Alida: Over two thousand words?!?! (Turns on authors) And you were worried the last one was too long?!?!
Kalyi: Actually, it's about two thousand, eight hundred, and twelve words, excluding the commentaries.
Satu-D-2: (snicker)
Star Equinox: (giggle)
Kalyi: Wait. Isn't giggle and snicker the same thing?
Star Equinox: Get into the story. (Shoves both characters into story portal)
Alida: NOT FAIR!! THIS IS GOING TO TAKE US FOREVEEEEEER!!!!!
Satu-D-2: And now, the story!
Star Equinox: Wait! I just remembered! we forgot the copyright!
Satu-D-2: Oh…Uh—never mind. We've already started the stor—
Chapter 4
It took them a good two days to get back to the caravan. When they emerged out of Conall Curach, they were more than happy to see their papaumous patiently waiting, tied to the truck of a tree. Their caravan stood next to him, tilted on an angle since it had nothing to support it.
"Hey Paupau," Alida said wearily, stroking the papaumous. "Didja miss us?" Paupau gave a soft nuzzle on the Clavat's hand. Kalyi smiled, reaching out to pet the papaumous. It gave an indecent snort, and glared at the Selkie. Kalyi immediately withdrew her hand.
"Fine," she muttered. Kalyi Fei craned her neck, searching the stars that were slowly disappearing from the night sky. "I'd say it's about five in the morning," she said. "Let's get some sleep before we hafta leave."
Kalyi removed a small key from her pocket, and unlocked the doors of the caravan. Every time they searched for Myrrh, they had to lock the front and back doors of the caravan to protect their belongings from monsters. Luckily, they didn't have to worry too much. If a monster approached the caravan, Paupau would trample over it; a dire warning to all other monsters to stay away. "All right, Mog," Kalyi said. "Put the chalice away."
"Kupo," Mog replied happily. He went inside the caravan, hanging the chalice on a hook placed on the roof. He promptly fell into the mass of multicolored blankets, immediately dozing off. Kalyi nimbly leaped into the tiny caravan, reaching over to where the sleeping bags were secured, careful not to wake Mog.
Outside, Alida undid the knot that kept Paupau from wandering off. "We can't sleep," Alida said.
"What?" Kalyi asked, as she peered out from the other side of the curtains.
Alida was already preparing the caravan. "We need to leave now." She said, glancing off to the horizon.
"Alida, what do you mean?" Kalyi asked in bewilderment, jumping out of the caravan. "We just spent five days wandering around Conall Curach, and on the last two days we barely even slept. I'm faint from exhaustion!"
Alida rubbed her eyes. "I'm as tired as you are, but we need to go." She blinked, trying to stay awake. "We need to get on the other side of the Miasma Stream as soon as possible."
"Alida, do you know how long that's going to take us? Three whole days!"
Alida shook her head. "Not if we cut through the mountains instead of following the road. We'll get there in one day if we hurry and don't stop to rest."
"Alida," Kalyi interjected, "Nobody travels by that course for a reason. It's dangerously downhill. We could crash."
"I know, I know," she sighed. "But we don't really have a choice. We need to leave Rebena Plains as soon as possible."
Alida glanced off in the distance. "The monsters know we're tired. They might attack us, and we'll be too weak to fend them off."
Kalyi grimaced. Alida had a point. "All right…" she muttered. She climbed into the caravan, securing their belongings.
"…Kupo?" Mog shifted in the blankets. "What are you doing, Kupo?"
Kalyi Fei placed a gentle hand on the Moogle. "We're leaving now, Mog," she said. "But it's okay. You can go back to sleep."
"No, that wouldn't be fair, Kupo." He said, jumping up. "If you and Alida have to work, then I'll help too, Kupo."
Alida glanced at the tiny moogle. "What can you do to help?" she wondered.
Mog huffed at the insult, and flitted over to Kalyi. "Can I, Kupo?" he asked.
Kalyi shrugged. "Yeah, whatever."
Mog went around the caravan, out of the view of the Clavat. Then, very carefully, he hovered above her head, zoning in on her ear. When he was just inches away, he filled his tiny lungs with as much air as possible.
"KUPO!"
"Yeow!" Alida jolted from the tiny ringing voice. "Mog!" she yelled at the moogle, who was speeding off to the safety of the Selkie. "Get back here you little furball!"
Kalyi smirked at Alida. "C'mon. He's just teasing you."
--
The caravan trundled through the grass, leaving the road a few feet behind. It was decided that the group would stop over by a river to restock on food before taking the shortcut. There was a small grove where schools of fishes lived, next to a wild patch of star carrots and gourd potatoes.
Kalyi Fei sat on top of the caravan, keeping a lookout for the bright red marker. Several of these 'food patches' dotted the path of the crystal caravan. It allowed caravaners to restock on food when they couldn't rely on stealing from monsters, and when there were no towns or cities nearby.
"It's over to your left!" Kalyi shouted to Alida. Alida steered the papaumous in the general direction. Up ahead, an iron rod protruded from the ground, with a bright red ribbon tied at the tip.
"Okay, this is good." Alida said, stopping next to the food patch. "Kalyi, grab the fishing nets and I'll dig up the gourd potato and star carrots."
Kalyi made a face at Alida as she climbed off the caravan. "Since when did you become the leader of his caravan?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Alida said.
"You're giving orders," Kalyi pointed out. "This caravan isn't supposed to have a leader. It's been like that since Tipa was established."
"I am not giving orders!" Alida rolled her eyes. "Come on. I can tell which vegetables are matured, and you can tell where the fishes are hiding. Common sense."
Alida took the chalice out, allowing the crystal aura to cover the food patch. "Now come on!"
Kalyi scowled. Even if Alida was her best friend, Kalyi Fei hated it when Alida showed her up in even the tiniest of things. She grabbed the fishing nets and trudged down toward the river.
She moved down until she found a place where the grass was relatively tall. She quickly glanced back, and then laid the net down. She then flopped on top of it, and closed her eyes. She could fish later. A few minutes of shut-eye wasn't going to hurt.
--
Alida's hands were sore from tugging at the stubborn vegetables. The wild roots dug deeper than the ones that grew on farmland. "I'm a tailor's daughter, not a farmer," she muttered in irritation. "Kalyi," she called, "Could you help me for a second…?"
She looked back, momentarily surprised to see no Selkie fishing by the river. But then again, this was Kalyi Fei…
Alida got up, dusting the bits of dirt from her coat. She made her way to the bank of the river. She found Kalyi sound asleep, hidden by the tall grass. Alida sighed. "Oh please…"
A small curve appeared on the Clavat's lips. She glanced at the river, then back at her friend. It was straight downhill to the river.
Very carefully, Alida took a firm grip on the fishing net. Then, she gave a good hard yank. A startled cry passed the Selkie's lips, before it was cut off by a splash of water. Kalyi immediately shot up. "YEOW! IT'S FREEZING!!!"
She stood shivering in hip-deep water, glaring at a Clavat two feet away, who was in a frenzied fit of laughter. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF BLAZING MAGICITES DID YOU DO THAT FOR!?!" Kalyi shrieked.
"Wow," Alida smiled. "'Blazing magicites'? You must be pretty hysterical."
--
Several feet away, two pairs of eyes watched the Selkie and Clavat from Tipa. They had concealed themselves in the tall grass, hidden from view.
The two spies were strong and capable fighters, wearing dark clothes that covered the scars of many battles. Finally one of them spoke up. "Why them?" she asked.
The other sighed. "They have the best potential." He curtly answered.
"Alfitaria would be better; they have more people—"
"No. Tipa is a small village, and this caravan has a moogle. Enough said."
The girl shook her head. "I'm not so sure about this…"
"It'll be fine." He said, watching the drenched Selkie angrily advance on her Clavat companion. The Clavat merely shrugged and replied with a witty remark. This enraged the Selkie as she yelled at the Clavat from the top of her lungs. The Selkie stomped forward, but slipped on the riverbank, and fell back down with a resounding splash. The Clavat then responded with a renewed fit of laughter. "Quick, go tell the others that we're leaving soon."
The girl nodded, and crept back in the direction they had come. Not a single strand of grass wavered to betray her presence.
The boy, now left alone, studied the two caravanners. After the two girls had yelled at each other for a few minutes, the Selkie had sulkily picked up her net and was casting it into the river. The Clavat had resumed digging up the vegetables, using her sword as a shovel.
"Soon," he whispered, "My people will be free."
--
The caravan of Tipa stood at the top of a steep decline. Paupau was unhitched from the caravan, and both Caravanners were busy securing things inside the Caravan. "Did I tell you that this is a bad idea?" Kalyi said, as she bolted the cooking pots and pans inside of the cupboard.
"Not for the twentieth time," Alida answered, removing the dishes and wrapping them in extra blankets before placing them in a large box. "But do you have a better idea?"
"Not really," Kalyi said. She turned to the other side of the wall. Tight rubber bands were stretched across the boxes that lined the shelf, holding back their various belongings. "I just hope the bands don't snap like last time," Kalyi said. She double-checked the straps that held the trunks of clothes. "Remember the mess?"
Alida grimaced. "Good thing nothing broke," she said, hefting the large box she had been packing. "I'm gonna hitch this to Paupau. I'll be right back." She said.
Anything that could crack was placed inside that box. Personal belongings, dishes, even the windows. Kalyi checked the bolts one last time before she jumped out of the caravan and locked the doors.
Alida and Kalyi tightened the wheels so that they wouldn't skid on the slope. When everything was done, they pulled the caravan to the top of the incline, with Mog following them and carrying the chalice.
Turning it around so that it would go backwards first, they gave a good hard shove. The caravan fell back, trundling down the hill. The part that was used to hitch Paupau scraped at the mountainside, keeping the caravan balanced.
For a while, they watched it fall. Then they turned and walked over to Paupau.
Alida climbed on top of the Papaumous, settling herself in front. Kalyi hesitated. "Paupau hates me," Kalyi said. "There's no way how he's going to let me climb up on his back."
"That's silly," Alida said. "Paupau doesn't like you because you don't give him a chance for him to get to know you." She put one hand between the Papaumous's ears, grinning as she gently tickled him. "He's a softy, really."
Kalyi didn't look convinced, and sure enough as she tried to clamber onto Paupau's back, the Papaumous shifted. Alida stilled him with a quiet murmur of comfort. Mog handed the chalice to Kalyi and then latched onto her shoulder. Alida grinned behind her.
"Ready?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Kalyi asked incredulously. "How can you be ready for something like…?"
Her voice broke off as Alida urged Paupau forward, over the edge of the incline. His feet slipped for a moment, sending them skidding down the hill, before he finally gained his grip. The weight of all of them plus the papaumous was too much, and they continued to stumble down at an increasing rate. Kalyi wrapped one arm around Alida's waist and the other around the chalice, Mog clutching tight to her sleeve, while Alida hunched forward and twined her hands into Paupau's thick fur and pressed her face close to him.
"Keep going, Paupau," she urged, clenching her eyes shut tight. "It's okay. I trust you, I know you'll get us there safely."
It felt like an age. Time slowed to a crawl as branches whipped past them, their hearts thumping hard in their chests, adrenaline banishing fear from them, the sound of stones tumbling down the cliff before them ringing in their ears.
Even when Paupau eventually stopped, no one moved. Alida was the first to risk any movement, lifting her head. She saw the mountain range, made of sheer grey cliffs and unlimited rock, their caravan resting against the wall. She let out a whoop of triumph, making both Kalyi and Mog jump.
"Are we dead?" Kalyi asked.
"We made it! HA! Take that, fate!" Alida cried. She jumped off Paupau's back and hugged him tight, actually kissing the spot above his nose. "Great job, Paupau! You were great!"
When he saw that Alida was off him, but still felt someone sitting on his back, he snorted in disbelief and bucked slightly. Kalyi got the point and tried to get off of him, but wasn't quick enough for Paupau. He bucked harder, throwing the Selkie to the ground, as Mog quickly flapped into the air. This left Alida to hug, pet and praise Paupau.
"Why doesn't he like me?" Kalyi asked, sprawled on the ground, with the chalice next to her.
"Coz you never praise him," Alida said. She kissed the spot above his nose again, then pressed her forehead to his. "Good job, Paupau. We couldn't have done it without you."
He let out an appreciative noise, nuzzling into her. Kalyi blinked at them, then uncertainly patted his shoulder, muttering, "Yeah…good job."
He looked at her, then lifted his head for a moment, before pressing his nose to Alida's cheek, snuffling at her skin. She giggled, then turned and kissed him on the nose.
"How's that for a shortcut?" she asked with a grin, putting a hand on Paupau's cheek as he nuzzled her other hand.
Kalyi stared at her in disbelief, then let out a sigh. "Ugh, please just…don't mention it again, okay?" She looked up at Mog. "Are you okay?"
"Fine, kupo," Mog said, though he looked a little shaken.
--
After Alida hitched Paupau back onto the caravan, (Kalyi Fei didn't dare to go close to him, insisting on putting the caravan back in shape) they walked along the edge of the mountain range, heading to the entrance of the Miasma stream. The caravan had survived its treatment, along with all of their belongings.
The caravan cautiously crept into the cave. (A/N: I didn't bother picking a year for the story, so I'm just picking a random element.) Thick Miasma swirled within, gleaned with a vivid red color. The soft murmer of the Miasma filled their ears, echoing and rebounding off in the cave. Ahead of them stretch a stone path, attaching the two exits over the chasm. Stark shadows of leafless trees flickered in the distance, starved by the Miasma.
Kalyi glanced over the edge of the path. It seemed to stretched below her, with no ending. "That's impossible," Alida had once said. "There are trees in the distance. There must be somewhere where they anchored there roots."
"You don't know Alida," Kalyi Fei answered. "There are a lot of things in this world we don't know about."
As usual, Mog and Paupau headed into stream first, unaffected by the Miasma. If Kalyi Fei and Alida traveled into the stream with them, Paupau would panic from the Miasma stream's effect on the two Caravanners. It was too risky to have the Papaumous to panic.
"Okay, their on the other side," Alida said, picking up the chalice. "Let's go."
They moved quickly, pushing through the Miasma. The gaseous swirls attempted to push them back with their magnetic power, slowing their pace. The steady murmer grew louder, until it was deafening. It sounded like the groaning agonies of a thousand voices, warning caravanners not to pass the swirling stream. But the Crystal Chalice won out.
A sphere of energy illuminated around them, blocking out the effects of the Miasma. The sound of the miasma had even been silenced; barely audible through the crystal barrier. Alida stared transfixed by the crystal's power. The borderline of the Crystal was rarely visible; at most, you could only see a thin line of whatever the Crystal's element was. Now, it rippled in vivid waves of energy, fighting off the Miasma.
"Hey, can we go?" Kalyi's voice cut through Alida's thoughts. She stood at the edge of the borderline. "As much as it is fun to stand here and stare at the Miasma, our caravan is on the other side."
--
--
Alida: Yaay! We're done!
Satu-D-2: At least until the next story, you are.
Kalyi: Aww…
Star Equinox: Read and Review!