Crash Bandicoot

Chapter 4: Leg Day

This city - it was unlike anything he had ever seen. It appeared to be rather ancient, and not a soul could be seen.

Aku Aku took yet another glance at Crash, who was still lying unconscious. He sighed heavily, a sense of concern filling him. His magic wasn't quite powerful enough to awaken the young hero.

"It's useless. Just give up."

The mask looked around, his eyes soon falling on an individual dressed in a black cloak. That signified that said individual was a Master of Darkness. The only question was, were they a member of the organization? Being ever so cautious, Aku Aku slowly approached the figure.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"You don't recognize me?" the figure, their voice revealing that they were female, sneered. "That's a shame, really."

"Would you allow me to see your face? That would surely help."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. You should recognize me by my voice only. None of that matters. I want you to listen to me, and listen well. If you believe there is any hope of awakening that bandicoot, you are sadly mistaken. His life, I am afraid, is forfeit."

"I refuse to believe that. Crash will wake up soon. I believe in him--"

"You believe in someone you just recently met? You truly are a pathetic being. Why do you care about that mortal? He is inferior."

"That is not true. Crash is our only hope of stopping Dr. Cortex before he does any harm to this island. It is his destiny to set things right. It is, after all, etched."

"You speak of the prophecy. I wasn't aware that you had heard of it."

"I have, although I haven't told Crash just yet."

"That will make things more interesting for me."

"What are you speaking of?"

"What you fail to realize is that Cortex isn't the true mastermind here. There is more at work. I shall leave you be now. Your continuous attempts to awaken Crash Bandicoot will be in vain." The individual vanished completely from sight, leaving Aku Aku to think about what he had just been told.

"Please wake up, child. You are our only hope. Without you, I fear that all will be lost."

***

Elsewhere on the island, a mutated koala bear paced back and forth in the mines. He had bulging muscles, as though he had skipped leg day. He sighed heavily for the umpteenth time that day. He was waiting for something, anything to occur. He had been in the mines for what felt like days, but in reality, it had been nearly an hour.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard footsteps from behind him, initiating him to turn around. He was face to face with someone dressed in a black cloak. He had seen this person before, though he had never been told her name. All he knew was that she also worked for Cortex.

He took a cautionary step back. Deep down, he trusted the individual only a little. He knew who the Masters of Darkness were - in fact, he was close friends with one - but he felt peculiar vibes from this one in particular.

"Be not afraid," said the figure. "I am here to do you no harm. I have only come to give you a task."

"A...task?" the mutant, whose dialect needed some improvement, questioned.

"Yes. The one you call Aisleen has proven to be quite the nuisance. I sense that she will arrive shortly. Your job will be to exterminate her, if possible."