Star Keepers: Rebirth

Chapter 10

"Scorpius, where's Cygnus?" Pegasus calls as she fights off a Hydra double.

"I sent her to the Star Realm." Scorpius replies, kicking his double in the chest.

"You got it open? That's great! I wonder what was blocking it." Pegasus says.

"I don't know. That's a conversation for later!"

Corvus and Orion run to their side. "Where's the real Hydra?" Corvus asks.

Pegasus gestures with her head. "The one in the middle."

Orion grabs an arrow and shoots. It cuts through the air and skims Hydra's arm.

He covers the wound with his hand, looking surprised. His yellow eyes glow, and all the doubles disappear.

"Where is Lupus?" Pegasus asks him.

"I already told you that you're wasting your time." Hydra said. "He's not here."

"Hand him over, Hydra." Scorpius says.

Hydra groans and rolls his eyes. "You aren't understanding. He's not here."

Orion shoots three arrows at him, but he dodges them all. "Give us Lupus, or the next one goes into your head!"

Hydra chuckles. "Fine, since you insist." He points in the direction of the hospital they were just in.

"Orion, stay here with Hydra. We're taking him to the Star Realm as soon as we get Lupus." Scorpius says as he leads Corvus and Pegasus into the hospital. "You two look that way, I'll look over here."

Scorpius searches in the rooms they had just checked earlier when he hears a scream. He comes running into the room Pegasus and Corvus were in.

There on the floor was Lupus.

Orion comes in. "What's wrong?" He asks.

Scorpius takes a deep breath in. "Lupus is dead." He lets it out as he speaks.

Orion, noticing Lupus, crouches next to him. Pegasus is shaking her head in horror and Corvus is glaring out the window as he watches Hydra wave goodbye with an evil smile, and then he disappeared.

"Orion, what happened to staying with Hydra?" Corvus asks.

"I heard a scream..." Orion says.

Pegasus pats his shoulder. "It's fine. We'll find Hydra again." She closes her eyes to summon the Star Realm, and the portal appears.

Scorpius picks Lupus up off the ground, and walks through after everyone else. Star Keepers murmur and gasp when they spot Lupus.

"Tell Ursa we're back." Corvus tells a nearby Star Keeper.

"How do we explain this?" Orion asks.

"With the truth. Ursa will understand. She knows Hydra better than anyone." Scorpius said.

Ursa runs out of a room with Cygnus right behind her.

When Cygnus spots Lupus, she freezes. "No!"

Ursa gasps at the sight of him. "Quickly, to my room." She urges them. Cygnus hurries to catch up to them. "Place him on my bed."

Cygnus gets her first good look at him. His skin was pale, his lips almost a light gray. His usually wide open blue eyes were closed and sunken in. She puts her hand on his arm, and he's freezing cold. Tears fill her eyes as she takes him in.

"Do you know what happened?" Ursa asked.

"Hydra killed him, that's all we know." Scorpius says.

Ursa looks to Cygnus. "It's exactly as you said, Ursa." Cygnus says. "It was all true, everything Hydra told me." Ursa gets up to comfort her as the others look to each other, confused.

"I'll explain it to them. Why don't you stay here, we'll leave." Ursa tells her. Cygnus nods, and Ursa gestures for the other four to follow.

She sighed as they entered yet another room. "When Hydra would drain them, he was draining their power, not their life. He wants their power, that was why he came after them. Then with their power, he will destroy all of the Star Realm."

Orion speaks up. "So, did he kill him because he took away his power?"

Ursa thinks. "Yes and no. He doesn't need his powers to live, so taking his powers wouldn't hurt him. Hydra didn't just take his powers, he also drained his blood because the powers are in the blood."

"That's why he's cold and pale." Scorpius says. Ursa nods.

"Then how did he get Lupus's powers?" Corvus asks.

"The power and the blood would've both been drawn into him." Ursa explains.

"This is horrible." Pegasus said. "We need to get back to earth, find Hydra, and bring him in."

"I'm coming with you." Cygnus says in the doorway.

"We can't risk Hydra gaining your powers too." Scorpius said.

Cygnus walks forward and says very firmly; "I'm going. You can't stop me. I'm in this fight, too."

Scorpius looks to Pegasus, but she seemed to be on Cygnus's side. "Fine. You better be ready to fight, though. This won't be easy."
"After what Hydra has just done," Cygnus says, "he better be ready for me."