The Ark of Power

by David Barco

  "We all have been boys for years, but did I maybe miss something about Harrison maybe not liking skunks?" Jaylen says.

  Loud coughs burst out with brown dust. His black fur is blasted with brown dirt. Grimacing, he tries to look up at Harrison who stares down at him as he stands over him.

  "You aren't here to help us. You are trying to set us up. You said earlier that your master left you here when he met a hooded figure who was asking for a black gem. Your master never left you. Your master is the hooded figure who wanted the black gem. He told you to stay here and wait for us because somehow he knows we were coming," Harrison squats down to get closer to him.

  Ripper opens his eye with the scar going down it and giggles in pain. "How can you possibly prove that?"

  Harrison turns him over on his back, glaring down at him.

  "You see, you gave it away when you said your master really enjoyed history. It just so happens that I saw your master one night in an antique store in Dosman, and he said the same thing about loving history. Plus, that night he was looking for a black gem. If I wasn't there, then I wouldn't have been able to figure you out," Harrison replies.

  Ripper closes his eyes in disgust. "You are going to get what is coming to you, Grady. My master is going to make sure of it.”

  JT, Jaylen, and Joseph stand behind Harrison. Ripper rolls onto his back, gradually crawling slowly away from them. Harrison stands straight up gazing at Ripper attempting to crawl away.

  "Who is he?" Harrison asks as Ripper agonizes in pain with each stride.

  "You think I would actually tell you my master's name? Believe me, you will learn soon enough, and you are going to regret it," Ripper responds.

  Jaylen places his hand on Harrison's tense shoulder. "Just let him go. He isn't going to say anything. We just need to let him be and get out of here’."

  Watching him struggle to crawl, Harrison walks slowly towards him. Constant groans of pain come from Ripper.

  "You better hope he doesn't find out that you did this to me. If he finds out that you injured me and killed me, he really won't take that too kindly," Ripper stretches his arm out to the torch on the ground.

  "You may be injured but you aren't dead," Harrison replies.

  Grabbing the torch, Ripper sits up. His whole upper body shakes greatly as he holds the torch firmly. "Not yet.”

  Suddenly, he turns the torch upside down, letting the flame jump on to the hair on his head. The fire spreads quickly covering his whole body in a giant flame. Ripper cries in misery. Harrison and his friend's eyes widen at Ripper being on fire.

  "Let's get away from him," JT screams tugging on the others.

  Harrison sprints with them down the dark hallway. Looking back, he sees a faint light from Ripper on fire.

  "I see light coming from the end of the tunnel. We are close," Jaylen says.

  The morning light peeks through what looks like an exit as a gentle breeze lingers through it. Approaching the shiny glistening door, JT and Joseph open it. As the door slides open gently, Harrison hears water rushing. Closing his eyes, the smell of the fresh water soothes him for a moment.

  "Holy crap," JT says.

  Opening his eyes slowly, Harrison loses his breath at what he sees. He blinks rapidly for a second to see if he is really seeing what is in front of him. Tommy stands with the warm sun rising over him on the other side.

  "Hurry. We got to get going. Now," Tommy says.

  ◆◆◆

  Thin gangly trees surround them from every side as they hurry through them. Every couple of quick strides, the sun slices in between the trees, slashing on Tommy's face. Gazing towards the top of the trees, Harrison spots gigantic mountains piercing through them.

  That must be the Purhara Mountains.

  Snatching the compass out of his pocket, he wipes the small dry lint balls off of the snoring compass.

  "Whoa. What's going on? What did I miss?" the compass says, glancing around as they keep a steady pace. "Hey, where's the skunk? I liked that guy. Funny little critter, that guy is."

  "Don't worry about him right now. Are we near the Purhara Mountains?" Harrison asks.

  The compass beams with joy as it continues to view the area. "You betcha. We are on the outskirts of Purhara City, which is the city right underneath the mountains and the Lake of Hope.”

  Tommy gazes back swiftly at Harrison with a troubled expression.

  "Get that thing to be quiet. They will hear us and know where we are," Tommy whispers.

  Shoving it back in his pocket, Harrison dashes faster to get closer to Tommy.

  "Who will hear us?" Harrison whispers back.

  Pushing Harrison down, Tommy stops the others, throwing them to the ground behind two large green bushes and a couple of lanky trees. Tommy drops down next to them, laying on his stomach and peeking through the bushes.

  "Them," Tommy whispers pointing on the other side of the bush.

  Loud chatter erupts through the other side as about thirty people talk around a large map on a giant stump. They are all dressed in black outfits with gray and white straight-faced masks.

  Those outfits and masks look familiar. Where did I see those before?

  Struggling to ponder, Harrison drops his head on his arms, keeping his eyes shut to think better.

  In the restricted forest. The dead bodies we came across were dressed like these people.

  "We know that Ripper will bring them into this general area," one of the guys says. "Just remember people. Master wants the Grady kid alive. The others we either take them or kill them. Doesn't matter."

  Jaylen grabs his lower left leg and rolls on Harrison. Harrison rolls over to his back, putting his hands underneath Jaylen. Jaylen rubs his leg continually.

  Crap. He gets a cramp in his leg now.

  Jaylen thrusts on top of Harrison's leg pushing against his pocket with the compass in it.

  "Hey," the compass screams. "Is that the skunk rolling around on me? I can tell by its smell that it's a skunk. I knew they stink."

  Harrison glares through the bushes and sees that the group hears it.

  "Who is there?" Multiple people with masks on walk towards the bushes.

  Tommy stands quickly, throwing a medium-sized energy ball towards them. Exploding behind most of them, many of them fly forward from the explosion.

  "It must be them. They are here. Get them," one of the guys shouts.

  Harrison stands up holding Jaylen up. Placing him against a tree, Harrison launches multiple energy ball attacks at the masked crowd. JT rolls with Joseph to the other trees a couple of feet away from them and launches energy balls towards the group.

  The masked people throw multiple energy balls towards them. Harrison and the others take cover. Harrison glances at Tommy who is forming an energy ball.

  "Cover me," Harrison tells Tommy.

  "Wait. What are you doing?" Tommy responds in disbelief.

  "I got a plan," Harrison replies.

  Harrison flips backward, running towards two of the masked people. Tommy throws the energy ball in between the two Harrison is running at. They jump sideways, creating space between one another. Harrison takes two steps on the tree and bounces off it, kicking one of the men in the throat.

  He lands and rolls towards the other one. Tommy, JT, and Joseph continually throw energy balls towards the other masked people getting closer to Harrison. Leaping in the air, Harrison heaves two kicks at the other one that was separated. He blocks both of Harrison's kicks, throwing a punch at Harrison.

  Grabbing his hand, Harrison pulls him forward and smashes an energy ball into his face. JT and Joseph come flying in with strong kicks to two of the masked people. Jaylen limps from behind the tree and launches an energy ball hitting a couple of the masked people.

  Suddenly, a person grabs Harrison from behind, clasping him tightly. JT and Joseph try to get to Harrison, but they are throwing multiple back and forth punches with one of the masked people. Out of nowhere, a masked individual form
s a medium sized energy ball and slams it into Harrison.

  "No. Harrison," Tommy screams running towards him.

  Harrison can't move. He feels the energy ball slam into his chest. All of a sudden, Harrison sees the energy ball being absorbed into his pocket. Turning his head in confusion, the masked person turns his head sideways looking for his attack.

  "What happened?" the masked person who is holding him says.

  Suddenly, the energy attack blasts both of the masked people, in front and behind Harrison. Dropping to the ground, Harrison watches them glide into trees.

  "Whoa," Harrison says.

  Tommy stops next to Harrison.

  "What just happened?" Harrison says to Tommy staring at his pocket.

  "It has to be the compass. It absorbs energy, remember?" Tommy says. "It intensified that guy's energy ball. Get it out your pocket and throw it in the air," Tommy declares.

  "What?" Harrison says confused.

  "Just do it," Tommy shouts.

  Harrison's hand gets stuck as he tries to yank it out of his pocket. Pulling it out, he tosses it in the air as the last five masked people run towards them.

  "Wait. Why am I flying in the air?" the compass says.

  "Supersonic Omega Blast," Tommy screams jumping towards the compass.

  "Oh. Great. This is going to sting," the compass says.

  Pressing the energy attack against the compass, it gradually gets sucked into it. The compass flies right in front of the five masked people sprinting at them.

  "Get down," Harrison screams at JT and Joseph.

  Dropping quickly to the ground, they each cover their heads. Finally, a giant explosion shoots from the compass blasting the five masked people into each direction in the air. Tree limbs and branches drop from many of the trees landing all over the nice calming area. Grass and dirt linger in the air for moments after the blast. The compass coughs several times as the debris settles around it.

  "Okay. That is a new one in my book. Being used as a weapon. You would think I was the Ark of Power," the compass says still coughing sporadically.

  Harrison walks over, picking it up. Tommy, JT, Jaylen, and Joseph circle around him.

  "That was an awesome plan, Tommy," Harrison says.

  "Yeah but I think I have a better one than that," Tommy responds.

  "What is that?" Jaylen says rubbing his leg where he had the cramp.

  Tommy points through the thinning wood line to a beautiful village sitting between giant blueish gray mountains.

  "Let's go there," Tommy steps over the bodies on the ground.

  Chapter 28

  The Suspicious Person

  Asweet, crisp breeze cuts through Harrison's clammy hair. Running his hands through it, Harrison drops to the ground with the others as they rinse off the dirt sticking to them in a small creek that runs into the giant lake. Harrison rests against the tree with Tommy joining him. JT and Joseph splash water on their face as Jaylen sleeps on the tree next to them.

  The heaviness of Harrison's eyes makes him struggle to stay up and watch the others. The dirt sticks to his skin as if it has become a part of him. Collapsing on his back, the sound of the water jumping and the wind whipping delicately relaxes him. He stares at dark auburn birds flying in the sunny sapphire sky.

  Man. What a time already. I feel like I can't go on anymore, Harrison thinks struggling to blink.

  Unexpectedly, Harrison's eyelids drop down and he falls into a deep slumber.

  ◆◆◆

  Strong stabs dig into Harrison's right side. Waking up swiftly, Harrison views the sun beaming off of a man's dense glasses, blinding him. Squinting and positioning himself up, Harrison puts his hand over his eyes to block the shine. Harrison perceives a tall man standing above him.

  "Son. You and your friends just going to sleep on my property?" the man says leaning against a giant pitchfork, rubbing it gently against his clean-shaven face. His nimble lime eyes appear bigger through the thick lenses.

  "I am sorry. We didn't know it was your land. Really, we didn't know it was anybody's," Harrison says observing him tighten his navy jean overall straps.

  Flipping the pitchfork around, he stabs it into the soft ground making it stick straight up. Quickly pulling his leg in, Harrison gazes at it.

  "Son, I am not going to stab you unless you give me a reason to do so. But as it appears, you look like you have been through some crap. Matter of a fact, you look like crap," the man spits out sunflower seeds.

  Standing up slowly, throbbing pain beats in his lower back as he rises to get on eye level with the man.

  "The name is Stew. Stew Fields. But all my friends and family just call me Stew."

  Harrison takes a moment to comprehend what he should do. Stew smiles gently, looking into Harrison's wearisome eyes.

  "Son, I am not going to hurt you. You can trust me. I know you guys aren't dangerous. I saw what you guys did to that masked group.”

  "How do you know that we aren't the bad guys? You don't know us," Harrison responds. "I am learning you need to be careful who you trust."

  Stew lowers his hand, snatching his pitchfork back up. Harrison tenses, ready to defend himself.

  "What's your name son?"

  "Harrison.”

  Stew takes a couple of steps and glances back at Harrison.

  "Get your friends up and meet me at my house right over there. You guys can clean up, get something to eat, and get some real rest," Stew walks toward a small log cabin in the background. "And you are going to have to just trust me, Harrison."

  Harrison watches Stew stroll towards the timeworn cabin in the distance. Looking down, he sees his friends knocked out on the ground.

  They have sacrificed so much for me. They shouldn't have to sleep like this, and I am sure they are hungry.

  Harrison wakes Tommy up.

  "What's going on?" Tommy says waking up slowly.

  "Get up and help me get the others up. We are going to that cabin over there to get some food and to get some real rest," Harrison grabs his backpack from the ground.

  "Sounds like a plan to me," Tommy rises up.

  ◆◆◆

  Approaching the small wood cabin, the logs are the same coffee color as the trees surrounding the back of it. Walking to the front of the cabin, a small city can be seen in the distance with the Purhara Mountains overshadowing it. Harrison and the others stand in awe of the beauty of the pearl white seagulls soaring towards the city.

  "You sure this guy isn't crazy? I mean we did just meet a skunk who lit himself on fire who acted as if he was going to help us," JT says.

  "We will keep our guard up. It's our best option right now," Harrison replies. "Plus, there are five of us now since Tommy showed up so I think we can take him.”

  “With that being said, I was wondering how you knew we were there," Jaylen says to Tommy.

  Stew busts through the front screen door which squeaks loudly as it flings open. Grabbing his pitchfork in his right hand tightly, he taps it on the wooden porch twice. They gaze upon Stew smiling from ear to ear.

  JT's eyes widen glaring upon Stew spinning his pitchfork in his hand.

  "Great. He has a nice sharp pitchfork. Why wouldn't he have a sharp pitchfork," JT says.

  Stew takes a couple steps halfway down the uneven stairs. "Harrison, I am glad you and your friends decided to come. Hurry up and wash up. I am cooking some fish I caught yesterday. I guarantee you have never tasted fish as good as the fish from the Lake of Hope.”

  "Yes, sir. Thank you," Harrison replies.

  Stew holds the door open for them as they enter the house. The room feels bare to Harrison, as he glances around. An old worn blue cloth couch sits in the middle of the room with five old blankets spread around it.

  Closing the door behind him, Stew comes beside him and the others as they observe the emptiness of the room.

  "I already put blankets out for each of ya. I will go to the kitchen and start cooking the fish," Stew says, strol
ling to the kitchen.

  "Is there a reason why you only have a couch in the house?" Joseph says.

  "This old cabin use to be my father's. He was drafted into the Golic warrior army during the Second Great War. Before he was drafted, he built this house. The couch was the only thing he got in the house. He was killed by one of those Destine bums in battle. So, in his honor, I never bought anything else for the house," Stew says from the kitchen.

  "Oh. I am sorry to hear that," Joseph says.

  "It's okay. I just wish the Destine nation was one of the two nations that got destroyed during the Second Great War. They are the worst group of people and if I ever see one, I would let him meet my pitchfork," Stew replies.

  Harrison and the other's eyes widen and stop breathing for a second.

  "So, are you boys attending the Golic Academy?" Stew asks dropping pans on the floor.

  "Yes. Yes, we are," Harrison replies quickly.

  ◆◆◆

  Waking up from a long nap, Harrison throws the thin blanket with blue and white polka dots. Stretching his arms straight in the air, he takes a deep breath. Rubbing his face, he feels groggy as he stands up. JT, Jaylen, and Joseph snore in unison on the floor still. Glancing at them, Harrison observes that Tommy is missing.

  Walking towards the door, the sun hides behind the mountains as if it was trying to hide from everything. Harrison sees Tommy sitting on the steps outside looking toward the water. Stepping outside, Harrison closes the door quietly, taking a seat next to him.

  "Have you seen Stew?" Harrison says.

  "He left about thirty minutes ago. I don't know where he went through," Tommy replies picking his fingernails.

  Harrison sits there for a couple of moments in silence. Tommy continues to pick his nails. Harrison finally breaks the silence. "So, how exactly did you know where we were? That is the second time you showed up out of nowhere. I mean don't get me wrong, I appreciate that you did, especially the first time against those giants. But you had no idea that we were heading here."

  Spitting out a piece of his fingernail, Tommy stretches his legs out across the steps.