We stopped in the mountains waiting for Taio to continue leading us. Though he looked concerned about something else. I watched as he gazed around, looking for something. "Do you hear that" he asked.
It was dead silent. "You mean the air?" I asked. "If is no, I can't hear that either"
Taio turned towards me, with a look of horror and shouted. In a flash before my eyes, something jumped on him. I don't know why I didn't see it. I must've been off my game today. I ran towards Taio who had collapsed screaming as if he was in some excruciating pain. What's wrong?" I asked.
"My arm" I grabbed it and observed the wound. Two vicious snake bites were oozing a green substance. The snake hissed and slithered away.
"Venom" Max said noticing it as well. "we need to extract it fast"
"Is it deadly?" I asked Max.
"Maybe, but death is not what I'm worried about" Max answered. I wanted to ask why, but as soon as I looked back at Taio I had my answer. His veins were glowing a bright blue. "Stress affects his ability to suppress his powers"
Taio grabbed my arm, "Reach into my front pocket" he said to me.
"Why?" I asked.
"'Please just do it, American"
I reached in and pulled out a metal object. It wasn't until it was fully out that I realized it was a gun. "Why do you have this?" I said afraid to ask.
"If I lose control" he began. "please shoot me"
Max snatched the gun away and threw it. "I don't know if that snake venom made you lose your mind, but this is not the answer."
"Don't be stupid" Taio said, "It's my life or the lives of millions of people."
"We won't let you lose control" Max said. He grabbed his arm and began sucking the venom out of his arm.
It was no use, he was still getting worse. His body starting to seize. Winds came in strong nearly blowing us off of our feet.
"Go, it's too dangerous to stay here" Max said to us.
"Say no more" Wes said.
I grabbed Wes by the arm before he could take off. "And leave you here" I asked. "Like hell"
"He'll kill us all" Max tried.
"Or not" Wes answered.
"There is no other way" Max said.
"There is" Wes said picking up the gun.
I ran and snatched the gun out of his hands. "Why is your solution always murder?"
"He suggested it first" Wes tried to defend.
"Help me out" Max said to Wes. Wes grabbed his arms and legs and held them down. Max placed both of his hands on Taio's chest and siphoned the growing energy from him. After a few seconds the storms had calmed, and everything was back to normal.
Taio sat up like nothing had ever happened. "Where are we?" he asked.
"So now we have to babysit him too?" Wes asked.
Taio stood and turned to Max. "Did I do anything bad?" he asked.
"No, we handled it without any casualties" He answered.
"We need to get where we're going soon." I suggested, "Before another incident occurs." I'd never admit it, but Taio terrified me like nothing else had.
Taio nodded and pointed north. "The destination is that way"
The walk took us another thirty minutes. We stopped in front of what looked like an old castle. It was in ruins from what I assumed was age and war. "Where are we?" I asked curiously.
"The ruins of the Primizi kingdom" he explained. "One of the oldest and most powerful kingdoms in the east when it was around. Nobody knows how the kingdom was destroyed. Only that they believed the people derived from aliens"
"So, are you going to keep telling us fairy tales, or are you going to go in" Wes said to him. I listened fascinated, since they had believed my origin to be extraterrestrial as well.
I took the liberty to step into the castle first. It was insanely intriguing with walls covered in images, and languages. I looked down and noticed the same words sprawled across the floor. Everyone else noticed and looked down as well. "Fuwene tu hizi" Taio read with a look of horror
"I'm guessing that doesn't mean welcome?" I asked.
"No, it loosely translates to you die here'"
If I wasn't scared before I was now. I don't know what we needed to do to get out of here, but I was ready to go. "So where are these stones" I asked.
"My best guess, the tomb of the king" he answered.
"Of course," I said. "Is there a way to speed this up, I have a thing where I don't like seeing death threats"
Taio smiled and grabbed my shoulder. "You're the speedster are you not?" he said. "Just run"
I turned to Wes and Max. "Well" I said.
Max placed his hand on my other shoulder. Wes rolled his eyes and held onto my arm. I sped off at full speed down the castle hoping to get to the king's tomb quickly. I was stopped by a hard wall and thrown into the ground. I looked around at Wes and Max who were both laying on the ground. Taio on the other hand landed in the middle of the room. I walked towards him but stopped when I noticed the symbol that formed on the floor.
"What's going on" I asked.
"I don't know" Max answered observing the same symbol.
Taio began to levitate above the ground. "What is this poltergeist?" I said refusing to go any closer.
"Something's wrong" Max said nervously.
Snakes surrounded Taio's body. They all looked similar to the venomous one that had bit him earlier.
Max stepped back and looked around.
"Taio" I said.
Taio's eyes widened, and he stood on his feet once again. He glared towards me, sinisterly. "Is that what his name was?" he asked. "You know Taio means 'By God's wish'. And by my wish we will."
"Taio" Max said walking closer defensively. "I know you're in there"
"You amuse me, the man who thought he could" Taio said. "Your embarrasing attempts to subdue his powers only made it easier for me"
"Who are you?" Max asked.
Taio smirked, "I think you know" he said.
Wes aimed his hands at the man. "Your sorcery ends here"
Taio smirked and in a wave of his hand threw us hard into the walls. I hadn't felt this much pain since I fought Marcus. I felt myself losing consciousness, but not before I heard Taio say one last thing. "I've heard of you, the fast knight" he said. "If you survive this, you will be made one of my brave generals as I conquer this earth and its galaxy"
"Screw you" I said to him.
He smirked and walked out god knows where. And all I could do was watch him go.
