Glow: HEHEHEHEHEHE!
Viv: HEHEHEHEHEHE!
Verdana: Those two are driving me crazy!
Jordan: Wha'd are you telling me for! I can't do anything about it!
Odd: -comes in, coffee cup in hand- What's all this yelling about?
Verdana: ODD! -knocks coffee cup out of his hand and starts to pummel him- Are you really that big of an IDIOT! (He is still on crutches)
Glow and Viv: Odd's in trouble, Odd's in trouble!
Jeremy: Here comes the show! Verdana is going to beat up the already crippled Odd. I'm going to narrate.
Aelita: Let's go watch. Umm...read the story, and kindly leave a review. -vanishes through door way-
Chapter 17 : The Crypt's Secret
Verdana led the way to the crypt. It really wasn't all that far away and it didn't involve climbing up the mountain further or going back through the forest. They climbed (actually it was more like sliding) down the mountain.
After they had been walking for about ten minutes, Verdana stopped them. Jordan sat down and shook the dirt out of his virtual shoes. "You'd think that rocks wouldn't get into your shoes in the virtual world." he joked. He felt something poking him from his pocket. He reached in and pulled out the glowing blue goggles. "I forgot that I put these in my pocket. Is it just me, or are they glowing more than usual?" Viv looked at them.
"Well, I'd say they are definitely glowing more than before." she said. "Maybe you should put them on and see what they do." Jordan nodded and placed them over his eyes. He glanced around behind them. "Whoa. Everything is, well, very blue. Hold on. What the fuck? Holy shit!" He ducked to avoid a projectile shot at him. "We're under attack by OSTA's brothers!"
Sure enough, four red to yellow colored human shaped beings emerged from the landscape behind them. "Jeez, they don't know when to give up do they?" Aelita said. "Lemme handle this." She was filled with a new confidence from some unknown source. The four brothers rushed at the gang in a line. Aelita stepped in front of them and held out her arm. With a smile she waved good-bye to them and pressed the wave on her wrist. The resulting sound wave picked them up and sent them flying miles away. "Shall we continue then?" she said as she turned around. Everyone nodded, then turned around and walked off.
"Remind me never to make her angry when we get home." Odd whispered to a stunned Jeremy.
He nodded back at Odd. "Definitely."
Aelita heard this and smiled as she walked along. For the first time in a while she didn't feel like the feeble girl in need of protection. She could take care of herself for once. A surprising thought popped into her head. - -When I see X.A.N.A. again, I'm gonna give him the biggest ass-kicking he's ever had. I'm not the defenseless, little princess anymore. This time I'll have the power- - she thought with determination.
About ten minutes of quick walking brought the group, now larger than when it started, to the crypt entrance. It was done in an Oriental style, with the curving roof and dragon head statues. Though it wasn't on the top of a hill or mountain, it overlooked the valley and picturesque village below. Verdana gulped slightly, and then entered. The rest of them exchanged looks, and then followed.
They all gathered right inside the entrance, standing in front of a stone tomb. Behind it, there was a doorway leading down into darkness. Verdana placed a hand on the tomb and dragged it along its length. A chill went through the room, seeming to originate from the dark doorway.
On impulse, Jordan pulled out the blue goggles and put them on. It was like a video playing in front of his eyes as he watched what happened.
What Jordan Sees
The Shadow stands next to the tomb. It is The Shadow, although he looks lighter than in the present. He pushes the top off and it bangs on the ground. "So 'Creator' I know what you did, so I'm gonna make sure you never rest in peace." he said. He forms an energy ball and casually drops it into the tomb. The preserved body of an old man bursts into flame. "You're just a sick old man, and you deserve to burn in hell forever." The Shadow says as he walks back out.
The scene changes. Now Verdana is standing next to the open tomb. She reaches in and pulls out a large iron ring with three skeleton keys on it. Then she replaces the top easily. Verdana walks over to the doorway. There is a heavy looking wooden door on it with an iron lock in the center. She fits one of the keys inside and turns it. The door opens into the darkness. "Perfect." she mutters to herself.
There are various scenes of Verdana locking up viruses. She pushes them through the door then locks it again, despite furious banging from the captives. One of them is OSTA and co. being shoved down into the darkness. She pushes them down one by one, OSTA last. With a pained and angry look, she shoves him down extra hard.
One last scene plays out. The Shadow is once again standing next to the tomb. He does not bother with it, but walks around to the door. He is so dark now that it is obvious that he has been The Shadow for a long time. With a cruel smile, he blasts the door off its hinges. Then he enters the darkness. A few seconds later, he returns, followed by a chain of zombie viruses. "To my workshop to fix my toys!" The Shadow cackles evilly. The viruses follow him out. CHEV and her gang are among them.
End
Jordan described everything he saw in detail. When he was done, he asked Verdana about why The Shadow hated the seemingly innocent old man in the tomb.
"Oh, there's not much to that. He meant this place to be a perfect vacation spot. For real people like you to come and relax. My family was real before he turned us into programs. That was the unintentional result of making us stay too long. Everyone else in line to get in was sent back home and they lived normal lives. My brother was always bitter about it. I suppose it hurt most because he was our grandfather. He made his own daughter into a program and got her killed. It broke him, so he came here to die."
Silence greeted her words. Everyone exchanged looks. "I'm really sorry that he was your abuelo." Viv said uncertainly, trying to break the silence. Verdana shrugged.
"I didn't really know him all that well. Anyway, I think he's been punished enough." she said, ignoring the stunned looks on her friends faces. "Thanks to Jordan, I now know what I need. I got to find out how my brother freed the viruses."
"So you needed someone else to use the goggles to see that. Why? And why give them to me?" Jordan asked, glad to be asking something that didn't relate to Verdana's past.
"I can't see through them. I can't explain why, only that I can't use them. I chose you because you're the only other program I trust." she replied.
"A PROGRAM!" everyone else shouted, utterly surprised.
"What do you mean by that?" Jordan asked nervously.
"You're a program that X.A.N.A. took over as he was running from me. He brought you into the real world to be his agent. He took you from a world called Moflyt. It's one of the core systems. You're part of the ruling family. I happened upon that information when I was in the Origin System." Silence followed once more.
"Say what?" Odd asked totally stunned.
"Oh, don't make me repeat it, Odd. It was painful enough for Jordan to hear once." Verdana said sadly.
"Sorry, I was just surprised, that's all. Although, come to think of it, it fits him." he replied.
"Are you saying that Jordan doesn't deserve to be human?" Viv said in a dangerous voice.
"Ummm, no, that's not what I meant." he said quickly. "I was referring to his being part of the royal family. Somehow, it suits him."
Jordan looked thoughtful. "I guess you're right. It just seems right." He glanced around at the rest of the gang. "Is there any other reason we need to be here? I have a feeling that we don't have that much time left."
Verdana nodded, and then cocked her head, listening to something. Odd listened too, using his cat hearing. There was an almost silent sliding sound coming from the dark doorway. Verdana dropped into fighting stance effortlessly and waited for the thing to come out. It was a huge, lumbering slug like virus. Verdana smiled. - -What and idiot! My brother sent the stupidest of the viruses to guard the Crypt. He must have really thought I wouldn't come here- - "B.A.Z.T.U.K. how nice to see you."
He looked puzzled, and then straightened to his full height. "Hello Indevrigo. I haven't seen you around in a while. Where you been?"
"Oh, just here and there. You look a little different; you do something to your casing?" she said as she moved slowly towards the dark door behind B.A.Z.T.U.K. He turned and stayed facing her.
"You like? I added that special thing I said I would. I see you got some new weapons. Anything good this time?"
"Yep. I got some pretty sweet ones. Any upgrades for you?" she kept the conversation as she back into the darkness. The virus followed, not noticing.
"Not besides the extra armor. Unless you count this spiky thing on my back an upgrade. You've gotten bigger. I remember when you were this high. Was that an upgrade?" Verdana didn't answer, but flipped over him and pushed him into the dark.
"Sorry, but I have an appointment to keep with Manuel. You know, my brother." she stretched the last word out. "Let's go give The Shadow a piece of our minds."
With Tron
Tron stumbled into the village. He came in from behind the platform and saw Shanil's skeleton. He gulped and peeked around the edge at the seemingly deserted village.
"This does not bode well for my future. I better lay low until I find my target." He snuck up on one of the roofs. "I'll wait here and hope they don't look up."
Glow: Odd is in the hospital now, getting more stiches and another cast. Probably more than that.
Viv: I still did the most damage!
Glow: And leave a couple,umm, things in your review. And thanks to those who know who they are, who gave us they know what.
Viv: That makes no sense whatsoever. Care for another round of Surge?