Diversion To Urasha
Chapter 8

The wall behind James closed. For a moment, all was silent, and everyone was still. Crystaline was the first to push her feet forward, and then everyone else followed suit.

As he walked, James’ eyes looked straight ahead of him, to the dry, barren scene all around him. The place looked empty, with only the plum coloured boulders to keep it company.

For the first few moments of travel, a heavy silence continued to loom over the newly formed group. As James had expected, Crystaline had taken up the frontmost position, leading her companions across the spacious landscape. As the team wove between boulder after boulder, James couldn’t help but notice Crystaline’s obvious intent to stick as close as she possibly could to the large rocks.

After an hour or two of near silent traveling, James’ throat began to feel as if something were scratching at it. His lips were beginning to feel uncomfortably dry, and he could feel his head tightening, brewing up a nasty headache. James was thirsty. “Hey er, is there any water?” he asked.

Crystaline tilted her head back, not looking at James to answer his question. “Either Morcees or Borcees have it.”

James looked warily over to the gruesome twosome, wondering if either of them would actually be willing to share the supply of water.

Morcees’ lips curled up into a wicked little grin. “Borcees has the water,” he snarled.

James eyed Borcees tentatively, watching as the pale man removed his black bag from his shoulders. The Urashan took out a brown container, throwing it over to James, he caught it with ease, opening it up to drink the refreshing water inside it. If James had truly listened to his body’s needs, he’d have drunk the whole lot right now. Instead, James figured that the water here might be scarce, so he drank sparingly, returning the bottle to Borcees once he was finished.

“Will we be able to refill those bottles?” a rather concerned sounding Phil sounded.

“Yes,” Crystaline answered. “Easily. We won’t be traveling on this terrain for long.” She pointed to a dark band straight ahead. “You see that dark strip there, those are trees, lots of them. We’re heading straight for the forest.”

“Won’t the forest be more dangerous?” Phil was growing more concerned.

“The forest will have more creatures, yes. But where there are creatures, there is food and water. The trees are filled with fruit, and a long river runs right through the entire forest. And besides,” Crystaline continued, glancing up nervously towards the sky, “being amongst the trees is actually a lot safer than being out here.”

“How so?”

“Out here we are exposed.”

“Exposed to what?” asked Zach.

“Flying beasts!” Morcees growled. “The sky is teeming with them.”

Whilst the creature’s beastly name emphasised its danger, James found his ears listening intently to Crystaline’s own explanation of the ‘Flying beasts’. Crystaline was quick to correct Morcees, referring to the flying beasts as gershers, their real name. The gershers roamed the skies, and they used to attack the people of Urasha. After all, what good would a wall do against a flying creature?

As Crystaline had continued her explanation, her expression had grown darker, more lament, as she explained how the Urashan people had no choice but to defend themselves against the gershers. Many creatures were killed, until eventually, the gershers stopped flying over the city. The city was now safe, but the wilderness was not, a gersher, or more usually, a whole group of gershers could attack.

“And that is why the trees are safer,” Crystaline concluded. “We have cover in the trees, places to hide. Out here we only have the boulders. Not that they’d even be of much help.”

“So, what if they attack now?” Zach’s voice sounded a little squeaky. “What would we do?”

Morcees cackled, feeling his sworsha nestled safely within his tight black trouser pocket. “What do you think we’d do? We’d fry the beasts!”

“Only if we have to,” Crystaline intervened. “We run first.”

“Oh, Princess Crystaline! What is it with you and creatures? Beasts? Just live a little, kill!”

Crystaline’s eyes grew fierce “I’ll kill you in a minute, Morcees. No innocent creature is dying on my watch.”

James felt surprised, pleasantly surprised by Crystaline’s apparent affection towards animals. She’d seemed so vicious before, blood thirsty, and even Lottie had imagined her killing anything in sight. James loved animals too, and he felt that he needed to say his piece. “I happen to agree with Crystaline. Where we live, on Earth, humans and animals live peacefully together. We should only harm an animal if we absolutely have to. Even then, couldn’t we just stun it with the sworsha or something?”

James’ eyes flitted over to Crystaline’s. Her expression was unreadable, yet soft as she gazed back into him, nodding to show that his idea was a worthy one.

The afternoon was fast approaching, and James felt famished. In three short hours, the group had already made dramatic progress, almost walking within touching distance of the tall purple trees. James could already make out their black trunks, and their violet bushy tops. So far, there was no sign of food. However, Crystaline had insisted that food was plentiful in the forest. James felt his belly growling with every step he made towards the trees. He was relieved when the group finally came to a standstill, stopping just outside the forest.

Crystaline turned to the group. She had a sincere expression on her face. “Before we enter the forest, I’d like to make sure that a few things are clear. Firstly, as I am sure you are all aware, we are not in our own habitat anymore. I don’t mean to state the obvious, but we are not in the city anymore. We are in the wild lands, and the wild lands don’t get any more wild than this forest. We are entering the home of many creatures. Some of them are harmless, others are dangerous. Dangerous or not, every creature deserves our respect. We tread quietly, taking only what we need. We do not harm unless we absolutely have to. Understood?”

James nodded, fully agreeing with Crystaline’s inspiring words. This was it now, it was time to enter the forest, to see the more alien side of this planet.

As he walked to the trees, James’ hand instinctively reached out to touch the black rubbery trunk of the nearest tree. It felt strangely warm, smooth with a faint little beat deep within it. This tree was alive.

As he gently slid between the trees, trying hard to keep up with Crystaline as she wove her way through the overly dense forest, James breathed in the pleasant aroma of the trees all around him.

As James continued to battle his way through the crowded trees, he begun to notice several multi-coloured lights creeping into his vision. Whatever they were, they looked beautiful, giving the forest its first sign of vibrancy.

Just as James began to wonder when these trees would ease up, out he stepped, into a far more spacious area of the forest. Just as his body stilled with awe and amazement, James felt the bodies all around him stopping to a standstill, too.

This place was exquisite! The most beautifully surreal place that James had ever seen. The forest was filled with plants, such a vast array of bright, luminous glowing plants. The organic specimens gave light and life to the dark forest, glowing against the darkness, just like the stars of the Universe. This place was magical, sublime. James felt his insides hitching, appreciating this special moment, as he realised how lucky he was to witness such a marvel.

As the feeling in his muscles began to return to him, James heard a gentle fluttering beside his ears. With a flit, the thing was in front of him, hovering right in front of his spellbound eyes. The tiny little creature looked delicate, so vulnerable, with its white transparency and its long tadpole-like body. Its tiny little wings looked so beautiful, so glittery, scintillating just like the rest of its glowing body. For a second or two, James gazed into the beady black eyes of the little creature. It looked so cute, so harmless, and then with a sudden flick, it shot towards Crystaline, hovering in front of her golden irises. James watched as Crystaline smiled, truly smiled. Then the creature was gone, instantly joined by a whole school of brothers and sisters as they flew through the forest.

“Wow!” James beamed. “What are those things?”

Crystaline turned to James, her eyes sparkling with passion. “Those are slishers. Harmless, friendly little creatures.”

“They’re beautiful,” James whispered, equally impassioned, until he heard the unpleasant grunting sound of Morcees’ voice beside him.

“We haven’t got time for this. We’ve got work to do, remember. Let’s get a move on.”

Reluctantly accepting Morcees’ words, Crystaline resumed movement, leading the group through the sparser terrain, which was surrounded by the magnificent plants and the much more generously spaced trees.

As he fought hard to stay on his feet, courageously battling slope after slope, bump after bump, James admired the skill of the Urashans. He watched as brother and sister gracefully eased their way through the forest, practically dancing their way across the dark indigo ground. Watching the two siblings was a far cry from watching Phil and Zach, both of whom were struggling against the bumps and slopes, even failing to stay on their feet at times.

Just as James felt his stomach growling ravenously, once again, Crystaline’s and her brother’s movements came to a sudden halt, both of them eyeing up something in a tree.

“Who’s hungry?” Crystaline asked. “Morcees, Borcees, pass Crystos and I your bags.”

“We’re more than capable of climbing a tree,” Morcees retaliated.

Crystaline’s hand was still outstretched. “Just do as you’re told and pass us the bags.”

With an exasperated shake of his head, Morcees handed Crystaline his bag, whilst Borcees handed his bag to Crystos.

“Well done!” Crystaline’s tone was sardonic. “Now the rest of you, stay on the ground. My brother and I won’t be long.” Without any further warning, Crystaline and Crystos sprinted for the tree, deftly climbing it with supreme agility. Crystaline’s skill was to be expected. She was a woman, light and graceful in her movements. Crystos, on the other hand, he was a huge man, weighed down by his massive muscles. Yet he still managed to equal his sister’s grace as they climbed up the tree.

As James looked up towards the purple leafy tree top, he could see the glowing, red round balls, hanging ripely from their branches, and as he had expected, Crystos and Crystaline were soon onto the glowing spheres, picking them off the tree and placing them into their bags.

As James watched Crystaline and Crystos easily making their way back down to the ground, he remembered that Crystaline had mentioned fruit as a food source. Eating glow in the dark fruit? That could be interesting.

“Here,” Crystaline said, throwing James the first piece of fruit which she had skilfully collected.

“Is this safe to eat?” Phil was hesitant as usual, catching his piece from Crystos as he eyed the glittering food suspiciously.

“Of course, it’s safe to eat,” Crystaline replied, rolling her eyes at Phil. “It’s just fruit. Don’t eat it if you don’t want to. But then don’t blame me if you die of starvation.”

James watched as Zach rather carelessly took a huge bite into the fruit. He was relieved to see the pleasant expression of sheer enjoyment washing its way through Zach’s face. Without allowing his mind to share his captain’s doubts, James plunged his teeth into the fruit, taking his first sweet bite. As he crunched, juice poured onto his taste buds, pleasing them, but not quite satisfying them. He wanted more, and he was quick to gobble up the rest of the fruit, along with everyone else, including Phil.

After washing their quick meal down with some water, the group resumed their traveling, trying to keep silent in the hope that they’d evade any dangerous animals which might be lurking between the plants and trees. At first, the sound of the forest was soft, sweeping, as James and his team skipped across the ground. After a while however, James began to notice a new sound, a trickling sound. As if reading his thoughts, Crystaline stilled her movements, listening carefully to the sound.

“Do you hear that?” she whispered, mainly addressing her brother.

“The river...” Crystos whispered in return.

“Come, follow me,” Crystaline said, veering off into another cluster of dense trees. This time, the cluster was thankfully small, freeing James and the others almost immediately from their suffocating grasp, and then releasing them into another breathtaking scene.

James’ mouth gaped open in wonder as he watched the long, pure river scintillating away under the luminous plant lights.

“I told you there was a river,” Crystaline boasted, skittering off towards the source of water. “Borcees, I need your bag.”

Without protesting, Borcees handed his bag to Crystaline, watching as she refilled each water container.

Unsurprisingly, Phil’s eyebrows furrowed. “We’re not going to drink straight out of those, are we?”

“Why not?” Crystaline was beginning to look annoyed. “We just did, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, but those were already filled, from the city.”

Crystaline cupped both of her hands together, dipping them into the cool water, and then taking them out to reveal the perfectly clear liquid to the annoying man. “This water is perfectly safe, trust me. It’s the purest water on Urasha. But if it would really make you feel better, you can have yours later and boil it once I get a fire going.”

“As long as it’s safe, I don’t mind how we drink it.”

Crystaline shook her head, as if to say that there was no pleasing that man.

As Crystaline returned Borcees’ bag to him, James noticed something funny looking at the corner of his eye. Whatever it was had moved, and just as James began to think that he’d been imagining things, the creature moved again. “Wha...what’s that?” James asked, staring at the strange, red gooey creature which was bouncing on the ground.

Crystaline smiled tenderly at the animal. “It’s a mubble. It can change its shape and its colour freely.”

As if on cue, the creature transformed. It was now bright green. James laughed affectionately. “Wow, a mubble, huh? Are they at all dangerous?”

“No,” Crystaline answered him, watching as the mubble hopped away from view. “They’re completely harmless.”

“Sister, look!” Crystos intervened, pointing to some glowing, purply-green, jelly-like plants on the ground.

“Ganzar plants…” Crystaline whispered. “Morcees, I’ll need your bag this time.”

“What are ganzar plants?” Zach asked.

James watched as Crystaline knelt beside the strange specimens. It was kinda cool how the green electricity illuminated the purple exterior of the plants from the inside.

“These will protect us,” Crystaline eventually answered, gently lifting one of the plants to reveal its long silver root.

“Protect us how?” asked James.

“They resemble a very dangerous creature on this planet, sharing its appearance and its scent. If we take a few with us, and replant them when we rest, we can be rest assured that no other dangerous creatures would even come close to us.”

James watched, feeling comforted as he watched Crystaline and her brother carefully taking another plant each.

Once equipped with the appropriate resources, the group had began traveling through the forest once again, sticking as close as possible to the long running river.

James had no idea what the time was anymore. It was hard to tell if it was even still daylight, seeing as the forest was so dark anyway. All James knew was this: his legs were now killing him, and the fruit’s energy was already wearing off. As he followed Crystaline past two luminous, green star-shaped plants, James’ movements were instantly halted. His body was immobilised, but his heart was beginning to race, watching as Crystaline’s mouth suddenly gaped open. She’d spotted something between the trees.