Scar's sea ... by Georgia, aged 12

"They could see land; they could see trees and plants but not much else. What would they find there? Finn suddenly remembered a favourite old picture book “where the wild things are.” Would there be wild things here he wondered?"

“No that’s not it” Scarlet exclaimed. She didn’t know how to start “was he dead, no, that’s not good enough.”

“Scar it’s time for dinner.”

Scar was Scarlet’s nickname, everyone knew her by that, it was as if she was born with the name. I think I’ll finish this later, she thought; I’d better get to dinner. It was then that she heard it, a scream coming from the loch, someone was in trouble and then, as if on cue she jumped out the window running as fast as she could towards the sound.

What was happening? Was someone drowning? No matter what, she had to get there fast! Then she saw it, someone had just fallen into the loch. Without thinking she jumped into the freezing water, and then all of a sudden she was in a beautiful forest, green and lush and there seemed to be - was it? - there were fairies, tiny little fairies. Their tiny bodies shimmering in the moonlight. The moon was bright and provided plenty of light to see the boy at the other end of the clearing. His hair, like Scar's, was blond and straight, he looked quite handsome. His face was pale and his eyes shone like the sun. His lips were slightly pink - a bit too pink for his pale skin.

“Hey over there,” Scar shouted. He didn’t respond. Scar walked up to him. “Are you OK?” It was then that he responded.

“What are you doing here; this is no place for humans, especially you, Scar." Scar was confused “how do you know my name? 

"I know a lot of things. My name is Carbon. Call me Carn for short. I am 15, and I have been so for quite a while. As you might have guessed, I am not human. As a matter of fact I am a plant, my blood is white and I can live purely in sunlight. I don't have to breathe. Come with me, I must take you to the elders.”

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Next thing she knew they were flying through the wind. There just ahead of her was a clearing. This was where Carn landed. “How can you fly?” Scar asked. “We weren’t flying we were swimming.”Carn told her.

The elders suddenly appeared in front of them - it seemed as though they had appeared from nowhere. “I see you have her, “one of the elder’s said. This one seemed to be the leader.

“I thought you didn’t want me here Carn?” Scar exclaimed. “I didn’t but after finding you I had to bring you here.”Carn explained, “I’ll let the elders tell you the rest.”

“So Scar you are confused, you are about to take on a journey to look for the tree of life. The prophecies say that only you can uncover its secrets.”The second elder told her. “Okay when do I start?”

It was decided that Carn was to go with her. Their supplies were already packed and so they were sent on their way.

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Carn and Scar had been walking for about an hour when Scar asked, “What did you mean when you said we were swimming not flying?”

“That’s exactly what I meant. Do you remember how you came here?”

“Yes”

“Well that is where we are.”

“You mean we are at the bottom of the loch?”

“Yes that is exactly what I mean. And how you breathe, I don’t know.”

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Soon they were swimming above the trees. And then all of a sudden there, just ahead of them, was the biggest sea snake Scar had ever seen.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“I think so.”

It was giant, its fangs were as long and strong as a full grown T-Rex - you would not want to make this beast upset, but unfortunately for the two travellers something or someone had already upset it. It charged and they were almost caught between the jaws of this frightening creature. It was so close in fact that Carn’s shirt was torn to pieces and he had a massive gash in his arm. Masses of white liquid came pouring out of the wound and Scar couldn’t help the urge to help him but she knew now was not the time. Any moment now the monster could come back and attack. The only thing they could do was get as far away from here as possible.

“Which way do we go?” Scar asked.

“This way,” Carn answered.

She could tell he was in pain but there was nothing she could do to help. Then he was unconscious.

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Soon they were safe under the canopy of trees. Scar and was rummaging through the bag of supplies that the elder’s had given them when Carn awoke. “Don’t move.”She whispered.

At first he thought she said this because the monster was still around but then he remembered the wound he had got from it. It was the first time Carn had really been able to have a look at Scar. She had blond hair and was at the moment smiling at him while she cleaned his wound. Her smile was comforting and he could see there was something else in it too. Was it concern, maybe but he didn’t think so, but maybe it was love?

“You’ve been unconscious for quite a while,” she told him.

Carn asked “How long exactly?”

“About an hour.” was Scar’s reply

“Wow that long.”Carn then exclaimed.

They talked a little while and came to the topic of their quest, as she had called it.

“How far away is the tree that we are to find?” she questioned.

“We should be almost there. Maybe if you swam up above the canopy you could see it.”

Scar was gone as soon as he had finished his sentence. When she came back she was smiling that smile again.

“I saw it.” she said.

“Great. How far away...”

He could see it right behind Scar. Its leaves were gold leaf. He had been told this before although he had not believed it until now. Something strange was happening; the bark was beginning to crack as if a door was opening. That was it, that was what Scar had done. She was the rightful heir to the throne of his species. But how, only people like himself could be of royalty?

That was it! Scar was not human, she was like him, an Iyla. That was why she could breathe down here. “Scar look at the tree. It’s opening. This means you are the rightful heir to the throne of Gansa!” “Oh that’s what this place is called.”

Together they raced into the opening of the tree and there in front of them was the crystal of the loch. Then, from behind, the great snake came and blocked their way. It said “Before you get my crystal you will have to fight me.”

The great snake lunged at them but this time they were ready. There had been a sword lying in the nearby grass and Scar had grabbed it just in time to slash the sword at the beast.

The snake let out a scream and said “I am the loch ness monster and I will not be defeated by some children who just happen to belong to the species of Iyla.”

What the loch ness monster did not notice was that Scar had thrown the sword to Carn who was now sneaking around the back of the beast hoping to surprise it. He heard a cry of anger as he jumped onto what he thought was a log but turned out to be the snake’s body. Suddenly he was being jerked around and he hung on for dear life.

“Carn!” Scar was trapped. The loch ness monster was heading for her and with one powerful stab Carn jabbed the sword into the heart of the snake and it was dead.

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Scar had disappeared. Carn searched all over Gansa and did not find her until the new year. Their next adventure is but another story...