The Last Rainforest

Magi's Secrets

The rain poured down and the trees bathed in its beauty. It was dark inside the cave, but impossible to ignore the pounding outside - the little tapping of water droplets hitting leaves or falling to the untempered ground below the canopy. You could almost hear the trees singing in gratitude; the music of the rainforest.

The cave itself was another majesty altogether. It was large yet it seemed so small from the outside. The walls of it were adorned with finger paintings, ancient and forever. There were handprints, then they developed into what looked like reaching arms in all different colours, however they also looked like trees. They could represent both - all things were one in the rainforest.

"Our world was much larger then. The forest went on forever."

More detailed drawings began to appear as the wall stretched on. Animals could be clearly seen: birds, reptiles, mammals, fish.

"We tree spirits nurtured the harmony of all living things...but our closest friends were humans."

Almost as if the pictures were being made as Magi's voice spoke and echoed throughout the cave, the next images were stick figures of clearly human beings, some holding sticks or other utensils. One in particular stood out - a cloaked figure with only their eyes visible, holding a much smaller human-like figure in their hand. However this was not a human. This was a tree spirit of a light turquoise with white wings that looked delicate even as a rough depiction.

"Then, as sometimes happens, the balance of nature shifted."

One minute it was a painting of a hill, the next it was a dark volcano with bright orange fire and rage exploding from it in great swirls. It was almost frightening.

"And Hexxus, the very spirit of destruction, rose up from the bowels of the earth and rained down his poison."

Those swirls were dragged as rain which resembled falling flaming rocks. The tree hands made another appearance here, only instead of reaching up in joy, they were reaching in fear, protecting themselves. It was strange how such a similar image could resemble two entirely opposing emotions.

"The forest was nearly destroyed."

There were great fires shown now. It was obvious that something destructive had happened. It looked like there was no hope.

"Many lives were lost, and the humans fled in fear...never to return."

The most hideous of paintings could be seen. Skeletons covered the ground, and other figures were running from the flames and death. It felt like it was real; like it was happening right then. You could almost hear the screaming.

"Most think they didn't survive."

The reaching depictions blurred into a cloud. A black, ominous cloud with a face: Hexxus. There was a blankness then; the pictures just felt empty without those friendly beings.

"It was only by calling up the magic powers of nature that I was able to trap Hexxus inside an enchanted tree..."

Suddenly it was like all those horrid things had never been there. From what now must have been trees, green and blue lights that resembled a magic kind of water moved towards the cloud which was now a large, leafless tree. A black one with a thick trunk. It was evident that it wasn't natural - it was ugly. It sat alone on some plain ground as its plain self, and it seemed like it would always stay that way. It should always stay that way.

"...and save the rainforest."

Magi's hand moved from the walls that had were so enveloping and abruptly she was back to reality - the humid air and the slightly claustrophobic atmosphere of the cave. Magi was the eldest of the tree spirits, and the most important too. She wore a large purple flower, her wings were old and delicate and her hair reached the bottom of her back in thick, grey-white, wavy locks. She had placed a smaller flower in her hair to keep it from covering her face. One who was paying more attention, unlike Crysta, would have noticed this. The inside of the cave suddenly felt lighter and more filled with the outer sunlight - you could see fungi creeping along the walls and covering the floor like a carpet.