Time

Chapter 22

Travis packed away his backpack in the closet and snapped his fingers. Ignitis phased through the wall and faced Travis.

"WHAT IS IT?" Ignitis asked.

"I need to know something... in the desert... there was this ghost. It was... it was like you." Travis explained. "Any idea what it might have been?" Ignitis' ethereal face turned to a frown and the fireball started circling around Travis. After a few moments like this, it stopped, turning to face Travis.

"I THINK IT WAS... WELL... YOU KNOW LIFE, RIGHT? ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT HIM IS... HE LIKES TAMPERING WITH NATURE. HE'S CREATED THINGS LIKE THIS BEFORE... MAYBE HE'S STARTING AGAIN..." Ignitis said.

"So there are more things like that out there?" Travis asked. "What other things have Life created?"

Ignitis seemed to think for a moment. "THINGS LIKE FISH THAT BREATH FIRE, BEARS THAT HAVE METAL CLAWS, AMPHIBIAN RATS THAT HAVE QUILLS, GIANT SLUG SERPENTS, BIRD MEN THAT EAT HUMAN FLESH, THINGS LIKE THAT."

"Is that why we're fighting against Life?" Travis asked.

"ONE OF THE REASONS..." Ignitis started.

"Ignitis?" Travis asked.

"YES?" Ignitis answered, asking another question in that customary thing that was a conversation.

"Do you think that we SHOULD be fighting Life?" Travis asked.

"YOU HAVING DOUBTS, KID? IT'S A BAD TIME FOR THAT. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE AGAINST LIFE." Ignitis replied. "AND IF YOU'RE NOT SURE THAT WE SHOULD BE FIGHTING LIFE, WHY DID YOU SIGN UP?" Ignitis remarked.

"Because... I wanted to..." Travis answered, caught off guard by the sudden accusation.

"BECAUSE OF MADISON." Ignitis interrupted. Travis' cheeks became the same color as Ignitis.

"No... well, maybe." Travis concluded. "Anyways, I've already signed up. I mean, it isn't like I'm that doubtful... I just want to know more..."

"WELL... YOU'LL FIND OUT MORE SOON. VERY SOON. FOR NOW, ENJOY YOUR TIME HERE. AND PLEASE... PLEASE DECIDED WHAT SIDE YOU'RE ON. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER I HAVE TO BURN YOU OR HELP YOU. ANYWAYS, I'M GOING TO CHECK OUT THE UNICORNS. BYE!!!" Ignitis left the room, leaving Travis by himself. He sighed and sat down on his bed, feeling the soft mattress. Sam had arranged two rooms for Madison and Travis at a hotel, and Travis was grateful. He was thinking about taking a nap when someone knocked on his door. Travis got up and gripped the handle of his door, pulling it and opening the door.

"Hi, Travis!" Madison welcomed, her face appearing out of the doorway.

"What is it?" Travis asked, silently worrying if he sounded too hopeful.

"Oh, I was just wondering if... you wanted to take a walk?" Madison asked.

"Sure!" Travis answered. "Uh, think we'll need anything?"

"It's just a walk." Madison snickered, walking away from the doorway. Travis quickly followed. They traveled down the flight of stairs and made it to the hotel's lobby. Once outside, they went down the small road that was filled with citizens of the underground city. Madison and Travis walked through the crowd silently, until Madison spoke up. "What do you think of the city?" Travis thought for a bit.

"I think it's strange. I can't get over the lighting." Travis remarked, gesturing to the lights that had been hung all throughout the city. They glowed with a warm, orange light. It reminded Travis of lava.