The Last Code Jumper (Rewrite)

|Chapter 16| Mystery of Words

Comet

"Please, please please wake up!" I heard Genesis cry out in the darkness of my mind, slowly bringing me back to the waking world. "I'll let you have all my strawberries just don't die on me!" His voice was shaking, but the way he said and pleaded. I chuckled. 

"I'm not dying Genesis..." I sighed letting my eyes slowly open. He was holding me and looking down. His one eye had tears running down his face. 

"You're alive! Comet!" He pulls me into a tight hug. A small smile forms on my face as I hug him. His body slowly stops trembling. "What did you do?! The Tree suddenly fell over and we all rushed over. The building was crushed and Origin was helping everyone else out! The next thing I knew was the building was putting itself back together- even the tree was!" He rambles on in excitement, as we slowly pull away from the hug. He grabs my shoulders. 

"The Green Leader said you saved his life with a white shield! Origin says you brought everything back together in an instant! Was that really you?! How powerful are you?!" He catches his breath as he finds himself shaking me from the thrill. 

"Truthfully I have no idea. I just... let it happen." I looked up at the ceiling above. It was still perfectly restored. I closed my eyes letting that moment fill my head. I.. I was able to do something good with the powers given to me.

"However you did it... that was amazing!" He gets onto his feet. Wrapping his arms under mine to help lift me onto my feet. 

"Thank you... Genesis." I felt some stability in my feet. I looked back up at him. "Where is Origin?" I question as my eyes peel to the front doors.

"He is talking to the other Green Steves. He asked me to keep an eye on you until you woke up." I make my way over to the door.

"Then let's say hi! So he knows I'm alright." I opened the doors, the sky was still grey, but the rain stopped. Leaving puddles on the ground. I was careful where I stepped so my feet wouldn't get too cold. Genesis walks ahead of me and leads me to him. He was standing at the base of the large tree. It would take at least ten Green Steves to hug even half of the tree... I swear it's the oldest tree to ever exist. Origin was talking to the Leader privately.

"It just doesn't make sense, why this tree fell. We all work hard to keep it in such wonderful health..." The Green Leader sighs.

"I know you all do, trust me it's not your fault." Origin rests his hand on his shoulder.

"I should thank you and your friends. Not only did one of them save my life, but also brought this tree back to life... She did the impossible." He looks up at Origin. He nods.

"She has... I will need to make sure she is alright. Truthfully this is the first time I have seen her do... anything like this." He sighs and looks up at the large tree. A small droplet of water falls on his nose. He flinched for a moment before cleaning the water away.

"And Genesis! He helped clear the chaos and helped everyone in the area. He really is so kind to us. I want to ask both of them one last favor before you all head home." The Leader looks to the side, his eyes widening at the sight of us. "Comet! Genesis! So glad to see both of you are alright." He waves to us. 

"We are just fine thank you, leader!" Genesis rushes over to the Leader. Origin's eyes rest on me. A small relief crosses his face. I walked over to him. He takes my warm hand into his cold one. 

"Comet, are you feeling alright?" He asks softly. Moving some hair out of my face.

"I'm okay Origin. I'm a little tired, but I should be fine." I calm him, yet he still lets go of my hand, only to wrap my arm around me, grabbing my other hand. I looked down at the ground.

"You want me to what?!" Genesis suddenly shouts. The Green Leader chuckles. We both turn our heads to him. I tilted my head.

"I want you to carve your name into the tree Genesis. As well as you Comet." He rests his hand on the old bark of the tree. Many names of past Green Steves have been carved in already. Many of them are alive, but even more of those who have long since passed on. I remember him saying all Green Steves who are born in this place later carve their names when they come of age. Carving a name that will suit them for the rest of their life. It's an honor and the oldest tradition they have.

"No... I do appreciate the offer, but I am not a Steve and it doesn't feel right to have my name on there. I do thank you for the offer." I bowed down to thank him. He doesn't fight me with the refusal. 
 
"I'll... Are you sure I can? I wasn't born here- created here." Genesis stutters as he looks at the leader. He nods.

"You are already like family here. Everyone looks up to you and looks forward to seeing you. You are another part of our home here on this island." He reminds Gensiss. He looks over at Origin who nods in agreement to the Leader.

"Alright. I'll do it!" He smiles and traces his hand over the rough tree. He looks around finding an empty spot in the tree with no other names nearby. The Green Leader offers him a small carving knife. One that was old, but well kept. Genesis slowly carves his name into the tree. He blows off some of the dust once it is done. 

"Thank you for being a part of our village Genesis, thank you Conet for saving this old tradition, and once again thank you Origin for bringing goodwill to our small island." The leader bows down to him. Then to all of us. 

"Of course leader. Stay well and we will always be there to help." I thanked him.

"We will come back soon! Next time with no falling tree!" Genesis promised. We all laughed at the thought as Genesis flew back down next to us. 

"We should all head back home, I do need to talk to you in private Comet." Origin squeezed my hand. Anxiety gripped my chest. Did I do something wrong?  I looked up at him, but no sign of frustration lingered over his glowing blue eyes. 

"I understand, have a safe journey home, all three of you." The Leader then slowly turns his back and walks away from all of us. Leaving the three of us alone. Origin teleports us back home without another word. Soon we were outside of our house. A part of me felt like it's been too long since we have been here. The sky was clear here, allowing the trickle of golden hour light to shine against the waterly slopes of the mountain and windows. Genesis rushed inside, while we were left alone. 

"Comet," He pauses looking down at me. I looked up at him, slowly letting my gaze meet his. 

"Yes? Origin?" I question softly.

"Can you tell me what happened? Don't leave out any details." He rests his hand on my shoulder. 

"Well... when I was there, everything started falling. I noticed the Green Leader was falling behind, so I went over to help him.  Then one of the branches fell on us." I reach my hand out and above my head. "I reached up like this and suddenly-" I felt it, the same spark of energy. I looked up at my hand to see a small white shield in my hand. Perfectly circular and with a white glow. It reminded me of my bow. Origin reaches out, running his hand over the white shield.  

"A shield appear in your hands, and you used that to counter the weight." He speaks the rest of my sentence, just before he pulls his hand away from my shield.

"Just like this." I breathed out, slowly lowering my hand as the shield of light flickers out.  "Then afterward... I saw something." I held back my shaking voice.

"You were distant for a moment. Then you collapsed." He reminds me. 

"I saw... a button?" I questioned my own words as I reminded myself of how it looked.

"A button? A small wooden button?" He questions himself. 

"No, it was more grey. It was twice the length of both of my hands and was very flat. Words were glowing on it that I could read. I clicked on it... and it was like my vision expanded into something larger!" I explained. "I... It said. Restore. It was letting me do that to the tree and the building. I clicked the button again and then- everything came back together." I looked back up at him. He looked.... amazed. 

"Then I passed out. I was tired, drained? I think drained is the best word for it..." I thought back on the odd feeling, but something else too.  Those... Those beings. I saw them... The first thing I ever saw was them, for a while I started to believe they were a fever dream. Yet, they are real. What they said to me. 

It's best if Origin doesn't know. 

"I just can't believe it. You have so much power than I ever thought, and a gift to help others. To repair the unrepairable." He hugs me. Tightly. I hugged him back.

"I want to help the Steves too, just you and Genesis have. With these powers, I can prove myself that because I am different. I can do good." Origin sighs and shakes his head.

"Comet, you already have."

. . .

Sabre