I N F I N I T E S

The Temple Of The Flower

    Tessra, Fern, and Frost all smiled and spoke in unison.
    "Yes!"
    They all looked to Tessra for directions to the ruins. She nodded off to where there was a gap in between the trees along the road.
"Let's move."
She took off into the forest and Fern followed after her.
"C'mon guys she's not gonna wait."
The man was still marveling at Brite. He had noticed this and before moving into the forest with others he looked back and held up a V with his fingers.
Brite and Frost moved through the gap and were met with the symphony of nature in the form of birds and bugs. Tree vines and roots outstretched along the forest floor. Large yellow and orange beetles crawled along the trees and ants followed up and down the roots to bring leaves to their hills. Neon green colored flies buzzed along the grasses and ferns.
Brite was careful not to step on any of the insects as he ran along side Frost. Brite kept an even pace with Frost, but Frost had chosen that it would be best to walk on just two feet so he wouldn't outrun Tessra.
They caught up with the others, and Brite noticed that Fern too was running bipedally. Tessra had taken note of this as well. Fern looked over to Tessra.
"So where is this ruin anyway?"
Tessra kept her eyes forward, but still responded.
"It's deep within the northwest part of the forest. It's big so you won't miss it."
Frost came up from behind Tessra.
"How did you know that there was this flower there?"
"I don't. I just knew that the Cyndri grew things that could cure Necro blight."
A look of concern crossed over Fern's face.
"Ok ok, so we're going into an old temple full of magic, collapsing walls, and possible death on a maybe?"
Brite responded near immediately.
"We have to."
Frost followed up.
"Brite is right. Even if there's just a small chance that the flower is their we have to take it. That boy and his father need us." They came up on a steep hill that Frost and Fern used their claws to move up. Brite climbed up a tree and used his tactic of tree leaping to continue along. Tessra was using just her own strength to trudge forward.
    Her boots thumped along and crushed small pebbles and grass underfoot. She had done sorts of physical conditioning that would make her climb up steep mountains with little oxygen. She had built up the ability to power trough almost anything, so an incline like this was a walk in the meadow for her.
     They had nearly reached the top of the incline when Tessra started to speak again.
    "You all made it up, but you held back. I don''t want you to think I can't keep up with you."
    Frost looked over to Tessra as he climbed over roots and stones.
    "Are you sure, humans can't really keep u-"
    Fern interrupted with a smile and a glint in his eyes.
    "See who makes it down first!"
    He sped over the top and darted down the slope of green grass. There were fewer trees covering the ground so the space was more open. This would allow for Frost and Fern to run at full speed.
Brite leapt from the final tree on the peak of the slope. He used his legs to flip in the air to gain more distance for his jump.
Frost and Fern dropped to all fours and raced down. Fern had expected this would be one of the few times he could beat Tessra at something. His claws gripped the roots of the grass. He propelled himself onward with fiery passion and passed Frost.
Tessra had reached the top and pulled her buckler shield from off her back. She tossed it under her feet and bent close to the ground. She used her shield as a way to move down the slope. She turned and moved her body with the motion of the ground meeting her shield.
Fern turned his head, expecting to see Tessra far behind him. What he saw instead was Tessra just behind his tail with her ever blank face. His draw dropped just as Brite hit the ground and rolled back into a run beside Frost.
By the time that they had reached the bottom of the slope they had all tied in their places. They all met together now. Fern still had a look of amazement on his face.
"Where'd you learn to do that."
Tessra showed a small smile and kicked her shield up to her hand.
"I learned it from one of my captains when we ha3d to make it down a hill fast enough to save a couple from some Venusi snappers."
She put he shield back in its hold on her back. Frost clapped his hands together and smiled.
"I think everyone did great."
Brite showed off his white teeth with a wide grin and a thumbs up. Fern however just continued to mumble to himself.
Frost had turned around and his eyes met something un-believable. They were all so focused on winning the race that none of them had seen what was at the bottom of the slope.
"Um, you all might wanna see this."
The group all turned around to face a gigantic light gray stone temple. Two large pillars both about eight times the size of Fern held up a large arch over a massive entrance. The pillars and arches were like their own sculptures. Depictions of flowers growing and blooming up to reach stars appeared all over the the stone.
It appears tat the only reason that they had not seen it earlier in the forest was that the slope had covered where it was. Vines had grown themselves over the structure like blankets of green leaves. The entrance stood open with seemingly no light coming from inside.
They all stood there in shock at the size of the ruin. Even Tessra's eyes widened at the sight of it. Brite's excitement only increased. He was the first to step forth to the temple. He jumped in the air and waved for them to come follow him.
Tessra shook her head and snapped out of her trance.
"C'mon lets find that flower."
Fern clutched a fist and Frost nodded in approval. Then they all stepped into the darkness of the temple.