Giving Fantasia: The Taking Fantasia Sequel

Chapter 95: What Are You Doing in My Swamp?!

Chapter 95: What Are You Doing in My Swamp?!

Crysta was a Ferngullian. She lived in Ferngully. Ferngully was beautiful jungle that bordered a stinky swamp. The stinky swamp was "owned" by a stinkier ogre.

Ferngully and Ogre Swamp were sandwich between the northern and southern regions of the Otherland, essentially separating the upper kingdom (including Avalon), from the Vikings in Dragon Country. 

Little was known of Ferngully or Ogre Swamp. Both landmarks were very mysterious and therefore dangerous. As you might expect, very few people crossed the boarder. People from the north didn't go south. People from the south didn't travel north.

It was a blessing (no one really complained), but it was rotten for intra-national communications.  

However, those that explored Ferngully (and survived Ogre Swamp) always felt like they were "being watched." Unwise explorers ignored the feeling. They were usually found dead, their bones decaying in the swamp.

However, the wise explorers took their suspicions to heart. They usually fled, and told their grandchildren about the eerie laughter that followed them out of the jungle. When their grandchildren begged for more, these explorers told stories about the Ferngullians – beautiful, tall, creatures with pale eyes, wild hair, pointed ears, and translucent wings.

"Ferngullians are not fairies," these explores would explain. "And they are not pixies or elves. Ferngullians are tree spirits. They protect the jungle from intruders. Ferngullians...are sprites."

It was a close approximation (that Ferngullians were sprites). The Ferngullians would argue (they loved to argue), that Ferngullians are Ferngullians, a separate species unto themselves.

They were NOT pixies. No freaking way. Pixies were the smaller, slower, backstabbing inferior cousins of the ferngullians. And they were NOT elves. Elves lived in the North Pole. Elves made toys (at least, that was the rumor).

Tree spirits? Sure, why not. After all, Ferngullians helped the jungle grow. They restored plants, guided the animals, and balanced fauna and flora in the delicate web of life.

But a sprite? Yes. Sort of. A 'sprite' was a special type of Ferngullian – a Ferngullian with the power not only to heal nature, but to create it. To create life.

The Sprite (yes, singular and capitalized),  was the Ferngullian queen. Her name was Magi. Magi was very old, very wise, very graceful...

...and very demanding. 

Crysta was Magi's ward. Magi was teaching Crysta how harmonize with nature,  build life from death...

...and how to be the next Sprite.

Did Crysta enjoy it?

No. Not exactly.

Crysta was restless, which was typical for Ferngullians her age. Younger Ferngullians had a tendency towards impatience and instant gratification; Crysta was no exception.

Matters were complicated by her best friend, Pips, whose personality was flamboyant as his red hair. For every year of their friendship, Crysta and Pips ventured from the safety of Ferngully. They shared adventures, near death experiences, and had more fun than Magi approved of. Ferngullians were resentful of the outside world, especially those that belittled the jungle. Crysta and Pips pushed dangerously on that boundary.

Crysta sighed. Mist swirled under her breath, circling in the starlight. She and Pips were scheduled for another misadveture tonight – invading Ogre Swamp. Magi would undoubtedly hear about it from some tattletale flower, and reprimand her in the morning.