Theo: And here we go with the first chapter!
Silas: Featuring me!
Thimba: Hey! Can I be a muse?
Me: No. Sorry, but three is enough.
Joe: Hey Silas, shouldn't you be sorting reviews?
Silas: Yep. We got two reviews for the last chapter. Both spiringfairy and krystalmaze think it could have been longer.
Theo: By the way Joe, did you ever get a job?
Joe: Na. I'm just going to refuse to move.
Me: Anyway, on with the story.
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"There! In those bushes!" I turned, looking for the revealing flash of gold. My eyes locked on to it. I slid from a sitting position on the branch and landed lightly on the ground. I grinned over at his friend, Thimba. We had been out for almost an hour, tracking this lion. Suddenly, I heard a twig crack behind him. Of course! The lions pack! I spun around, and raised my spear as something came out of the trees. Or rather, through the trees. I gasped. It was massive, and a dull grey – almost looking like it was made of stone. A red glow came from its eyes.
"Silas!" Someone shouted my name. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Daemyn run out from behind me. He threw his spear, its point sharp. It hit its mark perfectly, straight into the creature's eye. Blood poured, forming almost a pool on the ground. But then it moved, mutating into a new creature, blood red in colour. It opened its mouth, revealing sharp teeth. Wings sprang up from behind its back. I was frozen in terror. The beast removed the spear from its eye and hurled it back at Daemyn. The boy tried to run, but the spear shot through him, embedding itself in a tree. He sank to his knees and fell forward. Dead. The red creature seemed delighted, and flew forward. It reached Daemyn's side. It opened its mouth. And it devoured him.
I turned and ran, the sounds of flesh tearing growing fainter behind me. I remember nothing more for that time, just running. Running, trying to outrun the memory.
After a very long time, I stopped, out of breath. I heard a rustling, and Thimba ran into the clearing.
"Wha… what was that?" he gasped. I shrugged. Then we both turned. I heard a sound. A regular thump, like a heartbeat. Then a screech. The screech I heard as I ran away. The screech of the creature. Almost instantly, it flew overhead, a red dot in the blue sky. The thump grew louder, and a tree came crashing down. I jumped back, and it landed where I had stood a second ago. The beast had arrived. It walked slowly towards us, its huge mouth creased into a smile. I stepped back, tripping over a branch. It stood over me. Raised its hand…
A shout came from behind it. I rolled over before it remembered me and saw Manas, the leader of a local tribe, standing there. He shouted again and three other's walked out from behind him, other tribe leaders. Kasim. Nalina. Brisa. None of them were armed. The beast stood, watching them. But the red creature swooped down, screeching. Claws ready to rip them apart.
Manas moved suddenly, jumping to the right. The creature flew past. He raised a hand, palm facing up, and a rock rose out of the ground. The creature crumpled and hit the ground. Then Kasim turned. He raised a hand too, and it glowed bright. Like fire. No, not like fire – his hand was on fire! I scrambled to my feet, ready to help. He drew his hand forward, as through throwing a rock. A ball of fire flew forward, and hit the creature. It began to burn, and screeched. Tried to stand. Tried to fly. And gradually, as it flapped into the sky, it exploded. Blood rained down on us.
The beast finally moved, but Nalina and Brisa stood between it and me. Nalina raised her hand, and I was not too surprised when a stream of water broke through the earth, sending the beast into the sky. Brisa moved a hand, a sweeping motion from left to right, then back again, and gusts of wind, following her pattern, smashed the beast to pieces. The water stopped and a small red object fell to the ground, shattering as it connected.
"The brain is destroyed then," said Manas, looking at the remains, slowly fading. He walked over to me in a few strides, and helped me to my feet. "Are you okay?" I looked at myself. I was covered in dust, and my feet were wet from the chase, but apart from that…
"I'm fine."
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Me: That's Chapter 1 then.
Theo: We have six new hero's...
Silas: ...two villains...
Joe: ...and an absence of the greatest character ever - me.
Me: So R&R please.
