Zion and I also got up and squinted in the direction Ash was staring at. But we couldn't figure out much except for a small shadow.
" Get ready , it might be something threatening."
We three stood side by side ready for defense and attack if needed.
"Now, calm down, don't kill me , I'm your well wisher!" Came a squeaky voice from hidden behind the shadows.
We were startled by the voice. I glanced at both of them once before starting to move forward.
But Zion held out his hand in front of me and motioned for me to step back. I obliged and he cleared his throat before commanding ," whatever you are , come out."
We waited with bated breath, eyes fixed on some particular bushes.
After a few seconds , there was a rustling sound and a small figure came out. But the thing wasn't human. It looked like a mix between a rabbit and a mouse.
"What are you?" Ash asked in confusion.
The creature fiddled with its paws and feet and chuckled nervously. It trotted forward and started explaining.
" Me iz Rousie , just a loyal creature of nature, sire" it looked down at the ground and gulped before continuing , "Vhen Rousie heard about the prophecy me vas intrigued and so Rousie came to see the battle. But now me realize how vrong the prophecy iz! " Rousie stomped his paw and motioned wildly to the air. "Three best fwiends forced to fight ? All cuz of a silly rivalry between their ancestors. No, no , Rousie can't bear thaz!" Rousie cried out holding a paw to its chest.
I found Rousie to be very adorable but I could hear muffled chuckling from both my sides. The source of it was Ash and Zion , who were rather amused by the way Rousie spoke.
I glared at them to keep quiet.
Rousie looked up at me with nervous eyes and went on, " Rousie saw vhat just happened ...and..."
" Do you know how to prevent this or something?" Zion inquired , now back with a serious expression.
" Yeah , do you know what had taken control over us?" Ash added in question.
Rousie nodded, " The prophecy iz a great ancient power. Neither good nor evil, it only concerns itzelf vith vhat it'z meant to say. So thaz iz vhy in order to make thy fight, it unleashed those powers on your mind. Rousie hopes thaz doesn't happen again. But the prophecy is still incomplete. None of you are harmed . In order to seal thiz thing once and for all, one of you must give a sacrifice, a soul for a soul, somefing like thaz."
We were rooted to our spots , trying to process whatever Rousie just said.
" So , you mean one of us has to die?"
I inquired nervously.
" Maybe , but it might also be somefing other than thaz. None of thy should have to die. But yez a sacrifice iz needed. "
" How do you know about this?" Zion asked in suspicion.
" Rousie iz 222 years old! Me was there when the prophecy was made among thy ancestors. One of them vas against it but they couldn't do anything cuz the other two vere hard to convince. So that'z vhen they came up vith thiz bargain."
The situation was finally sinking in. I knew what I had to do. Clenching my fists, I took a deep breath-
" I'll do the sacrifice!"
All three of us had shouted the same thing at the exact same time.
" Ooohhoohoo!" Sobbed Rousie. " Such great friendship, such loyalty, such love!"
" Rousie, what do I have to do?" I asked pressing on the matter.
" I? What do you mean I? " Ash glared at me.
" Yeah who said you'd be the one sacrificing yourself for us!" Shouted Zion throwing up his hands to express his disagreement.
" So will I just stand by and let one of you die!" I screamed back, tears streaming down my face like a river.
None of us could bear the thought of losing the other .
" Thena..." Zion pleaded looking at me with devastation.
Ash had turned around but I could see his shoulders shaking. He was crying silently.
" Rousie don't know everything. Only that thy iz supposed to chant the prophecy , willing with your vhole heart and a portal vill appear and thy have to go in thru that. "
I nodded towards Rousie and started chanting the prophecy and soon enough the boys and Rousie joined in. It seemed as if the whole forest was united , every creature, small or big chanted along.
From the corner of my eyes I saw a red sparkling portal appear in a distance. The wind blew wildly all around us, leaves dancing in the air .
I knew from the look on Zion and Ash's faces that they were also planning to sacrifice themselves but I won't give up. I won't let anything happen to them.
The three of us broke in a run. There was no way I could defeat them in a race.
Zion with his Mach 20 speed and Ash running as a wolf...there was only one way.
I hollered and willed all my powers to gather together in one place. An excruciating pain ignited all my nerves. I never used so much power at once so it felt like my body would tear apart. With the last ounce of strength I could master I shot the ball of power forward and it carried me like a breeze into the portal.
" NOOOOOOO!!!" My friends screamed in anguish from behind.
" I'm sorry." I whispered one last time.
The last thing I saw before the portal closed was Zion and Ash standing like statues on the forest ground. Their expressions as if they had just witnessed the whole world crumbling before them.
***
Cool air was blowing all around me, after a while it changed into warm air. It felt like I was falling through a hole. Nothing seemed to be in control and my surroundings passed by in a blur.
With a sudden jolt I landed on a hard surface. It didn't hurt as much as I had expected it to. Standing up , I brushed the dust from off my clothes.
Where am I?
It seemed like I was in a dark tunnel like a cave. The only source of light came from something bright penetrating the darkness from somewhere straight in front of me. I had a feeling that the light was coming from where the tunnel ended.
Cautiously I moved forward , not knowing what awaited me on the other end . My boots crunched over the stones and pebbles scatter underneath my feet. When I reached the end and walked in through the light I found myself in a surprising room which was completely white . There was a wooden table in the middle of the room but apart from that , it was completely empty.
I looked closely at the mysterious object in front of me. This ornate, silver bowl was the only thing in this long wooden table. It looked like an ancient artifact which would probably cost a fortune during today's time.
When I looked carefully, I noticed a layer of rust covering the bowl. It had probably gathered over the bowl during the course of the many years it was left here. The silver bowl was covered with intricate designs which seemed like an ancient code language.
Walking closer , I peered over to look inside the silver bowl and I was stunned in amazement. Grey smoke was swirling inside the silver bowl and a blue light glowed from the middle.
Blurry scenarios played out inside the smoke but they were all unknown to me. Hesitantly, I ran my hands over the carvings on the silver bowl and realized with a jolt , that the color of the bowl had started to change.
Smoke wafted from inside it and gathered overhead in front of me. Slowly it parted and arranged itself in such a way that the following words were formed .
Soul for a soul
Price to survive
Sacrifice of love
Saving in disguise
Ahhh another prophecy?!
I was seriously getting tired of all these silly predictions. But what to do, I had no choice but to go along with it.
I tried to decipher the prophecy. Either I had to die or I could survive but then it would require a price of sacrifice.
I decided to go with the second option.
As soon as this thought crossed my mind, the room started transforming again.
This time the scene that met my eyes left me frozen on the spot like a statue. I stood motionless , rooted to the ground with my mouth parted open in awe. What I saw in front of me could only be described as magical.
I had found myself in a magical room. It felt like I was transported to a different galaxy or the universe itself.
The whole room was dark but flickering among the gaps were millions of colorful lights spread all over. Balls of various sizes hung in a row from the ceiling and I realized that these were all the planets.
Many other odd shaped objects were levitating in the air.
Occasionally a burst of light would rush through the walls like a shooting star . Someone could mistake this room for outer space if it wasn't for the LED lights bordering the perimeters of the walls. A soothing sound played in the background.
Looking down it seemed like I would fall in a deep hole if I walked there. But nevertheless taking a few steps forward I felt the hard ground underneath my feet. The hole was just an illusion. The room seemed to be full of it .
But I should have known better than to relax so quickly, because the next moment I found myself falling again . And this time a sacrifice had been made.
★★★
So what do y'all think about Rousie ?
Soo adorable XD
I had to write whatever he said in a different way because that's how he speaks. This character was kinda inspired by " Dobby " from Harry Potter (:
Anyways, hope you enjoyed this part. Let me know your thoughts and be sure to vote if you liked this !
A.M.K 💙