Chapter Ten – The Bender's Village
Fond farewells and wishes of luck preceded the journey. Kai led Rosiepuff, Branch, Symphony, and Poppy across the land on foot towards the Dragon's Pass. Before they left, Kai showed them how to paint special symbols on their skin that would make them invisible to spirits.
"Once we reach the village, we can wash them off." Kai said when they had to reapply the paint. "We're nearly there, rest assured."
"I'll put up with paint on my skin as long as it keeps Titan away from us." Branch said.
"Agreed." Poppy said.
"The faster we move, the sooner we get there." Kai said. "Let's move out!" He put an arm around Rosiepuff as they walked. The two of them refused to stray too far away from each other the entire trip. Branch and Poppy spent most of the walk talking about what the village must be like. Kai often chimed in to debunk some of their theories.
"I just can't wait!" Poppy said happily. "To meet other bending masters. Masters who can pass on their experiences. This is awesome!"
"I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends." Rosiepuff sighed happily. "Kai, who else survived Lotus Lagoon?"
"I'm afraid there aren't as many as I would have liked to see." Kai said. "Artemis left a lot of orphans behind. Luckily, we were able to save many of the kids. You remember Hickory and Dickory?"
"Oh, what are those two rascals up to these days?" Rosiepuff laughed.
"Who are Hickory and Dickory?" Poppy asked. "Are they twins?"
"Nope, surrogate brothers." Kai explained. "Hickory is a centaur troll whose parents were good friends of mine. The strangest thing happened one day in Lotus Lagoon. This huge storm hit the village, and we found a basket the next day with a little baby inside. First guess was the kid was a rainbow troll, but we couldn't really tell. Poor little guy was a sickly thing. Tiny, too. Hickory's parents took him in, Hickory was born some years later, and those two have been inseparable ever since. Just wait until you see them, Rosiepuff. They're all grown up and still a couple scoundrels."
They reached the base of Dragon's Pass and camped out for one more night. Kai warned them they would be starting the hike early in the morning. Most of the traveling party went to bed early.
Rosiepuff and Symphony were left alone by the fire. Rosiepuff repainted the symbols on her hands and arms. She glanced to the dragon. "You've been quiet for a while, Symphony. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine." Symphony sighed. "Just thinking."
"About Titan?"
"Of course about Titan. What if he possesses me again? You know why he ran away every time we beat him?"
"Because he's a coward, that's why."
"He's testing his strengths, trying new strategies. But he knows that, in my body, he can do a lot of damage. If he ever did that again—"
"Symphony, I trust you. I trust that you won't let that happen so easily. I know that you'll fight it on the off-chance it ever happens again. All we can do is prepare and react. We can't dwell on what might happen."
Symphony mumbled to herself. "Okay."
"Get some rest." Rosiepuff disappeared into her and Kai's tent to sleep.
Symphony tapped her claws anxiously on the ground. She couldn't stop thinking about how it felt when Titan possessed her. More concerning were her thoughts about the soothsayer's words. Was this her destiny? Was this part of her life's purpose? But did that mean she had to fight Titan, or allow him to take control of her? If the answer was the latter, did that mean Symphony was destined to destroy her family?
Once in the snowy mountains of the Dragon's Pass, Branch and Poppy each created balls of fire in their palms to help keep everyone warm. They trudged through ice and snow, higher and higher into the pass, even down treacherous paths most sane hikers would not take.
"Are we there yet?" Branch panted.
"Almost." Kai said. He carried a thick stick he picked up from the trail, and he used the makeshift staff to tap on the rocks and trees as they passed them. "I'm sending a signal to our scouts, so they'll let us through. If we had been normal travelers, we would have been turned away long ago."
They hiked for another half an hour before someone dropped into their path, startling everyone except Kai. The troll had a hood pulled over their heads, a scarf pulled up over their nose, and dressed in fur-lined wool clothing and boots. Her amethyst-colored eyes were glaring at Kai.
"About time you got back!" the troll snapped. "When the other scouts said you had finally returned, I wasn't sure I believed it."
"Miss me, Eclipse?" Kai asked with a cheeky grin.
The troll removed her hood and scarf, revealing her pointed ears, periwinkle skin, glitter freckles, and intricately plaited hair the same color as her eyes. "You bloody prat. You disappear for a year and you think you can come back and be all buddy-buddy with me like nothing happened?"
"You know you love me." Kai said.
Eclipse rolled her eyes but smiled. "I missed you, Brother."
"Missed you too, Little Sister." Kai wrapped Eclipse up into a hug.
"I didn't know you had a sister." Branch said.
"I'll admit I made some poor decisions, and I did sort of damage our relationship." Kai said. "We reconnected after the Golden Rose Clan was attacked. She moved to Lotus Lagoon with us, and later came here. Branch, this is your grandaunt, Eclipse. The sole double-bender of our village. Eclipse, I think you might recognize these two."
"How could I forget?" Eclipse hugged Rosiepuff tightly. "When Kai left, I didn't think he'd come back with you. You must tell me how you survived."
"Perhaps someplace warmer?" Rosiepuff suggested.
"Yes, of course!" Eclipse laughed. "Come on. The entire village is going to want to see you." She led the travelers farther down the path, up a steep incline, and through an archway made of stone and ice. Passing under it felt like stepping through a portal to a new world. On the other side was the secret village, where it was sunny and warm and bustling. The secret village was truly an oasis, plopped down in the middle of the snowy, rugged mountains.
"This is beautiful." Poppy breathed. "How does this place even exist up here? All this grass and dirt and warmth?"
"Like heck if we know." Kai chuckled as they descended down the steps into the village. "We just found this place. Makes for a good home." He paused when they reached the entrance to the village, where a large gong hung. He pounded on the gong with his fist, and the sound echoed over the area. Trolls in the nearby vicinity perked up and hurried over to welcome Kai home. They all looked shocked to see the new trolls, but there was much happiness when several villagers recognized Rosiepuff. Kai was nearly tackled by a group of children, and he pulled half a dozen of them into a soft hug.
"It's great to be back, everyone!" Kai called to the gathered villagers. "I bring friends old and new! Spread the word to the rest of the village!" Kai pulled Rosiepuff and Branch forward. "I have found my family."
Several trolls ran off to report to the rest of the village. A green mermaid troll child tugged on Rosiepuff's dress. "Hi. I'm Coral Blush. I'm an air-bender."
"Nice to meet you." Rosiepuff knelt down to be at his eye-level.
"Who's that?" Coral Blush pointed to the rest of the traveling party.
"That's my grandson, Branch." Rosiepuff introduced. "The dragon is Symphony. That's Branch's girlfriend, Poppy."
"Hi." Coral Blush waved shyly to them.
"Hello." Poppy waved back.
"Hey there." Symphony greeted.
"What's up, kid?" Branch nodded.
A fairy troll flew up to them, his skin a sparkly golden like all fairy trolls. His hair was gold-white, the gem in his stomach matched his skin, and his eyes were cocoa brown. He wore a long black coat that would've trailed across the ground if he walked instead of flew. "Pardon, Miss Rosiepuff. I don't suppose you remember me?"
"I do, Trollzart." Rosiepuff said as she stood. Coral Blush climbed up into her arms. "Look how much you've grown! You were no higher than my knee, last I saw you."
"He's not exactly much taller now." Branch muttered to Poppy, who kicked his backside to scold him.
"He's now one of the best air-benders we've got." Kai said. "Not to mention our best conductor."
"Shall we have a big supper tonight to celebrate their return?" Trollzart asked Kai.
"Yes, that's a grand idea!" Kai said. "Meanwhile, I'm going to give these guys a tour."
Trollzart saluted to Kai and flew off. Kai and Eclipse guided Rosiepuff, Branch, Poppy, and Symphony through the village, pointing out the different parts of their home.
"Most of these buildings are houses." Eclipse explained. "No markets, just trading with your neighbors. Over there, that's where we have our community feasts, especially during holidays."
"We have certain areas where our benders do most of their training." Kai said. "The air-benders go up on the higher rocks. The fire-benders practice in the snowy areas on the outskirts of the village. We've got a nice grassy place where the earth-benders do their thing. Water-benders go to the frozen lake."
"Are you really a double-bender?" Poppy asked Eclipse.
"I am." Eclipse nodded. "Fire and air. What about you?"
"Fire and water." Poppy said.
Eclipse hummed in thought. "A double-bender of opposite elements. Interesting."
"Sifu Rosiepuff said you might be able to show me some things." Poppy said.
Eclipse laughed. "Finally became a teacher, eh Sifu?"
"Yes, yes, laugh all you want." Rosiepuff rolled her eyes, readjusting Coral Blush in her arms.
"Hey, no joke, these guys couldn't have a better teacher than a Golden Rose." Eclipse said. "But, from a double-bender's perspective, I'm sure I can offer something."
"Coral Blush!" another mermaid troll, this one dark blue, floated towards them. "There you are! I told you not to wander off."
"I found Kai's life love!" Coral Blush said, pointing to Rosiepuff.
"The love of my life." Kai corrected gently, kissing Rosiepuff's head.
"I heard you had returned." The male mermaid bowed. "Trollex, water-bender, at your service."
"A pleasure." Rosiepuff said.
"Coral, we need to wash up and make something for supper tonight." Trollex said. "You want to help me make some sushi?"
"Yeah!" Coral Blush hopped out of Rosiepuff's arms, did a somersault, and floated with Trollex deeper into the village. Coral Blush waved to Rosiepuff. "Bye-bye Gold Rosie!"
"Oh, he is precious." Rosiepuff cooed.
"Those two are some of the new ones." Kai said. "Trollex was born soon after we arrived. Just wait until you meet the other kids, all grown up."
"I would love to talk to other water- and fire-benders." Poppy said. "Anything to help me improve my bending."
"You will." Kai paused, remembering something. "Oh, by the way, there was something I wanted to tell you, Poppy."
"About what?" Poppy asked.
Eclipse narrowed her eyes at Kai. "You did tell her the one important thing she was supposed to know before coming here, right?"
"I didn't really have a moment to say it." Kai said.
"How long did it take you to get here from Troll Valley?" Eclipse demanded.
"What's going on?" Branch asked as the tour abruptly stopped.
Kai sighed. "Poppy, I should've told you this on our trip, but—"
"Kai!"
Poppy's ears twitched. That voice. She knew that voice. Another troll ran up to them, this one much more familiar to Poppy and Rosiepuff. The troll had bright pink skin and dark pink hair, just like Poppy. Her eyes were blue like a summer sky. She wore pants and a tank top with a flowery kimono cardigan over the top. Her face and arms were heavily scarred from burns that happened years ago.
Even with those scars, Poppy recognized her mother.
"It's good to see you, Joy." Kai hugged the troll. "I've brought some friends. Do you recognize any of them?"
Joy looked to the visiting trolls. Her eyes passed over Branch and Symphony, and she paused only briefly at Poppy. When Joy saw Rosiepuff, she stared at her for a full ten seconds. "It's you. You were the one I always remembered. Your name…..I still don't remember it….."
"It's Rosiepuff." The Golden Rose said in confusion. "You're Joy, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am." Joy nodded. She hugged Rosiepuff tightly. "How wonderful to meet an old friend. I'm sorry for not remembering your name. I've had some memory issues for a while."
"So, you don't remember any of us?" Poppy asked.
"I'm afraid not, dear." Joy said. "Why? Who are you?"
Poppy's heart broke in two, and Kai quickly spoke up. "They're friends of Rosiepuff, which means they're friends of ours."
"Then I welcome you all." Joy said. "My son will be happy to meet you as well."
"Son?" Branch asked.
"Apollo." Joy said. "Sadly, my husband is no longer with us. Did you know him? A great man and king of Sunrise City."
"Artemis?" Branch asked.
"Yes, that's right." Joy nodded.
"I hate to interrupt, but we have much to see before dinner, and I want to get them settled in my home." Kai said. "They'll be staying here for a while."
"Of course!" Joy said gleefully. "I'll make my famous monkey bread!" She skipped away, only further proving she was Poppy's mother.
Kai found himself on the receiving end of two glares and three looks of confusion. "Let's get you to my house. I'll explain everything there."
"We're very isolated up here, just as I like it. Isolation is what we need to survive. One day, I spotted smoke while scouting the perimeter of our territory. That made me nervous because smoke meant a camp which meant possible intruders. I went to investigate. Imagine my surprise when I found a kid, and then my shock when I discovered Joy. But she had no memory of me, and she told me she was waiting for her husband to return. I brought her and Apollo here so they would be safe. A few months later, one of my scouts returned to the cabin where I found them, and they found a letter a messenger hawk left for Joy. It said that her husband had been killed in battle, and he wanted her to stay hidden so she could be safe. But the letter threw me off. None of it made sense. I went looking for answers, and I found out that Joy was taken by Artemis, married him, and, yes, they had a son together named Apollo. You'll probably meet him at dinner tonight."
"Wait, did Artemis give her the amnesia?" Branch asked his grandfather.
"No. From what Joy told me, she was caught in a fire about fourteen years ago." Kai said. "She thinks she suffered a head injury or something."
Poppy's mind raced. "How old is Apollo?"
"Thirteen." Eclipse answered.
"He's only ten years younger than me." Poppy murmured. "Which means that…..Artemis stole my mother….."
"But how?" Symphony asked. "When?"
"The day Dad lost her." Poppy said. "When they were caught in that fire, and Dad said he made it out but she didn't. Artemis must have saved her. But she didn't have any memories, so he took advantage of that."
"I knew that the truth was buried somewhere." Kai said. "Her story and the letter Artemis wrote just made things so confusing. As I expected, my travels eventually took me to Troll Valley, where I found you. Seeing Peppy alive confirms my theory that Artemis manipulated Joy. However, I want to break the truth to Joy gently. She's been living a life full of lies and knowing too much at once will only hurt her. It does bother her that she doesn't remember anything before the fire."
"She doesn't remember me." Poppy said sadly.
"She will. You must do what you can to help her remember." Eclipse said. "Carefully."
"What about Peppy?" Rosiepuff demanded, glaring at Kai. "How does he work in your plan? When he finds out his wife is alive—"
"Forget that." Branch scoffed. "When he finds out what Artemis did to his wife, Peppy is going to blow a gasket."
"One problem at a time." Poppy said. "She's my mother. I'll do whatever I can to help her."
Kai smiled in relief. "There will be time for that. For now, let's join everyone for the feast."
The entire village sat at four tables laid before the head table where Kai and Eclipse sat. Now, they were joined by Rosiepuff, Branch, Symphony, and Poppy. Before everyone began eating, Kai stood and called for attention.
"Word certainly spreads like wildfire around here." Kai chortled. "Allow me to confirm the rumors! My wife and grandson have arrived! We welcome them warmly, and they will learn from us in the ways of bending. Of course, I'm sure many of you will be wanting my wife to teach you."
"It would be a pleasure." Rosiepuff said.
"There you have it!" Kai said. "For now, enjoy the feast!"
While they ate, Poppy scanned the outdoor dining area. She spotted her mother sitting at the end of one table, close to the head of the room. A teenage troll sat beside her. He had silvery grey skin like Artemis, sky blue eyes like Joy, and orange hair the color of a harvest moon. He wore pants, a long-sleeve shirt, and a scarf. This must be Apollo. The teenage boy caught Poppy's gaze, and he waved cheerily.
He doesn't seem to take after Artemis. Poppy mused as she waved back. Then again, maybe Artemis didn't have much of a role in his life. Regardless, Apollo is my brother. How is he going to react when he finds out?