Avatar: {Hybrid and Alien]

{61}

After the clan leaders discussed some things about sacred procedures, they went off and look Asim with them.

The place where the clan leaders took Asim to was very far from the Anurai clan territory. Not too far but a great distance away from the na'vi village where his team was situated. Also, they blindfolded Asim with some leaves and a strap so that he couldn't see where they went. Asim was worried that he would trip and then fall into a pit or ledge, but the clan leaders took one of his hands to guide him. Layontsin was also asked to come along with them to the place that they have planned to go to as her voice was heard. "You know where we are going?" Asim asked Layontsin as he felt a few of her four hands latch on to his arms and back to continue guiding him when the clan leaders had to do something in front. Layontsin replied with "Some sacred place" without specifying before she continued to guide him through the forest with the rest. Wherever this 'sacred place' was, to them was a very closely guarded secret that only the clan leaders knew. Or perhaps a few important members of the clan knew like Layonstin as she strode forwards while guiding Asim through the paths. In some occasions they helped him climb up some rocks or lower down from tall heights with ropes or giving him boosts. The blindfold proved to be a challenge when it came to navigating where the clan leaders told him to go. Yet Asim did his best to use his other senses like hearing and touch to feel and sense his way so that he wouldn't get stuck or go in the wrong direction.

Some hours later and they all arrived at the place when they finally took off the blindfold.

The place where they came at was a crevice that stretched out like a path, with space enough for anyone to fit in. The place was starting to illuminate with the bioluminescent plants and roots all over as the sun hung low over the mountains in the horizon. The glowing of the plants and roots served to light up the path that lay in front of them. Both clan leaders and Layonstin went to enter the wide crevice and start following the lit-up path. "Come" Layonstin said, extending a hand towards Asim. He looked up at her, reaching a hand towards the anthro thanator's with hesitation before taking it. Layonstin gave a small smile before she gently pulled him into the crevice to begin walking with him, while following the clan leaders. Asim continued to follow them as he held on to the hand of Layonstin, not letting go as he felt the grip of her hand remain constant. The deeper they went into the crevice path, the more darker the place became. That didn't seem to worry the clan leaders and Layonstin as there were some other plants that offered light in the path. Also, the small dot patterns on their bodies started to glow in the dark, letting Asim know where which one was. Even Layonstin's patterns began to glow, being mostly red, green, and a bit of blue in color. Asim found himself fascinated by the glowing patterns of the anthro thanator, looking up at Layonstin's back and head. Then he snapped out of his daze and continued to focus on where they were headed.

The crevice path now headed right, left, down, up, and then into a spiral shape, in rare occasions expanding as it turned into an open-air cave. More air was felt around the place as the path now stopped being a crevice and led into another part of the forest. Now that the night was about to set fully over the forest, the plants and trees began to glow to their full brightness. The lights of the greenery seemed to be more intense in these parts, as if the whole place was being energized. Everything from the forest didn't seem to get old no matter how many times one would look at it. "We are getting close." Rai'uk said some moments later as they soon came to a steep slope. The clan leaders and Layontsin approached it and started to climb it with the vines that hung from the top. Asim followed them with no hesitation as he easily climbed up the vines right behind them, not falling behind. Once up, he climbed to the top and got to his feet as he looked up at them. The clan leaders stepped forwards to the bushes that laid in front of them, parting them to the side to make a path for all of them. Layontsin went in first, and then Asim to follow wherever they went. A couple of seconds later, in front of them, laid their destination. What Asim saw in front of him didn't fail to take his breath away a single bit. This place had one of the largest glowing tree even seen. And not just any tree; it was the same one like the Tree of Voices.

This right here...was the Tree of Souls. There was no doubt about it.

It was centered deep inside a large crater, with steep walls surrounding all the place. The roots that extended from the large tree spread all over the site, making a spiral pattern on the ground and the ends of it making even smaller ones up on the walls. The mouth of the crater was covered by a net of branches and leaves, which blocked the view from outside towards the inside. Even more plants grew from the ceiling, as well as beautiful flowers and leaves. This whole place had no comparison to the places which humanity has built to replicate the beauty of Pandora on Earth, as much as they used technology and displays to mimic the view. The nature here didn't have any rival when it came to natural beauty and splendor. "This is...amazing..." Asim breathed out, failing to grasp the words to describe the majestic view of the place.

The clan leaders and Layontsin caught Asim staring at the place, and smiled as they saw it was his first time seeing this sort of sacred place. Layontsin then decided to snap Asim out of his staring daze by waving a hand in front of his face and place another hand on his shoulder, making him realize that the clan leaders were making their way down the crater walls from the opening which they all have arrived. "Oh. Right. Sorry" Asim said and immediately followed them down to the base of the crater. It was a steep way down, the clan leaders having no trouble climbing down without the help of vines. Whereas Asim had to climb down with the use of small gaps to get down. Sure, he could survive jumping from such a great height, but that would result in broken leg bones or muscle damage that he thought was unnecessary to have in order to get down. Luckily, and unexpectedly, when Asim was having difficulty on one gap, Layontsin noticed this and helped him down by picking him up with two arms of her left side. The anthro thanator carried him with those two arms while she used the right side hands and arms to latch on to the gaps firmly and securely using her claws.

In moments they were down on flat ground, and Layontsin gently set Asim down. "Thanks." Asim said to the anthro thanator as he looked up at her. Layontsin nodded and grinned a bit, giving a rumbling sound from her throat, before she turned around to head towards the immense tree. Her large and flat tail brushed against the side of Asim's arm, making him flinch a bit and look down at where the tail had brushed. This confused him as he didn't know whether it was intentional or just a happenstance of the anthro thanator. Asim didn't know, and he was immediately brought to focus as he followed them. As he approached, he walked with careful steps to avoid touching the glowing roots of the giant tree which they belonged to. Asim did this as a precaution to not desecrate in any way the sacred place belonging to the na'vi.

Later the clan leaders, Layontsin, and Asim arrived at the base of the Tree of Souls, the glowing thread-like branches hanging overhead and glowing pink. Asim crammed his neck upwards to measure how large and high the tree was, impressed by its sight. "We are here now. This place is sacred to us, as this is where our great mother Eywa can speak to us. And...where you can speak to her and tell her your worries." Rai'uk said, moving a hand up to brush his fingers against the hanging branches. Asim looked at the clan leader, and then back up. He thought for a moment as he slowly reached out, the clan leaders not doing anything to prevent him from touching the tree, and then stopped as he hesitated. "Will something happen to me? What if I end up with more questions instead of answers?" Asim asked, turning back to the clan leaders. "Be calm, AsimAngus. Just be calm and believe. You will be fine." Unil'tingai, the tsahik, said to Asim to comfort him. Asim looked at the tsahik, waiting for anything else that she had to say, before turning back to the tree. "Alright" Asim said as he reached again towards the glowing branch.

When his fingers clasped around it, everything brightened until his eyesight was surrounded by blinding light.