Unearthly Ground

What you are going to read about is a world that very few humans could even dream about. I was fortunate. I stumbled upon this lost world about two hundred years ago. Yes, I am human. It seems this land slows down aging, because I am now two thousand years old. My name is Mary Anna Rose Vora, although at some point in my life I picked up the nickname Marv.

What you are reading is my Adventure Journal, my new friend CoolStar and I will right our adventures in here. But before we right our adventures, I will tell you about the world we live in.

Far beneath the earth are mystical creatures. They are a mixture between fairies and mermaids. Like mermaids they have tails with three fins. They have six wings on their back and pale blue skin. Each of these creatures has a special power too. Some can control the weather, some have telekinesis, and all of them can transform into humans. These creatures are called Celest.

Celest live in the underground world of Obusi. Obusi is right under America and is three-fourths the size of it. Obusi has its own sky and sun. Obusi is separated into seven parts Oyadi, Oratsi, Owonsi, Oavali, Oretawai, Olatsyrci, and Olraepi. In Oyadi the sun shines all day. In Oratsi it is always night. In Owonsi it snows year round. Oavali is a forbidden part of the forest to all living creatures. It is surrounded by volcanoes and is steaming hot to anything that comes within a mile of the volcanoes.

Oretawai is my favorite. Have you ever read about Moses parting the Red Sea and the two walls of water standing on each side of the Israelites? Well picture six walls of water shaped like a cube. This cube of water isn't small it's 550,000 miles long, and it reaches almost to the sky of the underground world. If you still don't understand, think about filling your house to the brim with water then knocking out all the walls, but the water is still standing. It is the same in Oretawi, except it's bigger. Another cool thing about this place is it has underwater trees, some as big as Redwoods.

Olatsyrci is a land completely covered with crystals and diamonds. Even its plants are covered with crystals, and if you can pull one off, you'll find a live plant underneath!

Olraepi is my second favorite it's a land made of pearl, living plants, and it has lakes with the purest water in the forest. All of the mountains are made of pearl, and are as tall as Mount Everest. The trees in Olraepi have leaves made of pearl. They are as tall as the mountains. The trees grow so close to the mountains that a baby could safely walk across from one to the other.

In this world lives a Celest who caught my interest. Her name is Misty Cool Breezes, but prefers to be called CoolStar. She lives all by herself with her pet falcon, Starshine. They live in the part of Obusi called Olatsyrci.

I suppose the reason I was so interested in CoolStar is because unlike other Celest she has stars in her pupils and her hair is gold.

CoolStar's best friend is, Amica. She is six hundred years younger than CoolStar. Her age is six hundred one (that's like being six in human years.) She lives with her grandmother, Oleweji, in Oratsi.

This is where we now begin CoolStars first adventure with me. It begins

A chill went down CoolStars spine as she heard an evil chuckle in her ear. She knew there was no point in running he would catch her. The weather would not obey her. And this is when she needed it to the most. All she had against this foe was a laser sword. The blade was deadly, but somehow she knew it would not be enough to defeat this creature. In this dark world CoolStar could not see him only feel him. She could only hear his breathing and ominous laughter. "Who are you? " she cried, but the wind carried her voice away. She cried again and again, but no one answered. In this place where all you could see was darkness she felt weary. Every time she cried out she became tired. Then CoolStar heard a familiar voice. "CoolStar! " the voice said. The voice sounded choked as if it had been crying. "Amica!" cried CoolStar in alarm. "Where are you?" "I..." Amica stopped in mid-sentence. CoolStar felt a knot in her stomach. If anything happens to her, she thought, I'll make sure someone wishes they were never born. Suddenly from the left CoolStar heard a screech. Out of the shadows came a dark figure. His eyes were made of electricity, and he reached out to her with hideous black hands. She took her sword and sliced through him, but it did no good. That one swing made her so tired; she needed rest. She started to fall to the ground, but it grabbed her wrist. She felt her energy being drained from her. She lifted her sword one last time to strike... and then she woke up!

She was in her room and it was morning. She got up in a hurry. She was supposed to meet Amica today. She ran to the kitchen to make breakfast. Something does not feel right she thought. If danger was near my falcon would have warned... My falcon! Where's my falcon, StarShine? She ran into the living room. The birdcage was open. But I know I closed it, she thought. CoolStar made a strange whistling sound that only Celests can make. She heard a fluttering of wings and horse hoofs. Starshine flew in the window and her friend George peaked inside. George was a mini sized Centaur, and he spoke with a Yankee accent.

"Good morning Misty," he said.

CoolStar flinched at hearing George use her real name, Misty. He knew she preferred being called CoolStar, but he also liked to tease her.

"Good morning Ger Ger."

It was his turn to flinch. Ger Ger was the nick name that he absolutely despised.

"Why was Starshine with you this morning?"

"I needed a companion. And since you were asleep I took your bird. You didn't mind did ya? he asked innocently.

"Of course I did," she said signaling her bird to land on her arm. The bird obeyed.

"You better go find some other company because Starshine and I are going to visit Amica."

"Again," whined George.

CoolStar gave him a caustic look which meant you better not say another word. George didn't say anything else and trotted off.

CoolStar ate her breakfast, and Starshine ate hers. They packed their stuff and went off to visit Amica and her grandmother, Leweji. It took about two hours to leave the land of Olytsyrc ( where CoolStar lived) to get to Oratsi, where Amica lived. On the way to Amica's home, CoolStar thought about her dream again. Could it have meant anything? It was just a dream or nightmare. CoolStars thoughts were interrupted when she thought she heard the faint sound of hoof beats from behind. Was George coming? No, he never came this far from home. Then who would be coming? Very few ever took the road she was using. It was very beautiful looking at the crystal trees in Olytsyrc, but it was supposedly dangerous in this part. CoolStar had never run into problems here before, but there were stories about hidden monsters or the trees taking creatures prisoner. Oh well, they were just stories. And whoever else was willing to take this risky road was probably a daredevil like herself. So CoolStar ignored the sound of hoof beats and went on her way. But when she got to Amica's house, she was in for quite a shock.

When I say shock I mean shock! Literally. CoolStar saw the little three room hut that belonged to Amica and her grandmother, Leweji. She was about three feet away when BOOM!!! A bolt of electricity hit her in the chest, and everything went black. CoolStar woke up. She stood up, and tried to figure out what had just happened.

"Oh, I feel like I was just struck by lightning."

She looked up at Amica's house. It looked normal. She felt a tingling at the back of her head. Something is not right, she thought. CoolStar looked around for a couple of stones and picked up a little dirt. She threw the stuff at the house. But before it reached the house electricity disintegrated it. The house was surrounded by an electrical shield!

"That means I was hit by a bolt of lightning!" said CoolStar. "It also means Leweji and Amica are probably in trouble."

Perhaps her powers to control the weather could help. CoolStar closed her eyes, and concentrated. She called upon the winds. And it blew and blew but it wasn't enough. Then she made it incredibly hot around the shield.

"Time to play fire with fire." she said to herself.

Last but definitely not least she called upon the power of lightning. It struck the electrical field. It wasn't working. If anything it was making the shield stronger. She stopped the lightning, wind, and heat. This wasn't working. What was she going to do? CoolStar thought on the problem. If using the electricity made the shield stronger, then maybe she could over load it. She struck the shield with lightning it started to grow larger and larger. It got so big that CoolStar had to back up so that the shield wouldn't hit her. From inside the house she heard a faint beep, beep, beep, and then BOOM! The electrical field exploded! It was such a big explosion that it knocked down two trees and CoolStar. CoolStar was now free to walk into the house. She jumped up and changed into her human form. She ran to the house, and reached for the door. But her hand went right through the doorknob. CoolStar pulled back her hand in alarm.

"What is going on around here?" she murmured to herself.

She took a deep breath and took two steps toward the house. She went right through the door. There was nothing inside the house except two machines . One looked like a holographic projector ( It uses light to project 3-d pictures.) The other one looked like a broken shield generator. CoolStar ran back outside; she looked at her surroundings. She was in the wrong part of the forest. Amica and Leweji lived somewhere else. Yes it was always nightime in Oratsi. It was hard to see sometimes, but CoolStar knew their part of the forest by heart. But she had followed the same path she always took to their house. Hadn't she? Their was only one way to find out. She went back the way she came.

It took her half an hour to get back to the end of the path in Oratsi. She looked around to see where she might have taken a wrong turn. But she didn't see anything. CoolStar lifted her hand high in the air and let electricity form around her wrist. She thought the light might help her see more. Something did catch her eye. It was silver. She walked over to it.

"I don't believe it." CoolStar muttered to herself. "It's a Hologram projector."

She struck the projector with her fist and lightning. It exploded in a burst of flames, but CoolStar created her own electrical shield to protect herself. As soon as the projector was destroyed, the path CoolStar had taken disappeared, and the real one appeared. CoolStar took on her Celest form and flew down the path as fast as her wings would carry her. Finally she came to Amica's house. She went inside. Her heart was pounding. Inside she saw Oleweji. Oleweji's hands and wings were tied together. She was wearing a blindfold. It was soaked from tears. CoolStar untied her.

"What happened?" said CoolStar. "They-they took her?" said Oleweji. "Who?" "Amica."

CoolStar felt a lump in her throat. Memories of the dream, the sound of faint hoof beats, all flooded back into her mind. Wait a minute! Was that her imagination? Or did she really hear hoof beats?

CoolStar's question was soon answered. At the front of the house stopped four horses, two centaurs, and one human. CoolStar could see them clearly through the window, but they couldn't see her. The human was a male and looked extremely uncomfortable. The Centaur sniffed the air, and spoke, making strange gestures with his hands.

"She is not here. Let us move on. "

CoolStar waited until the hoofed creatures and human left. Then she and Oleweji stepped out of the house. Something hard hit CoolStar in the back, and everything went black. A trick! When she woke up CoolStar was tied up. The only thing that could move was her mouth. And she was laying stomach down on the back of a horse. She looked at her surroundings. The horse she was on was following the centaurs she had seen earlier. One horse and the human CoolStar had seen earlier were missing, and Olewji was nowhere in sight.

CoolStar tried to command the wind to knock one of centaurs down, but nothing happened. She tried to mentally call for lightning, but it didn't work. Her powers were gone! This was not good, nothing was going right. She was so frustrated.

It was mid-day when CoolStar's captors stopped for a rest. They all sat down and ate, but they didn't give any food to CoolStar. The centaurs and horses were having a nice conversation when they heard a loud screech and neigh. All of a sudden the horse and man came running and screaming towards the head Centaur.

"Here...She...Coming" said the man before he collapsed.

"Perhaps you can tell us what this fool is talking about?" said the head centaur to the horse.

"The monster is loose again. The one the master accidentally created," said the horse.

The centaur didn't look nervous at all. He stayed calm as he ordered everyone to move on. He did tell them that they must be quick. They walked on for a couple of miles. They stopped because they came to a waterfall and they had to find away to get across.

"This waterfall is not on the map," said the human.

"Something is not right here," said one of the centaurs.

He sniffed the air and listened with his ears. He heard a snap and hissing sound came from behind a rock. He knew what that sound was. It was the monster! He also knew they were in deep trouble. Before the Centaur could move something stuck him in the arm. It was a tranquilizer needle. The last thing he saw before he became unconscious was a bird hovering over his head.

All of the centaur's companions saw him fall to the ground. They looked to see where the attacker was. A bird was hovering over him, and it was holding tranquilizer needles! CoolStar recognized the bird right away! It was StarShine, her pet falcon. CoolStar had forgotten her bird, while looking for Amica! How had StarShine found her?

CoolStar's captors were about to go after the bird when a young woman came from behind the rock. Her eyes glowed, and in her hands she held a laser sword. The handle twisted around the young woman's wrist like a bracelet. The laser was a reddish gold color. She ran towards the head centaur and jumped on his back. She put the laser sword up to his neck.

"Let the fairy go!" she commanded.

"I'll die first!" he answered.

She leaned closer and whispered in his ear so that only he could hear."Very well"

She looked at the waterfall then spoke something that not even the head centaur could hear. She jumped off his back, then ran towards the horse with CoolStar on his back. The other centaurs tried to stop her, but whenever they moved towards her a plant would grow from the ground and wrapped itself around their legs. She got to CoolStar and cut the ropes off her. She picked the Celest up, threw her over shoulders, and ran to the waterfall. She jumped over the edge of the waterfall and fell into the river below.

"They never could have survived that fall. Not even the master's monster could have survived that fall." said the head Centaur. affect

He turned around to go check on his other companions, but no sooner had he turned around than a humongous shadow came over him and his companions. The shadow came from a monster made of water and seaweed. It looked like a sea serpent, and it was fifty feet wide and one hundred feet tall. The centaurs, human, and horses ran from it as fast as they could. They weren't fast enough. The water serpent gobbled them up. It then dived into the waterfall.

CoolStar and the young woman did survive the fall. Though CoolStar will never know exactly how, because she fainted. When she woke, CoolStar was laying in a bed. The young woman was sitting by a fireplace mumbling to herself.

"It's about time you woke up," said the young woman. "If you're hungry, you can eat that bowl of soup on the table beside you. If not, just leave it their and get ready to go."

"Go? Go where?" asked CoolStar suspiciously.

"Aren't you lookin' for your friend Amica?" asked the young woman.

"Yes, " said CoolStar even more suspicious than before. How did this human know about Amica?

CoolStar looked more closely at the human's features. She had black bangs that almost went down to her eyes. The rest of her hair was as red as a rose, and longer than the young woman herself. Her eyes made her look as if she'd been through a lot of pain. She wore about five bracelets on each wrist, and her laser sword was tied to her belt.

"Good," she replied. "I'm going to help you bring her home. Don't try to tell me you don't want help, because you're going to need it. Dr. Ire doesn't play around."

"Dr. who?" said CoolStar feeling anger building inside her.

"Dr. Ire is the guy who kidnapped your friend Misty."

"How do you know my name?"

"Any person that lives in Oavali knows your name. You're going to be famous one day. Don't ask me how you'll acquire this fame 'cause I sure don't know. By the way, you can call me Marv."

"Marv? That's a strange name."

"It sure is. Look I know where Amica is. The place is Dr. Ire's fortress. I'm the only enemy of his that knows where it is. So we better get going."

Marv picked up a little bag and headed toward the door.

"Wait!" CoolStar cried after her."How can I trust you?"

"You can't, " replied Marv calmly. "But you have to, because someone's life is at stake.

Marv walked outside and CoolStar followed. It was absolutely beautiful outside. There were no trees, but there were a field of flowers. And a stream flowed right through the middle of it.

"Where are we?" asked CoolStar in astonishment.

For the first time that day she wasn't angry.

"Oavali, the forbidden part of Obusi." Marv answered.

"What? I thought Oavali would be ugly!"

"Most do."

"I can't believe a dangerous monster lives here."

Marv laughed.

"I am the monster. I am dangerous because I can control the living creatures of the ground. At least the ones without a conscience: like your bird, Starshine or the plants. Your bird is now resting, and we should leave it that way. Let's go!"

And they did. They made it to Dr. Ire's fortress by the next day. They snuck inside and found Amica in a large room. The room had large glass containers inside that were filled with different colored liquids. Amica was inside a glass box edged with diamonds.

"Amica!" cried CoolStar when she saw her little friend.

Amica looked relieved to see her friends. CoolStar tried to transform into a human, but she couldn't. Her powers to control the weather wouldn't work either. Maybe Marv knew why her powers wouldn't work. But before she could ask, Marv used her laser sword to slice open the crystal box.

"That was a very stupid thing to do." said Amica when she was free.

"What? We just saved your life," said CoolStar.

"That is true. But by doing so you just ended your own."

Amica started to change shape, and she became the scary creature from CoolStar's dream.

"You have just released Dr. Ire. You see girls I was trapped in that box, and could only have been released by an enemy. So I had my men kidnap Amica to lure you two here."

He turned to look at Marv.

"You should have known not to come back."

He pointed his finger at her, and she fell to the ground holding her head as if in pain. She dropped her laser sword and it rolled towards CoolStar.

CoolStar was angrier than she had ever been in her life. Who was this guy? Who did he think he was?

She picked it up and flew towards the dark figure. She swung at him, but it had no effect. It did make her tired. She swung again, but the hideous creature only laughed at her efforts. She was going to have to try something different.

"Where's Amica?" she cried.

"Oh she's fine. But I'd be more worried about myself if I were you."

"Well you're not me!"

She tried to punch him, but she went right through. CoolStar noticed Marv was gone. That coward! She chickened out! thought CoolStar.

"You brought me here, did you have something to do with me losing my powers."

"Actually you haven't lost your powers. They're somewhere deep down inside you. But you can't use them when you're filled with so much anger. No person in Obusi can. Of course Marv and myself aren't affected, because we aren't from Obusi. "

"What?"

"You heard me child. Think about it, you hate me. I'm your worst nightmare come to life. You can't help but be angry."

It was true. Since this kidnapping business had begun CoolStar had wanted revenge. She'd been angry.

Well then she would fight it, she wouldn't think of anger, she would think of helping Amica. She swung at Dr. Ire. He screamed in pain.

"No one could over come anger that quickly, not in Oavali. This place wants you to be angry."

"Yeah, well I guess you and it don't know me very well."

She closed her eyes and concentrated. CoolStar changed into her human form, and called upon lightning to strike him down. Dr. Ire ducked just before the lightning hit him. Then the coward took off running.

"Oh no you don't," said CoolStar as she chased after him.

Dr. Ire yelled out something in a language CoolStar had never heard before. Whatever he said had started up a bunch of defense systems, because laser guns and electrical shields came out from the walls, and blasted at her. CoolStar used her powers to destroy the weapons. She chased Dr. Ire into a huge room with a pool in the middle. He jumped into the pool and swam to the bottom. CoolStar concentrated with all her might, and created a whirlpool, which sucked Dr. Ire into it. She decided to leave him there.

"Well that was interesting." said a familiar voice.

CoolStar turned around to see Amica and Marv standing at the entrance of the room.

"Amica!" cried CoolStar, as she scooped Amica up in her arms.

Amica giggled.

"I'm so glad you're alright! You are alright aren't you?"

"Of course I am." giggled Amica.

"Good work capturing Dr. Ire, Misty. I think you can release him now. He won't be much of a threat anymore." said Marv.

CoolStar stopped the whirlpool, and Dr. Ire slowly swam out of the water.

Then he slowly started to transform into a human.

"What's happening to him?" asked Amica.

"He is losing his power, but he still has a hold to my mind. He can't control me, but I still feel the pain he's inflicting on me." answered Marv.

Marv looked into the water and whispered something that neither Amica nor CoolStar could hear. Dr. Ire could hear it, because he cried out in pain. Marv walked towards Dr. Ire and stood over him.

Her eyes burned like fire, she lifted up her arms and shouted, "Set me free!"

Her words echoed off the walls, and the water formed into a giant serpent.

"My mind will not be imprisoned by you any longer. If you don't set me free," she said looking at the serpent.

"Marv, I can not release you."

"Liar!"

The serpent started to get closer to Dr. Ire.

"Wait! You did not let me finish. I can't release you unless you take me to the astral plane." he said.

" If this is a trick,"started Marv through clenched teeth.

"No trick!"

"I don't trust you Ire." said Marv.

"It appears you don't have much of a choice," said Ire slyly.

Marv gave Dr. Ire a poisonous look. Then she grinned. She waved her hands, and the serpent dived down and gobbled up a screaming Dr. Ire. Then the snake formed into a bubble with Dr.Ire trapped inside.

"I don't like games, Ire, so don't play with me. Have I made myself clear." said Marv poking at the bubble.

Dr. Ire nodded his head.

CoolStar, Amica, and Marv left Dr. Ire's hide out. Their prisoner, Dr. Ire, followed behind in the bubble.

"What's the Astral Plane?" asked CoolStar.

"It is a place, where anything you think becomes reality. It's very dangerous, and you do not need to come." answered Marv.

"Are you kidding? You helped me save Amica! I owe you big time, and I hate being in anyone's debt."

"I want to come with you too." Amica said.

"No way." said CoolStar.

"I am not taking any detours, Misty. I have to get to the Astral Plane quickly. Either you both come or no one comes."

"Oh, alright," moaned CoolStar.

And off they went.

This is where I, Marv, conclude our first adventure. Right now CoolStar and I are making our way to the Astral Plane. Who knows how our next adventure will end.