The Elementalist: Sky City (Book One)

Chapter Five: Magma Kingdom

After that night, Ben and Wade spent many grueling days trekking through the woods, days that would end safely with them nestled high in the trees away from danger. With each day the light of the day would grow stronger, in spite of their eyes that had begun growing used to the dark. Eventually, they finally came to the end of the forest. It was strange to both how quickly the trees stopped, considering their density for days and days. It was not gradual in any way. A wall of trees at the edge of the forest acted as a border to the Magma Kingdom. In that, it almost seemed unnatural. Beyond the trees were valleys of grass as far as the eye could see–a supreme emptiness after what they'd come from. And while the forest had been luscious and green hidden behind the dark, these fields were a sickly yellow as though on the verge of death.

Stepping forward, past the last of the trees, Ben and Wade felt a crunch under their shoes as they stepped into the yellow field. Both looked back at the forest simultaneously. Bending to one knee, Ben grabbed a piece of the yellow grass. It was brittle, snapping off like a broken twig. Yet it didn't crumble when he squeezed it in his hand as expected. Instead, it was full of life, despite looking and feeling the contrary.

"Strange..." Ben muttered.

"Perhaps not. Think about it, we're on the edge of the Magma Kingdom: full of molten volcanoes and burning lands. Life here is probably scarce, and what does exist..." Wade grabbed a piece of hard, crunchy grass as he finished. "What does exist is probably stronger for it. A survival of the fittest kind of thing."

As if in reply, a strong, warm wind blew from the West, rippling through the stiff grass and radiating heat as one might feel if standing at the base of a fire. Letting out a chilled grimace, Wade let the grass fall from his fingers. He didn't like it... Not one bit. He'd grown up used to Capital City, surrounded by forest brimming with life. A burnt land such as this was very unwelcoming, especially to someone born of the Aqua Kingdom. His skin could feel the dryness of the air, and he longed to return to a place with proper humidity. A strong thirst began to overcome him.

"Just remember," Ben consoled his friend, seeing the uneasiness growing on his face. "We only have to be here for as long as it takes to get around the mountains. Then it's on to Sky Kingdom.

Wade nodded as he gazed into the distance.

"This place is so... dead."

"You're from The Aqua Kingdom," Ben said frankly. "The sea has nothing but life. This is the opposite of that. Of course you don't like it. Trust me though, there is life here. It's just harsh and fierce, not like the ocean where things flow and expand."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Opening his bag, Wade took a jug of water from it, freshly filled from a crick back in the forest the day before. He took small sips, in an effort to conserve, but could not resist drinking almost a third of it. Even the tiny droplets wetting his lips and tongue made him feel better.

The two began moving further southwest. With the map held firmly in Wade's right hand, he referred to it often. Their destination may have been Sky City, but to circumvent the mountains meant passing through the edge of Magma Kingdom, and Wade wished to travel in whatever way kept them there as little as possible.

Every step they took left a footprint in the crunchy, yellowish-red grass. If they were being followed this would have been problematic, but there was no one to be seen for miles in all directions. Having wandered out of The Silent Forest at a random spot, there was no road for them to follow, no people to encounter. Wade could, in fact, only guess their location on his map to the best to his abilities, but was not extremely confident. They seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.

Without stopping, Ben grabbed a wrap from his bag. Unfolding the cloth, he reeled back in disgust as the last remaining food inside gave off a sour smell. It's fish... The same thing they'd been living off of the last few days. This one had thankfully been cooked the day before and was left over, but the fact that it was not raw was little consolation.