Chapter 9 The History Book

Chapter 9 The History Book

It is believed that a forest contains many mystical items. It is recorded in the history book owned by Professor Bustamante. We need to get the holy pendant which is located somewhere in the forest. The pendant will trap Luke, the shapeshifter. But how can we get into that place? Even the professor doesn’t know how to get there.

The book is the size of an encyclopedia chapter. It is old, the pages have turned brown. Per page there is a place, a mystical place. Occurrence of mystical creatures, life forms and objects. This is not an ordinary history book. It is a history book of fantasy and mystery. Legendary creatures, legendary objects and legendary places could be explored.

In the introductory part of the book, there is a poem which states:

Soul

Undying tears, undying fears

Is my love for the dying.

Broken sorrow, broken spears

Is my happiness unfailing.

What is the triumph?

Where is the top?

To the golden seraph.

To the endless hop.

How can I not say the words?

Say the words that could heal.

How can I not tell my swords?

Tell the words that could feel.

Where to start?

Where to begin?

How to think smart?

How to swim without a fin?

I wish to give some years.

Is it to act your fools?

I wish to take care of some cheers.

I want to create some tools?

Oh my love for you must be great.

All my days must be still.

Without pain is the mate?

Who is dying with the bill?

All does not end here.

All does not stay there.

All deserve a decent burial.

All must have a good ritual.

For hours, we are trying to decipher the poem. Is it relevant? Fortunately, we the “Protectors” have in our team a coder and a literature enthusiast.

Rituals sometimes require a sacrifice. “Perhaps a drop of blood?”, Victor, the coder said. “Professor, may we drop a drop of our blood in the book page?”, Victor said. Victor cut his little finger with a small blade. A drop of blood was shed. “It didn’t work.”, Victor said. “Foolish!”, he said. Suddenly, a bright light engulfs him.

The rest of us followed. Foolish is the favorite word of Victor. We each said our favorite word. Each of us doesn’t have a weapon. We just have ourselves to protect and defend each other. With our mortal bodies, I hope we could endure the dangers of this forest.

“How long have you been waiting?”, Psyche asked Victor. Psyche summoned an apparition. This apparition would guide us to the holy pendant. “Just about ten minutes.”, Victor said. “You are not Victor.”, Bear said. “You don’t smell like Victor.”, Bear said. “I am sorry. I am Fruit. I am a shapeshifter.”, Fruit said “Where is Victor?”, Bear said. “He went southwards.”, Fruit said. The apparition would want to go westward. “I thought that you were bad people so I shapeshifted to Victor.” Fruit said.

“He is telling the truth.”, Lie said. She can identify a person if he or she is telling a lie. “Could we trust you?”, Lie asked Fruit. “Yes, surely, I am a harmless being.”, Fruit said. “I just want to be a normal person.”, “All my comrades are gone and my love is already dead.”, “My existence is already due.”, Fruit said. “How long have you been here?”, Magic asked. “I have been here for 500 years waiting for someone to come.”, Fruit said. “Are you looking for a mystical item?”, Fruit added.

“We are looking for the holy pendant.”, Magic said. “Do you know about the pendant?”, Lie asked. “I cannot forget that pedant.”, “That is worn by Lucy, my love. She was taken by monster”, Fruit said. “How did you get the pendant?, How do we get the pendant?”, Snake said.

“Did you see a bloodmark on the book? We are the first to make an expedition to this forest. The book must not be opened. It only brings pain. Persons entering the book never make it back alive. It is a tragic story. It is a losing cause. It thought I would be happy getting the holy pendant and giving it to Lucy. If you take something from the forest especially mystical items, there is a monster that will be summoned.”, Fruit said.

“I thought that was just part of the color of the sun, a bloody sun.”, “I didn’t say anything about it.”, Angel said. “No. It was my blood.”, Fruit said. “But how did you manage to be a shapeshifter?”, Word asked. “It is a long story. It is a curse.”, Fruit said.

Lurking predators are everywhere. Eyes are watching as if we are their lunch. Waiting for the perfect timing when to strike. “Even flying birdlike creatures are to be feared here.”, Fruit said. “We will first look for Victor.”, Lead, our leader said. We started our quest. “Unsummon!”, Psyche unsummoned the apparition. “Summon!”, Psyche summoned a shadow exactly the shape of Victor. The shadow will look for Victor, the intended person. It is a black “human” shadow. It cannot perform any other tasks but to unite to Victor.

Fruit made a map of the forest. Perhaps Victor will be heading to the lake. It is wise to look for a water source first. The team headed for the lake. On our way, we saw skeletons, many of them. This signifies danger ahead. “Are we really going this way?”, “Perhaps there is another route”, Silent said. I wonder why he is included in our team. I don’t find anything special about him. He is a short and timid kid. He wore glasses and certainly the weakest among us. Victor always bullies him to quit the team.

“This is the real way.” Fruit said. The skeletons you saw were my fallen comrades. Half of us ate a very beautiful fruit. I call them Winkies. These are easily found. The moment you touch it, you will have to eat it and eventually will make you die.