The Eight

Zach

I don't like her. She's just sassy and rude and obnoxious. I could easily snap her like a twig or step on her like a dead leaf, that's a good idea actually...

Evie lead us through the forest across a creek and to a cliff. "I don't know if you have noticed but that is solid rock no house in sight" I say bluntly starring Evie down. She simply waves her wand an the vines and thorns on the wall begin to retract leaving an opening to walk through. "Solid rock you say?" Evie mocks and walks inside. Amber and Jack laugh and follow Evie, That bitch!. As I enter the cave I follow Amber and Jack who are following Evie; the cave opens up and in the middle of the cave is a tall oak tree with a wrap around balcony on top and a door up there also. As we walk forward there's a huge thud behind us, we all whip around. Behind us is a ginormous tree? It looks like my golem figure so maybe a tree golem? I pull earth up from the ground that forms a gauntlet on my right hand, Amber's hand goes ablaze, and Jack's hands have a fog pouring out of them. The golem roars and bellows towards us three. I see Amber out of the corner of my eye turn around and look behind us but I brush that off and death stare the golem. Evie rushes forward " Easy Twiggles, Easy boy" she grabs its arm. "Evie.. explain now!" Jack demands not letting his guard down. "This is Twiggles my tree golem I created to protect me from any danger." She smiles while patting his arm. "Anymore creatures we have to worry about?" Amber asks easing up. She had to have saw something because she seemed especially worried " Actually yes I have a fox named Leaf and wolf named Scout, but that's it" She heads towards the house as she explains this. As we approach the trunk of the enormous tree it dawns on me that there is no door. "Hey Princess of the leaves! How are we supposed to get in?" I call to her. She turns around and reply's "Easy..." she bows and as she does so vines come down from the tree's branches and leaves above they slowly start to rotate in a circle making a...spiral staircase? I look up in awe, "Aw geez Pebbles no need to leave your mouth open, it's just a staircase." She mocks. I clamp my mouth shut, curse under my breath, and follow Amber and Jack up to the balcony. Evie gives us a tour, shows us her pets, and shows us where we will be sleeping. Jack and Amber settle into two hammocks I stay on the ground. "Come on Zach!" Jack calls from up in his hammock. I shake my head and stand up. I walk over to a open spot in the cave outside of the tree-house, and make myself a cave to sleep in with my powers and brute strength. The whole time I am making it I feel a weird presence but no ones there. As I settle on the cold stone floor, using my backpack as a pillow, I start to doze off... My eyes flash open to a vast green hillside with lakes below me and mountains in the distance. I turn around to see a small town with huge stables to my right and 3 teens standing next to the stables talking. One was the only girl with dark skin and blonde hair, a boy taller than her to her right with dirty blonde hair, tan skin and a arm around the blonde haired girl, the last boy to the girls left had light brown hair with blue eyes and thick eyebrows and a sharp jaw line, Sweet baby Jesus. They all turn towards the sunset as 4 ginormous flying things come into sight...

"ZACH!!" I jump up Amber is leaning over me with Jack behind her. "Come on its morning we have to go." Jack motions towards the entrance of my makeshift cave. I quickly grab my bag, slip on my shoes, and comb my hair over with my hands. I step out of my cave and close the entrance just to be nice-ish to Evie, I still hate her.

We get back to the clearing in about 30 min after breakfast Evie made us, pretty good pancakes, and start to figure out how we are supposed to do whatever we are supposed to do. "Mr. Dream guy?" I look over to Jack, he is looking around and scratching his white hair, he shrugs. "So what all can you guys do? Evie looks at us, curiosity bubbling inside her. Amber sets her hand ablaze, Jack makes a snowman in his hand, and I simply do my rock gauntlet. Evie nods and smiles, "Wanna see something cool Evie?" My eyes flick to the snowman, Evie nods. I run up to the snowman grab it throw it in the air; gauntlet still on I extend my gauntlet hand towards the falling snow man and rock shards impale the snowman as it hits the ground. Jack, Evie and I all start to crack up, but Amber looks ready to melt us all. "Enough messing about." She death stares me as she says so, then continues. "We need to go behind the waterfall." She points to the waterfall across the clearing.

The water tumbled down, the cliff was about 30ft above us, now how are we supposed to do this. I cross my arms, Amber stares at it but her eyes are closed, Evie paces back and forth mumbling to herself as she does so. I look back to see what Jack's doing, but he's not there. "Jack?!" I yell across the clearing; I wait for a few seconds then, "I'm behind the falls!" Amber and Evie look at me confused.

We climb across rocks and press ourselves against the cool smooth stone; we slowly shuffle back to the backside of the waterfall. It opens up to a quite large, flat area with an indent in the wall, like someone like me pushed rock back and made symbols around it. I slowly walk forward and run my hand across the old stone...something feels familiar about this.
"What now?" Evie is standing by Jack and Amber, behind me, with her hands on her hips. Can she just ever NOT ruin a moment, I roll my eyes and look at Jack who is studying the indent. "Any ideas?" I ask; Jack mumbles something under his breath and turns to Amber and repeats himself louder, "..opposites attract" Amber looks puzzled, Jack sighs and points at the indent "Blast fire at it," she looks hesitant then Jack adds "Please?"

Amber smiles and raises both her arms, Jack does the same. There's a moment of silence then there a blinding light, You can tell that Amber is not holding back. There's a kind of whooshing noise; I uncovered eyes slowly and to my surprise we're not dead! I laugh uneasily and look back at the indent, it's a portal?! Jack hugs Amber; she smiles and releases Jack who looks like he would like a longer hug, but quickly shakes it off and walks towards the portal. "Wonder where it goes.." I walk towards the portal and stare into the green swirling portal. "Well one way to find out!" Evie says. I turn around "Wha-" before I am able to finish my question Evie shoves me into the portal and my vision goes black.

Thanks again to snake_mind for all the help and mental support Zach is also modeled after him go check out his book (I'm Ember in his book btw)