Arakim's Legacy(#Wattys2015)

Chapter 18

"A feeling?'' shrugging her slim shoulders helplessly.

"You mean you woke us up and dragged us here for a feeling.'' Myra demanded.

"Watch your tone, heifer,'' warned Mena, ignoring the scowl on Myra's face.

Squatting in front of Adani, Mena took her fidgety hands in hers, saying gently. "Look at me, Adani,'' and when she turned sad sea green eye to her, 'tell us what happened.''

Adani nodded, 'I was sleeping when suddenly I woke up and heard you shouting at Arakim to come back.'' Shrugging, 'I became scared mainly because you sounded scared too, so I woke everybody up and here we____''

"What do you mean? You heard Mena? Like mind speak or actually hearing her?'' asked Talor softly, moving forward.

Shaking her head, Adani looked up at him. 'No, not mind speak. It was more like feeling her emotions,'' explained Adani, looking around at their confused faces. "I don't know how else to explain it. I just felt it and I knew it was Mena.'' Leaning against Ren who put his arms around her.

"Adani, don't be alarmed but what you said actually happened,'' said Mena gently, rubbing her hands over Adani's.

"It did?'' she asked and at Mena's nod, 'then how could I have felt it?''

When no one had an answer, the group stayed silent thinking.

"It is the forest.'' Gnar murmured in a sleepy voice, eyes still closed. "It is enchanted. We all feel different here.''

"Is he awake?'' asked Arakim, peering into his face.

"Of course, I am awake,'' he muttered irritably. "Who could sleep with all that screeching and cackling.''

"Aye, awake.'' Ren confirmed. "Only Gnar could make a mountain out of a molehill.''

Adani giggled and the others smiled.

"No matter. I believe he's correct,'' said Edum. "The question is, how does that help us to leave this forest? Or are we trapped here?''

"No, we're not trapped here,'' Arakim said, running his hands through his hair. "I know how to get us off here and the forest might actually help.'' And at their surprised looks, he explained further. 'That was actually the reason why Mena was upset because she was trying to wake me from a nightmare.''

"What nightmare? What happened?'' Adani asked, worry clouding her words.

"It is fine but it's become imperative that we leave here today. There are monsters that need to be killed and the sooner the better,'' Arakim said grimly, his black eyes turning deadly causing the group to look at him warily except Mena and Edum. Ignoring everyone, he squatted in front of Adani, 'I vowed that I will get you home and I will but I ask that you give me time to take care of some vermin first if you can?''

"Arakim'' Adani whispered softly, throwing her arms around his neck, 'I can't let you fight those things by yourself, they will kill you and I can't let that happen,'' sobbing into his neck.

"Adani,'' dragging her arms from around his neck to look into her tear-filled eyes, 'hey, don't cry. You know how crying makes me feel?'' and her tearful nod, 'then please stop. As for me, you already know I'm not easy to kill. They couldn't do it when I had no idea what I was doing and now, thanks to you they will be sorry they ever came to my world.''

"But why now? Why are so angry?'' Adani cried.

Taking a deep breath, Arakim stood up and faced the people watching him with blank faces.

'They are killing people; children, women, elderly for power and laughing about it.'' He starkly told them, fists clenched tightly, eyes gone flats with anger and grieve. Arakim took deep breaths to control his anger and was surprised when he felt many arms go round him, holding him tightly.