Secrets of the Underground (The Devereaux Story)/Chapter 3

After the fiasco with the first clue, Eska and Spiro headed deeper down to explore more. However, they were stopped again by another clue that stumped them. The pedestal that stood before them held yet another clue for them to solve. Spiro read it aloud:

"The next riddle for you to solve

Is an item that involves

A person of sorts who long ago

Caused the Smurfs such great woe"

"Yeesh," Eska commented, "This is deep"

"But, who could've caused such great woe?" Spiro cocked his head, "Could it be one of the red Smurfs?"

"Luckily, I brought a pair of red Smurf pants!" Eska pulled out a pair.

"How the heck did you get that?" Spiro pointed to them.

"Accidentally ripped off," Eska kept herself from giggling, "And who knew Psycho was into fairies?" She laughed, "Let's see if this works." She folded the pair and set it on the pedestal. However, after a while, nothing happened, "It wasn't it?"

"The red Smurfs may have caused ruckus," Spiro explained, "But not woe."

"Then...who could it be?" Eska pondered.

Spiro tapped his chin, then perked up, "Wait a minute...wait a minute!" Spiro ran back to where the first clue was. Eska trailed behind and tried to keep up with him. When he stopped, he stopped in front of the painting with the black concealer. Spiro tugged at the corner and peeled off the painting. They gasped. It was a painting of the village, sky cloudy and Smurfs miserable.

"So...," Eska went back to the first painting, "They're happy here, then war hit...and now they're sad?"

"Look at this more clearly," Spiro pointed to a corner of the first painting, "See there? It's not just a Smurf...it's a...Smurfette."

"There were...other Smurfettes?!" Eska widened her eyes.

"Yes..." Spiro moved on to the third painting, "And here, there are no Smurfettes. Just male Smurfs. Which means..."

"...the red Smurfs must've killed all the Smurfettes!!" Eska concluded, "Then...why didn't the pants work then?!"

"I dunno," Spiro shrugged, "But, you stay here. I need to test something." Spiro ran back up the stairs, leaving Eska to guard the place herself. When he returned, he brought back what looked like Smurfette's shoe.

"How'd you get that?" Eska pointed to it.

"Uh..." Spiro adverted his eyes, "I...borrowed it! Then, I'll give it right back! Besides, Smurfette's got plenty of pairs of shoes, and she wears the same pairs twice." Spiro went back to the pedestal and set the shoe on. When set on, the shoe caused it to sink lower. Then, the second door slid open.

"It...worked." Eska blinked.

"There must be something to this tomb thing." Spiro rubbed his chin.

"How do you mean?" Eska asked.

"What if these questions relate to what's inside the tomb?" Spiro theorized.

"You mean," Eska restated, "These clues lead straight to buried treasure?!"

Spiro shrugged, "Eh, close enough. But, whatever is down here, it's something Papa is keeping from us."

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