The 99 Caverns (book 2)

The Eastern Caverns

Junjie had never been so lonely in his life. Not when he was doing his training, not when Kerien was sick and locked up when she was 12, not when the Shane Gang and him first separated, not during his 20-year rein as the Dark Slinger.

Okay, that last one was due to a 20 year blackout but still. This was the loneliest he had ever been. And he had no clue why.

And no, it was not because he missed Kerien. He had lived months thinking she was dead perfectly fine. No, he was not jealous that she had chosen to leave the caverns. No, he did not realize how much of his emotional state relies on her until she was back and he lost her all over again.

Because he hadn't lost her! She was on the adventure she had always dreamed of. As she deserved.

Yes, he missed his best friend. Yes, he missed the Shane Gang. But he had friends here. Lian, Hamengku...give him a minute. Slick! And Drew! And...Symothy. And the Piriter. Actually, he preferred Trixie. But still.

And he had his slugs! So there. He was simply lonely for no reason, no reason at all.

Lian laughed as he tried to reason all this to her.

"Its okay to miss Kerien and the Shane Gang. You've made a special bond with all of them." Lian said with a knowing smile. "And it is okay to feel a tiny bit jealous."

"Jealous?" Junjie sputtered. "Who, me? Jealous? That is an emotion beneath that of an Eastern Champion."

Lian sighed as she shook her head "like I told Kerien, just like a jedi."

Junjie's brows furrowed as Joo-Joo laughed on his shoulder. Jedi? "I am not jealous. What would I have to be jealous about?"

"You have always gotten upset when your friends--admittingly a small number as it is--hang out with someone else or somewhere else." Lian explained.

Junjie scoffed. "Forgive me, my teacher, but you are wrong."

"Hm," Lian said. "When you were ten Kerien had to work on a school project with a bunch of kids, leaving you alone. You proceeded to cry and pout for the rest of the day until she came the very next day and clung to her for a full hour."

"I was ten!" Junjie defended, remembering that event embarrassingly.

And how did Lian even remember that? She was hundreds of years old!

"The point is, despite your loner tendencies, you thrive on those close to you. And you can get upset when they chose to separate from you for a time."

Junjie's mouth fell open. That was...not true. Not at all.

He did miss the Shane Gang. And Kerien. But he wasn't upset about it.

Was he?

Joo-Joo gave him a look that said you totally are.

The Eastern Champion sighed but his little bit of self discovery was interrupted when a large blast of swirling red and black energy smashed into the roof of a building, causing it to disintegrate into dust.

It was odd, but Junjie's immediate reaction was to hope it was Kerien. But of course it wasn't.

Turning, him and Lian found themselves facing an army of slingers--mostly humans but a few trolls were in their ranks--and before them stood a menacing goblin, stopped by his large torso and small spikes that bow protruded from his skin.

It was amazing, really. Kerien, the Emperor, and Dr. Blakk had all swam in the dark waters, but all had fastly different appearances.

Where they all had pale faces, Kerien's still showed her natural dark skin and both her and the Emperor were covered in grey shadows across their skin. Both Blakk and The Emperor had something sticking out of their skin, the Emperor's crown and Blakk's spikes.