The light of the sun was waning when they heard a distant roar.

Zen perked up. “Rapids!”

Stephan picked up his pace. “This way! Come on!”

They followed a small well-worn jungle trail to the rapids. Then they began to follow them. It didn't take long for Zen and Stephan to find the tree, It was colossal, wIth branches as thick as an ordinary tree! The leaves were as big as her face with veins the width of her fingers.

“Isaias wants me to unmake this? I can’t unmake such a beautiful thing! There has to be a way into the cave with the tree.”

“We could try excavating the roots but there’s not a lot of sunlight left Zen. You better hurry.” Stephan let Zen down from his arms. Already he felt bereft of her warmth and his arms felt empty.

Zen nodded and walked around the massive girth of the tree, looking for some way inside. She found it farther in.

“I see the mouth of the cave! If I can just get in…” She struggled climbing through the roots the size of cars and squeezing herself in nooks and crannies till she reached the mouth of the cave and swung in. Inside the cave, it was hot and moist. I need a light, Ishevara!

Ishevara began to shine. Zen walked to the back wall where a panel as old as time was covered in vines. She ripped the vines from the panel and looked for some way to turn it on.

It needs a power source. Use me, guardian.

Zen pressed Ishevara on the machine, and it lit up like a Christmas tree, spurting to life. The display scene came to view and Zen rapidly typed the code into the machine. It beeped and asked for a sample of her blood. Zen looked at the pictographs, a raven flying into an eclipse, a raven flying into an eclipse….

She shone her light on all of the signs but none were the ones she was looking for. Think! I’m an Amargarita! Where would I…

She looked up and found the symbol in the middle of the ceiling. How do I get my blood up there? I need Stephan! Sorry tree. Looks like a little of you will have to go. I’m sorry.

She closed her eyes and a bright light engulfed her. She turned brilliant eyes to the cave opening and raised her hand. “Disperse.” Everything in front of the cave, slowly scattered and was erased leaving the way clear for Stephan to come in. He stepped foot into the cave and watched as the glow surrounding Zen disappeared slowly back into the crystal. “You obviously need me for something...what’s up?”

She pointed to the giant pictograph above their heads. “I have to put my blood on there. Any ideas?”

Stephan grinned and a coil of water lifted her off the floor and up to the pictograph.

“This works nicely,” she muttered inspecting the pictograph and finding a rusted knife’s edge where she supposed her blood went. I hope I don’t get Tetanus or something worse!

She sliced her palm lightly on the edge. She hissed. “I hate paper cuts!” Bringing her hand to the pictograph, she lathered her blood all over the bird and eclipse. “Okay, down now, please, Stephan.”

Stephan was still grinning when the coil of water brought her back to the ground with a light thump.

The cave began to shake on its foundations knocking Zen into Stephan’s arms. He held her tighter as the shaking intensified, both kneeling on the floor. A wall of the cave slowly slid upwards revealing another entrance and a body.

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The shaking stopped and both stood. The body didn’t move.

“Do you think we should?” asked Zen signaling at the body not too far from the entrance.

Stephan shrugged. “It’s not decomposing so they might be alive still. Be careful. I’ve seen dead bodies come to life and kill those not aware.”

Zen didn’t think he was kidding. They walked over and checked the body. Turning it over revealed a familiar face only an eye patch was marring where two dark eyes used to be but he wore the same duster coat and black ensemble she had seen on him when he faced the gothic lolita.

It’s Shadow! A guy that was working for the GAA last I heard of him. He was part of the gang that had Edline. I think your brother gave him amnesty for giving you a patch,” said Stephan. Edline had told him about the guy.

Zen glanced at Stephan intently. “Well hop to. I can’t carry the guy and you are an elemental as you’ve said so many times today,” she sniggered.

Stephan rolled his eyes and made another water whip form around Shadow. It lifted the guy off the ground and held him at arm's length from both of them. Shadow mumbled something incoherent and kept unconscious. They explored the cave further with nothing else to find except rocks and decided to head for the exit.

Zen scoffed. "Some show."

"Show?" asked Stephan as he traded his elemental ability for brute strength, which Zen could admire as his muscles bulged visibly.

"Just something Isaias said," she muttered staring at Stephan for a minute more than she should have, blushing.

"What else did he… woah!"

In front of them was a large mansion of two floors. It was dipilidated but somehow still whole. It had a huge garden of exotic flowers hanging off the rafters, and covering the roof. It was made of black marble and shone blood red in the dying light.

“Kind of foreboding isn’t it,” she whispered.

“What are you talking about? It's awesome!”

She scoffed. “For you maybe, but I don’t like the way the yellow, whatever they are, cling to the windows. They make it look as if the house were on fire.”

“That’s why it’s so awesome. I’d love to live in a place like this!".

“Come on, let's check the duds while Isaias and your brother get here.”

“Got anything to eat?”

“Yes, I brought food for six days. It’s in a small fridge in my dimensional pocket.”

“Great, cause all that lifting a dead guy, made me hungry.”

Zen smiled and helped him up to the house, where she had to bleed again to open the door.

Ishevara began to glow, lighting their way. On the bottom floor, four rooms were interconnected together. There was a common room or living room, a Library that Zen vowed to check, a dining room still set, with all the kitchenware, and a large kitchen stocked high with pots and pans, ladles, big spoons, and tuning forks among other things. Stephan lay Shadow on an armchair by the huge bay window in the common room and took another for himself.

There was also another sofa and two couches all done in motheaten black leather. There were several tables strewn about the room with lamps on each one and a round table in the center of the room. All of them were carved from real wood and held red tablecloths stained with age. The library was stockpiled with musty books and smelled heavily of books and mildew. I’ll look around later.

She continued up the rickety steps towards the bedrooms. There were eight in all. Four on one side and four on the other all with their personal bathrooms which still flushed. The plumbing must still work but I bet the electricity doesn’t.

She flipped the light switch and it came on. Weird! It’s as if someone maintains this house or something does.

She raced back down, to tell Stephan about her findings. They both agreed to be careful and Stephan picked Shadow up to lay him in one of the bedrooms.

“Let’s go eat,” he muttered rubbing his growling belly and Zen smiled leading him back to the kitchen and taking her mom’s Arroz con Pollo out of her freezing unit. Whoever lived here had a heating unit in the kitchen. Placing the meal on the spinning plate, she hit enter and watched as the food cooked. A nice aroma filled the air around her.