The next day Misty was with the others in their den. Everyone was in conversation, except for Misty, who was sitting next to her sister Adele and lost in thought. Adele was looking around, observing the group, her head held up. Misty had her front paws crossed in front of her, trying to figure out all of her confusion on her mission.
"Hey! Misty!" Askook running in made everyone silent. He went up to her. "Achak wants to see you."
"Ah. Thanks Askook," said Misty, getting to her paws.
"Yeah. And hey, I heard the greatest joke! Why the hyena go to the Healer?"
"...Why?" Misty asked.
"Because he was feeling kind of funny!" Askook bursted into loud laughter, as if he just told the funniest joke on Earth. "Get it?! Because hyenas laugh all the time?" he kept howling with laughter.
To Misty's surprise, Tiggerpaka was laughing along with the hyena. "This kid is killing me!" he said, wiping a tear away from his eyes after his laughter died, shaking his head and grinning.
"Ha ha?" Misty said awkwardly. "Well, anyways...see you around, then."
"Oh! Oh!" Askook grinned. "By the way, I tried to catch some fog yesterday. I mist." He then burst into his howling laughter once more, Tiggerpaka joining.
"Thanks for the jokes, man," said Lephos, getting up and walking over to Askook, "but, uh...d'you mind leaving?"
"Not at all," Askook smiled and left, snickering to himself.
"That guy is funny," Tiggerpaka laughed.
"And I have two heads," muttered Rhett.
"Well, I may as well get going." Misty got to her paws.
"Allow me to come!" Tiggerpaka puffed out his chest. "I must meet with this 'Achak' fellow."
"Sure," shrugged Misty, not knowing any reason why not.
Misty looked at her sister, who now had her head on her paws, her eyes closed. She must be so lonely, thought Misty - Adele couldn't talk to anyone, so she didn't have many animals to hang out with.
She tapped Adele on the head with her paw, and Adele looked up at her. Misty nodded sideways, hoping Adele got the message: do you want to come?
Adele got to her paws and followed Misty and Tiggerpaka out.
"I don't know why Achak didn't want to see me," Tiggerpaka sniffed. "I am by far the most superior one here."
"Well, you are more experienced," Misty acknowledged.
"Of course I am! I have slayed many of my enemies, of course," smirked Tiggerpaka.
They arrived to where Achak lived, and Misty saw him out in the sun. He smiled at them upon their arrival. "Ah. Welcome back Misty. I see you have friends."
"Yes. This is my sister Adele, and my friend Tiggerpaka," Misty said, looking at each of them.
"Well, hello," Achak smiled.
"This one can't hear very well," Tiggerpaka announced, pointing at Adele. "So don't waste your time trying to talk to her."
"Deaf, is she?" said Achak. "Poor thing."
Adele looked at Achak blankly before sitting down. Misty sat down as well. "You wanted to see me?"
Achak sighed. "Yes..." He had a bit of sadness to him, but Misty wasn't sure why. "I need to tell you more about Yin and Yang."
Immediately Misty was interested. "What about it?"
"Everything you need to know," Achak murmured.
Tiggerpaka snorted. "I already know everything about Yang and Yin."
"I doubt that," said Achak. "I'll start from the beginning. Yin and Yang were created naturally by the universe itself to keep good and evil in balance. As long as they didn't fight, the earth was okay. Yin was the evil; their side of the Land is dark, there's no sunshine, and it's where the Shadow Trackers lurk: creatures that are pure black with white eyes and can change form. It's also where the evil opposites live."
"'Evil opposites'?" echoed Misty.
"I'll cover that later," nodded Achak. "Yang is the good; their side of the Land is bright, sunny and happy. It's also where the Light Spirits lurk. They're the same creatures as the Shadow Trackers, but aren't evil. That's also where the good opposites live."
"How do you know all this?" asked Misty.
"Yes!" exclaimed Tiggerpaka. "How do you know all of this? Who are you working for? Tiredblade?"
"I lived in the Land of Yin and Yang myself at a young age," explained Achak, ignoring Tiggerpaka. "Anyways, with Yin and Yang fighting, the world is in peril. Grave danger. Those earthquakes that keep occurring? The bigger the quake, the larger the blow that was struck on Yin or Yang. Another side effect of the two fighting, is that borders begin to fade. The Shadow Trackers become free to leave Yin. But the Light Spirits don't leave Yang, as they're satisfied with where they live."
"What about those 'opposites' you mentioned?" Misty tilted her head.
"Opposites," said Achak. "They look exactly like you, but just act completely different. The evil opposites are the opposites of good animals, and the good opposites are the opposites of the evil animals. Pretty chaotic if they get loose. Since borders disappear, they can leave the Land of Yin and Yang. Imagine the opposites coming to where you live..."
Misty imagined it. What if she was out on patrol back at The Bending Tower and her opposite came along, and caused havoc, and it was blamed on the real Misty? The thought scared her.
"So what? Just kill the opposites," snorted Tiggerpaka. "I could slay them; I am a warrior!"
"You can't," insisted Achak. "Not without killing the real animal. For example, if you were to kill Misty's opposite, she'd die with it."
"Of course," said Tiggerpaka. "I knew that."
"When I lived in the Land of Yin and Yang, I was a...Protector." Achak took a deep breath. "In a new program started, I - along with other animals - got sent to places throughout the land to keep watch for any signs of Yin and Yang fighting. I was sent...here." He took a breath once more.
"Wouldn't it be better for you to stay at the Land of Yin and Yang then, if you're looking for signs of them fighting?" Misty frowned.
"Yes, a stupid strategy indeed," Tiggerpaka rolled his eyes.
"I-It was...better...to be sent out to different places." Achak was wheezing now. Fear sparked in Misty's chest - what was wrong with the old tortoise? "The Protectors live...in the...middle of Yin a-and...Yang. We p-patrolled...the...borders."
"Achak?" Misty was scared now. "What's wrong?"
"P-Punishment," Achak gasped. "I-I pr...omised not to reveal my purpose here." His voice was getting wheezy and quiet. "If I did, I'd...have...to die in the worst way I thought."
"You're dying?" Misty murmured. "But you can't die...!"
"I...I'm giving up my...life for the world," Achak hissed. "You must save the world, Misty...you and your friends, you have to stop Yin and Yang fighting. It's your destinies. Please. Do that...for me."
"I...I will," Misty said.
"Promise?"
"I...promise."
A slight smile came to Achak's face, but it quickly swept away. "Seek...safety."
"What?" murmured Misty.
"This is the message I must tell you," Achak said. "Seek safety...seek safety...seek...safety..."
Achak's eyes closed.
The tortoise was dead.
"Hey! Misty!" Askook running in made everyone silent. He went up to her. "Achak wants to see you."
"Ah. Thanks Askook," said Misty, getting to her paws.
"Yeah. And hey, I heard the greatest joke! Why the hyena go to the Healer?"
"...Why?" Misty asked.
"Because he was feeling kind of funny!" Askook bursted into loud laughter, as if he just told the funniest joke on Earth. "Get it?! Because hyenas laugh all the time?" he kept howling with laughter.
To Misty's surprise, Tiggerpaka was laughing along with the hyena. "This kid is killing me!" he said, wiping a tear away from his eyes after his laughter died, shaking his head and grinning.
"Ha ha?" Misty said awkwardly. "Well, anyways...see you around, then."
"Oh! Oh!" Askook grinned. "By the way, I tried to catch some fog yesterday. I mist." He then burst into his howling laughter once more, Tiggerpaka joining.
"Thanks for the jokes, man," said Lephos, getting up and walking over to Askook, "but, uh...d'you mind leaving?"
"Not at all," Askook smiled and left, snickering to himself.
"That guy is funny," Tiggerpaka laughed.
"And I have two heads," muttered Rhett.
"Well, I may as well get going." Misty got to her paws.
"Allow me to come!" Tiggerpaka puffed out his chest. "I must meet with this 'Achak' fellow."
"Sure," shrugged Misty, not knowing any reason why not.
Misty looked at her sister, who now had her head on her paws, her eyes closed. She must be so lonely, thought Misty - Adele couldn't talk to anyone, so she didn't have many animals to hang out with.
She tapped Adele on the head with her paw, and Adele looked up at her. Misty nodded sideways, hoping Adele got the message: do you want to come?
Adele got to her paws and followed Misty and Tiggerpaka out.
"I don't know why Achak didn't want to see me," Tiggerpaka sniffed. "I am by far the most superior one here."
"Well, you are more experienced," Misty acknowledged.
"Of course I am! I have slayed many of my enemies, of course," smirked Tiggerpaka.
They arrived to where Achak lived, and Misty saw him out in the sun. He smiled at them upon their arrival. "Ah. Welcome back Misty. I see you have friends."
"Yes. This is my sister Adele, and my friend Tiggerpaka," Misty said, looking at each of them.
"Well, hello," Achak smiled.
"This one can't hear very well," Tiggerpaka announced, pointing at Adele. "So don't waste your time trying to talk to her."
"Deaf, is she?" said Achak. "Poor thing."
Adele looked at Achak blankly before sitting down. Misty sat down as well. "You wanted to see me?"
Achak sighed. "Yes..." He had a bit of sadness to him, but Misty wasn't sure why. "I need to tell you more about Yin and Yang."
Immediately Misty was interested. "What about it?"
"Everything you need to know," Achak murmured.
Tiggerpaka snorted. "I already know everything about Yang and Yin."
"I doubt that," said Achak. "I'll start from the beginning. Yin and Yang were created naturally by the universe itself to keep good and evil in balance. As long as they didn't fight, the earth was okay. Yin was the evil; their side of the Land is dark, there's no sunshine, and it's where the Shadow Trackers lurk: creatures that are pure black with white eyes and can change form. It's also where the evil opposites live."
"'Evil opposites'?" echoed Misty.
"I'll cover that later," nodded Achak. "Yang is the good; their side of the Land is bright, sunny and happy. It's also where the Light Spirits lurk. They're the same creatures as the Shadow Trackers, but aren't evil. That's also where the good opposites live."
"How do you know all this?" asked Misty.
"Yes!" exclaimed Tiggerpaka. "How do you know all of this? Who are you working for? Tiredblade?"
"I lived in the Land of Yin and Yang myself at a young age," explained Achak, ignoring Tiggerpaka. "Anyways, with Yin and Yang fighting, the world is in peril. Grave danger. Those earthquakes that keep occurring? The bigger the quake, the larger the blow that was struck on Yin or Yang. Another side effect of the two fighting, is that borders begin to fade. The Shadow Trackers become free to leave Yin. But the Light Spirits don't leave Yang, as they're satisfied with where they live."
"What about those 'opposites' you mentioned?" Misty tilted her head.
"Opposites," said Achak. "They look exactly like you, but just act completely different. The evil opposites are the opposites of good animals, and the good opposites are the opposites of the evil animals. Pretty chaotic if they get loose. Since borders disappear, they can leave the Land of Yin and Yang. Imagine the opposites coming to where you live..."
Misty imagined it. What if she was out on patrol back at The Bending Tower and her opposite came along, and caused havoc, and it was blamed on the real Misty? The thought scared her.
"So what? Just kill the opposites," snorted Tiggerpaka. "I could slay them; I am a warrior!"
"You can't," insisted Achak. "Not without killing the real animal. For example, if you were to kill Misty's opposite, she'd die with it."
"Of course," said Tiggerpaka. "I knew that."
"When I lived in the Land of Yin and Yang, I was a...Protector." Achak took a deep breath. "In a new program started, I - along with other animals - got sent to places throughout the land to keep watch for any signs of Yin and Yang fighting. I was sent...here." He took a breath once more.
"Wouldn't it be better for you to stay at the Land of Yin and Yang then, if you're looking for signs of them fighting?" Misty frowned.
"Yes, a stupid strategy indeed," Tiggerpaka rolled his eyes.
"I-It was...better...to be sent out to different places." Achak was wheezing now. Fear sparked in Misty's chest - what was wrong with the old tortoise? "The Protectors live...in the...middle of Yin a-and...Yang. We p-patrolled...the...borders."
"Achak?" Misty was scared now. "What's wrong?"
"P-Punishment," Achak gasped. "I-I pr...omised not to reveal my purpose here." His voice was getting wheezy and quiet. "If I did, I'd...have...to die in the worst way I thought."
"You're dying?" Misty murmured. "But you can't die...!"
"I...I'm giving up my...life for the world," Achak hissed. "You must save the world, Misty...you and your friends, you have to stop Yin and Yang fighting. It's your destinies. Please. Do that...for me."
"I...I will," Misty said.
"Promise?"
"I...promise."
A slight smile came to Achak's face, but it quickly swept away. "Seek...safety."
"What?" murmured Misty.
"This is the message I must tell you," Achak said. "Seek safety...seek safety...seek...safety..."
Achak's eyes closed.
The tortoise was dead.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author's Note:
Last chapter of the first book! Yay or nay?
Last chapter of the first book! Yay or nay?
I know, the book was kind of short. But the second book will be started soon. :3
Sorry if this seemed rush, I hope it didn't D:
QOTD: Favorite part of the book?
Achak noooooo
ReplyDeleteHe was really cool hhhh
~Rest in Peace~
-Tempest
Cool way to end the book! sad but good I just wish I knew his worst fear
ReplyDeleteCool way to end the book! sad but good I just wish I knew his worst fear
ReplyDeleteWhat's with all this gloom and doom? old turtles die, its' s what they do. no reason to be sad about it!
ReplyDelete**snorts in disgust, turns and walks off**
**shoulders shake, sobs escape----runs away**
Rest in Peace, Achack. Good knowing you.
ReplyDeleteHey, on the brighter side, we know who this evil Ash is!