Chapter 6: Chapter 6

“Varin!” I exclaimed, nearly pulling her over the counter as I grabbed onto her hands—she rightfully yanked away in confusion and seemingly; disgust.

I had been reset to the day I met Varin, down to the very moment she finished with Gold-Plated Mike in front of me.

“That is my name,” She rubbed her hands together gently. “But I don’t know you, and I’ve said ‘Next’ three times already, are you drunk?”

It was odd seeing her back to hiding beneath the human camouflage, but now I can say that I really do understand why she did it for so long.

“What? No? It’s, oh yeah.” We haven’t met yet. “Sorry, I uh, can we talk in private? It’s about your mother.”

Varin looked at me with eyes of concern for a brief moment before reaching under the table and pulling out a small green bell. She lifted it and rang it twice, the sound was very subtle, not even the person behind me could have heard it. She waited, where she counted to three, then rang it two more times, and on the fourth ring, a musical note appeared from it, echoing a bell chime throughout the entire building. I turned around to watch as everyone in line, sitting around drinking, and those gathered at the challenge board were now coated in a light green aura. They all turned in unison and began making their way to the exit.

“Is that Nymph,” I turned back to her. “Or Elvish Magic?”

* 

I’m still trying to pick up the pieces, I haven’t even started trying to put them together, there isn’t a point right now, and I don’t even know if Protus and Fontaine are actually on my side—for now, I’m going to say ‘Yes’, and when that bites me in my bum—it’ll be future Zero’s problem because current Zero has never been sent to the past before and never have I been reset with the same clothes—it’s always naked—there has never been a time better than then to humiliate me, and Protus did not—this once, I thank you.

Now with Varin—well.

“So let me get this straight, you are at war with The Highers and for basically eons you thought the one who controls time was against you but he is actually on your side, but before that, you were taking me back to my mother on Vol, who you say hired you to do it, AND BEFORE THAT, you killed The Emperor of Sidra who turned into a Demon because he had been channeling Dark Magic for unknown reasons and you did that part with the secret underground rulers of Sidra who are Elves, Werewolves, and Vampires, and now finally you’re saying that last part hasn’t happened now because you were reset to the day we met?”

“Well, I mean, when you put it like that, it does sound made up, but it's true and….” I stopped for a second. Varin had just made me realize that I should tell those three that The Emperor is channeling Dark Magic for some reason—looks like another problem for future me. “Okay, well what can I say that will make you believe me?”

“What’s my mother’s name?”

“Amara, next question.”

I don’t know if it was the way I said it or the answer itself, but Varin’s attitude completely changed. She dropped the human persona and turned back into her natural Nymph appearance, even parting her hair to reveal her Elvish ears. She smiled at me, wasting no time tapping the back of her hand against my chest.

“Alright Zero, let’s go see my mother.”

*

The Gardens of Vol—a seemingly endless island world of nature where trees grow tall enough to stretch beyond the clouds and the greens are more vibrant than anything you’ll see on any other island, at least, it used to be. “What…what happened?” I could not only hear, but I could feel the pain that came with Varin’s words and she was right. Vol, when I was here, it was beautiful—a vast jungle forest with trees so thick you could live inside and so tall you wouldn’t be able to breathe at the top. Their bark was usually a bright orange while the leaves, a gorgeous mix of jade and lavender. Now though—it was something entirely different and if I didn’t know any better, I would say we weren’t in Vol.

When you come to Vol, the wind pulls you down a river that runs from the South of the island to the North—it takes you to what used to be two large trees, but over eons of yearning, the two trees' branches intertwined with one another and before long they merged into one enormous tree that bridges over the riverbed. The outside was surrounded by a thick layer of trees and leaves, all too thick to cut and all too enchanted to burn—now though. The trees had no color and the ground grew no grass—the leaves had turned gray and the water had gone murky.

“Where are the guards?” Varin asked me.

I shook my head at her. “I don’t know, I’ve never seen it like this.”

The wind pulled our ship down the river and normally you would be pulled into port, where guards would strip you of everything on your person in exchange for their provided essentials. As we moved further beyond the entrance, we realized that we had long passed where the port once was. Neither of us had seen any sign of it. We sat in silence, both looking around at everything. All of it was dying, every last bit of it.

When we finally did stop, it was about thirty kilometers from Kayapa Village, the destination of this trip and Varin’s home. The wind carried as far as it could, but the river had run dry the further north you went—forcing us to walk.

“What about the ship?” Varin asked.

I turned away from her, I know it was for just a second, maybe two, but it wasn’t more than three and when I turned back, Varin was gone.

*

Varin struggled for a moment, trying to open her eyes before realizing that she had been blindfolded—she moved again, no, she had been stuffed inside of something. She could feel that she was moving and no matter how much she struggled, the bag never seemed to change shape.

“Hey, let me out!” She called.

Varin adjusted herself, moving her hand along the inside—it was something all too familiar. She was in what is known as a Va’Köm—a magical bag that can trap anything and everything inside it, as long as you can get whatever it is inside. She could feel this one was made of a special Satyr fur, one that you can only get once every three thousand years, which meant.

“Dang it, come on Quade, let me out.”

“When we get to mother.” Quade replied.

Varin pressed her hand against the bag once more, trying to no avail to break free.

“You know you can’t break free of a Va’Köm.” Quade said.

“I bet Zero could.”

“The boy your mother hired? Hilarious.”

“Yes, and I hope you know, he will come after me.”

“No, he did his job, he delivered you to Vol, he will leave.”

“No, he was to deliver me to mother, right now I bet he thinks I have been kidnapped.”

Quade said something that was slightly muffled and Varin could feel them slowly coming to a stop, giving her a little more insight into where she was.

“Hey Walter, tell my brother to let me out.”

“What are you talking about, it is just you and—.”

“Cut the crap Quade, I felt the cart stop and I know you don’t drive it, now come on, plus you can’t whisper at all.” There was silence on the outside for a moment before the top of the bag was untied and Varin was met with her brother’s smug face.

“Hey sis, welcome home.”

Varin pushed her way from the Va’Köm and pushed her brother back, knocking him out of the cart. She jumped out at him, her fist raised in the air. “Why I oughta.” 

“Princess.”

Varin stopped. She turned to her right to see another man standing before her. He had dark green skin, crystal blue eyes, long white hair that matched his silky white robe, and ears that were rounded instead of pointed—making him a full Nymph. 

“Walter!” Varin ran to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. He did the same, keeping them locked around him as they talked. “It’s been so long, how have you been, how is Prim?”

Walter tightened his hug, keeping his tears from falling on Varin’s shoulders.

“She…she is doing well, your majesty, thank you.” He pulled himself back, keeping his hands wrapped around her arms as he smiled at her through an increasingly blue face. “You’ve gotten so big, you’ve matured so much, how have you been, my, I can’t believe it after all these years.”

“Hur-ruh-gah!”

Varin and Walter turned their attention to the front of the cart to what was pulling it.

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“ON THE MOON’S MOTHER, IS THAT TOTO?!” Varin cried out.

“Same as the day you left him.” Quade had taken back to his feet and joined them, smiling at his sister as she ran forward.

Toto is a Priwendos—six-legged horses with two horns that curl from behind their ears and another that protrudes from between their eyes—a tail long enough to wrap around themselves thrice over with room to spare with a small split at the end, giving it the impression of a flock of feathers over skin—most come in a variety of yellows, greens, and blues, but Toto is a vibrant purple, with a hue of red under its belly and eyes so yellow they looked to be glowing. 

“I thought you would like to see him again, so I brought him from the vault to accompany me and your brother.”

“The vault?”

Quade looked at his sister with a look of confusion or maybe it was disgust.

“Have you not seen around you, Varin?”

Varin threw up her hand as she reared back. “What?” She looked at Walter. “Is he serious?” She moved over away from Toto, rubbing her hand against its mane one last time. “Vol is dying, I want you to tell me why so Zero and I can fix it.”

Again, the same look, but after what he said, it was clear that it was meant to be an expression of disgust toward his sister. “You and the delivery boy? Save the island that we have been trying to save for the last twenty years?”

“Twenty years?” Varin asked. “It was fine just twenty years ago?”

Quade nodded. “Yes, there were signs all around us, we did what we could, but when we found out that it was out of our hands without war, we looked the other way. The Jólu Elves gave up war long ago.”

Varin shook her head. “Good thing we aren’t full Elf huh? And besides, you haven’t met Zero, he is a Sezzle.”

Quade smiled for the first time since she arrived. “Hardheaded you say, well then, I may know of someone who could use him.”

“Quade, stop, I get it, you’re scared, but this is our home, we have to save it, just tell me where Lo and The Casaders are, I will have Toto take me to her.”

Quade stood there in silence. He hadn’t seen, let alone heard from his sister in centuries. He remembers her as the little girl who hadn’t grown into her Elf ears and who chased the Ents through the forest to ask them if they pee the same way they do. Her words carried weight and for once in his life—he didn’t have a smart alec response.

“Mother will want us to—.”

“Look at you,” Varin interrupted. “You’re still a coward. Spent all that time honing some of the most advanced magic on the island just to waste it.” 

“I am not a coward!” He exclaimed.

Varin went to respond in jest, but stopped, turning her head to the dead forest. “Do you hear that brother?” Varin asked, quickly tucking herself in the back of the cart. She kept a hold of the wooden door, waiting on him to answer. “Listen closely.”

Quade parted his hair and began to listen. His Elvish ears twitched as he honed in on the sounds of the island. He turned his attention further to the South, adjusting it ever so slightly to the East.

“Footsteps, followed by the small snap of warm and cold air crashing into one another, it’s happening repeatedly, every few seconds,” He turned back to Varin, an eyebrow easier in confusion. “Is that him, the delivery boy?”

Varin nodded, pulling the door shut with a sinister smirk. “That’s right and he’s coming for you, better hope he believes you when you say you’re my brother.” She pulled the door shut, locking it from the inside. 

Quade grabbed onto the door slightly, stopping when he realized how serious his sister was.

“What type of magic user is he? What level of plate?” He asked her. 

Varin lifted a finger to her ear, shaking her head. “What sorry, this incredibly thin glass muffled both your questions.” She turned her head away, looking forward. 

Quade dropped his hand from the door. He turned to the forest as a dark presence began to loom over it. Varin glanced to the side, watching as her brother’s green skin began to fade to blue then to yellow as the fear sat in. He caught her eyes, and looked at her again, slamming his fist on the window.

“Get out here now!”

“Tell me who the source of the corruption is and I’ll let you inside.” Varin turned her head, smiling at him. “Go on.” She pulled her attention to the forest, watching as a purple aura began to emerge from within. It pushed its way onto the road, seemingly grabbing onto the wheels of the cart with its hands. Varin turned back to her brother and unlocked the door, wrapping her hand around the handle to keep it closed.

Quade pulled on it, his eyes widening with shock as she held it shut with a smile.

“You put me in a Va’Köm, you know how much I hate that, especially yours, it’s so itchy, now tell me who or what?” 

Quade looked to the aura again as it began branching more arms out, using them to pull itself toward him. He turned back to the glass. “Esmeray, it’s Esmeray!’

A part of the aura had wrapped around Quade’s ankle, causing him to squeal. He pulled, breaking away from its grasp. The aura shifted like smoke and broke just the same, with a small puff.

“Let me in Varin, I told you, come on!” It grabbed onto him again, this time, yanking him onto the ground, pulling him toward the largest mass of itself. “VARIN! Walter!”

Walter jumped forward to grab onto Quade’s hand but was knocked away by another arm of aura. He went to grab his hand in pain but realized that there wasn’t any—none in the slightest. He looked to Varin who simply nodded at him with a smile. 

She opened the door—her brother continuing to scream for help. As she stepped onto the ground, the aura completely disappeared, leaving her brother on the ground. She smiled at me as I stood above her brother.

“Hey, Zero.” Varin waved at me slightly, lowering her hand back to her lap as she began to walk forward. “I see you’ve met my brother.” She looked down at him. “Not a coward, huh?”

Quade was holding his hands over his head with it buried in the ground, still cowering in fear. I pulled back all my aura, even the invisible presence that still lingered around his silhouette. “Hey, Varin.” I looked down at Quade. “Hey man, sorry, thought you kidnapped my friend.” I bent down, poking the side of his head through the cracks in his fingers. “Look at me please.” 

Quade lowered his shaking hands and turned back to me, his face turning back to its dark green shade. I locked eyes with him as I leaned closer to him to whisper. “If you ever try that again, I’ll kill you.”

I stood up and smiled at Varin and the man beside her. “Is this, Walter? The butler you told me so much about?” I walked toward him, extending out my hand, but quickly retracting it. “Oh sorry, that’s a Sidrian greeting, uh,” I thought for a second then I saw Varin go to move. “No, don’t!” I put my hand out, shaking it at her. “I’ll remember it, just give me a second.” I stopped again, looking at the man. “It hasn’t changed though, right?” He shook his head at me. “Right, okay, think, think, oh!” I turned toward him and Varin, crossing my arms against my chest. “Udumo lweNyanga kanye Nakubo Bonke Umama,” I stopped, looking at Walter, I said; “Kuye.” Then to Varin. “Kuye.” I smiled, and lowered my arms to my side, keeping my fists clenched for a few more seconds before smiling. “How’d I do?”

Walter laughed, patting me on the shoulder, then pulling me in for a hug. “Very good my Deku, thank you for bringing The Princess home.” He released his grip, looking to Varin for what he thought was going to be validation, but I knew better.

“You almost had it, but messed it up.” She smirked, crossing her arms at me. “You said ‘Udumo lweNyanga kanye Nakubo Bonke Umama’ which is ‘Praise to Moon and to All Mother.’ It’s actually, ‘Indumiso enyangeni nakunina wonke.’ Which means ‘Praise to THE Moon and THE All Mother.’ It’s a minor change, but it changes the translation, which you did perfectly, so I can’t fault you. But ‘Kuye’ means ‘to him’ or as you used it there, it could mean ‘to her’, but the entire thing since you were speaking to a man and a woman, it would be ‘Indumiso enyangeni nakunina wonke. Yena kanye naye’ which translates to ‘Praise to The Moon and The All Mother. He and Her.’ That make sense?” 

Varin held a rigid smirk while Walter was looking at her in shock. She looked at him and reared her head back. “What? He should learn, not all of Vol will just switch to Sidrian for him, and we all know depending on mother’s mood, she will only speak in Volite. She turned back to Quade. “Grab my brother, we need to get going before dark, we can discuss everything along the way, get in Zero, I’ll fill you in.”

I nodded, joining Varin in the cart. Walter went to her brother, lifting him from the ground. I can see why Varin never told me she had a brother—he uses advanced Shadow Magic, incredibly difficult to master, even more so to use, but the second you take that away; you’re left with nothing but a defenseless child. I turned over to Varin, she had moved herself to the other side to face me. Her face was grim, I knew she was about to ask me if I would help her get to the bottom of what was happening to the island.

“Zero?”

“You want to start scanning the island now or wait until we meet with your mother to learn more about the cause?”

She smiled, letting out a stifled laugh; “I knew I wouldn't have to ask, but I actually already know the cause, but we would need your help taking it on.”

“It?” I asked.

Varin nodded, her smile faded and the skin color around her nose began to change to a rosy red—she was getting angry, whatever it was she was about to say was bringing forth all of her emotions, so I can only guess.

“The Dryad Empire.”

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