Chapter Twelve

"This way" Ikabe called as he pushed Arnold through the jungle quickly. Arnold was not nearly as nimble on his feet and consequently was nearly dragged through the rough terrain as the green eyed boy hurried toward his home. It was a long and complicated route, so much so that Arnold felt the path would never come to an end.

However, he had been wrong before.

As soon as Arnold had started to daze away he felt something hard connect with his face, making him snap back to reality. He gaped as he stood in front of what seemed to be a large marble wall, hidden away in a cliff side. He moved his hand around the walls paintings as Ikabe started to push the wall to the side.

"That's amazing!" Arnold proclaimed as he watched the small boy move an entire block by himself. Ikabe just looked back at him blankly, not even realizing his own power before tugging at Arnold again. Once the wall had been moved it revealed a long cavern that ran through the Cliffside, and not too far from that, was light, streaming in like the reflections of fireflies. It reminded him of how the shimmer from the water played against the caves walls.

Arnold bit his lip.

"Please be ok Helga…" Arnold whispered to himself.

He braced himself as the village came into view, thousands and thousands of villagers with skin and eyes like the boy who had led him here walked around with fruit or children on their backs. Ikabe was in such a hurry that Arnold could hardly take it all in. Around them was the most beautiful golden architecture, stretching on for miles.

The villagers had started to gather in hushed whispers around them as they headed toward a large golden circle in the middle of the village. Ikabe helped him up upon the stadium before stepping back down quickly. The crowd parted as the chief and an ancient woman, dressed in bright colors with feathers and jewelry, started toward him. The chief bowed briskly before going over to Ikabe, he smiled and praised him, rubbing his head quickly.

"Arnold Shortman?" The old woman asked. Arnolds head snapped toward her at the sound of his name.

"Do you speak English?" He asked quickly. She nodded and held out her hand for him to take. He did as he was told and helped her up onto the golden platform. She signaled for him to wait as she turned to the people, coughing as she called out something, throwing up her hands. She seemed to be giving a small speech to the villagers for their faces glowed with hope after each word she uttered. Suddenly the villagers screamed out in happiness, whooping and hollering as some jumped together, others hugging their spouse and children. She cleared her throat before waving her hand for Arnold to follow.

"Come little one, no doubt you have questions." She whispered. Arnold slowly nodded as she managed to crawl back onto the dirt without hurting herself. Arnold jumped down and followed quickly behind her as she walked away from the celebrating villagers.

"Tell me Arnold, have you ever heard of our clan?" The old woman asked as he came to her side.

"Well…all I know is that my parents left to come and save you…but besides that, I guess I don't know much." She nodded solumely before sighing some, keeping her eyes forward.

"Do you believe in magic, in fate Arnold?" She asked gently.

"No I suppose not…" he whispered as he stuffed his hands in his pockets nervously. The old woman did not look surprised nor pleased by his answer, but kept her same bland expression.

"Our village was based on the thought that the Gods had blessed us with life, so we must build statues to honor them. We eventually built all of these homes that you see here in their honor. The gods were pleased and as a token of appreciation sent us the Golanforshin or as your people refer to it the 'Sacred Crystal'. "

Arnold listened quietly as she took in a deep breath before continuing.

"The gods sent a message that as long as we protected the crystal our people would be safe from violence and disease." She paused, her eyes glazing over as if watching something that wasn't there.

"We were blessed, but, one night, unfortunately, our guard was low, our people were asleep, and our beautiful crystal, was taken." She stopped her story as she felt Arnold's curiosity building.

"Why would anyone else want the crystal?" He asked knitting his brows together in confusion. She sighed and shook her head gently.

"It is said that the crystal, as a gift from the gods, held enormous magical properties. If one was worthy of its glory, they would receive their greatest wish in a matter of moments and have a blessed and lucky life. La Sombra was a…large believer in this story…and wished to hone the power for himself."

"We'd gotten it back of course, thanks to your parents, but…soon illness struck…and our walls started to crumble…our village asked the gods what we should do to earn their forgiveness. They had told us that we had been good people, and that they would help us in our trials…they would send their son and daughter, the great father sky, and the kind mother earth, to be our saviors…to protect the crystal….to make sure it did not fall into the wrong hands a promise was placed over it. Only when the son and daughter of the gods became one, and their blood of hate and love, dripped onto the crystal, would it activate- and in a blinding light the users wish would be granted."

"And you think that this…great father sky, is me?" He asked slowly. The woman nodded.

"There is no doubt about it unfortunately. I did not want to involve a child in our wars, and for that, I am very sorry." She answered with a small movement of her head. Arnold laughed before shaking his head, pulling his hair some.

"Look, I'm sorry but, I'm not who you think I am, this whole prophesy thing, it's just, not true. I'm Arnold…not some son of a god. This isn't magic, it's just, weird…" Arnold whispered.

"Whether it is magic or not…you are here Arnold…and that proves that you are here for a reason…"

"I'm here because that little boy dragged me here." Arnold snapped back. She merely smiled before nodding.

"Yes…but why did he find you? Why did he not pass you by, as he might have otherwise?" She questioned. Arnold shrugged softly.

"It's just coincidence…" he muttered. She smiled before nodding.

"I do not believe in coincidence Arnold…nor do I believe in magic as many of my people do, but I am far too old and too humble to not admit that something out in this universe is far larger than we are Arnold…something that is looking after all of us…" She whispered. Arnold did not reply as he sighed gently.

"You still do not believe me?" She asked with a gentle laugh. He didn't answer but he didn't have to, she already knew. With a small smile she nudged her head towards a lone hut between the jungles trees, hidden from the village. It was decorated with flowers and other elements of nature, smoke rose from its chimney as she gestured for him to walk that way.

"Come with me Arnold…there's something I'd like you to see."

Arnold followed obediently as she slowly creaked open the door to the small hut. He waited for her to go inside but she shook her head.

"Please…this is something that you must do yourself; I have no place in there."

Arnold cautiously dipped his head as he stepped into the musty and dark room. A few candles flickered here and there, but it did not make him scared, or cause eerie scenery, instead, he felt instantly…warm…safe.

"Hello?" he called out to no response. He could see shadows at the edge of the cabin, two bodies, stiff and motionless against two raised tables. Arnold gulped a bit before slowly stepping toward them, details started to emerge with each step, a quilted blanket made out of wool, the gentle raising of chest with living breaths, white skin, golden hair against a brown pillow-

The scene of dandruff shampoo and cinnamon-y perfume…

"Mom…?" The sound came out a lot weaker than he had intended. His lips started to quiver as he slowly walked over to the first table. He held his breath as he peered over to her face. It was withered away, and torn with years of abuse, but, underneath all of it was still the same loving person he had seen in all of those photos. He quickly ran to the other table before shaking the blonde man's shoulders.

"Dad….?" He whimpered out with a cracked voice. Arnold fell back into a chair as he threw his hands over his face quickly, a tornado of emotions picking and pulling at his body. He felt weak and suddenly leaned over limply as he sobbed dryly, not even able to produce tears as he grinned.

They were alive.

They were really alive.

"Don't cry…don't cry…"

Arnolds head snapped up as he heard his father's voice hoarsely speak up. His eyes had not opened yet and it seemed in his sleep he had tried to comfort the young boy. Arnold wiped his already dry eyes before running to his side, gulping quickly.

"Are you awake…?" Arnold asked quietly. He heard someone shifting from the other bed and he turned quickly as his mother moaned in pain and twisted to her side. At his wife's sound of discomfort something triggered in Mile's mind as he too started to awaken.

Arnold leaned over his mothers bed as her eyes started to blink open, as if from some nap on the couch she'd taken accidently. He smiled at that. She slowly rubbed her eyes as she stared at his face, her eyes sad and broken. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.

"God…" She whispered with a small smile "…I really am dead aren't I Miles…?"

Her eyes watered as she laughed weakly. Arnold put his hand over her own gently as he let out a quick breath.

"N-no m-…m-…m-mom….it's me…Arnold…I'm your son." He whispered with a sad smile. His mother stared at him for a moment with an unchanging expression. As if in a fog she slowly lifted her arm, still bleeding from her injury, up to his cheek. There was a jolt as it touched his skin and she suddenly cried out, tears running down her cheek as she sobbed.

"Arnold…Arnold….Arnold…." she whimpered over and over again. She turned clumsily to her husband as she slapped his arm quickly to try and get him up. He groaned and opened his eyes a bit as she sobbed pointing to the boy in front of her.

"It's Arnold Miles. It's Arnold!" She cried out. He sat up quickly, and Arnold ran to keep him down, they were both severely injured and were bleeding all over their body, he didn't want them getting up so soon. As he held his father in place so he wouldn't strain himself the grown man wrapped his arms around the small boy and sobbed, hugging him tight into his own body.

"Arnold…it's really you…it's really my boy…"

"I thought I'd never see you again." Stella sobbed throwing her arms around him as well as she cried into his back. Arnold stood stiff as he felt the two grown adults breaking down like children in front of him. He tried to stay strong as he patted their backs in comfort, but ever so slowly, it overcame him.

"You weren't there for me…" Arnold whispered as tears started to build "I grew up my whole life without parents…I never knew what it was like to be a kid…I never had a childhood…I never had a mom or a dad to tell me right from wrong, I just had to learn it…you weren't there for my plays, or my games…and…and…and I'm angry….but I want to kill myself for being angry at you because I KNOW it's not your fault in my head."

He sobbed out before shaking his head.

"And I'm sad that you went through all of this for me and that I didn't save you sooner…and I'm happy…I'm…I'm so…I'm so happy." He cried out digging his head down into his parents arms. They held onto him before rubbing his hair gently, sniffing as they tried to keep themselves from crying any longer.

"I thought you were dead…all these years….I thought I'd never be able to see you" Arnold whimpered out.

"We almost were." Miles whispered as he shuddered. Arnold looked up at his parents who were now examining their bodies for damage. No bullet holes, that was a start.

"La Sombra left us unconscious for the animals to feed on…if it wasn't for the green eyed people we'd be tiger meat right now" Miles growled out. Stella sighed as the memory re-entered her head and tears started to form again at the thought of Helga being dragged away.

"If it wasn't for that little girl we wouldn't even have had a chance…" She whimpered. Miles nodded sadly before hitting his hand against the wall quickly. He couldn't even save a little girl from the same fate he and his wife had been living through for the past fifteen years.

Arnold gulped.

"…little girl….?"

"Yes…she was about your age…La Sombra took her because she was valuable to the green eyed people…they think she's their princess. They were going to kill us but…she offered her own life instead. I think she knew you..she knew a lot about you…" Stella explained. Arnold started to shake.

"…blonde hair…cute dimples…nasty mouth that gets in her trouble?" He asked cautiously. Stella and Miles looked at each other for a moment before slowly nodding. Arnold would have fallen had his parents not been holding him up in the first place. His eyes glazed over as he realized the true horror of the situation.

"Helga…is….Helga's gone."

Arnold shook his head as his fear slowly started to turn into anger. La Sombra had taken everything away from him, his family, his childhood, he had tortured his parents, ruined his life, and now, NOW, he had taken Helga captive as well?

"You know who this girl is Arnold?" Miles asked. Arnold slowly nodded as he growled out and in fury threw open the door.

"YEA!" He yelled out "SHES MY MATE!"