Liza's Luck

The stars twinkled, and the moonlight shone down on a cavern surrounded by crystals, glittering in the starlight. Chiseled out of rock was a rough,uneven staircase. 
Suddenly, a harsh, unnatural light shone at the bottom of the stairs, and a younger Liza clambered up the staircase. Arriving at the top, she gazed in awe at the crystals sprouting around the cavern. "So this is what they are after," she murmured softly. "And this is where a battle will be fought."
A couple of days ago, Greely had called a meeting of all the alphas. When they had all arrived, he had wasted no time in getting down to business. "I have called you all here today to deliver to you what I have seen in our future. The phantoms have discovered a new source of power so great that they would easily defeat us in battle. I believe that I know where they are, and I am asking Liza to go scout the area. Liza, do you accept?"
Liza nodded. "Yes," she replied.
"Liza, I have seen that this source of power is found near this hut, immediately north. They are found in an ancient cavern, with stone steps chiseled in the rock." Turning back to the waiting alphas, Greely announced," I believe though, that we will have to fight to keep this power source." Then, he shouted," Meeting dismissed!", and headed for the exit.
"Wait, Greely!" called Liza, frantically trying to follow Greely through the crowd.
Halting, Greely turned to face Liza. "What is it?"
"What is this power source? How will I know when I find it?"
Greely just looked at her. "Oh, you'll know," he muttered grimly, before turning around and plunging back into the crowd.
"But-" Liza shook herself. She had a mission!
Now, Liza turned her back on the beautiful crystals, and silently stepped down the staircase.

***

The next day, all of Jamaa was preparing for battle. The phantoms had somehow found out that the alphas were planning to take the crystals, and they had sent a messenger declaring war on them that day. Sir Gilbert prepared a special bow and arrow for every jammer that would vaporize a phantom once they were hit.
Greely had permitted Liza to take a break and not participate, because she had been the one who had found the crystals. After seeing the battle group off, she returned to her hut. Lighting some candles, she sat down... and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Grabbing a bow and arrow, she started to sprint out of the door before thinking twice. Snatching a small vial full of black liquid, she dashed out of the door.
When Liza arrived at the cavern, she stared in horror at what she saw there. The Phantom King stood, towering over all the jammers and alphas, shocking animals all over and causing them to faint. Though arrows soared through the air, they merely bounced off of him, and Liza breathed a sigh of relief that she had thought to bring the vial. Dipping an arrow in the vial, she aimed and fired. Time seemed to slow down as the arrow flew through the air, and the everyone, wherever they were in the battle, seemed to stop and stare at the arrow as it progressed through the air. He himself gazed in horror as he seemed to recognize the black liquid dripping from the arrow. He tried to dodge, but it was too late. He vaporized into nothingness, but she knew that he wasn't gone; he would have reappeared somewhere else. 
Looking around, Liza spotted Greely padding up to her with a rare look of approval in his eyes. "You did well," he admitted. "But how did you know that the liquid in that vial could destroy the Phantom King? I knew, of course, but I didn't think to bring any."
"Well, I didn't know," admitted Liza. "I just had a feeling."

***

After the battle, the crystals were taken from their original spot and preserved in a secret room.

Mira's Return

“Greely…”

Greely moaned in his sleep.

“Greely, wake up!”

Greely opened his eyes, blinking them with sleep.  He began to recognize the figure hunched over him with concern as the panda alpha, Liza.

“What happened?”  murmured Greely groggily.

“The Phantom King shocked you.  It looked really bad.  You passed out.  Then he vanished.” Liza looked uncertainly into the shadows, and Greely could make out the faint sound of electricity which could only belong to one thing.  Phantoms.  “I’m holding the rest of the phantoms back with the powers of my staff, but I can’t hold them much longer.  No, Greely, you’re not strong enough!”  she added as he attempted to stumble to his paws.  She tried to push him back, but he threw her off.  

“We need… to get back.. to Jamaa… now!” Greely muttered hoarsely.

“But how?  We’re too far away!”  Liza shrieked.  “And I don’t have any means of communication because you told me that we were just “checking out the place”!  Of course, you forget to mention that the place was infested with phantoms!”  She was practically working herself into hysterics.

“Liza… calm.. down…”Greely whispered.  “I.. cannot.. live… unless we.. get back…”

“I will NOT calm down!”

“Liza-”
 “No!”

“Look behind you…”

Liza turned and her jaw dropped.  A huge circle of stone, imbedded with what seemed to be giant emeralds and had certainly not been there moments ago, was standing right behind her.

            “What- what is it?” whispered Liza, and Greely could detect just a hint of fear in her voice.

            “I think it’s a portal.”  The words flowed from Greely's mouth before he could stop himself.

            Liza turned to face Greely, with an awe-filled and frightened look on her face.  “Do you really think so?”

            Greely pursed his lips.  “I know it is.”  Why was Liza dilly-dallying?  Didn’t she see that they had to go through the portal NOW?  He could see white eyes through the gloom, approaching.

 “Come on!”  Before she could protest, he mustered all his remaining strength and shoved her into the portal, before plunging himself in.  As he sank through the gem, he saw the shapes of phantoms waving their tentacles angrily, before he sensed, more than saw, the portal seal over and vanish.  

            Greely felt himself plunging through what felt like liquidized air, except it was bright green.  Once or twice, he thought he glimpsed an eye, maybe a flash of a wing, but it was always gone as soon as he saw it.  In what seemed to be seconds, he felt himself hit the ground, and with a moan, he passed out.

***

 Liza sipped her tea, deep in thought.  Without warning, she slammed her cup down onto her saucer, making Peck jump with fright, and shattering both teacup and saucer.

 “That Greely!”  Liza growled.  “Ever since we’ve come out of the portal he’s been bothering me, interrupting me when I have important business to be getting on with!  And no, it’s not anything useful!  It’s always “Did you smell fish or anything like that in the portal” or “What did you see in the portal” or something ridiculous like that!  What in the world is Greely up to n-”

 The door flew open, and standing in the doorway was, in fact, Greely himself.  “When you’ve quite finished raging,” Greely said coolly,” I have some important news.  Unless, of course, you think my little research is too trivial to be acknowledged.

“I never- I didn’t- “ Liza spluttered.  

“Liza-” Peck started.

“All right, all right, then let’s hear what you have to say!”

“Alright then.”  Greely sat down on a ancient, wooden rocking chair, rocking back and forth ever so slightly.  “You all know how Mira died, or at least, her spirit left her body.  By sacrificing herself to save the phantoms.  We all accepted the fact without question.  Until I went through the portal, that is.”

“Greely, how can you possibly -”

“Liza, please!”  warned Peck.

Liza sniffed.

“Thank you.” Greely said sarcastically.  “That night, I saw what I thought to be an eye, and a wing in the portal, and I wondered… Well, my research has brought me to the conclusion that… Mira is alive, whole, and well.”

“What?!”  Liza and Peck both shrieked simultaneously, jumping up from their chairs.

“She created that portal, carried us back to Jamaa.  Whether Mira just came to recently, or she has been alive for a while now, is hard to tell.”  Greely stood up too and walked to the window, gazing out.

“But if Mira was really, well, alive, then why wouldn’t she tell us?”  Liza whispered, coming to Greely’s side, all past arguments forgotten.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know.  But I am certain of one thing.  The way ahead of us is dark, we have always known that.  But now, with Mira back on our side, the way seems just a bit brighter.  There is still hope.”

***

 From then on, whenever jammers needed assistance, one of Mira’s portal would appear.  Without them, we would be nowhere.  And the next time you go through a portal, pay attention.  You might just hear a soft murmur, or feel the brush of a wing, carrying you to safety.

Willow's Compass

I apologize for the missing post yesterday!  I will post two stories today, to make up for it.  The first one:

Willow's Compass 

Willow stood and gaped at Liza.  “You want me to do it?”  The tiny fox was just an ordinary jammer.  No rares, no fame, nothing.  “Why not you, or another alpha?” 

“I’m asking myself the same question,” muttered Liza.   She raised her voice. “But if Greely says it has to be you, it must be so.”

Willow had been called to Liza’s bamboo hut and Liza had explained the whole situation.  Greely thought there was a new land somewhere east of Jamaa Township.  He had used his magic to see who should go and look and, to his own surprise, discovered it had to be Willow.  She had to go alone to find this mysterious land.  She was to start out right after her meeting with Liza. 

Liza took Willow to Coral Canyons to visit Cosmo.  He had brought all her supplies.  “Here’s a big supply of food.  Oh, and some herbs.  I included a handbook on how to use them.   And here’s a…” He kept listing items until Willow felt herself nodding off.  Was all this really necessary?

“Cosmo!”  Liza’s sharp retort jerked Willow back to awareness.  “We don’t have all day you know.  Willow’s supposed to be leaving soon!”

“Alright, alright,” muttered Cosmo, distracted as he searched through the basket.  “Let me just check that… Oh no!” The anxious koala broke off. 

“What’s wrong?” Willow shouted, frightened that the koala was hurt, or something.

“I forgot the compass,” cried Cosmo, acting like the whole world revolved around "the compass".  “I have to go get it!” 

Willow rolled her eyes as Cosmo dashed back to get the compass.  Why do I need a compass anyway? She thought.  If I’m going east, I only need to go over the bridge, right?

Just then, Cosmo came back holding a strange compass that Willow had never seen anything like. 

It looked like it was pure gold.  On the back, a phantom was engraved in it.  Its eyes seemed to follow her, and Willow shuddered, deciding that she would never use the compass, whatever Cosmo said.

Last of all, Liza explained to Willow what to do at the new land.  “Other jammers will be able to enter as soon as the first jammer who arrives, which is you, claims it from whatever other beings are living there and-“

“Beings?”  Willow said, confused.

Liza and Cosmo exchanged a quick glance.  “I meant, um, until it is ensured that it is safe for everyone.”

Willow narrowed her eyes, but didn’t say anything.

                “Why don’t we just start you on your way right now?  All you have to do is close your eyes and imagine yourself in the new land.”

Willow closed her eyes and imagined herself in a jungle.  She waited and waited, but she didn’t feel anything.  She opened her eyes.  “Liza, it’s not work-“  She broke off in astonishment.

She was in the jungle that she had imagined.  She was underneath a huge leaf.  Everything looked just how she had imagined.  There was only one difference.

The whole place was invaded by phantoms.

Willow started panicking, wondering if they had seen her, when she realized that she was under a bush.  She sighed with relief.

Then Willow remembered that this was the new land.  What was it that Liza had said?  “Other jammers will be able to enter as soon as the first jammer to enter, which is you, claims the land from whatever other beings are living there.”

Willow thought back to the quick glance that Liza had exchanged with Cosmo.  Have they known about them all along?  Willow thought.  Then she shuddered.  What other dangers lay in store for me that the alphas know about, yet failed to prepare me for?

Willow searched through her bag for something that would help her.  She pulled out a huge book.  It was entitled Handbook for Journeys to New Lands.  Willow snorted with amusement.  Boy, that Cosmo sure was paranoid!

                Willow flipped through the book.  Sure enough, she found a page all about phantoms.  She scanned it eagerly for something useful. 

               “Phantom lore… How to train a phantom… Ah, here it is.  Defeating phantoms.”  Willow intently scanned the paragraph.   It read:

                To kill a phantom, you must take a weapon and cover it with purified water.  If you hit your target, the water will smother the phantom’s shocks and, because the water is purified, will melt the phantom’s evilness and he will either die or become tame.

                Willow closed the book.  That’s what she had to do.  She rummaged through her basket and managed to find a bow and arrow and some purified water. 

                Willow was ready.  Then she froze.  If she shot one phantom, wouldn’t they all come and investigate?  If she just had a teleporter, she could change spots before they had time to get her.  She figured there was probably one in the bag, and was proved correct.

                Willow dipped an arrow in the purified water, took aim, and fired at a nearby phantom.  It hit her target square on, and he melted into ashes.  All the phantoms started coming towards her, so she used the teleporter to get to another side of the clearing.  Then she took aim and fired again, moving a second after. 

                Willow repeated that countless times, until all the phantoms were gone.  Ashes covered the clearing.  She decided that the ashes might have medicinal uses and collected them. 

                Afterwards, Willow decided to explore one of the buildings.  Inside one building, ancient scrolls and books filled the shelves. 

                “You have gone far, Willow, but I won’t let you go farther.”

                Willow jumped and turned around.  Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the dim light, stood a phantom, taller than the rest.  His one eye sparkled like a diamond.  The sparks coming from his tentacles seemed stronger and sharper.  It was the Phantom King.

                Willow instinctively dipped an arrow in the purified water and fired.  It hit him, and bounced right off.  Willow was confused.  Hadn’t she done what the book said? 

                Quickly, she opened the book and flipped to the page she had been on.  Underneath the section she had read, the book said this:

               Warning:  This does not work on the Phantom King.  All it does is make him stronger.  To defeat the Phantom King, you must sacrifice yourself.

                Feeling sick, Willow closed the book.  Did she really care enough about Jamaa that she would sacrifice herself to save them?  

               Willow thought of her den, the innocent jammers in the lands, the fun parties, everything that made Jamaa unique.  Then she re-imagined it being infiltrated by the Phantom King, the most powerful one of all.  She flinched.  She couldn’t let that happen.

                Suddenly, Willow noticed she was shaking.  She remembered the compass Cosmo had given her.  She had a feeling she was supposed to use it. 

                Willow took it out of her bag and looked up at the Phantom King.  As calmly as possible, she spoke to him.  “You want to stop me.  But I won’t let you, because I am going to stop myself first.”  Raising her voice, she went on.  “I, Willow, sacrifice myself to save Jamaa and defeat the Phantom King. 

                At first, nothing happened.  Then, Willow yelped with pain.  It felt like phantoms were stinging her from all sides.  She looked at the Phantom King, who was writhing on the ground, seemingly going through the sane ordeal.  She held the compass tightly.  Even though I won’t come back, they can still remember me.           

                And Willow cracked open the compass.  From inside, a magical powder seemed to spill out over the floor.  It formed in the shape of a compass.   Satisfied at last, she closed her eyes, stopped struggling, and let whatever lay in store for her take her. 

                Willow’s body was never discovered, and it is the alpha’s theory that the Phantom King captured her and took her to Phantom Land.   But, of course, that doesn’t explain the phantom ashes, or the mysterious compass engraved in the floor. 

                Others have their own story.  They believe that Willow’s body dissolved into the ground, but her spirit remains, floating around what is now known as the Chamber.  They think that when you see a flicker of candlelight, or feel wind when the windows aren’t open, it’s just Willow’s way of saying hi. 

                One thing is for sure.  Willow, and the Phantom King, were never seen again.