Just Shapes and Beats: Restart

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Estelle stared down the pipe, slumped while kneeling with a blank expression. Blixer's screams were cut abruptly within seconds, but it still echoed in her head.

Ollie gently landed on the ground after he dashed to check on the heroes. Surveying the surroundings, he saw Endeyllion covering their mouth in horror. The heroes were all fine despite being very rattled, and they too were unsure of what to do.

"Orange?" Gold called, seeing her making a move towards Estelle.

"Let her," Cyan said, holding a hand up to silence them. "That woman that caused all this is trying to sneak off, c'mon."

Still in their forms, the three made it over to the square, who had a smug look as she stood up. She noticed them, but didn't seem to react.

"Now why was that a good idea?" Cyan aggressively asked, knowing he couldn't be understood but still frustrated.

The shape looked confused before trying to run off. Green stopped her in her tracks with a single blast of light directed next to her. She turned around again and stared dumbly.

With a single snap, she rose off the ground. In barely a blink of an eye, she zoomed away from them into the surrounding trees in hope to lose the group, weaving through the trees.

"Huh," Gold muttered. "That was quick."

Green groaned and was the first to dash after, shortly followed by her friends. "I hate to say it, but... destroy trees if we need to fight her. If she's cowardly enough to stay in the woods."

Meanwhile, Orange carefully approached Estelle, remembering what happened when Ollie got too close. She made a noise so she would recognize who it was.

Not turning, Estelle continued to stare down the pipe, only leaning into Orange's hand as she rubbed her back.

.

.

.

Blixer squinted as he felt himself become conscious again. It seemed far brighter than usual, but he blinked a few times to adjust his eye. It looked like a blank sheet of paper all around him, but slightly off-white in color. No shadows or other objects that would give something shape could be seen. It reminded him of the dream he had, except it was brighter.

"Hello young man."

"Who's there? Am I dead?" Blixer asked, looking around him. Weakly, he grumbled as his eye and head twitched from the sudden stress and the bodily strain he was subjected to during his fall. His heart was pounding with his headache.

His gaze fell on figures that were moving towards him. They were much taller, but not too tall. The one in the middle kneeled slightly, giving a gentle smile.

"Funny how the others asked if they died as well. How fascinating, however. He's actually alive in here, despite not being alien like those other four," one of the other figures remarked.

"Must be that... ahem. Peculiar outfit keeping him alive," another said, trying to say the outfit looked ugly in a nicer way.

The middle one shushed them. "What is your name?"

"Blixer. Who are you?"

"We do not know. But, we are the spirits of the trees around the world. We are long dead, and live in the planet's core."

"Oh! Do any of you know a guy named Cube?" he quickly asked.

"I happen to," the middle one replied. "How did you come here?"

Blixer explained the situation and why they were doing it, mentioning the quakes and exactly who he was in the past.

"You are the reason I can no longer communicate with my guardian. I see," the spirit nodded.