The Legend Of the Shining Dragon

Chapters 17-19

Chapter 17- Midnight Forest

            The next morning after the night of story telling, we were getting ready to go to my second home Gobalt. “So where are we going from here,” asked Shana. “We have to train in the shrines to get stronger and the first one is in Gobalt,” I said. Yuna was sitting by herself thinking of the journey ahead. Takuya still looked like he felt bad for making me and Yuna live through that nightmare again.

            “Hey man, are you still bummed out about last night,” I asked Takuya. “A little bit, I mean if it was me I wouldn’t want to talk about it,” said Takuya. He was so upset with himself that Yuna over heard us talking and came over. “Hey Takuya, you don’t have to feel bad for asking. You never knew about it. Cheer up,” said Yuna. Yuna always had a way to cheer people up. “Alright, let’s go guys,” I said. Takuya felt better after Yuna cheered him up.

            “Tsubasa will stay near us in the air while we travel on foot. Gobalt is not that far from Cenigrad. It is about twenty mile west of here, I said. I sounded just like a leader just now. We started on our way to Gobalt. Tsubasa went into the air and we started on foot. I knew this trail like the back of my hand. Takuya and Shana have never traveled before so they have never seen anything like the forest we have to travel through. People who travel this forest call it the Midnight Forest.

            They called the forest that because the plants bloomed at midnight. All of the plants illuminate the forest with their own light. The forest is similar to the Shining Forest with the stones except this forest had plants to light up the forest. It is so beautiful at midnight that people stay overnight to see it. Takuya and the rest of us have only been in the Shining Forest with the stones lighting the way.

            “How much further do we have to go,” asked Takuya? It was getting late and we were about half way through the forest. When we started on our way to Gobalt it was really late in the evening. By the time we got half way through the forest it was night. The Midnight Forest wasn’t one of Amora’s biggest forests. It takes people only an hour or two to get from Cenigrad to Gobalt, but with people staying overnight to see the blooms it takes a day. “We’ll stop here for the night. I want you guys to experience something you will never forget,” I said.

            “The forest at midnight changes when all of the plants bloom and illuminate the forest with their own light,” I said. Tsubasa found us and landed near Yuna. Tsubasa greeted her and then came to us. “This is a good spot to get some rest,” said Tsubasa.  “Yeah the plants grow and illuminate the forest from midnight to morning,” I said.  “My grandpa showed me how beautiful this forest was. We use to stay overnight in the forest just to see the flowers and lights,” I said. The forest is just as beautiful as the Shining Forest but the light is not as bright.

            Everyone looked tired and I could tell Yuna was because she was laying on me. The forest finally bloomed out and everyone was amazed on the beauty of the forest. “Wow, it’s so pretty that it is really relaxing,” said Takuya. “Yeah, it is always like this. The plants also can heal you as well as relaxing you,” I said. We were all falling asleep in the Midnight Forest. Yuna had already went to sleep on me. Before I went to sleep I saw Shana cuddling up to Takuya for the first time. Takuya looked at me and I looked at him.

            “I think Shana likes being around you. You make her feel safe,” I said. Takuya looked at her and then finally said something. “You think so,” said Takuya. “Yeah, I can tell how you make her feel around you. She starting to trust you,” I said.