The astrals before Blox Watch

Chapter eleven: The Rescue

The squad made their way to the cave. They were in a hurry, because they knew the general and his minions would be on the search for them once the ritual failed. None was in a better hurry than Charlotte. 

"Come on, we got to pick up the pace!"

"Alright, we're coming, we're coming."

Back at the cave, everything was prepared. Two shadows came.

"Alright, you four. Come with us."

Jez, Matt, Guest and Molly were taken to a room. There was a circle filled with symbols, for a demonic ritual. Around the circle there were four table-like platforms standing upright (got no clue what they're called) all equally away from each other. 

"All of you get on those!" ordered the shadow creature

"Prat!"

"Matt!"

"What, Guest?"

"Shush. You'll only make it worse"

"Fine"

Outside of the cave stood two guards. A few yards away, in some bushes stood the rescue party. The were observing carefully, trying not to be seen. 

"How do we get the guard's attention?" asked Rose 

"I have a plan. However we need to sneak and hide behind a wall of the entrance."

"But why?" For the plan to work we first need the ritual to fail. Let's move!"

Back inside, everything was ready. Guest, Molly, Jez and Matt were all immobilized. The general stepped in the middle. He and his minions started chanting some weird stuff. It took them about five minutes before everyone stopped. The prisoners looked around at one another. Then they all felt an immense pain coming from their chests. To describe it best, it was like someone was slowly inserting a knife there. It was slow and painful. Then it stopped. The pain had stopped. The general looked above , as if he was looking for something. Then it hit him.

"No, it can't be!"

"What is it master?"

"We're missing something!"

"But master, we have a guest, a bacon hair, a pure blooded, and an astral"

"Unless we have a double..". He turned towards Molly. "You're not Charlotte, are you?" Molly shook her head in denial. "YOU IDIOTS! YOU GOT THE WRONG ONE!"

"Damn it, I knew we should have taken the other one!"

"You had her?!"

"M-m-m-Maybe..........?"

"You Imbeciles! I've had it! I'm going to search for her too! COME ON!"

Then, an army of creatures emerged out of the cave like angry bees.

"Now is our chance!" exclaimed Charlotte, while reloading a gun. "Ready Albert?"

"Born ready!"

The two revealed themselves. The creatures only got a glimpse of the two before *BANG* *BANG*. The guards were shot dead. 

"Right, come on!" Instructed Albert

They went inside. They were amazed. The cave was more like a castle. They soon found the ritual room, and continued on, until finding a hallway with cell doors left and right. If their captured friends were anywhere, they were there. 

They looked in every cell, before spotting a pale hand. They knew who that belonged to. 

"Dad!"

"Guest!"

"Mom, Dad!"

"Jez!"

"Whoa, you guys made it!"

"Indeed we did. But how the hell do we get this flipping door open?"

"Stay aside, girls, I came prepared"

"Very funny, Albert!"

Soon he got to work, fiddling with the lock. 

"This will take a while. Cover me up!"

So Charlotte, Daisy and Rose got out some guns to protect Albert while he was doing his thing. It was all quiet when *Bang*. "Shit!" Daisy saw a horde of creatures coming and this she shot one of them , giving away their location. She shot a four more times before a creature jumped on her, pushing her to the ground.

"Charlie, HELP!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Charlotte didn't have to turn around to see who the voice belonged to. She froze in fear, just before noticing the horrified look on Daisy's face, as if she was looking at something behind her. 

She turned around to see Rose out cold, and Albert lied on his chest, DEAD. Cerise was nowhere to be seen, although Charlotte could have swore she was right behind her.  

"Surrender, and NOBODY will be hurt." He looked at Daisy. "Oh! I almost forgot to tell you. your powers are nullified in my presence, thanks to my and the beast's special venom. So? What will it be?"

"You're just pathetic dad."

"What did you say?!"

"I said that you are pathetic. Threatening a teenager just because she has some other-wordly powers? I expected better from the Fearsome Bacon General."

"The audacity. I brought you up to be a strong man and a fighter. Yet you killed me"

"You deserved it! You killed thousands of innocent lives! You killed my mother. Your wife........"

"Shut it!"

"Fine fine."

"Good"

Jez giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Not only are you pathetic, you're also dumber than you look!"

"What is THAT supposed to mean?"

"Look behind you, Dumbass!"

Upon doing so, the General noticed how Charlie had ran off, and that the guards holing Daisy and blocking the door were out too.

"What the-?" The General stormed out, followed by his minions to find Charlotte.

================================================================================

"Thanks for helping us, but who the devil are you?"

"An old friend that only Jez and Rose know about. Anyway, you and Cerise must leave and get reinforcements!"

"But what about our friends and family?"

"Without you their ritual is useless. You both must leave. I'll stall for time."

"But you're a flipping ghost!"

"Just do it- Fuck! We're too late!"

"What?!"

"Don't worry. I'll protect Cerise and find a way to help you!"

"What the-?"

"OI YOU!"

"AH SHIT!"

The creatures lunged at Charlotte. She put her arms in front of her face to block the attack. She did so, but she was soon surrounded. 

"Ah son of a-"

"Now there's no way you're escaping!" fumed the General. "Now either surrender, or I will make you. You have three seconds. 3.......

The countdown begun. Charlotte knew she was in deep trouble. No sooner had the General finished, Charlotte received a hard punch. Her head went backwards and ricocheted against the wall. This caused her to feel really dizzy, before falling to the ground.

"Take her and tie her up. We will have another ritual tomorrow