Tarragon

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Jungle God

-Net

-June 2nd, 2024

We were flying to the Jungle God's home right now. Inside the thick Amazon Rainforest, was a huge city inhabited mostly by his worshippers. They deified him, and I could understand why. He was immensely powerful, and over two thousand years old. He knew who Sycophare was- he had watched the Ancient War, he had seen the Wraiths fall. He had protected his city against the Abhorrences, Crucifictors, and Morningstars. He had watched his citizens die, and pushed through it. He had kept his home out of the way of hostile dragons for millennia, and done an incredible job at it, too.

The Coalition of the Jungle God, his home, had been standing longer than you could imagine. He had rebuilt it dozens of times, and shielded it from famine and drought. There hadn't been a war involving it since around the year 950, when a very slightly overzealous Aufrenthyst (the former king of the Union of the Deserts, which is now ruled by Defretsimant) attacked the Coalition, but was shoved off quickly.

Mantis landed next to me on the sea stack, and sighed, "How's... stuff going? With the Olka, and Thorn."

"Fern's the person to ask about Olka, that's their whole thing. I haven't heard anything about Thorn either. I think her Empire collapsed, but that's just from rumors."

I looked around. There was a continent a few miles away. South America. Mantis and I had planned to start flying towards it around now, but first we had to get some sleep.

I curled up, and made myself comfortable on the rock I was lying on. I shut my eyes, but didn't fall asleep.

I heard Mantis rolling around, uncomfortable in his bedroll. He wasn't falling asleep either.

"Do you think we're actually going to beat the King?" he asked, "Do you think we're going to survive? What happens if we lose?"

"Slow down, Mantis. We'll be fine. Didn't the spirits say something about seeing you in two centuries? You'll survive."

"But maybe you won't! Or maybe the King is going to pull me into his thrall- or prison- or-"

"Mantis. You've killed a Titan. I know you can do this. I know you will always be able to do this."

"But what if I can't?"

"Then we'll cross that bridge once we get to it. For now, all you can do is try your hardest to improve, so you can be sure you'll win."

Mantis and I quieted down, before dozing off.

-Mantis

I sit in a small, molding room. It's a cube 7 feet on each side, with a fluorescent light flickering on the ceiling. Mold and rot eats away at the wallpaper. The generic, sickly sky blue is darkened by the rot. The room is in complete disrepair. I turn around, and see a mirror.

It stands tall, from the floor to the ceiling. It's not built into the wall, but rather sits on wheels. The edges of the mirror twist and curl like vines, and are covered in spikes.l

I am reflected in the mirror, but it is not me. His eyes have dark circles around them, and are tinted orange. He is a gaunt, skeletal figure. His arms are so skinny, that you would doubt there is any muscle.

He smiles, and reaches out a hand. I take a step back, and the room shrinks a bit. A few inches on each side. He raises his hand out further, and I scramble away on the floor.

The room shrinks yet again. It's now only four or five feet on each side. It is barely enough for me to fit.

The room begins shrinking, and shrinking, crushing me as it shrinks.