Labyrinth: Into the Malignant Book 2

Creature of the Deep

                  

Edoneon

I held the crystal I had taken from Jareth in my hands. It was evening and the three of us were wearing down from exhaustion. "Leegan" I said and nudged his shoulder. He turned around and I gave him a look. "We should set up camp. We should be relatively safe here" I said to Dream and Leegan. Leegan understood my motive and nodded.

"Yea, I believe here is good" He mumbled, looked around, and began to sit down.

Dream flew into the tree and wrapped herself in her wings. I thought it incredible that, that was comfortable. I shook my head to focus and caught Leegan looking at me. I pointed to Dream to show him I was waiting for her to fall asleep. He narrowed his eyes, but complied and watched Dream carefully until her breathing evened out. I could see her torso. Her chest would glow as she inhaled. I almost got lost in watching the glow, but the heaviness of the crystal pulled me away.

"I believe your father taught you some of his crystal manipulation?" I asked. He nodded yes and for me to continue. "Your father gave me this" I said showing him the crystal. "It will locate Elliana and allow us to see where she is. I believe right now is a good time to use it, but I'm unfamiliar how to activate it" I admitted. Leegan thought for a moment before nodding. I pulled the crystals twin and stood.

Leegan took the crystals and moved his hands around it just like his father before a twin crystal appeared. He looked at it in complete focus before twirling it in his hands. "I missed these" He mumbled and threw the crystal into the air. I watched it soar up and then disappear.

Leegan settled back down and held the crystal. We watched it move quickly throughout the Malignant to the cliffs before diving into the ocean. Leegan stiffened and his body sagged. "I failed. She's dead" He muttered angrily.

I looked at the crystal as it made its way into a cave. "No, look" I said in awe. "Is there any sound?" I asked.

"I can try..." He mumbled staring at the crystal. The sound on the other side was muffled, but we could make out what was being said.

At first there was whispering. I could hear cries of pain. "Please! No!" Elliana's raw and ragged voice broke as she screamed. Leegan stood abruptly and I followed him. The crystal moved throughout the dark cave and found the scene. The creatures of the deep were cloaked and trying to pull Elliana away from someone. I squinted and saw it was her Intangible.

"Please!" She was sobbing.

"Get closer to her legs" I demanded and Leegan listened. Just as I thought, the skin was shining. "What has she done" I whispered.

"What?" Leegan asked.

"Her skin is turning to scales. She's turning into one of those things. These aren't your typical mermaids Leegan. These monsters are far worse" I said in agony.

We watched the crystal until the creatures knocked Elliana out and dragged her down the staircase. "Follow them!" I urged, but the crystal was mistakenly hit and shattered on impact to a wall. The last image we saw was Elliana dragging lifelessly by the creatures.

"I saw that boy with her earlier. When I see him, I'm going to rip him apart for stealing Elliana" Leegan said as the crystal in his hands shattered to pieces from his grip.

"That may be difficult. That boy right there is an Intangible" I said to Leegan.

"But, how could he be touching her skin... no" He gasped and looked to me. His jaw was clenched and despite the awful situation, I smiled.

"He found his Tangible" I frowned.

"If both of them aren't dead by the time we get there, I'm going to kill them" His eyes flashed in anger. "We need to hurry" He added, rushing to wake up Dream.