AN: I don't know much about the geography of Mexico City, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't really matter. But if it does to you then fill me in and I'll change whatever is wrong.

DISCLAIMER (that is not in the beginning, but applies to the whole story): I am getting nothing from this story but a major headache because I want to finish it and I don't want to work on it at the same time! This and I own nothing, absolutely nothing, all I have are the clothes I am wearing now.

TITLE (also not in the beginning, but applies to the whole story): In the Cave of Wonders Many Never Come Out Because Once One Turns The Final Corner All Will Be Lost to Madness

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Nigel stumbled into a small clearing. It looked like the place that Oscar had described to them. There was no way to see the clearing unless you tip toe on your right foot and lean 4 degrees to the left. But that is besides the point for Nigel just stumbled into the clearing without even looking.

"Sydney, Oscar, I think I found it. Syd, are you there?" Nigel breathed into his radio. "I am about seven miles southwest of our original position."

"I heard you Nigel; I think it'll take about an hour or so for us to get to there. Set up camp and we'll have lunch before we go in." Sydney replied.

"Nice of you to remind me of that wonderful day, Sydney" Oscar's voice crackled over the speakers.

"Sorry. But anyway, set up and don't go in until we get there." Sydney warned.

"Sure thing Sydney" Nigel said.

There wasn't much to do. Nigel took out the only blanket he had, laid it down on the stone floor that surrounded the cave and he figured he was pretty much set up.

After about ten minutes of doing nothing, five minutes of studying a flower, and three minutes of staring at a bird, which stared back until the cry of another bird scared it away, Nigel brought out his sandwich and began eating his lunch. He downed the sandwich with some water and using his backpack as a pillow he rested his eyes.

-

Sydney picked up Nigel's trail and was beginning to seriously regret ever deciding to split up.

The sun was still in the sky and she had been hiking as fast as she could for the last two hours, and in another three hours the sun would set. Which was good, they would have enough time to explore the cave before setting up camp.

Sydney stumbled through particularly thick bush. She pushed a branch out of the way and tripped over a hidden root but caught herself gracefully. Sydney stood up and straightened her clothes; she looked around and spotted Nigel's equipment on the ground, but no Nigel.

Sydney took out her radio, "Nigel, where are you?"

Sydney waited for an answer but there was nothing, "Nigel, come in." Sydney demanded.

There was static and then Oscar replied, "Sydney, what happened?"

"I'm in a clearing, Nigel was here, he set up camp but he's not here anymore."

"Maybe he got lost."

"How would he have managed that? He was here first, how can he get lost?"

"Did he go in the cave?" Oscar asked, avoiding her questions.

"Nigel wouldn't do that, he strongly believes that we should do things like that together." Sydney replied.

"Maybe it wasn't his choice." Oscar said.

Oscar's statement sank into Sydney and she desperately hoped that it was not the case. Sydney sighed, "Where are you, Oscar?"

"Right behind you" Oscar announced, struggling through the thick brush. Oscar shook off a few leaves that clung to his hair and walked towards Sydney.

Sydney took a good look around, half expecting Nigel to come out of the trees and explain that he was only taking leak. But Sydney heard nothing. There were no sounds from the rest of the forest, things went eerily quiet. Oscar noticed as well, "Sydney, we should search for Nigel."

Sydney nodded, but she wasn't sure where to start. Sydney kneeled down on the blanket and lightly touched it. She sighed again and stood up. "He must be around here somewhere."

"Sydney," Oscar hesitated, "I know this isn't a good time to tell you this, but I think that if I don't then things might get worst."

Sydney looked directly into Oscar's eyes, "What is it?"

Oscar took a deep breath, steadying himself and then he plunged into his explanation so that he would not have to think, "There is another reason that I called you here, besides the fact that my fiancée is missing. Some men approached me.

They knew everything, Syd. Everything and I didn't know what to do. They told me to contact you and to get you here, I'm not sure why and I'm still unsure, I didn't plan on calling you but then the disappearance and really that whole story is true and that is the only reason that I called you.

But then I found out that they were working for Jaime Lucero. Do you remember him, Syd? You know that guy who almost killed us? Well anyways, after that whole fiasco, Lucero went ballistic. He's been building up for something big, and no one had any idea what. But I found that it has something to do with these caves."

Sydney listened to Oscar, wondering how he managed to get all that out in only two breaths.

"What's with the caves?" Sydney demanded.

"There's a legend about a Spanish soldier and the sister of an Aztec general…" Oscar explained the whole story and then went back, "The Aztec general was arrested and executed for the murders of his friends and sister. They say that the caves were where the gods stored their power when they did not need them. The Aztec general stumbled onto it and the power drove him mad. Lucero wants that power."

"Is there anything that Lucero would want specifically?"

"Well there is a legend that says there is a jade collar in the caves that is the source of the gods' powers but that is purely legend. However, Lucero might think that it is fact."

"And where would our dear, sweet Nigel fit into all of this?"

"I don't know, Syd. This was never my plan…"

Sydney held up a hand to quiet Oscar from the rest of his explanation, and she moved to a patch of bushes that looked as if they had been trampled. At first glance, Sydney would have assumed that it was the path that Nigel had used to get into the clearing. However, if Nigel had entered that way he would have come from the north, instead of heading towards north.

Sydney carefully maneuvered herself to the other side of the lush bushes and found several footprints in the soft sand.

"Is Lucero here?" Sydney asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Come on, we need to find out if he has anything to do with Nigel's sudden disappearance."

"Sydney, are you sure about not checking the caves?"

Sydney debated this, she was positive that Nigel would not go into the caves without her but then there was a little nagging feeling that she might be wrong.

"Sydney, if you don't want to go into the caves, we can just yell into them and see if he answers."

That seemed to be a good idea. Sydney nodded and walked to the cave; she lowered her head and yelled into the dark caves, "NIGEL!"

---

He was slowly making his way deeper into the small cave, following the growing light.

He really wasn't sure what happened. He was sure that he had fallen asleep because this couldn't be real.

He had closed his eyes, and he had fallen asleep, he knew he did.

But that would not explain why he was now walking.

That was not possible, if he was asleep, unless this was part of a dream.

This was getting annoying; if this was a dream then there should have been a giant floating banana somewhere. Nigel looked around expectedly but saw nothing remotely like a floating banana.

He had no memory of ever going into the cave. He would have waited for Sydney. This was not a something people do alone; at least something he wouldn't do alone.

Nigel finally registered what he saw around him. The light was stunningly beautiful it looked pure white but at the same time, Nigel could see that the light seemed to be made of many colors. The light seemed to warp around the walls and radiate from them.

Nigel curiously kept going deeper, the urge to find where the light originating from his top priority.

The stunning light played alluringly on the smooth cave walls growing brighter with each step Nigel took towards a sharp corner.

A sudden noise jerked him out of his trance and he tripped on his own feet. He landed roughly on the stone floor and let out a grunt of surprise as he realized this was reality.

He didn't know how long he had lay on the floor but he finally realized that someone was calling his name.

He shouted back in return and dazedly tried to get up.

Suddenly the light was gone, the blackness of the cave became consuming and Nigel let it consume him.

---

Sydney heard something resound on the cave walls and yelled once more into the cave. However the second time there was no reply. She tried a few more times before a voice called back out.

Sydney set down her backpack, quickly took out her flashlight and ran into the caves, keeping low so that she would not smash her head against the ceiling. Oscar followed behind, his pace much slower than Sydney's.

She wasn't sure how deep the cave went but there were no forks and she was grateful. Sydney ran until she saw a rough outline of something on the floor illuminated by her swinging beam of light.

Sydney slowed to a stop and focused her flashlight on the form, making sure that it was indeed Nigel.

Sydney rushed up to him. He looked physically all right but he was out cold.

"Nigel, Nigel," she said so gently and shook his shoulder but he made no move to prove that he was aware of her.

Sydney turned around and saw Oscar's dark form walking towards them. "Oscar! Get your ass over here!"

----

Voices, they sounded angry but he couldn't understand the conversation. His mind was numbly aware that something weird had just happened.

Nigel opened his eyes to see Sydney and Oscar in an animated discussion; however he still had no idea what they were talking about.

He slowly realized that he was lying on the blanket that he had laid out in front of the cave. He slowly sat up and then groaned as his head exploded in a sharp pain. He scrunched down low to get away from his headache, but they don't work that way. Hiding doesn't help. Nigel rubbed his temples and gradually looked up to find Sydney crouched next to him with her hands lightly massaging his shoulders.

"Nigel? Are you okay? What happened?" Sydney asked quietly, not caring if he could not answer at the moment.

Nigel groaned in response and continued to rub his temples. He propped his arms against his knees and put his head against his arms as Sydney continued her massage.

"I'm not sure. I was laying down here and then the next thing I remember I was about to turn a corner in the cave." Nigel said his voice slightly muffled.

"What hurts?" Sydney asked.

"Head"

"Do you want anything?"

"Home"

"Anything I can get you while we are in the middle of a lot of trees?"

"Honey"

"What's with the H's? Although your accent sort of take the H's out of your alphabet."

"Hurt"

"Okay, if the H's make you feel better."

"Hmmm…Syd?"

"Yes, Nigel."

"Aspirin, please?"

Sydney smiled, "Why don't you lie down, I don't think we're gonna be doing anything else today."

Nigel didn't reply as Sydney lowered him down. She found the aspirins and gave Nigel two, which he swallowed down with some water.

Sydney stood up and walked over to the cave, wondering what could have possessed Nigel to go into it without her.

Oscar hesitantly approached Sydney. "Sydney, maybe we should leave while we still can. I mean there is evidence that other people have been here."

Sydney looked tiredly at Oscar, "I know, but we can't really go anywhere until Nigel can actually get up, so our best bet is early tomorrow morning." Sydney glanced at Nigel's sleeping form, "We can last the night. Besides what's the worst that can happen?"

"What are the famous last words of all horror movie actors?" Oscar said half seriously and smiled in spite of himself.

"That probably does jinx everything," Sydney thought out, "But it's too late to take it back now."