I awoke to the screaming of Nyjill and Matthew. But not bad screaming but more like uncertain yet excited screaming. Maybe screaming wasn't the right word but it's what my sleep addled mind equated with the sound assaulting my ears.
“Da fuq is you on about?” I asked stumbling out of my tent. “Y’all being real noisy for being so early in the afternoon.”
“So you know how you said we could be in that one place?” Matthew asked excitedly.
“Yah.” I said hesitantly. “ What about it?”
“I’m like 89.3% positive we just saw Zecora.” Nyjill said less than enthused. “I mean it's possible it was just an animated looking zebra but...you know, it looked pretty Zecora-y.”
“OMG, thats crazy!” I said, but then paused. “Wait, animated?”
“Yah, it's strange we didn't really notice it before but everything around here has a slightly more animated quality.” Matthew explained. “Or I’m at least assuming so because she didn’t look out of place like she would in our world.”
“That's a startling notion.” Camden said from outside the science tent. “Our environment changed but we didn't perceive it? Have we changed as well to fit into this world?”
“Yah yah, science and shit.” I brushed him off “So you’re saying there is a good chance we are in the Everfree Forest?”
“Well, yah I guess so.” Nyjill said hesitantly.
“So it’s only a matter of time before we are discovered.” Matthew added. “It is possible we are a good distance away from any towns but we saw maybe-Zecora less than half a mile from here. So we’re somewhere near something. If anything she will find us, or maybe already has.”
“The one time I let y’all go without me and you come in contact with the residents of the world.” I muse. “Shit luck I suppose. But now we can focus on gaining her trust, thus weaseling into society.”
“So am I hearing this right?” Cody asks. “Are we in the place that no one is saying the name of for some reason?”
“Dramatic effect I suppose.” Adds Camden.
“Precisely! There will come a time to say it but it’s not certain yet.” I say. “So the answer to your question Cody is, perhaps. I think it’s about a 75% chance if not more.”
“Well, what I’ve discovered is also interesting.” Camden said holding a crystal. “These crystals run off of an energy I can't pick up with any instruments. I’ve jokingly referred to it as magic but now that were 75% certain of our location it might not be that far fetched of a theory.”
“Dope, magic crystals.” I say honestly interested. “So do we have magic if we trigger them?”
“No.” Was Camden's curt response. “We just complete the circuit between the magic in the earth and the crystal and then it runs off the ambient magic in the air until another circuit is completed and then it goes out. At least that's what I came up with since I learned about where we might be. I was pretty lost until then.”
“So if we tossed a crystal into the air, jumped and caught it in mid air it shouldn't turn on?” Nyjill asked skeptically.
“That may just be stupid enough to work.” Cody said with a slight grin.
“I wanna do it!” I said while I grabbed the crystal from Camden. It was on so i tossed it up and caught it to put it out.
“Test one. Go.” I said as I tossed the crystal up. As it was falling back down I jumped into the air and caught it. Once it came into contact with my hand it lit up.
“Your theory is bad and you should feel bad.” I said to Camden as I tossed it back to him.
“Well I would agree but we should try it again just to be sure.” He said tossing the now dormant crystal to Nyjill. Nyjill instead of throwing it himself just jumped and caught it. It stayed off until he came into contact with the ground and then lit up.
“Way to add variables to the problem Nyjill.” I said in mock anger. “Now we have to test like three things.”
“Whatever, maybe you’re just broken.” He said as he did a small toss to deactivate the crystal. He then tossed it up and caught it whilst in midair. Once again it didn't light up until he his the ground.
“Well one of is the norm and one of us is different.” Nyjill said. “Cody you give it a go.”
With that Nyjill tossed the crystal to Cody who repeated the test. It stayed off until he hit the ground. Next Matthew tried it and finally Camden. The results were in, I was the broken one. They had me try the experiment again and the same thing happened as before. Even though I was in midair the crystal lit up when I touched it.
“Well the results are in.” Camden said. “My theory was not bad, you were bad. And you should feel bad.”
“Put me on the turret redemption line, cuz I’m different.” I said looking towards the ground in fake sorrow.
“Hold up!” I said suddenly. “If these crystals hold magic or run off magic or whatever, then…” I trailed off as I ran to my tent and grabbed my Staff of Arcane Light and focused on making a circle on the ground. “Then this is magic!” The circle appeared under my staff just like I practiced. Everyone just stared at the circle on the ground.
“How you do that?” Cody asked pointing at the light.
“Trial and error.” I replied. “But really it's just focusing on what you want and hitting the ground.”
I picked up the staff to dispel the circle and focused on making a square. Upon contact with the ground a square of light appeared.
“I’m pretty sure any shape is possible but the more complex the harder it is to create.” I explained dispelling the square and focusing on a bat shape. I brought the staff down but it failed and made a circle.
“Like just now I tried to make the Batman symbol but it didn't work.” I said to the group. “But I managed to put it in the sky last night. Which reminds me.”
With that I went to create a circle around Nyill but paused. I decided to try to make a circle around Camden too. To my mild surprise, it worked.
“I can make the shape anywhere I want and apparently I can make more than one.” I explained. “That second part is new to me.”
“I want to try!” Matthew said excitedly.
“Ok..” I said hesitantly. “But don't get used to me handing off my Arcane Staff of Light to often.”
“So I just focus on making a circle of light below the staff and hit the ground?” He asked, looking to me for instructions.
“Pretty much.” I replied. “Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work though. It took me almost an entire ROFL to get it down.”
Matthew spent that time and more trying and nothing happened. I could tell he was discouraged, I would be too. All that effort and nothing to show for it. It didn't even light up. After a while he gave up and it was handed to Cody. He was met with the same results. Camden gave it all of one try before surmising it probably had something to do with how the crystals reacted with me. Maybe because I was first to come into contact with them they created some sort of bond with me or something. Really I felt he was just grasping at straws but I didn't have any better theories. Well other than 'magic' that is.
“Welp, looks like you get to have all the fun Shawn.” Camden said handing my staff back. “Use it wisely.”
“I didn’t get to try.” Nyjill whined.
“Life sucks then you die.” Was my quick reply. “But I’ll humor you. Wield it wisely.”
He tried all of three times before he gave up and handed it back. Muttering something about not being the unseen hero in the story or something. Whatever.
“Well it's getting late and I stood watch last night so I’m gonna get a food and do a sleep.” I said walking over to our pantry and grabbing an MRE.”
“I’ll stand watch tonight” Nyjill said looking to Matthew for a confirmation. Matthew nodded.
“Coolio.” I said as I ‘cooked’ my food. Tonights meal consisted of condensed BBQ pork and dehydrated veggies. It was alright but I, along with the others, was hoping for not MRE’s tonight. O well. I finished up my meal and headed to my tent.
“You can keep my crossbow for the night Nyjill.” I said as I walked into my tent. I didn’t wait for a reply because it didn't really matter. What was he gonna do, say no? I got into my hammock and settled in. I just woke up like 6 hours ago but I was already tired again from the long night.
“Well we know how the night's work now so I need to rethink the schedule.” I thought groggily. “Meh, maybe tomorrow.” Within a few minutes I was asleep.