The Flames Inside | A Watcher Grian Story; Book 2

Chapter 2

        Impulse could feel Mumbo's grip tighten around his hand. He glanced toward him slightly and bit his lip. He looked quickly back ahead, watching as the watcher began to step forward.

        "I never thought I'd see you here again, Xisuma." Zeqain said with a smile. He looked around to each of them and smiled more. "No wonder I couldn't see them escape their cells... Still using that magic of yours, eh? I thought you said you'd never use it again..."

        Xisuma let out a breath. "Well, obviously not..." he said.

        Scar bit his lip, glancing at Xisuma. He had magic? For real? He looked around slightly, furrowing his brow. Well, that would make sense to a lot of things... All those times way back when Xisuma first moved to the city... He was such a big help with everything, for everyone. But, how could he have magic?

        "Hm, I suppose it doesn't matter anymore though, now that I've found you..." Zeqain said, raising his hand. He formed a flame, watching Xisuma closely from behind his mask. "╎ ʖᒷꖎ╎ᒷ⍊ᒷ ╎ℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ℸ ̣ ╎ᒲᒷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ∷ᒷ⍊ᒷᔑꖎ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᒲᔑ⊣╎ᓵ╎ᔑリ'ᓭ ᓭᒷᓵ∷ᒷℸ ̣..." he said. "ꖎᒷℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ ᔑ ꖎ╎ℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ꖎᒷ ⎓⚍リ." he grinned.

        "⍑ᒷ∷ᒷ ∴ᒷ ⊣𝙹 ᔑ⊣ᔑ╎リ..." Xisuma faintly whispered.

        Scar furrowed his brow again and tilted his head as he thought for a second... Suddenly his eyes widened as he looked again at Xisuma... Did... he just whisper in the watcher's language...? "...Magician's secret revealed..." he mumbled quietly.

        Xisuma turned to face him. "As soon as I let go... Etho is going to carry you." he said- though not out loud. Scar again furrowed his brow. He didn't hear that with his ears- but, it was in his head... Xisuma then turned slightly to face the others. "As soon as I say.... run."

       At an instant, Zeqain threw a ball of fire right toward them. Xisuma let go of Scar quickly, catching the ball of fire and putting it out. For a second there, he could feel its burning heat... this wasn't going to be fun, was it. Stepping forward, he brought out a weapon, knowing that fire couldn't do a thing to most watchers... "Go." he said, loud and firmly. Etho carrying Scar, they all turned quickly running back the other way.

        Zeqain formed another ball of fire and smirked, walking forward more. "ꖎᒷℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ⊣ᒷℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ !¡ᔑ∷ℸ ̣ || ᓭℸ ̣ ᔑ∷ℸ ̣ ᒷ↸." He threw the flames, the purple ball aimed right toward the others. Quickly Xisuma put it out too.

        "⊣ᒷℸ ̣ 𝙹⚍ℸ ̣ ||𝙹⚍∷ ᓭ∴𝙹∷↸. ꖎᒷℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ↸𝙹 ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ᒲ|| ∴ᔑ||!" Xisuma said, raising his sword.

        Zeqain smiled again, purple sparkly flames coming from his palm as they traveled outward, surrounding a sword as it appeared from the hilt up to its point. He grabbed onto it and swung it slightly, then suddenly charged at Xisuma, raising his sword high as he shouted out.

        Xisuma blocked swiftly, the clanking of the metals echoing through the hall.

***

        "For a skinny man, Scar, you are heavy." Etho said, turning a corner with the others.

        Scar shrugged. "What can I say? I've got muscle to build! I mean- I can't do that with my legs, but I got all my upper body!" he chuckled. Etho shook his head.

        "Quiet you too, we're not out of the clear yet. The watchers could be anywhere- and we don't really know how to get out of here." Cleo said quietly.

        "Cleo's right. We barely even know which halls they used to get us here in the first place, there's so many halls. And the watchers could be listening. We don't want them finding us." Impulse said, his voice soft and quiet. He glanced at Mumbo again and watched him slightly. He was kind of glad to see the man wasn't just looking at the ground anymore, especially now that they were running. But his eyes... they still seemed empty, even though they were briefly looking around...

        "Wait- I see them- this way!" they heard a voice. Cleo muttered something and started running faster. "Come on! They found us- we have to go!" she said, gesturing for the rest to follow.

        "Impulse, take a turn with Scar. I'll keep an eye on Mumbo." Etho said, letting out a breath. Impulse nodded and quickly they both stopped, Etho handing Scar over.

        "Oh- your heavy!" Impulse said, moving to catch up to the others.

        Scar laughed. "I'm really not that heavy!" he said.

        "Either you are, or I'm just that weak!" Impulse said.

        "Down this hall!" a watcher shouted.

        "They're getting close." Etho said, glancing around slightly.

        "Then we've got to hurry!" Cleo shouted, turning another corner. Suddenly she bumped into a watcher- were they not watching?! They both jumped back, Cleo stumbling slightly before she caught her balance. She then ducked quickly as a ball of fire whizzed over her head. Jumping upright and forward, she punched the watcher hard making them stumble back. Dropping low, she swiped her leg beneath them, toppling them over. "Come on, let's go!" she shouted as she began running again.

        Quickly they all ran, dodging and weaving through the halls, past the watchers. Here and there they had to stop and fight a watcher, but luckily Cleo and Etho were there to take them down. Scar had noticed how hard it was for the watchers to find them and such. He figured Xisuma was still masking them with his magic, while he was fighting Zeqain. He just hoped that he was doing alright...

        "Shouldn't we be there by now?" Impulse asked. 

        "Assuming we've taken a few wrong turns... I have absolutely no idea!" Cleo responded.

        "I see the entrance!" Etho shouted as he turned a corner.

        "Well... now we all know!" Impulse said.

        The rest of them turned the corner, and looked up toward the arched entrance... Finally, they were so close! Once out, they just had to find the portal.. and then they'd be back home... so close... Impulse smiled as they came up to the arch. They were going to escape!

        "...Going somewhere?" Elenore asked, suddenly dropping down from the entrance. "I don't think so..." she said, smirking as she raised her hand, enderman appearing from all around her.

        Impulse's smile fell. He was wrong. There was no way they could make it now...

***

        Xisuma fell back hard, his helmet bouncing onto the ground beside him. He winced, curling up in pain as he grabbed his wounded side. His body ached, and all the minor cuts, as well as the large one at his waist, burned like fire amongst all the actual burns he now had. His Armor and clothing were not enough against the watcher's sword... he looked up, toward Zeqain and widened his eyes at the blade pointed right in front of him.

        "||𝙹⚍∷ ᒷ||ᒷᓭ ᔑ∷ᒷ ᓭℸ ̣ ╎ꖎꖎ !¡⚍∷!¡ꖎᒷ... ╎ ꖎ╎ꖌᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣. ᔑリ↸ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᓭᓵᔑ∷ᓭ... ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ|| !¡∷𝙹⍊ᒷ ||𝙹⚍ ∴ᒷ∷ᒷ リᒷ⍊ᒷ∷ ᒲᒷᔑリℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ʖᒷ ᔑ ∴ᔑℸ ̣ ᓵ⍑ᒷ∷. ||𝙹⚍ ᔑ∷ᒷ リ𝙹ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ʖ⚍ℸ ̣ ∴ᒷᔑꖌ, ᔑリ↸ リ𝙹∴ ╎ℸ ̣ ╎ᓭ ||𝙹⚍∷ ℸ ̣ ╎ᒲᒷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ⊣𝙹. ᓭᔑ|| ⊣𝙹𝙹↸ʖ||ᒷ, ʖ∷𝙹ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷. ╎ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷリ'ℸ ̣ ᒲ╎ᓭᓭᒷ↸ ||𝙹⚍ 𝙹リᒷ ʖ╎ℸ ̣..." Zeqain said quietly. Raising his sword slowly, he smirked his widest, and with one quick move, he brought the sword down, Xisuma bracing for impact...

        But, it never came....