Flower 12: Trouble on the Mountain
The aura emanating from Neblina’s cloak created a subtle, rippling effect within the room, casting faint pulses of light. Gilda found herself entranced by the rhythmic aura, her eyes mirroring its pulsating energy. Gradually, she slipped into a trance-like state, her form melding into a dense turquoise mist that gently enveloped the water.
Mine tilted his head, “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Otto lifted his head, “Neither was I.”
He petted his head and asked, “Should I leave?”
“What if she drowns?”
“She’s not even…” he waved his hands at the water and found the word he was looking for, “Whole… neither am I for that matter. I haven’t done this in a while.”
“What d’ya think is happening to her?”
“No telling, dear,” Mine said as Gilda’s gaseous form reached his leg. He was suddenly sucked into the pool and vanished from the room. Neblina’s cloak floated down over Otto as he huffed and peered into the pulsing pool.
Mine reappeared on a crystal ship that had just been tagged by a meteorite and sent spiraling off course. The single occupant of the ship reigned in the ship despite losing several engines in the meteor strike. She cursed as she shifted all the power to the remaining engine. Mine was a witness to the situation and knew what he was watching.
Gilda appeared beside him, taking on a ghostly turquoise form, and attempted to yell, but only a muffled gurgling sound escaped her mouth. She reached out to touch Neblina, and the scene accelerated. When it returned to normal speed, Mine felt a pang of sadness seeing Neblina still adrift in space. At that point, she was already ill, yet steadfastly crafting an emerald blade. Mine recognized the genesis of what would eventually become Mae and smiled warmly at the memory. Neblina tirelessly worked on the blade until she eventually fell asleep. In that moment, the object of her creation became lost, destined to find its way to El Dorado.
The scene sped up again and the crystal ship plummeted from the sky and plunged through the dome ceiling of Kingston’s guard post. The suit of armor caught the ship and stopped it from destroying the structure any further. Neblina emerged from the ship and was too weak to fight. Luckily Gunther was there and he brought her to Mine. Gilda watched the scene silently, Mine’s heart raced as he watched. They sped forward again and it was a scene that brought Mine to his knees.
He observed as Neblina removed her cloak and tenderly draped it over Gunther, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Mine knew this scene all too well, familiar with what would follow, and he wept, shielding his eyes to avoid witnessing the end of her tale.
The scene suddenly twisted, hurling him out of the pool. Hastily, he grabbed Neblina’s cloak, embracing it tightly, and whispered heartfelt words to the fabric. Gilda emerged from the water, gasping for air, and swiftly cleared the water from her face. After wrapping herself in a towel, she approached Mine. Though she had been taught never to trust a man, she couldn't resist the impulse, and she hugged both Mine and the cloak.
"We have to bring her home," Gilda said, pulling away from the embrace and wiping tears from her eyes. "That’s what she wanted. She trusted you."
"I loved her," Mine admitted.
"Then let me help you fulfill her final wish," Gilda said, looking up at him with determination.
Mine nodded. "I think we both need an outfit change."
Gilda blushed slightly. "Agreed. Where'd you come from?"
"Otto smuggled me in," Mine replied, gently patting the sleeping dog's head. With a snap of his fingers, Mine's clothes were completely dry, and he wore a sharp gray suit with black accents. He adjusted his collar and fixed his cufflinks, his bright yellow eyes shining behind circle-framed shades. He turned to Gilda. "Go get dressed so we can be on our way, dear."
"What's your name?" Gilda asked.
"I'm Mine," he said. "You may have it."
"I'm Gilda," she introduced herself, offering her hand.
"Such a pleasure to meet you, dear," Mine said, shaking her hand with a kind smile. Mine sat on Gilda’s chaise and with his legs up as she got dressed behind her folding screen.
“So, where’d you come from really?” Gilda asked as she moisturized behind the screen.
“I was where Neblina got lost, recently set free but two filthy beasts got me caught up, I was honestly on my way home.”
Gilda stepped around the screen wearing a short dress with her cloak draped over her shoulders and matching heels. She smiled at Mine and asked, “How do I look?”
“Perfect,” Mine said as he jumped up, not really looking at her. “Shall we?”
Gilda frowned as she led him to her door and stopped in front of it. “You have subverted everything I’ve ever been told about men and you caught in the middle of my bath. Why is it that I am so at ease and feel such peace while in your presence?”
“There’s only half of me here, which makes my presence softer,” Mine smiled and tapped a golden brooch of two flowers on his lapel with pearls embedded in the middle of each. “This brooch is called, Apfora. I nicked her from a fairy possessed by Lust. She tends to make me more appealing to others.”
“So I might not really like you?” Gilda asked as she looked up at the man.
“It’s possible, but I doubt it,” Mine said as he took her hand and said, “Let’s see where we’ll go.”
She took his hand, he snapped his fingers, and they vanished with Gilda’s giggle whisper in the wind. As Doro approached Gilda’s room she paused before opening the door. The Trifects looked to one another and back to Doro, however, before any could ask a question she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
She pressed her back against the door with wide eyes and a curse on the tip of her tongue, “Where the Hades did you just go?”
***
After dinner, Sister Lo’Ve escorted Molly to her room, still amused by Gunther’s antics during the meal. He had sung and eaten until he fell into a deep sleep, softly snoring as Molly carefully placed him on the bed. Lo’Ve lingered at the door, observing the small voskia girl.
"If you need anything during the night, you can seek assistance from our former sisters," she mentioned, motioning toward the walls adorned with depictions of past Sisters of Olympus gathered around, seemingly peering into the room. "They seem quite intrigued by you."
Molly smiled awkwardly and waved at the Sister’s depicted on the wall despite their scowls and disapproving glares. She was grateful when Lo’Ve closed the door and left her alone. She sighed and threw herself on the bed, waking Gunther in the process. He groaned as he sat up on the bed and looked around groggily, “Dinners over already?”
Molly started to nod her head when something caught her attention, she inclined her ear and walked over to the door. She opened the door and poked her head out and peered up and down the hallway. She heard a whispering lullaby that would have been barely audible to most.
Gunther’s ears perked up and he said, “I know that song. Neblina used to sing it.”
He leaped off the bed and darted out of the room, with Molly hot on his heels. Gunther maneuvered through the halls as if he knew every nook and cranny by heart, deftly evading the patrolling Sisters of Olympus without a hint of detection. Molly trailed behind, her movements silent thanks to her bare feet, attuned to the faint peaceful vibrations of the crystal beneath her.
The depictions of the Sisters of Olympus seemed to follow their every step along the walls as they traversed the dormitory. Their pursuit ceased when Gunther halted just before the threshold of a crimson crystal corridor, distinct from the stone passageways the Sisters traversed. He brought Molly to a stop before she crossed into the realm of the red crystal corridor.
“You're rather far from your room aren’t you?” Lo’Ve asked. Molly and Gunther whipped around to find Sister Lo’Ve leaning against the wall and the depictions of the former Sisters lingering behind her like an army.
“Where does that hallway go?” Gunther asked, “And who’s singing that song?”
“Song?” Lo’Ve asked, clearly surprised he could hear it. She moved toward them and said, “The Crimson Tower is home to the treasures of Olympus. Only a select few are allowed to venture up the stairs. We will meet Sister Balkinka here tomorrow evening in order to receive your cloak.”
“Ya still didn’t answer my question, who was that voice? I know that song,” Gunther growled.
Lo’Ve closed her eyes, “No one is singing, the voice you hear is that of a Sister long gone. Her name was-”
“Neblina,” Gunther finished her statement.
“How do you know that name?” Lo’Ve snapped. “Who are you?”
He wiggled out of Molly’s arms and landed on his feet and said, “Gunther, be my name and I met Neblina amongst the stars. She was lost and I found ‘er. She sang ta me.”
Lo’Ve’s four eyes welled up with tears as she approached, picked Gunther up and asked, “Are you telling the truth?”
“I never been one ta tell a lie,” the purplish-blue plush beaver said as he made an x over the yellow upside down on his butt. “Cross out my creed and call me Chuck if I do.”
Molly smiled at him and Lo’Ve picked her up as well and carried them both over the threshold. A crystal droe dropped from the ceiling and scanned Lo’Ve’s retina before she was allowed to proceed. “Luckily you two didn’t step into this hall alone. The lasers produced by the crimson corridor are meant to maim anyone not permitted.”
As she ventured through the corridor, Molly could almost sense the sinewy muscles and finely honed physique of Sister Lo’Ve, carrying them effortlessly as she ascended the numerous staircases toward the tower's summit. The windows along the way overlooked the entrance and the line of monuments they'd seen earlier. The dizzying ascent continued up the spiraling stairs, offering fleeting glimpses of the courtyard with each bend. Just before reaching the apex, Molly caught what seemed like Mine's silhouette stretching along the path that led to the dormitory.
Lo’Ve pressed her palm against the wall, causing it to twist and reveal a dimly lit room beyond. Stepping through the warped crystal wall, she carried Molly and Gunther with her. As the wall closed behind them, a drone descended from the ceiling, scanning Lo’Ve's eye before zooming away and illuminating the room in its path. Rather than an organized space, it resembled more of a cluttered room, filled with an assortment of treasures haphazardly strewn about.
The song filled the space and Gunther jumped out of Lo’Ves arm and disappeared amongst the mess. “This place really reminds me of Nowhere. I’m surprised nothing here is lost.”
“Everything is automatically added to the inventory,” Lo’Ve stated as understanding dawned on her and she waved her hand. On the crystal wall a list of items began to scroll, she sighed with relief when Gunther wasn’t added to the list. Then her eyebrow shot up when she noticed a new addition and asked. “What’s a Mine Doll?”
Molly shrugged and slipped out of Lo’ve’s grip, she meandered away from the Sister as she tapped on the item and tried to pull up its information but nothing was available to her. Without looking away from the screen she called over her shoulder, “Don’t wander too far.”
Molly swiftly located Gunther, and together, they traced the source of the mesmerizing song that had beckoned them. At the center of the room, amidst various potted plants, rested a small circular table holding a golden orb intricately carved on its surface. As they attempted to touch it, a violent tremor surged, throwing them off their feet and shaking the entire mountain. Their gazes met, and they scrambled upright, only to find Lo’Ve pinned beneath a giant grandfather clock amid the shifting treasures, unconscious.
They both rushed toward the door and stopped instinctively as they recalled Lo’Ve’s warning about the crimson towers' defenses. They looked back to the unconscious Siter of Olympus and sighed in sync.
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“Ya think ya can lift it?” Gunther asked.
Molly shot a furious glare but refrained from raising her fingers in defiance. Instead, she and Gunther began maneuvering the treasure around the clock. With a rod wedged beneath, they worked together to lift and free Lo’Ve. As the clock shifted, a rumble shook Lo’Ve awake, and her cloak’s trim began to emit a healing glow. Despite her discomfort, she managed a smile, which was cut short by a loud crack as she adjusted her jaw back into place. Wincing, she swiftly scooped up Molly and Gunther, whisking them out of the room just as the crimson tower shuddered violently once more. There was a deafening snap, and in an instant, Molly and Gunther vanished. Lo’Ve, caught off balance by the sudden shift, tumbled down the stairs amid the quake's start.
***
Before Olympus shook, Ryder and Kyan surveyed the endless silvery desert under the full moon's glint that extended from the mountain like an endless ocean. They relieved themselves, streams cascading down the mountainside.
“Water for the mountain lilies!” Kyan yelled, letting out a belch as he finished.
Ryder laughed loudly, yelled an unintelligible slur, and nearly stumbled forward. Kyan caught him and shook his head. Ryder clumsily adjusted his pants, almost toppling over again. Kyan chuckled and turned away from the view, dipping his hands into the spring flowing along the crystal wall. As Ryder struggled to pull up his pants, he fell to his knees, heaving. The sourness filled his mouth, his head pounded with pain. He glanced up at Kyan, trying to speak but unable to stop purging. After a few minutes, Kyan offered Ryder a towel and a crystal mug of water.
“You did this to me,” Ryder said, trembling with sweat on his forehead.
“Don’t put the blame on me,” Kyan chuckled. “I warned you not to drink with Suzuko.”
“He dared me,” Ryder muttered before rinsing his mouth with water.
“And you lost,” Kyan teased.
Ryder spat out the water and retorted, “He had home field advantage.”
“You knew that! You're out of your mind, bro,” Kyan laughed.
“At least I'm not in debt,” Ryder shot back.
“You're lucky he accepted your 'sippers' as payment,” Kyan said, shaking his head. Suddenly, he clutched his ears and screamed in agony. “What's that sound?”
Ryder laughed at him and asked, “What are you talking about?”
Kyan dropped to his knees, his bloodshot eyes wide as he screamed, hands clamped tightly over his ears. Foam formed at the corners of his mouth and his eyes rolled backward. Just as he seemed about to collapse, the Sisters of Olympus assigned to him materialized. Aggel swiftly caught him by the tail and flicked his ears. A sigh of relief escaped Kyan as a turquoise smoke billowed from his ears.
Meanwhile, Ryder, sobered up instantly attempting to disguise himself, he popped his collar and froze in place, resembling a statue. His mind spun with various potential outcomes, yet none of them foresaw what was about to unfold.
Aggel turned to Ryder slowly and said, “Come with us if you want to live.”
Ryder wasn’t falling for the woman’s trick and remained completely still. Suddenly a cacophony of roars ripped through the caverns surrounding them. Ryder whipped his head from side to side in search of the source, and as he noticed the crystals shaking, he involuntarily did the same. Then the first tremor ripped through the mountain and Ryder squealed like a piglet.
Sister Toll grabbed Ryder by the face and slammed him to the ground, “Shut your damn mouth.”
Ryder started to cry as a deep guttural growl ripped through the cave closer than ever. He stared up at the Sisters of Olympus as they all brandished crystal weapons and surrounded Kyan defensively, “Wh-wha-what’s going on?”
Toll held him down with one hand and a purple crystal battle axe in the other. She grit her teeth and whispered, “Something enraged the Bodoluu. Now they’re hunting.”
“Hunting what?” Ryder asked nervously.
“All of us,” Sister Delia said. “And the source.”
A large fur covered hand gripped the wall and one of the bodoluu appeared from behind it. Its face was covered in shadow as its eyes glowed and it flashed a monstrously fanged grin. “I found you,” it growled.
“Bro,” Kyan shouted as he stepped forward, the effects of the mead still apparent in his teetering steps. “What’s with all the hostility?”
The bodoluu threw a punch and Sister Sephima blocked it with a purple crystal shield. She produced a purple crystal sword and said, “Evacuate the prince.”
“Prince?” Ryder blurted out when Toll released him from her grasp. He jumped to his feet and turned to Kyan, “You’re a prince?”
“Yup,” Kyan hiccuped and threw his arms over Ryder, “No worries, bro. These are my homies.” He gestured to the Sisters Aggel, Delia, and Toll. “They're strong too.”
The Bodoluu continued its assault but Sister Sephima managed to deflect all of its blows with ease. She dexterously moved around it clearly not wanting to cause any significant damage. Several more Bodoluu appeared and joined the attack. Sister Aggel had already grabbed Kyan and headed down a corridor. Sister Toll shoved Ryder behind them, Sister Delia took up the rear guard as they made their escape.
The mountain shook violently, sending everyone tumbling except for Kyan, who skillfully rode the quaking ground.
"What's happening?" Ryder cried out.
"Suzuko," Toll managed as she flipped overhead, slicing a crystal that fell from the ceiling. She landed as it crashed beside them, "He's trying to destroy the source of their aggravation."
Sister Aggel raised her fist, signaling a halt to their advance as she peeked around the corner. "We can't descend."
The ground continued to tremble beneath them, prompting Kyan's laughter. "I wish I had a drum right now."
"Go up then," Delia suggested. "We'll head to the library if anything."
"That's too close to the city," Toll snapped.
"Where else do we go?" Delia countered. "We'll be overrun if we stay down here."
"We fight," Toll asserted.
"To what end?"
The two Sisters locked gazes, their stares intense. Aggel hissed, "As long as Kyan is in danger, we're all failing at our duties."
"I'm not in any danger," Kyan retorted, transforming into a pygmy marmoset and darting toward the wrestling Bodoluu. Despite their efforts, the Sisters and Ryder failed to stop him as he slipped away with ease. After a few minutes, he reappeared, dragging a studded black crystal bat. The Bodoluu noticed him and lunged. Kyan swiftly reverted to his normal form, wielding the kanabo. With a single swing, he knocked out both Bodoluu, flashing a smile at Aggel, Toll, Delia, and Ryder before swaying unsteadily. "Which way do we go?"
The Sisters all pointed upwards, their mouths agape in astonishment. They exchanged questioning looks, but before they could ask, Toll beat them to it.
"When did you get a black crystal armament?" she inquired.
Kyan scratched the back of his head. "See, what had happened was..."
Before he could finish, a group of Bodoluu, with their glowing eyes and sharp-toothed grins, interrupted the conversation. Sister Delia took a deep breath and twirled her purple crystal spear masterfully. She carved a line in the ground and turned to the others, “Go!”
None of them hesitated and sprinted toward the exit. Ryder looked back to see Sister Delia fending off the Bodoluu with ease. As he turned the corner, he witnessed her being set upon by even more of the beasts and vanished completely. He whispered a prayer for her as he was pushed up the stairs by Sister Toll. As they ascended, Kyan swiftly dealt with each Bodoluu that appeared in front of them, wielding his kanabo with precision. However, in the enclosed space, every swing of the mighty weapon struck the walls, causing a small tremor.
"Enough!" Toll growled, pushing past Ryder and Aggel. She stood toe-to-toe with Kyan and said, "Let me take it from here."
Kyan bowed and shrunk the kanabo down to a smooth palm-sized black crystal. He tucked it into his pants' waistband and put his hands in his pockets as Sister Toll stepped in front of him. A few stairs above them, four Bodoluu blocked their path. She gritted her teeth and charged all four of them with her crystal battleax, managing to dispatch each one and forge ahead.
"Why didn't you tell me you were the prince?" Ryder ducked behind Kyan as a Bodoluu flew over their heads.
"You didn't ask," Kyan shrugged. "If you want to know stuff, you gotta ask.”
"Urgh, whatever." Ryder shook his head and winced as he heard a loud crunch, stepping over an unconscious Bodoluu. He took a steadying breath and asked, "Where are they all coming from?"
"The Bodoluu live on just about every level of the mountain," Aggel said. "If we can make it to the library, we should be safe. I doubt they'll climb any higher than that."
"They've crowded the hall!" Toll shouted. "We'll have to fight our way through."
Kyan started to laugh, plucking the black crystal from his waist and shouting, "Glorious battle!" He charged into the wider hallway with his kanabo raised, and both Sister Aggel and Toll beside him. Ryder ducked, slipped beneath, and avoided the flying Bodoluu as he followed them through the hall. All he could manage to say repeatedly was, "I don't wanna die."
They finally reached the library and both Sister Aggel and Toll stared up at the gaping hole that used to be the door to the library. Kyan defeated the remaining bodoluu and laughed triumphantly despite the Sisters of Olympus clear shock. Smaller adolescent bodoluu were in the process of tearing the underground library apart.
“What do we do?” Toll asked quietly.
Aggel solemnly looked up at Kyan, “We’ll have to go to the dormitory.”
Toll shook her head, “We can’t. Queen Ze-”
“She’ll understand,” Aggel interrupted and said, “We can’t stay here. We’ll eventually be mauled and we can’t let that be the fate of the prince.”
Toll sighed, “At least go through the library.”
“You know what happens when the cubs are attacked,” Aggel said.
“I do,” Toll turned to Kyan and said, “It has always been an honor being your guardian. I love you.” She grabbed the back of his neck and squeezed as she pressed her forehead to his. She pushed him away and started to whisper. Glowing runes appeared on Toll’s exposed skin and she vanished in a blur. The adolescent bodoluu in the library dropped one after another as Toll knocked them unconscious creating a path for Kyan and the others.
Kyan didn’t have a chance to respond, Aggel yanked his tail and chopped him in the back of the neck knocking him unconscious. He turned into a pygmy marmoset again and she held him against her chest. She turned to Ryder and said, “Keep up or die.”
She had already taken off before Ryder could acknowledge her. He was nowhere near as fast as she was but was grateful for Toll’s trail of defeated youngsters. He started to wonder why Toll spoke as if she’d never see Kyan again when the shriek of the female bodoluu echoed through the library. He pushed himself even harder and ran as fast as he could through the library until he dashed past Toll. She smiled and slammed the door shut behind her. Aggel tossed Kyan’s sleeping form to Ryder as she jumped in the air and brought down two giant crystals that barricaded the door.
Ryder turned around to find himself in a cavern of singing crystals, “Where are we?”
“Never mind,” Aggel said as she approached.
Kyan shifted in Ryder’s arms without opening his eyes and began to feel his chest. He opened one of his eyes and noticed he was in Ryder’s arms and scurried away from him. He jumped into Aggel’s arms and nuzzled into her bosom, saying, “No offense bro, but there’s nothing like the touch of a lady.”
Aggel smiled and said, “Come, let’s get to the castle. It’s late enough in the night that the castle should be vacant.”
She pushed open a door at the other end of the room when the door behind them exploded, and a giant bloodied bodoluu appeared. It was larger than every other bodoluu they had encountered, and Ryder’s eyes widened with recognition. Chief Suzuko’s former bulkiness was replaced with an intricately toned and powerfully muscular body. Jagged crystals jutted from beneath his fur, and he dragged a crystal club behind him. Chief Suzuko lowered its head and exhaled a frosty breath that froze the room instantly. Aggel tossed Kyan through the opened door and yanked Ryder by his collar. She pushed him over the threshold and smiled, “Take care of my prince.”
Before Ryder could protest the door was closed and Kyan placed his hand on his shoulder, “Let’s go.”
“What abou-”
Kyan fought back his tears and simply shook his head, “Come, they’re doing their duty.”
The mountain shook again and Ryder held onto the wall when he heard a familiar voice from behind them. When the rumbling began Mine skipped a few stairs and said, “Aren’t you glad you followed me, dear?”
“What about Royal?” Trey asked, “You think he’ll be okay?”
“Better than ever,” Mine said, waving him off, “Once he gets over the shadow shock and figures out how to wield Poinsettia I’m sure he’ll be one to be reckoned with.”
“That’s cool,” Trey said, “Where do you think we’ll end up?”
“Exactly where, we’re meant to be dear.”
“I’m actually starting to believe you,” Ryder said leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. Kyan stood a few steps above him, scratched the back of his head and shrugged. Mine and Trey looked at one another and then back to Ryder striking a pose and started to laugh hysterically.
“You’re a total dork for posing in the stairwell,” Trey managed to say as they continued past them.
“Is that what he’s doing?” Kyan asked, “I thought he was out of breath again.”
Mine and Trey laughed even harder as Kyan joined them. Ryder grumbled and pushed past all of them while mumbling under his breath. Kyan introduced himself to Trey as they continued their ascent and gave him a high five.
Mine examined Kyan’s features and narrowed his eyes at the man and said, “I feel like I know you.”
“I’ve never been off the planet before,” Kyan said with a shrug.
“Hmph, interesting, dear.”
At the top of the stairs, they found themselves facing a swirling archway. Before anyone could ask a question or protest, Mine sauntered over the threshold and was immediately transported to the entrance of the Sisters of Olympus dormitory. His shadow stretched far in front of him as the others stepped through the archway behind him.
Mine Imagination: Flight of the Hummingbirds
By: T. M. Ashley