The four elemental guardians looked at each other's. They talked about what they should do with Tom for a long time and they finally managed to come with a decision. It took three days to decide what to do with the human and the two creatures. They knew they couldn't leave the m'arrillian there and Tom expressed that he wanted to explore the other territory of the elementalist tribe.
The fire guardian managed to explain to Tom that it would be helpful to express such desire to help convince the council to let him go and wander around.
The boy played along. Arias still had a plan, just in case the elementalist was ready to stab them in the back.
The water guardian grumbled, "I still don't like to move them around. I know it's for the safety of the tribe that we don't let the m'arrillian on his own here, with his power to control the mind. Still, there should be another way."
The earth creature warned him, "You are the one who forced the human to come here and brought the m'arrillian as a prisoner remember? You wanted revenge on the other tribe, but it is causing us some trouble. Be thankful we didn't end up rejected by the Cothica like the other tribes."
"We are loyal to the Cothica no matter what," Aquarius grumbled as he glanced to the side. He couldn't deny that he almost caused that, "Fine. I have no more objection. We will need to assume the security of Tom. The overworlders sure are ready to fight to save their friend."
"We won't talk about that," the earth guardian said when he noticed the wind creature ready to raised his voice.
The wind guardian sighed and nodded, "Fine. We will not hesitate to destroy the overworlders if they came at us thought."
The four elementals nodded.
The fire creature hoped it wouldn't come to this. He also needed to find a way to help Tom leave after he got the first fragment.
Chapter 68: To The Next Village
The next day, the elementals watched the human who lived in their village for a while ready to leave to visit the other islands.
"Everyone will have the honor to meet the human from the Cothica," one of them commented in joy.
"It is such an honor for our tribe to have one of them," another one replied.
"Makes our island less special," another one grumbled a bit jealous.
Tom heard each of them and was a little nervous. He was like a star who was about to leave for another city in a way. It obviously wasn't that, but it kinda felt that way. He avoided looking at them. He was too nervous for all the gaze he had. He wondered how it would be if he obtained every fragment of the Jewel of the Cothica? He hoped it wouldn't like this, but worse.
Arias chuckled as he gently slapped the back of his friend, "Calm down Tom. There is no one here who wants to hurt you. I mean, you got so much more attention last year after you talked to Milla'iin," he chuckled when the boy paled a bit.
It was much worse and he forgot all the gaze back then. In the heat of the moment, he focused only on Milla'iin.
(If I didn't know your intention at the moment, I could have misinterpreted that thought,) the m'arrillian joked a bit in his mind, (I have it worse than you. I'm already getting hateful glare just by passing in front of the elementalists. They are warranted thought.)
Tom did feel a bit better with that little humor coming from the very serious creature. He took a deep breath and looked at the creatures surrounding him. He hoped that it wouldn't be too hard on him.
Arias smiled a bit, "He thinks he's funny right? I guess you have a bit of an influence on him when he was in jail."
"I don't know. He was mostly sulking for a long time before he began to open up a bit. I mean…" (He knows what he did and regret it.)
(I will continue to make amend for what I did to you and your world Tom. I tried to conquer and damage the Cothica. It's something I shouldn't never consider to do either,) Milla'iin sighed a bit, before he went on, (Coming towards the ship. Don't pity me under those chains.)
Arias pushed the boy forward as they reached the ship. It was a small ship that looked like those in pirate stories, but it felt more solid and resistant than those in his worlds.
"I'm really glad you came Arias," Tom told him. He wondered if he could pull this off that easily if he was on his own, while Milla'iin was in jail.
"I'm here to protect you Tom and you are my friend," he smirked at him, "Don't forget that. Also," he raised his finger, "Once we are back in your home. We can tell your mother that I finally forgive her for shooting me with her battlegear."
"After a year," he asked a bit in disbelief.
Tom heard the creatures grumbling a few rude things at someone. He knew the one they spoke about was Milla'iin. There was no insult, but it clearly showed they disliked the creature. He took a deep breath and held back anything that could make it worse.
The fire creature who served the council wasn't sure if he should step up or not. He opted not to say anything, to avoid doing anything suspicious. He approached the boy and told him, "Small mercy he got. We didn't say why he was a prisoner. It would be far too dangerous for him and to maintain friendship with the Cothica if they knew what he did before," he glanced at the boy.
"Yeah. Thanks for letting us coming with you," he told him.
The creature checked the others, before he turned towards Tom, "I am a servant of the Cothica. You can call me Ignis if you wish to use my name."
"I will Ignis," the boy replied. He checked on the m'arrillian as he climbed on the ship. He saw the chains that restrained him. There was nothing to block his thought.
Milla'iin stood tall and seemed that the heavy weight put on his tendrils meant little to him. He glanced at Tom with his large eye and told him in his mind, (I am fine. I'll be in a cage soon. Don't worry, I am not the m'arrillian who get seasick.)
(There's a m'arrillian who got seasick?) Tom couldn't believe that. It was the weirdest and funniest thing he heard at the same time. The teenager looked at Arias who had a small grin in his face. He clearly heard that thought in his mind.
"We will be ready to leave soon," Aquarius said. He gave a hateful glare at the two creatures from the other tribes and turned his attention to Tom, "And we will reach our destination in a few days. If you are feeling unwell, we have herbs to aid you."
"Thanks," Tom reprimed a harsher reply. His two friends were insulted, but he held it back. He didn't like the way the water creature spoke of his friend.
Aquarius seemed to notice it and avoided looking in the eyes of the boy, "My apologise. I just can't understand how you can be friendly with them. They tried to invade the Cothica long ago. They tried to control your world."
"That was long ago. It was so long ago that we have nothing in our ruins and other locations about the humans. We didn't know about their existence until they started to show up for their Chaotic game," Arias replied. He glanced at the side, "Humans caused a bit of trouble for their game."
Tom didn't need to feel anything shameful. He wasn't in the first player and he took the world of Perim quite seriously. Maybe not always, but the lives of the creatures were just real to him. He had no regret.
A thought came for his mother. She was also a player, but after she met the creatures on Earth. Or the Cothica. He missed her already. Tom wondered if she was searching for him. Surely, she would. His father might try to reassure her, but he surely was worried for him too.
"You're okay Tom?" Arias asked. He glanced at the elementalists looking at him. He also saw a glance from the big eyes of Milla'iin, before he went in the ship, to be put in jail obviously.
"I'm good. Just was in my mind. Wondering what mom and dad were doing," he chuckled a bit. His friend interrupted his thought before it went to his two friends and his girlfriend. He still hoped that everything was fine for Peyton. He was kidnapped against his will. Thinking back, Siado felt extremely guilty about failing to protect his friend. The boy hoped that he was fine.
The members of the council glanced at Aquarius. The water creature felt targeted by those glances. He decided to ignore them. What was done was done. He wouldn't waste time dealing with that all the time. He still needed to focus on his paperwork. He couldn't run, swim or fly away from that. He sighed mentally.
Tom and his friend didn't notice one last creature that climbed in the ship. The members of the council noticed him and simply gave a short nod.
"We are ready to leave!" the captain of the ship declared.
It was a bit funny that a creature made of stone was the captain of the ship. Tom managed not to laugh. He chuckled in his mind when he saw the creature that seemed the least good when it came to navigating on the sea. The four members of the council were calm and obviously knew the captain was competent in his task.
Arias had no thought about the choices of a creature to command the ship. He didn't know how that work. He was a warrior, not a shipman. He would sink the ship rather than do anything else. He knew some creatures that do not master the water element could be better sailor than creatures with natural talent in that element.
The earth member of the council nodded, "We are ready to sail," he approached the boy, "We will show you around our tribe and I hope you will enjoy the journey," he glanced at the others. He went on, "We will reach our next destination in a few days, if the condition is favorable for us," he smiled a bit. It disappeared as he glanced at the overworlder. He politely added, "I do hope that you will continue in your duty to watch over the boy."
Arias knew all too well that when the creature said duty, it wasn't from the kindness of heart that he spoke those words. It wasn't an insult, but it showed what he thought of the other tribes. With what he learned; it made some sense if they didn't like him. The creature sighed as he turned back to the boy, "I will continue and I won't fail," he suddenly turned and faced the creature with a side glare, "Whatever your tribe believes about the other tribes, it's not the same as before. Even if we are still fighting against each other's. Just like you surely are mistrusting us."
The member of the council nodded and let out a small smile, "Indeed," he turned around and joined the other members of the council.
Arias finally noticed a creature made of fire that came to them with a small smile, "You're here too?"
Tom turned around and recognised Flame, "Flame. What are you doing here?"
"The council asked me to come with you. Since we were together for a while and I kept an eye on you, I have the honor to escort you around when the council couldn't. I know my way around the other islands a little and I can avoid you getting into troubles."
The boy smiled and nodded, "Thanks."
After this, the ship finally set sail and went to their first destination.
AC: This is the end of this chapter.
Next: To Track The Telebracers.
With the possibility of tracking bracers, Sarah called the organisation in hope that they might be able to find Peyton.