The Green Guardian

Chapter 45: Euphorbia's Legacy

        Would Embrose's people accept him? He was sure no one from one-thousand years ago was still alive. Did the modern villagers even know his legend?

Bittersweet looked so different. In one-thousand years, the purple and blue mushrooms, which sprouted when Embrose became the basilisk, were now the size of full-grown trees. They hovered over the village's animal skin tents. Vines grew around them like curtains. The whole village shimmered a slight purple and blue, thanks to the mushrooms.

Nervous, Embrose ducked behind Evie. The strength in his legs had almost completely returned, although he still stumbled a bit. He, Evie, Sam, and John stopped when Ms. Julie landed her gryphon in front of them. Behind her, the mushrooms lit up their lantern-like cores. It was as if the plants themselves were excited. A group of Bittersweet villagers, all of whom wore animal-themed clothes and had long hair, emerged from the forest, mushrooms, and their tents. A good number of them sported white, red, and black paint on their faces.

Ms. Julie slid off Allister. Her feet kicked up very little dirt when she hit the slightly rocky path. "We were starting to wonder when you would get here," she told Evie, Sam, and John.

"Euphorbia. She..." Sam started. He could not finish the sentence without choking up.

"We know," Ms. Julie said. Patting Allister's wing, she started toward Evie. "You can come out, Embrose."

Embrose gripped Evie's shoulders. He peeped over her right one. The sight of Ms. Julie and his people caused him to sweat. Why was it hot all of a sudden?

Evie touched his hand. "It's okay," she gently said.

Embrose gulped, but he nodded to himself and pulled hair out of his face. He stepped out from behind Evie.

Ms. Julie halted in front of him. Grasping his shoulders, she stared into his deep brown eyes. "You have not changed one bit in one-thousand years. Heck, you don't even have a white beard!" She took a second to glance at Evie. "Can he speak yet?"

"No," she replied.

"That's fine. He'll get his voice back soon." Ms. Julie released Embrose's shoulders. "Come with me, Embrose. The villagers are eager to see you. As for you, Evie, Sam, and John, the others are anxiously waiting. Evie and Sam, your family is at the tent where Mateo is staying."

Evie sighed a breath of relief hearing that her friends and family were all right. Well, mostly all right.

Ms. Julie knew she was about to ask about Mateo, so she went ahead and answered her unspoken question. "Ranger Krysta has Mateo on some pretty heavy sedatives right now, so he's a little out of it. The ambulance is on its way as we speak."

"But doesn't Dad accept him now?" Evie wanted to know. "That's what Sam told me."

Ms. Julie nodded. "He does, but you have to understand, my dear, that Mateo is also fighting a secondary illness. Unfortunately, it's starting to overtake the forest sickness."

A whoosh of air next to Evie's shoulder told her that John had entered the scene. He ruffled the feathers of his right wing and asked, "What's the secondary illness?"

Ms. Julie rubbed her palm down the length of her neck. "Ranger Krysta diagnosed it as either pneumonia or tuberculosis. She seems to think it's tuberculosis."

"Tubercu–?" John felt even worse now. "I should be in his shoes, Ms. Julie."

"Yeah, but you're not," Ms. Julie said in a stern voice. "Maybe next time, John, you should care a little more about the mission than the way you look."