Chapter 8: Sapphire

The puma leaped into the air, its muscles rippling beneath its sleek coat. Jaxon shouted, "Haze!!" as he watched in horror, thinking the worst.

But instead of the expected attack, the puma landed on Orion, who let out a surprised yelp. Both Jaxon and Haze looked away, their inner arms covering their hands, bracing for the sound of Orion's screams.

Tears started rolling down Jaxon's face as he waited for the inevitable.

But then, they heard a laughter that made Jaxon's head snap back towards the scene. It was a laughter he recognized all too well - Orion's.

Jaxon removed his arms to see Orion laughing and squirming on the floor, the puma licking him like a giant kitten. "Stop…st-stop it. I am very ticklish," Orion laughed out loud, trying to push the puma away.

Haze was marveled at the sight, "b-but how?" she whispered, confusion etched on her face.

Jaxon's ears picked up a giggle, and it was coming from the tree right in front of them. His eyes shot up to trace the giggling sound, and that's when he saw her - a lady who seemed to be about his age, with brown hair and eyes sparkling like mirrors.

Jaxon looked relieved and startled, since in this weird world, it was either the person you encountered was your friend or foe.

The lady on the tree branch giggled, covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes never leaving Jaxon's face. Haze asked, her voice cautious, "who are you?" as she pulled out a bark chiseled to a sword, ready to fight.

The lady relaxed, her legs dangling from the branch, her head resting on the stem of the tree.

"He just wanted to play…that's all," she said, her voice soft and melodious.

Jaxon was confused, "huh?" He looked at Haze, who shrugged, equally perplexed.

The lady dropped from the branch, softly touching the forest floor. "I said… he wasn't goining to hurt you. He just wanted to play," she repeated, walking past Jaxon and haze, her movements graceful and fluid.

She knelt down in front of the puma, which was still licking Orion's face. Haze shouted, "hey…becareful.." her sword at the ready.

The lady replied, "of this little guy? No…" she rubbed her hands under the puma's chin, and it laid on the floor, waiting for more affection. "See…. Even the fiercest of beasts want to be loved. Because, beneath all those claws, a heart beats."

Jaxon and Haze exchanged a skeptical look, unsure what to make of this strange lady and her unusual connection to the puma.

Orion sat up, frantically cleaning himself. Scrubbing at his face and clothes. "Ew..ew…eww!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the forest.

"I am covered in puma slobber. This is a nightmare!"

Haze burst out laughing, her eyes shining with mirth. "Don't be a drama queen, Orion. You liked it," she teased, chuckling.

Orion turned to her, his eyes furious, before spinning back around and stomping of towards a flowing river. "If you guys need me, I'll be right over at the edge of that river. I have puma drool everywhere…. And I mean EVERYWHERE!"

Haze and Jaxon laughed, enjoying the comedic relief after their intense encounter. But their attention snapped back to the lady, who was still giving the puma affectionate Tommy rubs.

"Who's a good boy? You are…yes, you are," she cooed, her voice soothing and gentle.

Haze shook her head, still grinning. "I have seen some really weird things over the days- upside down monsters and carnivorous butterflies- but, this tops my charts."

****

Suddenly, The lady's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by urgency. She sprang to her feet, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The puma's ears twitched, as if sensing something too. It growled at the lady, who nodded gravely. "You hear it too."

She knelt down, plucking a leaf from the ground. Its bright colors dissipated like smoke, leaving the leaf pale. "The ASYLUM," she muttered, swallowing hard. "We have to go! Now!"

Haze's power stirred within her, responding to the growing mist. "Finally!" She exclaimed.

Jaxon frowned. "Why? What's happening?"

The lady commanded, "get your friend and let's get out of here now!"

Haze stepped forward, hands raised. "Hey, chill. One, we don't know who you are? And two, what's going on?"

The lady glanced at the puma, which growled and leapt into the trees. "Hold them off…I'll get them out of here."

Jaxon's eyes widened. "Hold who off?"

The lady's gaze locked onto Jaxon's. "Listen to me. I'll explain later, but right now, I need you to come with me if you want to live."

The air was thick with tension as the mist crept closer, shrouding the forest in an eerie gloom. The puma's growls echoed through the trees, a primal warning of impending danger.

Jaxon sighed, "I'm not making this mistake again."

He snatched Orion, and they all started running .

Haze questioned Jaxon, "why are we even running? We don't even know what's happening?"

Jaxon answered, almost breathless, "in this weird world, when someone says run, you run."

The lady could feel the creatures closing in. She stopped abruptly, her eyes flashing with urgency.

"Wait!" She commanded.

They all halted, panting, as the lady touched the ground. Her hair began to float, and her eyes lit up with pink flames. A soft, glowing crown formed around her head, pulsing with an otherworldly energy.

She recited, her voice filled with ancient power.

"Rise and shine, my love,

From the earth, awake and move.

Guard the woods, your power unfurled,

Rule the forest, master of this world."

As she spoke, she channeled her love energy into the ground. The environment was enveloped in a bright pink light, like a warm embrace. The light seemed to stop time itself, freezing the mist and the creatures in place.

Suddenly, the lady slammed her hand against the earth. Love pulsed through the ground like veins, filling the air with an intense, pink glow. The forest responded, awakening ancient magic that had lain dormant for centuries.

The creatures, halted by the lady's spell, let out a collective shriek as the forest itself began to defend its inhabitants. Trees creaked, branches twisted, and roots burst forth to ensnare the attackers. The lady stood tall, her crown shining brighter, as she became one with the forest's energy.

Suddenly, the ground trembled and a gigantic hand burst forth, grasping a tree and hurling it at the creatures.

The other hand emerged, and soon half of the guardian's body was visible. Vines covered its massive form as it let out a thunderous roar and charged towards the attackers.

The lady yelled, "let's go!" and they continued running.

They finally reached a clearing where sunlight filtered through the trees. But the lady knew they couldn't outrun the danger.

"We'll never make it out of here fast enough," she said, looking up at the canopy above.

An idea struck her, "Mother always said, the only way to go is UP." She scanned their surroundings and spotted a hollow log with a shallow hole.

"Umm, what are your powers?" She asked haze.

Haze replied urgently, "I can manipulate the mist. These two are empty." Orion shoved her, as if to say "hey, I'm not empty!"

The lady didn't hesitate. "Really… but why?

Anyways, we ain't got time for that…Get in the log!"

She dragged the log towards them, its hollow interior waiting to conceal them.

Jaxon, Orion, and Haze exchanged skeptical glances but knew they had no other choice. They climbed into the log, the lady following close behind. As they settled in, the guardian's roar echoed through the forest, and the sound of crashing trees grew louder.

Haze and the lady squeezed into the log, their bodies pressed together. "You ready?" the lady asked, her voice low and urgent.

Haze nodded, "yeah."

But when haze tried to lift the log using her mist powers, she struggled. "I can't….there's not enough mist," she admitted, straining.

The lady exhaled aggressively, "erhhhh, I have an idea."

She climbed out of the log and started making a ruckus, shouting and waving her arms.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Jaxon asked, alarmed.

The lady smiled mischievously at Jaxon. "Well, they want to kill us. We're right here!" She taunted the creatures, drawing their attention.

Suddenly, dense mist swirled around them, and the lady could hear the creatures' shrieks. "Try again," she urged haze, climbing back into the log.

Haze waved her hand, and mist swirled around the log, lifting it into the air. But just as they were rising, one of the creatures pounced, its claws digging into the log. Orion let out a startled yelp, "ahhhh!" And punched the creature away.

The lady praised him, "way to go!"

Haze took deep breaths, focusing her powers. Her body began to glow with mist, and with a flick of both hands, she lifted the log out of the forest, soaring above the treetops.

The creatures' shrieks faded into the distance as they left the danger behind.

The mist swirled around the log, carrying them above the treetops. Haze let out a strained sizzle, "you guys are really heavy. Don't know how long I can hold."

The lady gazed ahead, seeing the clearing up front, and urged Haze on, "come on misty, just a little longer."

But just as they were nearing safety, the creatures launched a counterattack, shooting up towards the log. Orion spotted them, "incoming!"

The lady swiftly shot pink lasers at the creatures, deflecting their attack. Meanwhile, Haze's strain grew, "can't….hold…on for long," her veins bulging on her neck. "Too…heavy."

Just as Haze's strength was failing, one of the creatures struck the log, sending it off course. The mist slowly dissipated from Haze's body as she collapsed, unconscious, inside the log.

The log began to plummet towards the ground, "Brace yourself!" the lady shouted, her voice laced with alarm.

Jaxon and Orion grabbed onto the log, preparing for impact. The lady shielded Haze's limp form, her eyes fixed on the rapidly approaching ground. The log hurtled downwards, its occupants holding on for dear life...