A.Z. - After Zeal Chapter 6

Discoveries

By Crystal Zeal

    Crystal washed up on the side of the Heckran entrance, feeling extremely nauseous.  She stumbled foward a couple steps, before collapsing onto her knees.

    "Ugh...evil swirly thingy...I think I'm gonna...I'm gonna..."

    Blech.

    Coughing and sputtering, the girl climbed to a half bent over position.  Unsteady feet brought her staggering to the wall.  She leaned against it, face pale. 

    Emerald hues finally made a point to look over the surrounding area.  Not a monster was in sight...that was quite odd.  The only noises were the sounds of water dripping from the ceiling, and her harse breathing.

    There was definetly something wrong here.

    With a bit of effort and a lot of help from her staff, she stood up strait and scanned through the darkness.  The girl tapped he staff on the ground, and heard only the echo of it, nothing else.  Something kept nagging at the corner of her mind, but she couldn't figure out what.  She took a few steps foward, steadily regaining her composter. 

    Licking her dry lips, she called out "Hello!" hoping to get a response.  This time, a low growl came from the depths of the cavern. 

    She swallowed, taking another nervous step foward.

    The growls soon became louder.  Crystal took another step foward, and heard a piercing shriek.  It sounded like a young girl.  A cruel laugh and a few stupid guffaws could be heard echoing through the dark.  The growling sound grew closer. 

    Crystal rushed to see what had caused the scream.  She paused at the end of the tunnel, looking out into a lage clearing.  There stood a boy no older than sixteen and two henchs with a girl of seven years bound in front of them. The boy was tall for his age, with dark brown hair and black eyes.  The unusual thing about him, though, were the pointed ears that Enlightened Ones had. A large dark brown created that looked like a mix between a boar, a hench, and a dog the size of a bear was lumbering towards them, dripping saliva from its mouth.  Two bright red eyes glowed from its gruetesque mouth.  It let out another low growl, tossing its head back.  The girl let out another frightened scream. Laughing, the boy leaned down and spoke to her. 

    "My dear girl," he sneered, "you are about to be lunch to the Heckrunch here." 

    She let out a whimpering sob, and looked up at the boy with innocent, pleading eyes.  The boy just laughed once more crueling, and kicked the girl foward.  She landed on the floor, and stayed there, sobbing.  The henchs let out more stupid laughs.

    Crystal clenched her fists, all bu ready to go out and save the girl.  She released her staff from the hook that kept it slung across her back when a brilliant light enveloped the whole cavern and tunnels leading from it.  The Heckrunch let out a retched howl of pain, and attempted to retreat into the darkness that was not there.  He cowered against wall, whimpering.  The henchs yowled and ducked, covering their heads with their arms as if to shield themselves.  The boy let out a surprised yelp, and covered his face, while the girl just sat their sobbing in fear.  Out of the cavern stepped another boy around the cruel one's age, his palm held up.  The light came from his hand.

    "Kyle!"  He snapped, stepping foward in fury.  "How...how could you?"  The boy demanded, dimming the light.  The cruel boy, Kyle, lowered his hands.  He let out a hiss when he saw who was there.

    "Just mind your own buisness, Feryn!  I found this girl wandering around on our continent!  She's a human, and must be terminated!"  Kyle all but screamed, furious because Feryn had spoiled his fun.       

    Crystal gasped from the shadows.  Feryn?  Yes...Blue hair, pointed ears, green eyes!  He was definetly from Zeal.  She had remembered a boy names Feryn...but he had only been older than her by a year!  She peered out intently, watching the scene unfold.

    Feryn scowled.  "Our continent, Kyle?  May I remind you that you are not from here, but from the Proto Area in your time?  I myself am from Zeal.  This is hardly our continent.  We are not even from this time!"

    "But...it is ours now!  It was ruled by pathetic IMPS when the Highlord and us arrived!"

    With a sigh, the Zealian shook his head.  "You Protans are too arrogant.  You believe that because you came with the Highlord, you can do whatever you wish.  Give me the girl."  That was a command, not a request.  He stepped foward.  Hastily, the other boy stepped backwards, nearly tripping over one of the henchs.  He swore at it, and thumped it with his fist. 

    "FINE!"  He snarled, pointing at Feryn.  "You can have the girl!  But I WILL get you!"  With that, he grabbed the Henchs and fled.

    With a sigh, the boy named Feryn stepped over to the girl.  He formed the light into a ball, and hurled it up into the air.  Another whimper came fromt he Heckrunch.  The boy kneeled down, and picked the girl up.  She screamed, and tried to wriggle free.  He hushed her, and set her down, freeing her from the ropes that held her bound.  She stopped struggling, and stared up at him through tears filled eyes.  "A...are you gonna hurt me?"  She asked, eyes brimming with yet more tears.

    Feryn gave a smile, and wiped away her tears with his hands.  "No, little one.  I'm here to help you." 

    "H-help?" The girl asked.

    The Zealian boy gave a nod.  Eyes now filled with love, the little girl threw her arms around him.  He blinked, surprised slightly, thenn patted her on the back. 

    "Oh thank you, thank you!"  The girl shouted, hugging him tighter.

    "Shh,"  the boy whispered, disattaching her from him.  "You must be quite if I'm to get you to safety."

    The little girl nodded fervently.  Feryn stood, taking her up into his arms.  He walked in the direction of Crystal, the ball of light following him.  With a small hint of fear, Crystal realized that he was going to see her very soon!  For some reason, she felt that she must not be seen, not yet.  She started backing up and nearly tripped over her staff.  Deftly, she reclipped it the strap across her back and bolted to where she had originally came from.  She had to stop herself from falling face first into the whirlpool.  Face becoming pale, she searched frantically for somewhere to hide.  She quickly hurried to a shadowed notch in the wall, just as Feryn entered the cavern, girl still in his arms.  He walked up to the whirlpool and set her down by the edge.  "Now," he instructed, "this will lead you back to your continent.  You will find home there.  Don't be afraid, it won't hurt you."

    "T..thank you..."  She said, shyling, and gave him another hug.  Then, with a parting look of pure thanks, she hesitantly stepped up to the whirlpool, and plunged in.  She dissapeared quickly.

    With a sigh, Feryn straitened, and looked over to the notch where Crystal hid. "You can come out now, Crystal,"  he announced, and she just stared at him in pure shock.


Chapter 7

Crystal Zeal's Fanfiction