Saturday, March 21, 2009

Chapter 4: Desperate Times. Desperate Choice. For hours on end, the scenery didn't change. Wheat fields here. Granaries there. Cows here and there and occasionally some sort of resemblance of human life form could be seen. Through the trip. Amelia and Ashen didn't say a word to one another. As Ashen's mind began to wander off, he felt a hand land on his shoulder. Shocked, Ashen looked back only to see that it was Steven smiling at him with his red and white football jersey on and teeth so white, it should be illegal. "Whats up man! Why so quiet?" Steven asked Ashen looked over at Amelia who had a very confused and sad look on her face. She looked over at Ashen and quickly turned away. "Nothing much. Just thinking about this stupid trip we're on ya know. I mean come on.. legendary demons.? This just seems like a bunch of bull to me ya know?" Ashen said "I don't know man....its possible. I mean we humans CAN'T but the only beings that exist." Steven said "What about you Amelia?" Steven said putting his arm around her. Amelia continued to look away "Amelia?" Steven repeated "Oh....I....I don't know.. The thought of demons is just kinda farfetched." she said "Ugh....What happened between you two?! You have been ignoring each other for the whole trip!!" Steven said The two of them remained silent "Wait! Don't tell me that you two......" Steven said before getting punched in the face my the both of them at once "Not a chance!" they said at once. The two of them looked at each other in disgusted then turned away from one another. After a few pit stops to resupply on food and to use the bathroom, the class finally reached Shuiel Mountains. Ashen hopped out the bus and stared at the scenery. It was quite creepy. As the sun set behind the endless mountains, the shadows of the mountains made it appear as if the ground had teeth and Ashen began to get a stuffy feeling in his throat. As he was taking in the scenery, a couple of kids bumped into him causing him to drop his backpack. The kids walked off laughing at him. Ashen gritted his teeth but simply bent down to pick them up but to his surprise, someone got to it before he did. Ashen looked up and Amelia stood there with a smile on her face. "Here you are." she said handing him his backpack back. "Thanks..." Ashen said "All right! Its a little too late for us to explore the caves so we will do it tomorrow. For tonight, everyone head down to the campsite. There will be enough cabins for everyone......I hope....If not........you will have to sleep outside." the assistant teacher annouced. With that, everyone heaed down the worn, steep hill. As Ashen and Amelia walked with one another, they walked in silence. Ashen, put his head down before apologizing to Amelia for how he acted "Its fine. Getting beat up would be hard on anyone." Amelia said "Rub it in why don't ya.." Ashen said depressed "Sorry! Sorry! Didn't mean to. I was just taking a guess to how it might feel. I've never had to deal with that.." she said "Thats because you've always had Steven by your side. He can take care of almost anyone for you...." Ashen said "Yeah. I suppose so." she said "Not everyone is as strong as Steven. People like me have to worry about getting picked on and bothered everywhere we go! Don't compare me with him!" Ashen said and walked off "No! People like you are just wimps who won't fight back because you're scared!" Amelia yelled "What did you say?" Ashen said as he stopped and turned to look at Amelia The ruckus the two were making caused quite a crowd as everyone crowded around to see what was going on "You're nothing but a coward. Afraid to fight back when picked on! Thats one trait I hate about you Ashen! Man up and stand up for yourself!!" Amelia said "What the hell do you know!! All you do is stand behind Steven and let him do all the fighting!! Whos the coward now!!!" Ashen snapped "Really...?" Amelia said as she took off her earring and placed them in her pocket. "Come at me Ashen. I'll show you that I am NO coward." Amelia said The crowd was pumped up urging for the two friends to fight. The teacher rushed over to tell them to stop but the students wouldn't let her through to stop it. "I will not fight you Amelia....you know that." Ashen said Then I will come at you!" she said as she ran at Ashen and delivered a punch right to Ashen's face before he had time to prepare. The blow knocked Ashen down to the ground. Ashen rubbed his cheek. "What was that for?" Ashen said just before Amelia lifted him by the hair and slugged him again. Ashen fell to the ground. Amelia mounted him and just hit him over and over again in his face time after time again. The crowd went crazy "Fight back Ashen! Fight back!" Amelia said as she continued to hit him Ashen laid there taking blow after blow. Amelia gave him a nosebleed and his lip was starting to swell and she kept hitting him as tears filled he eyes as Ashen laid there taking the blows til he eventually passed out. Steven eventually came and took her off him. The assistant teacher made her way to Ashen who laid there a bloody mess. She slowly picked him up and carried him to a nearby cabin. "What the hell is wrong with you attacking Ashen like that!!! Have you gone mad!!!" Steven yelled at Amelia after they got back to a cabin. "I was just trying to teach him to fight back!!" Amelia said "And you know he wouldn't fight back!! He wouldn't hurt a fly!!" Steven said "I know that!!" Amelia said "Then why!!" Steven said "He's our best friend! We grew up together!! To have his best friend beat him down like that is just cruel.." Steven said Amelia remained silent "I don't know if a simple apology is enough this time...." Steven said as he walked out the door. Amelia stood there with tears rolling down her face. A few hours later, night had fallen and everyone was getting ready for bed. Steven went over to the teachers cabin to see how Ashen was doing. "He's not here. After I patched him up, he just left without a word. Can't really blame him.....to get beat up by your friend is just......" the teacher said before Steven ran off in search of his friend. Steven searched each cabin in search of Ashen but he was no where to be found. The spooky sounds of birds chiping in the night and the wind causing the bushes to rustle was beginning to get to him but he pressed on. ____________________________________________________________ Ashen sat in the mouth of the cave staring off into space thinking about what just happened. In the distance, Ashen could hear Steven calling for him but he didn't respond. Ashen sighed "Your friend is looking for you." a voice said scaring the hell out of him. Ashen looked behind him and the imagine of a spirit sat there. He had long hair and unique patterns on his shoulders and one on his chest. He sat beside the frightened Ashen. "W...W....W...What the hell..!?" Ashen said "Relax kid. I couldn't hurt ya even if I tried." he said as he attempted to touch Ashen and his hand went straight through. "See.." he said Ashen loosened up a little "But seriously......to get beaten up by a girl.....thats just sad...." the ghost said Ashen fell down at the shock "Y...You saw!!?" he asked "Unfortunately. Although...that is the funniest thing I have seen in quite awhile!" he said "Hmph...glad I could humor you.." Ashen said taking a seat on the cold ground beside the ghost. Shortly after, it began to rain. "Get picked on alot?" the ghost asked "Yeah....too much" Ashen said "Why don't you fight back? The beatings won't stop until you take a stand." it said "Violence doesn't solve anything. Whats the point?" Ashen explained. The ghost exploded in laughter. He rolled around on the ground in laughter. _____________________________________________________________ After searching for nearly a half hour, Steven was soaking wet from the rain and still couldn't find Ashen and it was getting really late. Amelia ran out and met Steven. Steven informed Amelia that he couldn't find Ashen and she agreed to help him search. They searched high and low and no such luck and they were beginning to lose hope. Amelia began to feel bad and blame herself for acting how she did. _____________________________________________________________ The sounds of Amelia and Steven's voice calling his name filled his ears but he didn't respond "Why not call them over. They will probably get sick if they continue..." the ghost advised "Ha!! Why should I......" Ashen said "Just gonna run away again I see. Go for it." the ghost said "Shut up!" Ashen said swinging at the ghost but his fist went through him and smashed into the wall. Ashen yelled in pain ___________________________________________________________ "Did you hear that?!" Amelia said "Yeah it came over there by the mountain!" Steven said as they rushed that way. _____________________________________________________________ "Great job. Now they're heading this way." the ghost said Ashen held his fist in pain. Blood ran down his knuckles slowly "Its all your fault!! If you just hadn't...." Ashen started "Ashen!!" Steven said The two of them rushed into the mountain to greet him "We were so worried about you...we.." Amelia started but noticed that Ashen was backing away from them "What the..." Steven said "Stay away from me. The both of you! I don't want your help or your damn sympathy!!" Ashen snapped "Look Ashen....if its about...." Amelia started looking at his right hand and saw the blood dripping from it "I...Is that my fault.....?" Amelia said Ashen covered his hand and backed off "Leave..." Ashen said "Hey now buddy...." Steven said "LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ashen yelled Just as Ashen yelled, the entire mountain began to shake. The three shocked trio braced themselves as the ground began to split and they fell in. _____________________________________________________________ The tremor woke up the stuidents and teachers from their sleep. Everyone woke up in a panic ____________________________________________________________ As the three fell down the dark hole, they tried to grab onto whatever they could and Ashen and Amelia grabbed hold to one another and Steven grabbed hold of them and they braced themselves for the worse. Steven felt his head hit the rock hard and he went out like a light releasing the others and they too hit hard blacking out. It was several hours before Ashen woke up. He was very light-headed and he could taste the warm bitter taste of blood in his mouth and alot of it. He got to his feet and immediately checked up his friends. He called out to them and shook them to try and awaken them but nothing worked. Suddenly Ashen held a faint buzzing sound in his ear. "Whats that...." he said Ashen placed his friends safely near a wall and followed the sound. Ashen found himself walking deeper and deeper into the cave til he found himself in a opening. In this opening, there were torches light with a mysterious blue fire. In the center of this room was a pedestal with a kitana rested on it "N..No way.....was the old man really serious...?" Ashen said as he walked closer to the sword. He circled around the pedestal for a while making sure it was safe. "Its can't be.....is this thing really Surtanryu that he was blabbering about?" Ashen said as he reached for the sword. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." a voice said. Shocked, Ashen jumped back. He looked behind him and it was that ghost again. "Its you!" he said "Yo!" he said "What are you don't here?" Ashen asked "Well.....I....sorta guard this here sword." he said "You mean the Surtanryu?" Ashen asked "Oh! So you know about it? Then why would you wanna grab the sword that belongs to a demon?" he asked "BELONGED to a demon and I don't believe in demons." Ashen said Oh! Well.....pick it up then." the ghost said "Why? Don't you guard this thing?" he said "Well I believe you will see once you pick it up..." the ghost said Hesitant at first but Ashen picked up the kitana and inspected it. The sheath was very smooth and had very unique designs on it. Just like the ghosts. Ashen took out the blade and it was very clean. Just like it was brand new. The blade had a very strange feel to it. Just as Ashen put the blade back in its sheath, he glanced at the sheath one more time and saw the unique hyroglyphic-like patterns one it and remembered that the ghost who stood not even 10 feet behind him had the same designs on his shoulders and suddenly, Ashen grew pale "And the light comes on!" the ghost said Ashen slowly placed the sword down. "Who are you?!" Ashen asked as bravely as he could "Its really annoying when humans ask questions they already know....lets try this again shall we?" the ghost said "S....S....S....S...S...S...." Ashen studdered "Come on you coward. Man up for a change! I've already showed you that I can't harm you!" he said "(Oh! Thats right...)" Ashen said to himself "You're Sessaru Shuiel?" he asked "Congrats! Sessaru Shuiel here. Happy to meet you." he said "You don't seem like a demon....just a ghost." Ashen said putting his hand through Sessaru's body time and again making sure it was real "Enjoying yourself?" he asked "Very much so!" Ashen said "And I am not a ghost. More like.....a spirit without its body to return to." he said. Just as he said that, another earthquake hit but it was much bigger this time. The very cave itself began to cave in. Pieces of debris and stone fell everywhere blocking Ashen's way out of the room and to his friend's. Before Ashen could move, a rather large piece of stone fell on him pinning him down. Ashen struggled with all his might but couldn't get out. "Would you like me to help you?" Sessaru asked "How can you help me! You're a ghost remember!!" Ashen snapped "True..but there is a way to get out of here...that is....if you're willing to trust a demon." Sessaru said "Tell me!!" he said "Take me into your body. I'll use your body as a vessel for my soul and we will escape from here." Sessaru said "TAKE MY BODY??!! ARE YOU CRAZY!!?" Ashen said The ceiling itself began to fall in and Ashen got desperate "If I do this.....you will give me my body back....right......I mean.....you will save my friends too....you won't just take my body for good will you?" Ashen said "You have my word that I will give you control once we escape this place...WITH your friends of course." Sessaru said. "Then lets go!!" Ashen said and Sessaru soul entered Ashen body. Ashen felt warm through his entire body just before he blacked out ____________________________________________________________ The entire class stood in front of the mountain as it shook violently and shortly after it began to sink into the ground sending dust and dirt everywhere. Everyone covered their eyes as the entire mountain collapsed. After the dirt passed, everyone talked amongst themselves about what they just saw when suddenly, a figure came walking out of the cloud of dust that remained. The figure came out carring the unconscious bodies of Amelia and Steven. The guy had really long, black hair that could be seen dragging along the ground behind him and it extended in every direction. The assistant teacher looked at the guy closer then covered her mouth. "Ashen?!" she said The old teacher stood in the back with a smile on his face.