A View Form Above

Zekka walked into the forest. It was dark, and the moonlight was seeping through the trees. She began to disrobe as the cold night wind caressed her skin. She reached for the muscle Malgastiflorian showed her. It was a simple muscle, the kind of muscle you use every day; it was short, like the muscle that pushes the blood throughout your body. In a heartbeat, everything shifted. Five strangers surrounded Zekka and the hat. They wore long white robes with different color symbols across their chests. May stood next to her; they were both wearing robes. Zekka’s had her name in black on the front. May’s had nothing on it.

They stood in front of her and spoke to her one at a time, from left to right. “Malgastiflorian explained why you are coming,” the first said

“We have listened to the story so far. Your perspicuity has granted us all understanding of the Goodness you hold in your heart.”

“Zekka and May, beware of the tremendous power you wield. It demands your trust.”

“Daharra has seized the opportunity to save that which she has lost. Her husband has been pulled back from his eternal rest with death, the trees as sacrifice.”

“The seat of The arcane and the seat of nature require their new bonded disciples of life to conquer the death that is arising in your world.”

“Go, disciples of life, stop them before death is all your world knows,” they all said in unison, before returning them to the forest.

Zekka was grateful to see May one last time. A new feeling, like breathing in air, she breathed in the life surrounding them; it tasted bad. After returning the clothes to her back, she walked back to Frick. The armor was polished to a sheen. “That took a while,” he said, standing. “Did it work? Can you take us to bronze home?”

“Yes, I can, but I can do one better.” She embraced him. A newfound energy coursed through him. She returned the hat to his head. “There, how do you feel now?”

“That is incredible; I feel as though I’ve slept through the night, and had a good meal.” Frick was absentmindedly feeling his chest. “If you can help the horses, we could be there tomorrow.”

“We need to hurry. This world needs help from their New Disciples of Life.” Frick was flabbergasted. Zekka reinvigorated the horses, and they pushed on. The night couldn’t hold them back. The trip was long, and they were in a rush. “Disciples?, Like more than one?” he said as the trees rushed by.

“May was with me; that is what they said,”she said, taking a long breath. “When I got back, life was in my breath.”

“What can you do?” he asked, making conversation as they pushed the horses

“I’m not sure; they didn’t really explain much, but they did say that Daharra has stolen the life from the forest, May’s forest.”

“Doom coast explains why it got me first, it’s just south of us.” Frick added.

“It was the son of King Eric. He changed the spell to target you because you are the one that killed his father.” Zekka explained

“Dharra was one of his concubines. A member of his cursed Lower caste.”

“She is the one doing all this; she is using the forest to power her death magics.”

“So we are going to fight to the death, in a place we call Doom Coast.”

“And were heading into a trap.”

They pushed the horses for hours, never giving the horses a chance to stop.