The Deadly Trials

8.2 | Lava

Above me, a familiar yet undeniably unsettling figure appeared. He glared at me, a still-smoking gun in his scaly claws. He grumbled, "A third time, bean sprout."

"Please," I coughed out, a weak hand pointed, "my leg."

"You'll heal," Jack dismissed. But he knelt beside me and pulled out a length of tangled bandages, plus something that looked like a squashed banana.

My muscles gave in to the exhaustion. Not even my eyelids could hold themselves open. I simply lay there, lungs expanding and contracting. My leg stung, and stray tears escaped the corners of my eyes.

A few moments later, my leg stopped pulsating and sending pangs of searing jolts up to my spine. I assumed Jack had tended to it, and if my eyes had been strong enough to open, I would have seen my leg wrapped in old bandages.

"Is it gone?" I could barely hear my own voice.

"For now."

Before I could process what was happening, something was shoved into my mouth.

I spluttered and coughed, but his claws pushed the leaf-like substance further in my mouth.

"Oh, quit resistin'. It'll help, bean sprout."

I bit into the leaf, and my face contorted as though I had sucked on a lemon. It had been like biting into a custard-filled donut, except sour. "Eck, what was that?"

"It'll restore your strength." Jack groaned and I heard him sit down a little ways from me. "Y'know, kid, you owe me big. I've saved your ass three times now. Not to mention all the resources I've wasted on you."

As he complained, the exhausted hum of my muscles faded. I chewed and swallowed more of the strange plant Jack had gifted me, and I felt like I had woken up from a fourteen-hour slumber.

How remarkable, that Eternity could heal injuries within the blink of an eye.

My thoughts stopped short, taken over by the view before me. From the top of Mount Volum, I could see all of Eternity. Far in the distance, beyond the stretches of forests and the castle and its gardens, stood a giant tree. Its branches could have housed cities, and something flew about the tree. It looked like a spot for travelers.

The colors astounded me: the greens, the browns, the blues, yellows, pinks, oranges, even grays turned Eternity into a painting, rather than reality.

No matter the tragedies or injustices of this world, Eternity remained the most beautiful place I had ever seen. I was almost thankful to be here, even if I was covered in dirt and blood and injuries.

Shaking my head, I looked over to Jack. "Thank you, again."

He glared at me from the corner of his eye. "You attract danger, Earthlin'. It ain't good for my health."

"And yet you continue to come to my rescue." I grinned. "Does that mean you like me, Jack?"

He snorted. "I don't like anyone."

"You're not as cold-hearted as you pretend to be, Jack."

He opened his mouth to retort, but a spine-tingling screech filled the air. He leaped to his feet as he said, "Ah, Kahla, it's back."

I, too, jumped up and peered about us, waiting with wide eyes for the birdlike creature to bound over the edge and locate me within milliseconds.

But a glint off the ground interrupted my vigilance: the polaroid photo of me and my sister had fallen out of my pocket. I bent to pick it up. I stared at Annalyse's smiling face, and I wished with every bone in my body that I could return home — rather than confront an oversized Macaw.