Animegas (Editing)

Invasion of Aures

"What do you mean?" Thomas shouted.

Forctis sighed. "Damean nor the Furies had made a single move in the last 7 months. We believe they have given up."

"Seven months." I breathed. My eyes snapped to Max. "That means you're 7 years old?"

He smiled and nodded. "Sara is too!"

Calypso stepped forward. "Do you even know what you're talking about? Damean gave up? Damean. Gave. Up. Our Damean? The Damean that threw me into a pit and taunted Sam with threats of killing everyone she cared about?"

"Hold your tongue." One of the Guardians spat.

Greg looked down. His body was shaking. "Erik just died, and we were kidnapped for ransom against Sam. She was stabbed, Erik and I nearly died from Damean's magic, and then while we were trying to escape he was MURDERED. And you mean to tell us that he just gave up?"

I held my hand out, signalling for them all to shut up. I stepped forward, trying my best to not show any sign of anger. "What they are trying to say is that Damean didn't give up. This is the calm before the storm. I understand if you want me to join the land of the dead, I shouldn't even be alive anyway. But know this, Damean won't stop. He will never stop. And the only reason he hasn't started killing you all is because I haven't said yes to him yet. I am the final puzzle piece to his plan. And if I die, he will go looking for another. And we aren't sure if that other is able withstand the temptations as long as I have."

"Samantha." Lady Sylva said. "What happened to not being afraid to die? Weren't you just going to live so your friends wouldn't feel guilty for your death?"

I sighed and closed my eyes. That was what I had said, wasn't it? But that wasn't the reason I want to live anymore. I wanted to laugh with my friends, no, with my family. I wanted to cry with them, and feel their pain. I want to grow old with them beside me. All of them memories I had of them, it was the best time of my life. Who knows what the future might hold if I lived?

"Stuff it you old hag!" Calypso shouted. "Have you ever felt fear? Have you ever had the threat of death hanging above your head, waiting to pounce and end you? Have you ever felt pain? Or have you ever seen someone you cared deeply about die right before your eyes and know, deep inside, that you could have done something to stop it? Sam had to go through all of that! We have all had to go through that! But you haven't, non of you have. Because while they are down there, risking their necks to save everyone, you are all up here! Just watching them suffer while you sit back with a glass of wine in your hand!"

Forctis stood up. "That is enough out of you. Be glad we even let you into our realm! Don't make us regret letting our enemy's sister receive our hospitality!"

"You're Damean's sister?" Thomas asked.

Calypso shut her eyes, trying to push away the memories. "Fear exists anywhere, especially in darkness. That's what I am, the Guardian of Darkness. The place of death and fear, of hatred and evil. The Darkness brings fear with her, she can't escape herself. She shields criminals in the night."

Max and Sara pressed themselves against me, too scared to be near Calypso. Everyone took a step away from her, but not me. "Darkness also hides away those who are running away in fear. Without darkness we cannot recognize the light. From the dark of night, rises the sun, rises a new day. From darkness rises hope. Everyone is afraid of the dark, but there is nothing to be afraid of. I don't care what you are the Guardian of. As long as you know that you aren't evil, Then we are willing to accept you."

"We are getting off track." said Forctis. "Samantha Fay, because of recent events, your soul is to be taken by Thanatos and placed in the land of the dead."

Katie stepped in front of me. "No, it won't. My memories are coming back, now that I am home. And I know that everything you have told us is a lie!"

"Katie." Greg asked warily. "What are you talking about?"

Before she could answer there was a crash and the floor shook. We all ran outside to see what the commotion was about. Black figures came crashing down from the sky. Furies, hundreds of them, stood before us. They had no weapons, but they didn't need them. We didn't have ours either, we had left them in our cabin.

"Guys," I said. "I think it's been a while since we've fought in our Animegas forms. Don't you?"

Thomas' skin was already covered in white fur, black dots were randomly spread out on his pelt. "I couldn't agree more."

I turned towards Mam, Sara and Abby. "Sorry guys, but you will have to sit this one out." I pointed to a  large clump of bushes next to the building. "Hide over there and don't come out. Only change into your Animega if the need is dire. Even then, try not to fight. Just run." The three of them took off.

Rusty red fur eloped my body. My bones molded and shifted until I was in the form of a fox. A red tail tipped with white erupted from my backside, sharp fangs replaced my teeth. The five of us ran into battle. For some reason, the Furies ignored us, they were only set on attacking the Guardians. A black panther with two tails pounced on one as it came near. Her fur smoked where it came in contact with the Furie. The panther snapped at the Furie's neck and ripped it’s throat out.

Those who got too close to Thomas got covered in a thick layer of ice or got their throats ripped out. Katie used her wings to blow a group of Furies together, then Greg's snake body would grow and wrap himself around the hoard. Then his body would shoot out large bolts of lightning like lasers and fry the bunch. I used the roots of plants to trap the Furies in wooden cocoons. Even though their touch would kill the plant, it would still hold strong.

The more Furies we killed or trapped, the more there seemed to be. They were endless, and we we began to run low on energy. Suddenly, they all seemed to stop coming. The Guardians, save Calypso, were all trapped inside of the Throne room. Piles of sludge, ice sculptures, and wooden boxes littered the area. We couldn't move without running into one of the three. The five of us changed back, sweat beaded on our faces.  Max, Sara and Abby ran towards us.

Abby embraced her brother, Max and Sara clung to me. It seemed we had won. But then, the sky turned dark with black clouds. The sun was hidden from view. It was so dark that you would have thought it was twilight.

"The darkness brings fear with her." Calypso muttered. She covered her face. "I'm sorry, this is my fault. I didn't know that-"

"That I would follow you." Damean said. He materialized beside her. His black hair partially covered his violet eyes, his pale skin seemed to glow in the darkness. A leather jacket and black jeans covered his body. Small horns jutted from under his hair. He turned towards Katie. "Sorry I was acting like such a jerk, Megan. But I needed you to gain the trust of the other Guardians. Same goes for everyone else."

Katie sighed. "You put on a pretty good show. But I don't understand why you had to kill Erik."

"I will explain everything later." Damean turned towards me. "Sam, I won't take you by force this time.  But please, I need you and everyone else to come with me."

I pushed Max and Sara behind me. "Ya, I'm sure you won't. Why would you? Its not like you have kidnapped me before. OR kidnapped my friends. OR murdered one of them! Must I go on, because I can do this all day."

He sighed. "Look. If it makes you feel better we'll all talk in the ballroom. And you can all stand next to the portal and jump through any time you wish. But please, I need you to come with me now."

I looked towards the trapped Guardians. They all looked at me with fury, like their plans had crumbled away. Then I looked at everyone else. Everyone except for Katie looked like they didn't go anywhere with him. "What if I just go?" I asked. "Will that satisfy you?"

Damean shook his head. "Once I leave, that door will open and the Guardians will come pouring out. If anyone is left here then they will be torn apart. Megan and Calypso know what I'm talking about."

Calypso stepped towards him and gave Damean a punch in the face. He flew backwards and landed on his butt. "As much as I hate him." Calypso pointed out, "he has a point. If anything, we would all be safer with him than we would be here."

"Fine." I said. "But if you try anything." I pointed back at Thomas. "I don't think that I will be able to stop him again."