Grounded On Juniper Island

The Choice

"You and the other Bounder were my little side project to keep me busy as Oleg searched for me. At first I wanted Oleg to get the blame; a means to drag him closer to me, but as time drew on I knew he would choose to join me without coercion."

Oleg was horrified with what he heard. Guilt, the never ending energy that had seemingly swirled around all of them, had fell completely upon him. His existence had caused enough trouble to others and it frightened him what else Erasmus had in store for them.

Jane, sensing his grief, kissed him on the cheek. Oleg smiled at her adoring face. It was the reminder he needed to tell him that he  wasn't the fault for everything.

"I thought that would make you feel better," said Jane rubbing his arm. Oleg felt like the luckiest man alive. He just hoped she felt as fortunate as he did. He swore to himself once they had overcome Erasmus he'd make it up to her. 

Lorne couldn't take it. He began to tremble. He flexed his muscles and gritted his teeth. A surge of anger pumped through him. His face had turned a bright red.

"You cruel, cruel thing. Tina and I were not some play toy you could have fun with. You're just a sick sorcerer who has abused his powers!" His throat felt coarse. The words came out of him in an act of desperation. Being unnerved was a new sensation to him.

"It's okay man," said Dom stepping forward holding his arm across Lorne. "In Urthkai society, Grewir will make him pay for his ill deeds. It's our way."

Erasmus did a backwards somersault mid air, letting out a raucous laugh. Hudson rushed towards Dom. He climbed onto his back, nestling his head into the space between his collar bone.

"Don't you see Urthkai." His eyes were crazed spinning, around in a circular motion. "I have made this all possible. I have lied to you. Grewir did not choose me. I enslaved the Goddess herself".

In his hands a brown bulb appeared. It was the size of his palm. A clumped root sprouted from its base. An image was engraved on to it, identical to the tree found on the cave walls around them.

"You are bluffing brother," said Dom confidently. He had rediscovered the fearlessness that had once made him a formidable warrior against his newfound friends.

"I feign not!" replied Erasmus yelling in a high pitch scream. It crippled the group to their knees, forcing their palms against their ears. "I trapped her the night after that Lemmy fellow destroyed the that famed Juniper Tree. Whilst the townsfolk of Junipo slept, I gathered her soil and made her into a tool for my bidding!" 

Dark blotches appeared over Erasmus's face. 

Blackness consumed his irises. 

The cave around them began to rock. The floor beneath rumbled, sending tremors through all  their entire bodies.

The stalactites above them flashed on and off.

Cracks began to zig zag across the boulder.

"You have till sundown to side with me Urthkais or else you will wiped out like the rest of those pitiful bounding fools!"

Erasmus clapped his hands.

In a blink of an eye, sunlight hit them, warming their skin. The sound of cicadas buzzed around them. The scent of fresh air made it easier to breath again.

Oleg stumbled onto his feet, racing towards what appeared to be an edge of a cliff. In hindsight, it wasn't best the idea, though at the time he didn't care. He needed to know where he was.

Dark green foliage stretched on for miles. It was a welcome relief and for a moment it allowed him to appreciate how beautiful the island was. A deep descent lay below him, however he was confident they could somehow get them down to the forest floor.

In the distance, Oleg spotted a towering gateway; an alien to the natural beauty around them. It was the entrance to Junipo.

"I believe we're on Tazai Peak, "said Lorne, who had startled Oleg. The others had joined him. 

Tazai Peak was the highest peak on Juniper Island. Only a rare few had ventured to it. The journey was famed as a getaway or even a perfect trip for an adrenaline junkie. "If we can get down from here safely we, should get to Junipo. It should take about three hours if we bound in tandem," continued Lorne.

"If that's the case we probably don't have much time," replied Oleg. He exhaled causing his cheeks to wobble. He hoped he was wrong but his initial instincts were right.

He  didn't have a shadow of a tree to measure the time, but a feeling in his gut, told him it was not on his side. The same applied to his parents, who unbeknownst to him, were also in grave danger.