Chapter 121 - A New Life

"Wow! This place is beautiful," said Amanda. Her eyes widened and glistened at the sight of islets floating around a hundred feet above the ground. Only vines and roots from its greenery surface held it from sailing away off to the sky. Or at least, that was how it looked like to them. 

There was no water around as far as their eyes could see, but the many small island-like clusters of land were floating above them. Those that were not held down by any plant or life force drifted away peacefully like it was swimming in the sky. 

"Gravity is lesser here in Arakis. That's why many of its living animals have more weight on their feet. The Jubatus clans are the same - really heavyweight and with big feet," explained Abasi. 

"I'm a little reluctant," said Trisha. "The spirits of Arakis had long closed their gates to other worlds. Over a century had passed since the last. We might just be the first visitors to this world in over a hundred years. They have long closed themselves from the other worlds."

With a heavy sigh, she added, "I'm worried that I may not be able to speak their hearts."

"Well, we are already here. For the sake of our world and our co-masters, we have to try," said Abasi. 

Abasi, Taara, and Amanda traveled to the world of Arakis. They meant to seek the clan that had the best sight base on the history known to the spirits of the earth. 

The existence of Arakis and the said clan was a knowledge passed down by the previous master of time and space and of the heart. 

The three masters of the earth found themselves slightly floating in the middle of the forest. If it were not for the vines and trees they were holding on to, they might as well join the sailing islets. 

"In any case, we won't really need to land properly until we find the Jubatus clan," said Abasi. "Let's go."

The three masters jumped between spaces in the world of Arakis, and it took them two full days to find the clan they were looking for. 

Nestled in a floating island at the southernmost part of Arakis, lay a giant tree that Amanda swore was bigger than Aeros' castle. Its roots reach down the surface of the land and dug deep enough to keep the island from drifting away. 

Even if they observed from half a kilometer away, the masters could see the luminous lights from the tree's roots on a late afternoon. 

The tree itself was the clan's life force, and the masters could feel the power within it. They were instantly drawn to its beauty and the radiant, gigantic fruits that it bore. The tree had red plum-like fruits the size of their heads. 

Amanda, Abasi, and Trisha did not even realize that the island was pulling them closer, floating while being sucked in. They were all enchanted by its massiveness and sparking lights from the base of the tree. 

It was only after their feet landed that they all relieved themselves from a trance-like state. The clan's people surrounded them. 

"Wow," Trisha said. 

Even Amanda and Abasi expressed the same in their thoughts. 

The Jubatus clan were enormous people. Bigger than the Oscorians back in Aeros - tall and with enormous feet. 

'Come to think of it, humans are so small,' Amanda thought. 

Their skin and their eyes were so pale. Yes, they did not have pupils, or at least the masters thought. The cornea or the outer part of their eyes had a darker shade, almost grey but predominantly white.

Their hair was also white, braided up to their knees. 

The Jubatus clan had very little clothing on them, merely covering their chest and half part of their thighs up to their waist. 

While the masters of the earth were in awe, they heard someone speak from the crowd of white creatures. "Earthlings. What brings you here to our world?"

Trisha was the first to snap off from being amazed and she spoke, "Greetings, we are protectors of the earth, coming here to seek your aid. Please, allow me to show you the reason for our coming."

Raising her hand, she revealed the yellow crystal. She spoke to the hearts of those who were present, showing them their predicament of the current masters of the earth. 

At the end of her visual story, Trisha said, "We wish for you to lend us your powerful sight so we can have the strength to fight one of our own in the near future - someone who had been consumed by power and turned evil."

The Jubatus clan had incredible eyes. It was said that they could see from every angle. There was no blind spot for the Jubatus clan. It was a perfect gift when in a middle of a battle.

The creature who stood before them was an old woman, obviously a respected elder of the clan.

From earlier's visual, the old woman felt the masters' fears and base on what was shown to her, the earth's future nemeses were out to get powers not just from its own world but also from others. 

"If our mother decides to help you, then we shall help you," said the old woman. 

The masters were asked to wait. They were given space from one branch of the trees for them to rest overnight. The huge branches did not necessarily give the comforts of a normal home. It was literally hard, but to their surprise, the masters rested well. It was as if the power of the tree allowed them to relax. 

They were rejuvenated the very next day. 

It was worrisome for Amanda to sleep in a tree. Something that she could easily burn, but before leaving Aeros, but Amanda determined that they had more than enough unity to keep her powers under control for the next few days. 

They mingled with the Jubatus clan for another two days, learning about their home and care of their land. They were constantly eating fruit the huge tree bore. It was only on the evening of the second day that they were asked to see the clan's mother.

It no longer came as a surprise to them that the clan's mother was the tree itself. 

The masters were taken to an opening from the base of the tree. They had to climb down to its roots, where many of it were visible to them. 

At night, the roots illuminated in white, and to their amazement, some of it was moving around, clearing a path for the masters to stand. 

Behind them were two guardians of the Jubatus and the old woman, waiting for their mother's answer. 

"Wow, it's even brighter now," remarked Amanda. She, together with Abasi and Trisha, stood frozen. They were utterly in wonder. 

"The light is blinding," said Abasi. 

The light from underneath the tree turned brighter than ever, utterly filling the space with light. After a minute, it slowly faded out. 

The masters remained patient, waiting for what the tree would say, but it said nothing. At least, not to them. 

"Our mother has spoken," said the old woman from behind. 

They all turned to the old woman, perplexed. 

Amanda asked, "What - what did she say?"

"All of us, the Jubatus clan, were born with a powerful sight. All of us, from our ancestors were long blessed with our mother's fruits and granted us the powerful sight," said the old lady. 

She slowly walked closer to them but focused herself on Amanda. She touched her belly with both her hands and said, "We will give you many fruits that you can bring to your world. But only with a new life, our mother can bless it with the eyes of the Jubatus clan."

The old woman closed her eyes and chanted a few words. When she opened her eyes, she said, "You are the bearer of the new life. Eat as many of the fruits we will give to you. You can return to your world now."

The masters looked at each other, even more bemused. Trisha gazed back to the old lady and said, "We don't understand."

"The point is, we cannot give it to you. Only to a new life," said the old woman. "You may leave now."

The masters tried to seek more explanation from the old woman. Trisha even turned to the tree, but to no avail. Repeatedly the elder of the clan asked them to leave, saying that they were no longer invited. 

Needless to say, the three masters returned to earth, utterly dismayed. 

They did not miss giving Amanda, however, a basket full of their giant fruits.

When the three masters found themselves in the cave of Brazil, Trisha was in deep thought. She kept muttering to herself, "New life. New life. What else could a new life mean?"

She turned to Amanda and asked, "Are you pregnant?"

"What? No! I did not tell Fiena to give me a baby. How could I not when we are in a dilemma," Amanda replied. 

As far as the masters knew.. They could not get pregnant, not unless it was their will, and they were required to ask the spirits living inside them to bless them with a child.