Until We Fly

Chapter 26: Bites and Blossoms

"Other Guardians? You mean like, Myrora and Charlie?"
I asked, jogging to keep up with Jake's quick pace.

"No. Baîk and Lumai. If we're lucky, perhaps Kaîleika too."

"Kaîleika?"

"The first. I know where she is. It's just getting there that's the problem."

"How? I thought no one did."

"I followed Jūx once. He has nothing compared to her power."

"Well, you took him down with some daggers."

"No, I distracted him. He knew who I was. If he didn't, he would have killed me right there."

"Why would-"

"Shh. We're here."
Jake whispered, stopping me still with his hand.
"And you should think yourself lucky that I'm letting you walk. I'll have to tie your hands soon. And your legs eventually too."

"What? Why?!"

"Shh! The infection. Looking at your spread, it seems you've not got too much longer. A few days maybe. When there wasn't much, you only had short bursts of dark. Like when you attacked me or your mum."

"How did you-"

"You talk in your sleep. Anyway, at this point, you'll be mostly split fifty-fifty. And I can't risk you attacking anybody here."

"You listened to me...wait, I did attack you! And...you're okay?"

"Half Guardian, remember? I healed."

"I thought you said all you could do was make portals?"

"I lied. I thought it was best you knew little. And I see that I was wrong. Now come on, stay close."

We were wandering through that place with all the rifts again. Jake was looking all around, trying to find the right one.

"Why don't you just make your own to where you want to go?"
I asked.

"One, I don't know where it is so there's no way I could travel there. Two, we all have limits to how many we can make a day. And I used the last of mine saving your ass. Now will you be quiet so I can concentrate?"

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize. At least help me. Look for the tear that has only red and white sparks on the boarder. ONLY red and white."

"Got it."

With us both looking, it didn't take too long to find the right portal.
And though I hesitated for a moment, Jake just grabbed my hand and pulled me through.

The place was very...colourful. Pink blossoms blooming through the trees, millions of flowers smothering the ground, the sky a golden, amber as its silver sun glowed in the distance, gently setting at its own pace.

A figure sat in the middle if all the colour, cross-legged and eyes closed. Sharp, grey stones were floating around him, almost dancing.

Jake stepped forward while I stayed behind, taken aback by the entire scene that lay before me. I knew that all the different worlds had brilliant and strange things yet...something as simple as flowers, blossoms, trees could still look so wonderful...even when compared to the other things I'd seen.
It was quite fascinating.
Very fascinating, in fact.

"Hey! Baîk!"
Jake called out, sounding stern yet not mean like usual.

He didn't reply.

"I'm sure you've noticed your change. All crystals have been destroyed."