The Artifact | WOOSAN

1

Choi San was used to feeling like his eyes would burn off every time he stepped outside. After all, he did spend most of his days in underground tunnels and ancient tombs. Dust falling on him like snow is more familiar to him now than the actual cold substance had ever been and he wouldn't change it for the world.

This time though the sunlight seemed to actually incinerate his eyes and he winced out loud as he stepped into the cool morning breeze. Mingi, who stood next to him, let out a similar sound of displeasure and dropped his toolbag on the ground to shield his aching eyes.

After their eyes had stopped aching they faced the long valley ahead of them and marbled at the blood-red rising sun for a moment. The valley had for a long time been barren and dry, but the ancient trees persistently curving their shriveled branches still stood there as a last reminder of what the place had once been.

For a moment San could convince himself that he was in fact standing on the doorstep of a busy tempel. The musty scent of incense drifting to him from the cave seemed almost real to him and he swore he could hear the sing-songy prayer of the priests all around him.

"We should be leaving." Mingi's grave voice interrupted his daydreams. His orange hair seemed to be in flames under the rays of the morning sun. San sighed and breathed in the cool morning air for a moment. They had been digging in the cave all night and the temperature was just starting to rise up to the insufferable inferno the valley became during daytime.

"Yes. We should. We are in a hurry, aren't we?" San said, his tone flat, not conveying any urgency or want to leave. Sure, being underground and surrounded with history older than his great grandparents was one of his favorite things, but the employer he was supposed to be working with next made him want to dig himself into a nice little hole instead.

Mingi sighed dramatically and lifted his arm to lean on his friend and colleague.

"I know you hate him but it's Perditonia that we're talking about!" Mingi widened his eyes dramatically. "I don't think there is anyone out there who'd be better at unearthing the secrets of the most mysterious ancient power than the darn man who discovered it! You know very well that Corresco would have never even known about the whole civilization if it weren't for you. He is a total jackass and all, but he pays well and maybe you'll even get to prove him wrong along the way." His tall friend mused. It was actually rather awkward for him to be leaning on his friend's shoulder, as Mingi was a couple inches taller, but he managed in order to lift San's sour mood. It also gave him a chance to poke him on the cheek to emphasize his point.

San smiled bitterly, Mingi's finger finding its way to the now formed dimples. "See, I know it's not ideal but you can't just pass up on an opportunity like this just because you don't like the man. I swear most of our employer's are assholes anyway." Mingi continued, poking San's cheek a couple more times as if to prove his point.

"I know, I know. I just can't stand Corresco." San mumbled and Mingi threw him a sympathetic gaze. "You are kind of right though. We are in a hurry." San's hand smacked Mingi's finger away from his face and pointed at a plane approaching in the distance.

Mingi gasped and grabbed their forgotten toolbag from the ground and started scurrying down the valley towards a small landingstrip to get to the plane in time. San huffed and followed after him, holding the bundle of rags in his arms even tighter so he wouldn't drop it.

Twenty minutes later, huffing and puffing while gasping for air, the duo arrived at the landingstrip. The pilot of the small plane greeted them with a gruff laugh, the corners of his mustached mouth curving into a smile.

"You sure know how to make an entrance, mister Choi, mister Song." the pilot chuckled, bowing his head slightly in their direction. Both San and Mingi were too winded to be able to form a proper response so San just ended up heaving "Mornin' to you... too... Captain Valross."