Adventure in Action: The Fender

Action @adventureinaction2024

     Some things are meant to be hidden. That was what Madam said about this place.
     I agree. Forests, and places creeping with snakes and dangerous animals not in cages... not my best places. If you could avoid it, what were you doing there? 
     "So we are heading for the centre," said Sasha, for the second time.
     "We know, Sasha. Saying it over and over will not change the mission," Zephyr replied. Although he addressed himself as Zephyrillis, none of us called him that.
     I could see that Sasha was sceptical; I could not blame her. I was nervous too, but I had to be the gentleman and reassure her. I didn't care how Zephyr felt.
     "We will be fine. We've faced worse than strange animals," somehow the concept of strange animals scared me, "this will be nothing." I did not feel like it would be 'nothing', but faith was important.
     "My own encouragement is that, once we give a signal, take us out immediately. Sasha, you've heard, right?" said Zephyr.
     Sasha was the Teleporting Defender. Her real name was Olajonlu Temiloluwa, but we all used a code name. Mine was The Fender. I had no idea who Zephyr was because anonymity was crucial. His power is control over the wind, but he needs age and experience to master it. So far, he could only send out gusts of wind.  Zephyr carried a sword but Sasha had access to an entire weapon bank as well. The two used weapons to complement their abilities.
     "If we are ready, we have only one hour to fix this before the temporal bubble is broken and these animals are released out to the world," I said. There was a time bubble that let the rainforest remain hidden, for a limited amount of time.
     "But it's okay if we see it? How is that fair?" whined Zephyr.
     "We can't be joking about this, Zeph," Sasha replied, calling him an even shorter version of his name, "let's move."
     We moved. Slowly at first.
     "Straight down, right?" Sasha asked.
     "Yes. Zephyr, mark the wind direction so in..." I got interrupted mid-instruction.
     "I know my job, thank you. Keep your senses out for any..."
     "And I know mine."
     The watch rested on my wrist and five minutes into the journey, we met our first challenge; an army of giant, sleeping snakes. They were about twelve, all rolled in could that were our combined height. They were green as well. Like the forest around us. I felt fortunate that we were sent in the daytime and not otherwise.
     "Are they poisonous?" asked Zephyr as we stopped moving. Were they? Too bad I didn't have a book on them.
     "I don't know, bro. If we can get past them noiselessly, we should be fine."
     We were not fine, because that was when one decided to wake up. It looked at us with curiosity and then proceeded to give a loud hiss.
     "We need to leave here. We need to leave!" Sasha shouted, taking steps backwards.
     Zephyr posed for battle. "Can we take them?" The other creatures had begun to rise drowsily. Perhaps, the reptiles wanted to consume them together and that was why they hadn't lunged. Or they were peaceful or herbivores.
     "A dozen giant snakes against three normal-sized humans with powers. You tell me," I replied, wary of any surprise attack.
     They lunged. Zephyr managed to jump away while Sasha teleported on one's back. The ones behind tried to bite her off but they ended up wounding the other one as Sasha teleported to safety.
      I, on the other hand, summoned a shield on my left arm and threw one at the reptiles. It sliced through three heads before I let it disappear.
    Four down, eight to go.
     I believe, however, that we further enraged them. I would be enraged too if my lunch was trying to kill me. As their heads and tails got caught in our line of action—my defence and disc slicing, Sasha's stabbing, teleportation and cutting, Zephyr's cleaving—all that was left was a ground of snakeskin, their body parts and green goo that was their blood. We were also covered in their blood.
     "We could sell all this," Zephyr suggested, wiping green off his face.
     "You are talking with all that blood threatening to enter your mouth? I'm not swallowing my saliva for the next three days." I said.
     "Why is their blood green?" Sasha asked. She looked at me like I had all the answers.
     Instead, I looked at the watch, cleaned it and said, "Time is running out."
     "Are we going to continue the journey covered in this?" asked Zephyr.
     We did. We met more monstrous creatures which were sure to appear in nightmares but we finally reached the centre.
     "We're here," I said.
     "Who is that?" asked Zephyr. Why did they think I had answers to all the questions? Then, I saw who caught his attention; a man sat under the large tree in the centre, meditating. That must be the man who weakened the rainforest's seal.
     He opened his eyes and on seeing us, he jumped in alarm.
     "Don't try to stop me. Leave now, before I make you," he threatened. I looked at the tree; there was a medallion on it. That was the talisman to get rid of.
     I felt the vines before they hit. "Vines!"
     The vines met their swords and my shields. Two hands made of vines erupted.
     "Sasha, remove that medallion. Zephyr and I will occupy this guy. Zephyr, you go after him, I'll handle his attacks. Let's go, Defenders."
     In a matter of seconds, Sasha removed the medallion from the tree's bark, I blocked all the vine man's attacks and Zephyr stabbed him.
     The green spirit exited and he returned to himself. We carried his unconscious body and teleported out of the terrifying place.
     "Great job, guys. I'm never entering a rainforest again."