Borlosanti: Genesis

Part 12

Chapter 14

The next day Leererseas and the children were standing outside Potencia's house.

Leererseas hugged Potencia. "I wish I could go with you."

She held him tight and kissed him on the cheek. "I wish you could too, but it's just not practical, because we need to cross some hazardous terrain, very fast..."

He held her close for a moment and then let her go. "Good luck and god speed."

"I love you Leererseas. Please don't worry too much. I'll be back for you as soon as I've completed my quest."

"May god keep you in his care."

"I think god abandoned me a long time ago, don't you?"

"No, don't ever let the evil deeds of others eat away at your faith."

"I'm sorry old friend, but I already have."

"Then all is lost... No matter whether you defeat Alizarin or not, he has already won, and your mother and I have lost Zira and you already."

Potencia's eyes glistened.

Leererseas said, "fight it my dear — fight it before it's too late... Your mother has lost enough already; do you really think she'll be able to survive if she loses you too."

Potencia said, "I'm sorry. I — I just can't."

Leererseas hugged her. "Then this is probably the last time, I'll ever get to hug you and say goodbye... It has been a pleasure to have known you, my dear."

Potencia said, "goodbye."

The boys and Leererseas said their goodbyes and then the children set off on their journey. Nathaniel and Potencia walked ahead of the group.

He said, "why didn't you tell me that Alizarin was holding your mother hostage — we should go and free her, before we find Dayja."

Potencia said, "no, thanks for offering, but it's best if we find Dayja first, because he can help us save her."

Chapter 15

Nathaniel glanced. The Orona forest loomed ahead of them; it had loads of different trees in it, and most of them had un-branched trunks, with small indiscrete vines woven against them. The tallest emergent trees were at least 70m high. Below these were flat crowned canopy trees, which stood 30 to 40m tall, and below the canopy there were shrubs and smaller trees. The forest floor was covered in decaying plant material, and only a few plants with long thin leaves were scattered around it. Potencia led the way. The air was hot and steamy. Every so often, birds tweeted, monkeys screeched and frogs croaked, creating a jungle symphony. A number of creepers blocked the children's way, like an impenetrable fence. Potencia halted.

She faced the boys. "From here on in, we need to swing from vine to vine, above the canopy."

Wayne's eyes opened wide. "You wot? Listen darlin', I'm not Tarzan."

Potencia glanced upwards. "I'm not sure who Tarzan is, but I'm afraid it's the only way."

Christopher rolled his eyes.

Potencia tugged onto the vine, which was wrapped around the tree, closest to her. "We need to climb above the canopy and then use the loose vines to swing through the forest... The tree which houses the Oronanipeda berries is in the centre of the forest."

"Are you serious? I can't even climb up the rope in P.E, so how am I supposed to swing through the forest," said Christopher.

She turned towards him. "Totally serious, but you're probably right... are any of you any good at climbing trees and swinging on ropes?"

"Ravi iz der best and I'ma close second," said Nathaniel.

"Ok, Ravi and Nathaniel follow me, the rest of you make your way back to the edge of the forest, where we entered," said Potencia.

Potencia led the way up the tree, Ravi went next and then Nathaniel. Nathaniel climbed above the canopy. To the right, a wild cat, with brown fur and black spots, prowled through the forest, and to the left a waterfall cascaded over a cliff. He climbed higher and higher, on the branches of the trees, there were brightly coloured, heavily scented flowers and fruits, and dangling from even higher up, there were many vines, which seemed to hang independent of the trees.

Potencia stopped, looked down and then pointed. "The tree with the Oronanipeda berries is in that direction; please stay alert — when we are closer to the tree, I will let you two stand guard, with your bow and arrows, while I gather some of the berries."

They swung from vine to vine. Nathaniel's hands became sore. After a while they reached the centre of the forest and rested on a branch. Nathaniel surveyed the area. No one seemed to be around. Potencia signalled the boys to load their bow and arrows and then she leaped to the right and swung from vine to vine towards the tree with the Oronanipeda berries. Suddenly, pigmies with furry hands and faces, long fangs and sharp claws appeared all around her, as if by magic.

Ravi put his bow on his back, leapt towards the vine on the left, which took him away from the commotion and whispered, "think fast."

Nathaniel started shooting at the vines that the Oronas were swinging on. As his arrows connected with each vine and the vine snapped and fell, the Orona swinging on it plummeted for a moment and then clasped another vine. Potencia glanced at Ravi through the corner of her eye, and then she allowed the vine she was holding onto to swing backwards. She turned and swung towards Nathaniel. The Oronas followed her.

Nathaniel glanced in Ravi's direction. Ravi grasped a hand full of berries and put them in his satchel. One of the Oronas glanced at him, screeched and pointed. The rest of them turned, looked in Ravi's direction and started swinging towards him with incredible speed and agility. Potencia wrapped her right foot around the vine, lifted her left foot over her right and wrapped it into the vine, and then she let go of the vine, with her hands, and let her body suspend upside down. She then took her bow and arrow off her back and started shooting the vines that the Oronas were hanging onto. The vines she shot snapped and the Oronas hanging on to them plummeted, until they could grasp another vine. Ravi made his way back to Nathaniel. Potencia swung in their direction and then they all made their way to the edge of the forest. The Oronas pursued them for a while and then made their way back towards their tree.