“Now I know why you’re always calm. You’re also a cat, in case you didn’t notice.”
“Did we forget to tell you about that?” Squirt giggled.
“Um, yeah, you left that bit out….Can all of you turn into animals?”
“Yeah, a lot can. You should see your face!” Squirt laughed. “I never expected to be Water. My mother’s a Fire Elemental, males don’t often take after their mother’s Element. My dad was an Earth Elemental. That’s why I’ve been practicing and tutoring under Yugi.”
“Umm, right, but the cat thing?” Anni pointed at Kuar and the other natives.
Squirt laughed. “I can’t explain that, but…” He crouched to whisper to her, “I think this tribe believes I’m related to them.” He giggled. “Weird, huh?”
“How do you know that?”
Squirt giggled. “Cat communication?”
“Hmmm, what about the Miranda thing?”
“I didn’t say anything, because I was waiting for the right moment to tell her. She can be kinda prickly sometimes, especially when it comes to her half siblings.”
“I can think of a better word.”
“We have the same mother, but different fathers. She gets touchy about our mum but that’s another story.”
“I’m happy for you. It’s a beautiful Opus Stone.” She smiled. “Wait until Daphne sees it.” She couldn’t help but think how this separated her from them, and most of all, Lexi.
The young leader of the clan raised his head with reverence. “I am Kuar Naheul, Prince of the Jaguar and Cat people. You may call me Kuar.”
“Hi, Kuar. I’m Squirt.” He turned to Anni. “What should we do?”
Anni said to Kuar, “Can you show us the way to the Sleeping Tree?”
Kuar whistled. Two women picked up Daphne and Miranda as if they weighed nothing, threw them over their shoulders, and raced up the middle of the biggest tree as though they had invisible suction pads on their feet. A young boy scooped up Brat and did the same. Then Kuar motioned for Anni and Squirt to follow him.
“This way,” said Kuar, who showed them the notches built into the tree, a spiral of teeny stairs. “Please follow.”
Anni frowned at Squirt. “We’re supposed to climb up that?”
“Or I carry you,” said Kuar.
She watched the nimble Jaguar people deftly whisk Daphne and Miranda up the side of the tree. It looked like they walked on air. Then she saw how they used the vines to help their ascent. She turned to face Kuar. “And if we fall?”
“I will catch you, but you won’t. I can see you already have the skill.”
Holding a vine in each hand, she placed one foot on a small peg in the tree. The vines cradled her, sometimes wrapping around her waist to offer more support. The repetitive movement reassured her. Before she knew it, she had climbed thirty feet.
A hundred feet up, a treetop city greeted them. It expanded as far as the eye could see. Everything was interconnected, either by petrified branches, vine slides, or boughs that lifted like seesaws from one level to the next.
They followed Kuar toward the center of the village. There, they had to cover their mouths and noses because of the sulfurous smells that emanated from rotten wood that surrounded a charred tree trunk. The closer Anni got, the more her eyes watered. She wasn’t the only one. The Jaguar people appeared frailer, too. It was as if the tree’s illness affected them on a deeper level.
“I will take you to Chief Vidar,” said Kuar. “He may help you in your request.”
As they ascended another level, the scorch marks in the tree grew bigger, and the sulfur stench that invaded their nostrils intensified. The remnants of what once had been a palatial balcony were crowded with sick natives. Anni had never expected to witness such intimate and private moments, as Jaguar families surrounded the sick who were preparing to leave their bodily forms for good. This platform, full of dozens of wood and stone sculptures fashioned in the shape of animals, struck Anni as being a sacred place. The statues were mostly carved like cats, but there were at least two statues of a strange winged creature she didn’t recognize. Many were festooned with wreaths of flowers and grass. All of them had little wisps of twinkling lights that hovered around the effigies.
In the center stood a massive round altar of stone. It shimmered brightly even though it was completely shaded by the trees. It was close to this object, where the Jaguar people laid out cots and deposited Daphne, Brat, and Miranda.
“Your friends rest in care. They should wake soon,” said Kuar and indicated they should move on.
At the highest point in the village, the view was breathtaking. Concealed behind large palms, a royal throne room was visible on a private platform. Two guardians assisted a weary medicine man as he carried out decayed bowls filled with noxious oils. The medicine man reported to an even older man who gazed across the sea of treetops. His attire suggested he was the chief. They hung back as Kuar reported to him.
The chief turned to Squirt and Anni. “I am Chief Vidar. Welcome. It is our highest pleasure to receive and attend to you and your friends, Squirt. I knew your father. He was a great man and a king among his people in the East.”
“Thank you,” said Squirt. “This is Anni. We need your help.”
She cleared her throat and said, “We need to enter the Sleeping Tree.”
The old chief laughed. “I apologize, but passage is impossible.”
Squirt’s face fell.
Chief Vidar missed nothing. “It is not I who prevents your passage. Once the Opus Stone commences, your body cannot withstand another transformation. It is far too weak.” Vidar’s eyes were kind, but weary. “The Tree no longer sleeps. It embodies death and the weak cannot enter. Otherwise, it would consume their life force. Only the strong may pass through.” He sat back and studied them.
Anni stepped forward. “Can I go?”
“You can’t go alone!” said Squirt.
The chief looked at Anni in size and stature. “You are human, yes?”
She faced Vidar. “Yes, I am.”
“Humans cannot return. It’s not been done,” said Vidar.
“I don’t care. I don’t have another choice…”
Vidar raised an appraising eyebrow. “We all have the freedom to choose,” he said. “If you were to enter, a part you must leave behind, a part that cannot absorb what is to be seen inside. To enter without doing so would leave an indelible mark on your being, a scar so deep, it could tear you in two.”
“I don’t care. I have to go,” said Anni.
“Ah, the stubbornness of youth. I see I can’t persuade you.” Vidar raised a hand to his lips, tapping them. “Human you are, but you are also still a child. There is power in that, and as such, your chance for survival is greater. I cannot spare any of my people to join you. My best men are weak and in great need of conciliation. But if you wait, we can offer the assistance in a day’s time.”
Anni didn’t want to hear any more. She was so close. Every fiber of her being was ready to go. “I can’t wait. Lexi needs me. She’s been in there too long already.” She glimpsed Squirt’s concern and said to him, “I have to go, even if it’s alone.”
The chief said, “Although there are many entrances into the Fectus world, at present, this tree is the only one in this area. If you must go, then you must follow me.”
He led them into a chamber. Perhaps once it had been an opulent throne room, but now, a dying creature lay on the floor, partially covered with a woven tarp. Its flesh was scarred and the wounds oozed a tar-like mucus that seared holes into the wood flooring.
Five shamans chanted over the figure, but it didn’t seem to do any good. Deterioration progressed just until death was imminent and then, inexplicably, the creature’s body revived itself, disallowing the completeness of death and welcoming the rebirth of pain anew. The idea that this creature was trapped in a vicious cycle of agony made Anni retch.
Chief Vidar’s body swayed as if he’d lost strength upon
entering the chamber. The guardians helped him stay upright as he placed his hand over his heart. “My people and this creature share a union,” he said in a slow, soft tone. “He is our guardian and our soul. We share in its cursed pain.” He paused. “It is neither alive nor dead, as its twin exists in permanent torture. The two can never recover so long as they are separated.”
Under the burlap, Anni saw two giant charred wings that mirrored the exact shape and size of the burned tree trunk. However, it was difficult to see what kind of creature lay beneath. Bandages covered most appendages, preventing the hemorrhaging viscous fluids from spreading over the floor.
“Who did this?”
Vidar looked even older in that moment and lowered his head.
“Where you travel, you will see many evils. Perhaps you may encounter those at fault.” His lip curled. “The Fectus, of course, are responsible, but their queen, the Naga Yaga, is directly responsible for this Ancient’s pain. She wields the Umbos, an abomination that divides the essence from the corporeal form. Naga Yaga has many pawns at her disposal, and this Ancient is not the first of her victims. My wish is that you do not happen upon her true minions, for they are a formidable group who won’t hesitate to harm you. We have great knowledge of their inner workings because my people enter into her world in disguise, always searching for information to help heal our beloved Ancient. As you have witnessed―” he pointed toward the memorial statues― “not all of my people return in one piece.”
The true horror of the story chilled Anni to her core.
Squirt moved to her side. “You can’t go. I won’t let you go in there alone. Not without help. You have to wait for us to go with you.”
She was terrified, but she couldn’t let him see it. “You’ve already sacrificed enough for me. Lexi can’t wait. I have to go while I can.”
The chief took a vial from a medicine man and held it out to Anni.
“Promise me one thing, Anni,” Squirt said. “Please come back. Promise me that. That tonic’s no joke. At best, you could have neon-colored hair for months. At its worst…” He stopped. His watery eyes said the rest.
She understood his meaning, looked him in the eyes, and said, “I’ll be back, okay? You’re a great friend, Squirt. You and Daphne have done so much for me, but now, I’ve got to do this for Lexi. She’s my family, and she’s in there.” She hugged him, took off her backpack, and once again left the doll in his care.
The only thing of value she had was Mabel’s locket and key. They were sentimental only to her, and she felt safe going in with them. She turned to Vidar and said, “I’m ready.”
“Drink this to protect the most important part of your being which you cannot live without, your essence. This will ensure your success, but know it will alter your physical form. The Ancient trapped below is tortured because he has been separated from his, but his fate is not yours. Do not take fear with you on your journey, for you will find much of that below. Set your intention before you drink, set all fears aside, and all will be well.”
Anni took the vial and repeated his last words, “all will be well,” then swallowed it. The liquid tasted like acid and scorched her throat all the way to the pit of her stomach. A faint vapor traveled from her body, out the tent, and settled on the altar outside.
Chief Vidar pointed to a curtain behind the beast. Two guardians pulled the silk back, revealing a rotted fissure large enough for a small car within the charred trunk.
“You are brave, young human. Kuar will show you the way down. He will escort you to the bottom, but from there, you must travel alone.”
She followed Kuar into the tree. She wanted to look back, but her task was hard enough without seeing Squirt’s worried face. Humid air filled the dark expanse below. Kuar’s barely dressed body was near invisible except for the faint glow of two circles that appeared to be tattooed on his back and shaved head. She held on to vines as she trailed after him, down thin wooden steps that spiraled down the inside of the trunk. She concentrated on the circles the entire way. All her other thoughts escaped her consciousness until finally, her guide stopped at the bottom. She couldn’t believe how quickly they reached it.
Kuar stood before a tunnel. He smelled the air and watched the passage carefully until it was safe to speak. “I apologize. I cannot take you farther. I leave you here, brave friend.” He touched the spot between Anni’s eyebrows and chanted something that sounded like a prayer. His finger was cold to the touch, but when he removed it, Anni felt a swirling sensation behind her eyes that radiated up her spine.
“I must go now.”
“Thank you, Kuar. You can call me Anni, Anni Moon.”
Kuar bowed. “Anni, daughter of the Moon, may the Ancients protect you and fortify your soul. May the warrior within come forth and bring great power to your journey.”
WHIFFLE’S SACRIFICE
She watched Kuar disappear into the darkness and thought about what he said. Did she have a warrior within her? She hoped so.
Slowly, she walked down the tunnel. The walls were damp and her throat tightened, fit to gag from a dank smell that lingered in the airless passage. A fresh wave of panic hit her when she realized she couldn’t keep her hands from trembling.
Steeling her nerves, she pushed ahead. As long as she moved one foot in front of the other, it seemed manageable, even though there was no end to the tunnel in sight.
Refracted light bounced off greenish tubular objects stuck inside the walls. Tangled roots made the ground uneven, and forced her to boulder climb over crevices.
The tunnel dead-ended into a steep cliff. Far below, she caught sight of a flat mesa, visible only by distant flickering lights, and cacophonous cheers that echoed off the underground walls. Though she couldn’t see what created the noise, she felt deep in her bones that the mesa was where she needed to go. The longer she stood there, the more the raucous sounds made her feel sick and weak.
Something was coming up the path behind her. Alarmed, Anni dove behind the nearest rock before two burly creatures approached. She inched around a boulder that sat precariously on the edge of the cliff overlooking the mesa, hundreds of feet from the ground. The creatures tromped past her and stopped on the other side of the boulder, speaking in husky tones.
The one that spoke first was picking at his tusk-like teeth with a bone. “Willin’ a wager ’oo can spread ta most Funk tonight? Bet ya, come on. I’ve got me some good uns picked out. They light up the Squatters fast and sucks all the joy out. I like ta hopper and work quick, see. No lingerin’, not me. Nah, I spin ’em. Humans never see it comin’ when they’re doin’ chores. I gets me Squatters planted in every room. Best way to generate long-termers, that’s stayin’ power.”
Anni thought she would squeal with fear when the other creature’s snake-like tail slithered over her foot. “Naw, ’tis not for me. I work slow—more powerful like. I pick at ’em. Make ’em afraid of ’emselves. Rub out self-trust, then ’em only listen to me, and then they beg. Naw, I take pride in me work, ’tis an art. Me numbers might be low, but me Squatters can power the Fectus cross one small country.”
“Ha! We’ll see ’oo ’as the stayin power,” said the beast with tusk teeth.
The very sight of these unnatural monsters made her sick. Whatever they were discussing, it didn’t sound good, like they were taking something from humans, making them sick. Were they responsible for spreading Funk? Was that their job? She shouldered herself against the rock to keep her balance, and a cry nearly escaped her lips.
“Don’t utter a single word, Child, ” said Whiffle, who for once Anni found welcoming. “Steady your breath, Child. Do it now. You don’t want them to sense you.”
Anni did her best to breathe in and out as slowly as she could.
“Now, with care, gaze upon your arm,” he said kindly.
She couldn’t understand, and looked at her arms and hands as instructed. They were covered in long, dark hair. Her body was covered in fur, too. Her hands sprung to her fac
e. Her blood pounded in her ears as her fingers traced the outline of a monkey’s face.
“Uncontrolled emotions will make you ill,” said Whiffle. “Breathe now to leash them, otherwise your disguise will fail you. You must settle them for the potion to work.”
A part of her wanted to scream, another wanted to cry. She panted until the panic ebbed away bit by bit. She whispered, “The vial from Vidar did this to me?”
“Indeed, but do not use your human voice, speak only with your thoughts. I can hear them if you want me to. You cannot walk around in your human suit in this realm. Vidar did you a service. You have transformed like many before you who have infiltrated the underground searching for answers. This is necessary to achieve your goal.”
“Whiffle, what do I do?”
“Have you considered my proposal? ”
She hesitated. The truth was she hadn’t. She thought she could do this on her own. “Can you promise you’ll help me find Lexi and get us both out of here safely?”
“Alas, do you not recall our last exchange? I believe I stated quite clearly that if an accord was reached, I would be of assistance in the locating of your friend.”
“Yes, I remember that part. But you didn’t say you would help us escape. If you agree to that…then I will agree to whatever it is that you need.”
“At last, we have an accord. I will assist in your departure; yet it is imperative that you appreciate how much depends upon you. I cannot force your hand but only create a confluence of opportunity. You must be the one to act. Should I provide instruction, you must be precise and swift in action. Upon mutual agreement, I, too, shall relinquish something of value. A binding Elemental custom.”
“I guess that sounds okay….So then, you’re an Elemental, too?”
“Of course, but let us not waste precious time on etymological technicalities.”
“It’s not like I can see you.”
“You will see me when the time is right. I cannot risk it, if perchance a Squatter is afoot. Rest assured I will be near you at all times. You will not be alone.”
Anni Moon & The Elemental Artifact: An Elemental Fantasy Adventure Series: Book For Kids Ages 9-12 (Anni Moon Series) Page 27
