Twilight to Destiny- Quest of Legacies

Chapter 34

"Huh?!"

"But they were hungry and weak," Hassa said smugly. "So they were, of course, very easy to defeat. But not so much to Vale..."

"Oh shush!" Vale exclaimed. "I actually killed a decent amount. Say about two hundred thirty-five?"

"Oddly specific."

"True..."

"See?"

"Yeah yeah."

"More than two-hundred? Wow, good job, Vale," Valor said, slightly impressed.

He blushed madly. "Thanks."

"Anyway guys," Tobi interjected, "Phoenix obviously wants us to fight him again, but how do we... prepare?" The way she said it made Valor feel amused due to her plentiful earnestness and determination.

"First, we need to find a good shelter that will fit ALL of us," Artemis pointed out. The rest of them nodded and stepped away from the breathtaking beach to the forest.

"Oh! Over here!" Vale called out. He waved over to a small deserted cabin with honey-colored wood and a stone path.

"Hmm, seems promising."

"I wonder how we didn't see that..." Tobi said. She eyed the home suspiciously. "What if it's really old and it contains termites or something?"

"Termites? No, I think it's safe and still steady enough to hold up since it could be pretty old. If it had held up this long, I'm sure it could keep up longer."

"Let's see," Artemis said doubtfully.

As a result, they approached the birdcage of a home, some feeling eager and others not. Astronomy purred as Vale scratched his neck softly and climbed upon his shoulder.

"Your cat is so adorable," Valor commented, giving the creature a warm smile. "Can I pet it?"

"O-Of course!" Vale immediately answered which made Valor delighted. Astronomy instantly dropped down to the ground and hopped up in Valor's arms, making himself cozy.

"Aww, thanks Vale! You just made my day!" she exclaimed.

"Huh?"

"She's a mind reader, remember?" Artemis told him with a smirk on his face. He chuckled and shook his head, turning away as Vale's face turned bright red. They stopped as they met the crooked, grimy door, which had a brass gold plated doorknob covered in dust and mold.

"Oh, shoot," Vale muttered bashfully.

"Not bad... a little makeover could help but not quite unfortunate looking," Tobi blurted, staring deeply into the windows. The rest of them shrugged.

"Well," Artemis exhaled. "Here we go." He covered the tiny knob completely, turned it, and pushed it slightly. "It's open," he said surprised.

"No kidding," Tobi scoffed. She stepped inside and instantly sneezed, waving her arms which caused the swirling of dust particles. "Argh, I have immediate... dust allergies..."

"Here." Artemis transformed into a dragon and softly breathed out a bit of humid air, which dissolved the dust quickly, making Tobi sigh with relief.

"Thank you."

The room was messy; scattered books and papers covering the floor, and broken shards of glass and ceramic guarded the ground near a toppled wooden chair. It was dark, and no light switch was available to just easily flick on with the touch of your finger. They would have to rely on the sun. The ceiling walls were crumbling, pieces of it sprinkling down.