Through the Land of Element

Part Three of Chapter Two – Viridian.


“Is that the bridge?” I asked as we approached the edge of the forest.
“That’s it.”  Said Hunter, still pale and tired from his earlier ordeal. After insisting on leaving right away, he had immediately begun to prepare for the long hike through the forest. It didn’t take long for him to prepare, even though he wouldn’t let me help, insisting that I should “Conserve my strength for the journey ahead.”
As we left, he went and retrieved his Obsidian blade from the Color-Snatcher’s body.
“What will happen to him?” I had asked, giving the corpse a very wide berth.
“He’ll be food for the snakes.” He replied coldly.  Seeing my shocked expression, he went on to explain that if he buried the body in the clearing, it would be a beacon to any other snatchers in the area.  I was silent for most of the hike, except to ask an occasional question about his life in the woods.  He replied with only the shortest of answers. 
Since we had left relatively early, only about an hour and a half after sunrise, we managed to make it to the bridge by around supper time.  Hunter had kept a very brisk pace despite his exhaustion.  It seemed amazing to me that any man could have such stamina after what he had been through.
Now, there before us was a wide river with water so clear that you could count the stones at the bottom, and see each fish as it swam by.  The grass that grew on the edge of the awful Snake Forest was withered and brown, much like the forest itself, but the grass across the river was the greenest that I had ever seen, and the trees bore emerald green needles.  Even the ground between the trees seems soft and green.  The bride that spanned the river was a simple stone structure, but it looked strong and the stones were slightly worn, suggesting that it had sat on that spot for many years.  It was a beautiful sight to behold.  Even the sky seemed to reflect the green, turning it into an endless aqua-colored expanse. 
At this point I was very eager to cross and to never again set foot in these horrible woods.
As I now beheld the beautiful sight before us, I realized that freedom was so close.  So much closer than I had ever imagined it to be.
“All of the green you’re seeing is the eastern most part of the Viridian realm.”  Hunter explained.
“It’s so beautiful!”  I said.  “There’s so much green!”
“Well that’s because it’s the green band of Rainbow Valley miss.” A man emerged from a narrow path leading from the edge of the needle-covered trees to the bridge.
“Rebekah, may I introduce Leo, the bridge keeper.” Said Hunter.
“The official title is Gate Keeper.” Leo said with a grin.
Hunter rolled his eyes. “Leo, this is Rebekah.  She’s travelling up to Ivory.”
“Is she now? And why is that?” He said, directing the second question at me.
I hesitated.  Why WAS I going to Ivory?  Before I would have said that it was because I craved freedom.  Everything seemed different now.  Why did I want to go?
“Because-” I started quietly.  “You’ll have to speak up girl.”  “Because,” I said loudly, “I’m not the only one who craves freedom.  Hundreds of people are being held in slavery, and the Ivory king is the only one with the power to free them.”
Leo considered my answer for a moment.  “That is an honorable quest.”  He said at last.
Then Hunter spoke up.  “Leo, you know very well that anyone I might bring is worthy of crossing.  This girl isn’t here to cause trouble.  Although she could use a good hot meal and a full night’s sleep before she heads north.”
“I can do that.  Hunter, are you alright?  You seem a bit pale.”
“Color-snatcher.”  He said, and then proceeded to tell Leo what had transpired.  I started to grow impatient, shifting from foot to foot as his story dragged on for what seemed like forever.  This beautiful new realm called to me from across the bridge.  I suddenly longed to stretch out in the soft grass with the thick green moss as a pillow.  I could smell the flowers and another new scent that drifted across the river.  The scent gave me visions of a cozy house with a cheery fire blazing in the fireplace.  All I could think of was crossing that bridge and burying my feet in the lush grass. 
Finally, Hunter finished his tale.  Leo, eyes now wide said, “Well, if all of that really happened, I’ll be glad to welcome this miss into Viridian.  We could use someone like her in our realm.”
Hunter raised one eyebrow.
“I’m not here to fight Color-Snatchers.”  I said, frustrated.  “I’m going to Ivory.”
“Well, either way,” He said.  “Someone who could go up against a Snatcher with just a twig and actually walk away must have some insane amount of courage.”
He opened his arms. “You are most welcome in our realm.”
This was it.  I was only a few steps from freedom.  I took the first step onto the bridge, but hesitated.  I turned back to look at Hunter.  His head tilted tone side and his hands were clasped behind his back.  He looked almost sad as he watched me. 
How could I ever thank him for helping me? 
I ran towards him and threw my arms around his neck.  He patted my back gently as I hugged him.  “Thank you.”  I said as I released him.  He placed a strong hand on my shoulder and peered into my eyes.  “Good luck Rebekah.”  He said.  “I won’t ever forget you.”
My eyes misted over as the genuineness of his simple goodbye reached my heart.
“I won’t forget you either.”  I said.  He smiled, his eyes regaining their sparkle.  He gently turned me around and gave me a light push towards the bridge.  I lifted my rucksack higher onto my shoulder and took in a deep breath.  I knew that I was about to enter into an entirely different world.
“No turning back.”  I said to myself, and I walked onto the bridge.  As I stepped off onto the soft grass, Leo smiled brightly. “Well miss, shall we?” He said gesturing with one hand towards the trees.
A smile crept onto my own face; the first that I had allowed myself since before I left for this place.  The air of this world was crisp and inviting.  It promised adventure, but I knew that it would have to wait.  My quest called me onward.  I walked forward with a new confidence, suddenly sure that I could do what needed to be done.
“No turning back.” I said again.

_ _ _ _ _ _

Leo was a very kind fellow.  He had a very nice smile and a very peaceful persona, although he was quite a bit younger than I had thought, perhaps only a year or two older than myself.  He had a tousled mop of brown hair, and tiny wrinkles appeared around his brown eyes each time he smiled. 

He talked animatedly as we walked; enthusiastically describing the village beyond the woods, affectionately named Mint Village because it seemed as though sprigs of mint grew around each and every house, and describing his camp.  He explained that I would be staying there for a while before heading north.  He also explained that his camp was not only his, but that he shared it with anyone who happened to be travelling through the woods.
"There are quite a few people there now I’m afraid.”  He said, “But no worries, there’s plenty of room and lots of pleasant company.  You see, a travelling circus from the Sunburst real has decided to camp there for a few days before they make their way to the Amethyst realm for a festival.  Quite a lively bunch they are.  There’s this one fellow, Ethan I think is his name, who always has a monkey sitting on his shoulder.  Can you believe that?  A monkey! And the lovely lady Sophie who does portraits; she did one of me that I quite liked. And that’s not even mentioning the-”
Leo continued to speak like this for some time.  I half listened, but my mind was elsewhere, completely captivated by the forest around me.  I had never seen so much green!  Unlike Snake forest, these woods had virtually no brown anywhere.  The trees were covered with soft green needles, and even the trunks were completely overgrown with vines.  The ground itself seemed to be a carpet of green, covered with a variety of soft mosses that ranged in shades of green from a deep olive to a bright lime which grew on the path that we were using.
“This,” I thought to myself.  “is a place that I could live in forever.”
Even now I long for those wonderful woods.  I think when all is over and done, I will go back and stay there.  Perhaps I’ll build myself a little cabin like the one Green lives in.
  When we were nearly at Leo’s camp, which I knew because I could hear happy voices and smell the fire, I noticed a very narrow path, only a small gap in the foliage, branching off of the one on which Leo and I walked.  I barely saw it, catching only a glimpse as we walked by. 
“I wonder where that leads.” I said absentmindedly.
“What was that miss?” Asked Leo, who paused in the middle of a description of the vast green fields which covered the center of the realm.
“Oh, I just saw a little path back there.”  I said.
Leo seemed confused for a moment.  “I know of only one other path around here, and it’s to the west of my camp.”
I shrugged. “Perhaps I was mistaken.”
And then we rounded the final corner and I beheld a sight which I shall never forget.
In a large clearing ringed all around by tents, was the most colorful bunch of people I had ever seen.  At least twenty people wore small splashes of red, yellow, blue and green which swam in the midst of a milling sea of orange.  Every shade of orange was visible, from peach, to gold, to pumpkin, and some even wore what looked like orange flames sewn right onto their cloaks.  It was truly a sight.
“I’m guessing that the Sunburst real is the orange band in the rainbow?”
Leo’s smile grew.  “That’s right miss.”  He said, his eyes twinkling.  He gave me a wink and we stepped into the clearing. 
Immediately we were greeted by people with wide friendly smiles.  I nervously followed Leo to the center where a bonfire blazed.
“Ah, Leo! Welcome back!” called a voice.  A man stepped from the crowd.  He also smiled brightly when he saw me and he shook Leo’s hand.  He was just an inch or two taller than me, with straight brown hair which hung just past his ears.  He had bright blue eyes and didn’t seem much older than Leo.  But the most striking feature was not his eyes, or his brightly colored clothes, but the small creature which sat on his shoulder. 
Not much longer than my arm, this creature was covered with short yellow fur, with intelligent black eyes, a long tail, and it wore a tiny orange vest. 
The man noticed me looking at the animal and said, “I see you’ve discovered Chester.”  He smiled again and stroked its fur.  “Chester is a Champagne monkey from the Amber realm.”
“A monkey.” I said thoughtfully.  Then the monkey did something very surprising.  It jumped from the man’s shoulder to mine.  Startled, I froze, my muscles stiffening. I could feel Chester’s fur on my ear.  It was very soft, almost like silk.
The man laughed. “He likes you miss.”  He said.  “My name is Ethan, and these are my friends.” He gestured around him to the milling crowd.  “We are circus performers.  We do our best to bring laughter and joy to the six rainbow realms.”  He said with a bow. “And what might your name be, miss?”
“This is Rebekah.  She came from the kingdom of Learning.”  Leo said.  I was very nervous. I truly had never met anyone like these people. Nor had I been treated as anything but a slave since the day I turned ten.  But I liked it here.  I allowed myself to smile and relax as I petted Chester’s fur.
“I’m very glad to meet you, Ethan.” I said.
“Glad to meet you too Rebekah.” He said.  “I hope you enjoy our company.”  He winked and gestured to Chester who quickly jumped back onto his master’s shoulder.  Ethan bowed again and made his way back into the crowd.
“Aren’t they something?” Said Leo.
I nodded, yawning from a sudden wave of exhaustion that overtook me.
“Where are my manners?” He said.  “Come with me.  I’ll get you a hot meal and a place to spend the night.” 

A few moments later I sat on a wide tree stump near the fire with a bowl of warm savory stew in my hands.  The people were so friendly!  The chattered on around me about all of the realms and the different villages in which they had performed. 
Still a bit uncomfortable, I sat quietly, listening and looking all about.  Suddenly I noticed something; A large blot of green in the midst of the orange.  
Sitting across from me was a man entirely dressed in green.  He wore a high green hat and a green cloak that seemed to by many different shades of forest green.  In the fading light, he looked pale, and he sat perfectly still, staring into the flames and seeming not to notice anything that went on around him.  The fire suddenly blazed higher, blocking my view of the mysterious stranger.

_ _ _ _ _ _

That night I slept in an extra tent loaned to me by Ethan.  Two women helped me to set it up.  They introduced themselves as Sophie, a painter, and Allison, a story teller.  They were very kind, and they even gave me a new dress to replace my tattered grey one.  It was a simple, comfortable dress made from gold and blue fabric.  Despite its simplicity, it was the most beautiful thing that I had ever worn.  I thanked the women, trying desperately to appear friendly. 

All I could think of was my friends who had to spend every night on beds of rough straw or the cold wood floor while I had the luxury of a mattress.  I real mattress!  Sleep did not come easy that night.
When I woke the next morning, the camp was silent.  I heard the faint crackle of a dying fire and the early morning songbirds warming up their voices.  I stepped out of my borrowed tent and stretched my sore muscles in the early morning light.  The camp seemed so peaceful and beautiful.  The mossy ground was incredibly soft under my bare feet.  The sun just started to peak through the trees when Leo appeared and began to relight the fire.
“Good morning, miss.” He said without looking up.  “I hope you slept well.”
“I slept just fine, thank you.”  I said sitting on the same stump I had sat on the night before. 
Leo seemed very weary.
“And you?” I asked. He glanced up at me and smiled.  “Oh, don’t worry about me.  I’ll catch a few winks later at the bridge. I hope you’re enjoying this realm.”  He said.  “From what I understand, it’s quite different from what you’re probably used to.”
“I suppose it is.”  I said.  “It’s quite a bit greener than my realm, and much friendlier.”
“Tell me about your village; your family.” He said.
“Not much to tell.  I only ever saw the inside of the castle, and I hardly remember my family.”
Confident that he had gotten the fire going, he came and sat by me on a large dry log.
“And what of you, Leo?  What of your family?  You seem a bit young to be out on your own.”
“To be honest, I was glad to leave.” He said.  “My dad wasn’t around much, and my mum left managing the house to my sisters and me.  As soon as they were old enough, they moved to Ivory to get a better education.  After that, when the position of Gate Keeper opened up, a neighbor offered to take my mum in so I could have the job.  Been here since I was twelve.  Almost six years I’ve been doing this job.”
“And you just stay out here?  You haven’t gone home in six years?”
“Naw, I visit every so often.  Mostly just to check in on my mum, or to get new books.  I spend a lot of time reading these days.  Aside from that, I’ve got all I really need.” He said, smiling again.
I smiled back.  His smile made me think of Jenna.  Like her, he seemed so perfectly content with his life.
Soon, we started to hear the people moving about in their tents, and the clearing was once again abuzz with activity.  A sweet smell permeated the air as the people began to cut into melons with light brown rinds and startling orange centers.  I was offered some by a woman named Hayley.  I hesitantly bit into the soft orange flesh and immediately sweet sticky juice dribbled down my chin.  I thought to myself that I had never tasted anything so delicious.  Would the wonders of this kingdom ever end?  I soon began to day dream about someday visiting each realm of the Rainbow Valley.  The people began to pack up their tents and I heard Ethan explaining to Leo that they had to reach Amethyst within two days or they would miss the festival at which they would be performing. 

As I sat and listened to the activity, the feeling that I was being watched crept over me.  It only took a moment to locate the source of the feeling.  The green-clad man that I had seen the night before stood at the edge of the clearing, just visible through the sea of orange cloaks.  He seemed almost transparent, his cloak blending perfectly with the trees.  He staredintently.  Chills ran down my spine and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.  Even from a distance I recognized what he was. 

I was staring right into the grey eyes of a Color-Snatcher.

Through the Land of Element

Part Two of Chapter Two – Viridian.


The moment I opened my eyes the next morning, I knew something was amiss.  I seemed too quiet.  There were no birds singing as there had been the day before, and it seemed that even the breeze was gone.  I got up slowly, being careful not to move my splinted arm.  The small house was completely empty and the fire had gone out in the fireplace.  
“Hunter?” I called.  No answer; only silence a barely audible rustling coming from outside.  I opened the door and looked around.  I knew that Hunter had set up his cot on the far side of the house, so I started around.  As I rounded the second corner, what I saw froze me in my tracks. 
There was Hunter on his cot, eyes wide, face as pale as death.  Standing over him was a tall figure in a purple hooded cloak.  I couldn’t see the stranger’s face; it was deep in the hood, but a ghostly hand extended from inside the cloak to Hunter’s chest.  The finger tips placed directly on his heart as if trying to reach in and tear it out.  Even as I watched, the color seemed to drain from his skin.  My heart pounded in my throat as I slowly bent down to pick up a sturdy stick that was lying on the ground.  I crept forward and raised my make-shift weapon to strike, and a chilling laugh filled the clearing.
“You think you can defeat me with a mere twig?” The voice sent chills up and down my spine.  Another grey hand immerged from inside the cloak and pulled down the hood in one graceful motion.  Suddenly, it seemed as if all of the colors on the clearing faded to grey.  The man seemed almost angelic with his white blond hair and grey eyes so light that they almost seemed like nothing but coal black pupils in the midst of drops of white light. 
He grinned at me revealing perfect white teeth.  The hairs on my arms stood on end as he spoke again.  “In a moment, your friend will be dead, and then your turn will come.”
His voice flowed like melted butter.  I gulped, trying to get past the lump in my throat.  My heart pounded faster.  Hunter’s eyes met mine, pleading for help.  Suddenly brave, I tightened my grip on my stick, a look of pure defiance forming on my face.  I stepped forward bravely, raising my weapon again.  “Let him go.” I said, “Take your hand off of him.”
He raised a perfectly shaped white eyebrow.
“Foolish girl.” He said, sneering.  Suddenly Hunter convulsed and his eyes rolled back into his head.  The man looked at him, and I leapt toward him with a sudden rush of energy.  There was a thud as my stick collided with his head.  He staggered back, stunned.  His grey eyes turned cold, and I knew that I had made a foolish mistake.  But there was no way I was going to let another person die because of my cowardice. 
My wrist felt like it was on fire as I straightened up again, ready to face this pale specter, even if it meant death. 
“You really are a foolish girl.” He said coldly.  I clear liquid oozed from a wound on the side of his head.  Confused, I glanced at my stick and saw the same liquid covering the spot where the wood had met his skull.  Could this be his blood?
I looked at Hunter again.  He seemed to be breathing, and some color had returned to his cheeks, although his hair and beard had turned slate grey. 
“Who are you?” I asked nervously. “Why are you hurting him?”
The man bared his teeth. “We have to eat too.” He said.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hunter raise himself slowly from the cot, and pull a black bladed dagger from his belt.  The man didn’t seem to notice, all of his attention focused on me. 
“You’re a Color-Snatcher, aren’t you?” I asked, trying to distract him.
He sneered again. “The name hardly does justice.”
He took a sudden step towards me, and with a bellow, Hunter tackled him, pushing him to the ground.  I stared in shock as he rose slowly, leaving his dagger in the Snatcher’s chest. 
Hunter suddenly fell to his knees, clutching his chest and breathing hard.  Dropping my stick, I rushed forward to help him.
“Are you alright?” I asked frantically.
“Just give me a moment.” He said between deep, labored breaths.  Then he motioned for me to help him to his feet.
“That’s twice now you’ve saved my life.” I said as we made our way into the house. 
“I think you saved me that time.” He said. “If you had given him another moment, he would have sucked me dry.”
He sat on the bed and I got him a mug of water.  His color was certainly returning, except for his hair, and even more startling was his eyes.  They were no longer the beautiful bright blue that they had been, but instead they had faded to pale grey.
“He took your color.” I whispered, barely able to speak past the lump in my throat.
“Yes,” He replied. “That was a Color-Snatcher. It is very uncommon for them to cross the bridge, but not unheard of. I believe that fellow was from the Amethyst Realm, probably came out of the mountains down on the border of Ebony.”
“What was that knife you used?” I asked as he gulped his water.
“That is an Obsidian Blade.” He explained. “There are only five in existence.  That one is the only one not currently in the Ivory vault.  The King believes that they were forged in Ebony as a way of keeping the Color-Snatchers in line.  Though it’s not the only way, it’s one of the very few things that can actually kill a Snatcher.”
I sat on the chair and absentmindedly rubbed my arm through the splint as I thought about what I had just learned.
“How is that feeling?” He asked.
“Fine.”  I said.  “I mean, I kind of had to use it when I hit the Color-Snatcher, so it hurts but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
He nodded, relaxing slightly.
“I suppose this will postpone my leaving for a while.”  I said.
He looked confused.  “Why? No, not at all.  In fact, I think it would be wise to leave sooner than later.  Snatchers can sense when one of their own goes down.  They are incredibly loyal to their kind.  And Snatcher within two hundred miles will converge directly on this spot. We need to get you away from here as soon as possible.”
“Won’t you need help if they come?” I asked.
“I’ve dealt with much bigger problems than a couple of Snatchers.” He said confidently. “No, it’s settled.  Give me an hour to prepare, and then we’re going right to the bridge.”
I started to argue as he rose from the bed, but he held up a hand to silence me.
“We’re going.”

Maps for Through The Land of Element

Here are some maps that go with my story. They aren't very good, but they should give you an idea of where things are. :)