Hey jammers! This is my Monday Mystery for Snowyclaw's blog, the Animal Jam Spirit! Here goes!
“Greely…”
Greely moaned in his sleep.
“Greely, wake up!”
Greely opened his eyes, blinking them with sleep. He began to recognize the figure hunched over him with concern as the panda alpha, Liza.
“What happened?” murmured Greely groggily.
“The Phantom King shocked you. It looked really bad. You passed out. Then he vanished.” LIza looked uncertainly into the shadows, and Greely could make out the faint sound of electricity which could only belong to one thing. Phantoms. “I’m holding the rest of the phantoms back with the powers of my staff, but I can’t hold them much longer. No, Greely, you’re not strong enough!” Liza added as Greely attempted to stumble to his paws. She tried to push him back, but he threw her off.
“We need… to get back.. to Jamaa… now!” Greely muttered hoarsely.
“But how? We’re too far away!” Liza shrieked. “And I don’t have any means of communication because you told me that we were just “checking out the place”! Of course, you forget to mention that the place was infested with phantoms!” Liza was practically working herself into hysterics.
“Liza… calm.. down…”Greely whispered. “I.. cannot.. live… unless we.. get back…”
“I will NOT calm down!”
“Liza-”
“No!”
“Look behind you…”
Liza turned and her jaw dropped. A huge circle of stone, imbedded with what seemed to be giant emeralds and had certainly not been there moments ago, was standing right behind her.
“What- what is it?” whispered Liza, and Greely could detect just a hint of fear in her voice.
“I think it’s a portal.” The words flowed from his mouth before he could stop himself.
Liza turned to face him, with awe filled and frightened look on her face. “Do you really think so?”
Greely pursed his lips. “I know it is.” Why was she dilly-dallying? Didn’t she see that they had to go through the portal NOW? Greely could see white eyes through the gloom, approaching.
“Come on!” Before Liza could protest, Greely mustered all his remaining strength and shoved her into the portal, before plunging himself in. As he sank through the gem, he saw the shapes of phantoms waving their tentacles angrily, before he sensed, more than saw, the portal seal over and vanish.
Greely felt himself plunging through what felt like liquidized air, except it was bright green. Once or twice, he thought he glimpsed an eye, maybe a flash of a wing, but it was always gone as soon as he saw it. In what seemed to be seconds, he felt himself hit the ground, and with a moan, he passed out.
*********************************************************************************************
Liza sipped her tea, deep in thought. Without warning, she slammed her cup down onto her saucer, making Peck jump with fright, and shattering both teacup and saucer.
“That Greely!” Liza growled. “Ever since we’ve come out of the portal he’s been bothering me, interrupting me when I have important business to be getting on with! And no, it’s not anything useful! It’s always “Did you smell fish or anything like that in the portal” or “What did you see in the portal” or something ridiculous like that! What in the world is Greely up to n-”
The door flew open, and standing in the doorway was, in fact, Greely himself. “When you’ve quite finished raging,” Greely said coolly,” I have some important news. Unless, of course, you think my little research is too trivial to be acknowledged.
“I never- I didn’t- “ Liza spluttered.
“Liza-” Peck started.
“All right, all right, then let’s hear what you have to say!”
“Alright then.” Greely sat down on a ancient, wooden rocking chair, rocking back and forth ever so slightly. “You all know how Mira died, or at least, her spirit left her body. By sacrificing herself to save the phantoms. We all accepted the fact without question. Until I went through the portal, that is.”
“Greely, how can you possibly -”
“Liza, please!” warned Peck.
Liza sniffed.
“Thank you.” Greely said sarcastically. “That night, I saw what I thought to be an eye, and a wing in the portal, and I wondered… Well, my research has brought me to the conclusion that… Mira is alive, whole, and well.”
“What?!” Liza and Peck both shrieked simultaneously, jumping up from their chairs.
“She created that portal, carried us back to Jamaa. Whether Mira just came to recently, or she has been alive for a while now, is hard to tell.” Greely stood up too and walked to the window, gazing out.
“But if Mira was really, well, alive, then why wouldn’t she tell us?” Liza whispered, coming to Greely’s side, all past arguments forgotten.
“I don’t know. I just don’t know. But I am certain of one thing. The way ahead of us is dark, we have always known that. But now, with Mira back on our side, the way seems just a bit brighter. There is still hope.”
********************************************************************************************* From then on, whenever jammers needed assistance, one of Mira’s portal would appear. Without them, we would be nowhere. And the next time you go through a portal, pay attention. You might just hear a soft murmur, or feel the brush of a wing, carrying you to safety.
I hope you enjoyed the story! Kind critique is welcome! Thanks!
-tallstar107
