chapter 11 exploring Heavens island
I opened my eyes to see Naru shaking me awake.
"mmmaaa five more minutes." I turn the other way and close my eyes.
"Mai" he ripped of my blankets but I just ignored him.
"Mai, if you don't get up I'll leave without you" I sprang up.
"I'm up, I'm up!"
"good, be ready in five minutes" he said as he walked out.
I grabbed my tan backpack that Ayako left for me and bring a thermos of water, a heavy jacket, a dagger, a compass, a first add kit, a sword, and another thermos for tea. I put on tan shorts and a big blue shirt. Its way to big for me so I roll up the sleeves, and take a rubber band to tie the extra fabric to the side of my hip. I walk out, only to be greeted with the beginning of dawn. I see Naru and walk over to him.
"Naru, why do we have to get up so early?"
"so we can be ready before daylight and travel when it's cool."
"why Mai, you tired?" I turn around and see Monk, Ayako, Madoka, Lin, and John.
"is it just going to be the 7 of us?" everyone nods.
"lets get started. Lin, show us the map" we all huddle around Lin and look at the complicated map.
"we are currently here" Naru points to a little flat area. "we need to head North up to wear the mountains are. There should be a catacomb with caves and tunnels near it. Lets prepare what we need and get going."
…
I kick a rock as we keep walking through the thick under brush of the forest. Its so hot! And I'm so bored. We've been walking for 7 hours without stopping. Naru and Lin in the front, Madoka and Ayako behind them, and Monk and John next. I was just in the back, kicking a rock.
"Were here" Naru shouted and I nearly bumped into Monk. I look up, only to see a towering mountain. I felt a chill go up my spine and shivered. This place feels... forbidden.
"is it me, or is it really quiet?" Ayako say's walking up to me and Monk. I realize that there is no birds chirping. The forest is a deadly silent. How weird. We slowly start to approach the mountain. It was steep. Very steep. The tree's started to clear and I notice a lake near by.
Monk picked up some rocks and started throwing them in the lake, while Naru, Lin and I went up to a part of the mountain that was thick with ivy and branches. Naru cut them away with his sword revealing an old wooden door.
"how do we open it?" I question, studying the carvings along the side of it.
"I'm not sure" Naru mummered under his breath. Lin tried pushing it but it wouldn't budge.
"is there a secret password or something?" I say looking closer at the door.
"STOP DISTERBING THE WATER!" Ayako shouted at Monk who was throwing rocks into the water.
"why? It's not doing anything wrong!" a thick mist stated to roll in, giving an eerie feeling to the forest.
We all looked around, at the seemingly darkening atmosphere.
"Monk, what did you do!" I yell at him.
"i didn't do anything! I just threw stones into the lake."
the lake started to making a bubbling noise. I turn around and see that it's boiling.
"impossible" Madoka whispered.
"everyone away from the lake, NOW!" Naru shouted as we all backed up against the ancient wooden door. Something started to rise out of the water. It had 6 legs, its black skin oozing with green goo. It resembled a spider, it's stalking legs covered with bristles. Only spiders have fangs. Oh, how I do wish it was a spider. It had 3 eyes, with rows and rows or razor sharp teeth that could eat you alive. It had the torso of a human man, almost to small for a monster of it's size. It started to hiss and come towards us.
Fear. Adrenaline coursing through me. I was to terrified to even move. Naru pushed me behind him, slamming me against the door. I put my hands out to brace my body, but the moment my hands were on the door, I was falling, falling threw it. I could see them, only threw a thick black cloud of distortion. Everything was warped. Monk started pounding on the door as the monster approached them. I reached threw the dense wall that felt like cold jello on my skin. I grabbed his arm and slowly pulled him through. He fell to the floor and I grabbed Madoka next. Madoka grabbed onto Ayako, who grabbed onto Lin who grabbed onto Naru. Soon we were all through the door and out of harms way for the most part.
"is everybody ok?" I looked around at all of them. Naru was already up along with Lin and Monk while Madoka and Ayako were still on the floor. The only light source was coming from the distortion in small trickles.
"ya, we're fine" Monk said, helping Ayako up.
"what was that?" I asked thinking of the shape of the monster.
"Yami no kumo, a spider of darkness." Monk said walking up to me supporting Ayako as he did so.
"i just hope we don't run into that again" I shivered at the thought of those teeth.
"lets get going" Naru said grabbing what looked like a couple of sticks.
"with what light?" I asked him, walking up to inspect what he was holding in the darkness. He sighed.
"honestly Mai, do you think I would bring nothing for light when we were heading to dark caves and tunnels?" Lin struck two rocks together and lit all of the sticks. They were torches. A warm glow engulfed us as all of the guys grabbed a torch.
"Lets partner up, Mai with me, Ayako with Monk, Madoka with John. Lin I trust you can handle yourself."
"do I have to be partners with him!" Ayako asked petrified. Monk just rolled his eyes.
"come on, it's not like I want to be with you either." and walked over to her. "and besides" he tapped her ankle with his foot causing her to flinch. "I'll support you while we walk" she just nodded and slowly grabbed his arm. I walked next to Naru and we started to walk.
The walls were made of cool stone along with the floor. The tunnel was also surprisingly high. Lin must really appreciate that. The thought made me smile. We continued walking till we reached a fork in the tunnel.
"lets split up, Mai, John, Madoka, and I will go to the left while Ayako, Monk, and Lin go to the right. If we reach another fork in the tunnel everyone go back to this spot. Whistle if your in trouble." without a word everyone shifted to the beginning of the tunnels and we started to walk again. You could slowly here the pitter patter of the other group slowly fade away.
"Naru, what are you going to do with the inn keepers ring if we find it?" my voice echoed threw the tunnel.
"that's non of your concern" came Naru's voice, his voice sounding deeper than normal from the tunnel.
"God Naru I was just trying to make conversation! No need to be so rude" I say and storm ahead up to Madoka and John.
Madoka had her arm linked with a nervous looking John.
"Don't worry John I don't bite! Much." she winked at him making his face turn a bright shade of red.
"it's not you I'm afraid of" he murmured most likely thinking of Lin.
Naru soon caught up with us.
"LOOK OUT!"
Naru and John said instantaneously and pushed us forward. I could hear the sound of stone hitting stone from behind us. I slowly blink open my eyes only to be greeted with stone. A warm feeling spread over my back. I turned my head and see Naru's face inches from mine. He rolled his shoulder and a few rocks tumbled off of him.
"Naru, are you ok?" my voice came out just below a whisper.
"I'm fine" he replied sitting up, causing more rocks to fall of him. He risked himself to save me. How sweet. I look over to my left and see Madoka and John in the same position. John had done the same for Madoka. Naru slowly got off of me leaving me to look around. He grabbed the torch and waved it around. We were in a large room, well, cave. There were ledges everywhere and a big puddle of water. Or was it an under ground lake? I couldn't tell thanks to our small light source. I just hope we don't see Yami no kumo again. Just seeing it once was one to many times. I here a loud whistle and whip around to see Naru with two fingers near his lips whistling loudly.
"is there anything you can't do?" I ask sarcastically.
"fall in love!" Madoka screeched.
"that's not true" Naru protested.
"oh, so have you fallen in love yet?" Madoka questioned, walking up to Naru.
"unfortunately Madoka, my one true love remains myself" Naru smirked.
"at least you don't have to worry about rejection" I giggled out.
"not necessarily. I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting."
"WHY YOU LITTLE-"
"hey, is that Lin?" John interrupted. We all quieted down and listened. From across were we came from Lin, Ayako, and Monk busted through only for there entrance to close off.
"now what?" I sigh looking at the entrance were they came from.
"Lin!" Madoka shouted and ran up to him, engulfing him in a hug. Awwww!
I walk up to the lake/puddle and but my face really close to it. The water is a light blue that seemed to sparkle. I poke the water, only to be pulled back by Naru.
"you idiot, are you trying to get us killed?" he asked, not letting go.
"sorry, the water was just so pretty!" I say staring at the ripple I caused in the water. We all studied the water, only to watch a bigger ripple appear out of no wear.
"what was that?" I whisper, my eyes glued to the water.
The water stared to shake, and swirl like something was coming up. Bones, skeletons of dogs started to walk. Allgey growing off them, walking held together by nothing. There teeth were razor sharp and it looked like more were coming up. They all lined up and made a low growl. There faces turned to me, then to everyone else. Then they sprang. We all started running away from the hell hounds towards the darkness of the huge tunnel.
"CLIMB!" Monk screamed and jumped, catching a ledge with his hand pulling himself and Ayako along with him. Man, he is strong! The dogs didn't even notice and just kept running after the rest of us.
Soon Naru and I are the only one's running. I find myself being thrown up by Naru and grab a ledge. But the cave ends right here, and soon Naru us surrounded. He pulls out his sword, his back to the wall.
"NARU!" I scream and jump off my ledge. I run over to wear he is.
"IDIOT!" he yelled at he as I draw the sword I brought, aiming it at the dogs.
"I'm not going to stand back and watch you die!" I yell at him, backing up against the wall. I can faintly hear the yells of our comrades over the sound of my heart. They must be worried. Then I noticed something. They weren't even looking at me. They were completely ignoring me, only growling at Naru. What the heck? Is this what John was talking about? About a pure heart? Do I even have a pure heart? I might as well find out. I walk up to a dog, putting my sword away.
"MAI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" I ignore Naru and put my hand out, patting the dogs head. The bones disappeared, only to be replaced with a fury, living dog. His tongue was to the side of his mouth and his tail was wagging. I laugh at this. Then I run up to Naru and put myself in front of him. The dogs stopped growling and sat down, as if realizing he wasn't a threat anymore. Slowly they all started to turn into living dogs, all except one. But he was a bright white, perfectly clean. I sigh in relief. That was close.
"Idiot" Naru grabbed my shoulders and turned me around, forcing me to look at him.
"don't you ever do that again. You could have been killed."
"i put my hands on his chest, trying to push him away.
"ya, but I didn't. I saved you and got rid of the threat. I don't understand why your so mad at me! I had to do something!"
he pulled me in and gave me a hug. My eyes were wide open in shock.
"because" he murmured in my ear. " I don't plan on loosing you"
"MAI! NARU! ARE YOU GUYS OK!" we jumped apart from each other just as everyone ran up to us.
"ya, were fine. No need to worry." I smile at there worried faces. There concern is touching.
"now that were done with that lets keep going." Naru said, turning around. I grin at this and walk after him. Were half way there, and I can't wait to see the ring.
Hey guys! Sorry this update took so long. As you know, I'm kind of improving this so I had no idea what to write. Thank you guys so much for the reviews and messages I can't thank you enough! It always makes me smile to read what you guys have to say!
Mai: Naru was horribly narcissistic.
Me: ya, I actually borrowed that quote from the city of bones. I'm reading that right now and remembered that part.
Madoka: that little brat
Naru: says the one who pouted and threw a fit about not being in this sooner.
Madoka: ... well at least I can admit that I'm childish!
Naru: now that you have admitted it your one step closer to getting the help that you need.
Madoka: WHY YOU LITTLE-
Mai: Naru! Behave!
Chapter 12, misguided and mislead