A black fighter plane was flying over the forest.
Allison, sitting in the front seat, spoke to Wil in the back.
Wil burst out without even taking a breath,
<…Yeah. Now that I think about it…you did a really convincing job. You were perfect.>
<…Anyway. Do you remember where to go?>
Allison moved the control stick to the right and pulled it back. "Whoa!"
Wil screamed as the fighter craft began to dive.
Then, the engine's roar grew into a crescendo as the craft rose, then made a large turn perpendicular to the ground.
turn.
Once the plane was level again, Allison maneuvered it into a wide left turn, then a right
The plane finally returned to level position.
hands if we got into a dogfight, you know.>
thing.>
The plane flew into a dive again, headed straight for a clearing in the middle of the forest. A second before raising the nose again, Allison fired off a series of shots into the ground.
There was the noise of gunfire, accompanied by some light vibrations in the frame.
Allison brought the plane back to level position, flying over the woods.
Benedict was flying at maximum speed.
On occasion, he slid the craft sideways to search for Allison's plane. Suddenly, he caught sight of something.
"There you are…"
He spotted an aircraft of the same design as his own, flying a little ahead and below from his position.
Benedict descended and loaded his machine gun. The 'READY TO FIRE' lamp came on.
it.>
The moment Allison spoke, a black fighter craft appeared next to them. It had approached
without warning from underneath, sliding in right next to Allison's craft.
Allison angrily glared at her right. Benedict was in the cockpit, looking her in the eye.
They could see Benedict gesturing with his left hand, making a turning motion with his fingers.
Allison raised her left fist and made a gesture like she was smashing something.
Wil looked on, bewildered. A moment later, bullets flew from the nose of Benedict's plane. He had opened fire. Empty shell casings and clips fell to the distant ground.
Benedict held up his left hand and began to hold up his fingers in a succession of symbols, and repeated the gesture several times.
Allison adjusted her radio to a certain frequency. She then spoke.
Benedict was silent for a moment. He then said, <…What do you mean?>
Allison explained to Benedict that the old man had been kidnapped via seaplane from Roxche to Sou Be-Il. That the Royal Army seemed to be searching for the general's gold ingots, which did not actually exist. That the old man's treasure was something far better, and that they were now on their way to find it. However, Allison followed Wil's advice and left out the fact that the old man was Lieutenant Colonel McMillan, the man behind the poison gas attack.
<…Damn it! So you were the ones on that craft I shot down before.>
Before their eyes, a vast body of water—so large it could have been a lake—emerged. It was the Lutoni River.
Allison nodded and turned to Benedict.
Several seconds later, Benedict spoke. exist?>
Allison and Wil nodded firmly in unison.
Benedict replied.
"I think so too," Wil said quietly to himself with a nod.
<…I see. Then you leave me with no choice.>
Wil did not answer.
Wil had to think for a moment.
<…Seriously! That's so like you, Wil!>
"What's going on over there?" Benedict wondered, watching Allison gesticulate excitedly.
She soon came back with an answer.
<'Shaddap and come help us find the treasure'! That is all.> Benedict was lost for words.
"You're giving him orders, Allison…" Wil sighed.
The two planes swerved right together and began to climb southward.
Suddenly, Benedict's plane began to grow distant to their right. It sped up and flew further away.
The moment Allison began to turn right again, Benedict's plane turned in their direction.
The two planes began to fly towards each other.
The two planes advanced rapidly. Air pressure pressed down on them as they brushed past at arm's length, both Allison and Benedict saluting with their left hands.
"Here goes!"
Allison pulled back the throttle with a cry. She then stepped on the left rudder pedal and pulled the control stick to the left. The plane made a sharp left turn.
As gravity pushed her into her seat, Allison turned and glared at Benedict's plane. Wil could not even turn his head—he looked down at the forest to his left and whispered silently,
"Beautiful…"
Benedict also pushed his engines to full throttle, swerving left. The two fighter crafts each flew in half a circle.
Making a quick turn, Benedict made it behind Allison's plane and put pressure on his right hand, clutching the control stick. His entire body creaked under the increased strain, but he continued to pull back the control.
Allison's plane finally came out of its swerve. The frame slowly tilted to the right, flying parallel to the ground for a moment before tilting and banking to the right.
Benedict slowed his turn and flew behind Allison's plane, within firing range. His right index finger reached the trigger.
Allison's craft was within range. But Benedict did not open fire. Instead, he flew in even closer. The stolen plane came into the circle of his crosshairs. It came closer and closer, until the plane was too big to fit in the circle.
At that moment, Allison's plane tilted even further and began to fly upside-down. At the same time, she tilted the nose downward and descended rapidly. The gigantic floats on the bottom of the plane faced the sky as the frame left the crosshairs.
Benedict followed, swerving to the right into a sharp descent. He could see the stolen plane cast in the green backdrop of the ground. The plane's size remained the same, but the green woods below grew closer and closer.
But…"
"This is a 9.9mm machine gun. You're not getting away without some damage, Allison.
The nose of Allison's descending craft pointed up again.
Benedict mirrored her move, but with more force. He approached her craft, climbing to
the left and nearing the stolen plane as though bearing down from above.
But he had drawn too close; his target was too far from the crosshairs. To the lower right of the circle he could see Allison's goggles, facing in his direction. If he opened fire now, he would hit someone for certain.
"Shit!"
Benedict swore yet again as he held off on the machine gun and slowed his turn. Allison's plane grew distant to his left.
"He's really good!" Allison cried, watching Benedict's plane grow distant after approaching their left side.
<…Yeah…> Wil said blankly.
"Damn it…"
Benedict groaned, chasing after Allison's plane again. He mimicked her angle as she climbed at maximum speed.
Suddenly, she stopped her ascent. And at a lazy speed unthinkable for a dogfight, she began to turn left.
Benedict approached Allison's plane. The tail of the plane entered his line of sight. It grew closer in the crosshairs.
"All right…"
The moment the engine moved into the middle of the crosshairs, Benedict put pressure on his index finger.
"!"
At that point, he flinched at the sight of the stolen plane, growing closer to his craft against his will. Allison had slowed down without warning. At this point, they were already near the point of colliding in midair.
"Argh!"
A second before the inevitable impact, Benedict made a hard left. Allison's craft passed by to his right, flying behind him.
"All right!" Allison exclaimed, opening the throttle and pointing the nose of her plane to the lower left. There in her sights was Benedict's plane, which had pulled out of a near-collision. The man in the cockpit looked at her.
"Damn—" "Take this!"
Allison opened fire without a moment's hesitation. Countless shots were fired at a rhythmic pace. The rounds hit the top of Benedict's plane in a straight line and reached the cockpit.
The green woods and the blue sky reflected in Benedict's eyes instantly turned red. He felt an impact on the back of his head as his body shook several times.
Benedict's plane was flying nearly level with the ground. The red fluid covering his face dribbled into his mouth. It was incredibly bitter.
Benedict reflexively spat out the liquid and reached up to his goggles. He wiped the lenses with his gloves, and the red world gave way to the blue sky. He quickly pulled up the goggles.
The cockpit was dotted with red stains. But nothing was damaged. His blood-red arms and legs moved as well as they ever did. "What is this…?"
At that moment, Allison's voice suddenly entered his ears.
Benedict lightly shook his head. He then spotted Allison's craft flying next to him on his left. She was holding up her left hand. Wil was sitting limply in the back seat.
From the center of the frame to the nose, Benedict's plane was stained with red paint. It stuck out like a sore thumb against the black frame.
<…And did you know that from the start?>
<…It's my loss. I repeat. It's my loss.> Benedict flashed Allison a grin.
Wiping his goggles, Benedict followed Allison as she turned south. The two planes were flying in formation once more.
Finally back to a peaceful flight, Allison turned her attention to the back seat.
The vast Lutoni River was lined by forests and plains. Ahead stood the peaks of the Central Mountain Range.
Two planes were flying through the airspace. From the distance, they looked like little more than a pair of dots in the sky.
Two more dots were approaching them from behind.
Allison nodded visibly. The moment Allison changed the frequency,
"Man, that's one heck of a voice." Allison turned left and looked behind her. Two fighter crafts of the same model as hers were in flight.
Benedict answered.
One of the first lieutenants replied,
<…What did you say?>
"Idiot." "That nitwit," the two first lieutenants in the two-seater mumbled simultaneously.
Allison's and Benedict's planes did not do a thing.
The two planes lowered their noses and charged at Allison and Benedict's crafts. As if on cue, Allison's plane and Benedict's plane broke formation. The former swerved to the upper right, and the latter to the lower left.
The single-seater followed the single-seater, and the two-seater followed the two-seater.
The second lieutenant's plane followed after Benedict's, slowly closing the gap.
You're a disgrace to Sou Be-Il! I'll kill you this instant!>
The second lieutenant pulled the trigger. Two rows of flashes emerged from the nose of his plane. The flashes missed Benedict's swerving plane by a long shot.
At that moment, Benedict's plane disappeared overhead. The second lieutenant's shots disappeared into the distance.
"What?"
He turned and looked up. "Wha…?"
Benedict's plane was there.
The frame descended as though sliding. Two flashes of light erupted from its nose as bullets pierced the air. The second lieutenant's plane entered the line of fire as though jumping in voluntarily.
The machine gun fire blasted off the second lieutenant's head before landing directly on the engines. The metal covering was blown away—the engine stopped—and the fuel caught fire. The plane began to fall to the right, spouting flames and black smoke.
Benedict's plane flew overhead. The smoking wreck exploded in midair, scattering everywhere.
"Goodbye, Second Lieutenant."
With that, Benedict headed off to find his next prey. He could see two fighter planes
ahead.
The two first lieutenants were beginning to argue over control of their craft.
Allison's plane was continuously making quick right turns to avoid them. The first lieutenants' plane opened fire, but they missed.
Allison's plane again evaded them, and swerved left without warning. From that point, the first lieutenants could see black smoke and signs of an explosion in the distance.
The man in the front pulled out of the turn and took his hands off the controls. The man in the second seat took hold of the control stick and smoothly turned the nose of their plane towards Allison, who was flying in a straight line. He rapidly gave chase.
The gap between them was closing. The first lieutenant placed a finger over the trigger.
Allison's plane turned, flying to the lower left. At that moment, another plane appeared before them.
The intruding plane suddenly pointed its nose in the first lieutenants' direction and approached rapidly.
"Wha…?" "Shit!" the men cried out in unison. "Take this!"
Benedict opened fire as he charged at the plane.
The machine gun rounds pummeled clear through the frame and the people sitting inside. Benedict quickly swerved left, flying past his foes' seaplane.
The plane without a pilot quietly dropped nose-down, and slowly fell into the forest in a trail of smoke. Then there was an explosive noise, followed by fire and a plume of black smoke.
Benedict's plane quickly joined back up with Allison's. The two planes once more resumed their journey south.
<…I see.>
Wil looked at the plane flying next to theirs. It was a new black fighter craft of the same model as theirs.
Allison also glanced at Benedict's plane. Wil was stunned.
said Allison,
<…Looks like we owe him a proper word of thanks.>
Wil looked up. A magnificent scene was opening up before them. The great river to their lower left was beginning to split into two even branches.
"The treasure, huh…" Wil mumbled.
In front of the Teruto Royal Army Base Hangar, two amphibious planes were being warmed up for takeoff.
Sitting in the cockpit was Captain Gratz, wearing his sunglasses. Next to him in the seat was a submachine gun.
Gathered a short distance from the plane were several officers.
"Leaving so soon, Colonel? That's a terrible shame," said the mustached Colonel Elcub to Colonel Nott.
"I have no patience for sarcasm! If you'll excuse us!" Colonel Nott roared, his voice almost a match for the engines.
"I see. I'd really love to charge you for your stay, as well as the repair costs for our gate." "Bah. Send the bill to Sfrestus if it makes you happy."
"What should we do with the old man's corpse?" asked a well-built major.
"We don't need it," Colonel Nott spat. "You take care of it! Throw it to the wolves or something." He then turned and climbed into the seaplane.
The repair technicians undid the fastening. The seaplane began to move. It entered the canal, taxied for a short distance, then took off. The seaplane disappeared into the distance.
The major mumbled, "The bastard's not gonna die a pretty death."
"Watch your words, Major," said Colonel Elcub. He then added, "Although I do agree with you."
The roar of the engines grew dim, then faded altogether.
Colonel Elcub turned to a lieutenant colonel who was standing behind him. "What of the aristocrats?"
"I've been told that they left before the commotion, saying they were bored to death," the lieutenant colonel answered.
"Is that so? Finally, some peace and quiet."
"What were the colonel and his men doing, anyway? Stirring up some trouble to start a little war of their own?"
"Who knows?" Colonel Elcub replied. "War, eh? All we need to do—both here and cross-river—is forget all that dirty business and keep up this peaceful staring contest for all of time. There are too many fools on both sides who just don't understand that."
When Wil told him the directions, Benedict replied, Allison agreed.
The two fighter crafts flew low over the shores of the Lutoni River with their shadows gliding over the woods.
Listing off speeds and angles to Allison, Benedict landed in the middle of the river. The floats on his plane drew white wakes on the peaceful surface.
But before Benedict could finish, Allison turned and lowered her speed and altitude.
<…Keep going. You're doing well.>
She then landed next to Benedict, slowly closed the throttle, and stopped just ahead of Benedict's plane.
The two fighter crafts continued upstream side by side, using their propellers. The Lutoni River flowed at a gentle pace.
When they reached the confluence of the Lutoni River, they headed left. It was the East Lutoni River, which was on the Roxchean side. Although the river was half its original width here, it was still hundreds of meters wide.
Wil had gotten up from his seat and was sitting on the frame. His line of sight was wider now. He could feel the engine vibrating from the back of the plane. The propellers were still spinning, sucking in air.
They saw a tributary flowing in on their right. And beyond the woods, they saw the land rising up without end. They were at the foot of the Central Mountain Range.
The two planes swerved. Unlike when they were in flight, centrifugal forces forced the planes into a leftward tilt. The supporting floats under the left wings tapped the surface of the water.
The river narrowed considerably, its width now at about 50 meters. Allison informed Benedict and closed the throttle even more. They slowed down.
The edges of the river grew crooked and began to zigzag. The two planes maneuvered toward the center of the river, trying to keep away from the shores.
"Urgh… C'mon…"
Allison grumbled as she carefully controlled her heading with the rudder alone. Cold sweat dribbled down her face.
"Amazing…"
When she looked around, Benedict's plane was following her easily at an even distance.
"Agh… Damn it…"
Benedict grumbled as he carefully controlled his heading with the rudder alone. Cold sweat dribbled down his face.
"Amazing…"
Allison's plane was leading easily at an even pace.
Wil observed their surroundings in awe and mumbled with a chuckle, "It feels like I'm on a field trip."
Eventually, the river began to run straight again. Its banks rose up as though encasing it, turning into 10-meter-high cliffs just as Walter had described.
The two seaplanes continued down the river. The roars of their engines echoed loudly.
Allison and Benedict agreed with Wil. The cliffs on either side had given way to gentle slopes, and on their left they could see the mountain.
They found the river that encircled the mountain. It did not branch out into smaller streams, and instead flowed straight into a field at the foot of the mountains.
Benedict chose a shore on the inner side of a leftward bend in the river. It was a gentle slope where the current was slow. Keeping up an awkward pace, he pointed the nose of his plane at the shore, and shut off the engines a second before making contact with land. The plane stopped when the floats were about halfway on the beach.
Benedict took out a rope ladder from under his seat and climbed it down onto the shore. He grabbed a length of rope that was stowed under the frame and secured it onto a pair of hooks on the floats, and tied either end of the rope on two trees nearby.
He then guided Allison as her plane came to a stop beside his, and expertly secured it with another length of rope.
Allison stepped onto the shore, taking off her jacket. "Thank you, Second Lieutenant.
Would you like a tip?"
Benedict was bewildered to see her in a Royal Guard uniform, but managed to shoot back, "Not at all, 'Warrant Officer'. Where in the world did you get a hold of that uniform?"
"That's a secret."
Wil disembarked, carrying their suitcase. Allison gestured him over. "Let me introduce you, Second Lieutenant Carr. This is Wil—Wilhelm Schultz. He's an old friend of mine. Wil, this is Second Lieutenant Carr."
"Carr Benedict. As you can see, I'm from the Sou Be-Il Royal Air Force." Benedict offered Wil a handshake. Wil accepted it.
"Th-thank you," Wil said. "Hm? What for?"
"For making sure Allison wasn't hurt during that dogfight." Benedict was a little surprised.
"Oh… You're an interesting person. It's a pleasure to meet you, Wil." "The pleasure's all mine."
"What happened with your head? Are you injured?" Benedict asked, looking at Wil's bandages.
"No, I just got into some trouble trying to play hero." "I see."
"As someone who saw you playing hero, I've gotta say you looked pretty cool," Allison said. Wil grinned.
"Let's be off, then. We're going on a treasure hunt."
They looked up at the mountain. Before them was a vast forest.
Wil suggested that, at the very least, they should change their shirts. He and Allison put their Royal Guard jackets and hats into their suitcase, and changed into their own shoes.
Allison tied her own jacket and bag around her waist. Wil changed into his bloodstained shirt and slung the suitcase over his back like a knapsack. The gun, however, would not fit. He kept it on a holster at his side.
Benedict put on a black jacket and clipped a survival pack from the seaplane onto his
belt.
Allison wondered if he wouldn't get hot, to which Benedict replied, "Patience is an
officer's virtue. …Or rather, a gentleman's virtue."
They walked through the woods. All kinds of trees were growing on the gentle, grassy slope. Although the way was by no means overgrown, it was still difficult to see where they were going.
"Stay close. We'll have a lot of trouble on our hands if we get separated," Benedict said, taking the lead and clearing a path through tall grass and branches. He also kept an eye out for caves to his left.
"I get it," Wil mumbled. Allison asked him what he was talking about.
"He kept his jacket on because he was going to take the lead and clear out a path for us." "That makes sense. You're really good at this, aren't you, Second Lieutenant?"
"Well, yeah," Benedict replied. "I did a lot of this back in my infantryman days." "It really was a good idea to bring him along."
"…You don't have to put it that way, Allison…"
"You think so? But I'll make sure the three of us split the treasure fairly once we find it." "No, I mean…"
Benedict chuckled bitterly as he made a way through the foliage.
Eventually, they spotted a cavern. It was overgrown on top, but the opening was large enough for a person to enter without crouching.
They scanned the interior with a flashlight. The dank cavern continued further, but they spotted no rifle.
"Not here."
"Let's make a note of this place and search for the next cavern."
They discovered several more similar caverns along the way. Some were too small to enter, and others suddenly dropped off into a deeper level. They did not find a rifle anywhere.
"It might have fallen, or it might have been buried. It has been 30 years since then." "Maybe."
They took a short rest for Wil's sake and quickly wolfed down some rations. Then, they set off once more. The sun began to set between the trees.
"This is the 10th one," Allison said, pushing aside the foliage and peering inside with a flashlight. "Hey, guys…I don't think we're going to have to look for cavern #11."
Benedict and Wil looked inside.
The cavern opening was large enough to walk into. The beams from their flashlights were focused on an old rifle. The metal was rusted red with age, and the wood was on the verge of rotting completely. But the rifle was still firmly stuck in the floor of the cavern.
Just as Walter had told them, when they stepped inside they found themselves in a large cavern. It was about the size of a classroom, and was located partly underground. Underfoot was damp stone, and stalactites were hanging from the ceiling. The light from the entrance dimly illuminated the interior.
"This must be it." Allison's voice echoed loudly against the walls of the cavern. "This is a limestone cave. There must be a lot of these in the area."
"Okay. Where to next?" "Wil."
"The 12th hole on the right."
Benedict pointed his flashlight at the right side of the cavern. The three began to walk, counting the openings.
"Twelve…" "Here."
"This must be it."
The three flashlights stopped over one large opening. It was large enough to pass though upright, and the path led down in a gentle slope.
Benedict hung his handkerchief in front of the opening.
"I'm putting this here just in case. Now we take 20 steps, correct? Would you mind if I took the lead?"
"Not at all. Go ahead." "It's an honor."
Before Benedict could finish his sentence, Allison added, "You're the tallest one here.
Please tell us if you hit your head on something along the way." Wil was astonished. Benedict chuckled wryly.
"Aren't you nervous at all, Allison?" "In my own way, yes." Allison replied.
"Nineteen… 20… there."
Benedict took several more steps forward, then moved aside and led his companions into the large area.
"Wow. This is amazing."
"It's just like the old man said…"
The path quickly gave way to a wide space with high ceilings. The floor was nearly level, and it was impossible to see where the cavern ended even with the flashlights.
The beams of light moved from one place to another in the pitch-black darkness.
"This must be it. Look over there," Wil said. His flashlight was pointing at a rifle stuck in the ground about 20 meters away.
"Wait, Allison." Benedict said as Allison moved. He took out a mirror from his bag and propped it up near the path from which they had come. "Once we go all the way inside, we won't know how to get back out."
"Oh. Thank you. Can we go in now?" "Don't rush."
Keeping their flashlights trained on the damp ground, the three carefully approached the
rifle.
"I can't be sure, but this gun doesn't look like it's Western-make," Benedict said. Allison spoke up. "The treasure must be here somewhere. Congratulations, everyone." "But…" Wil trailed off.
"It might be a lot of work to try and search this entire cavern," Benedict finished,
surveying their surroundings.
"But we have to. We're going to comb every inch of this place." "It'll be trouble if we get separated in here." Wil said.
Benedict agreed. "That's right. And we can't go too far from the entrance. Both of you, turn off your flashlights for a second."
The three turned out their lights, one by one. The cavern was pitch-black. They could see nothing, even with their eyes wide open.
"See? I can't even tell where the two of you are from here. If we run out of batteries while we're inside, we won't make it out alive." Benedict turned on his flashlight once more and pointed it at the mirror by the entrance. "We'll need a lot of rope, some stronger lights, and more people."
"I wish he'd have at least left us a clue." Allison pouted.
Wil brought his light to the rifle again. The wooden stock was not as badly decayed as the one outside. "Here!"
"What?"
Wil crouched by the rifle and leaned in close to the stock. "This must be a hint. I see letters carved into the stock. It's in both Roxchean and Bezelese."
"Read it." "Read it."
Wil nodded and read out the message. "'A beautiful sight'."
Several seconds passed by in silence.
"What?" "Is that all?" Allison and Benedict asked.
"…That's all. It's the same thing in both languages. 'A beautiful sight'." Wil examined the flip side of the wooden stock. "Nothing. That's it."
"Seriously…that old man…" Allison grumbled.
"A beautiful sight…?" Wil stood. "A beautiful sight…" Mumbling quietly to himself, Wil looked up, holding up the rifle in his hand.
Then he looked up at the rocky walls. "There… Both of you. Look up at the wall behind
us."
Allison and Benedict pointed their flashlights at the walls in unison.
Three lights illuminated the smooth stone walls. There they saw pictures. Pictures on the
grey surfaces.
Humanoid figures drawn in black, leading along a brown bull. Next to them was a small, four-legged creature, likely a dog or a monkey.
"Murals…" Benedict said, following the images with his flashlight.
There were other pictures on the walls. People surrounding a red fire. Men carrying what looked to be bows. Although the people's faces were not drawn in, everything else was surprisingly realistic. The images were even shaded.
"These murals…they're from a time when written script didn't exist," Wil said.
"Is this what we were looking for? That treasure the old man was so excited to find?" Allison wondered. There was a moment of silence.
"I don't think so," Wil said tentatively. "I agree," Benedict said.
"Why?" asked Allison.
"This definitely is a rare find. It's a valuable academic resource. But murals like this have been found in several other places," Benedict replied.
"Is that true, Wil?"
"Yeah… There's a place called Ban'na Valley in the Principality of Touls on the southeastern tip of Roxche. They found murals like this there. The geology is similar—lots of limestone caverns. They found tools and bones of ancient people. The people who lived there are called the Ban'na people. And I heard about this on the news, but they found similar archeological evidence in Sou Be-Il, near Sfrestus. And there are a few other places, too.
Although none of the discoveries were near the Lutoni River."
"Huh. So there were a lot of them, huh. Then even if we report this—"
"It won't be earth-shattering news by any stretch of the imagination," Benedict said firmly, "but there will be conflict."
"What?" Allison gasped. Wil chimed in.
"I agree. I think this might cause strife between Roxche and Sou Be-Il. Let's say both sides dispatch archaeologists to the cavern. The Roxcheans will just say, 'these murals were drawn by the Ban'na people. This is evidence that their civilization expanded to this area, and even to the West'."
"I think so too. The scholars from the Royal Academy of Science will claim that these are similar to the murals they found in Sfrestus, and claim this as evidence that humanity originated in the West, and that the Roxchean people and their culture were an offshoot of ours."
"Oh. That argument again. This is stupid," Allison groaned. Wil surveyed the mural, moving his flashlight.
A scene of many people lined up to listen to one person's speech. A person sleeping in the midst of splotches of particularly vibrant colors. It was probably a funeral scene.
"Still, this is fascinating. I'm happy I got a chance to see this, if nothing else," Wil said.
Allison sounded a little angry. "But Wil. The old man said that the treasure could bring peace between Roxche and Sou Be-Il. If this is the treasure he was talking about…he was really blowing things out of proportion."
"Maybe. But this is still very valuable." Allison did not say anything.
"Wil. Can you tell me when the murals in Roxche were found?" asked Benedict. "Twenty-four years ago."
"Of course… That's about the same time as the ones on our side, if I remember correctly.
In that case, it's understandable," Benedict said, crestfallen.
"You're right. That's probably what happened," Wil agreed. Allison demanded that they clue her in.
Wil explained. "The old man found this mural during the Great War. In other words, over 30 years ago. At the time, no one knew that ancient people left such intricate drawings on the walls that survived almost completely intact," Wil explained.
"Oh. I get it."
"It's not surprising that he was ecstatic to see something like this. I'm sure I would have reacted the same way if I were in his shoes. And if he never paid attention to the news afterwards and continued to remind himself that he found something great, he might have ended up inflating the value of these murals in his head."
"Right…you're right. You're probably right." Allison turned off her flashlight. Wil turned his flashlight towards her hand. "Can I borrow that?"
"Why?"
"I just want to take a closer look at the murals. These people lived here over 10,000 years ago and left such amazing works of art. And the colors haven't been distorted or changed at all, just like frescoes. This is a really valuable sight. Even if, in the worst-case scenario, the old man was mistaken, I still think this is a treasure in and of itself."
"A treasure in and of itself, huh. …Here."
Wil examined the murals, holding Allison's flashlight in his left hand. There was a person riding a horse. People putting on some sort of clothing. A woman who looked to be pregnant. A pair of animals—mother and child—most likely sheep.
"But if you're right…this is a pretty big disappointment," Allison said. "Agreed. It's…a little disheartening." Benedict also turned out his light.
Wil was still taking in the murals, turning and shifting the flashlights. There were images just above the entrance as well. People lined up in orderly rows, and men doing something in front of a group of people.
When Wil shifted his flashlight once more, he caught sight of something.
At first, he was not sure if he had found it. Wil fell into thought. "Oh…"
Once he understood what he had seen, he exclaimed softly. "Oh…ah…it's… ah…"
Then, he found himself unable to parse together coherent words altogether. He froze with his eyes as wide as dinner plates. His hands and feet would not move.
He desperately tried to move his mouth, at least. But he could not bring himself to do much more than gape like a fish begging for food.
Wil managed to shut his eyes. He then counted to five in his head, opened his eyes again, and looked upon the discovery once more.
"Ah…"
It was right there.
"The treasure…" Wil gasped.
"Whoa." "Ow."
Benedict and Allison suddenly found light shining directly into their eyes. They covered their faces. Wil was pointing his flashlight at the two of them.
"Cut that out, Wil," Allison said. The light slid down to her shoulder. Allison and Benedict were standing side-by-side. From Wil's perspective, Allison was on the left, and Benedict was on the right. Allison's left shoulder and Benedict's right shoulder came into view at once. As did the Spear of Seron and the Curved Dagger on their arms.
Wil said nothing. He would not even move. "What's wrong, Wil?" asked Allison.
Benedict turned on his own flashlight and pointed it at Wil. In the light, they could see that he was smiling.
Allison and Benedict exchanged glances. They were both confused. "What's wrong?" Allison repeated.
"It's beautiful…so beautiful," Wil said, awestruck. "What?"
"I saw something beautiful. I really did."
"I-is your head all right?" Allison asked. Although she was obviously joking, Wil nodded. "Yeah. Although I almost thought it wasn't. I held on. I don't think I'm going to react
quite as badly much as the old man did, though." "Say, Wil?"
Allison and Benedict exchanged glances again.
"Both of you," Wil said, "take a deep breath before you look." "Wil?"
Without another word, Wil moved his flashlight away from Allison and Benedict. He then turned, illuminating the treasure.
They could see the mural on the wall.
Several people standing in a row, and men doing something just above them.
Perhaps they were taking part in some sort of a ritual. The men were dressed in different colors and reaching out their hands towards something in the center.
It was an intricate beacon. It was made of wood, and was about the height of a person. In the middle of the structure was a black shaft. Its pointed end was lodged in the ground, the tip shaped like an arrowhead to secure it in the ground.
At the top of the rod was a crescent-shaped object, its either ends pointing upwards.
Emanating from the middle of the gentle arc of the crescent and either of its tips were red zigzag patterns. Warm colors were drawn around it. The zigzags must have symbolized fire.
"It's a picture of a beacon? So what?" Allison asked.
"There's more to the mural," Wil replied, moving the light upwards.
The next image. Two men stood side-by-side, each holding something in their hands.
On the right stood a man holding the shaft of the beacon in his right hand. The lower tip was in the shape of an arrowhead, and the part near the top which crossed the crescent in the previous picture was a little thicker than everything below. The man was holding the beacon by this part. At the very top of the rod was a flame.
On the left stood a man holding the crescent in his left hand. The fire had gone out from one of the sides, which was the part by which the man was holding the crescent. On the other end of the crescent, the flame continued to burn.
"Does this mean that they shared the beacon and the fire with one another?" Allison
asked.
"Yeah." Wil replied. At that moment,
"Ah! …AAAAAAAHHHHH!" Benedict yelled without warning. Allison flinched. "What's wrong? Hey? Wil, what's going on here?"
Wil once more pointed his flashlight at the two soldiers' shoulders. Allison looked down at the two emblems in the light.
"What…?
She then looked back up at the mural.
"Hey… Are those…the emblems on our uniforms?" Wil nodded.
"That's it, Allison. This is the origin of both. Roxche's Spear of Seron and Sou Be-Il's Curved Dagger. These designs have been around since ancient times."
"And that's…the treasure?"
Wil nodded firmly. "This mural can clear up the dispute between the two sides. We can clarify which side humanity originated from. The old man was right."
Benedict chimed in excitedly, "He certainly was! This is an amazing discovery, Allison! I don't believe this! It's incredible!"
Allison looked up at the mural again and mumbled to herself. "It's a little—I mean, a lot different from what I imagined a treasure would be." She then smiled and turned to Wil. "So, was it worth it?"
Wil smiled back and nodded profusely. "Yeah. It really was, Allison. Thank you." "You're welcome. As long as you're happy, I am too." Allison looked up at the treasure.
"It's really nothing like what I imagined, but…" She smiled, her eyes narrowing.
"Well, I guess this is a treasure in and of itself."
Wil slowly approached Allison and Benedict, and returned their flashlights. This time, the three looked up at the murals with their own lights.
For some time, they examined the drawings without saying a word. Benedict eventually broke the silence.
"Heh…I remember what they taught me in school. That the Curved Dagger was a dangerous weapon made by proud warriors of the past. That the blade was meant to slit the throats of the loathsome enemies in the East."
Wil smiled. "I was always taught that the Spear of Seron was made to pierce the barbarians of the land of dusk."
Allison chuckled. "That was a total lie, wasn't it? They weren't even weapons in the first
place."
"That's right. Today, history changes. It's a wonderful day," Benedict said.
"The most important thing isn't 'how to convey the truth', but 'how we convey only
certain facts for the most advantageous conclusion'…" Wil mumbled.
"But why didn't that old man announce this discovery when he first stumbled on these murals?" Benedict wondered. "If he had, he would have gone down in history. At this point, I don't think any amount of thanks will be enough."
"You probably know his name already, Second Lieutenant," Wil said. "Hm?"
"There's something we've been hiding about him until now." Wil looked at Allison. She nodded. "We're sorry for keeping this from you. But I'm sure you'll understand once we explain. The old man's name was Walter McMillan. He was a lieutenant colonel during the Great War, and a member of the Confederation Army's special forces."
Benedict thought for a moment, then looked up.
"Aha! I've heard the name before. There's no one in the Sou Be-Il military who doesn't know his name. How could I forget? Especially since I used to be an infantryman. They wouldn't
stop lecturing us about the dangers and inhumanity of poison gas… But you mean… Ah! That's
when he found—"
"Yes. He was hiding in this cavern just before the poison gas attack, when he happened to come across these murals. Of all the times, it had to be just before he launched an attack that would kill thousands of people. Even though this discovery could have ended the war there and then. I'm sure he must have been torn apart."
Benedict closed his eyes. "…Of course. I understand. And it was likely that neither side would accept evidence like this in the middle of—or just after—a war. And if a majority of the people felt that way…then these murals might have ended up being destroyed. And then nothing would ever have been fixed. This treasure would have been lost forever."
"Yeah."
"Is it okay to announce it now?" Allison wondered. "I think it will be, now."
"Because it's now." Benedict and Wil replied.
They pointed their lights at the murals again. They stared in silence once more.
"It looks better and better the more I look at it. I really have to thank Mr. McMillan." Allison said.
"Hey, sorry… I need to get some air," Wil said without warning, and walked off towards the mirror alone.
"Is something wrong?" Allison wondered. "Anyway, it looks like all our hard work finally paid off.
"It did. This is—really, it's incredible." Benedict nodded. He then turned, taking a deep breath. Then he exhaled. "Allison."
"Yes?" "Marry me."
"What?" Allison looked at him. He was looking at her intently. "Er… what did you just
say?"
"I asked you to marry me. I'm proposing to you." "Er…what…? What does…? Erm…"
"I think you're incredibly charming, Allison. I know you shot me down once before, but
we ended up meeting again, discovering a world-changing treasure in the process. I think ours was a serendipitous reunion."
"Er…I…guess…it might be…? Erm…"
"You and I are soldiers from the East and West. In other words, we were technically at each other's throats. But if we announce this discovery and our marriage to the world together… there would be nothing more romantic, wouldn't you agree? I'm sure countless people will give us their blessings. I'm not joking around with you. I'm being completely serious. I'm asking you now because I think this might be the best time."
Allison's arm swung through the air. Her light moved in all directions, but eventually stopped at the ground. Allison's eyes, however, were still wandering.
"Er…well…you see…"
"Allison. Corporal Allison Whittington. Will you marry me?" "Er… Oh, right. Maybe we should get a second opinion…" Allison waved her flashlight. There was no one else in the cavern.
"Maybe Wil stepped out to give us some privacy," Benedict said, hooking his flashlight onto his belt. "Allison."
"Whoa!"
In the dim light, Benedict placed his hands on Allison's shoulders. He then stated solemnly, "In Sou Be-Il, it's said that marriages between pilots are blessed."
"Er, well…I.."
Benedict gently leaned forward. His face drew near to Allison's. "May the blessings of the God of Love be with us for all eternity—" "Er…wait. Wha…?"
As Allison stammered in confusion, Benedict leaned in close.
"…Wil…"
One name escaped Allison's lips. Benedict froze for a moment. He frowned slightly and mumbled,
"…Sorry. But the first one to shoot takes the kill." He slowly brought his lips to hers.
A slight distance away, Wilhelm Schultz froze as he watched two figures in the dim light.
The echo in the caverns was loud enough that he could hear every detail of their conversation, and he could understand exactly what they were talking about.
Wil slowly reached for his holster.
He opened the cover slowly, so as to not make a sound, and pulled out the gun—the gun Ladia gave him as a good-luck charm—with his right hand. It was already loaded.
"I can't let it happen…"
The weight of the gun heavy in his hand, Wil mumbled in silence as though in prayer. "I can't let it happen now…"
Wil glared at the figures. "This is murder…"
Listening to the conversation, Wil slowly cocked the gun.
There was a click, but the figures did not notice. Wil then disarmed the safety. "But…"
Placing his left hand over his right, Wil slowly raised the gun. He then got into position, as he had done so many times in the past in practice and at the competition.
"I don't know which is the right answer. I just don't know. But…"
Of the two figures, he took aim at the taller silhouette. The barrel of his gun was pointed squarely at the man's head, not trembling in the least.
Wil's index finger reached the trigger. "I…"
He opened fire.
A deafening noise resounded throughout the cavern.
"Whoa!" Allison was jolted back to her senses by the noise. "Huh?" When she looked up, she saw Benedict's profiled face.
"What…?"
"What was that?" Benedict wondered, his hands still on Allison's shoulders. "That…that was gunfire!"
Benedict looked up at the direction of the sound. "From the entrance…" "Oh no! Wil!"
At that moment, a second gunshot rang out through the cavern. It was a lighter sound than the first one.
"Damn it!" "What's going on?"
"He must have opened fire," Benedict said, pointing his flashlight at his holster and checking for his gun.
"Then…Wil!"
Allison rushed over to the entrance. Benedict caught up quickly. He pulled a revolver from his holster and ran ahed of her. "Turn out your light! I'll take the lead!"
They turned out their lights and groped through the darkness. Along the way, they heard three more shots. They were all on the lighter side.
They could see faint light coming from the cavern entrance. There was another gunshot.
And once they were just a few steps from the main cavern— "Freeze!"
They heard Wil's voice.
"Wil!" Allison ran from Benedict's side and turned on her flashlight.
The light of dusk was filtering into the main cavern. Wil was sitting behind a boulder with his knees in front of him, taking aim with both hands.
"Wil! Are you okay?"
"Yeah! But that's not the problem right now!"
Wil's aim was locked on a rotund man in uniform, who was standing at the entryway. The man was holding a smoking revolver.
"Colonel Nott…" Benedict growled. There was a man lying still at the colonel's feet.
Next to him on the ground was a submachine gun equipped with a flashlight. "Captain Gratz…you came after us…"
"Damn you, Carr!" Colonel Nott roared, glaring at Benedict. "Don't move! I know you're out of ammunition!" Wil threatened.
"Shit!" Colonel Nott threw away his revolver. Once the sound of his gun rolling on the ground came to a stop, everything went silent.
"Wil…you're not hurt, are you? You're okay, right?"
Allison slowly approached Wil, who kept his sights trained on the colonel. Wil got up. He was covered in dirt. "I'm fine. I just bumped into a lot of things when I fell."
"Thank goodness…"
"You can put your gun down now, Wil," Benedict said. He picked up the submachine gun and slung it over his shoulder. Then he looked at the colonel.
Wil armed the safety and lowered his hand. He and Allison walked over to Benedict. "Oh…the fake official…" Allison said, looking down at the fallen man. He was dead, his
head covered in blood.
"I shot him. I…I saw them coming inside…and I heard them talking… The fat man over there told the fake official to kill us on sight. So…I did it. I shot him. I…killed him," Wil whispered, nearly in tears. He looked directly at Allison.
"Allison. I don't know what the answer is." "Oh, Wil…"
Allison reached out her hand towards him. "I'm covered in mud, Allison."
"It's okay."
She gently patted his back.
"Damn you!" Colonel Nott spat.
"I've also shot down a couple of aircrafts. To defend our own lives and the treasure," Benedict said. Nott scowled.
"So you've found it! And now you're planning to keep it for yourself!"
"Yes and no. That treasure is not something anyone can claim for themselves," Benedict replied, shaking his head.
"Enough of your nonsense, Second Lieutenant Carr! This is an order! Shoot those Roxchean spies this instant! They are criminals!"
Benedict looked at the colonel. Allison reached for Wil's gun. "I refuse, sir," Benedict replied.
Wil made a point of holstering his gun.
"What is the meaning of this this, Second Lieutenant?! Fine! …Shoot one, and take the other back to do what you wish with them!"
Benedict's eyes widened in surprise. "I see, Colonel. Shoot one, eh?"
"Glad to see you're finally on board." The colonel grinned.
"Yes. This might sound strange to you, sir, but you've just made me feel a lot better," Benedict said, drawing his handgun.
"That's right, Second Lieutenant Carr. Shoot!" "Yes, sir."
Benedict pulled the trigger.
With the crisp sound of gunfire, a hole was blown through Colonel Nott's chest. "Wha…"
Colonel Nott fell limply to the ground, his mouth wide open. His uniform grew damp in the red mist.
"Apologies, Colonel." Benedict holstered his gun and looked at Allison and Wil. "I'm also an accomplice now. I will do anything to protect the treasure."
"Thank you, Second Lieutenant Carr. And about what you said before… I'm sorry," Allison said, her hand still on Wil's back.
"…Never mind, then. It's all right," Benedict said, closing his eyes and shaking his head. He then looked back at Allison and Wil.
"Now, what to do with you two? We're going to have to announce this to both sides at once. Should I send up an emergency flare from the planes? We'll get help immediately if we do."
"That sounds like a plan," Allison nodded.
"Second Lieutenant Carr…" Wil said, "you just said that you'd do anything to protect the treasure, right? Then… I have a favor to ask of you."
Benedict nodded.
"That's right. I did. And I also owe you a debt. What do you need me to do?"