Chapter 19: 1-19: Exploration

"Why is it always so hot?" Fredericka complained swatting the bugs around her.

"Well, we're on an island, probably near the equator. Plus, the sun is probably at its highest point and we're in a fucking jungle or forest or whatever." I reply swatting a bug from the back of my neck.

Ophelia was in the lead flash burning a path for us. It was a much better and faster option than the machete cutting Vern had tried doing at the beginning and a lot safer than Sairah using her Berserker magic. She still hadn't awoken since that tree fell on her head. Layla had made sure her brain was fine with healing magic but we were all still worried about her.

"Anyone like know where the lake is?" Amber asked.

"Why do you think we've been randomly searching the island, Amum?" Zeke replied.

We had been going out for a few days at this point and had only managed to find the ruins of an ancient village complete with bones and all. Also add to the deforestation of the island of course. Vern had been drawing a crude map to help make sure we didn't doubletrack and search the same area again. Vern had it in his head he could sell to explorers after all was said and done.

"Okay, let's take a left at the mossy tree ahead." Vern announced. As map maker we had all decided to let him decide the direction we went. Kind of a blind leading the blind type deal, you know.

Layla was dragging Sairah's body. She was impressive strong. The boys could barely budge Sairah but here Layla was dragging her along with one arm. Fredericka would probably have helped but she was busy carrying our supplies on a sack on her back and swatting away the bugs trying to eat her. Zeke and Amber were having a spirited argument on what to cook for our lunch this time. Hayli was walking in silence next to me, holding my hand. Her scales were cool as always, so I was fine with her being so close to me in the sweltering sun. Anyone else tried getting as close and I'd probably run away so I didn't die of heat exhaustion.

"You are sure that Sairah's okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, she gets knocked out a lot. It's fine."

"That's not a good thing, Hayli."

"She's got a thick skull."

"Oh, so she's fine."

"Yeah. She'll likely have no ability to walk properly for about an hour. It's so funny."

"That's kind of mean."

"She deserves it." Hayli said pulling me even closer to her. 

"I'll take your word on that.

"Good girl." 

We continued forging a path, randomly going wherever Vern took us.

A reddish bird was sitting in a tree with yellow cylindrical fruit desperately trying to attract the attention of a smaller grey bird in a nearby fruitless tree. It was failing to do that. I don't even thing the smaller bird was even the same species. Well, at least the little guy was going to have plenty of fruit to eat. The bees in the forest where small, especially compared to the ones nearer the house that Ophelia had found when cleaning the outside of the house, disturbing their nest into a swarm of death that she had set on fire and nearly burned our crops down in the process. These were much more manageable, and their stings didn't require medical intervention.

"Ow, ow, ow." Repeated Zeke swatting at the bugs. I felt one sting me, a flash of pain that flashed and disappeared just as fast. In fact Hayli's sudden increase in grip on my hand whenever she was stung was worse. Ophelia was hiding under her cloak while Layla simply ignored them untouched by them all.

Eventually they dispersed and we were free to continue on, mostly free of harm expect for Vern and Zeke who had caused the swarm when they kicked a nest that was for some reason on the ground.

"How long have we been going for?"

"Um. Eight hours? I don't really know."

"Hey sis could you like use your sun reading thingy? Like to tell time."

Ophelia glared at her sister. "I cannot use it in a shaded area such as this forest in which we currently are. I can tell you this forest is ten miles in our current direction and we are three miles into it."

"That seems smaller than I expected." I said.

"Seven miles in the other direction."

"So how much have we explored then?"

"Not much." 

This was going to take a few trips wasn't it.

The next day we set out at noon, like idiots- this time going west at the start. I was chatting and walking with Vern who had decided to relegate the leadership duties to Vern so he could focus on his map drawing. She was currently barking out orders like a drill sergeant. She was so far an effective, if not unpleasant, leader for the search.

"So... you never really told me what you think of the others." Vern asked.

"They're all marginally less stupid than you."

"Har dee har har, sis. But seriously."

"Well, all the heroes seem like okay people."

"Here, here. And you shields aren't that bad either."

"Geez, thanks."

Vern blinked. "Hey Sairah can't you like sniff out water?"

"Vern, I'm a bear humon not a fucking wa... ter..." She began and turned to stare at Hayli who was listening to Layla regale her with a story of a camping trip she had went on once or something.

Oh. Yeah. My girlfriend was a Water Dragon.

"My fucking deities, what the hell have we been doing?" She yelled.

Hayli whipped towards her at the sound of her Shield yelling.

"Hayli, you dumb idiot. Why are we wasting time looking for water blindly and randomly?"

"You wanted to?"

"No. And why are you, as a Water Dragon, just not using your hydro sense?"

"Dunno." 

"So why aren't you?"

"No one asked."

"Why does that mean you shouldn't?"

"I thought you were all about doing things the hard way Sairah."

"Not at this current moment."

"Fine." Hayli closed her eyes. From her head whisker like horns arose and her scales started to slightly glow. I could swear I could hear a faint humming as well."

"There's a river south. There's another body of water east that's only a foot deep. A hot spring lies to the west. The third one is half mile northeast and seems pretty deep."

"The last one is the one we're looking for right?"

"Probably." Hayli shrugged.

"Right. You heard her, northeast go!" Sairah commanded.

"I'm going to need those hot springs." Complained Zeke.

"We all will." Replied Layla as well all followed the bear, marching fast with our destination now set.

(I had more here but I wrote it in ink and it spilled over those pages so I'm going to skip to when we arrived. Didn't miss much. Just Vern complaining about the heat and Hayli complaining about Sairah yelling at her.)

"We have arrived." Announced Ophelia quietly.

In front of us was the most forest lake a lake in a forest had ever looked. Flowers bloomed around it and the water was crystal clear. Picturesque waterfall coming crashing down from a short nearby cliff. The grass horned deer grazed and pranced around, with their normal horned brethren. 

"Wow, pretty." Remarked Amber as we all walked into the clearing. The birds sang softly as we made our way to the shore, startling the deer away as we did so.

The waterfall babbled as we stood around and stared at the lake.

"Well, it certainly is a lake."

"I'd say a pond."

"A body of water is a body of water. Everything else is just politics."

It was about ten feet wide and not really the size one would think of calling a lake but who were we to argue with the High Mother and Council? 

I walked over to it and tossed a stone into it, watching it ripple across the surface. "Well, I can't swim and this seems unsafe."

"Ugh, I can see the fish. I hope one doesn't touch me." Complained Vern.

"Yeah, the scales feel gross." Agreed Fredericka. "Er, no offense to Hayli, Terra."

"I'm sure she wouldn't care. Also if fish are going to stop you how are we going to kill any Lord Candidate, Vern?"

"Okay but what about the green film in the middle of the lake? That's gross."

"Probably from the altar. Magic residue."

"I think that's just algae. Don't think magic residue is that color."

"Have you ever seen 'translation' magic residue?"

"If it is residue it's probably from the magic being old."

"Yeah, translation magic of this caliber is ancient." Zeke agreed.

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"Like my mirror magic."

"Yeah except it's not controlled by an idiot."

We continued to bicker while everyone else sat and relaxed by the shore.

"Okay but really how does magic leave residue anyways?"

"Magic isn't stuck to our laws of physics and what not. Vern we learned this in school."

"Okay but how does the water make it residue more?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Shut up about residue!" Yelled Fredericka.

"Hey, just passing the time." Replied Vern. "The cooks are making lunch so there's nothing much to do." 

Ricka shook her head and joined us in conversation. We ate our meal, bacon from a wild boar that we had trapped a week ago and waited around to discuss the plan of attack on getting to the altar- which we all agreed was likely under the green film section of the water.

(Okay. Just gonna explain some things about magic in case you read this to a child who hasn't gone to school yet.

Magic for the longest time was originally just a thing that the ancient demons practiced and those who used their blood in arcane manners. That was the state of things until the tenth year AVD, the great queen Esmeralda Vanessa managed to translate a spell from the demon script into the common tongue. It was a simple healing spell but that moment caused the battles humans had against demons to be much more reasonable for humans to win. Scholar debate if the casting of that spell activate the innate magical abilities of humanity, since the arcane ones hadn't caused natural born magic to appear as the actions of Queen Vanessa had.

Magic to most is a strange outlier still, defying of logic, outright offensive to the fabric of reality. Necromancy is perhaps the best example for the law-breaking magic can produce. Now outlawed, it once was used to send hordes of undying soldiers to attack and massacre demonkind. Then there was summits of peace where the ethical implications were pointed out and also how they attack innocents on both sides of the war and in general were just mindless beings spreading destruction in the direction they marched. And so, it was outlawed.

Magic residue is the discharge left over from casting magic, though what it is and how it happens isn't really known. Most magic tools are built using residue, like light packets or the engines that have started to be used in the new invention called trains. It is also that base on which all potions are from as well- plus some chemistry and drugs.

Magician is a title for those specialized in at least three types of magic. Most humans can use average spells in their everyday lives but never usually master more than two of them. Of course if one learned a single type of magic they could still be considered a magician if they were sufficiently powerful and adept with it.

Magic overuse can cause different effect on both the strength and type of the magic. Mostly it will cause headaches and damage to the casters organs. However magic such as my brother's Mirror Magic when overused can cause the user to become a being of their own magic wildly attacking all around them until death or if another sufficiently strong magician is around by being knocked out.

Lastly is the idea of curses, a magic that only demons can use. Curses are versatile and only need the recipient to have a demon mark from the caster to work. Once cursed it never actually goes away, but magic types can keep them down until the cursed wants to use them. That said different magics can also corrupt the effects. As example Olli used a demon-beast attraction curse on us one time and Vern's mirror magic made it into a repel for the same. My aberration just made it way stronger but much less of a range. Curses can also be used to make people view people as the curse wants them to be seen. Spy craft is built on the back of curses.)

Hayli did her water sense again and sighed in relief. "It's not that deep. You'll all be safe."

"I mean you could like magic the water out of us." Amber remarked.

"I'd prefer not to."

I start to wander, whistling a tune as I go, wasting time as I wait for my companions to get done.

"Walking up a hill, walking up a hill, just a girl, walking up a hill." I sang to myself as I climbed up a nearby hill, crushing many colorful flowers under my boots as I did so." 

The view from the top was neither breathtaking nor awe inspiring but honestly it was the ground view from a higher angle. Not really worth the effort it took. In fact, even mentioning it is just because I wanted to waste time while writing.

Below me was green and green and yet more green. Trees and grass and water. I could see the others below starting to changing into bathing suits. I was pretty sure Vern's tiny ass swim trunks were being mocked along with his flat ass. In fact I could see Zeke laughing as Amber helped change his bandages to ones that were waterproof. I couldn't see the other girls, probably changing behind something or the other- having not worn their suits under their clothes like the trio out in the open.  I moved towards the cliff edge to see if I could see them. I could, though the angle was poor for seeing them in their swimsuits, so all them looked like they were in different color unitards minus Layla who was in a bikini, that later I saw was just an excuse to show off her abs. Hayli and Sairah were in deep discussion as Ophelia tipped toed toward the water. As soon as they hit the water she yelped out "Cold!" and ran back to the shore.

This might take a bit longer than I thought.

The waterfall came from a little pool of lukewarm water feed by an underground river. I sighed and took my boots off and sat on the lip of it splashing my feet around as the others below tried to get ready for the cold of the lake. The sky was blue and spotted by merciful white clouds, which hid the sun from view. We were safe from the sun even now outside of the shade of the woods. Above the pool was a white stone arch, inlaid with ornate detailings and figures. Seemed to be showing some ritual that was performed by whoever had lived on the island. On top was a box with symbols on top with a line beneath them. I supposed it was the writing the people who had been here before used. Perhaps the altar would allow the others to read it. At the very least it would show the extent of the magic. Assuming it was a human language at all. 

I leaned back and started to sing the song that Vern hates the most, loudly just to see if they could hear me up here over the waterfall. A minute or so in and I heard Vern yell at me to shut the fuck up. I yelled at him back to do the same. I walked back to the edge, feeling the grass between my toes. 

"So, how's it going."

"Five attempts and no one has seen shit yet."

"No one's finished yet?"

"No."

"Well, hurry up then. It's boring up here."

"Oh poor Terra, getting to laze around while we try to drown."

I said some words back and went back to sitting by the pool.

I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep with the blare of the light burning white in my eyes.

(The world was blank.

No, seriously the entire space I was in was blank.

"Hello?" I asked and it echoed back in response.

"Oh, great. This is a weird dream." I think.

I look around once more. It was nothing but white on white on white. Boring white.

I considered for a moment that I had rolled into the pool while sleeping and drowned and that this was purgatory.

"Not enough fire for that."

Right. It's supposed to be in the planet's core so there would be- hold on, who said that?"

"Who's here?" I yell into the void.

"You." The voice replied. From the white emerged... another me.

"Oh, hey."

"You are taking another you, surprisingly well."

"This is a dream."

"Yeah, still."

"So, what is this dream about?"

The other me stared at the cream-colored void and shrugged, "Seems like we got here before it was set up."

"That's not how dreams work."

"Your imagination is not that impressive."

"That would be your imagination as well."

"No. I am a lowly figment of your imagination."

"So that was a self-burn on your part?"

"I suppose."

The room got smaller, though how I could tell was beyond me.

"Huh. It got smaller."

"Impressive that we can tell the size of an infinitesimal void is impressive." My clone remarked, or rather a shivering form that quickly reformed back into my shape.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah. Having trouble keeping a corporeal form. First time I've had to be this long. Or at all."

The room shrunk even further.

"You'll be waking up soon. I suppose that's what this means."

"Or I'll be going into a fake out dream."

"No. Besides you never have dreams like that."

"Geez, me, nice encouragement."

The me shook again and turned into a ball, "You know I have to. After all I'm like your consciousness, that conceptual you that you always argued with."

"I remember you agreeing with me."

"Yeah, that was you thinking of me. I am my own person- still you, however. Fact being I was Terra way before you realized it. Seriously, you were so close to getting it so many times. You're lucky Hayli wasThink of me as your true thoughts."

"This is the result of that one curse isn't it."

"Yep."

"So, why now?"

"It's your mind, Terra."

I tried to ask another question but was jolted back into reality as cold water splashed onto my face.)

 

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