A/N A huge THANK YOU to everyone who read, followed, favourited and especially reviewed so far. Hope you enjoy the second chapter!

SILENCING NATURE

Chapter 2 - A Sacred Place

Helga was starting to panic, rapidly becoming overwhelmed by the incredible, sudden situation. Even her most eccentric dreams had never approached this reality; an entire city of people (many of whom were wearing headgear that resembled her Arnold shrine) were bowing and chanting her name, including the king and queen, and the young princess that had ruled in their stead. Those that met her eye wore a look of awe and wonder; the gratitude they had already expressed to the girl for her heroic actions came nowhere close.

She was desperate for clarity, but Miles, Stella and Eduardo were distracted, deeply involved in a heated discussion with Tiukwí in the Green Eye's native tongue. Arnold's parents were waving their hands in confusion, sharing frequent, shocked glances, and Eduardo stood with his hat clutched tightly in his hands, his mouth agape at whatever he was hearing. Only Tiukwí was wearing a look of happiness, his bright eyes actually filling with joyful tears as he spoke. Helga wasn't sure when her hand had found its way into Arnold's, backed-up as she was against his throne, but she instinctively clutched it tightly, though her palms were beginning to sweat. In any other situation she may have shaken off his grip, while suppressing a girlish sigh, but she could barely process her own thoughts. Her head was starting to ache. Helga G. Pataki was far from used to being the centre of so much attention, least of all positive attention such as this.

At least, she hoped it was positive.

What little Helga had seen of the Green Eyes so far would seem to suggest so. After all, they had been nothing but friendly to Arnold, if a little enthusiastic in their praise for the football-headed boy. Regardless, the more 'glass half-empty' corners of her mind quickly started to conjure up images of human sacrifice; the volcano which loomed on the horizon was starting to look a lot more imposing. She also remembered Lasombra's treatment at the hands of the Green-Eyed children; those kids had knives, and were not afraid to use them!

"Don't be scared, Helga." Her head shot round on hearing Arnold's soft voice at her shoulder. It was comforting. The look of deep concern on his face, however, was not. "Whatever's going on here, it's probably just a little misunderstanding..." Helga gave the boy a slanted look; it was more than apparent that he hadn't even convinced himself with that one. At least his words brought her back to reality enough to pull her hand away (old habits die hard, after all) to be placed on her hips. Her trademark scowl was quickly in place.

"Do you see the entire flippin' civilisation bowing at my feet here, Football Head?! Calling this a 'little misunderstanding' is like saying Curly's a little in need of psychiatric help!" Arnold couldn't find it in himself to deny the truth behind Helga's seething comment. Like her, he was just desperately wishing that his parents, Tiukwí, or anybody could shed some light on this turn of events. Seeing the fear behind the frustration in Helga's eyes, he was struck by the urge to hold her. That was new. He had hugged her in the past, several times in fact, but they had been spur-of-the-moment and fuelled by gratitude on his part. He had been reprimanded each time. Never before had he felt the need to hug her to offer comfort. Then again, how often did Helga allow herself to seem vulnerable? In any case, he wondered whether she'd at least let him hold her hand again. He wasn't sure how his hand had found hers, but it had felt... good.

"Arnold's probably right," Gerald offered support, "I mean, let's face it Pataki; if you're a 'spirit of peace', or whatever, then I'm Ronnie Matthews..."

"You know, the grave is plenty peaceful, Tall Hair Boy – want Ol' Betsy to show you the way?" Helga quickly retorted, waving her fist menacingly in the boy's direction, before turning to the nearby adults, her patience at an end. "HEY! Does someone want to explain to us what's going on here?"

Somehow, her brash words seemed to make Tiukwí even happier as he finally addressed her once more. He came closer, though he kept a respectful (and hopefully safe) distance. With a motion of his hand, the remaining Green Eyes ceased chanting. "You. You know him?" Tiukwí gestured in Arnold's direction.

"Nooo, we were both strolling through the uncharted jungle and happened to bump into each other." Helga briefly deadpanned. "Of course I know him, I've known him since preschool." Tiukwí closed his eyes and nodded on hearing this, not seeming the least bit surprised.

"Balance. Balance in all things." He muttered quietly to himself, barely loud enough for the children to hear. "You must both come with me. Please." With his staff, now once again clasped in his bony hand, he gestured in the direction of the city's centre, his free hand rapidly beckoning. Arnold and Helga shared a look of worry; neither were eager to comply.

"Arnold, it's ok," Stella approached, her hands clasped at her waist. "Tiukwí has something that... well... you both really ought to see."

"It's nothing dangerous, we promise." Miles added, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"What do you think, Helga?" Arnold met Helga's eye. She could see the desire growing in him to follow the old man – Arnold always had been bold – but his tone made it clear that he would go nowhere without her.

"I think... that I want some answers. And I'm pretty sure we can take Methuselah here if he tries anything funny." She cast Tiukwí, who was waiting patiently, a sideways glance. "Let's do it."

With a nod, Arnold hopped down from the throne, and the group began to slowly follow in Tiukwí's hobbling footsteps. They heard the feast resume behind them, though the conversation became hushed and serious and the dancing had come to a halt; both Arnold and Helga felt burdened by the tension now hanging in the air, though Tiukwí seemed to radiate eagerness. The boy and girl walked side by side, their hands occasionally brushing, though neither was in a frame of mind to pay much thought to the fleeting contact. They approached the colossal steps leading up to the altar, and to the grand machine that had dispensed the cure, and all three children prepared to ascend. But, to their surprise, Tiukwí halted at the base of the stairs, revealing an almost-imperceptible alcove carved into their side. The light of the fires failed to reach the secluded corner, and the group were bathed in flickering shadows.

"Arnold, come here please." Tiukwí reached for the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder when he complied. Arnold shuddered lightly at the touch, every one of his nerves feeling on edge. "You have the key. Our symbol." After a moment, the boy understood. He swore he could hear his own heart pounding as he fumbled with the string around his neck, quickly producing the small, stone artefact. It was identical to the one given, and then snatched away, by Lasombra. A gift from around the neck of the Green-Eyed king himself, gratefully received. Losing the first amulet had pained Arnold almost as much as losing the Corazón, and now it seemed the relic was also something more. Almost instantly, the object radiated a bright green glow. He heard his parents gasp at the sight, and saw their hands travel to the similar symbols now hanging around their own necks.

"The amulet was gifted to me by the Green-Eyed People. A symbol of their trust in me, I thought." Eduardo quietly murmured at the outskirts of the group, his face seeming mesmerised by the glow, or perhaps lost in memory. "It allowed Stella, Miles and I to decipher their messages to the outside world. Lasombra stole it from me. But I never saw it shine in this way."

Tiukwí, however, simply clasped his hands and grinned, as if the sight served to further validate his faith. Arnold was familiar enough with the strange amulets now to guess the next step; raising it to his eye, he quickly saw a spot illuminated on the alcove, matching the symbol in shape and size. With a further nod from Tiukwí, he pressed the shining trinket into the small nook.

THUD

Arnold jumped back at the almost-instantaneous sound, the symbol losing its glow as it fell back around his neck. Further thumping, grinding noises came from the strange alcove; the sound of an ancient mechanism coming to life for the first time in decades. Stone grated against stone as a section of the wall slowly began to rise, revealing an almost pitch black tunnel and a steep, narrow set of steps that led into the darkness below the city. The children shivered as cold air burst forth from the new doorway.

"From here, I can take only Arnold and Helga with me. The rest of you must remain." Tiukwí quickly saw the despondent looks on the faces of Miles, Stella and Eduardo. "I am sorry, my friends, but you know that this is a most sacred place to us. None but my family and other guides before us have passed this way in centuries; this path has been closed since I was a small child."

"Wait, you mean I can't go either?" Gerald cut in, his shoulders sagging in a strange mixture of disappointment and relief. Tiukwí offered him a sad smile, shaking his head, leading the boy to crossly fold his arms. "Mmm mmm mmm, I really never get to be the chosen one... chosen ones?" He shook his own head before turning to his best friend. "You sure you're sure about this, man? I'm getting a major ghost train vibe from this whole thing."

"I'm sure, Gerald. I'm still not sure I believe any of this, but I need to know." Arnold gave a resolute nod.

"Well, like I always say, you're a bold kid." He offered Arnold one of their signature handshakes before looking towards Helga. "You too Pataki. If you see any ghosts, run the other way!" Helga smirked at the friendly gesture, concealing her own nerves.

"Wow, thanks. If I wind up dying down there, just remember; hurt Phoebe, and it'll be my ghost you'll need to look out for."

During this exchange, Miles and Stella had knelt down to place comforting hands on their son's shoulders, both smiling proudly. "There's really nothing to be afraid of," Miles began, "you're about to see something I'd give my right leg to see! Learn everything you can, ok?" As Arnold nodded, Miles' words brought home the fact that he was truly face-to-face with his father, the anthropologist. He'd been dreaming of this his entire life.

"You'll both be here waiting, right?" As he embraced his parents, he felt reluctant to let them out of his sight.

"We'll be right here, and wide awake. We love you." Apparently his mother shared his sentiment; she held him as though she never wanted to let him go.

Eventually, though, the small family separated. With a final look of agreement, Arnold and Helga followed in Tiukwí's wake, stepping into the dark, claustrophobic confines of the tunnel. Their pace was slow, Tiukwí's old bones creaking with each careful step, and Arnold instinctively took the Green Eyes' symbol into his hand once more to shine a dim light on their surroundings. The sound of their own nervous breaths echoed off the narrow walls, accompanied by the rhythmic tapping of Tiukwí's staff on the cold stone floor. Helga, bringing up the rear, had been contemplating taking Arnold's free hand in her own as they reached the base of the stairs, before both children cried out at an, enormous, resonating boom. The door above had swung shut.

They fought to regain composure from the sudden shock, both blushing when they became aware of their new position; Helga had instinctively leapt into Arnold's arms in fright, and Arnold had instinctively caught her. He gulped, bracing himself for the scathing 'who said you could touch me?' that usually came from these events. But the words didn't come. Instead, he found Helga staring at him, silently transfixed save for her still heavy breaths. Her wide, blue eyes reflected the green half-light, giving them an almost ethereal shine, and the pink tinge to her cheeks was barely visible in the dim glow. Arnold found himself wondering how Helga could be so strong, but still be so light. She felt somehow weightless in his arms. Their faces were close...

"You can probably put me down now." Helga's voice was soft, quiet, and tinged with regret, but Arnold wordlessly complied, setting her carefully on the ground. Their blushes deepened as they turned to see Tiukwí waiting for them, beaming. Nothing more was said as they resumed their pursuit, but their hands remained tightly connected. They did not have to walk far. The short passage opened into a wide, circular chamber, and both suspected they were directly below the city's central altar. In the middle of the room, Tiukwí stood beside a tall, stone plinth, just slightly below Arnold's height. He rested with both hands on his staff as they approached.

"I know that you are both confused. Perhaps I can ease that confusion now. The key must be placed here." He gestured to another small groove, this one located at the top of the plinth. Now closer, Arnold and Helga could see that the stone was etched with lines and carvings which travelled all the way to its base. As Arnold stepped forward, however, Tiukwí held up a hand. "Let Helga present the key."

Helga's brow furrowed on hearing this. "Do you need it to be all glowy? 'Cause it only does that for Arnold."

"Are you sure?" Even in the darkness, Tiukwí's eyes seemed to glint. Helga opened her mouth to retort in the affirmative, but found herself pausing to think. She had held the symbol, helped Arnold decipher the journal, but the two of them had practically been cheek-to-cheek. She had simply assumed... With a hesitant hand, she reached out and took the amulet from Arnold's outstretched palm. As she lifted it away, breaking the contact, she gulped as the glow remained. It was as bright as ever. Tiukwí looked both excited and slightly smug. "Are you beginning to understand?"

"Am I... like Arnold?" Helga managed to voice the question screaming in her mind, though Arnold's jaw had dropped in amazement.

"Place the key here, and I will show you." Tiukwí persisted. Still feeling hypnotised by this new occurrence, Helga slowly stepped forward, taking a deep breath as she set the symbol firmly in the small notch, just as Arnold had done to open the ancient door. The reaction was immediate. In an instant, the green light intensified, dazzling the children's eyes, accustomed as they had become to the darkness. As Helga stepped back, she watched as the light darted and flowed like a bolt of electricity along the myriad veins of the plinth. And it didn't stop there. The children stood side by side, holding their breaths, as the beams of light scattered and spread throughout the chamber in a network of interconnected channels and whorls, moving from the floor to the walls, and eventually to the ceiling, filling the entire room with a startlingly beautiful luminescence. As their eyes fell upon the now-illuminated walls, they realised that the etchings formed pictures, the styles similar to the murals up above, but clearly far older, scored as they were into the stone. As they watched in silent awe, they failed to notice Tiukwí lowering his head in quiet reverence.

"My people have been here for a very long time." Arnold and Helga jolted as Tiukwí finally began to speak. "These walls tell our history. The history of this land." He moved to the wall closest to the stairway, gently tracing the lines with his wizened fingers. The image here was without pattern, the lines twisting, writhing and bending in a formless tangle. Somehow, looking at it made Arnold and Helga's eyes hurt.

"In the beginning, this land was chaos. No balance. No life. Only wild, untamed energy and formless spirits. Then, she came." The next image showed the same discord, though it now surrounded the shape of statuesque woman in a flowing dress. Her arms were outstretched at her sides, as if reaching out into the maelstrom, and her hair was whipped back, giving the appearance of an emerald flame. Her eyes, of course, seemed to shine an even brighter shade of green than the rest of the room, like a pair of priceless gemstones.

"She commanded the chaos, and gave it shape. With her left hand, she soothed the forces of nature, and with her right, she gave the energy new form and purpose. Using these forces in balance, she crafted the land as we know it now." Tiukwí moved to another image, the methodical tapping of his staff being the only thing to break the silence. Arnold and Helga were enthralled by his words; if Gerald was a teller of tales, then the old man was surely a master. The next picture showed the same woman, now kneeling and surrounded by lush jungle. Mountains rose and fell behind her.

"With her voice, she gave form to the formless. She bound the spirits that inhabited the land into the cycle of life and death. So we came to be; her children, and the first people to call this land home." The latest image showed the land now filled with small human figures, the woman looking down on them with a maternal smile. "She taught my people the importance of balance, and of nature. She taught us of the energy that forms this world, and the spirits that exist within and beyond it. But eventually, her work was done. She became tired." Tiukwí stopped in front of the next image, that of the woman now lying back, her body dull and her bright eyes closed. A single speck of light shone from above her chest, brighter than the rest, like a beacon.

"She allowed her own energy to join in the cycle. Her body became one with the land, just as all our bodies shall, in time. Only one trace of her remained with us; her pure heart."

"The Corazón?!" Arnold and Helga shouted in mutual realisation.

"El Corazón." Tiukwí gave a nod, smiling softly. "It is her heart, and so it is the heart of the land itself. It is a..." he struggled for the word, "totem... of the balance of nature. It is our most sacred treasure." He had stopped in front of the final image. This one was familiar; a grinning green idol, a heart shining brightly from its chest. Human figures surrounded it, bowing their heads in worship.

"But we lost the Corazón..." Arnold was despondent, his failure to keep the relic from Lasombra's hands flashing through his mind. Tiukwí simply walked over to the boy, and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"El Corazón is a part of us, and so it will return to us. Such is the way of things. We will search for it once our strength has returned. Should anyone keep it from us, others will come forward to bring it home, just as your parents did before."

"Look, this is really fascinating and all," Helga interjected, her usual sarcasm tinged with honesty, "but what has all this got to do with me and Football Head?" Again, Tiukwí grinned. Helga was becoming more than a little infuriated; her attitude seemed to do little more than amuse him, leaving the girl feeling patronised.

"Lasombra first took El Corazón from our temple more than ten years ago. He thought he stole mere gold, but his actions shook nature itself and damaged the balance of the world. Returning the heart alone could not repair the harm he caused. It was Arnold, the strength of Arnold's spirit, that corrected this imbalance. I said before that I can see the energy that flows through us. I see the same energy within you. Just as strong as his, just as unique." His response left Helga incredulous and utterly disbelieving. Much as she hated to admit it, Gerald was absolutely right; a spirit of peace Helga G. Pataki was not!

"So what, you're saying that I came into the world to right an imbalance too?" Despite the snide tone of her question, Tiukwí laughed loud and deep.

"No, Helga. You are the imbalance."