Looking at the glare of the sun bouncing off the river, his eyes drifted to the other side where he saw something that made him jump up with inspecting eyes.
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"You let three of them escape and you still haven't found them " yelled a dark skinned slim man wearing a suit. He angrily brushed back his silver shaggy hair while pacing back and forth in front of the old rustic stone looking shack the three kids escaped from.
"Im sorry boss, I will get them back. It's just it was raining pretty hard that night which made it difficult for me to track them." The burned face man said nervously.
Unlike during the branding sessions with the kids when the big man seemed like a lustful freak for inflicting torturous pain. His entire personality was different and more submissive in the presence of the well dressed man wearing a dark suit with silver buttons matching his hair color.
"I don't care, you should have contacted me the moment they escaped. These bastard kids are supposed to be delivered in two weeks and we are three kids short."
"If we don't find them before the departure time." He said with glowing green eyes.
"Then I'll brand you myself, stick you in the ground and piss on your bones." The trees around them began to creek and crack as a pressuring wind curved and spiraled around the well dressed man.
A green glow spiraled on the tips of his fingers before he jolted them a bit releasing five curving slices of energy that brushed passed the torturer face making him flinch and curl up. Seconds later multiple thunderous vibrations rocked the ground as more than twelve large trees collapsed behind him.
The torturer slowly looked up to see the man gone. Sweat had formed around his neck and chest as he tried to control his frantic breathing. Blood trickled down his face as five shallow cuts seem to appear seconds after he managed to calm himself.
Collapsing on the ground in frustration he sat there massaging his eyes while looking at the destruction that was caused with a flick of the man's fingertips.
"I'll beat those kids senseless for making me look like a fool when I find them. I checked in every direction except south, this forest is the habitat of none matured beasts that aren't difficult to deal with which gives them a good chance of being alive, and its very widespread to the west, north and east."
He thought with clinched fists.
"South is the only way they could have gone, and if so I must find them before they cross the sapphire river. After that, its no way they'll survive a single night and Mr. Grim will have my head." He digested in his thoughts.
"Wait a minute, hmmm yes that could work." He thought as a smile formed on his face.
"Knox" he called out. A young tanned boy no older than 13 years old with black hair and red eyes appeared near the doorway. He was well dressed wearing a black fitted long sleeve armored shirt with matching pants. Around his waist was a belt with over twelve small holsters were multiple daggers were kept.
"Yes Master Chum, how may i be of service." Knox spoke bowing his head.
"I know you've only just returned from your first mission, but how would you like to go on one more before our departure."
"Well, forgive me Master Chum, but I was told to only help you prepare the remaining captives and to remain here until our carrier arrives." Knox said with genuine respect while bowing once more. The young boy spoke very soft and his words were light, but audible.
" Dont worry about that, ill get permission first. Just get your things and be ready in one hour. Oh, feed those insects of children before one of them dies from starvation. Im already at odds with Mr. Grimm, I dont need something else going wrong "
"Yes Master, i will at once." His soft, majestic voice resounding with respect.
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Back at the river, Raya, Damon and Jasper were all looking across the river at a spiraling turquoise colored tree. It was five meters in width and around sixty meters tall. From the bottom to the very top, looked as if two trees fused together.
The same could be said for its limbs which were oddly thin and resembled twisted vines rather than limbs. Throughout the limbs were beautiful pink and yellow flower bulbs that were around eight inches long and grew facing towards the ground.
"It's a Life tree, and it looks fully matured." Damon spoke outloud.
"I've only seen a life tree once, it was being cultivated by my father." Raya added.
"Wait, I just remembered that, its a memory. It came back to me. " she said with excitement immediately hugging Damon with glee.
"You know what this mean?....our memories, their not lost. We can get them back. " she added smiling so hard her cheeks began to turn pink.
Damon just smiled back, he had never been hugged by a girl his age and wasn't use to affection. All he could do was smile and nod while agreeing with her words.
"Well Jasper, seeing a life tree bring any memories back for you?" Damon asked.
"I've only heard and read about them in books. Ive never actually seen one before. " Jasper said moving knee high into the water.
"But no, It hasn't jolted any lost memories, small things come back when I see certain things or during a random conversation depending on the words used. Sometimes it feels like dejavu."
"Yes that's exactly how it feels to me as well." Raya added and so did Damon.
"Look, a spirit fruit. Those things are priceless, wait another and one over there too. " Damon exclaimed with his mouth slightly open in awe.
"A spirit fruit is the most expensive and lucrative fruit on the planet. It can heal the most life threatening wounds in minutes, making it one of the most sought out fruits in the world. Only people with tons of money and power are able to obtain them. Its rare, but only because no one knows when a life tree will produce any fruits. Its no season, time of the year, or anything that dictates its fruit production. Some trees go decades without blooming a single fruit. They're also extremely expensive and difficult to cultivate." Damon said moving closer getting in the water.
"Hold it guys, something doesn't feel right." Raya said looking around cautiously.
"What do you mean?" Damon asked with raised brows.
"Well for one, its too quiet. Ever since we reached the river it hasn't been any natural noise besides us and the running water hitting the rocks down stream. I mean, not a single spec of wildlife has popped up. Not even fish." Raya said.
Damon looked around as well and realized she was right. The area was way too quiet, unlike any area they had been to since running away. Usually their would be bugs making noises, scurry movements of small animals running out of sight or something, but they had been there for over an hour and it was nothing.
"Maybe that feeling i had earlier wasn't about the dirt trails. Maybe it was about something else, but what, could it be this." Damon thought.
"Oh come on, you guys are reading into to much. Its just a quite day that's all. Its peaceful, its the perfect place to get fresh water and relax. We just happened to find something grand, now I dont know about you two, but this is an opportunity of a lifetime here. " Jasper responded after Damon's hesitation to swim to the other side with him.
"Hold it Jasper, Raya's right. Something is off. You're right as well, this is the perfect place to get fresh water, so why haven't we seen any animals come near here, not even the birds."
Damon got out the water and began walking down the bank following the river.
"Wha, what the hell, hey where are going. " Jasper shouted out with a confused frown.
Raya ran behind him after grabbing the birds and her spear.
"But, wait....are you guys serious. These are spirit fruits we are talking about. Heyyyy."
"Just get out of the water Jasper. " Raya snapped her head around shouting.
Catching up with them minutes later, Jasper began fishing for answers.
"Look, what do you see?" Damon asked them both.
"I see us wasting time when we could be climbing that tree over there getting a fruit that could save lives or make us rich." Jasper said with cutting eyes and a irritated face.
"Jasper, im serious. You just walked more than eighty meters down this river bank and there hasn't been a single footprint or sign of any animals. Like you said this is the perfect place to get water from so why isn't it any sign of..."
Damon eyes turned to the river as a thought came to mind. Something was familiar about the river, not like familiar as if he had been here before, but familiar in another way.
"You two know about the Sapphire river?"
Raya and Jasper slowly looked at each other and then at the river. Horror grew on their faces and chills ran up their backs simultaneously as if they were thinking the same unnerving thoughts.
"Let's get the hell out of here. " Jasper said first surprisingly.