"You're kidding..." said Fir.
"You're sure it was her?" asked Keo.
"With my own eye, I saw it!" said Zar. "Mint ran off with it, into the woods that way!"
He pointed at a trail of decaying grass that was slightly greener than the rest.
"See how the light restores what's in its proximity?" Zar continued. "Follow that trail and she'll surely be found!"
"Such a disappointment, too," said Hito. "Weren't you just telling me about how much potential she had?"
"I've been wrong before," said Zar. "But never like this..."
"It makes no sense," said Fir. "What would push her to do this?"
"She's with the howlers...she has to be! On the eve of potential invasion, she removes our best defense mechanism!"
"No! NO! That's ridiculous! She's one of us. What could howlers possibly offer her? Not get eaten for a month?"
"They can't even talk to us," Keo deadpanned.
"One thing is for certain: she cannot get away!" said Hito. "Find her and return the spirit tree's light as soon possible!"
"And when you find her, bring her to the woods," said Zar.
"The woods that used to be silent?" asked Keo.
"Yes, and be sure to bring her before you put the light back."
"What?!" said Hito. "Zar, are you insa-?!"
"The other's have already agreed!"
Hito stepped back in shock.
"You put it to a vote?...And they all said, 'yes'?"
"She needs to be made an example of, Hito! What she just did is unacceptable!"
Hito nodded in agreement after a moment, though his look of concern remained.
"Very well," he said soberly. "Fir, Keo, meet us at the woods once Mint has been apprehended."
"What about you?"
"We're going to calm the public. They'll trust Elders when they say they have spirits on the job! Now get to it!"
The two younger spirits saluted their Elders before all four ran their separate ways.
"What did Zar mean by Mint being, 'made an example of'?" asked Fir as they followed the trail.
"I don't know," Keo replied. "But I hope she'll learn how irresponsible this is!"
. . .
Mint scurried off alone through the decaying forest, carrying away the spirit tree's light.
Finally, she stopped at a clearing and set it down.
It must be destroyed... she thought as she pulled out her spirit arc. The cycle must end!
Slowly and uneasily, knowing the gravity of what she was attempting to do, she took aim at the small, glowing orb.
That's not going to work.
The young spirit froze, moving only her eyes and head.
"Who said that?" she asked into the ether.
The glowing orb in front of you.
She whipped her head back towards the light.
"You can talk?!"
Telepathically, but yes. My name is Seir.
Mint dissolved her bow and arrow, but wasn't sure what to do next.
Breathe.
She took a deep breath, albeit one of frustration considering it had to tell her to do so. Regardless, this was her chance to get some answers.
"Why do you exist?" she asked finally.
You mean, why do we exist? We exist to protect nature and all its inhabitants.
"No! Don't throw that crap at me!" she shouted back. "I've seen the meadow beyond!"
She pointed an accusatory finger at Seir.
"The world doesn't need you!"
But you need me.
Mint's fierce look instantly fell to one of confusion and dread.
"What?" she said, sinking to her knees in front of the light.
You and your kind only exist because of us. Without us, you wouldn't be able to survive.
"Us? There are more of you?"
Indeed. We scatter the globe, and without the expedited growth that we provide in symbiosis with our own creation, that being you, all guardian spirits would perish.
"Expedited growth? So, you admit it! The planet can grow without you!"
But you miss the point: even in that world, your kind would go extinct! It is too slow for your biology!
"Well, maybe this isn't about us! Maybe this is about you being selfish! Stop pretending this about the planet, you just care about yourself!"
She pulled out her spirit arc and fired three arrows into Seir, point-blank. All of them bounced off harmlessly.
I told you it wouldn't work.
Mint dissolved her weapon and screamed through her teeth in frustration.
I am not your enemy, Mint.
"How do you know my name?!" she said as she grabbed the orb in anger.
Suddenly, the young guardian spirit was zapped by a burst of energy from Seir. It knocked her onto her back, leaving her dizzy in the low-lying ferns.
She felt a rush of emotions and heard dozens of voices in her head, then silence.
"What did you just do?" she said wearily as she stood back up.
It was oddly difficult to find her balance. With a paw on her head, she turned back to Seir.
"What did you do to me?!"
I gave you his memories.
Mint's eyes widened. She could only be talking about one person.
"Dad?...Dad's memories?!"
Yes, and they will be able to explain more than I can in the limited time we have left.
"What do you mean? We have all day!"
Not when those two arrive.
The spirit stole a look behind her. She could hear nothing, but Seir could sense it.
Fir and Keo, they were coming for her!
"No," she said, turning back to the spirit light.
You will gain his powers when the need arises, and see specific memories when the situation is right.
The forest still rotating around her, Mint stumbled onto all fours.
"Why?!" she growled.
All will be explained in due time, Mint. Just be patient and listen...
Before she could say another word, two spirits burst into the clearing behind her.
"Mint! Stop right there!"
She looked back to see Fir pointing his spirit arc directly at her.
"Step away from the light!" he ordered. "Nice and easy."
Mint obediently raised her paws and sidestepped away from the glowing orb.
"On your knees," he said once she was far enough away.
"Fir, you have to understand-" Mint started as she lowered herself.
"Shut up! I don't wanna hear a word!"
He began to approach her as Keo went to inspect the spirit tree's light.
"Just let me explain!"
"There's nothing to explain."
Without warning, Fir dissolved his spirit arc and socked her across the cheek!
"Gaah!" Mint squealed in surprise. If the forest had been spinning before, now it was tumbling!
Fir then quickly snatched one of her arms and pinned her flat onto her stomach.
"Ow! AAAOW! Fir! STOP! PLEAHESE!" she yelped into the dirt as he twisted her arm behind her.
"Why should I?!" he yelled back into her ear. "You stole our source of power and caused a panic, right as howlers were at our doorstep!...You're a damn traitor, Mint!"
On the word "doorstep", he kneed her in the abdomen, causing her to squeal in agony as she instantly lost her breath.
While she was disoriented, he tore loose a nearby vine and tied her paws together behind her back.
She struggled and fought against her new restraints as Fir lifted her to her hooves. As he held onto her, he forced her towards their older brother.
"Keo, please!" she wheezed. "Please! I can explai-uck!"
Keo snatched her throat and lower jaw, interrupting her. He stared into her eyes with anger and disappointment.
"Save it for the elders," he said coldly.
Mint's heart sank and her ears drooped down even more than usual; Keo was always one to listen, but now even he refused!
He then ripped his paw away, allowing Mint a few pained breaths.
"We're done here," he said. "Gag her, then grab the spirit light. I'll walk her to the woods."
"You got it!" said Fir with a quick salute, proceeding to unceremoniously shove Mint back to her knees.
She was now as terrified as when she was jumped by the howlers.
"No! NO! They won't listen!" she cried desperately. "The won't-mmh!"
Fir had grabbed another vine and tied it around her mouth, as ordered, impeding her speech and muffling her voice. She gave one final screech of frustration from underneath it.
As Fir picked Seir up, Keo turned around to see Mint looking up at him with the most sorrowful look he'd ever seen.
It pained his heart to see her in such a pitiful state.
He wrenched her up nonetheless, summoning a spirit spike and pushing her by its tip towards the once-silent woods.
. . .
The trio's long and arduous hike ended upon their arrival to the woods, where a crowd of spirit guardians had gathered.
In front of all of them were four of the elders, and in front of them was Zar.
He snapped his fingers and pointed authoritatively at a spot on the ground in front of him, indicating to Keo to bring Mint over to him.
With a barely audible squeak, she was knocked flat onto her stomach just in front of the one-eyed spirit.
"Get up," he said gruffly.
Slowly, she got her knees under her; it wasn't the easiest task considering she couldn't use her arms.
Just as she raised her upper body, Zar snatched her face and forced her to look him in the eye.
"You had everything, Mint," he said. "You had everything, and you threw it all away!"
She squeaked again as he gripped her neck tightly with the same paw.
"You were born among the most intelligent and powerful creatures in the forest!" he continued. "You were lucky…"
Were?!
He released her throat, but then grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up, displaying her to the crowd.
"The spirit tree's light is the sacred lifeblood of our people and the forest!" he said to the crowd. "Turning against it, means you turn against us!"
The other four elders parted the crowd, revealing a lake of bubbling, grey fluid. Mint's heart once again sank to the pit of her stomach.
She'd heard stories about how the water in these woods was once a steaming-hot soup, one that would pull you in, drowning and melting you at the same time!
She whipped her head around to look at Keo, her eyes wide and pleading.
To her shock, both he and Fir held confused looks: they weren't expecting this.
"This water, pure just a few hours ago, is now the putrid, bubbling cesspool that you see before you," said Zar, dragging Mint towards the edge.
Pushing against the dirt with her legs, the tied-up spirit released desperate and muffled pleas from under her gag.
"Mint now gets to perish in her own creation!"
...To Be Continued...