Aldric crashed against the jungle floor rolling, his bag of gold splaying across the ground sending coins and trinkets in every direction.
“Damn.” cried Alrdic reaching for his things when he heard snarls coming from just behind him.
With a start he grabbed the bag and raced off into the jungle plowing through the underbrush. Bladed plants cut into his legs drawing blood as grabbing branches smacked against his face obscuring his vision.
Still he heard the sound of padded footsteps behind him, gaining. He continued rushing through the underbrush his bag getting snagged here and there, slowing him down. Finally he chucked the bad to the side and continued racing on.
The snarls stopped where the bag lay but Aldric did not turn around to make sure his pursuers had stopped, he continued headlong into the forest. He ran and ran and ran until it felt as if his heart would burst out from his chest. He collapsed against a tree and heaved. He went to start again but fell to his knees heaving once more.
Cursing his struggled to his feet and stumbled forward. He pushed through some large ferns in front of him and fell to the other side crashing face first to the ground. There he sighed and lay still for a moment as his vision faded in and out before him.
“Well I got the treasure.” said Aldric between gasps of breath.
He looked up to see a pond before him. He began crawling forward to the edge of the water. He drew his sword and slapped the end against the water and waited for movement but nothing stirred. Satisfied Aldric dripped his head in and drank.
Having his fill Aldric laid back and took in the scenery around him. Trees that stretched hundreds of feet into the air blocked out all but the faintest hint of sunlight as moss and fungus grew along the banks of the small pond.
“Probably just drank my death.” muttered Aldric.
“Oh I don’t think so.” a girlish voice echoing from behind him caused Aldric to spin around.
“Who’s there?” seeing nothing Aldric shook his head “I must be hearing things.”
“Like the sound of my voice?”
This time the voice sounded out from the pond. Aldric turned around once more but no one was there. He shook his head groaning.
“What’s happening to me?”
“You’re trying to figure out who I am.” said the voice this time echoing from high in a tree above Aldric.
Aldric threw up his hands and collapsed against a rock “I suppose there are worse ways to go than delirium.”
“Who said anything about delirium?” this time the voice whispered not an inch from Aldric’s ear.
Aldric’s eyes remained closed and he simply smiled. “It’s a damn shame. You sound awfully cute, too bad this is a delusion of the ears and not the eyes.”
“There’s no delusion, why don’t you open your eyes?” said the voice right in front of Aldric.
Aldric smiled and lazily opened his eyes then stood up with a start. Before him stood a naked woman unlike any he had ever seen. She had a curvaceous and muscular body, smooth tan skin, long flowing blonde hair that covered her large breasts, and a pair of gorgeous blue eyes. She looked down at him smiling.
“Well you’re not real.” said Aldric closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the log.
“Oh but I am.” replied the woman pushing lightly on Aldric’s leg with her bare foot.
Aldric opened one eye “Alright so you’re real. Now what are you and what do you want? Are you a siren? A succubus? Is it my soul or my flesh that you’re after? Hate to break it to you but my coin is all gone.”
The girl laughed lightly “Why I’m none of those things and I don’t have much use for coin, flesh, or your soul.”
“Then what are you and what do you want?”
“Why I’m a fairy and I want to help you.”
“What? Why?”
“Because that’s what fairy’s do!”
“Okay.” said Aldric closing his eyes yawning.
“If you wait here it’ll only be a matter of time until the Jaguarmen find you and kill you.”
“How did you know they were after me?”
“I heard the growls and since you’re the only human within a days journey I assumed you were after their treasure.”
“Well you guessed right.”
“Did you get it?”
“The treasure?”
“Yes.”
“I did but had to ditch it in my escape from them, can’t say I’m too happy about it.”
“Well at least you still have you life, at least for now. Here.”
The fairy knelt down and placed her hands over Aldric’s mangled legs.
“Don’t touch me-” Aldrich quieted as a soothing sensation spread through his legs healing the minor cuts and stopping the bleeding.
“It’s not much and not something I can do very often but that should give you enough energy to get out of here.”
“Why are you helping me?”
“I told it you, it’s what I do.”
“But why?”
The fairy shook her head back and forth sighing “Look I want to help you, why can’t you just let me help you?”
“Because I don’t trust you.”
“What more do you want?”
Aldric shook his head and heaved himself to his feet a new energy coursing through his body.
“Fine, which way is out.”
The fairy smiled “Follow me.”
She shot away her feet never seeming to touch the ground as she glided lightly through the jungle. Aldric rushed off after he crashing through the brush.
“Don’t think you’ll catch me off guard.” called Aldric after the racing fairy.
She turned still smiling “Of course not.” then resumed her run.
Aldric chased her for what seemed like hours until finally she came to rest in a grassy matted opening surrounded by a dense wall of trees on all sides.
“We can rest here, you’re far enough away from the Jaguarmen and the beasts all avoid this spot.”
“And why is that?” asked Aldric.
“It’s not for them.”
Aldric shook his head sitting down in the middle of the matted foliage “This beats some beds I’ve had.” said Aldric pushing down on the carpeted floor.
The fairy came over and sat down cross legged a few feet from him.
“What do you want?” asked Aldric laying back and stretching out.
“Do you mind if I lay with you tonight?”
“Lay?” asked Aldric smiling.
“Yes, to sleep.”
Aldric shook his head “Rather you keep your distance.”
The fairy stuck out her lip “Well at least tell me your name.”
“Aldric.”
The fairy continued staring at Aldric.
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to ask me mine?”
“Fine what’s yours?”
“Nikola.”
“So Nikola how many days travel is it to get out of this jungle?”
“Oh just about one the way we’re going.”
“What’s so special about the way we’re going?”
“It’s a way only known to fairies.”
“So there are more of you?”
“Well not right now, but there used to be and hopefully will be again.”
“Hmm alright, just so you know us humans have a need to eat and drink…daily.”
“I’m well aware, I’ve heard many tales about humans. There are drinking spots and plenty of fruit along the way.”
Aldric nodded studying the trees around him “Do you sleep?”
“In a way.”
“Okay…” Aldric laid against the soft grass placing a hand on his dagger and moving it out an inch out for a quicker draw “I’m going to sleep, try anything funny in the night and you’ll get the dagger.”
“Funny?”
“Goodnight.”
Aldric woke with a start. Darkness has descended on the jungle and the faint light of the sliver of a moon did little to illuminate the area they were in. He paused staying motionless straining every sense he had to see what had woken him.
Then he heard it, rustling through the brush outside of the circle. Movement of something man-sized yet Aldric knew there were no men anywhere close to him. Maybe it was that damned fairy he thought. But then he heard sniffing, sniffing unlike anything even close to a human made.
It was Jaguarmen. Aldric tried to get a read on their position. They were now moving almost silently across the soft undergrowth towards his position. His sword lay at his side, sheathed and would be impossible to get to without large movements and noise. However his hand still was trained on his dagger ready to be out in a moment’s notice.
He heard a padded footstep a few feet from his position. No way they weren’t aware of him now, even covered as he was with moss he could still be smelled. Suddenly there was a crash in the brush across from them. The forms turned and raced off towards the sound of something running away from them into the jungle.
Once they were out of the circle Aldric got to his feet and drew his sword, if they came back they’d have a fight they didn’t want on their hands. His eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness around him and he could make out the outlines of the land around him but just barely.
He started forward and smacked his foot against an object nearly falling on his face. Regaining his balance he spun with his sword at the ready. There a form stirred and looked up at him.
“What was that for?” whispered Nikola.
Aldric shook his head “Didn’t see you there.”
“I led the Jaguarmen off, but we should probably get going.”
“That was you?”
“Sort of.”
“What does that…never mind. Which way is out?”
She rose up and started lightly across the moonlit jungle floor “Follow me.”
Aldric followed her out of the circle and down a jungle path. They continued on it until the sun was high in the sky.
“How much longer until we’re out of here?” asked Aldric.
“Not much further, are you that desperate to get rid of me?”
“It’s not you but the others. Speaking of which I thought you said that we wouldn’t be bothered there.”
“Usually we wouldn’t, something must be wrong.” Nikola’s brows furrowed as she looked at the ground.
“Well that’s the first time I’ve seen you anything but cheery. What’s a matter?”
“I’m not sure, I’d have to leave you to go check on it, and well…that’s not something I want to do right now.”
Aldric paused.
“What is it?”
He shook his head “Nothing, look if you have something you need to do. Then go do it, don’t worry on my part. Just point me in the right direction and give me some landmarks and I should be fine.”
Nikola smiled and shook her head “Now I’m not doing that Aldric. I’ll guide you through the jungle and out the otherside and then I’ll go and check.”
“Fine.” said Aldric continuing his walk “If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is it that you need to check on?”
“The spirit of the jungle.”
“Is that a fairy?”
“No, he was here before the fairies and I always figured he’d be here long after.”
“And something makes you doubt that?”
“Well it’s just that we were just in one of his sacred spots. A place that the Jaguarmen have never come. They fear it and well they were just there. Meaning that something is wrong. In all the time I’ve lived here I’ve never seen such a thing…and it worries me.”
“Well if this spirit has been around this long I’m sure he’ll be just fine.”
Nikola laughed again “You’re a funny man Aldric, are all humans like you?”
“No, unfortunately not.”
“More humble?” asked Nikola with a smile.
Aldric laughed “Surprisingly, no.”
The two walked on for another two hours stopping to drink at a lake and pick among the many fruit trees that lined their path. Finally they came to a clearing where the jungle opened up to flat lands.
“Well.” said Nikola taking a few steps towards Aldric “This is it.”
“Thank you. I’m sure that jungle has claimed many a men. And without your help I may have been one of them. Though I still don’t understand you fairy-“
“Nikola”
“Nikola, but nevertheless like I said you have my thanks.”
Nikola laughed and stepped forward kissing him on the cheek as Aldric grabbed his knife handle.
“Haven’t you learned that you have nothing to fear from me?” asked Nikola staring into his eyes.
Aldric sighed “Afraid not. Sorry but trust is not something that comes easy to me. Something you learn the more you travel.”
“Well if you’re such the traveler I do hope you’ll come and see me in the jungle again.”
Aldric laughed “As pleasant as its been Nikola, I hope to never see this jungle again in my life. My destiny lies to the North. I’ve had my share of jungles, deserts, and beasts for the time being…after you finish up your business here you’re welcome to come with me. I could always use someone with your talents…though we’d have to find you some clothes.”
Nikola shook her head “This is about as far as I can go without fading.”
“Fading?”
“If I stay within the ring of the jungle I am whole, happy, and healthy. However when I leave it every second I spend out of it drains me and I could only get so far before falling away. Sort of like a fish of the lake when it’s out of water.”
“Oh, I see. Well that’s a shame. If in the future the bug of desert treasure bites again I’ll be back. But until then take care.”
Aldric strode forward and embraced Nikola who returned his embrace squeezing him tight.
“Alright now.” he said pushing her back “Take care.”
“I will.”
Aldric walked off towards the North to lands he was more familiar with. After walking about a quarter of a mile he turned to see Nikola waving in the distance. He shook his head laughing and waved back, then resumed his journey.
The flat lands were easy to traverse compared to the jungle. He could see for miles all around and make out the passage of game, water sources, and any potential threats he may come across.
Finding a spot by a large tree he decided to make camp for the night. He awoke to droplets of rain dripping onto his face. It was not yet dawn but the land was illuminated by a faint almost blueish light before the sun peaked over the horizon. Aldric yawned and moved a couple feet over to a spot that looked drier. He closed his eyes and hoped sleep would soon overtake him.
But after waiting for what seemed like an hour he was still wide awake. Cursing he sat up and rubbed his eyes. Then he stood up and looked around him. He started stretching his neck when he heard movement in the branches above him. He leapt forward and turned drawing his sword staring above him.
There in the tree was a sickly looking pale wisp of a girl staring down at him.
“You should have sprung when I was asleep demon.” said Aldric.
The girl slowly and awkwardly made her way down the branches and onto the ground below. Her hair was matted and frayed, her skin pallid and sickly, and her figure skin and bones. She was naked and stumbled forward a few steps.
“Aldric.” said a weak voice.
Aldric lowered his sword and studied the girl for a moment “Nikola?”
The girl nodded weakly and then collapsed forward. Aldric sheathed his sword and bent over helping her back up.
“What are you doing out here?”
“I need your help. The spirit of the jungle is not well…please.”
“You need to get back to the jungle. You look a moment from death.”
“Will you help?”
“Sure. Now let’s get back.”
Aldric helped Nikola forward as they both stumbled back towards the jungle.
“Why didn’t you wake me?” asked Aldric but Nikola did not answer.
Within a quarter mile of the jungle Nikola collapsed forward and did not stir. Aldric knelt down next to her and felt for a pulse then shook his head.
“Do fairy’s even have pulses?”
He scooped Nikola’s malnourished form up in his arms, she felt like she weighed almost nothing and started sprinting towards the jungle. Once he got within the trees he looked down and shook his head. Nikola was not breathing.
He raced deeper and deeper into the jungle hoping that whatever was there would bring her back to life. He tried getting back to the circle they had slept in but knew he’d never find the way. Finally he collapsed exhausted placing Nikola’s light form next to him.
He lay back against a tree his hand on hers hoping for any sign of life. He looked down at her form, still cold and motionless. He wasn’t sure what to do.
“What’s wrong, you should be getting better now. You’re in the jungle.”
Still catching his breath Aldric looked around him for anything that could be of use. But all he saw was tall trees, dense ferns, and the sights and smell of the jungle. Steadying himself he crawled over and scooped Nikola’s form back up in his arms and with a groan stood up.
He started half walking half falling forward. Steadying himself every couple of paces.
“If you’d just woken me, we wouldn’t be in this.”
Aldric felt his way forward through the dense ferns and deeper and deeper into the heart of the jungle. Finally he came upon a small pond. He lay down next to it and placed Nikola’s limp form into the water with her head resting on the dry land.
He studied her eyes and color hoping for a change of some sort.
“If you die then I die too Nikola. I don’t know the way out of here. Not without you guiding me.”
Aldric let out another deep sigh then saw a quick jerk in the water. A large snake head appeared above the film of the pond and was quickly approaching Nikola.
Without thinking Aldric’s sword was in his hand and he dived in the water slamming his sword down into the top of the snake’s head. The snake’s body writhed and spun splashing water this way and that as blood poured out of the wound in its head. After a minute of spasmatic motion the snake moved no more.
Aldric swam back to land his hand still on the sword pommel, the blade lodged deep and through the snake’s skull. He drug the snake behind him getting to land. The snake bled like a stuck pig and now the blood covered Nikola’s form.
Aldric drug the head on land and pulled his sword free. He went around the pond to a clear spot and dipped the sword in, wiping it off on his clothing when he returned. He studied the snake which still lay limp and then Nikola’s form.
To his surprise he saw life returning to the body and in rapid form. The pale skin began to turn gold. The feeble form began to fill out the muscle bellies filling and the fat added back in. The hair began to grow full and shine once more. Then the blue eyes fluttered open and looked around.
“You should have mentioned the blood.” said Aldric.
Nikola sat up and looked over at Aldric smiling “I guess I should have.”
She stood up brushing off some moss stuck to her form. Then she looked at the slain body of the snake.
“You more capable than you give yourself credit for.”
“Perhaps, now you said something about the spirit of the forest needing help.”
Nikola’s eyes clouded with worry as she started pacing “Yes, he’s not well. The jaguarmen have taken something from him.”
“What is this something?”
“The heart of the jungle.”
“What is that a jewel or something?”
“Jewel? One of those shiny rocks you humans and the jaguarmen care so much about? No, it’s a seed and a very important one.”
“What does this seed do?”
“It’s the heart of the jungle. Without it the jungle will die.”
“And why did the jaguarmen take it?”
“That I don’t know but they came in great force and overwhelmed the spirit of the forest. And the further that seed gets from him the weaker that he gets.”
“And you want me to go retrieve this seed.”
“We’ll do it together.”
Aldric thought for a moment “Well I know where they’ll most likely keep it, granted that they understand the importance of it. Is their city still within the confines of the jungle?”
“Well of course.”
“Well forgive me, still trying to understand exactly how this thing works. So you can go there without…drying up?”
“Yes.”
“Well then can’t you just use your…powers or whatever you call them to get it out.”
Nikola laughed shaking her head “Powers? I’m light on my feet, can echo my voice, and can make a wind whisper through the brush. Hardly enough to sneak in to the jaguarmen’s camp or fight them.” with this Nikola’s eyes widened.
“Well that’s a disappointment with all I’ve seen I was half expecting you to be able to float through air or walk through walls.”
Nikola shook her head.
“Do you have anyone that can help us with this? Surely there are those of the jungle that want the seed back.”
“Unfortuantely no. Most of my kind have died out and the spirit of the jungle is its last true defender.”
“Then we’ll have to make do. Alright show me the fastest way to the temple. We don’t want to do this at night as they have better eyes than me, especially at night. We’ll strike during the day since visibility isn’t going to be much of a concern. Are you ready?”
With that Nikola nodded and they set off.
Aldric crept in the brush studying the patrolling jaguarmen and the temple before them.
“How did you get in last time?” whispered Nikola.
“Luck and the element of surprise. I can make it past the sentries that patrol but the temple guards will be the hard part. And since my last visit they’ve probably doubled up on the guards.”
“Well that will be challenging.”
Aldric laughed “Yes, yes it will.”
The sentries made another path sniffing the air and looking about, after they passed on Aldric breathed a sigh of relief.
“Alright we can’t stay here any longer. How far does your voice work?”
“My voice work?”
“Yes, I want you to project your voice coming from the other side of the temple there.”
“Okay, that’ll be a stretch, what do you want me to say?”
“Say whatever you want, don’t think these things can understand us anyways.”
“Okay.” Nikola closed her eyes and furrowed her brow.
Suddenly the sound of singing echoed out from the far side of the temple. The sentries’ ears picked up and they rushed over followed by the guards from the temple mouth.
Aldric shot from the bushes and towards the temple entrance. Up reddish sand colored stone steps and into the mouth of the temple. Immediately there was a set of stairs that descended downwards into the dark. Aldric made his way carefully down hearing the faintest sound of the singing outside.
Aldric took the stairs one by one remembering his trip forward from the time before. He eventually hit level ground and started forward in the dark. Before there had been a torch here and there but now there was nothing to illuminate his path. He walked along the walls of the temple trying his best to remember the passage he had taken before.
He made his way to another set of stairs and descended slowly straining for any hint of light or sound in the dark. He felt his foot back on ground and started forward noticing that the hall in front of him had a faint light coming from somewhere up ahead.
He followed the passageway to a right turn. The hallway to his right had a torch at the far end of it. He started down when he heard the soft padding of feet. Retreating back into the darkened hallway he came from, he sat and waited. The padded footsteps sounded closer and closer down the lit hallway to his right.
Aldric slowly drew his knife from his side and waited. He could make out the faint shadow of a jaguarmen to his left on the wall illuminated by the light. The jaguarman stopped and sniffed. Aldric readied to turn the corner and pounce on the jaguarman before he knew what had happened.
The beast sniffed again and let out a low growl crouching lower and starting forward down the hallway towards Aldric’s position. Aldric felt his pulse quicken and his hand dripping with sweat. A few feet down the hallway to Aldric’s right the creature suddenly sprang forward and turned the corner lashing out with its blade.
Aldric shot forward under the slash of the jaguarman and barreled into his stomach his knife shooting up again and again into the creature’s side. The jaguarman let out a growl that echoed through the halls. The two crashed to the ground where Aldric mounted the beast and sent the knife into its neck cutting off its next growl.
Aldric stood up as quick as he could and rushed down the lit hallway. He rounded the corner and saw a large room open up before him with two jaguarmen standing in the doorway staring right at him. Aldric’s sword was in his hand before he knew it and he engaged with the creatures. He struck out with a whirlwind of blows driving the creature’s back into the large treasure room both of them snarling and growling.
Panic began to seize Aldric as he heard roars and growls come from the passage behind him. He fought with a renewed fury born of desperation and overwhelmed one of the jaguarmen sending his sword into the brute’s neck. With a whirl Aldric turned on the second and soon had him overwhelmed and on the ground where he buried his sword into the creature’s chest.
The immediate threats eliminated Aldric looked around at the treasure room for the seed. There on a pedestal at the far side of the room was a large greenish object that could pass for a seed. Aldric raced over to it and grabbed it. He bounded back through the room and into the passageway leading back.
There he paused hearing the growls of many jaguarmen coming down from the lit passageway. He turned back into the treasure room to the side of the door hoping to surprise at least a few as they barreled in. Then he heard the sound of singing echoing from right in front of the door and going past the lit hallway down a dark passage that led directly from the treasure room.
This was soon followed by the sound of many feet tramping into the passageway and turning from the treasure room towards the rapidly moving singing voice. He peeked around the corner and made out the tail end of a group of guards rushing after the singing snarling and growling. Aldric made his way out and back down the lit passageway to the stairs.
There he bumped into a still form. His hands lashed out around the form but instead of feeling fur like he expected he felt bare skin. He leaned closer and could hear the faint murmuring of Nikola’s voice.
“Nikola.” whispered Aldric but she did not respond.
Aldric put him arms around her and scooped her up over his shoulder as she continued her murmurings. He made his way to the second flight of stairs and ascended up. Nikola in one arm and the seed in the other. At the top of the stairs Aldric froze as a legion of jaguarmen seemed to be pouring out of every crevice of the city.
He raced down the outside stairs down to the ground and off towards the jungle as fast as he could. He heard great growls and roars as they spotted him and made their way towards him. Javelins began smacking down into the ground next to him as he entered the ferns.
“Come on Nikola, I need you back now.”
The crashing of feet could be heard closing in from behind when Nikola coughed and looked around.
“Nikola.” said Aldric.
“Let me down we’ll go faster.”
Aldric let Nikola slide off his shoulder as he continued running.
“I have the seed but they’re closing in. I’ll need you to distract them again.”
Nikola nodded rushing ahead “I’ll get somewhere safe then work my magic, just keeping going straight.”
“Can do.” replied Aldric.
Nikola’s form disappeared into the jungle ahead of Aldric. He heard a growl from a few feet behind him and threw everything he had into his sprint. He crashed through trees and brush faster than he ever had before. He had started to get used to the jungle terrain and made his way past thorned bushes and bladed plants without being cut to ribbons like before.
Suddenly he heard a voice call out from behind him. The footsteps behind him stopped as he continued on. Now he heard the crashing of brush to his right and the jaguarmen took off after it. He continued on, his heart feeling like it was about to explode out of his chest.
He raced ahead and found the pond where he had first met Nikola in front of him. He quickly waded in until the water was over his head. He placed the seed between his legs and grabbed moss to place over his head. That he peeked up to his nose above the water. His hand rested on his knife.
A few moments later three jaguarmen broke through the brush and raced to the edge of the pond. They paused and sniffed deeply and started searching around the outskirts of the pond. Aldric felt as if he was going to drown his nose sucking in as much air as possible, his lungs heaving in his chest.
Finally they departed the way they came to meet up with the others. Aldric reached down and grabbed the seed and swam towards shore. He reached it and started gulping air not caring who heard. He closed his eyes and blinked and when he opened them a gorgeous woman stood above him looking down.
“Aldric?”
Aldric sighed “I’m fine.”
“Get up, the jaguarmen have doubled back but its not safe here. But we should be able to make it to the spirit of the forest no problem…just follow me.”
With a groan Aldric rose up his arm wrapped around the seed.
“And Aldric…”
“Yeah?” Aldric met Nikola’s eyes.
“I can never thank you enough.”
