Minion wrapped himself up in a blanket and snuck towards Zimbo’s tent. He had some questions to ask. It was dead of night, and the group was asleep. The Omega opened the tent flap for him , and Minion crawled in. “Where did you come from?” was the first question. “My family was once many, and we travelled near and far, stretching from Torble Sea to the snowy mountains, battling many times. Then came Burner, and we somehow accidently got right in his secret hideout, he got mad and killed us all, burning us. However, we were metal, so we could not die from fire. So we pretended to be dead. He left us alone. Four of us escaped before we were found. Maybe I over-answered your question?” Minion laughed. Then he grew serious as he found what he had missed. “You said four. Who was the other one?” Zimbo looked nervous. “It is hard for me to tell anyone this, but since we are comrades now, I guess I will tell you the tragic story. He was an Automaton named Otto. He was good, and one day he went in to steal some food for us (like we always do) from a food supply for some kind of war. Otto went in the same time Burner did. They met again and fought face to face, and Burner got him to be a general. Third Troop.” Minion took a deep breath. Third Troop was only two away from Burner’s troop. They had a really tough battle with the lamest squad in the worst troop a while ago. He SO did not want to meet Third Troop. He nodded and went to bed in his own tent.
The next morning they went north, like they had been doing. But they came to a gate with Durahans along the walls. A HUGE Durahan stepped forward. “Do you want to pass here?” it asked. “Yes, of course,” Minion replied, for he was the new captain of this group. Baxter was looking at a Garuda that just didn’t seem right. It was too- well, evil looking. “Show me your permit then,” the Durahan said. “What the hell are you talking about?” Minion asked angrily. “You have to get a permit. To get one, go to the Golem Village in ParePare and ask for a guide to the Dark Temple. In the heart of the Dark Temple, there are many permits. Grab one and you can pass. If you are against Burner, you will have a 25 percent chance of getting out alive, if you use your wits and power. If you are with Burner, you have a 2 percent chance of getting out. That will prove if you are worthy of passing this place. We shall honer and respect you if you come back with a permit, and even send two of our people to go with you,” the Durahan said, not even taking a breath. “It can’t be too hard,” Scaler said hopefully. “I sure hope so,” Gengen replied. “Well, let’s go then,” Minion said gruffly. “Maybe we will meet new allies.” And so they went deep into the ParePare jungle, traveling for seven days and seven nights. Suddenly, Gengen scooped up a pot. “What is this?” he asked his friends. “I can’t open it. Maybe we should break it and see what’s inside.” Hanger snapped to attention. “NO WAY!” he shouted, running up and grabbing the pot. “This is a Magic Pot. It temps you to break it to see what is inside. When you do, you are cursed by a Bajarl. You blow everyone within a mile to smithereens! I know because it goes after travellers, and my family were travellers. It killed my second cousin!” The more the brave Henger looked at the pot, the more he hated it. Oh, he hated it. He wanted to break it. His fingers trembling with rage, he raised his arms and threw it on the ground. But Baxter was young and quick, and he stretched out his body just in time to have the pot bounce harmlessly off his elastic-like body. “Now,” he said, placing the pot against a tree. “Now we leave. And nobody look at the pot!” So they left, and traveled a couple more days, lost, hoping to see someone to ask to find Golem Village. Then they saw an injured CrabSaurian. It’s left leg was chewed completely off, and it was crawling, leg in hand, trying to get somewhere. Gengen rushed toward its side. Hanger and Zimbo held him back though. Then the CrabSaurian noticed the group. “Help me,” it cried. “Help me get to Golem Village. They have great doctors there that can mend my leg.” “We will help you get there, if you tell us where Golem Village is,” Minion said. “Of course! Of course I will. By the way, my name is Crabbe. What are your names?” Crabbe asked politely. Minion introduced the gang. Deed was asking Crabbe so many questions, Minion thought Crabbe was going to die. But Crabbe seemed to like this annoying little Mono Eyed. Scaler was satisfied. Minion didn’t know how on earth he could like Deed when he was asking him questions like: “If the surgery doesn’t work, can I eat your leg? Can I? Can I? Huh? Can I?” Finally, they got to Golem Village. First they took Crabbe to the hospital, where they bid him a friendly farewell. Then they went to the restaurant and paid for the most expensive food so they could quench their hunger. Next, they went to the Inn and slept for a couple days, so when they woke up, the owner was very mad, they had only bought one night’s worth of sleep. The group had to pay him extra, they didn’t dare fight with a fully grown Golem. Then they went their seperate ways along town, shopping for supplies and armor. Baxter and Gengen went to the candy shop, shopping for treats for the journey, Hanger and Zimbo went to the blacksmith to get sharpened (they are machines, after all), Minion went alone to the armory (he was going to go with Scaler,but Scaler insisted on bringing Deed), and Scaler and Deed went to buy weapons. At least Scaler did. Deed snuck into a Tiger strip bar (he,he), and drooled over the women there. At last they all met at night, refreshed and filled bags full of goodies, Deed looking dazed. And they slept in the inn again, for tomorrow they would go and find a guide. What will happen to them in the Dark Temple?
THE JOURNEY OF THE JELLS
Chapter 4: The Long Path to the Dark Temple
“We want a guide, and we want him now! I don’t have time for this crap,” Minion said, eyes burning like a madman. “You? Go to the Dark Temple? HA! That’s a good one!” the Pink Golem secretary was laughing so hard, her water that she drank a while ago came out her huge nose. “Listen-” Minion started, but he was cut off by the usually quiet and patient Gengen. “Give. Us. A. Damn. Guide.” Gengen said in a no-nonsense kind of way. “I have a very long patience thread. I can put up with what my friends here wouldn’t dream of putting up with. So when I start to get pissed, you gotta learn to have my way.” He said this very calmly, and the Pink Golem immediately got up. “Yes, sir. Would you like some tea? I’ll get you a guide right away, yeah, I will. Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be right back.” And with that she got up and went to find a guide on the computer. The other Jells were looking at him like he was an alien from another planet. Even Deed was stunned. “I’m not getting on that guy’s nerves,” Scaler whispered. “Scaler?” Gengen asked pleasantly. “Yes, Gengen,” Scaler said. “Shut up.” “Yes, sir.” Then the Pink Golem came back. “Uh, there is only one guide, and he isn’t that experienced. Perhaps-” “We’ll take him,” Minion interrupted. A couple of hours later, a Gobi came by. “Hello,” he said in a booming voice. “I’m your new guide. My name is Big Bob. You want to go to the Dark Temple?” “Yes, of course,” Minion said in a ‘duh’ kind of fashion. “Then we leave. If you gotta pee, go now. I’m not stopping at every McDonald’s on the way,” Big Bob said. “Oh, great, a funny Gobi,” Zimbo said. Zimbo didn’t like him much. Maybe because of the Henger sub-type? They continued their journey to the Dark Temple right then. The first few nights were uneventful. Then came a night they would remember for years to come. They were all sitting around a campfire, glum, when Minion decided to entertain everyone. He told Scaler his plan, and they both molded their hands into instruments and microphones and sang new rap and rock music. But Baxter and Gengen, the young guys, had a better, original idea. Gengen molded his hand into a stereo, and Baxter into a CD, and started playing. The Hengers were clapping and laughing. Big Bob was laughing so hard at the idea, he fell into the fire and caught fire. Since he was rock, it didn’t affect him much. But it made him laugh harder. Scaler was laughing at Minion because the young ones had paid him back for the machine-gun thing. Minion, being a good sport, made extra speakers so it would be louder. Deed took the opportunity to steal most of Minion’s food. It was a very merry and happy day, and they all went to sleep feeling good. Two days later, they came upon a stream. Minion, being the Chloro Jell he is, drank more water then the others (check the card). Then Baxter noticed something. “Hey, there is a hurt monster over here!” he called out to his friends. It was a Tasman, and it looked hurt. It’s leg was dragging, it’s arm in a cast, very skinny, hungry and thirsty looking. Gengen rushed over to his side. Hanger can notice many small things, and he noticed a bit of hatred in the Tasman’s eyes, and, well, he thought he saw something strange. He was-no. It couldn’t be. He was just being stupid. “What is your name?” Scaler asked the Tasman. “Katuum,” the Tasman said. “Well, I don’t think we can leave a hurt monster in the wild,” Minion said, with a bit of resentment in his voice (he doesn’t like Katos). “We’ll nurse you back to health for a couple of days, then we will set you free, to travel on your own.” Baxter was about to point out that they could have a new friend, but then remembered his leader’s hatred for Katos, so he shut up. “Thank you so much,” Katuum responded. That night, Minion’s tent was being approached by a figure. I should tell him, Hanger thought, No, he’ll think me stupid. I won’t tell him. I’ll just let it go. So he went back to his own tent. (Thought it was Katuum, didn’t ya? Maybe things won’t turn out like you expect.) They traveled the next day, Katuum slowing them down, and finally camped for the night. That night, Deed snoozing and snoring, Scaler couldn’t sleep. Big Bob couldn’t either. Big Bob was half asleep when he tried to raid the kitchen, thinking he was at home. Fortunately, he thought the kitchen was Katuum’s tent. Of course, it wasn’t, it was Katuum’s tent, but he walked in there when he suddenly remembered where he was. So he apologized to Katuum, then turned around to leave. Then he remembered something. Katuum wasn’t there! He turned around and looked at the bed, bandage on floor, and thought, Aw, he probably went for a walk. You have to remember, this guy is a Golem, and Golems aren’t exactly geniuses. Then, it sank in. He started running toward the nearest tent he could find it happened to be Scaler’s tent. “Scaler!” he shouted. “What?” Scaler replied. “I was about to fall asleep.” Deed was woken too. “Katuum, he’s escaped! He wasn’t really hurt. His bandage was on the ground! I’m afraid of what he is captaple of!” Hanger, who also couldn’t sleep, came over. “What the hell did you wake me for?” he asked, looking furious. The Gobi told him the whole story. “But we don’t know where he is going next,” Big Bob added. Then, it all made sense to the Henger. “Quick, we gotta get to Minion’s tent! He’s gonna assasinate Minion!” They ran up, seeing the Tasman holding a knife and holding it above his head toward Minion’s sleeping body. Minion was sleeping heavaly because he had not slept since that happy day so long ago. There was no way his friends could get there in time. Suddenly, Scaler had a plan. “Big Bob, stretch me out and fire me like a rubber band. I might make it and save Minion!” But Deed had a better plan. As the Gobi stretched Scaler, Deed jumped on Scaler’s head. As Big Bob let go, Deed pushed off, applying force to Big Bob’s force. It pushed Scaler back, though. Deed flew through the air just as Katuum brought the knife down. Some of the blade went through Minion, a half a millimeter more, it would have killed him on the spot. But Deed got there just in time, attacking Katuum, knocking him to the ground, keeping him there until the others got there. Then Big Bob lifted his big foot, and squished the Tasman with his big foot. Katuum’s life was over, never to breathe again. In fact, he made a gross smudge on the ground, which attracted tourists in the future. But that is another story. The others were awake now. Baxter looking glum, Gengen feeling it was his fault, because he found and showed the group to Katuum. Big Bob was feeling like an idiot, because if his I.Q. would have been higher, they would have found him earlier and maybe saved Minion (he wasn’t dead yet, but pretty near it), but Hanger was feeling the worst, for he knew something was wrong with the Tasman. Scaler was pointing out the good parts to his friends, “Gengen, don’t look so sad, all of us would have done the same thing in your place. Big Bob, you are a very good person, if you had been ‘smarter’, you wouldn’t have found him in the first place, and we’d all be dead. And Hanger, you have good insights, if you had not figured out that it was in Minion’s tent, he would be long dead right now, not just in critical condition.” So they started back toward Golem Village, each and every one of them, to help their friend. They hurried, never resting, never sleeping. Will they make it? Find out next chapter!