Tales of the Thamasans

by Casey Gilman

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A Reintroduction	The Figaro Brothers	The Treasure Hunters	Tales of the Thamasans
The Lone Ninja	The Adventures of Terra	Figaro, Vol. 2	Treasure, Vol. 2
Thamasans, Vol. 2	Ninja, Vol. 2	Terra, Vol. 2	Figaro, Vol. 3
Treasure, Vol. 3	Thamasans, Vol. 3	Ninja, Vol. 3	Terra, Vol. 3
Figaro, Vol. 4
The Final Chapters: Mechanical Magic
Magic, Vol. 1	Magic, Vol. 2	Magic, Vol. 3	Magic, Vol. 4
Magic, Vol. 5

Beneath the Surface

"Run!!" Relm shouted, as giant boulders sped toward her from the mountain.

She turned, and ran as fast as she could. Interceptor followed. As Relm ran, she realized Strago, her grandfather, was still asleep. She rushed over to him, and tried to wake him up.

'How can he sleep through something like this?!' she thought.

"Grandpa!" she cried,"Wake-"

Just then, a boulder rolled into her, and she was out cold.

* * *

"Blast that infernal creature!" cried a man high up on the mountain.

"Look!" cried another, who was pointing down at the bottom of the mountain,"Others!"

"Come, Gwyvak!" cried the first man to the second,"We must help them!"

The two men rushed down the mountain. They were wearing strange green clothing, resembling leather, and carrying spears made of stone. The pair was exhausted, but they had to help these strangers.

"They are both unconscious, Sesstaar," declared Gwyvak, after they had arrived at the bottom. Boulders were strewn everywhere.

"We must take them back with us," said Sesstaar.

Interceptor began to bark at them.

"What is it?" asked Gwyvac.

"The ancient legends tell of outside monsters. Our forefathers feasted on the flesh of such creatures," explained Sesstaar.

"He should provide us with a great feast!" exclaimed Gwyvak.

He approached the dog. Interceptor put up quite a struggle, but in the end, Gwyvak won. He carried the tired, barely conscious dog in his arms.

About half a dozen more men, with similar clothing and spears, hurried down the mountain.

"Sesstaar," said one of them,"It is gone, for the time being."

"Well done men!" commended Sesstaar,"We are taking these injured strangers, and this ancient delicacy, back with us."

The men picked up Strago and Relm, and with Gwyvak holding Interceptor, they began to climb the mountain.

"Hurry," commanded Sesstaar,"The brightness will be here soon."

* * *

Strago opened his eyes, and saw nothing but stone surrounding him. He was lying on the floor of a damp, dark, stone cavern. Relm was laying beside him. She opened her eyes.

"Grandpa?" she mumbled,"What happened?"

"I'm not sure," replied Strago,"The last thing I remember doing was eating, and then falling asleep."

Suddenly, Relm remembered what happened.

"There was a rockslide!" she blurted out, "I was trying to wake you up, and I must've been knocked out."

"A rockslide came from the mountain that was beside us? That's very unusual." declared Strago, who knew quite a bit about the geography of the world.

"Well it happened, Gramps," said Relm,"I heard Interceptor barking, and- WHAT HAPPENED TO INTERCEPTOR?!!"

Relm loved the little puppy, ever since she first saw him. When Shadow brought him to Thamasa, along with Locke and Terra, Relm knew then and there that there was a special bond between them. It was almost as if she had known the little black dog before that.

She quickly sat up and glanced around for him. They were in an underground cavern. She and her Grandfather were completely sealed in, except for one opening, which was about the size of a doorway.

"Where could he be?!" Relm started to panic,"Is he okay?!"

"Don't worry, dear," said Strago, as he stood up,"I'm sure he's fine."

"I hope you're right," replied Relm worriedly. She stood up.

"Right now, we've got to figure out where WE are," said Strago.

Just then, a man, with brown hair, and dressed in green entered through the small opening.

"I thought I heard voices," the man said,"I'm glad to see that you're both okay."

"Who are you?" asked Strago.

"And where are we?!" asked Relm, who obviously wasn't too happy.

"I am called Gwyvak," replied the man,"And you are in the Baren mountain range. Or, should I say, under it."

"Huh?" asked Strago.

"Follow me," instructed Gwyvak,"It shall all be explained, in time."

* * *

Gwyvak led Strago and Relm through a maze of underground tunnels, which Strago realized was probably and underground civilization. There were others like Gwyvak; men, women, and children, who were dressed in the same green leathery clothing. It was hard to see in the darkness, because there were no torches. Strago and Relm's eyes eventually adjusted to it, though.

"Did you see Interceptor, when you found us?," asked Relm.

"No," answered Gwyvak,"You were the only two. There was a monster in the area though, that we saved you from."

"Thank you," said Strago.

"What's that stuff that everybody's wearing?" asked Relm.

"Hides of ancient monsters that our ancestors used to hunt," answered Gwyvak.

"They don't look very comfortable to wear," said Relm.

"We're used to them," answered Gwyvak.

"Are they sacred to you, or something?" Relm asked another question.

"It'll all be explained in time," answered Gwyvak, who was starting to get annoyed by the girl's questions. Warriors were never too fond of children, and Gwyvak was no exception.

"How much longer do we have to walk?" asked Relm, who was starting to get tired.

"Hush, Relm," said Strago,"I'm sure we're almost there."

They stopped in front of a large opening at the end of the tunnel that they were in.

"We are here," announced Gwyvak,"This is the great hall of our ruler, Lord Airion."

They entered the great stone room. Directly opposite the entrance was an old man, with a snowy white beard, and white hair. He was sitting on a stone platform, and was resting his back on the cavern wall. He was dressed in the green monster hides, but was also wearing some kind of medallion around his neck. Strago figured that he was probably Lord Airion, for he had two men, one to each side, guarding him.

"My Lord," said Gwyvak, kneeling down,"I have brought the two strangers to you. They seem unharmed."

"Good work, Gwyvak," replied Airion,"You are dismissed."

Gwyvak left, and Strago and Relm stood in the doorway checking the large cavern out. It was pretty big, and Airion seemed quite a long way from them. This whole incident seemed so amazing to Strago, that he didn't think he could find words to describe it. Gungho would never believe this.

"How can two people carry on a conversation at such a distance?," asked Airion, with a smile,"Please, come over here. I don't bite."

Airion chuckled, and Relm instantly realized that he was a very kind old man.

They walked across the room and stood before Airion. Strago began to kneel down.

"No need to kneel," said Airion,"I don't like such formalities."

Strago stood up.

"I don't believe you've told me your names," reminded Airion.

"I'm Relm," said Relm,"And this is my Grandpa, Strago."

"Nice to meet you," said Airion,"I am Lord Airion of Subterriania."

"What is this Subterriania place?," asked Strago.

"I shall explain," said the Lord,"A few millenia ago, an ancient tribe people who called themselves The Oruvians, existed on the surface above. They were at constant war with the Brigors: a rival tribe. One battle took place on the mountains above us, the Baren mountain range. The Oruvians fought well, but the Brigors were clever, and underhanded. They had found a giant stone pit in the mountains, and had cornered the Oruvians there. Before the Oruvian army knew what was going on, they were forced down the pit. The pit was nearly impossible to climb back up, but the Brigors took no chances. They sealed the opening with a large boulder, trapping the army down here. There were both men and women in the army back then, and they had no choice but to live down here. We have only very recently been able to find a way out."

"If you're human, how have you been able to breathe, and eat?"

"We were forced to eat the small insects that live down here," answered Airion,"And we can breathe because of that."

Airion pointed to the far side of the chamber, where there was a small hole in the floor. Strago walked over to it, followed by Relm. Relm stuck her hand over it.

"There's something pushing my hand, Grandpa," said declared.

Relm removed her hand, and Strago replaced it with his own.

"It's air," said Strago,"This is some sort of air spring."

"Fascinating, isn't it?" said Airion.

Just then, a muscular man with blonde hair entered the hall.

"Welcome, General Sesstaar," said Airion.

"Lord Airion," started Sesstaar, kneeling down,"We have made a decision."

"Hold on," replied Airion, he turned to one of his guards,"Please escort our two guests to their room."

The guard on his right led them out of the hall.

"You didn't tell them?" asked Sesstaar, still kneeling.

"I didn't want to trouble them," answered Airion,"What has the army decided?"

"We move out tomorrow," started Sesstaar again,"And we aren't retreating no matter what. Either it dies tomorrow, or our we do."