Broken- The Journey Begins

Chapter 7.

"What do we do now?" Green Steve asked for the 10th time, and it's only been 3 minutes since they continued on their walk through the forest.

"I don't know." Sabre said. "We'll figure something out."

"You keep saying that," Green Steve was hugging his arms. "Though you say nothing for forever!"

"It's only been three minutes!" Lucas said, turning to face Green Steve. "Don't worry, we'll get Emburn back. You'll see."

"But when?" Green Steve choked as tears formed in his emerald eyes. "I can't bare to see Emburn in danger, even if it's not now. I want to see her again. She's given me lots, but there is still more, I know it."

"We know." Sabre stayed behind and placed a reassuring hand on Green Steve's back. "We'll get her back."

Rainbow Steve was ahead of them now. Lucas and Sabre still tried to calm Green Steve, though now tears were falling to the ground. The smell of rain filled Sabre's nose as they walked slowly on. Sabre felt for Green Steve, knowing he loved her like a mother. It hurt him to see Green Steve this way, especially a young one. Patting Green Steve's back, he left to catch up to Rainbow Steve.

"Poor Green Steve," Rainbow Steve said as Sabre slowed to walk with him. "I feel bad for him."

"So do I." Sabre said, nodding.

"We got to do something." Rainbow Steve's eyes shown sadness in the pale light of the cloud-covered sky. "He might lose hope of we don't get Embunr back. Besides, she gave us so much after what happened. We haven't get her back."

Sabre was speechless. He couldn't summon the words to reassure Green Steve or Rainbow Steve, and Rainbow Steve had even more feelings than any steve Sabre knows. It was hard taking care of Steves, Sabre reminded himself, but well worth it. He befriended the Steves, and friends made him happy. But seeing them like this, it just hurt like a thorn in his heart. 

Just then did Sabre want to cheer them up. A game, just like back when they first found the forest. But Sabre knew after what happened today they wouldn't be up for it, and his heart dropped. He continued his way along with Rainbow Steve followed by the others. 

The voice of the creature echoed in his head. Sure, but not now. You'll see me soon. Just wait, you'll see!

It made Sabre's saddened thoughts race to the back of his head as anger floated in him. He wanted to know who this new enemy was, and he wanted it now. But waiting was also a good thing. At least they didn't need to worry about this beast at the time, but they still had to be prepared for a visit.

Sabre saw Rainbow Steve's eyes turn to the right with quick speed, and stopped dead in his tracks. Sabre hurried to stop before he walked on and followed Rainbow Steve's gaze. He gasped. The forest was destroyed in these parts. Black, ashes trees stood with skinny and boney yellow-eyed owls stared at them. Bats opened their eyes, revealing red nothingness. Blood spilled from their fangs as they snapped their jaws at the sight of the four friends. The owls hooted in the dark, stormy skies as they swooped from one tree to the next. The ground was old and mossy cobblestone with a pathway made of mycelium. Flowers were wilting, just like in the darkness Sabre was stuck in. A shiver ran down his spine as the thought of the place ran through his brain. 

The mycelium pathway led to a fairly large mansion. The look of it surely made it seem haunted. 

Suddenly that bloodied bats screeched and made their attack. They flew after the four friends, their jaws wide open and ready to rip flesh and pick at bones off of them. Sabre quickly grabbed a stick off the ground and held it out, ready to swat at the bats who were charging at them with fierce hunger. Drops of drool fell and hit the ground in front of them as the bats battered at their faces with wings and fur. Sabre quickly whacked a few, but the bats flew up to the skies and dived back down toward them. Rainbow Steve screamed as a bat bit into his arm. Lucas fell to the ground, kicking and swatting at bats with bitten hands. Green Steve covered his head, running around and trying to lose the flesh-eating bats. One bat tugged Sabre's hoody to the side, revealing his skin on the side of his neck. A bat dived down and bit into the soft flesh of his neck. Sabre yelled and swatted the bat on it's back and it gave away. Soon, the bats gave up on their living meal and flew back to the branches of the darkened trees. 

Sabre held his injured neck and turned to the others. "You guys alright?"

"I think so." Lucas nodded, studying his sticky hands which were covered in blood and bites.

"I'm alive." Green Steve lowered his hands slowly as if expecting the bats to charge back. "I think."

"I'm good." Rainbow Steve said, wrinkling his face in disgust at the sight of his arm. He turned to Sabre. "But, what about you?"

Sabre didn't relize how much the bite burned. He removed his hand and peered at it in shock. His palm and fingers were flooded with blood from his neck. The bite was deep, but not too serious to have to worry about. 

"We need to take care of that." Green Steve said. "Along with Rainbow Steve's. Ember taught me about injuries, she said Green Steves are best in healing others."

Sabre nodded, raising his hand back to his injured neck. It hurt to touch, though Sabre felt the burning calm. Green Steve came up to Sabre. 

"Let me see the bite." He said, though his voice was concerned. 

Sabre lowered his hand and tilted his head to allow Green Steve to look. Green Steve touched the bite, making Sabre wince and grit his teeth as the burning returned to it's painful ways.

"That's a pretty bad bite, Sabre." Green Steve exclaimed. "But I brought some bandage raps. Emburn said to always be prepared for anything."

Green Steve rapped the bandage around Sabre's neck. Sabre felt the warm blood soak into the white rapping, and suddenly it felt better. Sabre nodded a thanks to Green Steve. Green Steve nodded and turned to Rainbow Steve. The two talked while Green Steve inspected the injury on his arm while Lucas came up to Sabre.

"Green Steve was right." Lucas said. "That bite did look pretty bad."

"It didn't feel too bad at the time." Sabre said, feeling around the bite. "I didn't even know it was this painful."

"Not as bad as the Rainbow Town's destruction." Rainbow Steve came over to the two, his arm rapped from elbow to wrist. "That was pretty bad."

"Agreed." Sabre nodded. "But you guys know what?" 

"What?" Green Steve asked.

"Those bats seemed pretty hostile about our presence near this mansion." He said. "You know what that means?"

Rainbow Steve's eyes widened. "You don't mean..."

"Yes." Sabre nodded, turning to the mansion. "We're going in."