TAG! You're Next...

Chapter XII: The Magic Elsweyr

"The rune... I can't believe they're real..." Lucas exclaimed.

The rune was in front of them. The grand hall was glowing a bright pink. There were heart prints on the walls. The rune was beautiful. It was just a floating word of some sort. It spoke some kind of language.

The three approached the rune. As they got closer, Elliot's shoulder, under her hoodie, was glowing brightly. When they were at the rune, Lucas went to grab it. But it just shocked him.

"Ow... Maybe the rune doesn't want to leave." Lucas thought.

"What do you mean? Like it can't leave?" Cindy asked.

"Yeah. They're probably forbidden to leave their cave; their hall. They are ancient after all." Lucas said.

They tried to think of how to get the rune, without making it mad. Lucas and Cindy were talking about how to take it. Elliot just stood quiet as always. But she tried something... She made her hand catch in the brightest flames. She then grabbed it with the flames still in her hands. The rune started to attract to the flames. It was like the rune liked the fire.

Lucas and Cindy saw her do it. They were extremely surprised.

"Elliot... What even are you? You're INCREDIBLE!" Cindy complimented.

"She's right! Are you something else? Because whatever it is, it's insanely mysterious!" Lucas agreed.

Elliot was blushing but then realized something she would show them.

"Lucas, do you still have that book?" Elliot asked.

"Uh. Yeah? Why?" He grabbed the book from his button-up jacket.

Elliot rolled her left sleeve up. She showed her shoulder. It was the exact same symbol as on the back of the book. It was glowing. It was the symbol that had a flaming eye, with phoenix wings.

"What? What is this symbol?" Lucas asked.

"Could it be connected with that power she has?" Cindy asked.

"Could be. But what is it? Elliot has done so many things, that us mortals cannot."

Cindy looked at the symbol. It stopped glowing as soon as the rune entered Elliot's fire. After that, the entire room was being blinded by the brightest light. The next time, Elliot, Lucas, and Cindy weren't in the hall anymore. They were somewhere else.

Lucas got up from the ground and looked around the area. He was outside in the spot they all fell through, to the rune.

"Elliot? Cindy? Where are you?" It took him a moment to realize that they had separated. But how? "Oh god, WHERE ARE THEY!?!?"

Lucas was beginning to freak out. Both Elliot and Cindy are still young. He does not want them to get hurt. Lucas turned to the of the alley and saw Cindy. She was frozen, staring at something.

"Cindy?"

"SH!" She said. Lucas was confused. He walked over to her and saw the problem. Another assassin was pointing a gun at Elliot's forehead. She was terrified.

"Rune. Must give, Rune." The assassin said in a disturbing voice.

Elliot was frozen. She was afraid to move.

"Rune... Give Rune... NOW!" He pulled the trigger slowly. As he kept going, Lucas snapped. He ran at the assassin. The trigger was pulled... On Lucas's hand.

He covered the shot by letting his hand get shot. The blood went all over the ground. Lucas fell to his knees. Cindy ran over and stabbed the assassin in it's leg. She grabbed the gun and shot it in the heart like the guy did.

"L-Lucas!" Cindy grabbed Lucas's hand, to see the damage. There was a straight hole through his hand. Lucas was struggling. He surprisingly got off his knees and was still standing.

"I'm fine... I'm fine..." Lucas said.

Cindy was speechless. "Y-you're... Still alive?!"

"I don't know how, but-" The blood was falling out fast. His veins were shot as well. The blood flow from his veins was spilling everywhere.

"LUCAS!!! ELLIOT HELP!!!" Cindy cried.

Elliot was freaking out so much, she was starting to cry. She grabbed his hand and she tried to figure out what to do. Lucas fell to the ground, panting. Elliot was tearing up so much.

"What do we do!?" Cindy asked.

Elliot didn't know either. But she had one idea. She lay on the ground beside Lucas and grabbed his hand. She put his hand to her heart. She was slowly breathing, focusing on the touch of his hand. Focusing on the pain Lucas is experiencing.

"Elliot?" Cindy was watching Elliot doing something to Lucas's hand.

Elliot started to grip Lucas's wounded hand. She was fusing some energy to Lucas. The hole in his hand slowly stopped pouring blood. All that remained was a hole in the hand. The blood was just stuck in one spot, without leaving.

Elliot finally was able to let go of Lucas's hand. She was exhausted. And embarrassed. She released his hand, and lay for a moment, panting, and blushing. Lucas opened his eyes.

"Lucas! Are you okay?" Cindy yelled.

"Y-yeah... I'm... Alive?"

"Yes. YES! Elliot gave you some energy, to stop your blood from dying out. It's like she revived your hand!"

"S-she...?" Lucas sat up off the ground and looked at Elliot. She was exhausted. She looked at him and got up slowly. When she got on her knees, Lucas hugged her. "Thank you, Elliot..." She hugged him back. Cindy was also noticing her blush.

"I guess we should get back on the journey," Lucas suggested. Elliot stopped hugging him and got on her feet.

"What do we do next?" Cindy asked.

"Well, each rune is found in all cities on the island. Which is Ares Village, Quaronos City, Rhea Town, and Kronos City. Rhea Village is 3 miles from here. Let's go there."

"Yeah. We already have the rune of Ares Village. So how do we get to Rhea Town?" Cindy asked.

"I can ask my mom to drive us there," Lucas answered. "So let's go to my house."

"Okay!" Elliot and Cindy walked to the house, but Lucas stayed. "You coming, Lucas?"

"Uh. Yeah, I'll catch up."

They left and Lucas stood thinking.

"She healed me... It's true..."

3 hours later...

"Father!?" Elliot's text said surprised.