Undiscovered Origins

Undiscovered Origins - Chapter 23

Chapter 23:

            Everybody shed tears that night from Serena’s death. They could not stop to mourn though and had to work on cleaning up. The dead gargoyles they tossed over the side of the ship giving it less weight to sink. Water still flooded onto the ship and it didn’t seem like they would make it but it didn’t slow Drake or anybody else down so she continued to help. They stacked all the shattered wood in a pile, strings in another, and torn sheets in the last.

            The morning sun began to rise and it was tainted red when she looked at it. It was not a beautiful sunrise as so many before it. The moment she saw the cursed sun she had to turn away at once. She didn’t know if she could ever look at a red sun rising in the same way ever again. Regret still tainted her spirits. Still, she dared not say a word about what Selaras had said to anybody. In fact, Jade agreed with her and so she let the words consume her.

            When everything was cleaned up Jade stood alone looking into the distance and her eyes tracing the open ocean. She glanced away from the sun and to the cascading blue emptiness. Somehow she felt alone, more alone than she had ever felt in her life. She still had Drake… well she thought she did. He wasn’t giving her much attention as most of his time was spent with Selaras mourning over the death of her sister. She felt sorry for Selaras but it still irritated her to see Drake’s arms over her.

            The four faeries still played games with each other but there was no giggling that day. They didn’t snicker or have any smile upon their face. Today was the day of mourning and it seemed that each of them had a lump in their throat that was too stuck to clear.

            The light crashes of the waves were the only sound that calmed her mind. There wasn’t anything else that far out in the ocean. It had been weeks since she had seen any animals besides the few fish and dauphins that jumped from the water. The ocean was relaxing, yet it was depressing as well. Jade was one of nature and a forest is where she belonged.

            “Jade.” A low muscular voice whispered behind her ear.

            She jumped and turned around to see Drake standing close to her. He looked blurry as her vision of everything seemed to blur from time to time. She knew she was tired, way too tired, as none of them had slept the night before and most likely wouldn’t until nightfall. Besides the last night had put her on edge adding to her tiredness didn’t help. Drake seemed to understand and waited until she collected herself.

            “Yes, Sir Drake.” She murmered.

            “I need your help repairing the ship.” He seemed to ask her but it was a statement.

            She looked around the wreckage, wondering what exactly she could do. From the looks of the torn poles and sails it seemed all hope was useless. She had thought they would just give up and sink to their doom. Nothing looked intact enough to be salvaged.

            “How?” She wondered.

            “Jade, remember what you are.” Drake said.

            She looked at him puzzled until she understood what he spoke of. Indeed she was a dryad but she didn’t know the limitations of her powers. It was wood that surrounded her but she didn’t know what type of wood it was and besides it wasn’t living. Her shoulders arched with her eyebrows.

            “I know what I am but what can I do?” Jade asked sighing.

            “You can mend the wood…  heal it in a fashion.” Drake said.

            “But it is not alive, how can I heal something that isn’t living?” Jade demanded.

            “Your scimitar isn’t living yet you can transform it into anything you wish. It takes a little more energy to keep it like that for good, instead of having to hold onto it, but you only have to put your mind to it.” Drake said.

            “Is this wood oak?” Jade asked.

            “I do not know, but it doesn’t have to be. Jade, dryads are daughters of the oak trees. However, their power isn’t limited to them. You can control all trees. Oak just comes the most natural and easiest to you.” Drake said.

            “So this is going to be hard? I have not had much practice Drake…” Jade whispered.

            Drake held her gaze hard and walked up to her lifting her chin up so she would look straight into his eyes. She quickly became lost in the swirls of green that nearly matched her own of jade. He seemed to want to comfort her and despite her effects against it, it was working.

            “Jade, you’re our only chance. Without you, we will surely sink. Serena believed in you.” Drake whispered.

            At the mention of Serena’s name Jade’s eyes swelled up. She remembered the first time she met the woman and her kind words. She did seem to have faith and the thought put a light in Jade’s shadow. She walked over to the scattered wood and placed her hand on it closing her eyes. Her body shivered as it felt the wood’s energy inside of her. Oak and pine was what the ship was made out of, and the oak was easy to control and maneuver into whatever shape and mold she wanted. The pine was tougher but with a lot of concentration and shaking of her body she was able to transform it. Her eyes stayed closed but she could picture the entire ship in her mind surrounded by darkness. All the wood had maneuvered from under her hand and she was touching the deck now. She noticed the damaged holes on the exterior and sought them out growing wood into the cracks. Everything seemed pieced together but still cracked as if it wouldn’t grow back to anew. Struggling to make everything more solid she began to wear out of energy and had to give up. She had to give up and focus on making everything all that surrounded her was blackness. The ship was gone and she was alone unconscious in utter blackness.