The Dragon's Bounty IV:Nightmares

Chapter 11

          Lance swung Calibrus at the invisible wall, putting another huge crack in it next to Duros's crack, Calibrus dissipating. Lance's brow shot upward as he stared at his hand. He looked back at everyone else with his mouth agape.
           "Am I gonna die?" He asked. Everyone laughed.
           "No, Duros' did the same thing." Emma said, wiping a tear from her eye.
           Lance slumped over. "That scared me half to death."
           Duros patted him on the shoulder. "Me too, pal. Me too." Lance looked up at him and smiled. He straightened up. "So, what now?"
           "We find Khan and Huey and have them help us shatter the wall with their spirit swords." Kai said, propping his fists on his hips.
Lance nodded. He frowned. "Is there any chance we could bring Destiny along?" He asked.
            Aro sighed. "I have a feeling that isn't the real Destiny."
           Lance nodded slowly. "I know." He said quietly. "I just hope wherever she is, she's alright."

           Destiny lay on her bed in she and Blake's house, Blake sitting on a stool beside her bed, Norman across the room in a chair, his arms wrapped around his knees.
           "Will she be ok?" Norman asked.
           Blake looked up at him. "I don't know." He said softly.
           "I hope she's ok." Norman said, looking at the floor. "And I hope somehow my daddy is ok, too."
           Blake nodded. "Me too." Suddenly, Iris burst through the door, clutching her head. Blake and Norman looked at her.
Iris looked down at Destiny. She was breathing heavily. "I was freed when Andrew left. I had to come see if she was alright." Blake nodded. Iris sat down on the bed beside Destiny, still rubbing her head. "Kathrine is back, too. I think when Andrew left, he took all the bad juju with him." Blake nodded. Iris looked intently at him. "And I think he took your mom, too."
Blake stood, the stool falling to the ground. "What did you say?" He asked.
           Iris nodded. "When Destiny enters people's heads, she leaves her body unattended. She must still be in Andrew's head, waiting for someone to knock the demon inside him's guard down." Blake looked down at his mother. "And I know just the guy for the job."
           Blake looked up at her. "Who?" He asked. Iris smiled.

           Aro punched the ground, sending a few chunks of stone forward and upward, which slammed into some of the monsters' faces. He spun around with glowing fists, continuously punching the dog creatures in the face and sides, hoping to at least knock them unconscious. Uel's knives flew around the room, engaging in combat with the claws and fangs of the creatures, while Samuel fired his energy at them with one arm, his other arm around Jack's back, keeping him standing, careful not to damage Jack's wings. Nickolas jumped around the room, impaling the creatures with his pickaxe. Once all the monsters had subsided, the group sat down on the rocks scattered around the cave.
            Smoak appeared. "I haven't found anyone in the nearby caves. We must have been separated further than we had previously anticipated."
           Aro nodded and stood. "We have to find them."
Uel put his hand to the chin of his helmet as he stroked Steven. "If they aren't in the nearby caves, then perhaps they fell further down?"
           Aro nodded. "It's worth a shot." He looked over to Nickolas. "You up for the job?"
           Nickolas smiled and saluted. "Sir yes sir!" His pickaxe disappeared and he dove into the ground, drilling a hole straight downward.
           "Now we wait." Aro said.

           Rin looked around the dark cave.
           "Got anyone who can make light?" Quin nodded. She extended her hand. A centaur with glowing red eyes appeared, the star sign for Sagittarius on his hind.
He smiled. "What can I do for you, my lady?" His top half bowed to Quin.
            "I hate to waste your skills, but could you make a flaming arrow so we can see?"
            Sagittarius sighed. "Of course, my lady!" He said heroically. He notched an arrow, igniting it, providing light in the cave.
            Aries grumbled. "I coulda done that." He said under his breath.
Rin looked around the cave, her eyes nearly popping out of her head. "Everyone stay quiet." She whispered. All around them were sleeping monsters of all sorts, lying completely still, almost dead.
            "They look dead." Aries said.
Rin covered his snout. "They aren't." She whispered. "Monsters down here turn to dust when they die, remember?"
            Aries nodded. "I knew that." He said, turning his snout up.
            Rin rolled her eyes. "We just need to get out of here quickly and quietly." She said. Everyone nodded and began backing away. Above them, a soft burrowing sound was heard, gradually getting louder.
            Suddenly, Nickolas dropped from the ceiling and landed on the floor. "I found you!" He shouted. Everyone's brow shot upward. The monsters began to growl and awaken.
            "Run!" Rin shouted. Sagittarius grabbed Quin and tossed her on to his back. Rin grabbed Nickolas and jumped up behind her, Nickolas holding on to her armor for dear life. Sagittarius and Aries took off down one of the tunnels, the horde of monsters behind them.
            Quin extended her hand toward them. "Pisces! Help!" An orange fish with glowing blue eyes appeared, the star sign for Pisces on his forehead. His mouth silently opened and closed as he swam through the air. Quin pointed at the monsters. "Do something!" She shouted. Pisces' large eyes looked back at the monsters. A bubble came out of his mouth, floating through the air. "Yes!" Quin shouted. Pisces stopped and turned to the monsters. A bubble began generating on his large lips, expanding to fit the entire tunnel, lodging it in place. Once the bubble fit snugly against the walls, Pisces let go and swam back through the air toward the rest of the group.
            Rin looked over her shoulder at Nickolas. "Maybe next time look before you shout!" She shouted.
            Nickolas chuckled. "My bad." He said. Rin nodded and looked back forward. Sagittarius continued down the tunnel, the sound of the monsters gradually getting louder.
            "The tunnel splits into two up ahead!" Rin shouted. "Go right! We'll make them go left!" Sagittarius nodded and veered to the right, Aries right behind him. Quin opened her hand as they entered the tunnel. A small goat appeared, glowing green eyes and various fins around his body, gills on his neck and the star symbol for Capricorn on his back.
           "Hide us!" Quin shouted, clearly drained from having three zodiacs at once.
           Capricorn nodded. "You got it my la-ady." He crouched down at the entrance of the tunnel, a wall appearing that filled in the tunnel.
           "Woah, Capricorn is an earth mancer?" Rin asked.
          Quin shook her head. "He makes illusions, like Hydra."
           Rin smiled. "I still haven't met all of them and we've been together like two years. Also, where is Hydra?" Quin shrugged and looked back forward.
           Grunt gasped and looked around. "What happened?" He asked, rubbing his head.
           Rin laughed. "He's finally awake." She said.
           Grunt looked up at her and smiled. "I must have hit my head."
           Aries tossed him off of his back. "Well, guess you don't need my help anymore." He said with a smile. "Call me when there's a big monster to take down." He disappeared. Grunt got up and began walking beside Sagittarius, who had slowed to a trot.
           "Now to find everyone else." Rin said, looking forward into the darkness.