In The Aftermath
(A proof of concept)
The kingdom was a wreck! Every building either had holes in it or were totalled by explosions. Gripping the blaster pistol tightly in my hand, I moved up the cobblestone street with a bubbling sense of dread in my guy. It was daytime. The sun was shining and the street was littered with rubble. No one was out. Not even the Lizards who had invaded and demolished the place. Shops and stands were totally empty. Some of their contents littered the street and I almost tripped on a few. Looking around from side to side, I hunted feverishly for anything moving. Looking for any sign of life at all. It was like a ghost town! There was no way the Lizards could have pulled out so quickly! Clearly I was wrong in thinking that. And the more I looked the more I began to think they also may have taken the civilians with them. Did they take her with them? Damnit! I kicked a loose piece of rubble down the street. I had never seen anything like those Mech’s. Big and green with enough lasers and missiles to take over a town! Anyone who tried to fight those with explosives was dead… The thought made by blood go cold. None of them would know that. Not until their arrows bounced off the mecha’s metal armor. Even the Vietcong had guns to fight the United States with… Shaking my head I tossed the comparison aside.
It didn't help my mood that Lion-O had made a decision that I wanted to strangle him over. Going after Mumm-Ra was the last thing I had in mind. Jaga already gave us a job to do and find “The Book Omens” which would probably give us a way to defeat that monster. Claudus's death was blinding his vision. Tygra and Cheetara could see it but we're bound to his orders. When he tried to order me around I told him to go fuck himself and marched off. If he won't go after the book then I will. I'll be damned if I let Jaga die for nothing.
Entering an even more ruined area, I let my arms go limp at my sides. Large columns laid toppled and cracked on the ground with hundreds of tones of stone ahead of me. Some of it had been crushed under the feet of the large metal mechs the lizards used. The hand holding the blaster lowered as I looked at the devastation.
“Oh my god!” I gasped, unable to hold myself back any longer. “Pumyra!”
I don’t know why I shouted her name. Maybe hope that she was still around. Hope that she was somewhere hiding among this rubble. The more I looked at the ruins the more the hope drained out of me. Stepping deeper into the mess, my eyes moved slowly from side to side in search of any sign of life. This would be much easier if Lion-O, Tygra or Cheetara had come to help. Did I expect too much? The two brothers had lost their father last night and I had found out I might be the last possible human in the universe. It had to be a lie. Something to mess with me. I had to focus! Drawing a breath I pushed onwards.
“Pumyra!” I shouted again.
I continued looking and walking when something faint caught my attention. “Toren!” I heard a voice not far away. It was weak but not enough for me to miss it. Was that her?
“P-pumyra!?” I looked around.
“O-over h-here!” I heard her again on the right.
Looking over, I saw a hand poking out from between some demolished stone. I ran over and skidded to a stop in front of the rubble. Dropping down onto my knees I pulled away the loose rocks in front of the gap. I peered into the hole and saw Pumyra’s brown eyes looking back right at me. She was alive!
“Oh thank god! You’re alive!”
Her lips curled into a small smile but it faded. “You look like hell.” She said with a small gasp.
I did. My clothes were ripped and had also been burned thanks to Mumm-Ra’s magic. My hair was also a dirty mess but that wasn’t my concern. There were much more important things right now. “I’ll live and feel better once I get you outta here!” Dropping the blaster, I grabbed one of the larger rocks and pulled. It lifted a few centimeters into the air. “Come on you big son-of-a-bitch! Come on!” It moved more as chuckles fell off of the thing. My muscles burned as I threw everything into pulling it. My grip slipped and the rock fell from my hands. It settled back into position over Pumyra who winced from under it. Gasping for breath, I fell to my knees in front of the rock. “It’s too heavy…” I gasped more for breath.
Sweat dripped down my face as I began to pull myself back up. I could faintly hear Pumyra breathing underneath the rubble. I had to get her out of there. Damnit! I should have brought Tygra with me. Even Cheetara would be a great help. I could think of a dozen uses for that staff of hers right now. I wiped the sweat away from my forehead and positioned myself to try again.
“Toren! Where are you?!” Lion-O’s voice echoed from not far away.
I turned my head towards the shout. “OVER HERE!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “GET YOUR ROYAL ASS OVER HERE AND HELP ME!”
The new king came running. His pet Snarf and brother Tygra were not far behind. Cheetara came up the rear. She could have beaten them all here in not even a fraction of the time. I shook away the throat and pointed to the hole. Lion-O skidded to a stop and then looked inside. His fur jumped upright upon seeing Pumyra.
He jumped upright and grabbed the chunk of stone. “Tygra, help me!” He ordered.
Tygra looked into the gap and then jumped to grab a piece of rubble to pull it off. I also grabbed a part. “Cheetara… Once we got it up, yank her out!” I said, my face red and dripping with sweat.
She nodded and kneeled at the hole. Pumyra extended her hands and the Cleric took them. “I’m ready." Pumyra said, weakly.
God please don’t be too injured. “Ok… On three. One, two… Three!” All three of us pulled like hell.
The piece of rubble swung upwards a few feet. “PULL!” Pumyra shouted.
Cheetara did as told and yanked the brown furred cat from the rubble. Once she was clear, we let go of the heavy rubble and it hit the ground with a loud thud. My whole body vibrated as I dropped onto it. Gasping sharply for breath, I looked down at Pumyra. Her left leg was stained with dried blood. She also was still wearing the same cavewoman-like outfit I had seen when I had met her. I saw Lion-O and Tygra wince at the sight. Snarf got closer to Pumyra, rubbing his tiny fluffy face against hers.
“I’ll see what I can do for you.” Cheetara said to Pumyra, putting a hand over the girl's leg.
As I watched, a golden light shone from the tips of the clerics fingers. I couldn’t see the wounds thanks to Pumyra’s dark fur. Maybe it was for the best that I didn't see it. Pumyra bit back groans of pain as pops and snaps sounded from inside her leg. My stomach lurched forwards and I gagged.
“Oh shit!” I jerked myself up and staggered away from the group.
Snarf was soon at my side and rubbing himself against my leg. I lowered myself down to pet him as the healing continued. Was that what that old wizard Jaga did to me? I didn’t wanna know anymore. It wasn’t like I could ask him even if I wanted to. Besides, I didn't wanna ask Cheetara. I didn’t need things to be more awkward than what they already are!
“You’ll be ok. Just stay off that leg until the bones finish healing… In four days.” Cheetara said, earning a surprised look from Punyra.
I lifted myself back up and stepped back over to the group. “Those four days will be nothing,” I helped her roll onto her back and then scooped her up bridal style. “Before I wound up here, I broke my left arm doing something real stupid and had to wait weeks for it to heal.”
Pumyra put her arms around my neck to brace herself. “Well you better be careful then.” She teased.
Blood rushed into my cheeks and my lips curled up into a sheepish smile. Tygra watched with his mouth hanging open. Lion-O stepped close and extended a hand to the girl.
“Looks like I’m not the only friend Toren’s made.” Lion-O boyishly smiled.
It had been the first time I’d seen him smile since the attack. Pumyra bowed her head in respect to Lion-O. “My lord, it’s an honor.” She said, still holding me.
He seemed a little less edgy now. “Thanks for the assist.” I said, flatly.
Lion-O looked back at me, the former prince biting the lower lip as he adjusted his greenish cloak. “You still think it's a bad idea.”
“It's the dumbest decision you'll ever make in your life. Because as soon as you get there you won't be making anymore,” I replied, narrowing my eyes at him. “You're delivering that sword to his door!” Pumyra visibly recoiled in my arms.
Tygra shockingly nodded in agreement with me. “He's right.” Tygra added.
“That's an understatement.” Cheetara also added.
Lion-O sighed deeply and Pumyra looked at him and then me. “Lion-O, I know you're pissed off. We're all pissed but going directly to Mumm-Ra it's just going to get us all killed,” I pushed, not only to keep the sword out of Mumm-Ra’s hand but also to keep Lion-O ending up like his father. “Cheetara can tell you exactly what that fucker did to me to try and get that sword!”
Lion-O then looked up at me. “So you're going after the book either way?” He asked.
“Someone has too and my schedule is wide open,” I said, looking down at Pumyra “Actually I might be four days late.”
Tygra let out a sharp laugh. Lion-O also chuckled as his lips curled up into a smile. “Well you certainly ain't going alone anymore.” He said.
Oh thank God! He had come to his senses! Still Pumyra looked up at me with a completely confused look on her face. I made a note to tell her when the opportunity presented itself. Whether or not she wanted to stick around after her leg healed was completely up to her. I certainly wasn't going to force her into this quest.
“Where are we going?” Pumyra asked, completely lost now.
“We're headed to the Tower of Omens.” Cheetara said, much to my relief.
She explained the book itself and everything that I heard from Jaga. She even explained last night's events including my “chat” with Mumm-Ra. I didn’t say a word. Whatever I could add was already known by Cheetara. Pumyra hung on to every single word that she held me close. Tygra and Lion-O went to look for others. It was lucky I even found Pumyra. If she had been unconscious then I would have passed her without knowing it. As Cheetara explained, the cleric fashioned a split with some rope and wood and applied it to Pumyra’s leg. When Cheetara was done, Pumyra looked at me.
“So you're going with them, eh?” She asked and I nodded.
“Well I ain’t gonna just lay down and die. No way… Not after last night.” Pumyra looked me down and tightened her grip on me.
“There’s really no telling what Mumm-Ra would do with the Book and Sword of Omens.” Cheetara added.
I also nodded. “Either way it’s gonna be dangerous,” I then looked to Pumyra. “If you wanna bail after that leg heals then I won’t stop you.”
Pumyra raised an eyebrow at me. Maybe I should have just kept my mouth shut. My thoughts were brought to a dead stop when she brought her hand to my cheek and stroked it. “Well someone's gotta keep you out of trouble.” She said, teasingly.
I nodded. “Well you’ll have your work cut out for ya then.” I teased back at her only for her to smile and bring her head close to mine.
On the side I could see Cheetara trying to hide a blush as she looked away from me and Pumyra. “I think I’ll do just fine.” She replied, pecking me on the cheek.
I could feel my cheeks burn as I sheepishly smiled. Last night felt a lot less painful now that I knew she was alive. I don’t know what I would have done if she wasn’t. Lucky for me that I didn’t have to anymore.
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