One Little Spark: Part 1

Chapter 5

"Figment!" Dreamfinder shouted with great relief.

          Yes, it is Figment who has become the Woosoes new god. He wore a crown of pink petals over his head and held a rainbow colored wooden staff with pink petals at the top. The Woosoes must have found Figment first before Rachel or Dreamfinder did except he's gotten some better deal out of being taken in as a prisoner. The palanquin Figment is sitting on is made of the same rainbow colored wood as Figment's scepter with golden edgings and a scarlet red pillow for Figment's comfort. Yep, he's living it up all right.

"Dreamfinder! Rachel!" Figment exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"What are we doing here?" Rachel repeated the question and shouted, "WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

"I've been here. Not long after we arrived, I went out to explore and got attacked by one of those weird colored trees. They look like they stand on one trunk, but they actually flip upside down and run with their green braches. The tree came after me, it caught me with its talon-like claw-root-thing, and then it threw me all the way to the mountains! That's where these nice people found me and recognized me as their god. And here I am."

"That's fascinating!" Dreamfinder smiled.

"Yeah, well while you were getting flung around by trees like a sissy and given praises by these people, Dreamer and I were attacked by one of those predators here. It had an elephant head, gray tiger with black stripes for a body, and butterfly wings." Rachel described their scenario, "After we defeated it, these guys found us and this little furry girl and brought us here as prisoners."

"Yes, my lord!" the king chimed in to Figment, "What must we do to these heu-mans? Should we lock them up and take up arms against their kind?"

"YOU CAN'T!" the little furry girl cried from the ground, "You can't wage war on anyone. It's all wrong."

"You...." the king responded to her coldly, "with all of this talk about realms and gods, I almost forgot about you. Running away from our clan and from my control. Truly uncalled for." turning to Figment he asked, "Should we have this girl executed for her misdeeds as well, my lord?"

"E-Executed?!" Rachel exclaimed.

"My word!" Dreamfinder exclaimed also.

"Oh no! No war! No execution!" Figment, the Great Dragon God of the Woosoes exclaimed, "The humans are very friendly people, especially these two. No war, but peace in this world. And I do not see anything terrible about this kid. Look at her, small and helpless and you don't offer her any help. Now that is truly uncalled for. This girl shall not be executed unless given reason! So says me!"

"Yeah! What he says!" Rachel called out.

"Very well." The king grumbled, "Then the least I can do is send her back to the dungeon until I figure out a proper punishment for her. TAKE HER AWAY!"

          Two of the Wooso warriors takes the steel net with the little furry girl inside and drags her away out of the throne room. From a short distance, Rachel can see the little furry girl's eyes water up to tears as she stood there watching the poor thing being dragged away. There is something about thing little girl that Rachel has a familiar sense to. Rachel can only feel not but feel sorry for her.

"Now then, my lord." the king began to Figment, stealing Rachel's attention back to him, "You say that these two beings are your friends?"

"That's right, your kingliness!" said Figment, "We all came here together as a team."

"It is settled then. Friends to our god are friends to us as well! We shall treat these new friends as equally as our god!"

"HOORAY!" the Woosoes cheered for joy.

"We shall throw a feast tonight in honor our gods and his party!"

"Now that's awfully generous of you." said Dreamfinder, "Don't you think so, Rachel?"

          Rachel is still focused on the little girl the king had sent away to the dungeon. Dreamfinder, able to read her expressions thoroughly, can see that Rachel is distracted by something...something dark and sad.

"Rachel?" He asked again.

"Huh?" Rachel grunted, "Oh yeah, it's great! Thank you!"

"Now we haven't been properly introduced. I am Fur KaZing, King of the Woosoes." said KaZing, "Allow me and my servants to show you where you will be staying."

"Lead the way, my good Wooso!" Dreamfinder allowed.

          King KaZing along with two other Wooso servants led Rachel, Dreamfinder, and Figment from the throne room the main hall. To the side stood pillars of mountain rock and behind it the entire civilization of the Woosoes. So many levels of walkways, at least fifty, stacked each other as more pillars and wooden poles hold them up. Yes, there are very many Woosoes, but still not enough to take on armies back home on Earth. They, the Woosoes, would be at a great disadvantage suppose King KaZing had waged war on them. And why should they anyway? The Woosoes seem like a very friendly population. They don't look like people who would want to have war, not unless they would have no other choice.

"What is this land called, may I ask, your majesty?" Dreamfinder asks the king.

"You walk amongst us in the Valley of Fillidore, my lord Dreamfinder." KaZing replied, "Here our people thrive in three nations: Us, the Woosoes, then there is the Khalizis who are slightly taller than us and are vastly enriched with the knowledge of metal welding, and lastly the Mochikas who are very well known for their choice of fashion as well as their herbs and spices."

"What are you well known for?" Figment asked.

"Our good source of rock and natural material. We here take great pride in using our resources to build our homes, our forts for protection, and our great bridge that links our city to the other side of the mountain range where we can use an easier route to journey to our brother tribes instead of climbing one mountain after another. Since there is more of our kind right here, the Wooso City is named to be the capital of our people."

"Simply amazing!" Dreamfinder regarded.

"What about music?" Rachel asked.

"Music?" KaZing confusedly said.

"Yeah, music. You know how some things make different sounds when you bang it against another object like tapping your feet on the ground. It's just like that only with more rhythm to it."

"Hmmm...I am not familiar with this music you speak of. Perhaps you can offer us a little demonstration?"

"Oh, uhh...heh, well I don't about Dreamfinder or Figment, but I'm not really a musician myself. I don't really play any instrument of the sort."

"Oh, oh, oh, oh, I can! I can!" Figment exclaimed raising his hand, "I can play a mean xylophone! And I have my own music band to play with."

"Where?" Rachel asked.

          Figment, making it look so easy, duplicated himself into three more Figments. It's part of his nature as an imaginary friend to Dreamfinder. The king is so thrilled this act he clapped at it. The duplicates all giggled as each of them are created.

"Ta-DA!" the Figments cheered, "We are the Four Figments!"

"Just dandy." Rachel groaned, covering her hand over her face.

"Hey! Why don't we all perform for the Woosoes tonight, give them a taste of Earth's culture?" Dreamfinder suggested in a positive tone, "That is, if it will please you and your people, King KaZing."

"Of course!" King KaZing exclaimed with delight, then calling one of his servants he said, "Servant, make a note. Our esteemed gods are to perform for us tonight after the feast! Everyone is invited! Go! Go forth and tell them all! And invite our brother tribes, too!"

"You guys can sing and dance all you want." Rachel said, "Leave me out of it."

"What? It was your idea." Dreamfinder argued.

"No, I only brought up the music topic. You brought up the idea of performing." And the Rachel whispered to Dreamfinder, "You saw me at the center stage, remember?"

"Right." Dreamfinder remembers Rachel's position onstage back on Earth. It is something that even he cannot forget.

"Besides that," she continued, making sure KaZing is not listening, "I don't entirely trust the king for one reason alone. I'm not sure it's legit yet, but there is something about this guy I do not like. Just bear with me on this."

"Alright. You and me, we'll keep this between us. In the meantime, let's take advantage of their hospitality. We may never get this opportunity again."

"Yes sir."

"Ah, here we are!" King KaZing exclaimed.

          The doors that the three friends and the king approach to are to be the "god's chambers." It is the nicest looking room next to the throne room and the king's chambers in the entire Wooso civilization. The doors are crested with the most precious metal the Woosoes ever found and crafted: copper. Along with the copper are hand painted murals of Woosoes living the way they live as per tradition from living in mountains, to agriculture, to metal welding. Above them is a painted picture of a dragon-like figure's shadow with painted light glowing around it. That's probably proof as to how Figment first became the Woosoes new god. They believe it was prophesized. And with two more gods that makes three, the Woosoes feel a lot more safer than they would be. But what's to be safe from other than those elephant-headed predators? Just what could it really be?

"Here is where our most beloved immortals will be staying." said KaZing, "If you need anything, my servants and I will attend to you."

"Yeah, one question." Rachel asked, "Would it be alright if we explored the place a little? I'm planning on writing a book on our adventures and this place seems likely to take part in it."

"Of course, of course! Search everywhere if you must. Us Woosoes will gladly welcome you all to our companies. Now, I must be going right now. I have a lot of preparations to attend to for tonight. Ta-ta!"

          And with that, the king is gone. Figment, Dreamfinder and Rachel take the time to observe their guest room. For a primitive environment, the god's room looks pretty homely. It only had one giant bed that could easily fit three to four people, three windows with two them looking out to Fillidore's plains and the one window looking out to the inside of the mountain with a view of the Wooso civilization of everyday, comfortable blankets and pillows to warm up in, and very nice décor fit to be seen at a Wooso god's presence.

"This is nice!" said Figment, "Simple, classic, and original."

"So Rachel, are you seriously considering on writing a book of our travels?" Dreamfinder asked, "Or was that an excuse to lurk around your suspicions?"

"Both, actually." Rachel answered, "Yes, I do want to dig around the area and see what makes the king tick. But at the same time I do want to keep a record of everything we go through. It's more of a log really, but it'll definitely serve as a basis for a couple memoirs. You don't mind if I write a lot about you two in the story, do you?"

"Not at all, Rachel! It would be a great delight. And it would be nice for the world back home to know what kinds of places we see."

"I also have a camera for visuals to put into the log. I've already got a couple photos of Fillidore from an aerial view. Imagine how people would react when I show them these in the published books."

"Wow! I would love to read your stories!" said Figment, "Can I get a free copy?"

"Sure you can, but what would be the point? You're already in the story."

"We go on so many adventures! A lot more than you have, I'm sure. So many I've nearly forgotten a few."

"Figment, we've only gone on about five adventures so far in our lifetime." Dreamfinder reminded.

"Oh yeah!" Figment chuckled.

"Well, I'm gonna go explore the area a bit." said Rachel, packing up her empty log book, pencil and camera, "I'll try to be back in time for the feast to start."

"Okey-dokey then!" Figment said.

"Be careful, Rachel." Dreamfinder ordered as Rachel walked out the bedroom door.

"I will...Peeheinie." Rachel laughed on the way out.

          Dreamfinder groaned letting his head fall onto his hand in embarrassment. As Rachel left the room, Figment tried to hesitate his laughter from bursting. The name Peeheinie is too hilarious of a name to not laugh at.

"He he he. Peeheinie." Figment giggled.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY, FIGMENT!" Dreamfinder yelled.

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          Walking through the main halls has given Rachel a lot of perspective on the craftsmanship the Woosoes have made onto its pillars, doors, and its armor the warriors wear. Everything in this world seems to fascinate her the longer she stays. Just as they are, the Wooso people are very friendly here. Everywhere Rachel went, the Woosoes greeted her kindly like an old friend known and loved for a very long time as if she were one of them. Of course she would be greeted this way, on the other hand. She knows Figment who is a god to them, the king says she and Dreamfinder are to be as well respected as Figment is, so that basically makes her a goddess. Even some of the Woosoes began calling her goddess of their people. All who have called her that just made Rachel blush, happily accepting their kindness. She even allowed some of the other little Wooso girls braid and decorate her hair with flowers. Still, so badly she wants to tell them she is no such thing but an average being of her kind, but she didn't have the heart to tell. She fears that telling them what she is would only crush their spirits and leave with nothing or no one to put their faith in. So Rachel kept quiet about it.

          But there is another reason why Rachel wanted to explore the area. She approached of the guards who stood nearby keeping watch for any mishaps. It's not the chief captain, but this fellow is just as tall he is. If you were a Wooso, the only way you would ever contact a guard is if you are in a great dismay. But if you were to be a god or goddess, king or queen, prince or princess, the guards would have no choice but to listen and put their full attention on you. The guard sees Rachel come up to him. Given orders to treat Rachel and her friends as the highest authority, he bowed to her in respect. Again, Rachel blushes. She hardly gets any respect from most people back home.

"At ease, sir." Rachel orders, "You don't have to bow down to me. I already know you are loyal to your position as both a guard and a fellow Wooso."

"Justly kind, you are, O great goddess of our people." said the guard, "What do I owe the greatest pleasure of standing in your presence?"

"I want to ask you a favor. You wouldn't happen to know where the dungeon is, would you?"

"Of course I do, your fair loveliness." That compliment from the guard really made Rachel want to giggle with delight, and he continued, "Every guard in our tribe knows the passageways of the entire Wooso city both down and up. But why go to a place so deep and dank where our prisoners lay there waiting to rot as lowly-lived scoundrels?"

"No disrespect, my good guard, but that is entirely my own business for which I'm not exactly sure if it should be truly looked into until proven so or not, if you understand. Would you mind leading me to the dungeon where I can do my business alone?"

"I would be honored to serve you, dear goddess, but I can only take you as far away as I can from my post. Wooso regulations must be taken seriously here. You would have to get there through a series of other nearby guards, unless if it greatly displeases you."

"No, no it doesn't. I understand entirely. Shall we?"

"It will be my pleasure."

          The guard takes Rachel, his most esteemed goddess in his eyes to which Rachel had taken in very fondly, up to the next guard closest to as far as he is able to walk to from his post. Saying goodbyes to that one guard and thanking him for his kindly compliments, Rachel follows the new guard who gladly escorts her the next guard, and then to the next guard, and the next guard, and the next guard, and so forth until at last the final guard has brought Rachel to the front of the dungeon room's door. The final guard knocked on that door while on the other side the dungeon's warden sees the guard knocking in front of him through a peeking window.

"Who goes there?" the warden asks, "And what brings you to the foulest place in our civilization?"

"Frank! You know who I am! I'm Denny!" Denny the final guard exclaimed, "I stand right outside the staircase every day and night!"

"Just want to make sure there are no tricks."

"Uuuuugh...I bring to you our Goddess Rachel. She requests that she sees someone in the dungeon for a moment."

"As our goddess wishes."

          The warden closes the window and unlocks the door from the inside. After thanking Denny the final guard for being her escort, Rachel follows Frank the warden into the dungeon. Everywhere around her she sees numbers of Woosoes crouched into their corners of barred prisons, rotting and groaning just as the first guard had told her earlier. At the sight of these Woosoes suffering in their cages for the rest of their lives because of whatever misdeeds they have done, Rachel's heart began to break. True, a just punishment must be made for whatever crimes they have committed, but surely a Wooso must deserve some better treatment than this. Prisoners back home, they may not be given so much credit for what they have done but at least they are well taken cared of as far as hygiene, food, and a proper bed is concerned. Seeing what is in front of her, it's too much. It's more than her heart can bear.

          Rachel is searching for a particular prisoner in the dungeon. She checks the barred caged jails until she comes across a jail with a wooden door and a barred window on top guarded by two fierce Wooso warriors on either side. These two are a lot more bigger and bulkier in muscles compared to the other warriors, a lot meaner looking, and a lot more focused on their jobs than some others. Frank the warden allows Rachel to see inside the prison cell to see if whoever is in there is the Wooso she wants to see. Looking in she sees parts of the prisoner's face. Rachel recognizes the features the prisoner had when she first met her not too long ago.

"Yes, yes this is the one." Rachel said, "This is the prisoner I want to see."

          The warden tells the warrior guards to open the cell and let their goddess inside. The warriors have done as they are told to do. One of the warriors unlocked the door with the key while the other slid the door open for Rachel. As Rachel went inside the cell, both the guards bowed in respect for her. With the cell door closed behind her and locked so the prisoner wouldn't escape, Rachel walked up to the prisoner calmly ad steadily.

          Shaking with fear and from the bitter cold of the mountain ground the prisoner suddenly looked up at Rachel from below. The prisoner is a "she." She tried to scurry away from the human girl's presence crying at the sight of the goddess of Woosoes who must have come to punish her greatly under King KaZing's request. But instead of malice and abuse, all the prisoner could feel right now is a sweet and tender petting on her head. She looks up in confusion with her big and innocent purple eyes and sees that Rachel is the one who is doing this to her. Rachel smiles at the prisoner. She can see that the prisoner is someone who could not harm her or even another being. Looking at her makes Rachel feel something great inside herself, such a feeling that not she had ever been given for so long, hardly ever.

"It's okay," Rachel said in a calm and soothing voice, as any goddess or perhaps a loving mother would speak, "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to harm you."

          She continues to pet the prisoner until at last the prisoner stands up from the ground and approaches Rachel in the only source of light she is given. The prisoner has the same black hair on her head, she has that little girly voice that squeaked with fright, is half of Rachel's size, and is wearing the same rags she has been wearing earlier today.

          The prisoner is the little furry girl Rachel and Dreamfinder had found during the attack and the same Wooso girl the king had sent into the dungeon. She is here now and Rachel has finally gotten a chance to meet her personally alone.

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          While Rachel is visiting in Wooso population and, unknown to them, the dungeon, Dreamfinder and Figment have been spending the past half to full hour rehearsing their song ad dance routine for tonight's feast with Wooso king and his people. They thought of new songs with lyrics to sing and dance steps to match it. These two seem to be having a lot of fun coming up with stuff on their own just as they have always been doing during their adventures. Each time they mess up in practice they are always tripping and have to start over again. But they have faith that they will get everything right for their performance.

"1-2-3. 1-2-3." Dreamfinder murmured to himself trying to get his dance steps in order.

"I wish Rachel were with us." said Figment, "She'd be great performing with us."

"I'm sure she would, too. I just can't imagine feeling closed-minded about expressing music since she is the one who brought it up to the king. Besides, she wants to see makes this Fillidore world operate. I think it's good for Rachel to explore a new culture."

"That's what we should be doing, too! We've already got all the dance steps down and the song written with the right tune. And we haven't even told the king about the geodesic sphere and of anyone of the Woosoes have seen it here."

"Hey yeah, you're right! We never did get a chance, didn't we?" Dreamfinder asked, "Well, we can always ask King KaZing about it tonight at the feast. Let's take a break and go join Rachel."

"Right-ho!" Figment agreed.

          Leaving their bedroom at last, they search for Rachel. Just as Rachel had been this afternoon, the Woosoes have greeted Dreamfinder and Figment very warmly. They were even given some gifts of the merchandise they sell as they pass by. Some Wooso children are playing games and they asked Dreamfinder and Figment to participate. Of course Dreamfinder was not doing so well with those games, but Figment looks like she's got the hang of playing...whatever it is. They asked questions all over town if any of the Woosoes has seen Rachel just now. Of course they have, but the Woosoes had no idea where Rachel might have gone. Suddenly, they have come across this warrior guard who was standing nearby watching very closely to the town suppose anything terrible happened.

"Greetings, good sir." Dreamfinder said, "You wouldn't happen to have seen our female friend, Miss Rachel, would you?"

"Ah yes, my lord Dreadfinger-" the guard mispronounced.

"Dreamfinder." Dreamfinder corrected.

"Oh yes, my apologies my lord Dreamfinder. Our goddess Rachel has asked us guards to escort her to the dungeon not long ago."

"What?"

"The dungeon? What's she doing down there?" Figment asked with shock.

"Hmm...I think I have a pretty good idea, Figment." Dreamfinder idealized, "You sir, can you direct us to the dungeon?"

"As you wish, my lords." said the guard, "Do you wish for an escort?"

"Oh no, that won't be necessary. You can point out the direction for us, if you will like."

"You must return to the main hall and walk to the east side where the middle door at the end of the hall will take you all the way down to the dungeon. Goddess Rachel must still be down there."

"Thanks a lot, pal!" Figment thanked.

"Yes, thank you." said Dreamfinder.

          The Dreamfinder and Figment are on their way to the dungeon just where Rachel is. They find themselves back into the main hall where they started from. Along the way thoughts are running in both of there minds for one question alone: Why is Rachel in the dungeon?

"Goddess Rachel?" Figment wondered aloud.

"The king did say for the Woosoes to treat us three as equally as gods are, so that includes Rachel, too." Dreamfinder clarified, then mumbled to himself, "And she is lovely and beautiful as one."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" Dreamfinder tensed.

"Hmm..."

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"Are you okay?" Rachel asked.

          The little furry girl, full of fear, had tried to keep herself away from Rachel, Dreamfinder and the rest of the Wooso tribe earlier today and failed. Torture would come upon her very soon for attempt of running away from home in the king's name. And to run away in cowardice would grant her an even more terrible punishment than normal. After hearing some guards talk about the new coming humans becoming the Woosoes new gods, the little furry girl has been assuming that these new gods will punish her for dragging them under the influence of the king, probably doomed to reside here by force for eternity. She caused all of this and though she will accept any just punishment or non-just punishment, the little furry girl fears greatly by all.

          Despite this, instead of physical abuse, her new goddess, Rachel, is giving the girl a few pettings on the head. Confused the girl looks up to her with her purple eyes. Finally, she softened to Rachel's tender touch. Is Rachel all she believes she is? Does Rachel not understand the sense of the girl's pain? Why is this happening when all I should be in the mercy of is torture, the girl thought to herself? Why is Rachel being nice to her? So many questions at one time.

"Don't be frightened." Rachel said calmly, "I won't harm you. What's your name?"

"No...please. Please leave me be." the little furry girl sniffled, "Leave me to my suffering as deserving as I have made it."

"Come on, I just want to know your name."

"Please, my goddess, I shouldn't be speaking to you. I am worthless and you have come to do away with me as justly as any just immortal would do."

"What? No! No, never!" Rachel felt her heart break at the sad words the little furry girl has said, "I would never harm anybody. Okay, maybe I did give one of my friends a sock in the stomach earlier, but really no one. What happened today with the king was something you did not deserve, not as far as I know. That wasn't supposed to happen. Please tell me who you are. I'll tell you my name if you like."

          At the moment, the little furry girl would not show her face, but keep trying to hide it away from being viewed. This is definitely a familiar scene for Rachel. She can see the innocence in the little girl's eyes. She sees herself, her own reflection looking back. Rachel wanted to shed a tear for this girl but she just kept a straight face while brushing her hair through her fingers. Then Rachel held the little furry girl's head and faced her to her own face and forced a smile as best as she could.

"My name is Rachel." Rachel admitted, "And I am no goddess, but an average being from a different world."

"I'm...I'm..." the little furry girl stuttered.

"You're fine, no one is going to come in and harm you. You can trust me. I promise nothing bad is going to happen."

          Those were the same words Dreamfinder had said to Rachel back at the Disney expo in Anaheim, California when he asked her to volunteer on the stage. That promise he had made was unintentionally broken when Rachel began imagining herself flying in front of hundreds of people. She had been ridiculed not by Dreamfinder's need to show the world what imagine can do, but by her own lack of faith and belief that she herself can do something good for herself and for all of the people around her. Would there be any difference for this unfortunate little furry girl? That is up to the little girl to decide. The little furry girl watches Rachel look at her. She, too, can see herself reflecting from Rachel's almost teary eyes. Something about Rachel is making this little girl believe that she and Rachel have something in common, which they do.

"C-C-Coaxoch." the little furry girl said.

"Huh?" Rachel is confused. What is that word?

"M-My name is Coaxoch KaZing. Coaxoch means 'serpent flower.' I am the king's daughter."

"What?!"