Chapter thirty-five: The cursed Kekkaru

Keith walked further alongside the giant wolf and small boy, feeling skeptical about the addition to the group. He wasn't used being the most informed member and didn't appreciate being led up a cursed mountain by a small child.

"So, hi there", Keith said, trying his best to keep his tone friendly. He waved his hand at the boy. "And, who are you, exactly?"

"Me? I'm Ellis', the boy said in his chipper voice. "And this is Ava. She's a deamon wolf". Ellis patted Ava and smiled at Keith.

"A deamon? and a wolf, no less." Keith replied. "I thought he might be a bird."

Ava wasn't sure if The half-daemon was serious, so she gave his a huge sloppy kiss on the side of his face, that ought to prove she was a wolf.

A few yards ahead of them, Lance turned around. "Oh, I should have introduced you guys", he had avoided introductions, thus far because he wasn't sure if Ellis's unbridled enthusiasm would mix well with Keith's sarcasm, and it seemed he was right, but he'd put it off, long enough.

"Ellis, this is Keith", Lance said. "We originally met because, well..." Lance scratched his head. There really was no delicate way to phrase the exceptional beginning of his relationship with Keith. So he spoke quickly, with as much cheerfulness as he could. "I try to frozen him once after I stole something from him."

Keith looked at Ellis with a sheepishly smile and shrugged.

"But it doesn't matter", Keith added. "We're past all that now". He waved his hand as if to brush off this old news, Ellis took the cue.

"People meet in so many interesting ways", she squeaked.

Keith still wasn't sure he trusted this Ellis, but he appreciated a human who didn't seem to mind half-daemons. "Well, now that we've completed the introductions, how do we find this healer?" he asked.

"Truth is, I never found her-she found us," Ellis said. "We were hiding in a big, twisty, hollow tree, up near the rim", Ellis pointed to the peak.

"Then we need to get to that tree", Lance said "Even if it takes all night".

"Wait a second", Keith said, holding up his hands. "That's all we have to go on? A weird where this miracle worker showed up two years ago?"

"It's our only chance," Lance said. "Got a better idea?"

"As a matter of fact-" Keith began. But he had nothing. "No".

Ava pranced by Keith and Lance. "Now that we're settled that", She called out, "We get us to that tree, the healer will find us there, and she'll save your friend".

"I hope so." Keith said as he turned to Shiro. "It has to or else."

And so, one foot in front of another, as the afternoon wore on, they climbed the cursed Kekkaru. They jumped over ledges, climbed rickety fallen trees, and walked single file along narrow ridges, all sharing the weight of one life.

The hours passed quickly as they navigated the many obstacles, and by the time they reached a clearing halfway up the mountain, the sun was low and the sky was on fire with a blazing sunset.

"It's so beautiful. It's like the sky is painted with honey", Ellis said with a sigh.

"Wow", Pidge said, taking in the pinkish-orange twilight sky.

"Too bad it also means the nightmares are about to begin", Ellis said.

"What do you mean, 'the nightmares'?" Keith asked.

"Oh, you know', Ellis said in a cheery voice, "enormous monsters and indescribable terrors, stuff like that".

"Stuff like that", Lance echoed. Ellis had mentioned the monsters before, but he'd sort of forgotten about them, what with the climbing and Shiro's condition.

"Yeah! And the higher we go, the worse it will get", Ellis assured them.

"All right-well, let's go!" Keith said, pumping a fist with mock enthusiasm.

"No, no wait", Lance said. "We're going to need a plan". He wasn't about to have a repeat of past events.

"How can you plan for indescribable terrors?" Pidge wanted to know, "I feel like you need to be able to describe them first".

"I can try to help with that". Ava said. "I would call the terrors, horrifying, bloodcurdling, and creepy".

"But creep in a super extreme way that feels like it's lighting your soul on fire", Ellis added.

"I think that helps", Pidge said, thought her expression said otherwise. Hunk and Kiaion didn't look convicted either.

Lance closed his eyes—he just needed a minute to think. They had no experiences with teamwork, all their fights were considered lucky for a minute, like the fights with Haggar, Adam, and Sendak. They need teamwork; right now.

"Think, Lance, think", he thought. "Keith's got his dagger, Shiro's is out, I have my ice powers, Pidge and Hunk has weapons of their own and Kiaion, Ellis had Ava, Stats is—"

"I think I've got something", Lance said, opened his eyes. He held up his hand to stop anyone from interrupting, then announced his plan with a flourish.

"Flash! Woof! Froze! Slash and fire", he said.

Keith stared at Lance. What he'd said was nonsense and confusing, but Ellis seemed very excited about it.

He shouted, "Awesome!" and gave Lance a thumbs-up. But then he learned over to Hunk and whispered, "Um, is he okay?"

"I think he's finally cracked under the pressure", Hunk said.

"No, I haven't cracked", Lance said "That's the name of the place. Stats, you have the first job, you fly in the air so you flash and blind, whatever monster we encounter, That's 'Flash'".

"Stats", Stats said. "Stats?"

"Don't worry, you're support, every team needs a great support", Lance said, nothing would interfere with his plan. "Ellis, you and Ava are next, Ava will bark, and you'll ride around in circles, barking to confuse the monster. That's 'Woof'".

"What do you think, Ava?" Ellis asked, giggling. "Do you think you can run around and bark a lot?"

"Of course, I can?" Ava answered and let out a happy bark.

"She's ready", Ellis decided.

"Then it's my turn", Lance said. "I'll use my ice powers for 'Froze' " He shown his left hand to illustrate his point.

"You're going to use magic?" Ellis said, so excited that he stoop up on Ava's back.

"Oh, it's just a simply power that I have," Lance said. "No big deal".

"Yeah, he's going to froze on the monster", Keith said, wiggled his fingers in the air. "He'll ruffles it's fur real good".

"well, it's easier than going nuts blazing on whatever monster comes our way". Lance replied, taking offense.

"That monster won't know what hit it", Hunk said to Lance, then gave him a pat on the back, like Lance often did to him. "Oh wait, it will know what hit it, It'll be ice",

Lance frowned, but there were bigger things to worry about than Hunk teasing him.

"Anyway", he said, Keith, you and Hunk, Kiaion, and Pidge are last—you guys the finisher. You'll take the blinded, distributed, frozen monster down your weapons—'Slash and fire' " Lance swiped his arms in the air for effect.

"Ok, but how this plan work again". Keith said. "And how did Shiro entered it."

"He isn't it", Lance said, "But he's going to get you, Keith, in case the plan goes south".

"No it won't", sometimes, Keith could barely believe the denseness he had to put up with. He was completely a monumental eye roll when he brightened with a novel idea. "I meant, this plan is risky and you might be a dummy but you're not a fool."

"Am I supposed to feel flattered by that comment?" Lance asked.

"I don't know, maybe." Keith said. "even if we might be killed by whatever is out there?"

"Then we go to the plan", Lance said as he looked at his head with confidence. "Flash! Woof! Froze! Slash and fire!"

He envisioned everyone putting their hands in the middle and chanting the plan together, but they all just turned and continued up the mountain.

"All right," Lance thought "Your loss". Then he began the trek the plan becoming his mantra with each step. "Flash! Woof! Froze! Slash and fire, Flash! Woof! Froze! Slash and fire".

As the sun had set completely on the cursed Kekkaru, and the sky was growing darker by the minute. Up high, the flora was scarce and the trees barren, and the forest floor had given way to a dusty, dried mud. Mist and clouds obscured the path, but Stats glowing softly in Hunk's arms, illuminating the way.

Keith walked cautiously, with Kosmo in tow, prepared for the nightmares that Ellis had warned them of, but so far all was calm.

"Well, it's dark", he said "But I think the scariest thing I've heard so far is this angry cricket", he bent over a rock to look at the chirping insect. "And he doesn't even sound that angry, more like mildly annoyed".

"Hey...all crickets do that...And they're like music, whispering in your ears." Hunk said, "Or did we accidentally go wandering up Humdrum Hill?" Everyone laughed nervously at Hunk's joke.

"Really...Humdrum Hill, I'm starting to see the difference between you and make a joke". Keith said.

"Hey, I'm trying to lighten the mood", Hunk said. "Or should I say that we on Sleepy Slope".

"I'll have to check my map", Lance added, eager to join in, "But I'm pretty sure I recognize the unmistakably topography of..." He paused, building anticipation for his punch line. "Mount Monotonous!"

Lance waited for his joke to hit, but the only response he got was the chirp of the irritated cricket. He made a mental note to work on his delivery.

"Ok...moving on", Keith said. "It is a little odd that nothing bad has happened yet".

Ellis looked up as the clouds over the moon started to clear. "Maybe we're just luck—Ahhh! There's a huge scary monster!" He pointed right behind Keith and the others.

"Ahhhhh!" Hunk screamed.

"But don't worry, it's dead", Ellis said.

"Then why did you say it like that?" Keith asked. His heart was all the way up in his throat.

"Say it like what?" Ellis asked in his upbeat squeal.

Keith shook his head, somehow no matter what Ellis said, he always sounded excited.

Ava, Kiaion, and Kosmo trotted over to the swamp bog area where the monster was, and the group followed, as the mist cleared and the full light of the moon shone down, they could see a massive creature sprawled across their path, flat and lifeless.

The group approached the creature.

"I've never seen anything like this", Keith said. The monster seemed like a cross between a lion and a rodent, but it was about the size of an elephant.

"And look at those circles on its fur, they remind at a target, what a strange birthmark, " Pidge pointed at a circular pattern on the beast's abdomen and reached out to put her hand on its side.

"Don't touch it!" Keith yelled. "I don't think that's a birthmark, It's a bite mark".

Pidge examined the creature again, Keith had a point, this poor creature was the prey, which meant somewhere out there, an even bigger predator lurk.

"You're right", Hunk said to Keith, he gestured to the creature's unnaturally pale skin. "Something drained all its blood".

Sluuuuurrrrp.

Lance froze, the noise had come from behind the dead monster.

"Guys", Ellis said, "I see a much huger, scariest monster, and this one's alive".

He pointed to a luge shadow rising through the mist and suddenly, a colossal leech appeared, the faceless, fifty-foot bloodsucker reared up over them, teeth bared.

"Okay, I'm not feeling bored anymore", Keith said.

The leech screeched at a painful pitch and everyone covered their ears.

"The plan! The plan", Lance called out. "Time for the plan, Stats—go!"

But Stats was nowhere to be found, the last time he was there was Hunk's arms, "Um?"

Stats's ears perked up at the sound of his name, he'd been trying to catch the cricket, but if it was time for the plan, he'd have to abandon his snack aspirations; he had a duty to fulfill. He gathered up all his glow and let it flash free.

Everyone else tried to cover their eyes but it was too late; they were momentarily blinded.

"Too soon, too soon", Lance cried as he stumbled around.

Thwap! The colossal leech smacked down near Ava and Ellis.

Ava took off but ran right into Hunk, who was on his knees, patting the ground in a blind search for Stats.

Keith's sight was starting to come back, but everything was still fuzzy, "What about the rest of the plan?" he shouted. "I probably shouldn't do the fighting if I can't see, right?"

"No, don't do the fighting", Lance ordered.

"Maybe a new plan?" Pidge suggested.

"Scatter! Run!" Lance yelled as his vision finally recovered.

He took off behind Ellis and Ava, the leech nipping at his heels.

This way, Lance", Ellis said, reaching his hand down to him, "Ava will get us out of here".

Lance grabbed hold of Ellis's arm and lurched onto Ava's back, the wolf bounded through the trees, but the leech was surprisingly agile for its size and stayed right on their tail.

Lance had just about lost hope when Ava scrambled up a pile of rocks, leaving the leech below. It roared after them in frustration, then slithered of toward Keith, Hunk, Pidge, Kiaion, Stats, Kosmo and Shiro.

Kosmo teleported Keith and Shiro out of the way of the coming leech, while Kiaion had Hunk, Stats, and Pidge on his back, flying up onto the nearest branch and they scrambled to safety, with Kosmo, Keith, and Shiro coming up beside them.

From their perch high above, they stared down at the monster.

"What do we do now?" Keith asked. "I think that thing is waiting for us at the bottom of the tree".

"We don't even have that much blood", Pidge noted.

"I know", Keith said, then he shouted at the monster, "We would be a very unsatisfying snack!"

The leech roared.

"I guess an unsatisfying snack is still a snack", Pidge said.

Lance's voice suddenly rang out from the hillside. "We don't have a choice, we'll just have to wait it out, I'm sorry my plan was a mess".

"Nah, your plan was fine", Keith called back. "Our execution was a little off".

Up high in the tree, Keith stroked the bloody Shiro, Pidge walked over to him, "He seems to be hanging in there", she said, pointing to Shiro, "Barely".

"Stats", Stats said with a sigh, he rubbed his cheek against Shiro's chest.

"No, it's not your fault", Keith said, he sat down next to Stats and looked out into the forest. "A lot of people mess up from time to time".

"Stats." Stats asked. Keith was always so sure-footed and brave, he suspected he was trying to make him feel better.

"Yes me, I'm hardly having a hard time to understand people...like if they want to be your friend or they are wanting to be your enemy". Keith said.

"Are you kidding?" Hunk couldn't believe what he was hearing, he turned to look Keith directly in the eyes. "From what I can tell, you're awesome at everything".

"Well, I am pretty awesome at everything", Keith said, his eyes twinkled, but then his shoulders slumped. "Right up until the moment when it really matters", He hung his hand. "And that's when I just...'Poof', screw things up".

"What, that never happened to you!" Pidge asked.

"I don't know l when I see people in danger I go super nuts and eventually, I've failed, I failed to the people that I love", he rolled onto his back and looked up at the stars, Hunk and Pidge copied his position, so the three were lying head to head.

"It happened so fast...from the moment I am dealing Allura with her...Revival and the second I am the target for her issues". Keith said. "I mean we used to be close, but now..."

"It's obvious, Keith", Pidge said. "You want to rescue her from her pain, just like I want to rescue my brother".

"You do realize that your brother is living flesh and bones, not graveyard soil", Keith sighed, Pidge was too kind-hearted, she would never understand his weakness, but he tried to explain. "It shouldn't have mattered and you know what, someone insulted me behind my back and use me to escape from protecting a gem."

"Uh, I think that helps." Hunk replied. "And I'm glad...you learn not to be with people like that".

Keith smiled a little. "You know that...That you guys are always there to get the pep talks".

Hunk and Pidge pause, contemplating his words, then Pidge spoke up. "That's the weirdest, nicest thing anyone has ever said to me".

"Well, who knows, maybe I...This half-breed's luck will change", Keith said, It was an awfully attempt at being lighthearted.

"That's a horrible joke", Hunk said.

"Funny though?" Keith wanted to make sure.

"Funny and horrible", Hunk conceded.

While Keith, Hunk, and Pidge joked about ex-friends, Lance leaned over the edge of the cliff trying to see through the mist, as far as he could tell, the leech was circling them every minute or so, biding its time.

"I can't believe this thing doesn't want to give up." Lance said.

"Maybe he's looking for an interesting snack." Ellis suddenly said. "After all you're a monk, you're not at all what I expected".

"What were you expecting?" Lance asked, turning toward him, being called a monk momentarily diverted him from bigger concerns.

"Oh, you know, taller, long robes, lots of wrinkles, super smart", Ellis said.

Lance laughed.

"And, maybe carrying a weird amulet or something?" he added.

"Well, I am in the market for a weird amulet, if you know anybody", Lance said.

Ellis giggled. "And you're so confident".

"It's funny to hear someone say that", Lance said, he moved away from his lookout. "Nobody has called me confident for long time".

"Really? You should be", Ellis said, He spread his arms wide and looked up at the sky. "You have all that incredible power".

Lance paused, it didn't feel right to let Ellis believe he was so powerful. "The truth is, it's not me", he said, he showed his left hand. "It's this, all the magic, all the power, all the confidence—its just because of this amazing thing: my family's Legacy".

Ellis shook his head. "That hand needs you to do all that amazing stuff", he said. "Without you, it's just a simply and plane hand",

"I guess so", Lance said. "But sometimes I wish I'd be without it," he looked at his hand. " I mean...I come from a long line of monks and don't have what it takes...I nothing like my father or my brothers, I'm just a guy who can steal money from people and try to impress girls which I'm not very good at."

"I'm not convinced", Ellis said. "I have a feeling you'd be pretty amazing even without your amazing family."

Lance blushed. "Well, you seem pretty great too".

Ava said. "He's right, I think that you have to be like your family, you have to be you".

"Huh, I guess you're right...But you're great, Ava." Lance laughed.

Hey, guys!" Keith called out from his treetop. "I think that thing might be gone".

Sure enough, the coast looked clear, so Lance, Ellis, and Ava climbed down to meet Keith, Hunk, Pidge, Kiaion, Kosmo, and Stats at the base of the tree.

"Haven't seen it or heard it in a while—seems like it moved on", Keith said.

"See ya, sucker", Hunk called out "Get it, became it's a giant leech?"

"So...more of a description than an insult?" Lance asked.

"Little of both", Hunk said.

Lance nodded, impressed.

"Guys, it's probably gone but let's not taunt it, okay?" Keith said. "There is a thing called irony, where the opposite happen."

"Nah", Lance said "Maybe that's how things work in stories, but in the real world—"

An earth-shattering screech interrupted Lance. The group turned around to find colossal leech had returned and was, once again, towering over them.

The monster reared up and prepared to strike. It lunged at the group, smashing its head into the ground and just missing everyone. Then it chased after the nearest prey, Ellis riding on Ava's back.

Ava circled around trees, evading the slithering beast, which soon turned its attention to Keith and Kosmo.

Keith and Kosmo scrambled up a tree and the leech switched directions again, this time focused on Hunk and Stats.

"Hey, guys", Lance called out. "The plan! The plan! We can do this", it wasn't every day Lance got a second chance at defeating the same monster and he was not about to waste the opportunity. He pointed to Stats, like a conductor launching a symphony and yelled, "Stats, you're up",

Hunk hoisted Stats into the air and everyone closed their eyes.

"Flash!" Lance yelled.

The blinding light stunned the leech, which stopped its attack momentarily, then Lance pointed at Ava and called out, "Woof!"

Ava and Ellis leaped into action, riding around in circles with Ava barking madly, the leech twirled like a monstrous dancer. Here and there Ava would take a nip at the blinded leech, which became increasingly disoriented.

"Perfect", Lance said. "It's my turn for Froze", holding his hand and removing his beads, "here goes nothing", he said to himself, Lance directed his hand at the leech and it worked, the ice cracked out of Lance's hand, freezing the leech and sending it reeling backward, Lance's widened and he gawked at his hand.

"Yeah! Get frozen", he shouted at the leech, jumping up and down. "Get zapped! by the Mr. freeze! the most freeze and..."

"Hey, you can celebrate later!" Keith asked, interrupting him, and gestured to the still-living monster.

"Right...Ugh, finishing time", Lance said. Keith, you, Hunk, and Pidge are on. Slash and fire!"

Keith, Hunk, and Pidge leaped toward the disabled leech, approaching it with their weapons poised as it thrashed on the ground.

But just as they were about to strike, the leech reared up again and Hunk stumbled, falling backward, he dropped his weapon, a few feet behind him.

Everyone watched petrified as the leech lunged at him.

"Come on, Hunk", he thought. "Don't screw this up." he crab-walked backward and reached for his gun while the leech prepared to lunge again.

"Hunk!" Keith cried out.

The beast dove toward him as Hunk grabbed his gun and fire.

"Now!" Hunk yelled.

With that, Keith and Pidge beheaded the colossal leech, It crumpled to the ground, where it thumped and moaned a few times, then it was still.

Hunk leaned over with his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath. That was too close, if it had been a split second faster, he would have been toast, He wiped the sweat from his brow, at least it's over now.

"Hey, you did..." Keith told Hunk

Aaaaiiiieee! Aaaiiieee!

A cacophony of ear-splitting squeals erupted from the direction of the leech.

"It can't still be alive", Keith said, turning back around.

And he was right—the colossal leech was dead, but thousands of baby leeches were squirming out of its severed head, swarming the ground, in no time at all, they had slithered over Kosmo's legs and were climbing up his body.

"Kosmo!" Keith shouted.

Pidge sprang into action, with self-assured hands, she reaches into the pockets of her suit and grab a little piece of paper, and put it in her mouth. With a deep breath, then blew all the tiny leeches off Kosmo.

"How did..." Keith said

"Purification Salt!" Pidge said, interrupting him.

"Yes!" Lance said. "I did...I mean we did it".

"Yeah, we did," Keith said, petting Kosmo. "Now let's go find that tree."