One evening, as the sun set below the horizon, casting elongated shadows through the trees, an unexpected knock sounded on the cabin door. Asbel, surprised by the late visitor, opened it to reveal Nausicaä, her figure silhouetted against the dimming light of the twilight forest.
Inside, Nausicaä accepted a cup of steaming tea from Asbel, her eyes sweeping across the cabin's snug interior with a touch of nostalgia. "I came to check on the Valley," she said, finding comfort in the warmth of the tea.
Settling near the stove, their conversation took a somber turn. "I often wonder if destroying the Holy Crypt of Shuwa was the right choice," Nausicaä confessed, her gaze heavy with the burden of that decision.
Asbel responded with a soft sigh. "We can't linger on notions of right or wrong now. Our link to the ancient world is severed, perhaps for the best."
Nausicaä looked down, troubled. "I'm torn about it," she admitted. "I worry the guardian of the Crypt was correct – that our end is near, on a planet succumbing to poison."
A silence, heavy with unspoken sorrow, fell upon them. The Valley had seen much suffering: Obaba, Mito, Asbel's mother – lives lost to a disease born from toxic soil. Despite new Pejite refugees, the Valley was in decline; not a single child born in two years. Asbel and Tersa had initiated vast reforestation efforts to the north, but the threat of toxic spores remained formidable.
"Have you found any help in Queen Kushana's ancient texts?" Nausicaä asked.
Asbel nodded. "The ancients had a machine for nearly everything. We've attempted to replicate their earth drill – we built a prototype last autumn. It's meant to access unpolluted water from underground lakes, like those we discovered when you first saved me." He sighed. "But the details are lost, the manuscripts in forgotten languages. Our drills can't reach deep enough. The only pure water spring is in your castle garden. It's insufficient for irrigating the new forests, let alone supporting our people. Despair is setting in."
Nausicaä listened intently. "I still have faith in nature's transformative power. Maybe one day, humans will coexist with the Toxic Jungle, like the People of the Forest, unharmed."
Asbel shook his head. "But that future isn't for everyone. The People of the Forest have adapted to living amidst the Sea of Corruption. The rest of us... I fear we may not have a future."
Determined, Nausicaä declared, "I'm venturing into the Toxic Jungle to learn from the Forest People. They might hold the key to our survival."
She added, "I'd like you to join me, Asbel, in this quest for answers."
Asbel gently shook his head, his eyes reflecting respect and resolve. "I believe in your mission, Nausicaä, but my place is here. I've made a promise to the Valley and to..."
Understanding his decision, Nausicaä nodded, a tinge of sadness in her eyes. "I hoped, but I understand." She sipped her tea, the steam curling in the dim cabin light.
Noticing a faint light under a door, she rose and quietly approached, peering inside to see Ketcha sleeping peacefully.
"She arrived last week, nearly at death's door. She's recovering now," Asbel whispered.
Nausicaä turned to Asbel, her look thoughtful. "Thank you, Asbel, for caring for her... for all you do for the Valley."
After a moment of silent reflection, Nausicaä's expression hardened with purpose. "I must go now, in search of the answers we need."
Asbel's face softened. "May you find what you seek, Nausicaä. Remember, the Valley will always be your home."
Watching her disappear into the night, Asbel sensed her unspoken longing. He closed the door and returned to Ketcha, watching over her as she slept peacefully. The cabin, bathed in warm light and filled with the soft sound of her breathing, felt more like home than ever. Asbel settled by the fire, lost in thought, the only sounds the crackling of the fire and the rustle of leaves outside.
