The Auburn Fox and the Rainbow Islands

Chapter 2: The Indigo Depths

Captain Sam entered the ship. Her tail waved slowly as she observed the dragon.

"Ready the canons, boys," she said as her lips curled under her jet black hair.

Yinglong roared and dashed towards the ship. Captain Sam stayed put. Her navy blue qipao danced on the summer breeze as she stared her opponent down.

Seconds before Yinglong would crash with her, captain Sam jumped up. "Now!"

The canons fired ten thousand volt through Nova's ship.

Nova's eyes widened and their hair stood up as Yinglong stopped only a few nanometers in front of them.

Deep fried, Yinglong dropped dead on the ship, taking it and Nova with them to their watery grave.

***

As they opened their eyes, Nova stared at a white light. The salty smell of the sea was intermingled with bleach and a hint of rosemary.

Is this it? Am I dead?

Nova scratched their head. They felt something slibbery.

Seaweed?

Nova tried to sit up, but their back hurt tremendously.

Right, Yinglong... That scumbag. I'm gonna kick their buttocks.

Nova rolled out of bed, landed on their feet and slowly straightened their back.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuudge.

A high-pitched voice screeched: "Why by Neptune are you out of bed? Get back in there at once."

Nova looked over their shoulder.

Big bright fishy eyes stared at Nova as coral hair fell in front of them.

The girl took off her ribbon and long amphibian fingers combed her hair to the back, capturing it tightly in a knot.

Nova stared at the girl. "And you are?"

"Not pleased to see you out of bed." She pointed at the pile of white blankets and pillows. "Get back in there at once."

The girl pulled Nova by their ear back to bed.

Back in bed, Nova rubbed their ear. "Geez, all the white had me fooled. I thought this was Heaven, but it's definitely Hell."

The girl hit them with a pillow. "This is neither. This is Atlantis."

"Atlantis? What am I doing in Atlantis?"

"We saved you and you're now gonna save us. So no moving around without my permission." The girl waved her finger. "Got that?"

Nova looked defiantly at the girl.

The girl pulled down the side of her lips and knitted her eyebrows. Try me was written all over her face.

Nova scrunched their nose. "What do you mean with saving you?"

The lights went out. A red flashing light went on and sirens went off.

A robotic voice filled the room. "This is no drill. We are under attack. I repeat. We are under attack."

The girl rushed to the window and closed the curtains as the robotic voice continued: "Stay away from the windows and lock all doors. Proceed to the shelter if possible."

The girl then locked the door. She grabbed a rolling screen and surrounded the bed with it.

She sat on the bed and pulled up her knees.

"Stay on the bed," she hissed, "And don't move."

Nova wanted to speak, but the girl covered their lips with her finger. "No sound, no movements and only superficial breaths."

A click alerted the girl. Her eyes widened as she stared at the door. Her lips trembled in fear.

The doorknob moved back and forth and a heavy weight crashed against the door over and over again.

The shadow it casted in the room spread across the floor filling every nook with a sweet scent.

The girl trembled as she saw it crawling under the bed, searching for its next victim.

Snot slithered down her nose and fell onto the ground.

Oh no.

The shadow shot to the snot and examined it closely.

Two red eyes lit up staring at the girl.

A loud wail echoed in the night.

The crashing stopped and the red eyes turned indigo as the shadow and its owner retreated.

The girl burst out in tears. "Mary..."

***

When she calmed down, Nova's curiosity took the upper hand. "What was that? Who's Mary?"

"That was a Morgen," the girl bitterly said, "and she was their victim."

Nova remained silent.

The girl continued: "The thing bashing the door chained sweet Mary's soul to them and now she's doomed to serve them in the afterlife."

"Thank goodness they decided to give up."

"They didn't give up," the girl's face turned cold, "they were called back by their leader....That cry..." The girl shivered. "Another child has sacrificed themselves to save us all.

But they'll be back when he's hungry again."

Nova tensed their muscles. "How can I help?"

The girl walked to the window. "The Morgen are created by magic," she said as she brushed away a tear, "so only magic can stop them."

She took a leather bound book with yellowed pages from the table near the window and brought it to the bed.

The girl opened it and showed it to Nova.

Across the pages four creatures were drawn: a dragon, a bird, a tiger and a tortoise.

"In order to call the four Guardians, we have to sacrifice the blood of those who are neither male, nor female, human nor fox as they chant a text."

The girl turned the page. "I already saved some droplets of blood when they brought you in, so all you have to do, is read this text while I pour it on the bones."

"Deal."

***

The girl got to work. She placed candles around the bed and opened the circle.

She ceremoniously brought the cauldron to the bed and opened the vile of blood.

When she nodded, Nova read:

Guardians of the North, East, South and West,
hear me out, I've done my best
Gather around me in my hour so weak,
Your guidance and your strength is what I seek,
your knowledge and wisdom is my plea
So please help me, as I ask, so mote it be.

Smoke formed in the room and out of it walked the four Guardians.

The White Tiger of the West bowed. "You called us, Master?"