Wither

Chapter 10-Portals

*Toboe's POV*

I sat in my cell, frightfully aware that Seto was pacing around in his. "I need to get back..." He hissed. "I need to get back..." Finally, he lapsed into silence. We sat and waited. We idly chatted, but generally all was quiet.

*Lauren's POV*

We set off. River, Dusty, and Jet had decided to come with our little group of Poof, Ember, me, and now Lauren. "We're almost there!" Ember called from the front of the group. I nodded, yawning boredly.

We finally made it to the Burnne household. Ember rapped on the door and a cheery looking woman with briwn hair and green eyes opened the door. "Welcome!" She smiled at her daughter and the group behind her. "Ember, are these your...friends?"

She nodded. "Yes. This is Sora, Poof, Jet, River, and Dusty. You guys, go inside." They obliged and Fern asked who I was.

I gulped as Ember said, "She's your lost daughter."

*Fern's POV*

I was launched into a memory. A terrible memory, a nightmare, the day that I had lost my daughter, and Ember had lost her sister.

*|*

I had lain my head on the pillow when I felt spasms running through my already weak body. "Romani" I screamed. "There's another!"

That was the moment that Lauren was born. We saw that she didn't have fire powers, but had the full flying ability of a blaze and air magic from the witch in Romani.

As I was nursing the two children in my lap, a black shadow flicked across the room. I looked up. Suddenly, the two babies were stolen out of my hands. I cried out. Ember instinctively lit herself on fire. The intruder hissed and dropped her impulsively. I dove for the child and caught her. I sweep kicked the intruder and made a grab for Lauren, who was crying and screaming. His hood came off and I saw a bald, shiny head, beady black eyes, and a bushy brown beard.

Notch pushed me out of the way and dashed off. I fell to the ground with a thump. Ember was safe, but her sister wasn't. I cried for days until Romani told me to get over it, not unkindly. He said blazes lose their children to other mobs all the time. Eventually I did. But I never forgot the story of my lost child.

*|*

Lauren and I embraced as Ember went into the house. We stood there for a long time until I smiled and said softly, "Welcome home." Romani burst in, grinning in excitement. He saw me hugging Lauren and coughed softly. "It's her," I whispered. Romani's sharp features melted.

We all walked inside. "Hi, guys!" Romani said perkily. They all greeted him back. "I'm Romani Burnne, and since I contacted the school about this being an 'educational trip', we get to stay for...well, let's just say longer than the break," he said, cracking a grin. River, Jet, and Dusty laughed and high fived. Sora merely nodded and Poof smiled. "Well, let's go, then!" His grin was plastered to his face as he lead the kids out the door

*Ember's POV*

My father lead our little group into a shack. Purple particles drifted lazily around in the air. A gaping purple hole loomed in front of us. "Shall we?" He flourished his hands, bestowing the majesty of the Nether portal. He stepped in and his form wavered and disappeared. Sora bravely walked in next, then River, Dusty, Jet, Lauren, and Poof. I stayed behind to make sure everyone got in, as my father had asked. I leaped into the purple swirls and everything faded to black.

When I regained my vision, I was in a barren, red landscape with lava and fire perpetually in our presence. Zombie pigmen meandered around and I saw a white shape flying. It zoomed towards us and, before we knew it, was right in front of us.

"Fsffu! Ejrtr jsbe upi nrrm?" It squealed. (Daddy! Where have you been?)

"D'pn, yjru vsmy imfrtdysmf Hjsdy asmhishr," my father replied. (Son, they can't understand Ghast language.)

It made a gurgling noise and said, "Hi! My name's Peterson. Which one of you is Ember?"

I stepped up. The ghast rammed into me forcefully. I thought it was attacking, so I heated up my hands. He giggled. "Heehee, that tickles!"

"Ember, that's Peterson, your adopted brother," Romani smiled. Peterson backed off, showing the rare smile ghasts don't usually possess. "See, ghasts are really pessimistic and he was too optimistic, so he was outcasted. I found him dying alone without a lavabed to soak in, so adopted him."

I waved. "Hey, Peterson, I'm Ember."

"I know!" He chirped.

Suddenly, a loud screech could be heard behind us. Another ghast, this time with tears running down its face, shot a fireball at Peterson. My dad tackled him and it missed.

But one thing, something essential, it did hit.

The Nether portal.

Looks like it was good Dad signed this up as an experimental trip.