The Wizards of India and the Hunt For the Beast

Chapter 37

Justin hoped to follow in Legolas' footsteps by leaping over the water and onto the stage. But instead, they fell straight into the water and proceeded to drown due to the vines around their waist loosening and re-wrapping around their arms. They thrashed about but the vines wrapped around them even tighter. Their stomach convulsed, begging them to breathe.

The vines felt as if they were growing and thickening around Justin's arms and waist. Panic overtook all their thoughts. The vines turned into arms and hands ripped the plants from around their chest. Justin shot to the surface, taking in deep gasping breaths. Niraj emerged from the water and guided Justin to the pool ladder.

"Thank you," said Justin, and they scrambled up and over the ladder.

"What just happened?" asked Bastian from the ship.

"Nitara?" Justin asked, looking about the stage. Neither she nor Erla was to be found.

"Here!" a voice from above shouted. Justin looked up to see Nitara and Erla sitting on the Catwalk next to the crystal heart.

"I have to stop my brother. Will you fly me?"

Nitara nodded. "Of course."

Removing her large feather wings first, she dove headfirst off the catwalk. At the last moment, she stopped midair above Justin's head. She held out her hand and Justin took it. In an instant, Justin's feet left the floor and Nitara flew them at breakneck speed toward the broken doorway. They soared over the balcony seats and shot through the beast-sized hole at the end of the theater. On the other side, they were greeted by more destruction. All the long wooden tables were smashed against the wall, the flags from all over the world lying limply on top of them. Broken stained glass littered the ground below circular holes in the wall that had once been windows.

Nitara flew Justin to the broken windows and paused, hovering in the air.

"Do you think they left the castle?" she asked.

Over the strange neighborhood, thick towering dark clouds formed and the wind rushed through the broken windows.

Then it hit them, the reason why Naldo would run from the castle.

"He's leading Simon straight to the trackers!"

The wind whipped at Nitara's face. "I don't think I can fly in that storm."

The first thunder boomed, shaking the walls around them. Justin frantically scanned the Great Hall.

"I need another way to get to Simon."

A yellow light flickered on and then off from the brick fireplace. Justin sprinted to the fireplace and dove headfirst into a back hole.

They regretted diving headfirst into the gigantic slide. It tossed them from side to side. They had no way of keeping themselves from bumping their head over and over again. As the slide arched into a loop, Justin bit their tongue. Eyes watering, they tasted iron.

Ahead, a pinprick of light grew and grew until Justin free fell to the earth. Face first. They quickly pulled themselves into a ball, hitting the ground on their back.

They moaned but didn't allow themselves to register the pain as they stood. The white and gold Indian palace towered above them. They raced past the white spires towards destruction. Only one black gate remained, swinging slowing from a single hinge.

A small smile crept across Justin's face as he peered through the hulking pine trees, dark shadows, and thick brambles. Naldo may have lured Simon towards the shadows but he also stepped into the wizard's own forest.

They ran through the broken gate and into their realm. The soft blue glow was gone from the tunnel, the dead trees pulled from the earth along with the vines. Above, the clouds grew thick blocking out almost all the light and turning the trees into shadowy giants with bony fingers.