III
Chapter 22
Although they were walking in the desert for hours, almost two days, the sandy landscape never seemed to change
Although they were walking in the desert for hours, almost two days, the sandy landscape never seemed to change. Fortunately, they decided to do the travel during the night, when the heat of the sun was far from their skins; but, against all he had thought, that big sand box was horrible even during night time.
"How can a place be hotter than hell during day, and a freaking freezer at night?"
He was wearing some layers of clothing, but sometimes he still felt a cold shiver going down through his spine. But, despite the time of the day, what was really pissing him off, was the never ending sand at his feet and sight. Night or day, there was always the same dunes, the same sky, the same sand entering trough their clothes... Ject was starting to doubt if Josh knew where they were going.
- You sure we're on the right track? - he finally asked.
- Yes. - Josh asked, with a grunt.
-You don't sound very confident...
-I'm pretty sure we're on the right way. Be patient. - he answered, clearly annoyed and without stopping walking of looking at Ject. What was wrong with him? He remembered him from Zanarkand, from the Zanarkand Abes. Josh had always been a happy person and a good player. But back in Macalania, when they were making plans with Marckus and the rest of the group, he seemed different, he wasn't actually happy, but not sad either... he looked secretive, suspicious, and even a little scared. But that was no wonder... Ject himself felt intimidated in the presence of Marckus. That guy was insane; the way he talked, the look in his eyes, that creepy sadistic smile he always had on his face... he was a madman for sure. Ject actually felt relieved that he was doing this with Josh. But it wasn't that that Ject thought it was wrong with Josh... in that past two days, since they went to Sanubia Desert, he had been acting differently from his behaviour in Zanarkand or with Marckus. He was with a terrible mood, he hardly talked and was very, very impatient; like if he was doing that against his will. Something was wrong. And Ject was determined to find out what, so he had been talking to him to see if ha revealed the reason for that odd behaviour...
- How can you be sure of that? All I see is sand everywhere, there are no points of reference at all.
-That's because you're looking to the wrong place. - Josh said, and looked at his blitzball companion. Ject only answered with a confused look. - Look up to the sky.
They both raised their heads to the night sky of the desert. As there were no clouds at all, they could see every single star in the sky. Hundreds of stars, maybe thousands, shining in the dark sky, all of them randomly disposed in the Universe, but some of them seemed to create patterns, figures; constellations. A true natural masterpiece of art.
- The stars can tell us lots of things. - Josh said just loud enough for Ject to ear.
- So, you travel according to the stars? - Ject had already heard about night orientation trough the stars, but he never seemed to understand how it worked.
- Yeah. - they started walking again - I learnt some things about it in Zanarkand... you know, when we went to practice in the sea. I used to talk with the captain of the ship, and he taught me some basic stuff about night orientation.
- I see... - Ject answered and directed his look to Josh, who was still looking up to the stars.
- Makes you wonder, eh? - he asked, with an enigmatic expression on his face.
-Uh? What?
- You didn't notice? - Josh finally looked at Ject. - the constellations here in Spira are the same that appear in our Zanarkand.
- Okay...- he had no idea where Josh was trying to get with that.
- Don't you see? Thet means that our Zanarkand really existed! - Ject looked puzzled - I mean, not really in the sense that it was... you know, real; it was still only a dream. But the place where the city was summoned by Yevon might really exist in this world.
- I see... - He had never thought about it, but now that he was thinking, it was a good idea. He had always considered that his Zanarkand was in some kind of parallel dimension or something like that. But this would explain how Auron and himself while Sin could travel between Spira and Dream Zanarkand.
- Well, anyway - Josh talked again, returning to the bad mood - We're supposed to go to the ruins of Home, and we're going in the right way.
- To steal an airship, right?...
- Yeah.
They continued walking. Ject thought, for some moments, about that theory about Zanarkand, until he remembered that he hadn't found out the reason for Josh's bad mood.
- So, we need that airship to hunt some people, right?
- Right. - he said with a grunt again. Just minutes ago he was excited about Zanarkand, and now he was all angry again. Ject wondered if he was bipolar.
- Is it so bad that these people know about us that we have to kill them?
- You know what Marckus said...
- Yeah, but... -but he didn't trust Marckus at all. - I mean... What's your opinion about all this?
- Does it matter?
- Well, since we're gonna kill people, I guess we all should have a word on this. Besides, as far as I understood, those people don't really know about us, it's just one of them who talked to Tidus, right?
- Yes but that person... she, can talk to the Faith easily and if they work together, they can find and kill us ... We don't want that happening, right?
- How do you know that she will help the Faith? She doesn't know that much about us anyway.
- She will talk to the Faith, I'm pretty sure about it.
- How do you know? - how could he be so sure... maybe he knew who she was. - Do you know who is she?
- Yes. I mean, No! I mean... - "Shit, I talked too much" - We, ahm, have a clue.
- Really? Who is she, then?
- She's... - Josh was trying to hide the embarrassment - Nobody. She was just at the wrong time, talking with the wrong people. Sorry, I can tell no more about it.
- Why not? - Ject was now angry - I thought we were all in this trouble together;, I should have the right to know what you guys know!
- Sorry, Marckus told me to keep secret. For your own safety. - he answered defensively.
- For my own safety? What the hell is that supposed to mean?! - Ject was getting red with anger.
- You and Tidus are both new to all of this, you don't understand... - he turned around to Ject - Look, I want this as much as you do. I wished we didn't have to kill her, but , unfortunately, we have to. When this is all over, I'll explain it all to you, but until then, we follow Marckus' orders.
Some tense seconds of silence passed away between them. Ject was as angry as confused. Follow Marckus' orders? Since when he had become his boss?
- Why do we have to do as Marckus says? Don't we have a head of our own? - Ject inquired, crossing his arms.
Josh let out a long sigh.
- Marckus is crazy, he's an idiot, and a sadistic bastard. But he always knows how to solve these troubles... - "Even if he's the one causing them..." - And, he is the only one who knows how to transfer a mind and soul to a body, he's the only one who can keep us from going to the Farplane. If we piss him off, he might just let us die.
"So, he is forced to obey Markcus' orders because he's afraid of him... "
- Let's just end this. - Josh said, as he started to walk.
--
Apparently Josh's orientation was right, as the two men arrived at the ruins two hours later. The remains of a once huge building rested in the sand; big rocks were scattered everywhere, burnt wood could be seen everywhere as well. Ject had never seen the building when it was still in one piece, but by the dimension of the ruins, he could guess that it was a very big construction. He wondered how the Al-Bhed managed to build that in the middle of nowhere. They walked inside one of the many rooms in ruins, and rested there. Their plan was to wait for a group of Al-Bhed, catch them by surprise and steal their airship. It should be easy, as groups of Al-Bhed were always stopping by their destroyed Home to look for parts of machinas that they could use on their airships and gadgets; and, usually, the groups were small, about 3 or 4 people, so it should be easy for Josh and Ject to do their task.
They didn't have to wait for long until an airship landed near the ruins and two men walked out of it.
- Okay, let's go. - Josh said as he and Ject grabbed their weapons (a big sword for Ject, and an Al-Bhed rifle for Josh) and started walking towards the men. - Hopefully those two are the only crew of the ship, but just in case there are more inside, we better make as less noise as we can.
- You scare them with that gun you have, and I'll make them uncounscious if needed. - Ject wanted to make sure that they won't have to kill them too.
- Sounds like a plan. - he agreed.
They moved closer to the Al-Bhed men, hiding behind the piles of rocks that separated them from their targets.
- Tysh, fa ynnejat zicd eh desa. - one of the man said, with a worried expression.
- Oayr, E drehg dryd airship fuimth'd mycd uha suna sema mega drec...
- What the hell are they saying?... - Ject asked to himself, but loudly enough for Josh to hear.
- Shhh!...Who cares?
- Alright, sorry.
- Listen, they look like they don't have any guns or weapons... I'm going to show myself to them and point my riffle at them. If they surrender, good. If not, you come to scene and do your job.
- Roger.
- Oui drehg fa'na kuhhy veht dra lypma rana?
- Oayr, ed'c hud rynt du veht, E kiacc.
- Drec bmyla ryt paah cu bmihtanat mydamo, dryd E tuipd dryd drana ec y mud mavd oad... - the man said, looking around, as if he was looking for something.
In that moment, Josh stepped out of the rock he was hiding, pointing his riffle to the Al.Bhed duo, and shouted:
- Don't move!
- Fryd?!
- Fru yna oui? - the men were terrified. One of them didn't move, the other raised his hands, but was now slowly putting them down.
- I said, don't move! - Josh shouted to the man ha had raised his hands.
- Oui ryja ouin kih fedr oui? - the one that was petrified managed to ask.
- Cred. E mavd ed uh dra airship! - the other replied, annoyed.
- Shut the fuck up or I'll shoot you! - Josh screamed again. Hearing all this, Ject decided that it was better to step up too. He walked next to Josh, holding the big sword firmly with both hands, ready to use it if necessary.
- Tysh... - was all that one of the Al-Bhed man could say before Ject hit them with his fist and knocked them unconscious.
End of Chapter 22
I'm really sorry for the long time without posting any new chapter, but some troubles in the "real life" were keeping me away from writing. I even considered to stop this fanfic (along with other projects I'm involved in)... But, hopefully it's all solved already...
Anyway, I'm back :) And I hope you enjoy this new chapter.
And, if you're wondering about what the Al-Bhed men are saying, here are the translations (in the order they appear in the dialog):
- Damn, we arrived just in time.
- yeah, I think that airship wouldn't last one more mile like this...
- You think we're gonna find the cable here?
- Yeah, it's not hard to find, I guess.
- This place had been so plundered lately, that I doubt that there is a lot left yet...
- What?!
- Who are you?
- You have your gun with you?
- Shit. I left it on the airship!
- Damn...