Tyranny: Onwards

Chapter 135- Moving

"More Imzana," Phoenix states, still as a statue, wrought of stone.

"What is that?" I forgot, Rin wasn't there with us, Genesis, however, folds back her ears in distaste. She must have seen one after we left, or heard us discussing it.

"Basically spiders that hide in carcasses, they heal the body from any sign of injury then burst out of the creatures head when it finds some prey to feed on; using the carcass as a puppet, then sealing the head and curling back up inside it. We saw one a few days ago." my explanation is brief and abrupt.

Rin widens her eyes and her breaths are quicker from the image given.

"Gosh," she whispers and doesn't seem to know what to do.

"We should climb a tree, at least then that cuts at least half the creatures as they can't reach us; unless they're a bird or something smaller," Phoenix suggests and I nod, suddenly wondering how many he thinks there are. Phoenix leaps up carrying Genesis and Bagels in his arms, setting them on a branch. I and Rin follow easily.

"How can you tell what they are?" I ask Phoenix curiously.

"The air smells dusty and shadows darken, they are moving far too fast, I can feel the vibrations through the ground," he seems to contemplate and I begin to check what he said, noticing the slightest differences.

Then it all grows darker and darker, the ground rumbles in insanity.

"Why are there so many?" I look to Phoenix in hope of answers, his eyes just squint and face grows serious.

"I don't know...but they seem to be heading along the same trail we have been on." He informs us.

"Should we follow them?" Rin inquires, gazing about in paranoia.

"No, that's too dangerous-" Phoenix starts but Rin interrupts him.

"They might hurt Hester though, we need to hurry and get to her before the Imzana do!" Their love becomes ever clearer with this outburst, she doesn't even have the capability to think that maybe Hester doesn't want to be followed or found, that she left as a traitor. Me and Phoenix exchange looks, the only reason we really came was because we knew Rin would go no matter what. To us, it is obvious that she left of her own will and that she meant to leave us all behind and never return; but we might as well find her to return the wizard's staff, though that staff is likely the reason for her disappearance.

The last while, Rin has paid little attention to me unless I had a freakout or was in danger, otherwise, all time and energy went to Hester. And, I mean, I am happy for her but at the same time she used to comes to me for everything, stuck to my  side. All the times she promised she would never leave, that she would always be there, and I would be the most important to her always barge back in. However, she hasn't broken that I guess, yet still, I feel she only returns when everyone else is busy, I am the last resort.

"I think we should follow after them, not ahead," with great caution I suggest, Rin hesitates and her eyes flare. Her pretty eyes.

"Fine," she answers though not satisfied with this plan, Phoenix nods also in agreement.

"Be quiet, they are upon us," Phoenix hushes us from speech, starring about the bushes, Genesis cuddles into me, terrified of the height, Bagels leaps onto Phoenixs' head curiously.

Waiting for the storm to rise and pass is like waiting for a stone to break the surface tension of a lake, watching it fall with your ears and not your eyes, knowing but not seeing. Worse yet, there's no way to tell how, if, or when it will hit. Now all is dark and the leaves tremble, our faces are creased and cannot smile, eyes lose all shine, a cloud over every mind. Winds halt, the sun hides, birds turn to stone, the air is thick yet seemingly non-existent.

Beneath our very feet, beasts run wild, in orderly chaos. Hooves thump the ground, tear at the grasses, antlers splinter bark and break branches, claws ruffle the dirt, and little critters swarm in the trees but take no notice of us, too blind in order. What is going on? I want to ask Phoenix a few question but dare not disturb the dark rumbling. On and on the march goes, so many dank figures squeezing, so many bodies packed into a wide line after Hester.

After much time, they have all passed but my muscles and heart refuse to relax, my adrenaline still pumps and eyes stay wide.

"Why didn't they attack us?" I whisper timidly.

"They generally don't like humans, but probably more to do with their mission we know not of." he thinks aloud and Rin murmurs inaudibly to herself. Though the creatures have passed, still shadows are ever dark and the ground has been torn up and left raw in the dark poisons, the Earth had been terribly wounded by the very presence, let alone the poison claws scratching its skin.

I lift Genesis gently and leap down from the tree despite how my feet feel heavy and glued to the branch, every instinct wanting me to stay hidden in the tree. Phoenix takes a few minutes to heal the torn and burnt soils, putting his hands to the ground, closing his eyes, and with a stern face, a gold light shines, green intertwining with it. Right before us, the soil turns a deep moist, healthy brown. The soils settle calmly and then the grasses return to cover the brown, sprouts awakening, green and gold shining out elaborately and inexplicably. 

He stands and we realize the entire trail is like this, the life sucked out of all they touched. One leaf of a bush kills the entire bush within minutes.

"You can go on ahead, I'll catch up," he tightens his fists in determination and broadens his shoulders, ready to get to work; even knowing it will drain all his energy and sap him mentally. I wish now more than anything I could help him out but know I cannot so we must follow the darkness to find Hester.

"Okay, be careful," I say and take Rins' wrist, aware she will resist and not agree to this, though she also wants to still go find Hester too. Without another glance back, we chase the monster mass running on death itself. Now and again there is a flash of gold and green or a great uplifting of our hearts from Phoenix behind us; as he must be doing large sections at once, sometimes the healing comes up beneath our feet.