Fire's Last Descendant

Chapter 9

           ••• Chapter 9 •••

       "Y-y-you're Angus?" I ask, utterly confused. The way Sam had spoken about him made me think that Angus was about our age, maybe older, and not a little kid.

       He nods his head and his curls bounce. "Yup! You okay?"

       I cough some more and press a hand to my collar bone. As I cough out more water, I dip my head slightly. He sighs with relief. "Come with me. You wouldn't survive an hour out here alone."

       Oh, I wouldn't be able to, but he would? I push myself off of the bank and follow him into the dark cave.

       The way Angus steers us through the cave makes me think that he's lived here for his whole life. Like he knows every single stalagmite and stalactite. I wouldn't be surprised if he could lead himself through this cave without a torch, and blindfolded.

       "Angus?"

       "Yuh huh?"

       "Was it you that created the protection spell outside the cave?"

       He looks over his shoulder. The grin he shoots contains just as much mischief as his eyes. "Yeah, and I'm guessing the three musketeers brought you here?"

       "If you mean Sam, Callan, and Chase, then yes," I say. He chuckles to himself and turns his head back to his front.

       "Now why would they bring you here?" He asks. I am not sure if I should be offended by his question.

       "Actually, I was hoping you could tell me."

      He stops. Everything is silent, something I've gotten used to after being with Callan, Sam, and Chase for almost a day. It is so quiet, I can hear water falling off of the tips of stalacites and bursting on the top of stalagmites. Even the crackling of the fire on the torch.

       "We'll see once we get where we're going," Angus answers quietly.

       As we start walking again, I recognize something else that I've gotten used to with the three of them. Not being told where I'm being taken. Noticing these traits, I start to wonder if Angus is related to any of them.

       We do not talk for the rest of the walk. Before long, he leads me through a different cave.

       This cave looks very much like the rest, with the pretty stalacites and stalagmites, only with much more light. At least seven torches line the rocky walls. A black cauldron sits in a dug hole in the ground. Strangely, instead of liquid, fire bubbles, smokes, and crackles in the large pot.

       "Stay here, I'll go bring Sam, Callan, and Chase," he orders. I turn towards his voice, but Angus is gone.

       I spend about five minutes sitting alone in the cave when Angus returns. He's brought the three musketeers with him.

       "Gabby!" They yell and Sam runs to me. "Omigosh-are-you-all-right-I'm-so-sorry-we-couldn't-catch-you-was-it-awful-I'm-so-happy-Angus-found-you-cause-I-don't-wanna-have-to-deal-with-another-dead-friend!"

       She crushes my torso and arms in a gigantic hug. The suddenly tough and friendly girl was now super protective and not very tough acting. A small part of me is happy that she called me a friend (So now I don't have to say that I only have one friend now).

       "I'm good, but if you crush me any more, you might get a little bit of water puke on your T-shirt," I manage to say. She lets go of me after apologizing and steps beside Callan. I can add what just happened to the list of odd things that happened today.

       "So, Angus," Callan starts. "Sam and Chase found Gabby being attacked by a gashadokuro. Before the two of them killed this gashadokuro, they just happened to catch an interesting piece of information. He said, and I quote what they quoted to me, 'I will devour you essence slowly and leave the Fire for the master.' Which brings me to the big question: Could she be Fire's last descendant?"

       Angus shrugs. "It's possible. And I suppose you want me to awaken her."

       "Please?" Callan says.

       Angus rolls his eyes. "I'll do it, but—"

       "Let me guess: it's gonna cost us. How much?" Chase asks, pulling out a wallet from his back pocket.

       "For once, I don't need any video game money," Angus says, crossing his arms. "Just think about the consequences."

       Consequences? How bad were they? A ten year-old was talking about consequences, and didn't want any bribed video game money? That doesn't sound anything like the ten-year olds I've known.

       Callan bites her lip and turns to her brother and friend. I can tell what she says in their little silent conversation. "Should we?"

       The little question suddenly becomes a big dead to me. The question, "Should we," makes the consequences really bad.

       They all nod their heads, and I freeze. Angus sighs. I take his small hand in mine and let him lead me to the cauldron.

       "Stay here," he orders me, and disappears. As soon as he does, I turn around.

       "Guys? What's wrong? What are the consequences? Are they that bad?" The questions flow out of me like a river. I start getting frustrated when they don't answer. "Tell me!"

       As the "e" in the last word leaves my lips, Angus appears. He's got three objects in his left hand that I can't make out. He carries a thick wooden plate in the other hand.

       He sets the wooden plate down on the cave floor. He then lays down the three objects that now look to be a burning feather, a small bottle with a bright orange liquid inside, and a reddish-orange animal scale. Angus uncorks the bottle of liquid and pours it on the plate, then spreads the liquid around with the scale. He takes the burning feather and drops it in the liquid, then continues spreading the liquid with the scale.

       I look away for one second, then I hear a loud BANG! that makes me jump. I turn back to the small wizard and see that he's banged a club against the materials and the wooden plate. He bangs the club three more times. BANG! BANG! BANG! When he removes the club, I see a crushed mess of materials on the plate.

       The feather has stopped burning and is now multiple pieces of a thin stem with only a few tiny feathers attached. The scales has been crushed into a sort of substance that is almost a chunky powder. The strangely colored liquid covers it all.

       Angus gathers what is left of his materials in his palm. His free hand grabs my own and he dumps the materials in my own hand. "Now swallow it."

       I look at him like he's insane. He wants me to swallow it? As small as it is now, it still does not look edible. I look back down at him and see him nodding towards the materials.

       Well, here goes nothing, I think. I bring my hand to my lips and pour the stuff down my throat. I give it my all not to chew it down or spit it out. When the last of it is down my throat, I feel weak-kneed. I start panting heavily and feel a burning pain in my chest.

       "Get it out," I whisper weakly, then I collapse and everything turns black.