Raya and the Last Dragon: Dragon Heart

The Foreign Newcomer

"Buddy I'm gonna need you to do me a big solid and not be dead!"

How did I end up here? That's what I wanted to know myself. One moment I was at home then the next, I'm stranded out in the middle of some...wilderness. But when, or how did it happen? I remember I was looking at a shard of a strange gem I had and then in a blink of an eye, I was here...somewhere. I looked around, seeing plenty of lush trees and greenery. Birds chirped from afar with occasional sounds that seemed to be frogs mingled along with the avian sound. However I also noticed that was all the sounds I could here. No automobiles. No planes. No human activity whatsoever. I noticed I had appeared on an obvious path of sorts and not knowing what else to do, I decided to follow it.

I may have walked for ten or fifteen minutes, curiously yet cautiously observing my strange environment. I had to admit as foreign as this wilderness was, it was actually rather...beautiful. I saw exotic looking flowers of varying colors and sizes, just adding to the alluring atmosphere of the wood. With the flora along with the symphony of the fauna I heard, I came to the conclusion I was perhaps in a rainforest of some kind. But...where I'm from there are no rainforests. Did...did I somehow get to another country? Is this the Amazon Rainforest? That can't be! Could it?

Thoughts whirled in my head like a hurricane as I continued my trek. Minutes more passed as I parted large leaves and bushes, careful to be mindful of my hands. If this was a rainforest, then there very well might be poisonous plants and insect about. What I wouldn't give for a machete right now. I soon found myself entering a small clearing, the sunbeams breaking through the trees overhead when I immediately noticed a statue standing in the center of the marsh. Curious, I made my way to the statue and observed it. It depicted a male human made entirely of stone and it seemed to have been wearing clothes that looked seemed Asian inspired. The statue was positioned with its head bowed with its hands cupped in front of him as if it was about to drink water from a stream. What a weird place for a statue to be at. Here in the middle of a forest? I took one last look at the still statue before finally deciding to move along on my trek and entered on the other side of the bush. As I continued to walk I began to notice a sound coming to my ears. I paused, concentrating solely on my hearing when my eyes widened in amazement. It was faint but that was without a doubt the familiar sound of rushing waters. Could it be? A river or a creek? If there's a body of water here than that could surely mean that a town could be nearby...or at the very least a village. Meaning humans. Meaning help!

Joy and relief started to overtake my fear and worry and I was about to bolt down the path until I realized something else. The birds chirping. The frogs croaking. Any sound of wildlife...they have stopped. I looked around trying to listen for signs of any of the fauna but nothing...just the faint rushing of the nearby water. A low rumble of thunder came to my ears and not long afterwards, a light sprinkle of rain started to fall. "Perfect,'' I thought irritably as my clothes started to get wet. I then heard what sounded as slow movement behind me, causing my body to stiffen as a board. My heart dropped as the sounds of leaves rustled behind me. Battling through the anxiety, I managed to turn around to see that indeed that the bushes I had just came from started to shift and move...like someone or something was passing through them.

My heart started beating rapidly like a drum as I took a step back. Was it a human? A native? Maybe I was saved. Maybe they could help me! Or was it animal? An animal that eats meat, specifically one that wants to eat MY meat? Somehow I was finally about to part my lips and open my mouth and fearfully spoke out.

"H-Hello?''

The sounds of the local fauna were the only response that was given to me.

I decided to inquire again, this time a bit louder. ''Hello? Is someone there? Can you help me? I'm lost and I don't know where I am. I can weally-''