NOVGO.NET Chapter 158 - 154: Where Is Quetzalcoatl?
Chapter 158: Chapter 154: Where Is Quetzalcoatl?
Where is Quetzalcoatl?
Vanished.
The arena holds its collective breath. Everyone scans the skies. Quetzalcoatl’s tamer is unperturbed, the melodies from the rattle drifting in the air. Of course this is a regular occurrence. So regular that even the announcer doesn’t blink.
"Quetzalcoatl has died and is being reborn," the announcer narrates. "Where? When? We don’t know. This happens at least once every match for Quetzalcoatl. However, it is always jarring for the audience whenever it occurs."
On the edge of their seats now, the audience watches for the feathered serpent to reappear. Reborn in all his glory.
I sniff the air. Any hint of him? Lingering, his fiery trails leave an aftertaste in my nose and mouth. I can’t smell him reappearing with any accuracy.
[Lobo! Any sign of him?]
He woofs, his tail and ears erect. [You know as much as I do!]
[Sorry. I just hate suspense.]
He’s impatient, and no wonder. Big stakes. [Stay focused! Don’t get distracted by the suspense!]
Kaline scans the area, but her hand is on my fur, steadying me. Minette calms Lobo, too. Despite his grumpiness and alertness, he needs soothing.
The announcer calls out, "Well, this could take a spell. Quetzalcoatl sometimes requires more energy for rebirth, and that’s a slow process. Last year’s tournament saw a record. An hour and three minutes while the match ground to a halt, waiting for Quetzalcoatl. Why, one of the beasts even molted in that time..."
Great! So, Quetzalcoatl, although not a god in this world, is a diva.
Gussie butts in. [I wish I could fly around the arena and look for him, but they rather frown on that sort of thing. I’m not supposed to openly help you. I have to stop Dag from doing it. He doesn’t know any better.] Her tone is more fond sibling-like exasperation than animosity.
Lobo dares to tease her. [Oh, so you’ve decided he’s not completely useless?]
Gussie huffs. [Well, he DID guard the amulet, so no, not entirely...]
Finally, a small bright spark amid the tension. Waiting for Quetzalcoatl is about as much fun as waiting for a root canal in the real world. Right now, I would even take a root canal. I never thought I would miss the dentist!
I could lose myself in a list, a lengthy list, of everything I have missed about the real world. In no particular order...
1. Talking
2. Eating with a knife and fork and spoon
3. Walking on two legs
4. Eating cooked food
5. Cooking my own food
6. Ordering food in a restaurant or a shop
7. Getting out of a human bed in the morning
8. Going to sleep as a human
9. Kissing as a human (just for Amber’s sake, naturally)
10. Hugging loved ones as a human
11. Riding in a car
12. Driving a car
13. Doing laundry (yes, really)
14. Doing dishes
15. Cleaning the house
16. Reading books with two hands
17. Taking a shower or bath
18. Using the computer (not to play Tanglewood)
19. Watching TV and movies
20. Going for a long walk on two legs
21. Riding on a train
22. Getting dressed!
23. Picking out my clothes
24. Grocery shopping
25. Clothes shopping
26. Window shopping
27. Human friends
28. Professors
29. Did I mention talking?
And the list goes on.
I can do some of these things as a beast, although it’s much more difficult. There are some wonderful things I will miss about being Blaze and living in this realm. Huh? What is wrong with me? Why would I miss anything about this horrible place?
Wait. Haven’t I learned anything? I thought my life in W City was nothing but pressure and stress, and look at what I discovered. A loving family, a fiancee, and all these blessings. So, it only makes sense that Tanglewood has blessings too. Let me list some of them.
1. My animal friends
2. The Riddlehoevens, especially Kaline
3. Hans and Elandior
4. Crunchy exotic fruits
5. Magic!
6. Leonie and Finn
7. Learning to use my beast powers
8. Meeting legendary creatures like dragons, Quetzalcoatl, goblins, elves, imps, and others
9. People like Niall and Maartenwitz
10. Fantastic places like the Mushroom Forest
11. The bond with Kaline
12. The bond shared with Kaline, Hans, and Lightning
13. Dancing at the Beast Ball
14. Winning all my tournament matches for our house
15. Agility training
16. Succeeding in all our side quests
17. Helping Kasz and the other goblins
18. My Amulet of Beast Power
19. Our tiger dens at the villa and Lammermoor Manor
20. The secret beast talks through the mind-link
21. Snuggling with Kaline on her bed
22. The tent Lightning and I slept in when we mated
The list goes on. This is a new one on me: making a gratitude list for a life that I am desperately trying to escape. Not just for myself, but for everyone. I guess I add "helping free everyone" to the lists somewhere.
The announcer calls out, "Blaze of House Riddlehoeven is certainly serene. Look at him. Sitting there with his tamer’s hand in his fur, completely content. Lobo is also centered thanks to the loving attention of Minette Riddlehoeven."
Demos just has to tease us. [Do not fall asleep up there, you two.]
Einswine snorts. [Pay him no mind! You are almost elf-like in your mastery of your mental state! Keep it up.]
I wonder if Lobo is also listing his blessings from Damon’s point of view. Of course, he is straddling both the world in W City and this world.
[Blaze?] Lobo’s voice reaches me. [Did we lose you?]
[Gratitude.]
He woofs. [Excuse me?]
[I was just feeling gratitude.]
He radiates affection through the bond. [You have gotten weirder as a tiger.]
I keep my eyes on the skies. Quetzalcoatl is out there somewhere. Waiting for the right moment to appear. My senses scan the area. Maybe my Divine Vision. I try...
Blocked. Nothing. I can’t get a read on Quetzalcoatl. What trickery is this? Has System done something? Come on, Divine Vision. Work...
Nothing.
[Anyone else have Divine Vision?]
Lobo and the others answer in the negative. Their psychic powers are blocked, no doubt courtesy of System. No one can peer intro the future, or the hidden secrets of the present. Oh well, it would be too easy if I had a Quetzalcoatl detector.
Peridot alerts me. [Master Niall thinks that Quetzalcoatl will appear on top of you. His bulk is such that he could easily trap you and knock you unconscious.]
I retreat, and so does Leo, attempting to make room for Quetzalcoatl, no matter where he may appear. I just wish he’d appear already. How much longer can rebirth take?
WHOOOSH.
Quetzalcoatl is above us right now, hovering, a green scaly cloud with feathers. A low hiss from his scaly lips.
Gasps from the audience. It must be an impressive sight no matter how many times you see Quetzalcoatl reborn.
The announcer calls out, "He’s returned! Quetzalcoatl has returned! And--oh--he’s making his move. No rest for his opponents."
My stomach lurches as something wraps around me and pulls tight, nearly cutting off my air. My ribs ache. I smell my own perspiration and determination to escape. Coils entangle me. Coils like scales and steel. I can’t move.
Lobo howls. [Stay focused, Blaze! Don’t panic. We can break free. We’ll get through this.]
I have difficulty concentrating. It’s as if my head is stuffed with wool. [Right. Break free.]
Thick and unyielding, the coils trap us. Squeezing. Quetzalcoatl could crush us at any moment. Vapor and fire breath bathe us.
My pulse is weakening. My muscles are pure pain. Locked up. I can’t move.
Lobo pants through the mind-link and audibly in my ears. [Got to get free. So tired.]
Lightning’s voice is a clarion call. [BLAZE! Blaze! Fight. Don’t let it beat you. There’s more than your life at stake. Lobo’s too.]
That’s my mate. Always bringing me down to earth even when I’m being squeezed to a pulp by a legendary overpowered feathered serpent.
I must fight. I can’t give up. My claws scrabble against the scaly skin. My teeth gnash. I strain to reach the coils with my teeth. One quick bite would do the trick if I could just reach the target...
Come on, Blaze! Keep going.
[Quetzalcoatl!] Lobo is authoritative, even though his voice is strained. [REMEMBER THE RULES! You cannot kill us!]
A haughty voice reaches us. [I remember. But you will lose. You will lose badly.]
Come on, Blaze! Get free. You have to escape. Otherwise, System wins. Everyone is counting on you, whether they know it or not. Everyone in the world is counting on you. Especially your parents, Amber, and Damon.
The coils pressing in on me threaten to pulverize me. This cannot be how it ends! My vision is turning the color of steel wool, then black. I have to do something quickly!