This is the third arc! If you didn't read the first one, you can't understand anything!
Hi everyone!
I'm italian and I'm translating my story in english because some not-italian people ask me to do it, so please forgive me for this poor and basic english!
I accept any advice because I really want to improve my english and I know there are many mistakes, SORRY!
Thank you for reading ~
Target 37 - The Lost Capital
Under the morning sun, beyond the tall trees and lush vegetation that thrives all around, in the heart of pristine forest, which stretches for infinite miles and doesn't let the light, if not a few greenish rays from the roof of leaves, above them.
A couple of hours have now passed when the two arrived in the middle of that lost place, walking along a road that no one seems to know. He hasn't been previously warned about the road he has to take, even Stanford didn't know the exact spot where the entrance is.
Still, the blond child seems to point in a specific direction, even if he has an uncertain expression on his face as he progresses through the leaves and occasionally stumbles to barely visible three roots.
He doesn't complain, doesn't seem to want to show weakness in front of the enemy, yet can't do anything but continue the path at his side, trying not to get scared hearing the animal cries that surround them, amplified by the almost unnatural silence of the place.
For a moment the eyes of the two have crossed. The child shakes, immediately averting the attention from the boy, stumbling again but getting up without saying anything, taking up the path below.
Clover II: Is it far?
The trip is quite strenuous, considering that they are walking for about two hours and the illusionist isn't used to walking so much.
Haynes: ... I don't know ...
After all, the shaman had already said that he has no idea where is that place, but he is going instinctively, as the scientist had predicted.
"He will walk following the instinct along a precise path, until you get to the ruins." He said, before their leaving "Follow him and don't ask questions."
The boy shrugs, looking around with curiosity and noticing some trees tilted inward, twisted barks between them and some monkeys who run away from trunks to jump on others, observing the two with a look of superiority.
Looking into the space created from the inclined barks, they can see a sort of darker path created from the tangle of the many logs. The shaman doesn't wait further and slips into the gallery, followed by Clover.
They walk for about ten minutes, the path is smooth as long as the darkness starts to thin out, reaching the high leaves that bar their way.
Clover moves them with his arm, revealing two huge columns supporting a decorated stone gate.
The two approach it amazed, Clover blurts out an exclamation in disbelief and Haynes seems almost in a trance. His eyes are vacant and almost automatically advances to the door, placing a hand on it and pushing weakly.
They hear one click, the sound of something that is unlocked, the blond boy comes to his senses and backs away frightened, while the door opens and invites the two to enter into a wonderful place forgotten by time.
From his position, Clover is able to notice the columns arranged at the entrance, as high as most of the front door, which lead to a long lane in stone.
However, on the outside he can't see the top of the interior columns, on the contrary, it seems that they don't exist. All around the gate there are trees and vegetation not visible inside, where instead there are buildings not present on the outside, almost as if they arrive in another dimension.
He isn't used to make logical reasoning, and yet can't help but notice it. He's fast approaching the entrance, grabbing the arm of a scared Hynes and dragging him over stone columns, past the entrance and finding himself among the ranks of tall columns that seem to welcome them.
After surpassing them, walking along the small stone road, they find themselves miles away from the ground, around the path there are trees and other side roads that lead to caves, probably old houses, half destroyed and eroded.
In front of them the road leads to a building with circular towers, colored and decorated as the columns at the entrance door.
Continue to advance toward the staircase that leads to something that probably is a temple. In front of the entrance the young magician doesn't expect to find living beings.
Two girls, both have pretty much the same looking and clothing and seem to guard the entrance, holding long spears decorated with feathers and twirls, bent forward as if to bar the way. At first glance they looked like statues, but it's clear that they are alive, even if the guy doesn't know how they can stay alive in a place like that.
They have short black hair and a bob cut, brown eyes and slightly darker skin. They wear minimal beige clothing, a short skirt with fringe and a top, which leaves open the navel. They both carry earrings decorated with feathers, one has it to the right ear and the other to the left.
Clover II: ... Hi ...
He thinks that it's best to be polite and greets the two, but they don't move.
Clover II: Uhm ...
The boy observes the shaman, the little child looks away, almost scared, before taking a few steps forward and greet the two too.
This time, the girls move and put the spears in a vertical position, opening the entrance to the two visitors.
- You are welcome. - they say in unison - We are the priestesses of the Lost Capital, Marva and Nola. Only shamans can open the way to this place. -
They don't say anything else, distract attention from the two and come back to look before them, like statues.
Does this mean that the road is clear? Can they enter the temple?
Clover has a job, he must retrieve the last Hell Ring for his "father", the scientist Stanford. He very much hopes to be able to find what he's looking for, so he could make him proud of him.
Without even turning around or wait for the shaman, the young green-haired boy arrive at the entrance and pushes the door almost opened, crossing the threshold and finding himself in a huge hall.
He walks for a few minutes, admiring the graffiti on the walls and massive columns, there are several ways and steps on both sides, but the guy is sure he has to walk to the center, careful not to trip over the rubble and roots sprouting out of the half destroyed floor.
After another couple of steps he reaches another room with a small column on the center. From his pouch there's a faint bluish light, while the young man approaches the pedestal. Above there's a little stone dome, the illusionist moves it quickly, revealing the ring.
A horn in metal is visible on the bluish ring, Clover takes it between his fingers and looks almost enchanted, feeling an immense power from the small accessory.
He lets out a "wow", and some gears in his mind start to get going.
Clover II: ... If I manage to use them by myself ... he would be proud of me.
He says to himself. A smile makes its way on his face, it seems a wonderful eventuality and the idea that his father can be proud of him excites him further.
Clover II: After all ... I can always give them back to my little brother as soon as he is born.
He is sure, he isn't stealing his brother's "clothes", as Stanford had called them the day before. He just wants to create them by himself, is completely capable of doing that, helping his father making the hard work for him.
If he'll become stronger, for sure Stanford will be proud of him.
Clover II: Mh ... how can I use this thing?
He tries to wear it, the ring shines of an indigo aura that surrounds him for a few moments, but nothing special happens. He starts to throw punches in the air, moving his hand up and down and shaking it, trying to figure out how to use its potential, and yet it doesn't seem to be the right method. In that way he can only manage to use the power of the ring alone, he's thinking about it as he walks the path back, arriving at the entrance.
Clover II: Hey! How do I use this thing to create clothes?
He asks the two priestesses. He didn't expect for an answer but, incredibly, the two girls mechanically turn toward him, looking almost puzzled. Apparently, after talking the first time with the shaman, the two were somehow "unlocked." In reality he has no idea, but doesn't care.
- We don't know anything about the Hell Rings, probably they must be used together. - they reply, returning to look ahead.
Clover II: Oh! I hadn't thought of that!
The Illusionist nods at that affirmation and instinctively is back in, quickly retracing the corridors and tightening the horn-shaped ring as if it's a precious treasure.
He returns to the room where he found it, reaching the pedestal and placing it over, then pulling the other five from the pouch and placing them next to each other. His father had given them to him in case he couldn't find the last one because hidden somewhere, he said that others would react to his presence and, in fact, the six rings are shining a faint and eerie indigo light.
He leans his elbows on the pedestal, watching the brilliant six rings, each with a different strange shape: a skull is the shape of one of the six, there is one with one eye and another with some disgusting tentacles. A bluish stone can be seen at the center of another ring, surrounded by strange veins, while the last has three 6 engraved on it.
He remains to observe them, almost enchanted.
A white jet is flying over the eastern part of the Amazon forest, guarding the place from a good distance and getting closer and closer to the central part, more dense and hidden.
According to the pink-haired shaman Lilium, the ruins should be more or less at the end of the central area, but she doesn't know exactly where is the place so she's just going to guess.
Intuition or not, if only shamans can find that place, in one way or another they will arrive anyway, so they continue to follow the child without asking too many questions.
The future Elektrica's boss is looking at the place around them, now it's about ten minutes that the jet is flying over the same area in a circle, he mutters something to the driver, before reaching the guys and the little girl.
Ex-Ten: Is this the closest point?
He looks out the window, below them there are only trees, forest, plants and trees again. The landscape is homogeneous, they can't understand the area in which they are located.
Lilium: Yes, we are ... above it.
She is almost in disbelief for the answer. She gets up quickly and comes close to the window, looking down with languid eyes.
Lilium: Above it...
She repeats, sure.
Ex-Ten: All right, time to go down.
Sirius: Uh? Here? Where do you think to land?
Ex-Ten: Of course we're not landing! We're going to jump out of here.
After a few moments of silence, Kaito gets up from his seat and stretches.
Kaito: Hey, this is the first time I use a parachute, you have to tell me how to use it, ok? I know it's alpacously dangerous.
Ex-Ten: ... we're not jumping with a parachute.
He raises an eyebrow.
Diamante: What? And what do we have to use, then?
Ex-Ten: We can fly!
He shows the compact obtained from Cristal.
Luca: S-shinuki wings? But Cristal-kun said that's difficult to use them!
Cristal: Not exactly. I only said that could be a little difficult, but nothing impossible.
Luca: If we have to jump right now ... we don't have enough time to learn!
Cristal: Good. In an extreme situation the instinct will help you.
A disturbing smile appears on his face.
Nando: Yeah, after all those wings are composed of shinuki, and shinuki is a flame that appears when you are about to die.
He grins.
They can no longer argue, Ten and Cristal seem to be really serious and the first boy is placed in front of the emergency door, inviting the guys to come closer.
Luca: W-what about the kids?
Duchesse: I can keep PonPon.
She smiles, taking him in her arms.
Haname: Lilium doesn't need help, as I recall she already can fly.
She looks at the shaman and the girl nods. During their first meeting the pink little girl used to float in the air.
Nozomi: Uhm ... so ... what should we do?
She is confused, observing the compact between her fingers.
Cristal: First, recall the wings to you.
The boss of Neveria squeezes his compact between the fingers, an orange light envelops the item first and then the boy, focusing on his back and taking the form of two medium-sized wings, orange like the sky and composed by the same flame.
Cristal: Seeing it will be easier to imagine.
One by one, all of them mimic the albino and their bodies are enveloped by their own flame. In the end all the boys got a pair of wings made of their flames on their backs.
All seven members of the Alleanza del Cielo have medium-sized orange wings made with the flame of the sky, or at least all except Sirius, his wings are three-quarters of his body.
Sirius: Ah! I'm really cool!
Diamante: Idiot, they're so huge they'll be cumbersome!
The wings of the six guardians of the Eleventh Vongola family are all of equal size, each consisting of the respective flame. Kaito's wings are glittering and of an almost blinding yellow color, while Haname's ones are blue and clear, composed of water that seems to run down. Arashi's wings are red and similar to those of the sky and the cloud, the latter has purple wings with fiery contours, they aren't very showy and Cloud seems to feel relieved. Shinji's wings are almost invisible, consisting of a thin indigo mist, while Luca's ones are greenish and composed by electrical discharges.
Ex-Ten: Well, we're ready.
He starts to release the safe that held the emergency door.
Nozomi: Hey, wait! What we have to do now? I mean ... we have wings, yes, but how do we use them?
She is quite nervous, but the guy has already opened the exit and the group is literally dragged out of the plane because of the Jet that's falling to one side, also because of Cristal, Duchesse and Nando, who pushed them out.
They're falling from a height of several kilometres in the sky, fortunately clear and blue, but they can't admire it because the gravity is strongly attracting them towards the ground, to the pristine forest beneath them that's getting closer.
There are screams, a desperate Luca in tears, Lilium is already fluttering and trying to help others, as well as the three who have pushed everyone shortly before, they seem to laugh at the funny situation.
After a few moments Arashi manages to figure out how to do it, even Haname is slowly learning, while Cloud and Diamante are already flying around. Sirius seems to strive, his wings are really heavy, while Ten and Shinji have understood the mechanism since before and the first is helping the poor Kaito, quite confused. Nozomi and Luca are almost the last to figure out how to do it, they were too worried to think and also because Nozomi was distracted by the beautiful landscape around her. The knowledge to be falling down arrives when Arashi and Haname approach the two and try to show them how to fly.
Eventually, miraculously or perhaps instinctively, all of them are able to move their little wings on the backs and glide gently over the tops of the tall trunks, landing, with grace or awkwardly on the ground.
They get up shaky, wiping the dirt and leaves, someone is stretching himself and someone is giggling for the experience.
Kaito: Wow, we have to do it again, eh!
Not even two minutes are passed and Lilium begins to walk towards the east, without saying anything, the present notice it and become worried.
The group reaches her, watching as the small girl advances to a specific point and they can see it very well. Some logs, lowered and twisted inwards on themselves, have created a sort of mysterious gallery, in which they enter without delay and then come out a few minutes later, finding themselves in front of a large stone door.
Lilium approaches it quickly, without even letting the others to admire it, placing a hand on the stone and observing while it opens the doors to the Lost Capital.
Slowly, one by one, they cross the door and find themselves next to much higher columns, white in the base but decorated with particularly ancient curlicues, that seem to surround a stone street in front of them.
Ex-Ten: Are we in another dimension?
He is incredulous, his gaze is fixed on the tops of the trees he can see under the road, while the entrance is positioned on the ground with the trees that dominate over them. They haven't gone up any steps, how can they suddenly find themselves on the highest peaks of the forest? If they fall from the road without knowing how to fly, they could getting seriously injured. Or maybe they could die.
In addition, the construction would have to be clearly visible from their jet, however they couldn't see anything but trees and forests.
Yes, it's really another dimension, a place created by the ancient shamans, or maybe they only found out that place.
Lilium: I don't ... I don't know ...
She looks around in disbelief, seems to enjoy the scenery and the ruins around them.
Duchesse: ... Whatever it is, it's wonderful.
They are advancing for a few minutes, walking on the central path, until they arrive at the foot of a huge temple situated in the center of the area, stopping to notice the presence of a blond child sitting at the end of steps, his eyes seem to light up at the sight of the guys and the little girl.
Haynes: Lilium!
He shouts, jumping up.
Lilium: Haynes!
The girl rushes towards her cousin, both meet and embrace themselves, their smile is priceless.
Finally they're reunited again, but a less reassuring feel begins to wrap the building, and also the blue sky seems to turn gray.
Something is happening.