The Heartless Tundra

Like every winter dawn, it was cold and breezy. Too breezy in fact, and it was snowing. The miserable school day had just started. And only the teachers' pets could celebrate with a smile. The teachers teaching elementary braced themselves, for they were teaching while a warzone was going on, and about ten kids were crying on the floor. The teachers teaching middle school felt bored and hopeless, for nobody bothered to pay attention. And the teachers teaching high school would much rather do something else, for they were teaching teens that are basically middle schoolers but taller.
There was this pre-teen though, let's call him Alex, known to be the boredest of all middle schoolers. Quite the achievement, in fact.
Alex was known to be quite a quiet kid, not talking, not screaming, just straight up quiet. Because of how much school has affected him. The screaming, the bullying and the brawling. Just traumatizing. Especially because of his dumb classmates during April Fools day back in the 6th grade. Spray Painting the school? And when the school realized, Alex looked away for a second with his locker opened and the kids hid the spray bottles in there. So rude.
Though nobody questioned his silence. And it’s been that way since. It was this day though, where he had been given so much attention. So there he was, walking down the lane to school. His school is next to a hilly forest blanketed in snow. On the way, he noticed a snowy fox with red scars on its face. And when it turned around, a really strong wind came, causing Alex to blink. When he tried to look back at the fox, it was gone.
He didn’t say anything about it until he noticed no footprints were there, only a drop of some red substance layed there, and got absorbed by the snow.
“Poor fox.” He said walking away. He made it to the school doors and entered the ridiculously loud hallway filled with a bunch of stupid middle schoolers. But he was used to the noise up until that point. Two years are more than enough to get used to it.
The annoying bell rang echoing across the entire building and everyone was in class. Already most people were sick of school. Some even asked to go to the nurse’s office three minutes into class.
“Class, I know you’re tired but school started! Aren’t you guys happy?” Mrs. Sophie said.
Almost the entire class started booing and some were even throwing paper balls of their anime drawings at Mrs. Sophie.
“Mrs. Sophie! I’m excited to learn English! I’ve been studying all night! Can we do a pop quiz?” Annoying Miss Emma said (Teacher’s pet).
Now people were attempting to throw their desks at Emma, but the people who tried, got detention. The quiz started and everyone (except Emma) was struggling, because middle school English questions make no sense. “What is the effect the word ‘the’ gives in the fifth paragraph?” “List three explanations of a simile.” “What is the definition of the word pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis?” (And yes the last one is a real word.)
To no one’s surprise Emma got the highest and to everyone’s surprise, Alex got the lowest and the only one who failed! Everyone else just barely passed. Alex’s seat was right behind Emma’s. Which was in the middle of the class.
“How does it feel to be a complete failure?” Emma said to Alex with a wicked grin.
“Shut up dirt face. At least I tried.” Alex responded.
“Well I got a 100! And will continue doing so. Because I’m smart. I will go to Harvard. I will get a Phd. And I—”
“Wanna know what the hell you are?” Alex said with steam coming out of his face. “AN ANNOYING LITTLE BRAT WHO HAS NO FRIENDS, A MOUTH THAT SHOULD BE STAPLED SHUT, AND WOULD MUCH LIKELY BE THE ONE TO DIE LONELY AND WOULD SPEND HER TIME DOING FUN BY READING A 900 PAGED DICTIONARY!”
The moment he had said that he realized he was yelling it out loud! Everyone in the room was gasping and when he looked back at Emma, he could see tears running down her eyes like race car drivers.
“Alex… detention.” Mrs. Sophie said.
“But you didn’t say anything when she was making comments! If anything, she deserved what she got! Everyone would agree! Right guys?” Alex argued.
Everyone was just acting like they were reading through their textbooks trying to avoid trouble. So Alex just got up and left. Never in his life did he think he would get detention. And his mom would be fuming.
Alex arrived and immediately realized he didn’t belong. Like he was in a place of future criminals. During the long day of wet willies, strong flicks and violent kicks, he saw a teacher talking to another 8th grader. The 8th grader said: “Have you killed the fox yet?”
The teacher replied with: “No sir, only scared him violently.”
“You fool! The one thing you were not supposed to do! God, what do I do with you?”
Pretty weird thing to be seeing and hearing considering it’s an adult getting scolded by a kid.
“What does it want?” The kid said.
“Love? Happiness?” The teacher replied.
The kid took the teacher’s face by hand and threw him to the ground.
“Listen here bub. I only want answers, not dumb theories. Hear me?”
“Understood, master.”
Alex looked back to see if anyone was watching or listening, but everyone in the room was asleep, even the detention monitor was asleep! It was lunchtime for all seventh graders so the hall was empty.
“Get out of here idiot.” The kid said to the teacher on the floor as he ran. The kid also looked at the detention room and Alex quickly pretended he was deep asleep.
Before Alex knew it, he had to go home. So he walked home and a car came. The car hit a sharp rock on the road and popped the tire. The car went ballistic! And it went crashing towards Alex! Just then, a purple and blue spark appeared and everything went dark.
“Huh what?” Alex gasped. He was in a bed, in a woody and small cottage.
He got up thinking what the heck just happened. And a deep voice went: “Look who woke up in time.”
Alex looked around, and he saw the same fox next to him and it was standing on its legs.
“Where am I? What are you?” Alex asked.
“Rude. Can’t you see I’m a fox?” The fox replied, “My name is Owl.”
“For a fox? Dumb name.” Alex responded.
“Let me see if you do better.” Owl said with an eyebrow raised.
“Er… Alex.”
“Bet you want a name as cool as— WAIT A MINUTE! YOU! You were the one walking to that school! Oh. The betrayal. The disrespect. The horror.”
“Um… what?”
“I saved the life of my killer. AND THIEF!”
It took a moment for Alex to realize the chat the teacher and 8th grader had. Something about hunting a fox that had scars. And there it was. Right in front of him.
“Wait! Don’t hurt me! I-I-I’m innocent! I swear it!” Alex sobbed.
“Then what do you know?” Owl asked.
“You… are being hunted and want something from my school that stole something from you?” Alex said.
“YOU KNOW TOO MUCH!” Owl quickly jumped at Alex with open paws and scratched him. Alex had a scar that for some reason was purple.
“Huh, you are telling the truth.” Owl said. He was apologizing like crazy.
“How would you know and why is my cut purple? OH NO! I’M BADLY INJURED!!!” Alex panicked.
“Oh relax, it’s my spell.” Owl said, calming Alex down.
“Spell? Are we at HOGWARTS?”
“Hogwarts? What the hell is that place? Everyone is born with a spell— oh right, you’re human. Sigh. Get out here.” Owl replied.
They got out and almost immediately Alex was hit by a frozen wind. It looked like the forest, except with thick trees and leaves.
“Woah. This forest got an upgrade!” Alex said with a wide smile.
“No. This… is my home. Another universe from yours. The Heartless Tundra.”
“Say what now! I’M IN ANOTHER UNIVERSE!!? MY MOM WILL FREAK WHEN SHE REALIZES I’M MISSING! LAST TIME I WAS GONE FOR FOUR HOURS AND THE POLICE GOT INVOLVED!!! Great! In a very cold forest! That has heartless in the name! JUST GREAT!” Alex kept panicking and panicking the entire time. Then Owl said:
“Gee, you are a tough one. I saved you in a way time paused in your world. Happens everytime I bring a human.”
“Okay, you have done this before. Good. So when I go back, I won’t die in a car crash right?”
“Yeah, but in the journey, many don’t survive. It’s quite the tough one.” Owl said.
Alex could not have panicked more. But Owl said:
“I have an easy way for you to live. But the journey is much more dangerous and I think you’ll like this idea.”
“F–F–Fine.” Alex sobbed, as they made it through the Heartless Tundra.
The journey was a little too cold for Owl and Alex. Alex was wearing ‘normal’ winter clothes. While Owl had no shirt but an open jacket and pants and a hat.
“What are we gonna do?” Alex asked with a frozen face.
“You’ll see, but don’t worry! It won't hurt.” Owl said with his frozen smile.
But then, an actual owl came in front of them.
“Hello Owl and fellow traveller! Welcome back to the Heartless Tundra! I’m Phoenix! Your fellow guide! Where would you like to go?”
“An owl named Phoenix? Can these names get any more ridiculous?” Alex complained.
“I’d like to see you do any better—”
“Relax! I already did that! His name is dumb!” Owl said.
“It’s not dumb—”
“Well hello Dumb! Where would you like to go today?” Phoenix asked.
“Is this a joke? Because it’s not funny. Like nowhere close to funny.” Alex said.
“Don’t bother. He thought my name was ‘Hey look an owl’.” Owl whispered to him.
“At least your name is there!” Alex said with a frown.
“We would like to go to the crystal cave!” Owl exclaimed.
Phoenix pointed to the right path, and they headed there surprisingly fast. As if they teleported.
“Hey, this trip wasn’t too dangerous!” Alex exclaimed happily.
“No, no, no. This is where it gets dangerous.”
Alex gulped as Owl charged in with a knife. And before Alex knew it. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. He looked back to see a masked figure in a robe with a huge sword.
“You. The detention sleeper. I know what you did. So you’re a bigger target than the fox.” It said, “I don’t want you telling anybody else I was there. So I’ll kill you, nice, and slowly.”
Alex saw the blood dripping from the blade of the sharp sword. And knew. This is where he dies. All he could do was step closer, kneel down, and open his arms.
The hooded man took the blade high up and struck him. Except, nothing happened. There was some energy blocking the dark attack. Coming from who though? Alex turned back and there he saw it. A blue robed man with a large beard going:
“Stand back Demon! You are not killing anyone today!”
The man kept using its wand and blasting balls of energy at it. And Owl came too. Jumped and cut the masked man. The mask fell off. And the man got up and screamed as it turned its face.
“Watch out!” Owl shouted, pushing Alex.
Owl saw the face and he turned pale.
“NO!!!” The bearded man exclaimed, casting a spell.
The creature behind the mask disintegrated. The man rushed over to Owl.
“No, No, NO! His soul is gone! Kid, we need to get in the cave.”
“Who are you?” Alex asked.
“Edric. Edric Oswald. Quick! Hurry!”
They were down in the cave. Edric looked worried.
“Mr. Oswald sir? Will everything be alright?” Alex asked.
“Hopefully.” He replied. He placed Owl on a rock and energy started following Owl. Healing him.
“Now, you came here for a reason didn’t you?” Edric asked.
“Yes sir. But Owl never told me why…” Alex responded.
“Oh, him with his secrets.” Edric said with a smile “It was always like that. Even when The Tundra was Hopeful.”
“What do you mean?”
“Before the Heartless Tundra, was the Hopeful Tundra. The land of Hope and Peace. Then, Eve and his shadow demons arrived.”
“Shadow demons?”
“What you just saw. They suck the souls out of animals, wizards, dwarfs, fairies, goblins, and other mythical creatures. It was pure darkness and mayhem. Me and my other fellow wizards tried to revive them, but the darkness was too much.” He continued, “If it weren’t for Dawn. A dragon of heart. She sacrificed her life, only to get rid of the darkness and most of the army.”
“Did she have a family?” Alex Asked while being served a pot of spaghetti.
“Yes. Indeed she did. She had a brother called Night. Known as the faded soldier. He was the person who stood up to Eve. Banishing him. Thanks to his demons he could come back. He turned the cold deadly and this place was no longer safe. As Night became stone.” Edric sobbed.
“That’s… sad. Really sad.” Alex said gobbling all of his spaghetti.
“The only good that came from the demons… was something sneaky, proud, and mighty.” Edric continued.
“It’s Owl wasn’t it?” Alex said, looking at the pale fox over there on the rock.
“He… was a young shadow demon. Dawn found him by the waterfall she learned to protect at. It was hungry, afraid, and lost. But it was still one of those demons hunting creatures for food. Dawn used some of her power to give it life. And Owl was born. She nursed him into a fighter and taught him how to use his spell to identify truth and a lie. But… I don’t know the rest of his story. And neither does he.”
Alex got up:
“You people have lost faith in yourself, two dragons are gone and you just defend? This was your territory! Your land! Only a nitwit like Eve is out there in my world pretending to be an eighth grader. GET UP AND FIGHT!” Alex exclaimed.
“Someone has faith somewhere. And we found him. Kid… let’s learn a spell!”
“WHAT!!? Hell yeah!” Alex said.
Edric taught him the art of spell casting, creating a spell or not creating a spell. By the end of it, he was kinda ready. He had tried a new spell.
“Okay Edric, I’m leaving.” Alex said.
“Wait!” Edric called. He gave him a bunch of poison darts.
“Use these to slow Eve down.”
“Got it! Take care of Owl!” Alex said in a hurry.
“Already Alex could see a monument close by. Casted by darkness.”
“Okay! I need to—”
Alex was surrounded by Shadow Demons!
“You’re coming with us kid!”
They chained him up and brought him to the monument. Where Alex saw many shadow demons with bloody blades. This was probably the fastest defeat ever. Or probably a boss battle.
“Bring him up!” Every demon marched up with Alex just being carried by them.
“Eh… new bait I see. The fox’s friend.” Some purple eyed cloaked man said.
“I knew you were Eve!” Alex responded.
“That was fast!” Eve responded back.
“Owl’s not dead.” Alex said.
“Pfff. I know! Shadow demons don’t have souls!” Eve responded. “It’s just a mirage.”
“How dumb is it that you're telling me this?” Alex asked.
“Good point! Kill him.” Eve darkly said.
“NOOOOOO!”
“Get away from Dumb!”
Alex looked up to see Phoenix up and attacking the shadow demons.
“I could have never been more excited to see—”
“What are you idiots doing! KILL THE BOY! He’s right there!”
A blade was tossed at Alex but Phoenix comes in the middle but turns to stone. The blade goes through him, breaking him but missing Alex.
“How?” Alex thought.
“Ahhh! Stone casting. Way better than that bird’s location navigation!”
Alex started forming tears and looked angrily at Eve.
“Any last words?” Eve grinned.
“Stay back from him!!!”
Another similar voice came, and another, Edric and Owl were charging through the demons like it was cake! Edric with his Drain Casting and Owl with his Scar Casting. Apparently, if you lie, you disintegrate! So those demons lied a lot!
“It’s fine!” Eve says casting a spell!
Like that Edric was gone!
“No!!!” Owl went. And he went rogue. He destroyed every demon there. Until, it was only Owl, Alex and Eve.
“Sigh, you never learn your lesson. Dawn is dead and Night is stone.”
“Stone? YOU TURNED HIM TO STONE!” Alex exclaimed.
“This is boring! It’s too fast luckily I—”
Alex took his darts and threw them at him. When he was turning Owl to stone.
“OWL!” Alex exclaimed.
“It’s heavy.” Owl says softly.
“What’s happening?” Alex asked.
“Death my friend, death.” Owl replied. “Let me tell you something. We weren't friends for long, but it was nice while it lasted. I haven’t had a friend like you since… Dawn. I remember what happened. She gave me a necklace and Eve stole it. A necklace of power. But it was gone. And that was the remaining love of Dawn. Night took care of me when Dawn was gone, but faded to keep me alive. I remember now… I remember.” Owl became full of stone and Alex’s tears were heavy.
He shouldn’t have tried anything. Only if he hadn’t had paid attention to Eve and his shadow demon disguised as a student and teacher.
“Well…” Eve said, showing him the stone of Night, “You’re next—”
Alex got up and he star casted. Shooting stars fell out of the sky, there were a million of them. He finally learned a new spell and saw a light!
Alex opened his eyes to see himself in a medical chair.
“Alex! You’re fine!” His mom cried.
“What happened?” Alex asked.
“You were hit by a car!”
“Oh right. Now I remember.”
“Also, we found you with this necklace. So we kept it on you.”
Alex looked down to see a purple necklace that said Dawn on one side and Night on the other.
“Dawn… Night. So that’s how I escape.” Alex calmly said.
“What?” His mom asked.
“Oh nothing.” Alex said with a smile.

THE END