The Broken Myth

Chapter Twenty-One

                                                        Collin

I crash onto something fluffy. The last thing I remember is jumping into a purple swirl. Looking around I notice my surroundings. The Scenery hasn't changed much as theres still tall trees. They're not Oak but they look to be Enormous birch trees. 

Wait- where did Rex go?! Did he manage to jump in with me? Was he left behind? I get up and brush off all the dirt on me looking around for a splash of spots. Out of the corner of my eye I catch it. His yellow specifically. He's on his back kicking his feet up in the air wildly, his tung hanging out of his mouth. He looks to be struggling to get back up. 

I roll my eyes and gently help him back up onto his feet. He gives me his goofy smile again and crawls back up onto my shoulder. 

"Now what?" I ask side glancing him. He blinks at me as if lost in thought for a moment. Suddenly the pathway starts to shimmer with a purple shinny essence. Rex's eyes glow purple again. Now I'm confused. Why is it that every time something ground related, his eyes change colours? Maybe he doesn't speak but he's defiantly magic. 

"So you want me to go that way I'm assuming?" He looks at me and nods repeatedly obviously excited about something. Even though I've just met him, I can't help but have this urge to trust him. I shake away my thoughts and continue down the shimmering path. 

Looking around, besides the endless trail and gigantic trees, there's also beautiful blooming flowers. I sweet scent fly's by right under my nose and my attention is taken away from the scenery. Theres this sudden urge to follow this scent. As if it's calling my name. I start to follow it but then there's this wet feeling in my ear. I slap my hand to get rid of whatever making it wet and then it hits me. I turn my gaze over to Rex annoyed. 

"What was that for!?" All I get in return is a death stare. I don't know how a death stare suffices the fact that he just stuck his tung in my ear, or why. He can't answer me though. I get a disapproving look as he shakes his head at me. 

"What? Am I not supposed to follow the smell? Smell means someone lives close by meaning there could be shelter for all we know Rex." It smells of  freshly baked bread. He rolls his eyes and starts to sniff the air and walks a little bit on my shoulder. He's probably mimicking me. Then he pretends to choke and rolls onto his back. He reaches one of his toe-pads up to the sky and then drops it pretending to be dead. He is being so over dramatic. Then again it does make sense. He's just trying to warn me not to follow the sent. I mutter under my breath as I do my best to resist following the smell.

Continuing to walk down the  path, I shrug my shoulder to help him back up to his feet. He shakes his head and goes back to being his normal goofy self. As we walk further the smell gets stronger and harder to resist. My eyes start to bag as I feel myself getting more tired. Rex stomps his back leg probably in effort of trying to keep me awake. 

I can't help it anymore. The scent is too strong and I falter. I turn off of the path into the forest of flowers and tall trees. It's so beautiful. Then I remember the sign I saw when I got here. 

'Nature is Beauty. Beauty is pain. Cross through the path of the Beautiful Nature and you will feel Pain.' 

It sounds like someone is whispering it to me. Wait- there is someone there! I whirl around to see a man in loaded armour snickering. 

"Hello Collin" he says through his grin. He's eyes flick to Rex. Thats when I notice Rex growling and eyeing him as if he's an enemy. 

"And you, traitor." The man says through his teeth. 

"Looks like you guys reconnected again. Two outcasts reunited. How wonderful. Sad to interrupt it like this." He says. I notice a point of his ear. He's a fairy, of course he is. What does he mean       'Reunited'.  Thats when I realize that Rex isn't on my shoulder anymore.  Where did he go? 

A high pitched squeal rips out. I glance around frantically but am interrupted by a cackle. It comes from the other guy. Except now there's two of them. The new guy is holing a cage and it's not empty, inside is Rex! He's in the front of it growling. 

"Don't worry, we won't hurt your little friend. He's just been a very bad boy." The other says poking his finger in the cage to rub under Rex's neck. Rex obviously doesn't like it because he pulls away and bites his finger instead. The guy rips his finger out, frowns and glares at the other guy. The other guys nods and Shakes the cage vigorously which makes Rex slam around inside. 

"STOP!" I exclaim through gritted teeth. Rex doesn't deserve that. They stop and bring their wicked smiles to me. Rex is on his back with his tung out. His eyes are closed and isn't moving. It reminds me of when he was being over dramatic earlier to save me. Now there's nothing I can do for him. Just like I couldn't with Max. 

Rex is a tough little guy though he can't be dead! I impatiently wait for a sign that he's going to pull through. Thankfully I get one. His tail swishes from one side to the other and back. A breath of relief slips my lips as I relax a little. 

"We told you we wouldn't hurt him." The guy holding the cage says. With fairies I don't think they'll have any mercy. Then again they can't lie.  The other guys nods but it's not to anyone specifically, I don't think anyway. Theres a tight grip that gets hold of me and before I can react, there's also a sharp sting in my neck. Out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a needle filled with a blue liquid. Wait why are they injecting me and with what?! 

I pull out of this random guys grasp and try to run but my knees buckle underneath me as I slam into the ground. I can't move. It's like I've been glued to the ground. I can't fail- I have to get up! I have to find Max! My vision blurs but for some reason I'm not falling asleep. 

Theres muffled yelling and I can barley hear. They've shut down my hyper senses. Damn them. The yelling and the familiar wisp of an arrow is mixed in. I feel one of the other body's thudding against the ground. What's happening? 

A face comes into my vision line. A very familiar one too. The black curly hair and deep blue eyes. Axel. It's good he came but also very embarrassing. He's in gear and has his arrows slung over his shoulder. It's been a long time since I've seen him like this but it suits him. He rolls his eyes and swings me over his shoulder like a potato sack. I hear his muffled voice saying something about an idiot. Is he calling me an idiot!? I am not an idiot. 

He can't forget about Rex though! I try my best to say bring the gecko but it comes out weird to my own ears. He has werewolf hearing though so hopefully he'll understand. He speaks again but it's even harder to hear this time. Before I know it blackness crowds by vision and I black out.