Chapter 22 Voyage to Australia
Hello, here I am again with a new chapter once again. We're kicking back into gear now.
'Hail Oh Mighty Harvest Goddess! Queen of this Island.'
'Arise my Right Hand. Welcome back. How was your Sleep?'
'Uneventful, despite a few disturbances which awoke me. But now I know what caused them. The presence of the heathen in my forest, by my lake, and by the Twin Mountains. He has injured my pride with his presence.'
'How did you awaken this time? I did not call for you.'
'The Harvest Sprites. They called me back from my hibernation.'
'They awoke you?'
'Yes. They want me to help them to kill the new threat. Now, his presence in my domain has already given me good cause to destroy him, but the Sprites awoke not only me, but they also awoke my hunger.'
'The Harvest Sprites should have consulted me first. I must punish them for this.'
'There is no need Goddess. As I said, when they awoke me, they also awoke my hunger. They tried to appease it with a measly bluebird. But no! They have awoken my hunger, so I must have a human sacrifice. So I took one of them, but I still need a human.'
'I was wondering why all of them have been so sorrowful lately. They could barely hold in there tears when I spoke to them.'
'They really should have told you before awakening me. You could have awoken me properly, setting my hunger only for the threat. But no. Now I am ravenous, and I can't wait for the farmer.'
'I know. I will find a way. I will not let the Sprites to make another mistake. I will personally find you a human sacrifice.'
'Thank you O Mighty Goddess!'
'You really can call me by my real name. No one is listening.'
'Of course, Thandrana.'
"We have gathered here today to say good bye to Staid, the Blue Harvest Sprite," Carter said sorrowfully to the crowd which had gathered at the Graveyard. "Although we know that now the Goddess has reincarnated Staid into a Spirit, and he is happier now than ever before, but we still mourn for him. May the Goddess take care of him now."
Carter bowed his head and let the tears fall. Staid had been a very good friend of his. Now he was gone. On the side, all six remaining Harvest Sprites stood mourning. Tears fell from their eyes, but they didn't start crying. The tears fell to the ground, watering the plants, and soaking the soil. Sadness has its good qualities too sometimes.
The six Sprites then lifted up the large casket where the ashes and bones of their brother rested forever. They sorrowfully carried it over to the pit which in the ground, and lowered it down. They then tossed small bundles of flowers and plants down into the grave. The last gifts. Then they all looked down into the pit, and let their tears fall down to be with their brother forever.
"His death was so tragic," Aqua, the Cyan Sprite said sadly. "So sudden. So...," he didn't dare say evil. "If only he had lived on. But he is gone from us now. He is now in a better place."
Bold, the pink Harvest Sprite began speaking.
"I... I only wish that we could have been there when he died. I wish that we could have been there to truly say goodbye to him for the last time. But I know that he understands."
Chef, the red Sprite, was next.
"Goodbye Staid. You WILL be remembered."
Chef then broke down, and fell to the ground and began sobbing. The other Sprites all placed their little hands on his shoulders.
"Goodbye, my brother and friend," Hoggy, the yellow Sprite said.
"I hope you will forgive us," Nappy, the orange Harvest Sprite said. "Please forgive us for what we did. I only wish that we could be forgiven. But that is not an option, I know."
Timid, the green Harvest Sprite spoke quietly in a whisper.
"Brother... forgive us."
The people in the crowd were truly touched. The Harvest Sprites and Carter all then began pouring the dirt back into the grave. Many of the people in the crowd wondered why the Harvest Sprites were asking their dead brother for forgiveness. But most of them ignored it, for this was the last time the Harvest Sprites could speak with their brother. Suddenly the Goddess appeared in the middle of the graveyard, and turned to the Harvest Sprites.
"Do not worry," she said. "I have taken care of your brother. He is now one of the Spirits. Immortal, and all powerful."
In the minds of the Harvest Sprites, they heard a completely different message from the Goddess.
'Your brother is dead because of your mistake. You awoke the Right Hand without my help. I could have awoken him properly, but no. You awoke his hunger, and you tried to satisfy it with a bluebird. You are foolish, and you have payed the price in full with the loss of your brother. Never do this again.'
"Will he forgive us?" Hoggy asked.
"Of course," the Harvest Goddess said.
'Of course not you fools. What's done is done. You cannot change it. You are doomed to live with this mistake. Their IS no forgiveness.'
The Sprites all suddenly fell to the ground and began sobbing. The Goddess disappeared in a flash, and several of the town's people carried the tiny men back to their home.
The day after the Fireworks festival, I went to the Poultry farm, and bought myself four chickens. They were the first animals that I had purchased for my farm, so I was happy that I had bought them. So I was happy.
I spent the rest of the morning pulling out the dying Pineapple plants to prepare for fall crops. After that, I went inside, and began playing my guitar. I played a couple of songs, and a couple of chord progressions for about a half an hour. Then, someone knocked on my door. I turned off my amp, and put my guitar aside. I then opened the door to see Kai standing out their.
"Hey man," I said. "What's going on?"
"I'm leaving now," he said. "To travel the world."
"Where are you heading now?" I asked my friend.
"Probably Australia," he replied. "I've always wanted to go there. I'm thinking about becoming a hired hand on a goat farm out in the outback. But don't worry, I will return again next summer."
"Best of luck," I said. "Enjoy Australia. It really is an awesome place."
"Goodbye," I said.
"See you later," Kai said, and then walked out of my farm.
I waved after him as he left. Inside, I wondered how well I would fare without him. Now I was alone again. The only Christian in the village. But what was that God meant when he spoke of a third disciple?
Popuri cried into Kai's shoulder as they embraced. Kai tried to stay strong, but tears welled up in his eyes. Kai kissed her on the cheek, and held her in close.
"I will return next summer," Kai said. "I will come back to you. Do not ever fear for me. One day I will return, and it will be the final time. I must travel now though. I must see the world. Farewell."
"Please return soon Kai," Popuri said.
"Don't worry," Kai said with a smile. "Summer will return before you know it. And you will be in my arms again. There is a song I learned during my trips to Hawaii..."
Kai then cleared his throat, and began singing for his true love.
"Farewell
to thee, farewell to thee
O fragrance in the blue depths.
One
fond embrace and I leave
To meet again."
Popuri sniffed, and smiled up at Kai.
"It will be our song," she said. "I will wait for you."
Kai gave Popuri one last hug, before stepping onto the ferry. Popuri cried, and Kai held in all his tears. Kai waved at her as she disappeared from sight. Kai leaned over the rail, trying to get a last look at Mineral Island before it disappeared from view. The Captain spoke over the loudspeaker, announcing the information about the voyage.
"We will be traveling to Australia, after we make a few quick stops on other islands."
Kai sat down on a chair on the deck, and began praying for Zach. He prayed that God would help him to continue his work in the village even with out Kai. He prayed that God would keep Zach safe from the powers of darkness. And then, he prayed for Popuri.
Won stood their, preparing himself for what he had to do. As he prepared himself, he began thinking about how all of this had begun. What had happened to make his life the way it is.
After Won finished completely destroying the Voice of the Good News Clan, he was summoned to meet with a Government representative in a back ally to receive his promised pay. But when he arrived in the ally, he met no Government Representative. Instead, he met ten assassins who had been hired to kill him. The Chinese Government had betrayed him!
Won killed all ten assassins, and fled the scene. When the Government searched the area, they found no bodies. Rumors began circulating that Won was a cannibal. That he had killed all ten men, and then eaten them, and kept the bones. In truth, Won was just really good at hiding their dead bodies. Won fled from the Government for three years. They sent all kinds of assassins after him, and sometimes the army. Won then suddenly just disappeared for three years. The Chinese Government was unable to track him. He had gone to Mineral Town to hide. Then, after the three years, he returned to China, and became a hired assassin. He killed whoever he was payed to kill, and he became known as the Cobra, for he struck suddenly, and quickly, and then disappeared. Many strange stories were told about his origins, some true, some false.
The Chinese Government soon realized that the Cobra was the man they had hired to destroy the Voice of the Good News Clan. So they began hunting him again. Won finally decided to return to Mineral Town, and give up being the Cobra, for China had become a dangerous place for him. So he returned to Mineral Town. He met the Harvest Goddess their, and began to believe that she was the true God. For one of the reasons he never believed as his father had was because he had never seen God. When he saw the Harvest Goddess, he made a decision to worship her. And so it began. He became her servant. He left the island occasionally to relive his days as an assassin. Then, after his last trip to China, he returned to find that the Island had been desecrated, for a heathen now walked among the islanders.
Won opened his eyes as his memories ended. His past had turned him into who he was now. Now he would live that way, forever. Won drew his Katana, and kicked the door of the log cabin open. Won leaped inside, and looked around for the person who he knew must dwell in this house. But Gotz the woodcutter was not their.
Won lowered his katana unhappily. What would he use for a human sacrifice now? Just then he saw someone walk down the path into the mountains. Won ducked behind the house, and put his katana away. Won then climbed up onto the roof of the building, and drew out an old fashioned blowgun.
Carter continued reading through the Bible, trying to understand the messages it held.
"And we have seen, and do testify that the father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world," Carter read. "But what does that mean?"
"Those are the words of darkness," a voice said. "Scrawled on a scroll long ago by the king of evil."
Carter turned and saw Karen standing at the Church's door.
"Hey Karen," Carter said. "Is something wrong with your voice."
"The Goddess will destroy all who appose her. The Goddess will dethrone all those who get in her way."
And with that, Karen left the building.
Kai stood looking out over the rail of the Ferry out to sea, slowly watching the waves passing by. As they passed, a familiar sea shanty came to mind, and he just had to sing it.
"Show me the way to go home I'm tired and I want to go to bed I had a little drink about an hour ago And it went right to my head Where ever I may roam On land or sea or foam You will always hear me singing this song Show me the way to go home Oh Show me the way to go home..."
Then, suddenly a second voice joined in, singing along.
"I'm tired and I want to go to bed I had a little drink about an hour ago And it went right to my head Where ever I may roam On land or sea or foam You will always hear me singing this song Show me the way to go home."
Kai turned, and saw a man standing their watching him. He had a scraggly beard, and rather unkept hair. On his arm he had an anchor tattoo, and his eyes were rather wild looking.
"Hey," the man said in a mild Australian accent. "M' names Joe Bates. I'm the ship's cap'n. Cap'n Joe Bates. Who're you? Its not often that any of my passengers know the words to such a... rapturous melody."
"I'm Kai," Kai said extending a hand.
Captain Bates grasped his arm, and pumped it up and down.
"Kai?" the captain said rather thoughtfully. "I ain't ever heard a name like that."
Kai smiled. "I've never met anyone who had the same name as me either."
Captain Bates grinned. "So, why are ya going to Australia?"
"I like to travel the world," Kai said.
"Aye," the captain replied. "I understand that feeling. I love to travel the world meself. Why do y' think I'm running a ferry? Cause I like to see the world. But I much prefer my old Joanna. She's the greatest ship in the whole world. I just run this here ferry as a back up job."
"What do you usually do?" Kai asked.
"Fishin," the man replied. "Yessir! I caught meself some hefty fish in my day. That's what I be doin as soon as I get rid o' this ferry. As soon as I'm back in Australia, then I be ditching this job for the rest of the year. I will be returning to the great ocean, to conquer all of its monsters. Joanna can handle them big sharkies. They got good meat. Say Kai, what're you plannin to do in Australia?"
Kai shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I'll try and become a hired hand at a goat farm out there."
"Well, if you would like, I'll let you be the crew on the Joanna. If you help me with my fishing, then I'll be happy to give you forty percent of the earnings."
"Sure," Kai said. "You'll have to teach me about fishing through, because I haven' ever fished in the ocean."
"Is really quite simple Kai," Captain Bates said. "But I'll teach ya so well you'll be landin big fishies."
"Alright," Kai said looking out over the deck with sadness in his eyes.
"Wassa matter?" Joe asked.
Kai sighed, and explained all about his love for Popuri and how he left her at the end of every summer.
"I know I love her," Kai said. "But I also love to travel. What will ever become of all this? I can't keep leaving her, but if I stayed with her on the island, I would miss traveling so much."
The Captain looked out to see thoughtfully.
"You're lucky you know," Kai gave Joe a weird look. "No no. Seriously Kai. I once had a girl that I loved as much as you love this Popuri. Of course, my business did get in the way of our relationship sometimes. Finally I married her, and stopped traveling the world, cause I knew that she was more important than me traveling. And let me tell you, the years I spent with her were all wonderful years. I never had any regrets about staying with her. Then, she got sick and died. And I'm all alone now. So now, I travel again. Piece of advice for ya. Your woman is more important than seeing the world. Enjoy all the time you can with her, 'cause you won't regret it. And you can always go on vacations too."
Captain Bates then stood up, and walked away while singing softly to himself.
"I've been around the world, a dozen times or more. I've seen the sights, and had delights on every foreign shore. But I won't be content until the day that I have found, the place I long to be. Give me a home among the gum trees. With lots of plum trees. A sheep or two a Kangaroo. A close line out the back. Veranda 'round the front, and an old rocking chair."
"Captain!" Kai shouted. "Wait!"
"What is it Kai?" Joe Bates said turning.
"What was the name of your wife?"
Much to Kai's surprise, Captain Bates' expression widened into a smile. "Joanna," Joe said. And with that, he walked away, leaving Kai to try and comprehend all of this.
Won lowered his blowgun as he saw Karen walk into the forest. He couldn't kill the home of one of the Spirits. Won then quietly jumped down from the roof, and ran off into the mountains. Karen hummed softly as she walked into the forest, carefully eying the beauty of nature. She tried to tell herself that all of this was the work of the Goddess, but the words fell flat in her throat. The Goddess reminded her of Darkfor, and Darkfor reminded her of the past. A past she had long since given up trying to forget.
"Oh away!" Captain Bates sang. "Away ye ships, oh away! Away from the grand shores of humanity! Sail to the land of Christianity! Sail away to Africa, sail away to Asia! Sail away! Sail away! Sail away! Oh away! Oh away! Away ye ships, oh away!" The captain finished, and took a flourishing bow.
Kai clapped and smiled at the Captain's song. "I wrote this song meself," he had said proudly. "Bravo," Kai said sarcastically. "Your a good singer. Right up there with Elvis." "Yeah," Joe Bates shouted. "Well, ma brother's best friend's uncle's friend used to listen to Elvis' music, so I musta inherited it from him." "You don't inherit traits from your brother's best friend's uncle's friend," Kai said as he laughed. "Oh whatever!" Captain Bates said. "At least I composed ma own song." Kai looked out over the railing at the approaching shores of Australia. "Gettin excited?" the captain asked. Kai nodded. "Australia is a wonderful place," the captain said looking out at the country. "We'll catch so much fish it'll boggle your mind matey!"
Getting bored of these current chapters yet? Well don't worry, cause next chapter will be much darker.
