When I dreamt of my adventures, I never really thought too hard about the hardships of it. I thought of the battles, and how I would get hurt, but then I would always win in the end. When I got hurt it wasn’t that bad either. It was just a couple of sprains and bruises here and there, some scratches on my arms and legs. Maybe some ripped clothing and disheveled hair. I never thought how intense a real adventure was.
Which got me thinking, was it really adventures that I was dreaming?
I rolled onto my back, my arms above my head as I stared at the top of the cage. The metal was cold beneath my skin and I shivered slightly, turning my head over to Invy. She was curled up into a ball, looking a little bit warmer than me in her BVB jacket.
“Hey, you still awake?” I asked, poking her side. Invy moved a bit and turned to face me. “Yea.” She replied, her voice cracking. She looked really tired, as in really tired. There were dark circles under her eyes, and they didn’t look as icy blue as they usually did. They were dull.
“You should get some sleep.” I whispered, pushing myself up and grabbing the bars of the cage. This was the second day we were trapped, and our captors had made no move to feed, or see us. I heard movement from beside me and Invy sat up, rubbing her eyes. “I’m just a bit wired. Where’s an i-pod when you need one?”
I shrugged and let my arm go through the space in the bars. The space was large, almost large enough for us to go through, but not quite. Invy’s chest wouldn’t let her through, and my head was a little too colossal.
“Maybe someone will save us?” I asked, looking up at the sky as the sun bathed it in rainbow like colors. Invy snorted behind me. “I doubt it. That Stanley bastard probably put these guys up to it.” I frowned, instantly thinking about the jerk-or-a-mayor Stanley. “He was such an ass.” I agreed, shaking the bars of the cage.
We sounded so tired and melancholy. I wasn’t even thinking up new adventures or funny scenarios in my mind. I was just sitting, letting my arms and legs spread out to the grass on the other side called freedom.
I let my head bang onto the bars and sighed, closing my eyes.
Who knew adventures could suck so badly?
“Hey, get up.” Growled a thick masculine voice from above. I opened my eyes and sat up, shaking my head roughly. “I said get up!” I jumped as a hammer collided with side of the cage, making sound ring around us and deafening me. I saw Invy jump upwards in surprise and bang her head on the ceiling, making her fall back and curse.
“Asshole!” I yelled, kicking the bars as he laughed at my friends’ misfortune. This only made him laugh harder, which made me feel dark with anger. “You asshole! What the hell do you want with us? We don’t have any money, and our weapons are second rate!” I screamed, kicking harder against the bars. The man looked at me really surprised, the skin above his eye moving upwards.
“You had this.”
My mouth hung open as he produced the black crystal shard. New anger coursed through me as I began to kick the bars harder. “Give it back!” I yelled, slamming my boots against the metal. I said the man sneer and spit into the cave. “Puny kid, you can’t break out of that. Soon you’ll be in some harem and this crystal will be given to a Black wizard. They give good prices for stuff like this.” My eyes widened and I looked to Invy for support. Her face was stormy with rage and she had her hand up her shirt.
What the hell? Was she groping herself?
My answer came soon after when she lashed outwards, a kunai in hand. She managed to cut a gash in the man’s chest, making him drop the crystal. The crystal rolled towards a rabbit hole in the ground and reached for it as the man yelled for help. He was jumping around and clutching his chest as blood seeped through his fingers. I forced my shoulders through the bars, my fingers barely touching the surface of the crystal. “Dammit.” I choked out. In a final attempt, I slammed my body through the bars and grabbed it, forcing myself back in and slipping the crystal uncomfortably into my bra.
“Grom! What the hell happened here?”
A large man with a hogs head came storming towards us, his red eyes blazing and foam appearing at the sides of his mouth. Grom pointed at Invy angrily. “She had a hidden weapon! Inside of her shirt!” the hogs head looked at Invy angrily. “Get her out of the cage. Now!”
I watched as his minions complied, opening the cage and pointing swords at my throat as they pulled her out. I watched as they wrenched the kunai from her hand and held her before the hogs head. “Well now, aren’t you a young and pretty sort.” The hogs head said, a long tongue lolling out and licking his lips. Slobber dripped down his chin as he stared at my friend happily. “I think she needs to be checked for weapons! Men! Send her to your quarters…” he chuckled darkly and his minions laughed with glee, pulling my friend with them.
“No! Invy!” I screamed, reaching out. Invy looked at me, angry, fearful, and empty. I shook at the bars of my cage as Invy struggled against her captures, snarling and biting at their hands. “INVY!”
And then the bars shattered in my hands. But that wasn’t even the strangest part.
One second Invy was struggling the brutes, and another second, the brutes are standing stock still, looking at Invy and waiting for… a next command? Invy looked at me, and then at the brutes, her chest rising and falling with panic. “Put me down!” she commanded. I watched dumbfounded, hands on the ground, as the brutes put Invy down, and stepped back.
And then Invy was on the ground, clutching her head, the hogs head standing above her with a club, ready to smash in my best friends’ brain. And then that’s when I screamed.
It wasn’t high pitched, and it wasn’t the intense scream of a metal head. Whatever it was, though, it was destroying everything in its path. The tents were ripped apart, and crates and weapons shattered under the intense sound. I watched as the hogs head fell backwards, ears bleeding with skin coming off one side of his face, revealing the meat underneath.
I stopped screaming and dropped down, gasping for breath. Invy was looking at me in awe and I just shook my head, taking out the crystal and showing it to her. “We’ve got to get out of here.” I said hoarsely, putting the crystal back in my bra. Invy nodded and stared at the twitching brutes. “Eat your boogers and kill yourselves.” She growled.
We didn’t stay to see if the followed her commands.
But I’m pretty sure they did.
“We’ve been walking for hours Invy. I’m really tired.” I complained, stretching my back. Invy rolled eyes and turned to me. “Keep moving!” she commanded. Involuntarily, my already aching legs began to move on their own just to follow their commands.
“Dude, you did it again.” I said, pointing at my legs and then pointing at my not-so-pleased face. Invy sighed and rubbed her face. “Sorry. Do what you want.” She replied, leaning on a tree. I stopped walking and plopped onto the ground. “What are we going to do now?” I asked, looking up at the trees.
“I don’t know Ace, but we’ll figure it out. Let’s just rest for now I’m starving.” She said, slamming her head against the tree. The ground opened beneath us and I looked to Invy in shock right before we fell. Invy screamed and I did the same, only my scream threw me down further. I reached for Invy and before our hands could touch we hit the ground.
“Oooowww.” I complained, rubbing my now sore head. I turned around to inspect Invy, only to see her suspended in the air, a gypsy looking women standing underneath her.
“Hello Guardians. I’ve been expecting you!”
