OK so I don't know why I called the last chapter 6, it should have been four.
And this is five. So, just ignore that hiccup. And Review! Thanks for bearing with me.
Again, I don't know what I was doing. Major brain fart.
Come find me
When you cross the river
When all hope has been delivered
Come find me
After gathering all that is lost
Forever finding and searching
Come find me
When I ask who is left
and you say Let us wait and see.
Come find me
-G'thy saying
A second level world- Fourth quadrant
Chapter Six: Gathering ourselves
XXXXXXX
"Ugh, can we stop marching? My feet are killing me."
"Amethyst, you're a Gem. You'll march until we stop," Garnet told her, smacking the gem on the back, propelling her farther up the line. "Don't worry, anyway. We'll stop soon."
The battle two days past had been successful, the trap the High Mage had set had worked. The flying fusion was destroyed, but many mages were injured and killed. The marines suffered minor loses, but no one knew how long that would last. Positioned in the rear, the marines had joined up with Sapphire and the citizens about a day ago. Amethyst could feel through out the line the worry, however. Everyone was scared of Ruby, and now that they've seen her firepower, the need to cross the Emerald plains was urgent. But the problem was, they were a week out from the road.
"I hope so. 'Cause you know why?"
Garnet just stared at her. Puffing, Amethyst focused back on the road. "Fine, you're no fun anyway."
"Ha! Garnet? Fun? That's a good one, Purple. Garnet hasn't laughed, ever, " Ametrine called out from the front. "In fact, I heard that she has never laughed."
"That's not true. I heard once from a couple of others that she laughs every time she is victorious in battle. Ain't that right, Sergeant?" Corporal Turquoise commented, walking beside Pearl a few steps behind Amethyst. Everyone else got a quick laugh…..except Garnet. The sergeant just said quietly. "It's time for the next break."
Sighing relief, Amethyst pulled a rock from the side of the road over and sat on it. Quickly following suit, the others soon had formed a circle. Garnet, however, just walked off into camp. Shrugging, Amethyst began stretching her body, feeling the relief. After a moment of silence, Pearl cleared her throat.
"Does the High Lady have a plan once we get to the Emerald Plains? I mean, there is no way we will be able to get through on that one road without becoming a sitting duck."
Thulite looked a Pearl, then scratched some mud, strangely red, thick mud, out from her curly pink hair. "I wouldn't worry that much, Pearl. Sapphire always has a plan."
"I've studied the Emerald Plains though. It's just that: miles and miles of emptiness. I guess there are those theories about the hidden underground tunnels, but they have never been found."
"You read to much mage," Turquoise said, pulling out her Deck of the Crystal Shards. Thulite summoned a small table from her gem on her right hip. "Besides," Turquoise continued. "like you said, it's one road. With miles and miles of razor grass. I mean, they could fly over land. But that would need a very precise and calculated assault."
"But what if Ruby has more fusions? They could easily clear a path through the grass."
Amethyst saw Thulite and Ametrine glance at each other. Turquoise played a card while her partner looked away. "Well, I guess there is always that option," Turquoise looked at her hand and then back to Thulite. "But We'll be able to see any of those coming for miles. And then we could easily kill them."
"Easily!?" Amethyst nearly fell of her rock. "Those things would have killed us if it wasn't for that lone gem fusion surprise. And it won't be a surprise again."
"But neither will theirs." Thulite replied, playing some more cards. "Oh, no."
"What?" Pearl asked. Thulite looked sick. Turquoise just stared. And Ametrine laughed. "Fusion of Fire."
"What? What does that mean?"
"It means I just played that card. Right on top the Herald of Death."
Pearl got even paler. Amethyst felt uneasy. "But don't you guys pick which cards to play?"
"Haven't you been paying attention?" Thulite asked. Shaking her head no, Thulite continued. "We draw cards, but we play those until we find it's partner. Until then, we flip the top card of the deck onto the pile. And Turquoise just played Herald of Death. And I flipped the Fusion of Fire on it."
"Well, it could mean nothing. The deck is wrong all the time."
"I hope so….."
"What are you guys doing?" Everyone looked over to see Garnet marching over. "Answer me."
"Just playing a game sarge. That's all."
"Well pack it up. We're moving out."
Damn.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Get outta my way." Lady Andesine was not in a good mood. Stomping across the campground, she marched into Sapphires command tent, where a meeting of all the Lady's was about to commence. And she was late.
Stupid paper work. Well, tech work. But whatever. I'm still late. Ugh, this army sucks at times.
Walking into what served as Sapphire's war room, seeing the large round metal table set in the middle of the room, which had a map of the route to the Plains, she did a quick head count. Closest to her was Lady Beryl, with her porcelain hair and rough armor. She was shorter than most, just a few inches shorter than her, with rose symbol on her arm. Andesine could see her countless scratches and cuts on her white triangle armor. A veteran fighter, Beryl was one of their best generals. On Beryls right was Lady Jade. And unlike the clear gem, she was tall. Nearly five inches above Andesine's head. Her green armor was very pristine and clean, not a scratch to be seen. Short cropped hair that was muddy green, Jade was always the most decisive of the group. Next to Jade was Lady Topaz, who happened to be the same height as her. She did not have her armor on, but was wearing a light blue thin cloth, designed with orange rectangular stripes, and a pink star on her chest. Topaz always brought reason….most of the time. And finally there was High Lady Sapphire, in just a simple leather jacket and dark blue leg armor. She still remained a mystery to Andesine, even after all these years.
Sapphire looked at her. "Glad you could make it Andesine."
Feeling a hint of red on her face, she bowed and replied. "My apologies. I had lost track of time while working on some tech stuff."
"Ha!" Laughed Beryl. The gem pointed a little clear finger at her. "Like this isn't the first time you had 'tech' problems. I hear you are quite the player outside the uniform."
"Beryl," Sapphire sternly said. "Now is not the time for outside arguments. We have problems to deal with now."
Growling, Beryl focused back on the map in front of her. Clenching her fists, Andesine strode over next to Topaz. Sapphire waited until she was ready. "We all done bickering? Good. Now, first order of business, how do we survive the journey to the Emerald Plains?"
"The Shifting Glass isn't the most ideal battleground- as we all know - and Ruby won't waste any time destroying as much as she can to get to us." Jade said, bringing a close up of the road surrounded by the large glass formations. Topaz nodded. "I agree, she won't follow the road. And even though that will make her predictable, it also makes her very deadly."
"If she sends in those fusions again, we will become huge targets. No, we need another strategy, one that even she won't believe we'd do." Beryl added. Andesine cleared her throat. "We could split up."
"What? Are you mad?" Beryl pointed at the map. "Look at that terrain. The Shifting Glass is named that for a reason. It can confuse and trap any gem. And you want to split up nearly twelve thousand gems? We would all die."
"It could be done." Sapphire chimed in. Everyone faced her. Zooming in the map, she pointed to some of the fixtures. "There are trails one could follow if they know where to look. We split up into twos. And when Ruby realizes she has to go deeper into the wastelands, she'll try and follow us."
"Not wanting to waste gempower." Jade whispered. Andesine saw eyes widen. Sapphire continued. "She'll try to break the group into two, smashing her way through. But is we use guerrilla tactics, it'll wear out her gems, and they'll have no choice but to enter the maze."
"OK. Only, how do we not get lost?"
"I will draw up maps for each of you. Make sure you make copies to give to the captains and the marines performing the ambushes."
After seeing everyone nod, she waved a hand, dismissing them. Andesine felt relieved. Oh man. This is either going work, or we are all dead. Better go find some gem, see if she want's to find out if all the rumors are true.