A Journey To The Clouds, Escape From Cloud Castle - Book Two - ✓

Chapter Fourteen

Where are we going?" Peanut asks, her high-pitched voice echoing as we walk through a brick hallway.

"To see if we can find Lily." I reply.

"Wait- she's here?" Peanut and Chip say in unison.

"Mhm, we were trapped in a tower with her. Remember when I told you?" Ally asks. Peanut scratches her chin lightly. Her face then lights up in remembrance.

"I remember now! So we're going to find Lily!" Peanut repeats before jumping up and down with excitement. Ally giggles as Peanut's fluffy tail grazes her leg. I then jump into thoughts I'm lucky to have.

Who could have known that me and Ally were destined for a journey to save an important part of the universe? Who would have known we would have the fun-loving personalities of Peanut and Chip by our side.

I then remember something specific;

The other two rings.

Me and Ally aren't alone.

I shake the feeling off of my shoulders as I reflect that there will be more than just us on this dangerous and possibly fatal mission.

After just a few minutes of walking, Chip and Peanut started to grow tired, their legs not moving fast enough to keep up with ours. Their ecstatic mindset seemed to be buzzing nonstop as we gradually made distance between the kitchen, and us.

We walk for what seems like hours along endless hallways, infinite staircases, and eternal turns.

"Ally. We need to stop. Now." I pant as we walk up our twentieth spiral staircase. I feel Ally's hand rub on my back as she finally chooses a place to rest in one room. There is a hay filled corner-good enough for a semi-comfortable sleep. Once I reach the hay, I fall on my back and in an instant I'm knocked out. I come to the quick conclusion that I'm having another vision. . .

"Hera, is it done yet?" A low voice growls in the dark room. Asher.

"Not yet, my lord." A higher voice replies. A dark woman with brown hair and emerald green eyes, more like Ally's.

"Is it at least close to being done?"Asher complains.

"Just be patient, it'll be close when it will." The woman replies with a sharp tone.

"It'll be close when I say it will!" Asher roars.

"Alright, alright," Hera replies impatiently, "Do you have a plan?" She adds hesitantly.

"Yes of course I have a plan. Those idiot kids will not slip through my fingers this time."Asher says.

"You sure about that?" Hera mumbles under her breath.

"Actually yeah, I am!" Asher mutters. Hera jumps at the sound of his horrific reply.

"I-uh yes, ok." Hera hurriedly replies. She then rushes to get back to working on whatever she's working on. Asher sighs as he watches the young woman work.

She appears to be working with metal because sparks start flying behind her and at Asher's feet.

"Will you keep those sparks to yourself?" He yells.

"Er, sorry! It's hard to use my hands to separate and wield the metal into a cage shape." She retorts with a hint of attitude. She returns to the cage that is big enough for at least ten people. At least an hour later, Hera completes the construction and shows it to Asher.

He studies it carefully, making sure that it is indestructible.

He hits the metal several times until dents start to appear. Each time, Hera winces as the sound of the metal clashing with the heavy hand of the giant's.

"Why don't you look at that. There's a dent in it!" Asher complains. He pokes at the metal with his finger, creating even more of an indent.

"But sir- that's your doing. Not mine!" She cries. Asher glares at her.

"Would you rather me cut you up and feed you to the wolves in the woods right here?" He snarls at her. She looks absolutely terrified.

"N-n-no sir. N-not at all." Hera gasps.

"Then get back to work." Asher says. So Hera continues to work on it, making it absolutely unbreakable.

"There better not be any dents in it this time." Asher mutters.

"I made sure there wasn't-" Hera says quickly.

"I didn't ask you to speak!" Asher interrupts. Hera looks at the floor as Asher checks the condition of the cage.

"Good enough. You put it out there so they won't see it, then you lead them to it. Got it?" Asher demands.

"Yep. You won't be disappointed." Hera says. Her form starts to change until her hands have turned into paws, and her ears turned pointed. She then hid off into the shadow's, ready to do her deed and stop the hero's that would put their plan to destruction.

"Connor! Wake up! Connor, are you ok?" Ally frantically shakes me, trying to get me up.

"W-what? What's wrong?" I ask curiously. I urgently get up from the hay, stretching my arms and neck.

"Nothings wrong. It's just that you kept screaming in your sleep. And it was kind of scaring me. I couldn't get you up for at least two minutes." She replies. I'm shocked. This has never happened before - at least from my perspective.

"Well, we should probably get up and keep looking for Lily." I say as I get up out of the haystack.

"I'll get Chip and Peanut. You can go ahead and start if you'd like." Ally says. She then starts gently scratching the chipmunks chin's. I shake my head.

"Not a chance. We stay together." I reply.

"Are you sure?" Ally asks again. I tip my head to the side in confusion. Of course I am!

"I'm positive. We don't want each other getting lost in this castle - especially not knowing what's behind every corner." I say to her. I lean against the brick wall, my arms crossed in front of my chest. No way am I going alone. Even if I had wanted to, I knew the most important part of these types of missions, was to stay together.

"Is anything wrong?" I ask her. I rub my chin. Was she trying to move me away from her? Or was it something else? She looks at me and shakes her head.

"Nothing at all." She says with a loving smile.