Embers

Chapter Sixteen

Prentice had been given the cruel gift of seeing the bad side of the future. When he saw that Franklin would play an important role in saving the Grand Forest, and he would lead him here, all his life, he hadn’t expected to lose sight of him so soon. On the off chance, he wanted to keep an eye on Franklin since he had been spiraling lately, and his future was somewhat blurry each time Prentice took a look into it.

Wondering where he was, but not losing sight of their mission, Prentice moved stealthily on, and made sure that Franklin could find him when he was ready. Prentice knew that the only way Franklin can grow was by himself, and also with a shot of reflection and a dash of truth. So, he drowned the thought of Franklin from his mind, and with a heavy heart he went in search to find the woman he was sure would help him sort his mission. He realized that he was going against all that he believed, and this case might be stronger than he was. The forest was only a protector, it had a guardian sleeping beneath, but as far as Prentice lived, he hadn’t heard a word about the guardian. Maybe this is the reason the forest was attacked in the first place.

The forest wasn’t like it used to be. It was all crunches, and the ones that were still barely holding on to life, now looked on at him quietly as he made his way through. They had fear in their eyes, and the little ones he tried to calm were too closed off to heed anything he said. Prentice’s cloak felt heavier on his shoulders as he trotted his way to not make a sound with the crunches.

He touched the closest giant tree to him, sending his calming waves to them, and all he got in return was dead silence at first. He felt panic flowed into his streams of calming energy and the absorption became a pull, like a suction for power and any energy it can find. It seems even the ground was infected. His eyes turned red, revealing their turmoil the trees faced as each day their lives are slowly drawn from them.

Trying to find answers to his burning questions, he wrapped himself in his cloak, tighter, and continued on. He noticed some gashes pouring green on several trees, and it looked rather odd to be seeing something so vivid in a place that seems to be dying. He touched the tree once more, and the tree still was in a panic, almost warning him to go back where he came from. Furthermore, he grabbed a bottle from his satchel that he quite forgot it was there. Using a pair of tweezers and swabs, he collected samples for his later experiment. It must lead him to find out what it is, at least.

Of course, he couldn’t leave as the trees all warned him too. He was too attached to its history and their dedication towards all living things held Prentice in a bond to protect, even though hesitant. Not only had he lost Franklin in the forest, which angered him a little, but he needs to cure the forest. It is vital to see what’s the play behind the deadly creatures that lurked within the shadows, draining the trees. It seems the only person he could call was Freda, she has to know what’s happening, or at least close to the breakthrough as she so led on.

Touching his forehead, he mentally called out to Freda, desperately thinking she could give him answers for the questions, or clear some mishaps up. He made a small bubble, the same way she would contact him. He thought as he is closer to her, and in the Grand Forest, there would not be any trouble to locate her, but in an instant the bubble he created burst. Not only that, but he staggered backwards, and groaned with pain.

He gasped with shock as the burst caused him to have a striking pain in his head now. Thinking not to try it again, he numbed the pain and moved along, halting the call to Freda a little while longer. He was beginning to get tired, and his wings were itching to be free of the cloak. Unable to keep himself tied down any longer, and since Franklin wasn’t here to ogle at his wings, he allowed them to cascade down to his feet. His fingers grew longer, his feet became broader, and his face stretched a little longer, almost deviously looking.

Sighing to himself his face spliced into a big smile, just to give his face a good warm up, for it has been too long, his wings flapped happily to his feet. Prentice looked up to what would have been the sky, and he solemnly went along his way, not wanting to linger on distracting thoughts for too long.

“Align a passage for me to find my Freda,” he muttered softly to himself, “draw me a path for the one who seeks to find me as I want to find her too.”

The passage stretched a long way from where he was, and so with his majestic wings trailing behind him, he quietly made his way when suddenly he heard crunching noises behind him. It started to move just behind him then travelled all around him, like a thousand footsteps not caring how they walk, but just walked along. It was until the murky shaped creature emerged from the darkness had Prentice actually see it for what it was. Likewise, it was one of the monsters that were lurking in the forest, draining the life from the trees. Realizing the creature hadn’t seen him yet, he hid behind a tree, not wanting to raise any smell from him, his cloak crushed in his hands and wings ready to enfold itself back into their cloak.

Prentice watched it carefully as it fed from one of the nearby trees, and the green goo from the last tree he plucked some of it from emerged after the creature began sucking on the tree. The more time it spent on the tree, the bigger and more aggressive the creature got.

Prentice came with an idea to lure him, so he could acquire a specimen to take back with him to study. He was about to grab a piece sticking out from his tail when the dry leaves crunched under his feet, and in an instant the creature was upon him, the same tail striking him into a tree. The creature was fast, but surely not intelligent. After striking a few piercing blows on it as well, splintering his venomous tail, it shrieked in terror and pain, but also making noise would alert others about his whereabouts. Prentice knew he accomplished his objective, and it is only time for him to capture the pieces he splintered off, and try to test them as soon as he can.

As he went to pick up the few pieces as the light consumers fled, he suddenly saw Franklin being hurt, and fighting, but there was also something about him too. He wasn’t fighting for a reason other than living. He was fighting the anger, and the darkness in his keeps increasing with each blow of fire he hurled at one of the light consumers. Not only that, but he was getting weaker, but it is not the end. Prentice saw a bright light, and then he got pushed out of his visions. The question that made Prentice wondered what happened, or if Franklin really was in danger, was his abrupt vision. It seems like someone wanted him to see him like that. Did it already happen, or was it about to happen? His assumption sealed itself with the abrupt repelling feeling to push out of the vision.

Bagging the few pieces and moving along, not seeing any movement, he thought he was safe for now, but something needs to be done. Suddenly, Prentice got to hear a voice.

“Oh, Prentice, I have your boy,” it said in a sing-song voice. It was a woman’s voice. She sounded devious, but her voice was clear, as though she was close by.

Prentice closed his eyes, not succumbing to temptation. What ever is at play must have Freda, he thought to himself. Unwilling to accept the inevitable or the truth.