Chapter 11 - Eila
The warriors woke to the cold foggy chill of early morning.
"We can't go anywhere in this weather, we'll get lost" Ajein yawned.
"What's for breakfast then" Yochinn yawned back.
"We'll have to catch some fish, we've run out of supplies" Ajein said rummaging through the bag of food.
"Oh no" the other three warriors sighed
"We're back to fish again" Melay groaned.
"Well we can catch them using water bending, so it will be a lesson" Ajein said comfortingly.
"I suppose" Melay sighed. Ajein and Melay walked over to the edge of the ice and the boys got started on the fire.
"So umm, do like Yochinn" Melay asked as they began pulling the water up searching for fish.
"What do you mean" Ajein blushed.
"You know what I mean" Melay smiled.
"Maybe" Ajein smiled back.
"I knew it" Melay laughed.
"You love him, you want to kiss him, you want to hug him" Melay began to sing
"Be quite" Ajein said.
"Make me" Melay teased, poking out her tongue.
"So what do you think of Ajein" Narim asked Yochinn as he pulled out logs from the supply back.
"She alright" Yochinn relied not looking up.
"She going to be a good friend"
"Are you sure it's just friendship" Narim asked. Yochinn looked up and smiled.
"Who knows" he said as he lit the match.
"Who knows?
The fog cleared as they ate the fish, and by the dime the bones had been thrown back into the ocean only thin whips of mist could be seen.
"Is that it" Yochinn asked peering into the distance. The other three turned around.
"It's Firio" Narim shouted triumphantly. The others smiled and Ajein got the ice moving again.
"Can you show me one last move before we get there" Melay asked hopefully
"Of course" Ajein laughed. The two moved over to the edge and the boys sat down.
"Yochinn, Narim we will need you for this one.
"Ok" said Yochinn
"But Melay practises on Narim not me" he laughed. Melay poked her tongue out as they got up and walked over to the girls.
"Ok Melay, firstly this is the lotus formation. You get a stream of water and swirl it around you." She began demonstrated as she said the steps.
"Then you pull six streams from that stream, like tentacles. Now these tentacles can be used to whip, trip or grasp your opponent." Ajein finished. She sent her streams out using her palms and they graphed Yochinn by the ankle and flipped him on his back.
"Oww" Yochinn grunted as he landed heavily on his back.
"Your tun Melay" Ajein said smiling at Yochinn.
Melay pulled a stream like Ajein had, and pulled out four tentacles.
"It's all I can hold at one time" Melay said struggling to concentrate. She pushed her palms out and the water gushed towards Narim. But before they could reach him they fell apart and splashed on the floor.
"Keep trying" Ajein encouraged, and that's just what she did.
After more hours of practising, Firio could be seen easily and they would be landing soon.
"Can you get us there with out being seen" Yochinn asked
"Yes, but why" Ajein replied
"In case we're not welcome" Yochinn said. Ajein looked wearily at him then melted the ice with her fists. The melting ice dripped its way towards the warriors until the block was only big enough for them to stand on holding their bags. Ajein stretched out her arms towards the water and extended her fingers. The water around them began to sizzle and spurt and thick fog came up from the water and hid the warriors. As they approached the land the fog dissipated and the warriors ran to shore. In front of them stood a large tall forest that entered the sea the sea filled up the land and was bordered only by the beach. It was thick, gloomy, and seemed almost alive, luring them into its depths. They could see nothing inside it but to there right they saw it stretch along the land until an abrupt stop at a large hill. There was a valley and then another hill, and beyond that was another stretch of land that arched around.
"We're here" Yochinn said pointing towards his map of Firio.
"We're on death point in Karakas bay" Yochinn explained.
"And that valley is where Eila is" He finished.
"Right let's go" Yochinn started, walking into the forest.
"I'm not going in there" Ajein said.
"Why not" Yochinn asked.
"Something is not quite right, it's like the forest is evil"
"Don't be silly" Narim said following Yochinn.
"I feel it too" Melay said, staying with Ajein. After the girls finally convinced the boys not to enter the forest, despite their attempts to explain that they might be seen, the set off along the beach. The sand was hot and soft, making the journey an unpleasant one. By the time they reached the edge of the forest the sun was getting low and the warriors were very tired.
"Let's set up camp over there" said Narim, pointing towards shrub hidden area of the hill.
"That way we will be able to see the city whilst still been hidden and have easy access to the forest" he said.
"In case of emergency" he explained seeing Ajein about to object. The four of them stumbled over towards the indicated area and fell one by one to the ground exhausted. Setting up camp took longer than ever and when it was finally done the warrior's eyelids were heavy and they were struggling to stay awake.
As the darkness poured over the bay Yochinn went with Ajein to the top of the hill to look at Eila and what they saw awakened them. Below them in the valley stood a golden city. The thick walls that surrounded the city were made from gold, and the firelight that illuminated them danced trancfully as it flickered over the wall. The entire city glowed with firelight, the streets were lined with posts that shone with it from a lantern at the top, and each of the large mansion like houses which were made from marble had the same orange glow coming through the windows. Ajein and Yochinn stood together amazed, never had they seen a city as beautiful as this one. Yet the beauty was just a mask, for underneath that mask was something truly horrible indeed.