Globe Tracers 3: Heritage of Triad

Chapter 11: J-Star- Ambush!

J-Star:

I couldn't leave my cloak on indefinitely, having to alternate between using it and hiding behind trees while it recharged.

How did they know where they were going- were these two trackers or something?

As to their conversations- every so often they spoke normal, and since I had to keep a good distance for when my cloak failed, I couldn't hear that. But when they started yelling again I sure could.

Apparently, Kyle had killed Darius. I didn't realize who that was at first, but as their "conversation" went on, I remembered I'd met the kid- he wasn't going to be missed. Not by anyone I knew anyway. A real creep... no wonder Kyle wasn't a fan of us if he made the first impression.

They also yelled back and forth about why Xao left the tricksters.

The reasoning apparently went something like this-

Kyle saw the devastation of the terrible deals made by Darius. He realized the power could corrupt Xao too and made him an ultimatum. Xao wanted to work with him and-Jessica was the girl's name!- Jessica back then. Kyle wouldn't let him stay with them unless Xao stopped making deals. So then Xao was forced to make a choice and decided that if he had so much power it would be hard not to cross the line between "light and dark" as he put it. The power to just solve problems without working seemed like too much.

I shook my head as they continued on. Power was just a concept. It didn't make someone corrupt. You either are or are not a bad person- or you become one making the wrong choices- but power has nothing to do with those choices. A weak person can make bad choices too.

It was a dumb conversation- I was following better listening to Xao dig into Kyle for not feeling anything when he killed Darius.

It was pretty easy to tell, both boys weren't having a good time. At each other's throats, and every so often they mentioned Jessica and how worried they were. Every so often, I could see one or both near tears. I wanted to help, my heart really did go out to them- but I knew I wasn't welcome. I would change that of course- maybe after I beat them down, I could talk to them both later.

Eventually, Xao started crying as the journey kept going, me biting my lip seeing it. Apparently, Darius was his friend once... THAT had to hurt. Considering what the kid became even before he died, it probably hurt in more ways than one. Maybe more than I could know.

Xao couldn't turn to Kyle...

As they journeyed on, Kyle saw a dear walk by with its fawn. "Hey Jess look at..." and he stopped. He snapped his head forward, a few tears falling down as he gritted his teeth. Cloaked, I dared go closer just to hear him... something was drawing me to them- I wanted to help so much.

"One foot in front of the other- one foot in front of the other," Kyle chanted a few times. "You can't get her back if you stop."

I moved back again and sighed, hiding behind another tree. If I could make that deal- I could take such a burden off their shoulders- then maybe they could talk once the air was cleared. They both just needed an ear and a shoulder probably... and Xao needed time to mourn.

Finally, we reached a clearing, the boys spying a rock cleft.

The night air was becoming cool and all three of us were tired.

"Looks like the leprechauns stopped for the night..." saying that Kyle looked around quickly.

How the heck could he know that? Course to ask I would have to reveal that I was still there.