Phoenix Mountain: The Protectors of Reality

Chapter Sixteen - Welcome Home

Max had put a sleeping spell on all the protectors and breakers before teleporting them to Phoenix Mountain. Immediately once they entered the mountain, all the protectors and breakers collapsed to the ground. In a bright flash, Adri's mirage appeared in front of Max, and the unconscious reality.

They were in the vast forest of Phoenix Mountain, almost a mile away from the newly made cabins for the protectors. Without making any noise, they floated the sleeping protectors in the air, and flew to the houses.

Max landed at the cabins, Adri right behind. Quietly, they teleported all the and breakers in their cabins. Max summoned his bunny, Cookie, and whispered in his ear, "Go clone yourself, and introduce yourself to the new members. Be quiet though, because we're-"

"Late? You don't need to be quiet about it, Max. I can smell the claw from a mile away." Said a disappointed voice from behind him. Max gave an embarrassed smile, and turned around slowly. Hanna stood there, venom laced her expression. Max looked down at his dagger, and groaned. It did have an odd smell to it.

Max floated into the air, and shooed Cookie away. Adri disappeared into thin air. Max flew as high as he could, and skydived into Phoenix Fortress. Hanna zoomed by Max's vision, and was at the floor of the castle in mere seconds. Once Max landed, they lied down on the grass of the former power of Sorcery.

"Ready to create a new team?" Max asked, grinning.

Hanna looked at Max, "Two new teams, and yes."

They looked back up at the sky. We'll bring you back soon, Phoenix. Don't you worry your stupid, stupid head. Max thought. "Let's go." They said in unison as they got up, and got to work.

When I awoke, I was in a small log cabin. I was lying in a bed, the covers made of a warm silk. I got out of the bed, and looked around. There was a balcony nearby the bed, so I walked outside to see the surroundings. Nobody was around, not the protectors, not Max and Adri, nobody. This deep idea inside of me thought all the Protectors, all the journey was just a dream, and I was back in my house.

I looked out the balcony, and saw several other houses like this one, Almost identical. Beyond the houses, I saw an amazing orange sunset surrounding the skies. I breathed in the fresh air, and felt at peace.

That's about the time I heard the footsteps.

Slowly, I heard soft, small steps enter my area, and I got into a fighting position. I quickly formed a newly found star in my hand, and was about to throw it when I heard a voice. "Hello, amigo. The name's Cookie, and my good buddy Max told me to check on you and the rest of the newbies." came a high pitched voice.

What followed was the weirdest thing I've ever seen. A tan brown bunny hopped up from the ladder that lead to my of my resting spot, and hopped onto the bed. The star in my hand slowly faded away, and I gave the bunny a confused look. He sighed, "What? Never seen a talking bunny before?"

"I...uhh..." I didn't really know how to respond to this. How do you start a conversation with a talking bunny? I sat on the wood floor, and stared at him. He shook his head furiously, and jumped into my lap, "No time for relaxing, Sam! I've got to meet you up with the others!" He exclaimed as he nudged my head, pushing me into the ladder. I climbed down the ladder, and looked around in the new part of the cabin.

There were two neat couches nearby small windows, and a computer nearby the ladder (Which I almost stepped on). There was a bed in the center of the room, and a doorway at the front. Cookie jumped onto the bed, and smiled, "This place will be your home in Phoenix Mountain! However, since there are so many of you protectors, one house will have two protectors! Guess who your roommate is?" He was grinning, so I was hoping it was someone good. Hopefully Adri or Max, but they're not protectors. It wouldn't be a girl, because that would be just weird. That means the only other possible option is..."Lux!" Cookie shouted. Oh, him. Yay. I groaned, "Can we keep moving? Let's go out and see the other protectors, shall we?" Cookie nodded, and nudged me out the door.

When I left my new house, I saw all the protectors huddled up by... Cookies? Multiple versions of my guide bunny were nudging the protectors along. Sarah, Terra, Lux, and Summer were all being pushed along by tiny brown bunnies. I had no idea what to think of this. Also, where's Amy and the Breakers?

All the Cookies morphed into one in the center of us, hopping around. "Welcome, Protectors of Reality, to Phoenix Mountain! You probably got some questions for me, but let's save them for later. We need to show you around your new home!" Cookie yelled, glowing with joy. As odd as the bunny was, he definitely made me smile. He was so silly, it was no wonder he was Max's pet.

The bunny started hopping through the gravel street of our houses, explaining what's in our homes. "This is where you'll stay in Phoenix Mountain. Hopefully, one of my clones had already told you that you have a roommate. The roommates are as follows," the bunny coughed abruptly, and pulled out a list. "Sam Stardust is with Lux Curt. Summer Clara is with Amy Jackson, and Sarah Curt is with Terra Magnus."

That's odd. I raised my hand in front of the bunny, not knowing what else to do. Cookie grinned, and nodded his head in my direction. I turned to Lux, "Hold on a second. You and Sarah are brother and sister?"

Lux nodded, "We're cousins, so we're somewhat related. You got a problem with that?" I shook my head furiously. Guess I never asked about their last names, I only knew of Terra's last name. I shoved the thought aside, and once again started to keep up with Cookie.

The energetic bunny was leaping through the street, and we came out of the little housing street. Then we saw something... amazing.

Phoenix Mountain was an entire village; an entire place for people to live. We all looked around, taking it all in. There was a forest nearby, giant trees filling the edge of the mountain. There was a giant stone brick arena, flames erupting from the center of the roof. There was a vast castle far off the mountain.

Cookie jumped in front of us, "Since you're taking the whole thing in right now, I'll properly introduce it now. Welcome to Phoenix Mountain, your new home."

A/N - See you guys in the sequel book: The Truth of Tomorrow!

Always Remember to Keep on Blazen,

- The Ukulele Pika