Sage Hill and the Stones of Power

Chapter 8

I am SO sorry this took so long! I was having a bit of a problem because I didn't really plan this story out, but its all outlined now so I am really going to try to stay on top of this project from now on.  On another note; please vote, comment, and/follow me if your enjoying this story. I love suggestions and really appreciate any feedback you can think of! Don't be afraid to comment or message me!

 Julian looked even less likely to back down, he looked down at where his sleeve was stained red, thankfully the dagger had just grazed his shoulder.

"This was new!" He exclaimed. Timmy rolled his eyes, then he was gone. I looked around, confused, Cam did the same. That's when it became really chaotic.

Timmy would appear in one place, then before anyone around him could react, he would teleport again, and show up somewhere else, always just out of our reach.

"Why is he doing that?!" I asked out of frustration, lunging in the direction that he had just appeared.

"Because he can." Cam answered. "I told you to leave." Then there was another person (he must've teleported) with Timmy, doing the same thing, and within a second there was another, and another. Then it was still.

There were now four people, Timmy smirked. I really hated not knowing who the these people were, for the second time today, but that was the least of my problems at the moment. A second later Timmy teleported again, and I felt a cool metal against my neck, my breath caught. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. I couldn't breath. I don't think I realized it until now, I could really get hurt right now. These people wanted me dead. It didn't matter who they were.

"Now it doesn't matter who's more powerful, you're going to do what I say." I heard him as though I was underwater. Cam's wide eyes mirrored my own, Julian looked between Cam and I, for all his sarcastic remarks there wasn't an ounce of humor in his expression. "The irony here is, I'm actually doing you a favor here Sage. They won't do what I tell them too, I know that, it's because you mean nothing to them. You're nothing more than a tool for them to use, the sooner you realize that, you realize you can be so much more." His words echoed in my head. He's lying, he's lying. He has to be lying. They won't abandon me, they won't. I thought fearfully, the problem was, the logical part of me knew that I had only just met Cam and Julian, of course I would mean nothing to them. "I won't hurt you if you can just realize that. Help us, not them. They're all weak, you're not, you don't need them."

"He's lying Sage, you're smarter than that." Julian said.

"Why would I lie? I want to help you, I'm one of the few people here who can."

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice shook. Time, I needed time. TIme to think, to breathe, to figure out what was going on around me.

"You can call me Ries, I'm a leader of the Corr."

"The what?" I asked, still very much aware of the consistent pressure of the dagger just below my chin.

"It'd short for Corrigi, it's Latin, it means 'reformed' or 'corrected'. The other group I told you about, the ones who pride themselves on being better than everyone else." Cam spat.

"Someone remembered her time with us. Now are you going to help us or them?" There was a small part of my mind that questioned why I would give my life for people I've known for five minutes, I owed them nothing. I wondered what it would be like to just play with my powers, see what I can do with them. If Julian was in my position, would he defend me and Everlasting Gem the way I was defending him? There was no way Cam would, she had make that clear. What about Zack? The one person I thought I could trust who abandoned me the second I had an independent thought? No one was helping me right now, no one except the person with a dagger to my throat, offering me a chance to be something better than I am. Can I count that as helping? It was the only way I would see his point.

Those thoughts vanished into smoke as Zack appeared out of nowhere and tackled Timmy/Ries to the ground. Cam didn't miss a beat, she immediately attacked one of Timmy's followers. Timmy's follower dodged and followed up with a hit of his own, Cam caught his wrist. She used the split second she had to kick him, hard, in the side of his ribs. He winced and clutched his chest, then I saw Julian's situation.

Two of Timmy's followers had turned on him. They were ruthless, Julian would block one only to be hit by the other. I didn't know what I was doing, I knew I didn't know how to fight, but I rushed over all the same. I didn't get within two feet of Julian before one of Timmy's minions, this one a tough looking girl, turned on me. I threw a punch, but she blocked with a snort.

"You're pathetic, I'm Ciara. Nice to meet you." She grinned.

"Don't care," I say through clenched teeth, trying to block a punch. I failed, a throbbing pain spread against my face, it felt oddly warm, that was probably not good. I tried to mimic how Cam had kicked, but Ciara caught my foot and flipped me. You know how people say that landing on grass isn't that bad? Total B.S. I gasped as the wind was knocked out of me.

"If Ries's little golden child is this weak I think it's best that he learns just how pathetic you are sooner rather than later." She kicked me again, I wheezed, trying to get some air into my burning lungs. I rolled to one side and coughed. I heard a low growl and thought must have really hit my head hard, but Ciara screamed. I turned to see what made her scream.

I didn't scream, I shrieked. A mountain lion leapt in our direction. It reared on its hind legs and went for Ciara, I scrambled out of the way in a state of shock. It knocked her to the ground effortlessly. She teleported just as it was about to pounce, reappearing with a spear-like staff. She blocked and jabbed fearlessly, but the big cat was just as persistent. I glanced to my right to see Timmy relentlessly attacking Zack.

"ZACK!" I screamed. He glanced in my direction only long enough to mouth a single word: Go. For some reason that just ticked me off, I was so sick of being protected, sick of being doubted by everyone, and there was no way I was going to let Zack get hurt for me. I dashed over. I got between Zack and Timmy and kicked Timmy backwards with such force it surprised me. Timmy held his ribs and inhaled sharply. For a brief moment I felt flat out alive, buzzing with energy and adrenalin, where it came from I had no idea.

After a moment of shock he came at us again, I tried a punch this time, it was much less pathetic. Zack kicked Timmy down at the same time, he fell and something slipped out of his pocket. It took me only a moment to recognize it as my necklace, I was so shocked I just watched as it flew away just to be hidden by the grass just moments later. I glanced at Timmy, a split second later Zack, Timmy, and I were scrambling over to where it had landed. All of a sudden Timmy stopped short, the necklace flew right passed Zack and I and into his hand. I tried to stop far too quickly and tripped.

"We're done here." Timmy announced, "You will regret making us your enemy." With that he and his servants teleported before anyone could react.