Mythics: the search for Avia

Chapter 10: Into the mountains

The mountains were vast and the passage was long as Gabby, Skylar, Tori, Kyomi, Scarlett and Jack all trekked across the chilly rocks. At midday, they all rested on an icy outcropping and shared their meager provisions.... all except Jack of course who could go for a couple days without food.
"How much further do you think it'll be?" Questioned Kyomi and it was Scarlett who answered, "Maybe a few more hours; till dusk at the most."
After lunch they continued to climb and slip over windy ledges and icy pebbles. By the time the sun was close to the peak of the nearest mountain, everyone was drained.
"Just a little farther!" Scarlett reassured them.
Kyomi bounded ahead, wolf form, and sniffed. She turned back to human, tail waving furiously, and said, still on her haunches, "We're here! I can smell the boys!"
Scarlett stiffened and stopped abruptly and Jack bumped into her.
"Oomph!" He exclaimed.
"S-sorry." She said to him, shivering with emotion he couldn't read.
"I'm fine," Jack told her reassuringly, "but are you okay?" He put a hand on her shoulder and Scarlett relaxed a bit.
"Yeah, I suppose." She said and kept walking to catch up to the other girls who had gone ahead.
Jack shrugged and followed her.

"What's the plan?" Asked Tori as they all crouched behind a ginormous boulder near the gaping hole in the amazing rocky spears that created a castle-like rock formation which served as an entrance.
"We're going to sneak in, get the boys and sneak out. How's that for a plan?" said Skylar.
Scarlett made a move towards the magnificent rock structure that marked the lair and suddenly, five black shapes dropped from.
"Seriously?! You guys again!! Y'all are like a bad smell, just keep coming back." Kyomi growled.
"Could say the same for you. I didn't think you would last this long." Replied the werewolf leader, his bony black wings folded awkwardly against his back in human form.
"Who are they?" Jack whispered to Skylar.
"I think they might be Avia's henchmen but either way they are bad news." Skylar briefly explained.
"Oh."
This time all the members in the pack were in human form with their own set of horribly painful, bony wings.
"Were not looking for a fight. We just have some business to take care of." The leader nodded towards the wolf sisters of the pack, "ladies." They stepped forward and howled together. Creating a morbid but pretty type of song. One by one, the girls felt dizzy and everything went black.

When Skylar woke up she was chained to a wall next to the other girls and Jack; all except Scarlett.
"Did she get away?" Skylar wondered and she heard Kyomi stir next to her.
"Wonderful!!!! Everyone is awake!" Said a chilling unfamiliar voice. Bright lights flooded the large cavern they were in and Skykar gasped at what she saw before her.
On the wall to her left were the boys, also tied up and looking at them worriedly. Skylar smiled when she caught James's eye and he gave her a grim smile in return. On the wall opposite the girls was a high ledge where a brown haired woman with green eyes, four arms and big, brown wings like Skylars was standing. Skylar gasped. It was the woman who was chasing them in the girls dreams!
Kyomi, Gabby and Tori gasped when they saw the woman as well and Jack just looked really confused.
There was something about the woman Skylar never noticed before though.
"She looks like me!!" Skylar thought, shocked.
"Hello dear! Do you like your sleeping arrangements? I hope your comfortable." The woman said and Skylar said, "Mother?!"
The boys in the room gazes all shot to Skylar with an equal amount of shock and surprise.
"Well done my dear! I'm surprised you figured it out!" Said Avia who was wearing a sleeveless white blouse and leather riding pants.
"Where's Scarlett?!" Skylar had enough courage to shout at Avia.
"Oh she's here. My dear rose! Come here!" Called Avia and Scarlett emerged out of the shadows behind Avia.
"Hey." Scarlett waved to Skylar and the others.
"It's the girl who captured us!" Exclaimed Alex and Kyomi looked from him to Scarlett with horror and realization setting in.
"Oh no." Said Skylar, realization dawning on her too. "You're Avia's worker!! Why didn't you tell us!" Skylar was furious for being deceived.

"But I was only doing what mother told me to!" Protested Scarlett. "Honestly! Do you think I have no brain? Mom deserves to rule over this world and we did you a favor bringing you here to help us!"
"Mom?" Gabby asked and Skylar looked at Scarlett closer and saw the resemblance. "OMG." Tori said.
"This is nice and all," Zack cut in, "but how did you girls even get here and find us?"
Skylar was frozen. "What would happen if the boys found out our powers?!" She frantically thought.
"Oooooooh! Good question!" Avia clapped her hands together and said, "Shall we tell them our little secret?" She aimed the question at Skylar.
"Nononono! This can't be happening!" Skylar thought.
"Let's!" Said Scarlett and she waved her hand and pointed at Tori, "You first!"
To Tori's and the other girls horror Tori's necklace began glowing. Then the transformation began.
Tori's eyes closed as her legs elongated into a tail, her teeth extended into fangs and her pupils narrowed. When the transformation was done the boys looked at her with surprise. Lucas was especially shocked and looked about to pass out. Tori hung her head in embarrassment and shame.
"You're next!" Exclaimed Scarlett pointing to Gabby and Gabby whimpered.
Scarlett cast a spell with some blue powder and a small rain cloud appeared over Gabby and started raining.
"Oh man." Moaned Gabby and her legs quickly melded into a shimmery orange tail. She was held up by only her arms shackled into the wall.
At this point the boys eyes were about to pop out of their skulls. "Gabby?...." Zack looked at her questioningly.
Kyomi was next. Her moon pendant glowed and her cry turned into a howl as fur covered her body and she was forced onto all fours as a wolf. Alex looked sympathetic for her and tried to tell her something but was cut off by Scarlett focusing on her last victim; Skylar.
"Last but not least, my dear sister Skylar." Scarlett smiled a sweet smile that didn't quite meet her eyes.
"Sister?!" Asked James incredulous.
A shiver of terror ran through Skylar as she looked up into Avia's eyes. Then she glanced over at Scarlett.
Scarlett was trying to tell her something through hidden facial expressions but she couldn't quite grasp what.
"Skylar, sweetie, join us. We could be a family. Together forever." Avia's cajoling voice drifted down from the ledge.
Skylar pretended to think. "Hmmm. Let's me think.... NO." She said it with such force you could feel it. "And I already have a family, my friends are better family than you could ever be in a million lifetimes!"
Avia's eyes hardened, "So be it." She snapped her fingers and suddenly a sharp pain sliced through Skylars back and she cried out in pain.
"Don't worry. It will only hurt for a couple weeks." Avia said and Skylar fell forward on her face as she was then held down by Scarlett.
Skylar looked up at her and hissed through gritted teeth, "If you were half the sister you say you are you would help me."
Scarlett said with a mixture of emotions on her face, "I'm sorry." Right as her scythe sliced through the air.
Skylar's ears rang as she shrieked in pain and shock.

Her wings were gone.