Jack:" Are you ok Io?" He huffs and puffs he's way up the narrow trail leading to the top of the mountain.
Io:"Yes". The Aurora lights are now visible over the entire planet as a result of what the wars did so many years ago. Making it easier to travel at night for the two of them.
Jack and Io have split from the main Caravan as they need to make their way to Snow city. Flux told Jack to take the old goat path over the mountain till they get to a main road leading straight to Snow city. The snow is starting to trickle down as the reach the top of the rocky path. Jack looks at Io and gives her a look of accomplishment. Jack holds his left arm up and his fist creates a fire ball that lights up a cave entrance.
Jack:" Io, I think we and the horses need to rest here for the night. Hold the horses here and wait for me. Ill first check if the cave is save." He hands Io the horse lashes and he makes his way to the cave mouth. Stalactite riming the entrance like dragon teeth. He hold his left hand with the fire-ball out in front of him and he unsheathes his sword. He gives Io a final look as he enters the cave.
Jack can hardly see anything but the fearlessness in him makes him want to walk faster. But his days in the army has taught him hard lessons about the abominations of the forest. He lost multiple limbs in his training days in the forest outside Snow city the military capital of the world. It's also the reason he is one of the best soldiers to send into the forest for solo missions.
Jack hears a stone fall and roll towards his feet. He stands up straight to get a better look at what might have dislodged the stone. He looks up to see a hideous face. The hulking creature swipes his arm and hits Jack into a pillar. The flame dies and its pitch black. All you hear is crashing footsteps coming closer. Jack jumps up and lights himself and his sword up in full fighting blaze. The creature lights up and Jack can see the claws shimmer in the light. The winged abomination has a human stance with eyes that are so black they don't even reflect the light coming from Jacks body.
The beast stretches its leathery wings and roars, spit and rotten pieces of flesh shoots from behind the octopus tentacles that cover the lover part of its face. Jack jumps and rolls towards the beast cutting its leg as he passes underneath it. The beast's tail wraps around Jack and it hurls him out of the cave. The landing dislocates Jacks arm. The beast flies out of the cave and over Jack. It makes a turn and heads towards Jack to claim its meal. It lands and grabs Jack, holding and crushing him.
Io:" Hey Ugly!" The beast drops Jack as it sees Io and the horses. It turns to make its way towards her. Io goes into a side way semi squat position with her wrists together, her hands in the shape of a flower cup pointing behind her. She then swings her arms forward and shoots a green bean from her pals. The beam hits the beast in the face. It stumbles backwards as its skin starts to bubble and huge boils form and burst open. The beam stops and Io drops her numb arms.
Jack took the opportunity Io created for him and he slammed his shoulder back into its socket. Jack shouts at Io to shoot the beast again. Io looks at Jack as the pins and needles start to hurt her arms. Io shouts in pain:" I can't!"
The beast gets its footing and roars at Io. The horses hump up but are luckily tied down firmly. The beast flaps its wings and lifts itself towards Io. Jack screams at the beast but it doesn't respond, the beasts rage making it only want Io now. The beast is almost on top of Io before she gets another beam shot off. It hits him in the gut this time and just slows him down. The beast still moving forward fighting the beams push, is almost in hitting distance of Io.
She sees Jack through her teary eyes. He makes his way up the tail of the beast and jumps on its head spearing his sword right through its skull. Io's Radiation beam stops. The beast stands motionless. Its Eye's starts to turn a ghostly white. Jack wiggles the sword and pulls the beasts head sideways. Its body follows and it falls to the ground. Jack looks up at Io "I think the cave is clear now", He pulls the sword from the beast's lifeless head. Io Tries to laugh but falls with her face on the snow, her arms too weak to brace her fall. Jack rushes to Io to help her.
Jack starts a fire in the cave by flicking his finger as if to get something sticky of the tip. Io wakes up and sees Jack has his one arm in a sling and her arms are bandaged up.
Io:" What was that?"
Jack:" It was a Cthulhu. It's a mythical beast the army scientist thought would be a great idea to replicate in real life. I thought they were all killed long ago. Guess I was wrong" He sits back down after adding ingredients to his stew hanging over the fire." By the way. How did you do that?"
Io:" Do what?"
Jack:"Use alchemy."
Io:" Uncle Flux's taught me how to use my Heka. We practised every night after dinner. He said I should not be afraid of it. It can change the world to a better place." Jack left the Kidd alone the rest of the night. She must be tired and still in shock. No one can use Heka In the forest and she is too young to have Heka and besides Flux was busy giving him training every night after dinner.
The next morning the two of them get ready to move out. Jack kills the fire and takes a last look around in the cave to see if they got everything. When he gets out side Io hands him a letter. It's made from recycled paper and has charcoal writing on it. Io:" I was supposed to give it to you. But I forgot yesterday. I'm sorry. Don't be mad Jack."
Jack:" Can't be mad at you Io. You my favourite kid."
Io:" I'm the only kid you like."
Jack:"True" He takes the letter. It's from Sam.
Dear Jack
I would just like to say thank you for saving my life. If it wasn't for your heroic actions at the river I would not be writing this letter right now.
Flux has asked me to go to Flora city with him. I feel compelled to go. I'm not sure how long it will take me to see you again. I've come to know you better in these couple of months then I have in the years we have been working together in the squad.
I would really like to see you again, so look me up when you're in Flora city.
Yours Lovingly Sam
Later that night still traveling on horseback they reach an ancient town on top of a cliff next to a river. Io:" Can we please stop here Jack? I'm hungry."
Jack:" Ok Io. I'm hungry to. I just want us to get to the one place where we can set camp. It's got a view of a huge waterfall I think you would like."
As they walk next to the river the rumbling of the waterfall gets loader. Io:"Jack!" Jack turns around to see Io pulling something from her neck. She looks at it and looks back at Jack full of fear. Her eyes roll back and she falls off her horse. Jack just knows it's the Elluminate with their tricks. He jumps off the horse and flames up. Gets two swords and runs towards Io. Multiple darts are shot at Jacks neck but the flames deflect all of them.
He leaves Io as she fell on some soft grass and wasn't hurt. He chases the men with the blow darts. As he almost gets to them he realised he made a mistake leaving Io. He fell for the oldest trick. He sprints back and sees men picking up Io. He stops dead in his tracks as tree men are facing him, blocking him from going any further. Jack takes the two swords and slashes an X shape in front of him. The flames shoot from his swords and hurls toward the tree men dressed in light, Black armour. The middle man the biggest of the tree walks in front of the other two, towards the flaming X. He falls to his knees and with an upwards swing of his arms the sand from the ground rushes up and block the flames.
Jack realizes that these are not ordinary Elluminate members. They have the ability to use earth alchemy and they are strong. Jack runs towards the first man. The man raises his arms again and this time a solid earth wall starts to rise. Jack jumps on top of the wall and makes a somersault over the men. Just as Jack lands the two other men work together to face Jack.
The one man already on his knee as he turned to face Jack, touches the ground and another solid rock wall shoots up. The other man the smallest of the three does a round house kick to the wall. The wall breaks of a perfect square as long as the wall and speeds towards Jack. Jack tries to block the piece of wall but he gets knocked back. The rock breaking his arms and crumbling around him. He looks up to see another boulder hurling towards him. This time it knocks him into the freezing river.
Jack tries to get to the shore but the combination of freezing water and broken fore-arms is making it impossible. He sees the men load Io onto a horse. The men disappear behind a ruin and Jack suddenly remembers the waterfall he is flouting towards helplessly. The big earth alchemist stands at the edge of the ravine where the waterfall starts. It's so dark and deep he doesn't see the end. He looks at Jack and gives him a two finger salute as he tumbles over the edge.430Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGumKwTAJDJ
