CH2 -The Start of a Start

Ah, the start of an adventure. What an exhilaration. Except for when you secretly don’t want to admit you have no idea of what the heck to do. Forget I said anything. Don’t repeat that.
Well, you may be wondering why the top of the page says “the start of a start”. I just said I am a bit lost of what to do, right? So it’s really the start of a start of an adventure. (It’s hard to explain. But it makes sense in my mind.) -ACE

Hey, I have a great idea, Ace! We should go investigate where we found, um, *cough, cough*, you-know-who, the dude with all the info on that amulet. Remember, he was hiding in- shouldn’t say that right now. Sorry. If your reading this, just so ya know, we’re a secretive bunch. -Sage

Great idea Sage! Everyone agrees. Let’s get going as soon as we can! -Kalina

-PRESENT DAY-

We all packed supplies and all that good stuff, ready to leave behind boring old, disaster ridden Icarus. Pretty sweet how terrible I made that sound.
Let me paint you a picture of what is happening at this moment in time, space, and everything else:
Five wooden chairs, all set around a table in Reece’s place. Five aspiring young adventurers, on said chairs, looking rather tired. (Except one.) Zeke, wide awake. Sage, practically snoring. Reece head on the table. (His table, his choice) Kalina, blinking heavily and drinking sips of coffee. Let me add that at least she is trying to stay conscious. Reece and Sage? Not at all! And me, I’m the one most excited at the prospect of going away on adventure. But I’m still sleepy.
“Kalina, make some more coffee.”I yawned.
Please, oh please, oh ple-
“No! I’ve already done that like you asked twice! You don’t need any more!”She tried to glare, but she can barely even keep her eyes open.
“Okay, okay. Jeez, sorry.”I said.
She’s too tired to make much of an argument. Normally, she definitely would. She’s good at that.
“You guys, it’s not that late. It’s barely after midnight!”Zeke said.
“Barely? Is it not like four in the stinking, unforgiving morning?”I asked, disbelievingly.
“Um, no. Closer to one-thirty.”
“Oh.”I feel stupid right now. “But then, again Zeke, you sleep in later than all of us. And you didn’t go party with us at the tavern last night.”
He smiled, “Exactly. So I’m quite awake. Unlike you guys, I might add.”
I looked over to my right. Kalina must’ve just fallen asleep.
And then Zeke proposed his master plan.

**************

“Do you think it will work?”I asked.
Zeke looked a little nervous,”Well, I cannot really say for sure. But I do have a feeling that it will work. And if it does not, I don’t know what the consequences will be.”
“I don’t know if we should try this.”Kalina said.
I raised my eyebrows in mock surprise. Kalina isn’t the kind of person who would be for something like this. She definitely is not a risk taker. I guess this idea must freak her out a bit.
“Neither do I. If Zeke isn’t certain he can transport us all there safely by magic, then I don’t think I want to risk it. You may not realize it, but I have a hopefully long, great life ahead of me, that I don’t want to risk!” Sage is always so dramatic. Sometimes its cut or funny, mostly, though, just annoying. Kinda like children.
“I don’t think it’s going to kill you. Stop being so childish Sage!”I said, then whispered,”It won’t Zeke, right?”
Kalina shot me a look. Allow me to translate: “Ace, you are being ‘insensitive’ and a ‘moron’. You don’t just act like that, especially to a girl!”
Ha, I know her just that well. You should see the “I cannot believe you just said that!” look. She looks pretty viscous. And the peeved look she gets when she doesn’t like what I’ve written.
Sorry, that was off topic.
“I said I don’t know what could happen if this goes awry, Ace. Listen next time.”Zeke replied.
“I was listening. Just not paying attention.”
Zeke sighed, “Ace, your too complicated.”
“Believe me, I’m not. I just like to act like I am.” I said.
“Ace, your getting really frustrating. We need to make an important decision and all you do is try to act funny!” Kalina glared at me.
Wait. Pause EVERYTHING for a second. Did Kalina just say what I think she just said? Rewind and rehear. She did. I’m trying to be funny? But, aren’t I funny? This sucks! Here I was thinking I lighten up everyone’s day with my wit, until someone told me that I am apparently NOT FUNNY. How am I ever going to be the same now? I just might be-
OW!
OW!
OW!
I just got hit in the head. It wasn’t fun. All because I was not listening to the conversation and was thinking about Kalina’s comment. I didn’t think that was a problem.
“Okay, okay! I think Zeke should do it!”
“I don’t.”Sage repeated.
Kalina bit her lip, “Um, maybe it’s worth a try... We could test it first. Somehow.”
“I think we just need to do it. We cannot be cowards because of just one little thing if we have any hope of actually pulling this thing off.”Reece said. Jeez, I forgot he was even here.
“Okay, I think I can transport us all to a spot I was at once when I was younger. It’s really close to where we need to go. First I’ll just take one of you, then come back for the rest. So, anyone willing to risk their life?” Zeke is starting to look less pale, a little more surer of himself.
“I will.”Reece answered, before I could say anything. Oh well, who wants to die young anyway?
“Grab onto my arm.”Zeke said.
Reece stepped over and grabbed Zeke’s arm. Zeke took a deep breath. He began to mutter a spell under his breath, and within seconds, Zeke and Reece were no longer there.
Wow.
“Whoa! Where’d they go?”Sage yelled.
“Sage, Zeke just said that he was taking Reece first to the Forests of Lament. And if it worked, coming back for us!”I said.
“I know, Ace! It just surprised me for a second there. I’ve never seen anyone ‘magically disappear’ before!”
“Neither have me or Kalina, but you don’t see us acting like little children about it!” I retorted.
Sage went quiet. Then her eyes started tearing up, she turned and began to run away. Uh, was that harsh of me? I didn’t think so...
I can’t believe you just said that Ace! You always go just one step too far! And you never apologize. I always have to fix it! Why are you such a jerk to Sage?” Kalina asked angrily.
She’s giving me that “I cannot believe you just said that!’ look that I mentioned before. It’s not off topic now. Kalina went after Sage, leaving me standing alone in the grass.
I guess maybe I can be a jerk to Sage sometimes. I’m not trying to make excuses, but I tend to say whatever is on my mind without giving it any thought. I’m not the kind of dude who uses his head very much. I act before I think. I know that sounds like I am making excuses, but I can help it. Sometimes the truth sounds a bit unbelievable. And believe me, that wasn’t easy to admit either.
I wonder how long it will take for Zeke to get to the Forest and back. He made it sound like it would be some quick speedy thing, but I have learned not to assume anything when it comes to Zeke’s favored subject of magic. It’s just too unpredictable. Sometimes Zeke estimates the time of a spell, but it ends up being the complete opposite. And sometimes when he says he can do a spell, he fails miserably. Shocker, isn’t it? The one thing though, Zeke never does, is attempt a spell he doesn’t think he can do or is way too advanced for him. He likes to be careful and in control. I know this because that was part of one of his lectures I actually listened to.
Whoa. You know what I just realized? Kalina just made me admit I am a jerk. Who does that? I cannot believe she made me tell myself and you reading this that I am a jerk! Wait! See, now she has me contemplating it! (Contemplating... a word she taught me in the first stinking place!) I have an idea.
I began to pace. And no, that is not my better idea. Well, Zeke should have been back if it was all jolly good and dandy, right? So what if he needs help? I’ve got a brilliant idea, and I know it will work. This one is better than all of my other bright ideas because this one will work. Not that my others haven’t, but...
If Zeke and Reece need help, then I know just how to help them. I need to take Kalina and Sage (if she’ll even come) down there as fast as possible. And how do you quickly cover a lot of miles in a short period of time? That’s exactly my idea. I just happen to know someone who can help. As long as they let me borrow their skyship.

What happens next, I'm warning you, is not my fault. I can't help it. The people that claim to be my friends blame it on me. Well, don't listen to 'em.