Jackalopes

On the road to Oaohnan

Confronted with Totte Jane did not fall down on the ground, but still gave a sort of awkward bow. Totte looked much like Scrivens except that he was completely black instead of brown. Like Scrivens his eyes were glowing (but his were red) and his legs and ears much bigger than normal rabbits. Unlike Scrivens his aura was water-like and almost tangible and he dug through the earth as simply as other people swam in water. He was a bit tinier than Scrivens and also looked older with golden dark rings and lines under his eyes.

"Ah, you must be Jane" he smiled while at the same time giving about four stone slab with complicated writing on it to Martha. "Why are you bending over like that?" he continued, noticing Jane's bow. Eventually it was decided that Jane and Scrivens would go while Redélf returned to his village while Urminora and Jessica took over overlooking the pylon in the meantime. After reinforcement was sent they would go to the second pylon where they would stay with Jane for the time being.

If reinforcements was sent quick enough, Urminora and Jessica could help out against the kitsune. Jane could see that Grey was quite jealous at her being sent into battle already, and Jane could help but wave in a taunting manner although in reality she was really nervous.

"I would gladly stay here, though" Jane thought to herself but said nothing. She said that she was still inexperienced as a warrior, but Scrivens calmed Jane down and explained that Scrivens was more than enough to defeat a measly kitsune.

"I sincerely hope you know what a kitsune is?" Mrs Wild said as she suddenly appeared from out of the pylon, her secretary running after her with a trail of papers. "This was on the latest test, you know?"

"A kitsune would be a big fox that lives in the underworld and has nine tails and magical powers" Jane answered correctly.

"Very good" Mrs Wild said but still took a paper with information about kitsunes from her secretary and gave it to Jane. "You may leave!"

"Let us go, then" Scrivens grinned. "To the village!"

The village in question was near the second pylon and there it would be much easier to transform Jane into a proper jackalope! And so the two set out, the apprentice and the new mentor, together. Together, Jane and Scrivens left the rocky surroundings of the first pylon and entered a new part of the underworld. The terrain changed from cold and dark stone to green rocks and red skies. The second pylon was the closest to hell and well protected. Many jackalope guards were stationed on the side of the road and in some places deep trenches and walls were erected.

"The only dangerous part we will actually pass is the crystal caves, due to the acidic pools within. They are a melted form of the metal the valley of scissors up ahead is made out of and they can destroy the soul itself!" Scrivens explained. Jane shivered. Her most vivid memory when traveling through the underworld for the first time after her death was from the valley of scissors. One of the shades in her group had started to go mad, accusing the others of keeping it down and even selling it out to the demons.

The shade had eventually left, and the next day they had found it all cut into tiny wriggling bloody pieces by the giant scissors of the valley. There was no way to repair a soul cut or melted by this metal...

Short and wide are the many roads in the underworld that lead nowhere, but long and narrow is the road that leads to paradise. This a the fundamental law of the underworld. It is the duty of every jackalope to keep this road shining!

While traveling out of the valley and heading for Redélf's village, Scrivens and Jane spoke of a lot of things like that. It was time to sleep. Jane was grateful for finally being able to rest, but as soon as she had helped Scrivens set up camp Jane found that she could not rest.