Beyonders: A World Without Heroes or Heroines (ON HOLD)

Chapter 9-Caves and Cliffs

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Alexis and her backstory. Everything else belongs to Brandon Mull.

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I watched the sky grow lighter and lighter. Beautiful pinks and oranges blended perfectly together to create an amazing dawn sky. I pulled out my thick sketchbook and flipped to a clean page. I took the box of six shading pencils out of my backpack. I pulled out one of the lighter shading pencils and glanced up at the sky again. Slowly, I began to sketch the dawn sky. I shaded in all the right places. I looked up every few minutes to copy the sky exactly.

Soon, I finished my sketch of the dawn sky and looked down at the sleeping forms of my two comrades. I looked up one more time before I put my sketchbook and shading pencils away. I stood up and stretched. My neck popped loudly along with my spine.

'Ahh, that felt good'

I knelt down beside Rachel and shook her awake. Rachel stirred and opened her eyes. "W-What?" she mumbled. "Time to wake up." I replied. I left Rachel to get up on her own.

I turned to Jason who was still wrapped up in his blanket on his bedroll. He was dead asleep. I smiled to myself. I grabbed Jason's shoulder and shook it roughly. "Wake up, Jay." Jason only grunted and rolled over with his back to me. "Five more minutes, Dad." Jason slurred.

I smirked to myself and glanced at Rachel. She looked at me all confused. I put a finger to my lips to tell her to be quiet. Rachel nodded knowingly and grinned along with me. I picked up a nearby stick and poked Jason with it. "Ahh Jay, there's a king cobra on your blanket!" I yelled with fake panic.

Jason jumped up off his bedroll and hopped around still wrapped up in his blanket, yelling. "AHH, GET IT OFF. GET IT OFF. AHH!" Jason stumbled and face planted in to the dirt.

 At this point Rachel and I rolled around the ground in hysterics. I laughed so hard I couldn't breath. Jason glared at the two of us and frowned. "No snake?"

"No snake." Rachel confirmed, as she tried to contain her laughter. I wiped the tears that ran down my face. "Oh my gods. That was the funniest thing I've ever seen that wasn't on Tosh .O." I said between gasps.

"You two are mean." Jason pouted while he tried to compose himself with the last bit of dignity he has left. He packed up along with Rachel and myself. I was the first one ready.

Jason and Rachel stood up and I looked around. I spotted a dirt path partially hidden by weeds and bushes. The path itself has worn away like no one has used the path in many years. I figured that if Galloran said nobody has looked for the syllables for the Word then maybe this path would lead us directly to the first syllable without running into any of Maldor's little followers.

I waved Rachel and Jason over to the hidden path. Jason and Rachel walked over to where I am. "A path? It doesn't look anyone has used it in years." Rachel commented. I nodded. "Which is exactly why we should follow it." I replied.

The dusty path was small. It was only a few feet wide which was barely enough room for one person, let alone two people side by side. I went first as a precaution. Rachel followed me while Jason brought up the rear. There were briers on either side of the path so each of us had to be careful to not get scratched by any thorns. By midday, we had two breaks and the sun was high above the clouds. I wiped my sweaty forehead. I looked back on how Jason and Rachel were doing.

Jason panted like a dog while Rachel on the other hand looked tired but was determined to keep on going. I guessed that's the perks of being a long distance runner instead of a speed runner like me. I turned my head around and focused on the path ahead. I wondered on how much longer we would be on the path. I stopped and blinked as sunlight hits me full in the face. I rubbed my eyes and my vison went back into focus.