Game of Light

Chapter 4 - The Smell of Defeat

Chapter 4

The only tropical rainforest in the whole of Other was in the north east corner of the continent Thalia - that is to say the only big one.  Another one also stood on Encircled, but it had only a twentieth of the area of the one that Light found herself in now. It was called “Mystic,” and it was easy to understand why: The forest was overgrown with vines and fantastic multicolored flowers. It had immensely tall trees and creatures so grotesque and beautiful that they couldn’t have been modeled after anything in Firma. Another thing that made Mystic so secretive was the thin silver mist that hung in the air and swirled with any movement. Light trailed her fingers through it, and was tempted to dance and see what happened. She didn’t follow the urge and was happy that she hadn’t, once she saw Image making his way towards her.

“You’re early,” Image remarked.

His voice wasn’t the only sound Light could hear. A little tribe of monkeys lived somewhere high in the trees, and their chirps reached the ground. There was also the constant companion sound of water and whispering leaves.

“So are you,” Light replied.

After she had accepted Venus’s invitation to join the small troop, they had agreed on the time and place they would meet the following day - or better said the following 24 hours, for days and nights were endlessly controversial, since people came from a great many different time zones. Light hadn’t felt like waking up and having to face the pile of unfinished homework that her algebra teacher had so graciously given them to do over the Easter break, so she had traveled to Trade to gather supplies for the troop’s journey. Then she had decided to go and check out the rumor-veiled forest. And since arriving there she had simply enjoyed hearing the sounds of the surrounding forest and seeing the sights it had to offer. That was until Image had arrived.

“Why are you here so early?” Image asked, tearing her from her thoughts.

“I could ask the same question,” Light replied.

“Yes you could.”

The clearing was again filled with the invisible but oppressive force called silence. Though Light had agreed to join the troop, she had by no means forgiven Image for tricking her into meeting his friends and putting her into a state of fright with his dratted force field. Damn me and my stupid pride!, Light cursed silently, but he deserves it. She grinned and glanced over at the victim of her thoughts. He was seated cross-legged not too far away from her with his eyes closed. He looked like he was meditating: His breathing was slow, his body was relaxed and his eyes were not moving behind his eyelids. When she took a step forward, the corners of his mouth turned up.

“Thought you were going to catch me unawares, Miss Light?” Image asked, his smile now a grin. She had been thinking just that, and hoped he didn’t open his eyes for a while – her cheeks were flushed. Luckily for her he didn’t even have a chance to take note of it. The little monkeys high in the trees started to screech in panic. Light looked up and saw them swinging frantically away. Birds of all shape and size took flight, adding their own sounds to the frightened masses of animals running, barging, hopping, slithering and crawling all in one direction: West. Image jumped to his feet and let his hands do a quick, intricate dance. A bubble blazed around them, and then vanished.

“I had hoped we wouldn’t encounter anything big until the rest of the troop arrived, but I guess we’ll have to deal with it alone if it notices us.” Image looked in the direction from which one could now hear loud pounding noises. “You’ll have to forget about your ‘stupid pride’ and forgive me for a moment. We’re going to have to work together.” Light looked at him in disbelief. How did he –

“Mind reading, a handy little trick I learned not to long ago.” He smiled at her sweetly. I really hate that devil minion!, she thought greedily, playing out the various deaths she had already planned for him. Rot in hell! She grinned evilly at his back and was happy to see little goose bumps form on his neck. But it wasn’t because of her that they had formed. Once she peeked out from behind him, she saw a sight that left her rooted in place.