Cole's Legacy - Chapter 1: The Chase

Hey guys, if you did not yet read the prologue, it is recommended. :D
This chapter is shorter than most and is simply a draft.
Please offer constructive criticism but do not forget to tell me anything I did well ;).
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~~Chapter 1~~
~The Chase~

The sight of the vast trees was incredible. They looked similar to the ones that grew on Earth's soil, but had distinct differences that took a keen eye to notice. These trees seemed much more alive, rustling their branches with the wind and swaying in the same pattern, moving in harmony. They were taller and thicker than Earth's plants as well, and it is clear that they can live and survive longer. This was a forest like none other human could have imagined. It is not one limited to trees, grass, bushes, shrubs, and critters alone.

Cole Lancewood had never been the slightest interested in plant life before, but at this point he was desperate for things to appreciate.

He was not too tall or handsome, and was not the bulkiest either. Short, brown hair rested at the top of his head and dipped down, just reaching the end of the neck. He intended to get it cut. The strong, howling wind was pulling forcefully at his hair. This type of weather is another thing that you do not see on Earth.

He felt that he should be used to anything by now, but nevertheless, this whole world still seemed... alien to him.

Cole almost chuckled at the thought; alien was definitely the appropriate word.

He was on the small planet of Baoiken. According to what Cole was told, it was once a magnificent, populous world, but is now narrowed down into just a few remaining tribes. There are many stories and theories as to explaining this disappearance of the Baoiki, the people that inhabited it. Some say that they had reincarnated into the trees that surround the tribes. Another explanation is that there was a terrible plague that killed almost the entire race. One old story even states that an ancient demon cult once attacked the planet, looking for their lost scrolls.

Cole had heard many fascinating traits of the Baoiki. Apparently they were hunters, and masters of illusion. They were somehow able to track down and kill their target without leaving a trace. They could manage to run over twigs and leaves and not make a sound. They were a complete mystery. Unfortunately for them, they appeared weak to the surrounding races because they were not advanced.

There were many unique creatures living there as well. There were small, gray rat-like animals that had tails three times the length of their body. There were known as oinums, and they reminded Cole of squirrels. Then, there were the birds that lived in holes called the guoata. They are adorable little things, but if you step too close to their home, they shot up out of the ground at twenty miles per hour, like dangerous projectiles.  The creatures are what Cole found to be the most fascinating part about leaving home. There were thousands of worlds out there, each with their own species, and Cole wished he could see them all.

His mind started to wander. At first, it was peaceful, neutral thoughts, such as the wonderful freedom he had here and his being at ease. However, he thought briefly of his leaving earth... and the horrors that happened that day. He forced himself back into reality, not daring to recall that event.

Cole's grip on his sword tightened. The weapon was just as different as anything else here, but for some reason it provided him with much comfort. It filled him with strength, bravery, and an unstoppable spirit. He ran his finger down the flat side of the blade. It was light bronze in color, with not a single hint of rust. There was a slight indication of writing on on the handle, but either the writer's handwriting was illegible, or it was worn away over the years. The sword was the only gift that he had received in the past few years. It was truly his most prized possession.

Just as he began to steadily lie back down, he heard a faint, unnatural noise in the far distance. It was somewhat lifelike, and Cole looked up beyond the rocky hill he was sitting on, and squinted. Strangely, it was a boy. Even more unusual, it was not a boy that Cole had seen before on this world.

The boy seemed to be gathering something, possibly the green berries. Cole started to form hundreds of questions in his mind. Who was he? How did he get here? Was he lost? It seemed unreal. Cole had not seen another boy his age in years.

Curiosity was overwhelming him and gained control of his actions. Before he knew it, he was running frantically towards the new person. Much like a deer, the boy took one quick look at Cole and began sprinting into the forest.

Cole, worried he would get away, shouted at him. “No! Wait! STOP!”

And it was a chase. Cole, nearly tripping off of boulders down the slope, was forced to take his eyes off of the ground and focus on the boy. If anything got in his way, he used his sword to push it aside. The boy was running with amazing speed toward the of the forest, eager to have privacy again.

The boy was extremely swift, but Cole was faster. One thing that Cole always noticed about himself is that he had an incredible talent with running. Back on Earth, he was a track star. He was the fastest player, and could run long distances without breaking a sweat.

He was accelerating fast.

“Please, stop. I just want to talk with you! I’m not going to hurt you or-” Cole did not finish his sentence. The boy approached a tree, and ran up. He made nearly five steps up the trunk before he shot off, demonstrating a perfect back flip over Cole, and glided in the other direction. He then resumed running the way he came from. Cole turned his head, still processing that the boy was right in front of him a second ago and was now running out of the forest behind him.

Cole spun his heels, attempting to race after the boy. He looked beyond the forest, watching him. The boy was running towards the hill that Cole was on earlier. He was heading straight towards the holes! Cole knew that he could fall into one because they were covered in leaves.

“HEY! There are holes on the ground, under the leaves!”

It seemed as though his words were never heard, for the boy did not change direction. Cole winced as the boy stepped on one of the patches of leaves, but nothing happened. He watched in surprise as the person ran over the leaves, not falling into the wide hole. It was impossible. Could he really be that light on his feet?

Cole realized that there was only one explanation that he could think of. The boy had to be one of the mysterious Baoiki. Perhaps his race did not know that there were humans on their planet, and it frightened them. Or maybe they did not know what humans were like, and for all the boy knew, Cole was a horrible monster. Cole shuddered at this worry, hoping that the person was not trying to run for his life.

“You can trust me, I swear! I really just want to talk,” Cole attempted to shout again. He considered slowing his pace, making it clear that he had no intentions of harm. However, the boy would not be able to see him. He was beginning to climb the rock-covered hill, using both his hands and legs to quickly find steady boulders and hop up at an amazing pace.

Cole tried to get his attention for the last time. “Okay! I am now going to drop my sword, and stop running. Will that show you I’m safe?!!” He did not lie. He tossed his weapon on the ground with a loud clash, so that the boy could hear it. Cole stopped moving and watched him.

For the first time, the boy acknowledged Cole’s voice. He ceased climbing as well, but kept a defensive position. Then, very slowly, he turned his head and stared straight at Cole. The face generally appeared human, but had insane black hair that spiked up in all directions. The sides of his thin face were painted with strange, swirling blue patterns and dots. The clothes were also different, composed of sewn leathery material that was unfamiliar to Cole. The boy’s expression appeared both anxious and confused. Cole felt sorry for him; he appeared to be filled with fright.

“Look, I’m sorry that I scared you.” Cole said softly. He looked at the boy, waiting for a reaction. He just cocked his head, staring at Cole blankly.

Then, just a moment later, the boy looked at Cole with thoughtful eyes, seeming to be analyzing him in every possible way. Cole originally thought that the boy’s tribal ways made him more animal instinct than person, but he was wrong to prejudge him. At this moment, the Baoiki boy looked highly intelligent.

Eventually, the boy’s gaze made it apparent that he had come to a decision. He turned his back on Cole and, calmly, continued to climb up the hill. He was nearly reaching the top.

“Wait!” Cole called after him, but he was already over the hill, out of sight. Cole hurried up the rocks to see where he was going. He knew that there was a wide valley on the other side without much plant life, so he wondered what the boy was doing. As Cole pulled himself over the peak of the hill, he looked around and was shocked.

The boy was nowhere to be seen. He had disappeared in the green, open space.