Kaskia: A Hero's Awakening

Chapter 18

The sound of Ellie barking excitedly broke Teddy and Rina from their training. The duo rushed out of the library, running in the direction of Aiden's room, knowing that there was only one reason Ellie would be so excited. "He's awake!" Rina cheered.

"Easy, Aiden." Squishy said as Ellie bounced around the room happily, going from licking Aiden on his face to running in circles, wagging her tail.

"What happened?" Aiden asked. "Where's Rina?"

"Aiden!" Aiden heard Rina yell. "Aiden!"

"She's on her way, she's okay." Squishy reassured him just before Rina burst through the door, tackling Aiden on the bed, giving him the biggest hug of his life.

"I was so worried!" She said, smiling as tears rolled down her face, happy that her brother was finally awake and with her once again. "I love you, big brother!"

"I love you too, Rina." Aiden struggled as Rina had a tight grip on him.

"Easy, Rina." Teddy told her as he approached Aiden. "Let me see him."

"Okay Teddy." Rina said, taking a step back.

"Teddy?" Aiden questioned, staring at the old Bermion he assumed was the person they were supposed to meet. "Why do I know that name?"

"You know my name?" Teddy asked, raising his eyebrow as he put a paw to Aiden's forehead.

"Yes. I had so many nightmares, but that name... I remember it from them." Aiden answered.

"What happened in your nightmares?" Teddy asked, moving Aiden forward so he could check his shoulder.

Aiden explained his dreams to Teddy and how the only constant thing in them all were the names Teddy and Cladon, that Cladon wanted all the information he had on the old Bermion and where he was.

"He has gotten far stronger than I feared." Teddy stated.

"Cladon?" Squishy asked.

"Yes, Cladon." Teddy replied, shaking his head. "For him to have had so much power over Aiden, at this distance, proves that his reach is getting farther and farther."

"Is there any way we can stop him from being able to do that?" Rina asked, thinking of her training. "You said almost anything is possible, right?"

"Yes, we can." Teddy answered, smiling at Rina's eagerness to become stronger. "We will go to the library in a few and figure out the right spells to ward us from his gaze."

"How long have I been asleep?" Aiden asked, trying to stand up only to fall into Squishy's arms.

"Easy, Aiden." Squishy told him. "You've been out for over a week."

"Have you found our parents yet?!" Aiden demanded, furious that he's been sleeping for over seven days, seven days that he could have been searching for them.

"Not yet." Rina replied, sadness falling over her face, knowing that Aiden is blaming himself for everything. "Arlington, Grape, and Jr. are out searching for them."

"Let's go help them!" Aiden said, pushing past Squishy only to take three steps before the room spun around him. Determined, Aiden forced himself to keep walking, the room becoming darker. He heard Rina and Squishy, but was unable to make out what they were saying.

"Is he okay?!" Rina asked as Squishy carried Aiden back to his bed.

"He's fine." Teddy replied. "He needs time to recover and he needs to eat."

Teddy gestured for Rina to go to the other side of Aiden's bed, explaining that the two of them are going to perform a spell, blocking Aiden's mind from Cladon. Teddy told Rina that the spell would not have worked before while he was already locked in Cladon's trap and now that he had woken up, they could protect him for now, if he stayed inside the mountain home.