Path to Starry Pool (MAJOR EDITING)

Chapter Eleven: Admirable

Chin-Hae shouted the words Astoria did not want to hear. "How am I supposed to use this!?"
"I'd ask you, smarty!" Astoria yelled back.
"We'll just do the same as we did with Sara!" Chin-Hae hollered in reply. "And hope for the best!"
Astoria bit back an argumentative statement and waited impatiently for Chin-Hae to grab hold of the vine. Chin-Hae bit his lip and began to wrap the vine around him, then he paused. He stared down at the stretched vine and shook his head.
"Hey, Astoria!" Chin-Hae called up, and continued as Astoria gazed down at him. "I think I'll just have to hold onto the vine and practically rock-climb up."
Astoria gulped and blinked down at him. "Okay, but if you fall, I blame you!"
"Yes," Chin-Hae agreed without hesitation. "Now hurry up!"
Astoria sighed and lowered the vine further. She grunted in effort as she felt Chin-Hae putting all of his weight onto the vine, and as he began to climb up. She struggled to keep the vine in place where she was standing, with occasional glances at Sara. Chin-Hae continued climbing up the steep wall, sometimes fitting his feet into gaps as he climbed higher. One of his feet, however, slipped when he moved it up. He gasped and held on as tightly as he could to the vine. It was lowering slowly, as now all of Chin-Hae's weight was dragging Astoria forward. Chin-Hae immediately thrust his foot into a different gap, and got back into his balance.The vine lifted again as Astoria backed up.
"Hurry, hurry!" Astoria called, glancing back at Sara as saliva slowly rolled down Sara's open mouth.
"I'm trying here!" Chin-Hae growled through gritted teeth.
It was Chin-Hae's worst enemy. His slim body was more bone than muscle. He could have barely done a push-up before. Now, however, as he was above falling to his death, he pushed himself to keep climbing up. His legs ache more than he had ever felt in his life, and his breathing was sharp and uneven. Yet, he was so close, and he took a giant step up. His head appeared above the edge of the giant crack running through the land. Astoria lunged forward and pulled him forward. Chin-Hae stumbled, and pulled himself up. He set out a shaky breath and collapsed next to Sara.
"I think she should be okay," Chin-Hae sighed, looking down at her face. "She's still breathing. Now, for the real question, Astoria."
Astoria nodded her head for him to continue. "Aside from almost dying, yes?"
"Where are we and what are we doing here?" Chin-Hae asked with a firm expression.
"Well," Astoria sighed, looking down at her feet. "I don't know much about this place. I just know that the person who brung me here wanted you here, Chin-Hae. Whatever it took to get you here, I was supposed to do. I don't even know where she is, or what just happened. I don't know, I'm sorry."
"Who?" Chin-Hae asked, looking extremely serious.
Astoria hesitated before answering. "She said her name is Fleur."
"Last name?"
"Bellerose." replied Astoria bluntly.
Chin-Hae's face paled, and he stood up. "Then we really have to find her. C'mon, we have to."
Astoria nodded in agreement, not sure of Chin-Hae's reaction and looked down at the long cracks running through the ground around them. Chin-Hae bent down and picked up Sara, leaning her on his back and holding her legs in front of him. His legs bent weakly, but he stood firmly. He waited for a few moments before stepping forward.
"How are we going to find-" Astoria was interrupted by a sudden explosion in the distance.
They gazed with wide eyes into the distance, where smoke flew up and trees crashed down. Astoria and Chin-Hae met eyes for a moment, then immediately started to run towards the smoke. Chin-Hae was lagging behind, and Astoria felt pain every time she swung her arms to the rhythm of her steps. Chin-Hae's legs burned from climbing up the giant crack, and his vision was clouding with dust, and his arms ached from holding onto the vine and carrying Sara. Sara was still unconscious, her mouth hung open, her limbs frozen, and her head flopped helplessly over Chin-Hae's shoulder.
"What was that!?" Chin-Hae called up to Astoria as they raced on.
"I think I know!" shouted Astoria, slowing down to match Chin-Hae's speed. "Should I carry Sara now?"
"No!" Chin-Hae replied quickly. "I'm good, I can keep going! Just don't go slow, try and get to it first!"
"Okay!" Astoria quickened her pace and whined.
Everything hurt to her, but she couldn't imagine how bad Sara must have been to have fainted. Chin-Hae too looked extremely exhausted, but now as much as to give up running and collapse. Astoria ran forward, almost tripping over her own feet, then stopped as they grew very close to the smoke.
"Chin-Hae," She whispered. "I think you should set Sara down for this."
Astoria crept forward into the trees and peered in. There was a clearing with a single hollow log in the middle. The log was smoking at the tips, threatening to burst into flames at any moment. Astoria cast a glance behind her; Chin-Hae was gently setting Sara down in the grass, behind a barrier of dense leaves. He left Sara with a longing glance and returned to Astoria's side. His eyes widened at the smoking log, but Astoria blocked him from stepping forward.
"This could be dangerous," Astoria whispered to him, glancing around them.
"We should investigate," Chin-Hae breathed.
"We shouldn't," Astoria hissed.
"I know where we are," Chin-Hae muttered. "I know what to do."
Astoria stumbled aside with shock. He knows about this place? How? Chin-Hae walked past her and up to the log. He observed the smoking end, and bent closer to it with curious eyes. He reached out to it, but Astoria swatted his hand away.
"I said I know what to do," Chin-Hae growled.
"I say I disagree," Astoria grumbled.
As Chin-Hae opened his mouth to argue, he stopped and snapped his head towards the trees. Nothing but wind blew. Astoria squinted her eyes and looked deeper at the trees. She saw nothing, but she heard a faint murmur. Then she heard heavy breathing. Their eyes widened in fright, and they stumbled away from the log. Holding her breath, Astoria gazed into the trees once again. She could have sworn she saw something-or someone-moving.
"Guys?" Astoria relaxed as Sara walked out from behind the tree and debris.
Sara's eyes were half-closed, and she hunched over. She fell to her knees with a shaky breath, and crawled towards them. Chin-Hae rushed forward, and grabbed hold of Sara's hand, and pulled her towards him.
"Are you still hurt?" He asked, squinting down at her hands.
"I'm fine-" She stopped as Chin-Hae squeezed her hand. "ARGH!"
"Still hurt," Chin-Hae murmured. "You should rest."
"I'm f-fine," Sara replied, her voice choppy. "I can handle m-myself."
Chin-Hae let go of her hand. It was raw-looking, dry and sticky with her glistening blood covering it. Poor Sara, Astoria thought sorrowfully. She's really having it hard! Sara looked like she was about to fall asleep. Chin-Hae looked even more worried.
"Did you eat anything today?" He asked her gently.
Sara's eyes softened thoughtfully. "Hm, I had a few cherries that you got from the market."
Chin-Hae's eyes narrowed. "And did you get enough sleep?"
"No," Sara shook her head, and then rubbed her eyes. "Where are we?"
"Nowhere important," Chin-Hae muttered, his eyes flashing. "Now you really should rest."
"We're in a whole new place than the orphanage, Chin-Hae," Sara replied with a steady voice. "I may not be as smart as you, but I'm not stupid."
"Heh," Chin-Hae rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
Astoria cut in the awkward conversation. "Sara, we should..."
Astoria paused and her cheeks flushed; she had no idea what to say. Her dominant role was being taken down as she was at a loss of words. She didn't know what to do. Sara was clearly injured and in no condition to walk on her own. Chin-Hae was beginning to win the dominance battle, and Astoria couldn't do anything about it.
"Try and get to safety," Chin-Hae finished Astoria's sentence.
"Right," Astoria agreed slowly, and peered back at Sara. "Sara?"
Sara felt her stare and looked up. "Hm?"
"Do you agree that we should get to somewhere safe?" Chin-Hae asked her, keeping his voice clear as Sara rocked on her feet.
Sara looked around herself and nodded. "I agree. But from here on, I make the decisions."
Astoria and Chin-Hae each said 'yes,' and they waited for Sara's instructions. Sara, however, seemed to have forgotten she was in charge. She glanced around in silence, shivering slightly at the trees. Chin-Hae frowned and spoke up.
"Sara, are you sure you're feeling okay?" Chin-Hae asked worriedly.
Sara shook her head. She seems very dazed, Astoria thought, biting her bottom lip as Sara swayed on her feet, threatening to fall. Chin-Hae probably knows more than me, though. She shakily exhaled and waited for Chin-Hae to take action. However, Chin-Hae was starting back at her. Astoria's eye twitched. This is a mess! There is nobody fit to lead here! I don't know what to do, and Chin-Hae is clearly thinking the same thing!
"Astoria, right now, Sara is clearly not very clear-headed," said Chin-Hae, breaking the silence. "And I'm not at my best, either. I'm actually really mad. You deserve a felony for bringing me back here, of all the places."
"I don't need prison!" Astoria shot back grumpily. "I was told to bring you here. It's not like I strolled into the orphanage, 'Oh, hello Chin-Hae, care to join me on a fall that can kill you?'"
"I needn't be polite, here," Chin-Hae growled. "If I wasn't so tired, you would be being strangled right now."
"Try me!" Astoria glared at him.
Sara stepped between them, and began speaking with a louder, boasting voice. "I bet I could strangle both of you without my eyesight!"
"You really are a muse to boast at this time," Chin-Hae said after a few moments of silence.
"Yeah, you were just unconscious not so long ago. I doubt you could even make a dent on us if you tried right now." Astoria added, raising an eyebrow to Sara.
"Oh yeah, well you're just... just... you're right, " Sara sighed deeply, pressing a hand to her head. "I really am just a burden right now, aren't I? We should just get to wherever Chin-Hae was needed. That is probably the number one chance we have to get home."
Astoria sighed as Sara looked down with sorrow. She was in fact a burden in her condition, but Astoria did feel bad for her. She couldn't help it. Chin-Hae stepped forward and placed his hands gently onto her shoulders, looking down at her with a slight smile.
"You're no burden, Sara," Chin-Hae murmured to her. "I am very grateful, actually. You saved my life by holding on with all of your strength. I admire you for that. Don't blame yourself for being so exhausted, okay? You have done so much today with such little energy."
Sara looked up at him and smiled. "Okay. Now we should leave this place already. I'm getting sick of the smell of smoke!"
Astoria nodded in unison with Chin-Hae, and they waited for Sara to move. This time, Sara did move, but not much of it. She simply stepped around the log and examined the smoking side. Then, a loud whistle split through the air. They all immediately panicked, their eyes wide.
Astoria's eyes rounded with wonder as the ear-splitting whistle turned into a soft chirping. "Was that a bird?"
"No, that couldn't have been a bird..." Chin-Hae shook his head, gazing up and around the trees. "That sounded so strange, it wasn't natural. This whole experience has not been natural, to be completely honest."
"I think... this is a sign," said Sara slowly. "A sign that we shouldn't be here. Chin-Hae, do you have any idea where we are right now? I had no idea there was a place on the world like this..."
"That's because this place isn't in our world," Chin-Hae shrugged his shoulders. "This is a place from much farther from Earth. It is it's own place. In fact, it's in a different galaxy."
"What do you know?" Astoria asked Chin-Hae, curiosity growing on her.
"I probably can't say," responded Chin-Hae, breaking away his gaze from Sara. "I really shouldn't."
"Why not?" asked Sara, looking back at Chin-Hae. "I can't know?"
"We should just leave," Chin-Hae said, changing the subject. "If Fleur wanted me, she could have gotten me herself, but that would be too much to hope for."
Astoria and Sara remained silent. Chin-Hae nodded his head, as if he thought they agreed, and walked next to Sara. Astoria walked up to Sara's other side, and they all gazed out. It was a clear field from there, only a few trees dotting the vast land. Embers flew through the air, and Astoria looked down at the deep cracks running through the land. Just like back at the river.
Even farther in the distance, there was a shadow of three people. Those three people were spread apart, though Astoria couldn't see their faces. It was too far to tell. Sara and Chin-Hae had noticed to, and Sara instinctively grabbed onto Chin-Hae's arm with frightened eyes.
"Who are they?" Sara whispered, leaning forward with round eyes.
"Fleur, and Ashley," Chin-Hae answered, looking down at her stiff posture. "I do not recognize the third, though."
"How do you know who they are?" asked Astoria with a perplexed face. "I can't see that far. Am I that old?"
"No," Chin-Hae shook his head. "But I'm very sure I'd recognize my step sister. And Ashley, of course."
"Fleur is your step sister?" Astoria coughed. "I really don't see the resemblance."
"Neither do I," Sara shook her head. "How old is she?"
Chin-Hae answered immediately. "She has the appearance of being eighteen. But if we were on Earth, in our world, she's... Probably in her thirties."
Astoria felt like she had just been whacked behind the head. Her eyes slowly shifted to the tallest figure, which she assumed was Fleur. She didn't have much time to think, though. The three figures suddenly spring to action. The shadow of Fleur ran up to the shortest shadow and kicked forward. The shadow dodged and backed away, then thrust their arm forward. The arm connected with Fleur and the whistle split through the air again. It was even louder and more blood-curling.
The figures froze, except for Fleur, who struggled against the shadow's grasp. As Fleur broke the hold, the whistling slowed and faded. Chin-Hae was watching with narrowed eyes, and he was muttering under his breath. He then broke the trio's silence with a hushed voice. "We should help Fleur."
"We can't just go into there, " Sara hissed. "This is clearly a battle that we cannot win."
"We..." Astoria began, looking up. "Sara is right, Chin-Hae. I don't think it would be a good idea to badger somewhere we don't need to."
They all remained in silence and stared at each other. The trio didn't dare speak, as the awkward silence hung once again. That was until Sara broke their gazes and looked back out to the open field.
"Guys, I think we have a bigger problem than disagreeing," Sara said, her eyes widening. "A really big problem."
Astoria looked back out to the field. Someone was running at them. Glancing farther up the ridge, Astoria saw that the same three were still up and running. This, however, was a broader and taller figure. As it grew closer, Chin-Hae's mouth gaped open. Sara's did as well, soon after Astoria too.
"I-it's..." gasped Astoria.
"That there is..." Chin-Hae nodded his head. "Eddy."