HYBRID (Now a draft)

TwentyOne

After Max found a guard drifting by, he gently tugged the keys hanging from the person's  belt. 

He glanced around the illusion. Willow was amazing. Right after she asked for permission from Max to alter the potion, she dipped a finger inside the vial and murmured some words. Spells. The liquid inside glowed hot pink and turned blood red. Willow was a Spellcaster. She said that the illusion would become much more terrifying to buy more time for both of them to escape. Willow seemed quite familiar with details of the Temple of Mulina.

Then Max saw a bright violet glow.

Evellyn.

He sucked in a huge breath. Everyone was supposed to be knocked out by fear by now. He saw a lime green glow. Twyla. And what was that eerie singing? It was beautiful, the notes loud and gentle, with a tinge of sadness adrift. It sounded, it sounded like a prophecy.

He quickly swam away as Evellyn pulled out her needle sword. Max held the vial in his hands. After the illusion was completed, the vial had reappeared in his hand with tiny patterns on the side. The key of exiting the space formed by the illusion. He held the vial in his hands and drew a glowing heart in the air. Willow's exit mark she had set. A hole opened and Max stepped out. The hallway was silent. Everyone was still in the illusion, it'll wear off soon.

Then he heard the sound of a slash. A hum followed. A violet tear appeared in the air beside him.

Max began to run.

His feet drummed the hard ground. He jumped onto the hand rails and slid down, down, down in spirals. 

Evellyn was after him.

Twyla ran beside Evellyn. She had never seen Ev in such rage before. Ev tugged at one of the tuning needles in a row at her waist. She chose a medium-small one. She clashed them together in a giant X. A crystal ringing of a bell. Beads of sweat gathered at her brow, but she concentrated hard. Her energy was running out. Breaking the illusion had taken it's toll on her. A spinning strand of waves came rushing out and swirled down the stairs where max had went. A strong wind made Twyla raise her arms to protect her face.

The lilac serpent.

The massive snake curled in the air and let out an echoing howl. It disappeared down the stairs.

A smile formed on Evellyn's lips. Twyla snickered. Max had nowhere to go. 

Max struggled with the keys.

"Quick,Max!" Willow shook the bars. He managed to unlock her cell when he heard the howl. A wind began to form. Dust gathered by his feet. " What was that?" Max wondered out loud.

Willow frowned. " The lilac serpent." Then she quickly giggled, a nervous giggle. " We better run!" She cried through gritted teeth. She grabbed on to Max's wrist and pulled him along her." You are coming with me, Enllovar!" She cackled.

Suddenly Max stopped. " I didn't tell you my last name. I didn't tell anyone in public my last name." He was suddenly afraid.

The wind picked up. " So what? Let's get out of here." Willow rolled her eyes. She was hiding something. But Max agreed. Now was not the time. He nodded, and ran. Her hand on his wrist again.

The howls echoing were becoming stronger. Willow was leading them deeper into the dungeons. " Where are we going, Willow?" " An exit." She said simply. They began passing by empty cells that seemed deserted and abandoned. The ceiling lowered every few hundred meters. The air became damp and cold.  Then Willow pushed opened a cell. The bars creaked open. Willow held on tight to Max's wrist, a tight squeeze that hurt. " Whatever you do, look in front of you." Said Willow. Her sweet voice suddenly serious. Max nodded. The howling was louder. They were in a very long cell with a dead end.

 " On a count of three." " Huh?" " One...Two.....THREE!" Willow began to run. Running straight for the wall ahead of them. Max thought Willow was mad. Until he passed through the wall as easy as passing through jello.

Evellyn called backed her serpent the moment the boy's presence had disappeared. Twyla looked at her. She calmed herself. She will be composed. They all looked up to her, her friends, her people. She stood tall. That boy had gone into the Deep. " Twyla, who was he in his cell with?" "W110."

W110.

She had purposely gotten herself caught. Breaking into the Head temple keeper's lab to steal a potion. She had wanted to get caught. The others who had been caught had tried to escape. But this girl, the girl with no name, had simply stood there. potion in hand, all nonchalant without fear. She had been captured a week ago. And then there was Max. That foolish boy. 

The Deep will take care of him now.

Ted mind drifted , his eyelids fluttered, then opened. He was lying on the ground like most of the people in the room. His hands went to the paintbrushes on his belt, still there. He felt for the hilt of his knife, it wasn't there. He sat up. The illusion the previous moment ago was so real. He knew it would sound crazy to most people, but he wanted to paint it all down. Every little detail. The feeling of pure terror. Then he remembered his knife. He began to search for it. Then the tip of his finger touched a rough surface. Canvas. He was crawling on a big sheet of canvas that covered the whole room. He stood up. He was standing on splotches of light color. A gigantic painting. He quickly surveyed the whole piece of artwork. It was beautiful. Shades of yellow and amber. Amber. The color of the rebellion.

And indeed, scrawled in large amber letters on the painting were three words :

WE ARE COMING