Final Fantasy 4 Redemption Chapter 1: The Dark Warrior - Desert Ambush

     Rydia quickly ran up to the mountain pass. "Sorry about that. I had...some stuff I had to take care of."
     "Whatever," Folken sternly said. "Let's just go, before Rocalon grows impatient and decides to destroy Kaipo!"
     What a grouch! What IS this guy's problem? Rydia thought to herself. Bah, better just go. Have plenty of time to figure him out.
~~~~~~~~~
     "Damcyan desert..." Rydia exclaimed. "I remember last time I was here, with Cecil...12 years ago..."
     "Well, though I'm sure the story is interesting, we don't really have time for trips down memory lane, do we?" Folken stated. "Kaipo is only a short journey away; and there, we fight Rocalon. I don't think you could have faced anything in your life like him..."
     Oh, I don't know about that..., Rydia thought to herself.
~~~~~~~~~
     "Damn, I forgot how hot it was here. I hope we don't catch Desert Fever...I remember seeing Rosa like that..."
     Folken glanced back. "What's Desert Fever?"
     Rydia smiled. "It's a condition people not from this area tend to get when they wander around too long in the desert. Rosa got lost trying to find Cecil, and she ended up catching it. Cecil, and Edward, and me...we went to the Antlion's Nest to get a Sandruby, to cure the condition..."
     "I see. Well, I guess if we keep moving...It should be all right."
     Rydia nodded. "Yeah, I suppose..."
     I really can't believe it's been 12 years since that journey. I remember when we first came to Kaipo, I was angry and frustrated. My mother had just died, and I was blaming Cecil for my problems. But Cecil protected me from the Baronian Guards that came to Kaipo to kill me...And I chose to join him that day...
     It's actually a rather dark thought now...That I was willing to blame a man that innocent for such a dark act. Of course it wasn't Cecil's decision to perform the deed he did that day. He was tricked by the King, and I found out from him that it was actually Kainazzo, the Fiend Of Water, acting on orders from Zemus, who chose to destroy my hometown and almost destroy my people...
     She was drawn out of her inner monologue by an odd sight. The sand appeared to be swirling in a whirlpool!
     "Folken, look out!" Rydia cried, trying to warn him.
     "Don't worry, I see it," Folken replied. "Probably a monster. Just be on your guard!"
     Rydia quickly reached over and pulled her whip free. "I'm ready for anything!"
     Suddenly, the sand in the middle of the hole parted, and a dark monstrosity with 10 eyes and 100 legs popped out of the hole. "A giant centipede!" Rydia gasped, and prepared for a strike.
     The creature turned to look at Rydia, and it's mouth opened wide. It let out an ear-piercing screech that was probably heard by everyone in the desert, and suddenly began to charge.
     Rydia, thinking quickly, jumped out of the way of the creature's lunge, and turned to strike it down with her whip. In the corner of her eye, she spotted Folken lunging at the creature with his sword.
     The creature, sensing Rydia wasn't paying any attention to it, chose that moment to strike at her. Rydia was thrown off-balance, and before she could stop herself, she found herself flung into the sand whirlpool.
     "Folken, help!" Rydia cried, realizing she couldn't save herself alone. "You have to pull me out of here!"
     "Rydia, hold on!" Folken replied. With a single slice, he brought the centipede down. "Stupid beast. Must be more of Rocalon's tricks."
     "FOLKEN!" Rydia cried, and Folken turned towards her.
     "Hold on! I'll get you out!"
     Folken began to glance around, looking for something to use to pull Rydia out of the pit. But there was nothing. "Do you have anything I could use to pull you out?"
     "Well, if my arms were free, I'd toss you my whip. But it's kind of hard like this!" Rydia replied.
     Folken fell to the ground, and tried to reach out to grab Rydia's hand. He didn't feel anything the first few times, then he felt Rydia's hand grasp onto his.
     "Hold on, I'll have you out of there in a minute!" Folken cried, and he stood up and began to pull as hard as he could. But the whirlpool was too strong.
     "Damn! I can't pull you out...I'm not strong enough..."
     Suddenly, Rydia's hand slipped. "NOOOOOOO!" she cried as the whirlpool dragged her down into the murky abyss below. The whirlpool suddenly began to recede, until it disappeared completely.
     Folken dropped to one knee, and brought his fist down upon the sand. "Damn, I couldn't save her..."
     Tears began to come to his eyes. "Damn you, Rocalon! I WILL kill you, for all the innocents you've killed in cold blood..."
~~~~~~~~~
     "Unngh..."
     Rydia's eyes opened, and she began to survey her surroundings.
     "I'm alive! But where am I?" Rydia began to think.
     "I was...pulled under the desert. But that must mean this cavern runs under the Damcyan desert! It must be..enormous...Wait a minute!"
     A smile slowly began creeping over Rydia's face. "The water...this cavern must be part of the Underground Waterway system between Kaipo and Damcyan! And that means...I could still make it to Kaipo in time!"
     Rydia quickly pulled herself to her feet. "Okay, let's see...Kaipo is that way, there must be a way up. The lights...they suggest people have been here before. That must mean there's an entrance either near or in Kaipo..."