Ep.23: A Land of Ash, Part 3

“Umm… Fukai, do you think she’s talking about Apo?” Maka says as we emerge from the outskirts and into the heart of the ashen jungle.

“That’s a very high possibility, Maka-” I begin to say as I turn to look behind me, but instead of simply addressing Maka, I am greeted by the sight of ashen arms emerging from the soil, twining around Maka’s legs, their grayed-yellow fingers digging into his legs before they suddenly begin to retract back into the soil, pulling him down with them. “Maka!” I shout in horror and rush forward without even a hint of hesitation.

“Fukai! Take this!” Ramsey fumbles in his pouch, pulling out a dagger, which he tosses to me, and a small nature tech device called a firefly burst, as more ashen hands burst from the ground, entwining and grabbing him too. A flash of recognition goes across Ramsey’s face as he notices the Wani, a traditional warrior’s bracelet for our homeland, about the wrist of his assailant.

I jump in the air, taking hold of the dagger while barely evading the ashen hands that stretch forth, attempting to grasp me. “GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MAKA!” I scream as I land behind Maka and bring my arms down and quickly back up, slicing through the hands that bind him in the process.

“Thanks, Fukai!” Maka says as he grabs onto me.

“Hold on, this is about to get rough!” I grab ahold of Maka and proceed to toss him away from the danger. “Ramsey!” I shout as I turn around.

“Like hell I’m going out like this!” Ramsey declares as he clicks the nature tech device and tosses it at his feet, which sets off a mini explosion, causing the ash to blow away from him and dissipate, destroying the hands of ash and lightly scorching his pant bottoms and shoes.

Ramsey and I look at each other and nod. “Let’s get the hell out of here!” I shout as we make a mad dash from the center of the ashen jungle. “What the shit was all that, Ramsey?!” I demand.

Ramsey picks up Maka and continues running. “How the hell am I supposed to know!” He retorts.

“Oh. So, genius Ramsey can’t figure it out?” I say with a smirk.

“Shove it! Let me think! Hmm… ok… ok… that could be it!” Ramsey says as he thinks.

“What? What?!” I demand to know as I jump over a fallen, ashen tree.

“Well, you may not like this, but if we stay here long enough, we might end up like the people who were on the expedition!” Ramsey looks at me while holding on to Maka.

“Umm… if we’re voting, I vote we leave,” Maka interjects hopefully.

Ignoring both of them for a moment, I look ahead at what’s in front of me. “Look! A hilltop! Let’s go!”

“Like we have other options,” Ramsey states, his mouth turning down in irritation.

As we make our way up the hill, I can’t help but continue to survey the entirety of the situation before me and am startled to a stop when I see that at the very top of the hillside, overlooking another section of the Deep Jungle, is a mysterious woman sitting at the top, playing a shamisen.

“Ye Warriors, rise up! Oh,

Ye Warriors rise up!

And save this land

With thine hands.”