Pure Nautical

Elemontour

Chapter 3: Elemontour 
I let out a breath of air, focusing on the surroundings,  “What do you mean, the forest is enchanted?”
“Ozyla,” He grunted.  “He’s created places like this to throw people like us through a loop.” His voice sounded annoyed. 
The ground covered in thick black moss.  My eyes followed up to the wide dark brown truck of the trees. I followed the truck up to the light green branches, they were more like green vines, drooping over to the ground. I took a step forward into the forest, onto the moss and sunk down into the ground, like a giant sponge. I looked down and slightly bounced up and down on the moss.   
He put his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t be doing that.” He lifted his hand as his finger tips flashed red then faded out to nothing, 
“Ozyla knows exactly what our weaknesses are. Too much moving around could awaken the forest. Sadly, we can only go at a slow speed or risk everything.  The trees they produce negative energy, just like Genocide; Affecting our energy abilities. Luckily this forest is nocturnal but as soon as it hits dusk and the sunlight stops touching them, we’re going to be in one hell of a blender.  We should avoid them at all costs.”
 White mist glowed from the vines. 
I tucked my arms to the side to remind myself not to go close to them.
 He looked in the distance where two giant mountains raised above the clouds. 
“We have no choice but to go this way.” He began gently walking. He looked up, “We’re going to want to be in those mountains before sunset or this whole forest is going to turn into our worst nightmare.”
I looked up and the sun was headed to the peak of the right mountain, Almost looking like it would pierce it when the sun sets.
Because of how tall the mountain is, we would lose the sun before it actually sets. “Its going to be dusk for about an hour before the sun sets.” 
He looked back as he kept walking. “Well, we better not stop no matter what.”
We had to walk in a zig zag to avoid getting close to the tree’s.
“And the mountains, they’ll save us?” I sounded unsure. 
“If I'm correct there is a sanctuary building with a portal inside that can get us the hell out of here...” 
“A portal?” 
“There’s portals the world's only Ozyla’s created. He balances everything in power. If you’re not powerful enough to survive the worlds he created when you are unlucky enough to bounce inside one, then you’re not good enough to live. That’s what he believes.”
A shadow flashed over us as if something big was in the sky. We both stopped in our tracks. 
“What was that?” I snapped my head to look up. “It was a big bird or something?”
Rudolph’s head turned back and forth scanning the sky. “I believe it was Ozyla’s scouter.” He paused and looked at me. “Come we have to go, we have no time to waste and it's not like we can go hide under a tree.” 
I followed him once again. Whatever it was, it was huge. 
Trees open up in the distance and a path cleared for us. A body of water had hundreds of floating rocks.
“What is all this?” 
Rudolph threw his left hand over my mouth and stuck his index finger in front of his mask. 
“Shhhh, don’t speak.” He said softly. 
He took a few more steps forward to get the full view. I followed close behind him. 
A small wooden boat smashed in the mud next to the water. The pond was gigantic and seamlessly going endless to the right and left of us. I could see the other side in front of us where more trees were, but it looked far.  
Hundreds of olive rocks floated on top but opened up a straight line of clear water to the other side, where I’d assume it would be safe to ride the boat.
He looked at me and put his index finger over his mask again to remind me to be silent. 
He waved his hand back as he turned around and walked back in the opposite direction. 
We walked maybe a hundred feet until he stopped. “Okay I think we’re far away now.” He took a deep breath. “When we go over there, you need to not make a sound at all no matter what, and do not touch the water.”
I nodded my head, “Ok, those rocks must be dangerous?”
He shook his head, “Those are not rocks, those are hundreds of alligators and they are not like any alligator you have ever seen or can even imagine. Not only that, it's going to give the scouter an open spot to come swoop in on us.” He signed as he looked forward. “I know you don't know anything about your ability  but just in case something happens I must tell you how to use it. 
He lifted his hand up. "Energy Is like a river running down a mountain. It flows through our muscles and rests in our stomach. Where most of your body muscle is. 
 He began to spin his arms around clockwise in a circular motion. "You must control where the river takes you.”
He stuck his right arm in front of him as his hand was now solid red.  He hovered his left hand over his chest. “Keep your eyes forward and always on your target. This technique will not only generate the energy to your right arm for a precise blast, but it will keep your energy flowing in your body. He took a deep breath. Be careful in this state the energy is ready to be released from your body, just a flex in your bicep will release the energy.” He carefully lowered his hands down as they faded back to normal. “Are you ready?” 
“Ok,” I let go of my breath unsure of myself.   
I spun my arms around clockwise in a circular motion. “Slow down, generate the energy; don’t be a roaring river, be a calm and collected one.” I took a deep breath in and relaxed myself. A little bit of energy slowly filled in as my hand began to glow blue and my arms were getting stronger again. 
Rudolph put his hands up. “Stop, stop. You’re not trained enough so I don't want you to accidentally send out a blast and wake up the forest. But, that’s incredible. I don't know what blue energy is but you are clearly powerful. All the stories must be true.”
 The energy was vibrating through me. I lowered my arms down, took a deep breath and calmed myself. 
“Ok well, you now know what to do if we get into trouble. Just remember when you’re done generating your energy, stick out your right arm and lay your left hand over your chest and you’ll be ready to fire. 
I nodded my head. 
He nodded back, “Okay, just do everything I do and don't make a sound.”
We walked back to the edge of the pond. He gently tiptoed into the mud and walked onto the wooden boat and sat down in the front staring forward. There was another seat in the back that made me stare at Rudolph's back. 
I looked around for any paddles that we could use to push us off the edge when suddenly the boat moved and entered the water. It was startling as I rocked back and forth trying to hold my balance. I instantly thought about the scouter above us now being able to get a clear view. I looked up glancing at the sky one more time when I noticed the sun. It was about a half hour away from piercing the mountain peak. I released a slow breath out my nose. I hope we reach the mountains in time.  
 The first alligator's head floated past us. Its eyes were closed. It’s bottom jaw stuck out wider than the snout revealing hundreds of long razor sharp teeth. I can’t imagine all these floating heads are alligators.
 I gasped and put my hand over my mouth to not make a sound. The scouter probably doesn't want to wake these things up either. The line of floating heads all looked the same and perfectly three feet apart. The thought of waking one of these creatures up scared the hell out of me. I looked up to the other side. As fast as we were going, we should reach the other side in a few minutes. 
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Hopefully this moment will pass by faster if I'm not looking. I took a few deep breaths and my anxiety soared as the thought of one of these things taking a leap towards me freaked me out. 
I opened my eyes, maybe I’ll just stare downwards. How close are we getting? We must be half way there by now?
I looked forward and we were just approaching the halfway point. Rudolph’s back was straight and he continued to look forward. His elbows were sticking out on both sides like he was meditating.
A circular object in the water caught my eye. It stood out from the rest of the floating heads. My curiosity spiked. What is that? The skinned looked like an alligator just a different size? We passed by right in front of it and it’s facial features were like a human, even with lips. 
I held my breath staring at it. Its eyes opened and I was ready to shout Rudolph's name when I remembered it would wake them all up. Its eyes brownish green and a thin line as it’s pupil just like an alligator. Its eyes followed me and I was on the edge of my seat ready to shout, waiting for it to jump at me. But, it didn't move and just stared.  It passed by and I looked down again staring at the bottom of the boat. What the hell was that? 
 We were getting close. Ok, I need to calm myself down. If I'm not, I will take off on a full sprint out of here. I took a few deep breaths. Ok, just stand up very slowly and get off the boat gently. 
The boat slowly smashed into the mud on the other side. 
I stood up as Ruodolph did the same. He jumped over the muddy part and landed on more black moss. He took a few steps and stared forward.  
I walked to the front of the boat. I jumped over the muddy part when my right leg slipped off the moss and fell into the mud. I pulled my leg but my foot was stuck. I put my hand over my mouth and hummed quietly trying to get Rudolph's attention.  I slowly began to sink further into the mud. I tried harder and harder to release my foot but I was sinking faster.
 Rudolph turned around and ran towards me. He wrapped his arms around me and yanked me out. I let out a loud grunt and Rudolph put his hand over my mouth again and shook his head. He lowered his hand down and he patted me on my back. 
He walked forward and began to head into the forest once again. The mountains looked like they were right in front of us. I looked up and the mountain had visually begun piercing into the sun. Casting a shadow in front of us and two beams of light going to the left and right. I felt the temperature drop. A tree’s vine was mysteriously embedded into the ground. The trees are moving already?
“I think we’re close”. Rudolph looked up to the sky as well. He looked at me, “Are you ready?”
I took a deep breath, “Yes, let’s get out of here.” 
We continued to walk again and more and more trees had it’s vines dug straight into the ground.
We approached dozens of trees and all of its vines were reaching across the forest. Criss crossing over another. It was like a web of vines. There was no getting around it. Through the mess  the two mountains almost touched each other and I could see two enormous metal doors In the middle. 
“How are we going to get to the other side?” I looked at Rudolph.
He looked down at his hand as it glowed red. He stared at it for a moment then the hand faded back to normal as he closed his fist. He tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders. “We might have to crawl.”
“You have to be kidding me?” The thought dawned on me.
Rudolph bowed his head into the web of vines. “It’s actually not going to be that bad look.” He stood next to the web of vines, the moss curved in so much it was  giving us barely enough room to crawl under it and avoid the whole thing all together. My stomach turned, “That might work.”
    He bent down, got on his hands and knees and stared into the cluster of vines. The sun was halfway down the back side of the mountain now. The sunlight hasn't been touching these trees for some time, and they’re still not moving. This seems like a trap. I hesitated watching  Rudolph crawl underneath the vines. I'm going to crawl through it as fast as I can.  
 I followed his lead and bent down on my knees. I touched the moist and rubbery moss. My hand separated a little bit. I wonder how deep it is?   I couldn't immediately see the bottom. I stuck my hand in to see where the ground was and felt nothing. I pulled my hand out in a frantic way. How deep does this moss go? 
Rudolph crawled on his stomach. I ducked my head as I crawled under the vines. Instead of using my arms, it seemed like It was easier on my elbows as I held myself up barley scooting across the moss. 
The moss pulsed upwards in a wave almost making me touch one of the vines. “What is going on?” I said in a cry. Another waved pulsed upwards, I laid down flat and turned my head to the side unable to move
“The forest it’s waking up.” Rudolph said as I heard a loud high pitched noise. 
Rudolph stood in front of me and the vines around me were cleared. He stuck his hand out in front of me. “I’ll throw you.” He shouted
I instantly thought the last time he threw me in the air. Well, you are a good thrower. 
I grabbed his hand and he threw me across the moss onto the grass patch by the metal doors. He came jumping next to me. “Are you okay?” 
I nodded my head as I stood brushing some dirt off of me. 
I looked up and there was a huge sign on top of the doors that read, ‘Choose the right door.’ 
Rudolph sighed, “This is Ozyla’s doing. Always a trickster. These doors must be booby trapped. Just stay back and I will figure it out.”
He walked forward leaving me on the grass next to the tree line. He stood in front on the doors and looked up at the sign again and spoke out loud to himself. “Choose the right door, huh?” 
He walked up to the right door and grabbed the handle and tugged on it. He turned around and looked at me. “It’s locked?” 
A door opened underneath him and he fell into the ground. 
 “Rudolph!” I shouted as I ran towards the door,  leaping with every step. I jumped on the dirt door where he fell.  The dirt looked like it hadn’t moved at all. I grabbed the handle and tugged on it over and over again trying to get the door to open or even fall down with Rudolph but I had no luck. 
I jumped to the left door and began tugging on the handle as well but, it was also locked. The sky turned orange as the sun began to  set. I don’t know what to do? I’m a dead man. 
I turned around and leaned on the door staring back at the tree line. Reality set in. I hate being alone. Tears began to trickle out of my eyes. My breaths were quick. What am I going to do?
I heard flapping of wings in the distance. They sounded like they were coming towards me. The scouter must be coming back for me. 
I saw an object walking in the forest on two legs. 
“Rudolph!” I shouted as I ran back towards the trees. 
I looked into the forest where I just saw the figure but it was gone?
I looked down and every little strand of the moss was wiggling back and forth, pulsing up and down like the ocean.
“Ah!” I yelled as I took a step back. 
I heard a noise behind me as I spun around to see a creature standing in front of the metal doors staring at me. It was the same creature from the pond with it’s scaly like alligator body but it’s right arm was different, long like a vine just like the trees.
 He leaned forward, his body began to morph into something else. The creature got on all fours. His scales turned into fur as the top of his head turned into a round metal shape. It look like a deer like animal. 
I began rotating my arms in a clockwise circular motion generating energy.  It stuck it’s head down pointing the top of its head toward me.  Before I could point my hand towards it. It leaped at least fifty feet towards me and slammed it’s metal head into my chest like a hammer. I heard a crack sound as I flew back into a tree, slamming into the truck covered in white mist. I grabbed my chest as unfathomable pain shot through my whole body. The moss attacked itself to my foot and started slowly moving up my leg like it was eating me. 
Blood poured out of my mouth. I tried to take an inhale but couldn't, over and over again I tried. I could hear the tree behind me move. A green vine came from my right and wrap around my neck. It started squeezing me and choking me. The moss jumped on my foot and slowly climbed up my leg like it was eating me. 
The vines aura glowed white. All the energy began to suck out of me. I gottunnel vision. 
I closed my eyes and could suddenly hear a woman's voice, “Eric, I'm sorry you can’t see me just yet.” 
“Mom?”
“Honey, listen to me. You need to live.”
I tried to listen to her and open my eyes and fight back but I couldn’t. 
“Mom.” I choked. “I'm not strong enough.”
A bright light shined in my face as my pain began to fade away. “Mom, I’m sorry. I'm coming to see you.”
The bright light got brighter, hurting my eyes. I opened my eyes and my chest was glowing white. The white energy from the vine sucked right into my chest. 
The moss retracted like the light was hurting it. I spun my arms around in a clockwise motion, the energy flooded into my arms. I put my left hand over my chest and stuck my right hand over my head and touched the trunk of the tree. I flex my bicep an energy beam blasted out of my hand. The vine around my neck released it’s grip and fell onto my lap. The moss had jumped off my body. 
I took a gasp of air.  I touched my chest and felt no pain. I lifted the vine and threw it off of me. I took more breaths as I staggered to my feet. The motionless tree had a  huge hole cut out of it from the blast. The negative energy from the tree actually helped me?
The white energy from the trees lit up the dark forest. A twig broke behind me. I turned around. The creature was back on two feet; both of its arms were made of the vines and it’s skin looked like wood. It’s eyes were black as night. It tilted its head confused. 
If I can use the negative energy from these trees I might be able to kill this thing. I stuck my right arm and pointed it at another tree besides me. I stared back at him. Come on energy, help me out here. I stuck my left hand over my chest.  I took a deep breath and looked at the tree. The white energy slowly began to float towards me and sucked into my hand. I felt the energy build in me.  I let out a breath of air and lowered my hand. I spun my arms around again generating the energy to my arms, they began to get physically stronger. 
I pointed my glowing blue hand towards the creature and put my left hand over my chest. When A loud screeching noise came over my head. The scouter came swooping in and I got a glimpse of it as it turned around and shot back into the sky. It had black feathers and an extremely long beak. I looked back at the creature. My target became clear again. I flexed my arm.  A blue energy beam shot out of it. The beam was brighter and stronger than I was expecting. 
The beamed cleared a d The creature was down on one knee with its head lowered down. Its vines for arms laid motionless on the ground behind him. 
The creature slowly looked up and its eyes were glowing blue, the same blue from my energy. It slowly got up to its feet, it’s arms turned into normal arms with hands. His hands light up blue. He spun his arms in a circular motion mimicking what did.
 He laid out his arm and pointed his palm towards me and laid his left hand over his chest. A blue beam shot out and I dived to the ground barely missing me. I looked up and it was walking fast towards me. I think I have another blast still inside me. I stood up, spun my arms around again and pointed my hand towards him. A blue beam shot out and the creature stuck his hand out in front of him and the energy sucked right into his hand, like it didn't do anything to it at all. 
It spun its arms around again, this time pointing both palms towards me. It bent down, doing a jumping motion into the air.  Two beams came together as one and blasted towards me. It hit me. I spun around in the air slamming into the ground. I let out a grunt of pain. I lifted myself up with one arm and looked down at my chest. My shirt was in shreds. I coughed and blood came out of my mouth.
 I looked forward, a sword stuck out out of the ground.  The handle look like a clear diamond.  I slowly stood to my feet. I wobbled over. As soon as I touched the handle I felt my energy pour into the sword as the diamond lit up blue. 
I turned around. The creaute started at me. I put the sword in my left hand as the blade rested on the ground upside down. I stuck my right hand toward a tree and lifted the sword to my chest. White energy sucked into my hand. I grabbed the sword with my hands and lifted it up straight.
 Maybe speed will end this fight. I stuck the sword to the right side of me, like I was about to swing. I bent down and jumped toward the creature and a blue blast shot out my legs. I flew towards it  aiming right for the stomach. I swung and slashed right through the creature. I landed slightly behind it. I turned around to see the creature still standing there. It’s head leaned backwards and the top of its body fell back and the bottom of the body fell forward. Steam began to rise from its body. It morphed into ash. I looked down at my hands and the sword was gone?
I heard a noise come from the mountains like something big was scooting across cement. I ran towards the doors. They were slowly separating. It opened just enough where I could see Rudolph. He squeezed through the doors,  ran towards me and hugged me. “Eric, thank the gods you’re alive.” 
“There was a creature, he attacked me. He was some type of shape shifter.” I said in a panic. 
He let go of me and took a step back. “A shape shifter? I was afraid that I should have warned you, but the chances of seeing An elemontour are rare. I’m so glad you’re alive. He leaned in and gave me another hug. “Come follow me. We can get out of here.” 
He turned around and entered a big cement room. Different wooden shapes laid on the ground all in a circular room. “I must have figured out this puzzle and constructed the portal just in time. He looked down. “Stand in the middle.” He walked up cement stairs and stood on a platform where a wooden lever was. Where you’re going is a place called Vontore. There they will help you train and get ready to defeat Ozyla. 
"Vontore?" I got excited. "But aren't you coming?” 
He shook his head. I have other missions I must attend to. I need you to promise me something, truly a favor in return for saving your life.” 
I nodded my head, “Yes, anything.”
“Under no circumstances will you tell anyone that i'm alive. He nodded, “Not just yet.”   
"Ok."
He signed "thank you." He gripped the handle “Are you ready?”
I nodded my head and closed my eyes. I heard him pull down the lever. Everything was silent and I could no longer feel the ground beneath me. I moved my legs back and forth. I opened my eyes and I was in pitch darkness, like I was floating in space. I could see in the distance a little white square dot. Slowly getting larger like it was flying towards me. It looked like it was appearing to be an image of some sort. The image came closer and it started spinning around and I couldn't make any sense of it. My head began to hurt and I was feeling dizzy. Light began to come all around, I was falling right into the image when everything went black.