Chapter Thirteen: Harrowing Feather

Thirteen days into our travels, and we finally came upon the eastern ocean. The sands were black as night, and they glimmered with what seemed like diamonds.

The eastern ocean hadn't looked like this before. What exactly happened here?

Hekin's fiery minions kept their distance from the shore, staying at the edge of the sands amongst tall grasses. Jopp's sentient minions seemed unsure as they poked at the incoming waves with their vines. One of them cried for joy and plowed into the turquoise waters. He swam quite a distance before he began to drown.

I jumped into the cold ocean and swam to him. I dragged him to the beach by his hand and slapped him awake. "Hey! Are you all right?!" This minion was known for being an idiot, but I couldn't just let him die!

The minion glanced around, baffled. "What happened? I tried to swim farther, but it felt like something kept pulling me under!"

"It must've been the current," I explained. "Lots of things have changed. Don't be careless next time, all right?!" I searched for Jopp to see if he had watched the whole thing transpire. He was standing at the edge of the beach, staring at the horizon, his arms crossed. I was livid. I stormed up to his imposing shadow and got in his face. "You were just watching that whole time?! Your minion could've died!"

"Minions that can't survive on their own don't deserve to live," Jopp spat.

"You haven't even taken the time to get to know them!" I shouted. "He's the best vine tamer, and he loves learning! You almost lost an integral member of your unit, just because you're lazy!"

Jopp's dark eyes flashed crimson as he snarled at me. "What are you going to do about it, Tark?!"

"I'm going to kick your ass, Aeklith!"

Hekin had to pull me away as I punched Jopp's middle. Both of us gaped when Jopp was sent flying into a sand bar. Jopp's eyes locked on me as he attacked us with his claws and froze the water behind us. Hekin smirked as he grabbed me by the shoulders and dodged out of Jopp's way. He swung my legs and whacked Jopp's behind, which made him fly out into the ocean and land with a loud splash.

Hekin set me on my feet and patted my shoulder. "Penny Lee knew what she was doing when she made that feather," he revealed. "It keeps you from getting possessed by demons and grants you her powers."

I gulped and patted the feather that had managed to stay in my back pocket. I wrapped a leather strap to my right arm and kept it secure underneath. "Thanks, Hekin."

"You should thank Master," he suggested.

"Thanks, Penny Lee," I beamed.

We watched as Jopp's minions took to the water and swam towards a dot in the distance. The minion that had almost drowned was left behind, and he seemed dejected.

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"I can't hear him anymore," the minion responded with a downcast gaze.

I took his hand, and the feather pulsed with energy. I gasped when his form shrank away, and in his place was an emerald green egg that fit in my palm. I rubbed my hands over the hard shell, wondering what had happened. I glanced at Hekin for an answer.

He shrugged and shook his head. "That's a first for me, too."