Another one bites the dust!
Chapter 8 is finally done!
I've been writing on it on and off. Had a couple of rough days, well weeks… Not only has work been busy, but I didn't pass my masters which was a bummer… Well, not that I want to bore you with my private life or make excuses that I didn't post anything for quite some time, but still… yeah… sucks…
As Lesley Gore sang it; "It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to!"
More changes, and Hari learns a bit more about the world than he might have wanted to. It was fun to stay in but to go a bit out on my own.
I'm happy that you're still reading and I hope you'll like this chapter.
May your escape bring you what you hope for.
Chapter 8
"How do I get myself into these situations…" Hari mumbled to himself.
He was hovering above a giant forest that spread out as far as the eye could see, the horisont covered in fog.
He had no idea where he was but one thing he knew was that… no scratch that. He didn't know anything at the moment.
Wait! He knew one thing though, how he got there.
They had been flying and saw a huge area that was burned. There they met this guy who wanted Aang's help with this spirit monster, hey-jude, or something like that. Aparently it was terrorizing the village and had taken some people. They agreed to help since Aang was the bridge between worlds. As long as it didn't involve marblewhite trainstations Hari was fine with it. So they decided to help and… Well, it didn't go that well, since Aang didn't know what to do. Not his fault, he never learned how but Hari and Sokka had gone out to help. Hari had seen the monster reaching out for Sokka and pushed him away, and didn't you know? He got taken by the monster instead. It had happened so fast he hadn't had time to react and POOF! The next thing he knows is that he is waking up in a very dense, jungle-like forest, lots of bamboo for some reason with no-one around. Not wanting to be stuck on the forest floor he flew up through the treetops and saw the forest stretch way out into the horisont.
It was a weird place. It was eerily quiet, felt off and how did he get here in the first place? Well, not how he got there, that he knew, goodday-goodbye brought him here but how… ARHG! Where he was! He had no idea where he was.
He hadn't seen any animals either and in a forest this big, that's just strange. Especially so since he felt like there was something, but he couldn't see it. Maybe the animals were hiding from the spirit monster too!
He slowly turned 360 degrees on the spot to get a better look at his surroundings. Trees, trees, trees, mountains, trees, tre-wait?! He spun and looked intensely at the faded outline of mountains in the horisont.
If he flew towards the mountains he might be able to spot something from there, and it would be easier to keep a certain direction while still scanning the forest. Sounded like a plan, he thought to himself.
He started flying towards the mountains, while once in a while taking an unworthwhile dip into the forest below. No animals, no people, no nothing.
The mountains were coming closer but the sun was also setting. He made the decision to camp in the forest. As Hari descended into the forest he didn't notice the big red dragon shooting up into the sky from the spot where he first woke up.
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Back with Aang and the gang, Aang has just given an acorn to the raging spirit Hei Bai, who picks up the acorn, reverts back into its original giant panda form and walks back into the forest. As it disappears, bamboo sprouts from the ground and out of the small bamboo forest, the missing villagers walk out.
Their families ran to meet them, holding them close, crying out of relief. There was joy around, except for three.
"Where's Hari?" Sokka asked, "Anybody see him?"
Aang and Katara were looking around but they couldn't see him.
"Has anybody seen Hari?" Sokka said a bit louder, getting people's attention.
"I don't remember anything after I was taken," one of the former missing villagers said.
"I remember being grabbed and I remember walking out of the forest," another one added, getting nods from the others.
"But where is he?" Katara thought out loud.
"I don't know but that's not the only problem."
"What is it?" Sokka asked.
"I need to talk to Roku and I think I found a way to contact his spirit." Aang said looking at the siblings.
"That's kinda creepy, but great." Sokka said.
"There's a temple on a crescent-shaped island and if I go there on the solstice, I'll be able to speak with him."
"But the solstice is tomorrow!" Katara gasped.
"Yeah, and there's one more problem." Aang said, shuffling his feet, "The island is in the Fire Nation."
"What?!" Came from both the siblings.
"But Hari's still missing!" Katara said, looking into the forest at the edge of the village. "We can't just leave him behind!"
A voice brought them back. "Thank you, Avatar. If only there were a way to repay you for what you've done."
They turned around and saw the village chief walking towards them with the old man that brought them to the village.
Aang looked at Katara who was lost in thought and then Sokka who looked at him and then nodded.
"We need your help. We have to leave for Crescent Island before the solstice but we can't leave Hari behind!" Aang looked at the village chief. For the first time in a long time they felt like children. They've gotten accustomed to having Hari around, taking the role of a parental figure that they felt lost now he wasn't there.
"Maybe one of us should stay." Katara said.
"And then what? How do we meet up again?" Sokka asked her.
"I don't know!" She said, frustration filling her voice. "I don't know but we can't just leave him!"
"We don't even know where he is!" Sokka pushed, "He's gone right now! Who knows, maybe Hei Bai took him and brought him back to his own world?"
"Don't say that!" She cried out.
"Maybe," Aang cut in, getting their attention, "you two should stay here. It's the Fire Nation we're talking about. You two could stay here and fry to find Hari while I go and meet Roku."
… silence …
They were looking down at their feet. They didn't have any answers to what to do.
"Maybe we can help." The village chief said.
Our three friends look at him with big eyes and trembling mouths and faces full of uncertainty.
"Avatar, you'll need your friends on your journey. It's never a good idea to travel alone. We'll help you with food and whatever else we can provide for your journey and we'll keep an eye out, all of us will, for when your friend turns up again."
Aang and company nodded sadly. They knew they didn't have a choice but the guilt they were feeling was welling up inside. They knew that Hari would never leave any of them behind but they were running out of time and this was important avatar business. But a small doubt was planted inside. What if he had been returned to his old home? What if they never saw him again? The other villagers had been returned but not him. They had to be realistic and move forward and like the village chief said; they'd keep watch and Hari knew that they were on their way to the north pole.
… but still …
"I got it!"
Everyone jumped at the shout and turned to look at the Sokka, being the one who shouted.
"It's not up to us at all! It's up to the one who has known Hari the longest!"
Katara looked at her brother. "Who are you talking abo-"
"Momo! What should we do?!" Sokka spun on his heels, pointing at Momo who was sitting on the ground next to them.
Noone said anything and all eyes were on Momo. Now whether it was from confusion, surprise or, like Sokka, waiting for an answer, who knows.
Momo, being the center of attention, looked around, chittered and went up on Appa's head.
"And that's our answer. Momo doesn't think we should wait but go immediately, so let's go!" Sokka threw his fist in the air.
"I guess Momo has spoken?" Aang said. It might be silly but somehow it made it easier.
Katara was shaking her head. It was childish, that's what it was but it was a hard decision. She didn't want to admit it but it was a relief not having to make the choice and let the choice be made. She walked over to Aang and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Let's start packing. We better go as soon as we can so we won't be late." She said
It didn't take long for them to prepare with the help from the villagers. They waved their goodbyes and with a slightly somber "yip yip", they were off.
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Back in the unknown forest, Hari had set up camp. He had made a rickety cover from branches and leaves he found on the forest floor. It was just tall enough to lay under but it was enough for a night. He also made a circle of stones and removed some of the ground in the middle for a bonfire, until he realized that he had no means to make a fire. Great.
So now he sat in a dark forest in Merlin knows where. He picked up one of the smaller branches and swung it around using airbending to create small gusts from his swings.
It wasn't often but sometimes he missed magic. Thinking back on being on the run he remembered Hermione and the spells she made him memorize…
Huh, even after all these years could he still remember the spells?
He went over to the edge of the campsite. He closed his eyes and lifted his hands, one still holding the branch, like a conductor at an orchestra.
"Prote-" his eyes shot open! He felt something, like a buzzing in his chest up through his arm and into the branch. He stared at it, like it would give him answers. Did he really feel something or was he just imagining it?
Hari took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He started to move the stick at a snail's pace while ever slowly enunciating the words.
"Protego~" there, the feeling was there. It was like a hum "totalum, salvio~" he opened his eyes and saw something he never thought he would see again, the wave of magic filling the air before him like an invisible blanket "hexia, Repello Muggletum, Muffliato, Cave inimicum".
His body was on autopilot as he went around his campsite, reciting the words over and over. He was moving but his eyes and thoughts were captivated by what he was doing. It was magic, it was!
When he was done he stood still, still with his hands held up, looking at the light being bent by the magical dome that surrounded him. He couldn't believe it. Why did it work now? Why here? He looked at the branch in his hand. Was the branch the course or was it something else?
He turned around to his bonfire, well more like a bon since there was no fire. "Incendio", done.
He sat down and looked into the fire, twirling the stick between his fingers. Why now and why here? So many questions. In a way he was happy, but it had taken time getting used not to and it had helped him put his past behind him. On the other hand, a small part of him wanted to throw the stick into the flames and be done with it, never thinking about it again.
He felt heavier than he had in a long time.
He turned his head upwards and looked through the trees into the sky above. It had gotten dark now and a couple of stars could be seen but in this eerie forest there still was no sound. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and focused again on the fire in front of him. "Where am I?" He asked himself. "Am I back after all this time?"
As he was sitting there he noticed a sound. It started small but got louder, as if something got closer. If it hadn't been so quiet he didn't know if he would have heard it, but it was there. He felt a shiver down his back. With the magic, the dense forest and now this sound he felt like he was back in the forbidden forest, because the sound… the sound was like the scurrying of acromantulas.
He quickly put out the fire and went under his small cover and peered out into the darkness, trying to catch a glimpse of what was out there.
The sound was still getting closer. In a moment it would be here but as it was supposed to be right on top of him, it stopped.
"Hmm… a part of the forest is missing… small… but still… gone… how interesting…"
The voice was menacing, deep, but playful in the same way as a cat plays with a mouse. Whatever was talking was dangerous.
Then he saw it at the edge of his camp.
It looked like a centipede but its size brought Aragog to shame. If this was what the voice belonged to, maybe he had returned since magical creatures such as Aragog could speak, but with a voice often came an intellect. Not always *cough* Crab & Goyle *cough cough*, but with creatures like this, more than often.
It was moving back and forth, higher and lower while speaking to itself.
"It should be here, but it isn't, how wexing, how wexing. In all age I have never seen a part disappear like this."
Then it stopped, its giant body turned towards the warded area.
"Found you…"
Closer to the enchanted camp border it moved, swaying slightly as the charms tried to ward it off, until it stopped.
He hadn't seen any at first but now he saw a face. It was a white face with gray eye markings and red lips curled into a sadistic smile that slowly turned to a frown.
"Who are you to claim a part of this forest. What kind of spirit are you for me to never have met you. Who are you."
It didn't feel like questions, more like demands. You could hear the punctuations. Whatever this was, it was not just a simple creature, but it was highly intelligent and highly dangerous. Hari was getting worried that it would be able to break through the carms like a knife through paper. He got the feeling that it was ancient and that it didn't demand but deserved respect and unfortunately to ignore its demands would be disrespectful. Thank you Hagrid and Buckbeak. Well, his instincts got him this far in life, so why not trust it a little bit more.
Hari crawled out from his cover, undid the charms blocking the sound, but kept everything else up. He might respect it enough to answer but he wasn't stupid enough to trust it, thank you very much Aragog. He went closer and stopped about two meters away. The creature turned towards the sound of his footsteps and Hari felt like it was staring at him, even though he knew it couldn't be possible, but then again, who knows with magical creatures.
"Hello. I'm Hari. I have not claimed a part of the forest, but since I'm wandering through I'm borrowing this part for a single night. If this is your forest I sincerely apologize for my actions but I humbly ask for you to let me be for this one night." Hari tried his best to keep his tone respectful and honest.
"Hm… polite words but impolite actions. When asking for permission to stay, don't you know that it's polite to greet your host properly." It said. It's face was now bearing a smile that felt sadistic. The creature was moving around as it spoke. There was truly something unnerving about it. Why did it want him to show himself?
He took a breath. This was a bit of a shot but he hoped it would give him some needed answers. "I do apologize if my actions seem impolite which saddens me for the questions I'm about to ask. Would it be too discourteous to ask for your name?"
Only silence followed Haris question. The creature in front of him was completely still, but then it looked like it started to shake. It was only a little at first, but then the shaking turned into a full blown laughter.
The creature was laughing!
Hari stayed quiet. Normally he would be quick to make a remark, something like maybe it's name was funny or if laughing was its name, but he kept his mouth shut.
After a while the creature calmed down.
"Ah, so refreshing… Someone who doesn't know me, my name, my legacy or my history. I have a name which I left behind when I chose… Well, it's ancient history, even by our standards, but you may call me by my own chosen name. You may call me Koh."
It was silent again, but it was a different silence. Its face was expressionless. It felt like a test, like Koh was waiting for something, a reaction to his name.
Well, here goes nothing but honesty, Hari thought.
"It's an honor to meet you Koh. Would it be possible for me to borrow this small part of the forest for a night? I will leave it in a shape as close as I can in the condition I borrowed it in."
As Hari waited for an answer Kohs face twisted into a smile, an honest but intense smile that gave Hari goosebumps. It seemed that Koh was pleased with the answer. Hari had the feeling that whatever Koh was, it was something neither good or evil, it simply was. Like a shark but with high intelligence. He had a feeling that keeping himself a mystery helped a lot by keeping Koh curious.
Koh tilted his head. "Yes, Hari the Wanderer, you may stay for the night. I'm no owner of any domain of the spirit world, even though there's a place I call my home. If you ever have the time, do come visit me there, young one…" In a split second Koh was face to face with Hari, even though it still was outside the charm border, "I find you most interesting and I would love to have a face… …to go with my new acquaintance…"
"Thank you." Haru said with as much honesty as he could muster.
Koh turned around, "I'm sure we'll meet again…", and disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
It took a while before Hari moved. The first thing he realized was that he had been clutching his stick hard enough for it to bruise the inside of his hand.
He took a couple of steps backwards before turning around and going over to his cover. He threw a bit more wood on the fire before he crawled inside. He didn't feel sleepy now, but he tried to calm himself by telling himself that it seemed like the enchantments were holding, even up to creatures such as Koh. Koh was the first creature he had met in this world who could speak… this world… As Hari looked into the flames he pondered over Kohs words.
A small smile graced Haris face. He knew where he was. He hadn't been brought back. He had been pulled into the spirit world.
"Well," He told himself as he tried to get more comfortable, "I guess all I have to do is find a way back." He looked up into the starry sky above. "Tomorrow is gonna be an interesting day."
