Mythics: the search for Avia

Chapter 13: Final Battle

"Finally found it!" Scarlett exclaimed. They were well beneath the fortress of Avia and had finally found one of the secret entrances after walking a good few miles.
The door was well hidden in the rock and was just barely visible by the cracks in the wall.
"Here goes nothing." Said Jack as he tried to pry the door open. It didn't budge.
"Here, let me help." James said and together they pulled... the door still didn't budge.
"Stand back guys, I got this." Said Scarlett and Jack and James stood to the side. She dabbed some red powder at the corners of the door and whispered, "Perdere."
All at once the dabs of powder combusted into small fireworks and the door fell open.
"Neat." Lucas remarked.
"Lets go." Scarlett told them and stepped through.

The dimly lit hall showed moldy stone floors and walls.
"Yuck, don't y'all ever clean this place?" Alex wrinkled his nose in distaste.
"No because this is the dungeon, where we keep the prisoners." Stated Scarlett.
"Still..." Alex muttered.
"Anyway, I think the girls are being held somewhere down here." Scarlett continued. She took a torch off the wall and held it as they walked, their footsteps echoing off stone.
Near the end they found her.

Kyomi was in a rusted barred cell with a metal choker around her neck and appeared to be half asleep because when they approached she barely even raised her head to the sound.
"Kyomi! Are you ok?!" Alex's frantic call roused her and she shook her head as she looked up.
"You guys came back!" She exclaimed.
"Of course we did!" Said Zack, "We couldn't leave you here in this horror house."
Kyomi smiled gratefully.
"Where are the others?" Asked James looking around.
"In other cells throughout the dungeon. Avia wanted us separated so we couldn't communicate or escape." Answered Kyomi.
"Ok, we'll find them once we get you out." Said Scarlett and she produced an ancient looking key which unlocked Kyomi's cell.
"Kyomi!" Alex ecstatically turned to wolf form and tackled her, licking her face.
Kyomi was shocked. "How- how can you do that?"
"After Scarlett freed us, she took us to her Grandmother Tina's hut and they gave us powers like yours." Explained James, showing her his tan wings. Her eyes widened as she took in the assorted new powers the guys had.
"Let me get that." Scarlett said and muttered a quick incantation which unlocked her choker that chained her to the back wall.
"Thanks," Kyomis told her, rubbing her throat.
"Don't mention it."

"This way. I saw Avia lead the others down here." Kyomi led the way down another hall in the dungeon and a few seconds later they found Tori.
"Thank goodness! I thought was going to rot down here forever!" She exclaimed.
Scarlett unlocked her cell and she wobbled out, legs weak from sitting for so long.
"Why couldn't you just melt the bars with your poison?" Asked Scarlett, noticing she wasn't in lamia form. She turned and noticed that Kyomi  also didn't have her ears or tail anymore.
"Avia took our jewelry. The ones that give us magic." Kyomi answered for her and Tori nodded.
"Well this is a problem." Said Scarlett, "I guess we'll just have to get those back too. Let's just get my sis and Gabby and deal with that later."
"She's locked ok a bit farther down here." Tori said and led the way.

Gabby was crying when they found her.
"Gabby!" Zack whisper/yelled at her through the bars and she looked up. Instantly, her face flooded with relief and happiness. "I knew you would come for us!" She cried happily and hugged him as soon as her cell was unlocked.
Scarlett smiled, "Now all we need to do is find Skylar."
"Um, about that." Kyomi said, shifting nervously.
"What?" Scarlett asked, dreading the answer.
"She's not locked up."
"Why?" Scarlett didn't understand.
"...she's with Avia..." Kyomi's voice was barely a whisper but to Scarlett it was like a punch in the gut.
"What? How? How could she-?" Scarlett felt tears welling up.
"I'm sorry Scarlett. I don't know." Kyomi looked sad and Scarlett felt bad for her and the other girls, they had been through so much...and it was all her fault.
"I will fix this." Scarlett gritted her teeth and stormed towards the direction of the stairs leading up to the main floors. "I swear to the heavens I will fix this." The others, confused by her sudden rage, quickly followed behind.

"Mother!!!!! You have some explaining to do!!"
Scarlett yelled into the empty cavern where the boys had been held captive previously.
"Does she?" Purred a voice from above. "Or is it YOU who needs to explain why you would betray your own mother." Scarlett whipped around and glared up at the coy figure on the ledge.
"Good to see you again sis. I was beginning to wonder when you'd come back." Skylar said, brown eyes gleaming down at her with hate.
Scarlett glanced back at the others. The girls, Gabby, Kyomi and Tori were all glaring at Skylar with mixed degrees of hurt, betrayal and sadness. The boys just looked shocked that that was the same Skylar they had known before.
"What did she do to you?! And your wings...." Scarlett called up to Skylar.
Skylar shrugged her shoulders and a pair of dark brown wings, the same color of Avia's opened behind Skylar's back. "You were saying?" Skylar said meanly.
Scarlett was shocked, "how? That's not possible! I saw Avia take your wings."
"Before she gave me back my bracelet." Skylar dangled the braided feather bracelet so they could all see it.
"No..." Scarlett heard Gabbys horrified whisper behind her and something snapped.
"That's it." Scarlett said, icy blue eyes blazing.
Scarlett summoned her own midnight black wings and flew up to attack. The others just sat, stunned, and watched.
"Hiyaaaaaa!" A feral screech erupted from Scarlett's throat as she conjured her scythe and swung down. The scythe hit the ledge by Skylar's feet but she didn't flinch. Instead, she stood up and jumped off flying to the center of the room. This filled Scarlett with even more rage. "Die!" She shrieked as Skylar dodged every single attack Scarlett made.
"Come on sis. We can work together. We can rule by mothers side and no one would be able to stop us!" Cried Skylar with triumph.
"You sound like a maniacal cartoon character." Scarlett hissed.
Skylar shrugged, "Maybe so, but it's true."
"I don't think so." Scarlett said.
"That's unfortunate dear." Said a new voice, "I would want anything bad to happen to your friends." The newcomer emphasizes the word friends as if disgusted.
"Nice to finally join us, Avia." Scarlett said menacingly.
"Now, now, is that any way to talk to your dear sweet mother?" Avia replied.
"There's nothing nice or sweet about you." Scarlett retorted. "Now give me back my friends powers!"
"I don't think I will. You're being very naughty right now." Avia had the look of a scolding mother for a second but then it morphed into and evil grin. "Aren't I right, Skylar."
"Yes, mother." Said Skylar, flying over to where Avia stood.
"Give me back my friends powers!" Demanded Scarlett again, her grip tightening on her scythe as she prepared to strike.
"You mean these?" Avia dangled the fistful of magic jewelry at Scarlett. "They're quite pretty, I think I might keep them a bit longer..."
She pretended to admire them, then juggled them hand to hand.
Suddenly, they weren't there anymore, simply disappeared.
"Wha-?" Avia looked stunned, wondering where in the world they had gone.
"Looking for these?" Skylar asked, now flying next to Scarlett. "Actually I don't think you'd be a very kind ruler for the people of this world, no offense." She smiled with a fake sweetness.
"Catch!" Skylar threw the jewelry down where the girls were standing and they eagerly jumped up to catch them.
"Nooooo!" Screamed Avia, "We could have ruled together forever!"
"Now who's sounding like a cartoon character?" Skylar teased and Scarlett joined her as they descended towards their friends.
"This is no over!" Avia shrieked, preparing to use her magic.
"Oh, I think it is." Said a familiar voice.
"Grandmother!" Exclaimed Scarlett.
"Congrats of your victory dear. I knew you could do it." Grandmother Tina told her, "Now for you, I think you could spend some time reflecting on what you have done." Tina pulled out her wand and shouted, "Speculo carcere!"
"Maaahhhhmmmm!" Yelled Avia, clawing at air to try and escape Tina's spell.
"Don't 'mom' me! You will be in time out now for a very long time." Grandmother Tina scolded.
Scarlett and Skylar giggled as they waved at Avia. "Bye now!" Skylar said. "And don't come back!" Added Scarlett.

Once Avia had finally disappeared, the friends regrouped and caught up on all the recent events. The boys retold their tale of getting their powers, the Skylar told of her ruse and the information she learned while pretending to follow Avia and the girls put their jewelry back on, regaining their powers.
"Pascal!" Exclaimed Kyomi who had just then noticed the small green creature on Alex's shoulder.
"He's actually good company." He remarked and Kyomi laughed, picking up Pascal and nuzzling him with her cheek.
"What happened to Avia? Where did you send her?" Asked Gabby curiously.
"I sent her to be a prisoner in a mirror that is located back in my hut." Grandmother Tina answered. She addressed Scarlett and Skylar, "If you ever need to visit her, you are always welcome at my hut."
"Thanks." Skylar said.
Grandmother Tina nodded, "Are you ready to go home?"
"Yeah!" Shouted Tori, pumping a fist in the air.
Tina took out a portal marble and opened the portal.
The boys went first and then Tori, Gabby and Kyomi hopped through.
"I wish you could come with me." said Skylar.
"Me too." Scarlett told her and she gave Scarlett a hug. "We'll see each other again soon."
Skylar smiled and backed into the portal.
The last thing she saw was the smiling faces of her grandmother and two dear friends.