Chapter 2: Trouble in the Jungle
(Sparklez's POV)
"No Promises!" I heard Tom shout. 'Sweet Ianite, someone's going to get in trouble again.' I took out some dirt blocks and went to work filling in the hole in the ground that Gaines' machine had blown out. I finished up, and started walking to Wag's place on my way to Martha's. I slipped on my angel ring, and my wings spread out behind me. Catching the wind, I sped towards the Wizard's tower.
I knocked on his door. "Hey, Wag?"
"Come in, it's open," a cheery and very British voice replied from inside. I stepped in, and soon found him upstairs reading a foreign spell book on his bed. "Ah, Jordan! How are you?"
I dragged a chair from his desk and sat down opposite to him and his bed. "I should be asking you that. Feeling any better?"
He shook his head, smiling slightly from under his hood. "I feel fine, but Martha- the kindhearted love- insists that I stay home for a while longer." He flicked the page of his book over. "If this continues I may just go stir-crazy."
"Well, I was just on my way there for details on this animal she wants me to find tomorrow. I'll try to convince her you release you while I'm there."
"Much appreciated."
I stood up and walked to the door. "See you soon, Wag. I hope you feel better!" He waved, and I flew off in the direction of Martha's house. After a bit of flying I reached her house, and spotted her kneeling in her garden trying to tend to a wilting rose.
She looked up from her flower when I walked to the gates. "Oh, Sparklez, hello."
"Hey Martha. Flower troubles?"
"Unfortunately. Just another reason to pray that Steve and Andor return to us. Those two are probably the only ones among us with green thumbs."
"This is why I only keep fake flowers. So much easier to manage."
Martha giggled. "Because there's nothing to manage, Sparklez."
I snapped my fingers. "Exactly!" There was a moment of silence. "Oh, right. I was hoping that you could tell me more about the animal you want me to hunt tomorrow?"
"The Te-ahi? I don't want you to kill it, I just need you to capture two of them so I can house some."
"Oh, alright. Anything you can tell me about it?"
"Well, it's a small, white, cat-like animal that glows blue in the darkness. It has grey stripes down it's back, and usually hangs around the heart of the forest."
I scratched the back of my neck. "How do I know where the heart of the forest is?"
"I believe the heart is marked with a giant oak tree in the center of the jungle." She looked in the direction of the sun, which seemed to be on the decline.
"Thanks. Well, I should probably start to head back. Anything else?"
Martha thought for a moment. "Yes, actually. I've read that the Te-ahi have extremely high senses and are very skittish, so I'd advise against flying or the use of weapons and armour. Oh, and bring fish."
"Hm, now it doesn't sound so easy. Bye, Martha."
"Goodbye, Sparklez. Be careful."
"Before I leave, Wag is wanting me to ask for his freedom back."
She laughed. "Waggles can have it back when his illness fully goes away." I shook my head, smiling broadly. As I began flying, Martha waved and headed inside. As I flew by Wag's tower, I stuck a note to his window.
"Sorry 'Waggles', but Martha says no freedom until she thinks that you're better. Let's hope that you have enough books! -Sparklez"
I kept flying until I reached my towers, then stepped on to the elevator. By now I'm completely oblivious to the falling sensation. I stepped off at my bedroom after briefly checking to see if there was anything new in Guard Tom's room, then changed into pajamas and crawled into bed. The very bright bed in the very bright bedroom. 'I don't see why people have an issue with my room. Maybe I like waking up to see colours.'
I rolled over, half asleep. Well, I was half asleep until my head connected with the corner of my bedside table. I yelped. "Ow!" I held my hand to my forehead, and felt a trickle of blood wind around my fingers. "Great." I hauled myself out of bed and went off to find a band-aid.
After cleaning the cut and putting on a band-aid, I got dressed and went into the kitchen. Since Martha expected me to traipse through the forest without armour or an angel ring, that meant that I'd have to walk there. It ought to take the whole day just to get there, so there goes my plans to work on my reactor. I grabbed some water, sandwiches, and some raw fish, then put it in my golden bag of holding. I slid a small dagger in as well, just in case some mobs get too close for comfort when night approaches. I slipped the bag into my pocket, and walked out of my towers. Turning in the direction of the jungle, I commenced my long walk. Just for some fancy cats.
.-~-..-~-..-~-..-~-..-~-.Time Skip (cuz do y'all really want a whole chapter of walking? Oh look - it's a bush! Oh hey - there's a tree, too! Fancy that!).-~-..-~-..-~-..-~-.
After hours of walking, I reached the jungle. Afternoon had long since passed, and night threatened the daylight away. 'There aren't any monsters yet, so that's a plus. If I'm lucky, I'll be in and out with the Te-ahi without major trouble.' I walked in, hopefully heading towards the heart of the forest. The place seemed a bit more overgrown than usual jungles, and there were a few fallen logs. 'I guess there used to be some logging done here.'
A distant whimpering sounded from a bit ahead of me. There was no blue glow that I could see, but it was something. I took my dagger from my golden bag of holding and slid it up my sleeve, so that it would still be hidden in case the source of the sound was a Te-ahi after all. I fought way through some massive bushes, and found myself in a clearing. In the middle of the clearing a pale man with greying blonde hair wearing a green, dirty cape was crumpled in the center. He was whimpering.
"Oh, dear Ianite! Are you alright?" His head shot up at the sound of my voice, and I started walking towards him slowly.
"No," he cried. "Don't come any closer!" His voice was scratchy and mournful. Despite his words, I kept walking, this time a bit faster. Something was wrong. "STOP!" He screamed. "I don't want to hurt you!"
"Please, I just want to help. What's wrong? Are you hurt?" I crouched down beside him and reached to touch his shoulder. He shied away from my touch.
"I'm begging you, please get out of here as fast as you can."
"Why? Whatever it is, I can help you."
He looked at me, and I noticed that his face was covered in tattoos. They looked to be flames. He stared into my face, his green eyes drowning in tears and rivers cascading down his cheeks. "I know," he choked out. "But you need to leave. Before he hurts you too."
"What? Who hu-" My words caught in my throat as I saw his face go emotionless, and his eyes blank. Just as I was about to try and catch his attention in hopes that it would snap him back, his skin inflamed and fire shot into his eyes, replacing his pupils. "Oh my gods!"
I scrambled backwards and stood up as he slowly got off his knees. He looked at my shocked expression and started to laugh maniacally. 'What in the world is going on?!' Before I could think of an answer, the man's body burst into flames, yet he seemed unfazed as he kept laughing. I was speechless.
He strode towards me, causing me to step back until I hit a tree. "You know," he said, almost lazily. "You really should have listened to the poor bloke. He was trying to help you, but your damned kindness got in the way. Now you'll truly know what he was going through."
I tried to turn and run, but with a wave of his hand I was surrounded by rings of fire, trapping me completely. He stepped closer and closer. I let the dagger I had slide from my sleeve into my hand, and swung at him, anything to get him away from me. The fire in his eyes only intensified as it fazed through him, and he chuckled softly. "No! What're you do- AUGH!" I screamed in pain as he stabbed me near my waist. Instantly, the fire subsided, blackness clouded the sides of my eyes, and I was faintly aware of falling onto my back. The black clouds grew into a storm and my consciousness ran away from me.
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A/N - You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this. One chapter. It may not seem like long, but oh geez it felt like eternity. AAAAAAAAHHHHH finally!
I'm so excited! #HappyEndings! -Pure