The Light Cannot Touch

It was 9 in the morning, and the burning black ball of gas had just risen 45 degrees above the horizon. The dim red sky started to brighten, each second replaced by the glowing beams of day. Packets of light extending down to the dry grasses, advancing continuously on the lands before stopping at a line, a border. An edge of a forest where 'light meets the dark'.

"Here we are, at the edge of a blindspot. You guys want a break?" A young man stared back at his two other friends, crouching and stooping after a long jog from town.  

"No, Lux." His friend Matthias answered, even though Lux can see him chase his breath.

"We need to hurry, we still have to go to school later." Matthias continued.

Lux then focused on Jesse, who was busy chugging the water he brought. 

"That won't do, just a little bit." Jesse said, wiping his wet face dry.

Seeing his buddies preoccupied, Lux went forward and tuned his eyes into the darkness.

"Where is it?"

He whispered as he pivoted his bent body closer into the forest, but all he could've grasped of were indistinctive trunks and shrubs.

Lux stepped closer, hoping he could find it, but he felt something else that's drawing him in. Certainly not the eerie grass sounds, or the cold forest breeze, or the disorienting yet 'appealing' sight of woods voided of light. But before he could enter, he was struck on his shoulder by a soft pat of his friend's hand.

"You know, we're getting ourselves into trouble." Matthias said after reaching the borderline of the blindspot.

"This is a restricted area!" Lux saw him gesticulate his hands between the two zones, out in the light and into the dark.

"If the town fieries find out..."

"Then don't tell." Jesse uttered slowly.

"Besides Matt, town fieries do nothing more than just sitting and watching the town at night." 

Lux's ears ringed after hearing that statement. Though it wasn't for him, he felt attacked, so he stood straight from where he's at. He shifted his body sideways along with his eyes, gaining sight on his two pals standing near his back.

"They're still soldiers, have some respect." He waved his head towards the forest and urged them to resume walking.

The squad went in one by one. Lux followed  by Jesse and Jesse followed by Matt. The woodland was dark, cold and quiet, until the silence was broken by a sarcastic remark.

"Oh sorry, Mr. Future fiery. Forgot your brother-in-law is one." 

Jesse chuckled but he was soon corrected by Matt.

"It's actually 'future' brother-in-law."

They both tried to contain their laughs but Lux heard everything.

Immediately, he stopped walking and the two young men followed.

"Shhh."

He whispered directly at them. He was then asked by his nervous friends what was up, so he answered.

"There could be a limao!" He grunted before taking a grin and continuing moving along the wretched path.

The group was taking long strides yet they still haven't found anything, so Jesse decided to talk.

"But guys, all jokes aside, where's the tree? Last time, it didn't took this long to find it."

Despite the limao thing was a bluff, Matthias still spoke with a softer voice.

"Don't know, it couldn't have gone anywhere far from the edge. It is a tree." 

"We'll just continue heading straight, hoping we don't bump into something." Lux said although he was getting uneasy about being deep within a forest.

Twigs crunched as steps plunged on the icy soil that was a furlong away from outside. Suddenly, they were experiencing a blacker perception.

"Can't believe I agreed to this." Matt told himself.

"Well, the fruits of this trip would be very delicious. You know that." And by that, the group was withdrawn from making a noise, tempted by Lux's prompting to grab a juicy bite. 

Eventually, they found themselves in front of a tree, glimmering faintly in the middle. On its leaves were scattered a prosperous amount of glowing orbs, shedding little enough light on the contrasting background. A wooden trunk of delight that bears soul-replenishing fruits. The Luckstars tree. 

Mesmerized, the boys took time in closing in on it. Of course, the fruits wouldn't be picked by themselves, so the three started exchanging stares. Knowing already that his friends were aware of his fear, Lux knew he won't be the one climbing, but he does have to choose. At the end, one was bound to be outnumbered, and it happened to be Jesse.

"Why can't he climb it?" He pointed at Matthias.

"Cause he's a noodle-armed bookworm." Lux chuckled. He lend his hand to take a hold of his friend's things, who was now getting ready to climb the tree.

"Hey, just because I read books a lot doesn't mean I can't climb a tree. False analogy. And I'm not a bookworm!" Matt refuted.

"Where'd you learn that?" Jesse questioned.

"I've read it in a book." He replied.

"Right... So Lux, how were your caretakers able to grab a hold of this stuff a month ago? Weren't these rare outside of blindspots?" The climber reached for the closest bunch. A gentle shake was all it took for a bundle to fall down to the ground.

Lux paused and realized. He was able to eat some with his Lala and Lolo, but he didn't ask where they got it.

"Actually, I don't know. They certainly couldn't climb a tree at their-"

He stopped, for he was interrupted by a nearing, growling noise from behind the tree. Together with Matt, he widened his eyes and signaled Jesse to jump down. He seized for the fruits while his friends ran behind the bushes. However, he went the other direction and hid under a thick Kalantas tree. 

All were able to view both of their positions, meters apart and across the grassy path. The grunting became louder and clearer. Lux felt it  draw nearer and with fear, he blinked. But upon opening, he saw a black figure creeping towards the bushes. He watched his friends tremble against proximity, and that's when he thought of an intrusion.

Just as Matthias was about to gasp for air, Lux lifted his arm and threw a Luckstars fruit as far away as possible. With the creature now going for the sound of the thump, he raised his hand and counted to three. Seeing the third finger up, the squad run steadfast towards the exit, back to the zone outside the blindspot. 

"Faster!" Lux shouted as the noise began chasing them to their back. Gaining a spark of the yellow light, the three sprinted and hovered, jumping straight for the sun. 

Now outside the forest, with their arms laying on the ground, they saw a short glimpse of the creature following them. A beast possessing a couple of tangerine eyes, with outlines suggesting sharp limbs and teeth. It stayed for a moment behind the darkness, refraining from bolting out to attack them. Lastly, it snarled and turned away, leaving a trail of icy air.

Lux quickly looked at the fruits he got. There were only three. He was planning to get at least two, but that would mean a friend won't get to eat.

"Lux, how much we got?" Jesse asked, with his eyes still locked at the forest.

Matthias also waited for an answer, and so the delay caused the two to glance at Lux, who was now handling his bag. 

"Bad news, only two, I tripped on the way out." he apprised, looking all gloomy and saddened.  The young men regrouped and formed a circle. Seeing only two large fruits in Lux's hands, the pals gave off another series of stares. Yet again, Jesse was the one outnumbered.

"I climbed." he grunted.

The two started laughing and Lux tried to join their humor. After the fear and the rush, Matt and Jesse were now filled with amusement and gratitude, while Lux is left wondering about the truth.

"Fine, fine." Matt announced.

"I'll just take a bite on yours. Both of yours, okay?" Jesse instantly agreed, but Lux couldn't say a word. He was thinking of letting Matthias take a bite, but he was troubled if he should just give his other one entirely. However, Matt took the silence as a yes and proceeded on munching a bite from they're fruits. A second after, he returned them back before he and Jesse decided to walk back to the town.

"Come on, we're late for the announcements." Jesse reminded.

Lux stood for a bit as his friends went ahead. He closed his eyes and sighed before hiding his bitten Luckstars fruit inside his bag, alongside another one, the one he secretly hid first.