Garthia: The Forgotten King

Chapter Thirteen

~Chapter Thirteen

Cam and I rush back inside to tell Eve, who is sitting on the couch next to Fera, what we saw. Fera's face goes white as a sheet when we explain what they looked like.

"Creaturæ obscura." Fera whispers. She realizes that we, not even Eve, have any idea what she's talking about, so she explains. "It means dark creature in Latin. They are wild an ferocious beasts who can take the form of nearly anything they want. They can even copy a person or animal down to the smallest detail. That's why they're so deadly." She shakes her head in bewilderment. "But I thought they were only a myth. Dark magic hasn't been seen since the Dark Age, when creatures like the creaturæ obscura roamed Garthia, reeking havoc. But that was thousand of years ago and no one has seen them since. For them to show up now is... strange. Something must be terribly wrong." She stands abruptly. "We have to inform the king."

Eve stands up after her and places a hand on her shoulder. "He's probably already been notified. And the army will handle the creatures. We have nothing to worry-" She's interrupted by the sudden violent shaking of the apartment that sends all of us sprawling. I fall backwards and slam into the coffee table, which is made of hard glass, I might add. Cam lands on his back on the hardwood floor, and Eve and Fera are thrown back against the couch, with Eve banging her head against the wall and landing on top of Fera.

Groaning, I stand to my feet. The others do the same. Before anyone has anytime to process what just happened, something hits the door, like someone is slamming themselves against it, trying to bust it open. We all watch in silence as they slam back into it again and again.

Fera starts, "Oh sh-" but she's interrupted by the door bursting open. A mass of dark creatures pours in, sucking the light from the room and turning everything pitch black. The only way to tell where the beasts are is by a slow, fluid motion almost like water sloshing around in a bottle when you tilt it back and forth.

"Fera, do something." Eve commands in a panicked voice. Fera's face is even tighter then normal as she jerks her head around the room, watching the creatures swirl around us.

"My magic isn't offensive. It's defensive, if anything." She sounds bitter, probably because her magic is completely useless. "You pipsqueaks are going to have to handle this one."

Eve looks like all she wants to do right now is curl up into a little ball and hide. I don't blame her. But we have to do something. The dark creatures could attack at any moment and we wouldn't even see it coming.

I grab Eve by the shoulders and shake her violently. "Pull yourself together! This is no time to freak out!"

After I finish shaking her, looking a little dizzy she replies, "Right. Sorry guys." Just then one of the creatures comes after us. We duck just in time so it only swoops over our heads.

"Uh, guys?" Cam say, glancing around nervously," We might want to think of something. And fast!"

He's right. We have to think of a plan before another one of those things decides they want to take a swing at us. I take in the situation and all of our options, but I don't have anything. I look to Fera, hoping the adult of the group will be of some help, but she just shrugs.

Cam and Eve don't seem to be having much luck either. Finally, a crazy idea pops into my head. I brief the other two on the plan while we dodge the rampaging monsters: first, I somehow use my earth magic to feel around the room for the beasts (I don't even know if I can do that.) Second, once I find them, Cam somehow makes a forcefield around us using his air magic. Lastly, Eve attacks the monsters with her water magic. Hopefully it'll work. If not, well, there's no Plan B.

Cam and Eve are as unsure about this plan as I am, but, like I said, we haven't got any other option.

A get down on my knees and place both hands on the floor. I really have no idea what I'm doing, but on a hunch, I close my eyes and imagine everything in the room around me...And then I see it. I can see clearly around the room with everything turned to negative.

There are five of them, each staying plastered to the wall opposite to me, then taking turns charging at us. On leans forward, getting ready to pounce.

"Now would be a good time for that forcefield!" I say in a panicked voice, turning my mind gaze to him. Cam, his hair now white because of the negative effect, snaps back into focus (he must have been daydreaming) and raises both hands and shuts his eyes tight. I turn my attention back to the creaturæ obscura barreling towards us. Right before it reaches us, letting out an ear-splitting shriek, it's deflected by an invisible barrier that just seems like a thin sheet of glass, and gives everything a wavering effect.

I breathe a sigh of relief and motion to Eve to begin the third step. She looks a bit nervous, but she raises one of her hands. The water doesn't come for a moment, and Eve seems ready to give up, but then, we hear the sound of pipes creaking, and water comes bursting forth, flooding the entire room and soaking all of us to the core.

The water doesn't stop flowing and Eve struggles to stop it while simultaneously using to fight off the creatures. Good news, the plan seems to be working. Bad news, we're all going to drown.

Fera yells at Eve to stop it, but she doesn't even have time to answer. Using this much energy is probably draining her, but she doesn't let it show. She meets my eyes for one second and I know what she means to do: the only way to drown the monsters is to drown ourselves.

As the water reaches up to my waist, I rack my brain, searching for another option, another way out, but all I can think is, We're going to die we are really going to die.

I've never been this close to death before. All my life, all that I wanted was to be different. Not just different as in standing out, but different as in special. To go on the adventures that you could only read about. To visit new places. Meet new people. Basically, to have a more exciting life. But now that I have it. Now that I got what I wanted. I'm not so sure I want it anymore.

Don't get me wrong, the whole wizards thing is cool and all. I just never imagined I would ever die this early because of it. Pretty obvious, right? I guess I was just naive, and maybe I still am, but none of that matters now. Now that I'm about to die.

I wonder what it feels like, dying. Does it hurt? Is it over before you even know what's happening? Well, I'll find out soon enough.

All around me, the others are screaming and yelling at me, but I can't hear them. All I hear is the rush of the water as it reaches my neck. Everything is going in slow motion. Is that what happens before you die?

Someone shoves me from the side and I slam against the wall. It was Eve. They keep screaming and pointing at the wall, but I don't know what they mean.

The water is up to my chin now. The others are getting impatient. Cam dives underwater, popping up straight in front of me. Not speaking, he reaches underwater and grabs my hand, placing it on the wall behind me. He makes motions with his other hand like something blowing up.

I know what they mean now. But before I can do anything, the water rises over my head.

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Hey guys! I just wanted to say that I would love it if you would comment. You can ask me questions, give me advice or corrections, (I don't edit chapters sometimes, so there might be some mistakes.) or just say hi. I would love to hear from you! Also, you could vote for my story. I'd love to hear what you have to say!

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