Chapter XIII

Cheetara stopped in her tracks at the sound of Jaga's warning. Glancing around the still moving group she spotted the Plun-Darr at the back of the group and made her way there quickly.

"Tygra!" Cheetara called when she had gotten close enough. Instead of the giant mech stopping however, Tygra scooped Cheetara up from the ground with the mech's hands. She yelped in surprise as the cool slick metal slid around her. She shivered as the thought 'unnatural' flitted across her mind.

"Getting lonely without me?" Tygra's voice rumbled from within the mech. Cheetara narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together till they formed a thin line at his words, but more so at his previous action.

"It's Jaga," her face softened as did her voice, "He said we're heading into a trap." Tygra was silent for a moment. His radar was silent and empty.

"Alright," he answered finally. "Hang on." She opened her mouth to respond but in the next moment the Plun-Darr broke away from the back of the group and headed towards the front. Cheetara had to grab hold of one of the mech's large fingers to stop from being thrown off.

She felt the cold wind whip around her more so now that she was in the protection of the rest of the group. Above her the dark clouds swirled ominously.

"Lion-o," Tygra's amplified voice boomed when they reached the head of the group. "My radar's picking up enemies up ahead." Cheetara felt relieved his words. Lion-o stopped, as did the whole group.

"We should head around them then, and try to avoid a fight." Lion-o said after a moment. Looking up he noticed Cheetara in the mech's hands, which made him raise an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Panthera asked addressing Lion-o. She had made her way up to the front when they had stopped.

"Tygra's picking up enemy movement ahead." Lion-o answered, "We're going to try to go around them."

" We should make camp soon anyway," Panthera nodded in agreement. "It looks like there's going to be a storm." Cheetara couldn't help but think she was right, in more ways than one.

OoooooooooooO

The group deviated from their original path and headed deeper into the winter forests. Just as Panthera had predicted a storm began to set in. The wind howled and beat the sides of the tents mercilessly. Rain poured from the heavens sloshing throughout the camp. Night came quickly, though it was practically indistinguishable from day as the black clouds blocked out the sky as the moon did the sun during an eclipse.

Lion-o, Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthera had joined up in the main tent. The kits had retired for the evening. Despite the atrocious weather everyone agreed that a perimeter and watch group was needed.

"I'll get a group together, and we'll take the first shift." Panthera turned to leave as though it had been decided.

"Panthera," she stopped and turned tail twitching at Lion-o's voice. "You should get some rest. You've been on every scouting mission these past couple of days." She turned fully to face him her arms crossing and her lips curled into a small playful smile.

"With you Lion-o, I've had many sleepless nights," she grinned, "Besides, I doubt I'll be able to get any sleep with this weather." Almost as if to emphasize her point a clap of thunder resounded within the camp.

Something in her tone made Lion-o feel warmer than usual. But that didn't mean he was going to ignore that someone else had to take watch duty once in a while. "I'll take the first shift," Lion-o stated, clearly he didn't expect her to argue with him further. She had acknowledged him as king after all. He was wrong.

"I'm not going to wait around camp for several hours for a shift." She told him pointedly, her smile growing a bit sharper.

Tygra rolled his eyes and left the tent. The wind chilled Cheetara momentarily until the flap fell shut. Glancing at the flap Cheetara followed out after him, leaving Lion-o and Panthera behind, though the two seemed to have forgotten that Tygra and Cheetara had been there.

As soon as she exited the tent the icy rain and the strong wind briefly blinded her. Looking around she didn't see Tygra. A crash of lightning suddenly flashed through the sky, the light illuminating the metal giant, a kneeling beast of metal. The sliver and black glistened as the rain slid off it's surface. Cheetara shivered at the sight.

That's when she saw Tygra. He was within the beast's open chest looking at the holographic screens. He spotted her quickly though.

"Hey," he got up and offered her a hand into the mech. But Cheetara shook her head.

"I just wanted to say thank you," she yelled the storm muting her words. Tygra gave a half smile, but it didn't reach his eyes, he looked as though he was going to say something but he didn't. "See you tomorrow." She finally said turning. He said nothing back.

Cheetara began heading towards her and the kits tent. But she never got there.

"Cheetara," Jaga's voice sliced through the storm with ease. She stopped and looked around still half expecting to see him. She could feel his mana signature it was close by. He said her name again and she followed his voice.

She followed him out of the camp and up the side of the mountain. She soon found herself in a clearing, in the center stood a small sapling that reminded her of the tree of life.

She was breathing heavily and shivering by the time she made it there. As she exhaled she could see her breath. Thankfully the harsh wind seemed to have dissipated and the rain had lightened.

"Jaga!" She called desperately, shivering again as she brought her arms around herself. "Jaga!"

"I'm right here." She whirled around to face the direction of the voice. Her eyes widened and she fell to her knees. The rain pelted down on her and the droplets slid down her shocked face. Jaga stood in front of her. 'Stood' was perhaps the wrong word. He was more of a ghost than anything else.

"How…" She couldn't finish her question. Jaga smiled at her kindly and almost sadly.

"Surely you feel it," Jaga remarked glancing at the sapling. "The strong force of mana here." Cheetara pushed herself to her feet and reached a hand tentatively towards Jaga. He took her hand and all at once she felt a surge of mana flow through her. But at the same time she felt a sense of loss and sadness as her hand remained cold in the freezing rain instead of meeting the warmth of her mentor's hand. Her face played out her emotions without guard. Jaga placed a hand against her cheek in comfort, but again all she felt was a great force of mana.

"The dead shouldn't be able to exist in the world of the living," Cheetara finally spoke. "Why aren't you part of the mana stream?"

"Because of Mumm-Rah," Jaga answered. "I am now neither dead nor alive, but stuck between."

"Jaga…" Cheetara started but she wasn't sure how she could comfort him. She couldn't imagine his situation.

"I need your help Cheetara," Jaga began.

"Anything." Cheetara said in earnest.

"I want to give you my mana," Jaga clarified. Cheetara's eyes widened slightly. Every cleric knew that if one gave up all their mana they would die. It was the same process as healing, but a cleric would only be giving a small part of their mana to the injured party. The remaining mana would then be able to regenerate over time. In essence Jaga was asking her to help him die.

"Jaga…" She shook her head but he cut her off.

"Cheetara, I am in an unnatural state. A spirit without a body, it is as bad as Mumm-Rah's existence." Jaga explained urgently. "I cannot continue forever in this state." Slowly Cheetara's shock and dismay faded and she nodded slightly.

"What do you need me to do?" She asked resigned.

"Before we do this, I must explain to you what this will mean." Jaga seemed relieved at her acceptance to help. "The mana I will give you, my mana, is neither living nor dead. Stuck in a state of limbo. This means that once it becomes part of you, you will have a piece of you that will effectively be unliving. It means you will have a connection to the mana stream." Cheetara's eyes widened.

"A connection to the mana stream?" She said almost in awe. With that she would never need an amplifier, she would never get weak from healing others, she could literally have the mana of the planet at her disposal.

"It is dangerous Cheetara," Jaga's words cut into her thoughts. "When connected to the mana stream you will also be connected to all the spirits therein. If you are not strong enough they could use you as a vessel. Don't give them that chance, keep the connection closed." Cheetara nodded. Her blood felt like ice, and not just because of the weather.

"I'll help you Jaga," Cheetara replied softly. If this was the only thing she could do for him then she would. Jaga smiled kindly at her giving her a feeling of nostalgia.

Jaga placed his hands on her shoulders; she felt the mana, his mana, flowing into her as though she were being healed. She watched as slowly he disappeared in front of her, his mana signature disappearing forever. Within her she felt a bright spark of power, one that she was told to never open.

In that moment the small droplets of rain falling around her became small flakes of snow. She smiled, shivered, and turned back towards the camp.

OoooooooooooO

Back at camp the rain had subsided and the storm seemed to be passing further up into the mountains. Tygra lay on his bunk in the main tent alone, eyes open and staring at the ceiling. Lion-o and Panthera had finally compromised by both going to form the perimeter and watch duties.

Tygra's eyes were focused on the tent ceiling, where the flickering of the lantern sent an eerie orange and red glow across it, but his mind was far away. His face was tense in thought. He was pulled out of his thoughts though, as his sensitive ears picked up on some kind of commotion outside.

He stepped out into the camp, the smell of fresh rain in the soil and biting chill were thick in the air. Immediately Tygra saw what was going on. Some of the watch team, including Lion-o and Panthera had come back, and they were not alone. Within their custody was a lizard, wrapped tightly in multiple furs to ward off the cold. The lizards eyes swept around the camp finally coming to rest on Tygra. The intensity and exultant nature of the captive's gaze sent a chill down his spine. To his surprise Panthera and Lion-o led the lizard straight towards Tygra.

"What's going on?" Tygra asked as they approached. Lion-o and Panthera exchanged a glance before answering, further unnerving Tygra.

"We captured…" Panthera began but stopped. "He's come to us with a message from Mumm-Rah." She finally finished.

"What kind of message?"

"He said he would only talk to you." Lion-o said.

"I have a message for your ears only," the lizard spoke to Tygra directly. Tygra raised an eyebrow at this earning only a shrug from his brother in response.

"Well what is it?" Tygra asked pointedly, crossing his arms.

"It's more of a," the lizard paused as if thinking, "private message." Perhaps it was the nature of the lizard's features but in any case there seemed to be a perpetual smug smile glued to his visage.

"Anything you have to say, you can say it here." Tygra's voice was cold, hard, and just a little annoyed.

"Very well," the reptile hissed softly. "Mumm-Rah would like to meet with you." That really made Tygra's eyebrows rise, as did Panthera's and Lion-o's. "Regarding your…connection." That smug smile was really irritating Tygra.

"Maybe we should take this inside." Lion-o suggested. A swift look around the camp explained Lion-o's reasoning. There exchange seemed to be drawing a crowd, almost all of the warriors and clerics they had brought with them were either outside already or peaking out of their tent flaps. "Do you want to talk to him privately?" This question addressed his brother. Tygra shook his head and gestured for Lion-o to come.

Taking the lizard's upper arm Lion-o followed Tygra to the tent. Panthera began to follow but Lion-o shook his head. Her lips formed a thin line but she said nothing in response; instead she turned to the rest of the camp.

"Alright, show's over," Panthera told the crowd, hands on her hips and mouth set in a line, "Get back to bed or your watch duty." There was a pause and some glanced at one another around the camp. "Now!" She barked, and the group dispersed.

Lion-o led the lizard into the tent after Tygra. Glad to be out of the cold Lion-o took a moment and breathed in the warm air, his lungs thankful for air that didn't freeze all the way down his throat. His brother however wasted no time in starting the interrogation.

"What connection?" Tygra growled, his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. "I think I made it pretty clear that I was never on his side."

"I don't know," the lizard replied flatly. "He didn't tell me the specifics, just that he wishes to speak to you about your connection." The reptilian captive seemed to enjoy Tygra's reaction since he continued. "Your commonality."

Tygra's hand shot out gripping the lizard by the throat tightly, the prisoner choked and his eyes bulged, his small claws scratching at Tygra's grip. His snarling face was inches from the lizard's.

"I have nothing in common with that snake." Tygra hissed.

"Tygra let him go," Lion-o pressed taking a step towards his brother, his face not hiding either his shock or revolt at his half-brother's actions. Tygra let go with a shove and one last snarl. The lizard gasped for air his hand holding his throat protectively.

Lion-o wasn't sure what had happened between Mumm-Rah and Tygra when they had been together. He had no doubt that his brother had never betrayed him or even considered it, but Tygra had never really talked about what he and Mumm-Rah had discussed although Lion-o hadn't actually asked. Now he was curious. More than curious even.

"Where are you going?" Lion-o asked when saw Tygra lift the tent flap to leave.

"I need some air." His flat affect, or maybe it was anger, bothered Lion-o. Turning back to the prisoner Lion-o felt a pang of annoyance at the lizard's smirk.

Tygra welcomed the icy air as a distraction to the pent up rage he could feel festering within him. The few that were still outside, mostly packing up the camp, glanced at Tygra questioningly. He saw Panthera not far off clearly she had been watching the tent. She made her way over to Tygra.

"Is he still-?"

"Go on in." Tygra answered before she could finish. He could tell she wanted to ask what had happened, but clearly she knew better. Instead she entered the tent. He walked to stand in front of the Plun-Darr, which knelt next to the tent, its colossal form shining in the sunlight.

"Tygra!" A voice called out to him and he turned to see Cheetara giving a small wave and walking towards him. Watching her blond hair lightly fluttering in the slight wind and looking all the brighter in the sun. He smiled weakly as she approached.

"Hey," his reply was less jovial and more flat than he would have liked and her brow furrowed. "Where've you been?"

She never got to answer his question though as in the next moment her hand went to her chest as though she had been struck and a sick feeling pooled in her belly. Tygra went to her quickly but didn't have time to say anything, as there was a sudden explosion within the camp. They were under attack.

"Come on!" Quickly Tygra pulled Cheetara towards the Plun-Darr but she pulled away.

"No, it's fine," She ran off towards the tent she and the kits shared, leaving a protesting Tygra behind. With an exhale of annoyance and aggravation Tygra leaped into the mech and activated the systems. As soon as the systems came online the radar lit up brightly displaying multiple enemies some of which were identified as other mechs. Tygra cursed.

Across the camp Cheetara made it to her tent. Inside the kits were about to leave, knives in hand. Taking up the sword Panthro had insisted she take, seeing as she couldn't defend herself for an extended period without a weapon, she went to join the fight following after the kits.

Instantly she saw what was causing that sick feeling, what was causing all the other clerics around the camp to grit their teeth in pain and take up alternate weapons. It was an ansiblar, and worse, there was more than one.

All around Cheetara could see that things were not going well for them. The enemy had numerous mechs and foot soldiers with firearms, and while Tygra's mech could do substantial damage, he could only focus on a few combatants at a time.

For a moment she was puzzled, her hand went again to her chest as she felt the affects of the ansiblar. She felt sickened as she had before as her mana was being held tightly inside her, but a part of her wasn't sealed. A piece of her was still usable. All at once she realized it was Jaga's mana, the unliving mana within her that was attached to the mana stream. The ansiblar was affecting the usage of her own mana but she could tap into the mana stream.

Jaga had told her that it would be dangerous, but right then it seemed more dangerous if she didn't. She had to fight the mechs; those immense beasts of metal would be immune to a regular weapon, but not her magic. Despite the warning she had received she opened the new part of her accessing the mana stream through her connection to the spiritual plane.

Power surged through her body electrifying her. There was too much mana for it to stay within her. She was enveloped by the energy, and she felt herself leaving the ground as the power formulated around her creating a being of pure mana with Cheetara in the center. She could feel the pushing of the dead trying to enter the world through her but she pushed back successfully. She could maintain control.

Lion-o was restricted to the use of his sword, which meant only Tygra could fight against the mechs. Just then Lion-o found himself facing an enemy mech. The machine's guns already aimed directly at him. Lion-o held the Sword of Omens defensively but realized, without magic, he was going to have to run. But it turned out he didn't have to as the mech's chest was suddenly grabbed by a silvery white hand. Lion-o watched in astonishment as the hand seemed to seep into the mech's body before pulling out. The mech fell with a crash, the enemy pilot dead.

Lion-o turned to see his savior, a great being seemingly made of light, though he recognized it as mana right away, stood above him. The being was easily the size of one of the mechs.

"Are you alright?" The voice was amplified by the mana, making her words and voice recognizable.

"Cheetara," Lion-o couldn't help but be distracted from the battle by the great being of light. He'd never seen anything like it, nor had Cheetara told him about something as amazing as that.

In no time Cheetara had joined Tygra in dispensing with the mechs. Lion-o and the others dealt with the ground forces. Cheetara was quick in taking out the mechs, largely because the pilots had no idea what they were dealing with. Unlike Tygra the mechs she took down seemed to still be in working condition. As Lion-o glanced at Cheetara and Tygra's battles it seemed to him that they were competing. The kits had started taking out the ansiblars, but there were far too many enemies on the field for the process to be quick.

The fight was over soon enough, all the enemy mechs and ansiblars had been destroyed; only some of the ground force was able to retreat. Lion-o sighed in relief and sheathed the Sword of Omens glad the conflict was over.

"Nice power you got there," Tygra's voice boomed from within the Plun-Darr. Cheetara smiled, her expression showing through the silvery being.

"Faster and better than your mech," she commented smugly. She had said it half in jest but as soon as she said the words her earlier thoughts swept through her mind. 'Unnatural', 'monstrous', 'beast', 'destructive', 'an affront to nature.' She grasped her head in her hands in pain, as the thoughts pounded through her head.

Within her mind she could hear voices, so many voices. "All those things bring is destruction." "It takes and destroys, never builds or creates." "Pain and death is the only production of those things." She let out a cry in pain as the voices and thoughts flooded into her, drowning her with their, no, her own, hatred of technology.

Cheetara attacked Tygra. She had no control anymore. A piece of her did believe the things the voices said, that all technology should be destroyed. But the rest of her would never do something like that to hurt her friends.

"Cheetara, what are you doing?" Tygra's voice shouted as he brought up the mechs arm in defense. The Plun-Darr's holographic and solid shield offered some resistance to the attacks from the energy being.

Cheetara didn't answer back though; she couldn't even if she wanted to, even if she had heard him through the voices. Tygra continued to defend not wanting to go on the offensive.

"Cheetara stop!" Tygra yelled once more before countering, sending the silvery being backwards.

The avatar of mana then focused on closer targets. Many of their own party wielded guns and other kinds of tech. The energy being began sweeping a hand across and through a group of their comrades.

"NO!" Panthera snarled racing towards the being gun-sword drawn. She wasn't about to let her warriors be killed by that thing. She was able to stop the being's attack, as the energy vessel turned from the warriors to Panthera, zeroing in on her gun-blade.

The silvery hand shot out towards Panthera at an alarming rate. Before it made contact with her though she was tackled out of the way. The air fled from her lungs as she slammed into the ground, her weapon skid across the ground. The weight above her lifted and she saw Lion-o. They weren't safe for long though as the mana vessel made ready to attack once more.

Tygra sped forward and locked the silvery avatar in combat, gripping the beings arms crushingly. The mana creature responded violently, and to Tygra's shock he heard the screeching sound of bending metal and watched in horror as one of the Plun-Darr's arms was crushed.

"Cheetara!"

From within the mana avatar Cheetara heard him call her name. She fought through the voices, trying to quiet them, but they would not be silenced.

"Cheetara you have to get control!" His voice again, urgent, pleading, caring? She struggled to close the connection but she couldn't, not with the voices pushing, holding her back, so strongly. "Fight it!"

His last words sparked in her a new path to control, one she wasn't sure she could walk. She would have to fight them. The only way she could think of fighting was to yell back at the shouts assaulting her ears.

"Death and destruction!" "It must be stopped!" "It's a perversion of nature!"

"It's not!" she cried, her voice seemed so small and soft compared with the others. "It's not that bad! It can be helpful! It's not purely destructive!" The voices weakened slightly but not by much; she didn't really believe the words herself. "Magic is just as destructive as technology, just as monstrous!" When she said it she realized it was true. She saw from within the being the fearful looks of the warriors it had attacked, and the destruction all around her, caused by her, by magic. She realized she did believe what she had just said.

The voices tried to answer back but they couldn't refute what she had said, the voices suddenly became smaller and softer and her own grew louder and stronger. She sealed that part inside of her closing her connection to the mana stream and silencing the voices.

Tygra had been struggling with the silvery beast until it suddenly halted and slowly the mana seemed to seep back into the earth. He watched as the mana revealed Cheetara within it. Her eyelids looked half closed and she looked as though she were not fully conscious. The mana continued to seep away until it was almost gone; Cheetara, still floating, began to fall.

Without pause Tygra deactivated the mech and leaped through its still opening chest cavity. He reached her just as she fell, catching her easily in his arms.

"Hey," Tygra tried to get her attention, her eyes still not fully focused. "Cheetara?" Her eyelids fluttered a bit before opening almost fully. Her eyes finally seemed to see him and he smiled at her. "Hey." His voice was soft and kind, even after what she had done.

"I'm sorry," her voice was soft and raw. Tygra shook his head.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled brushing her bangs from her face before pulling her into a hug.

"Thank you Tygra."

AoooooooooooN

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