starts to "grow up" during their journey together and Cecil starts to really stand up for his actions and take control of the situation (he's really a broody character now that I think about it. I didn't really realize it so much until I started writing about him. This is also before he gives up the dark sword) Enjoy!
The Desert and Finding the Water Caverns
A week had passed and Rydia was getting tired of wandering around the desert. They had fought moths, worms, sand creatures, small impish creatures, and giant centipedes, and they were just now finding the pass through the mountains that would lead them to the water caverns. At least their packs were full of items they had found on the monsters they'd encountered.
Rydia felt proud of herself, though. She could now cast ice, something she had learned from fighting one of the moths. She'd done it by accident, but her fingers had crossed just the right way and she'd said just the right words, and ice came out of the air and froze the moth into a crystal. It was a very handy spell to have in the desert, she'd come to realize, and had used it on everything else they'd encountered. She had even learned a basic cure, but it only helped a little, and she didn't use it too often.
She and Cecil had kept each other company fairly well, and they had found things to talk about; like what kind of country Damcyan was, how Baron had become so powerful, and what kinds of chocobos a person could ride. "Kain" never came up again in conversation, but Rydia could tell something was weighing heavily on Cecil's mind besides the journey for the sand ruby. Maybe it was being so far from home…
Rydia tried not to think about Mist. It already followed her dreams in the shape of flames, and she didn't feel it needed to follow her waking thoughts too. She tried to focus on everything else around her, something that would make her forget. She channeled a lot of her energy into using her bow, but even so, she couldn't hit a target twelve feet in front of her.
She was growing stronger, she could feel it. She didn't get tired as much as she used to, and injuries from the monsters they fought no longer bothered her as much as they once did. She was tanner as well, her skin bronzed from the constant trek through the desert. Cecil had told her the day before that it made her eyes blaze a brilliant shade of green because her skin had darkened. She was glad that it hadn't made her look more awkward with her green hair, but Cecil assured her she looked lovely.
They reached the end of the pass and stood in front of the entrance to the cave. The cold air from the inside was unmistakable, and felt refreshing from the desert air of the last week. Cecil looked down at Rydia once before leading the way into the cave and down its chiseled stone steps. Rydia followed a bit farther behind. She had never liked caves…
The deeper they descended, the colder it became--and damp. The only light and source of heat was the torch that Cecil had found at the cavern entrance and lit. Watching the torch flame flicker off of Cecil's helmet, Rydia felt as if her skin were crawling, it was so uncomfortably damp. She could hear water dripping to unknown depths and hugged her chest to keep herself warm. Cecil always kept his sword unsheathed, as if he was constantly expecting an attack at any time, and she stayed as close to him as she could, not wanting to get separated in such a place.
They found a few chests as they ventured on, and finally came to a point where the cave roof soared above them, exposing a massive cavern that went even farther below them into large pools of water. Rydia peered over the ledge on which they were standing, and saw the indistinct pools of water that were black in the dim light. It almost sounded to her that something was jumping in and out of the water below, and she quickly picked herself up and jumped back to Cecil's side.
"Something down there?" Cecil asked.
She shook her head, her widened eyes pinned to empty space. "I hope not."
He chuckled, the first time Rydia had ever heard him chuckle, and it made her feel lighter and less afraid. They ventured on a bit more until they rounded a curve in the cavern and saw a light ahead of them, illuminating a small bridge that spanned a crevice in the floor. Cecil and Rydia advanced slowly, not sure what to make of it. As they got nearer, they saw a figure standing near the light, an old miserly gentleman.
He saw them about the same time they saw him, and raised the staff in his possession, shaking it violently.
"No one passes this point!" he shouted. "Turn back now, and you will be spared!" His voice boomed against the cavern walls.
Rydia glanced up at Cecil's helmeted face, and he took her by the hand. They continued towards the bridge despite the old man's warning, and came to a stop at the foot of the bridge.
"I said turn back!" the man repeated, his long beard quivering as his chin shook in anger. Rydia hid behind Cecil and stole glimpses of the strange man from behind Cecil's back.
"Fool, you don't know the danger that awaits you past this point, turn back now!"
When Cecil refused to budge, the old man adjusted his glasses and squinted at the two of them from across the bridge. "Is that a dark sword you have?"
"It is."
"Then you are a dark knight?" the old man inquired.
Cecil paused for a moment and then answered. "I am."
The old man set down his staff and shuffled towards them. Rydia clung to Cecil tighter than she had before. She had not expected this man to rush towards them like this. Even Cecil shifted backwards, not sure of what the old man was doing.
The man stopped just in front of Cecil and clutched for his armored hand. "Thank goodness, I can't believe my good fortune," he was saying.
"What are you talking about--who are you?" Cecil asked, a suspicious edge to his voice.
"My name is Tellah. I was looking for my daughter who ran off with a bard after I refused to consent to their union."
"The sage, Tellah," Cecil said, "I've heard about you."
"I was going to put a stop to their elopement, you see, but I was halted in my attempt by a monster that is guarding the exit to these caverns. Perhaps with your sword and my magic we can defeat it and break through to Damcyan!"
"I'm not sure if—"
"At least we can help each other get out of the caves, if it is Damcyan you are trying to reach as well. Let me join you, we can fight together!"
Rydia heard Cecil sigh resignedly and nod his head. "Very well. Do you know the way out of here?"
"Of course I do! Follow me!"
Following the eccentric old man who called himself Tellah, Rydia kept by Cecil's side, wondering where this journey was headed next. All she knew was that they had to keep following the flickering torch in the old man's hand, and hope he remembered where he was going...
Behind them, the cave faded into complete darkness—dark except for a few pairs of glistening eyes and hungry mouths watching a pair of torches flicker in the distance, waiting for their chance to strike…
