Magics: Escape (Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kai woke with a start, opening his eyes and sitting up abruptly. He found himself sitting on the couch in the living room of Amy and Rachel's house. He wasn't in Thorn's arena anymore. He blinked a few times, replaying the whole dream in his head.

Except it wasn't a dream.

Shintaro had to have used his Light Magic to contact them somehow, to bring them to him through their dreams. He somehow let them know where they were and what Moon was searching for. What she needed him for. He was the other half of the key. She was going to open the Abyss. 

Linda rounded the corner sharply, tugging Abby behind her. Nanami, who hadn't been a part of the "dream", trailed along behind them, blinking away sleep and giving the two older girls questioning looks. Linda woke the rest of the boys up by gently kicking them with her foot as she walked by them.

"Wake up, get up," she said with each kick. "Seriously, wake up! Chase, now isn't the time to take forever to wake your butt up!" She kicked him once more, and he mumbled something that sounded like "ssshhhtaaaawp."

Falte yawned and rubbed his eyes, reaching for his glasses case, which was by the foot of the couch. "What's going on? Wait, where are we now?" 

So everyone else really had seen and heard what Kai had. He suspicions were true. Shintaro had somehow contacted all of them. Kai was mostly grateful that Shintaro was simply alright. Moon didn't seem to want to mess with his head. She was too busy looking for the half of the key to play with her captive. 

"We're awake," Linda said to him, kicking his glasses case toward him gently when he couldn't find it. She continued pacing around the boys, waiting for Chase to actually sit up. Gabriel was sitting up and rubbing his eyes in sleepy confusion.

When Chase didn't sit up a few moments later, Linda was about to kick him again. Abby put her hand on Linda's shoulder, stopping her. "I'll wake him up," she said softly to Linda, who stepped back with crossed arms and a frown.

Kai swung his legs over the side of the couch as Abby knelt down beside her brother.

She put her hands on his shoulder, shook him forcefully, then cried in a distressed voice, "Chase! Chase, there's a spider on your head!"

Is that even going to- Kai's mind started. 

Chase jolted upward with a yelp of fright, almost whacking his head on Abby's. She leaned backward as he kicked his legs and shook his head once. 

Falte couldn't contain his giggles, which made Chase stop.

He looked up at his sister, then frowned angrily. "You jerk! There's nothing there, is there?" 

"N-No," Falte answered for her, clearing his throat. "There's nothing there." 

"Meanie," Chase said, sticking out his tongue at Abby, who rolled her eyes. 

"I was waking you up," she told him. "Do you even remember what happened last night?" 

"No, I do," Chase said, running his hand through his ruffled hair. "I thought it was just a dream, but I suppose I was wrong." 

"He communicated with us with his Magic while we were sleeping," Kai said. "He wanted us to know what Moon was planning, and where they were at the moment. I don't know how long they're going to stay there, though, because the key isn't there." 

"The key?" Falte repeated in a confused tone.

"The first half of the key to the Abyss," Linda answered. "You do know what that is, right?" 

Falte nodded, frowning a little. "I've heard of that before, but nothing of a key." 

"The first half is a gem infused with Dark and Light Magic," Kai explained. "The other half... The other half is Shintaro." 

"What does that mean?" Falte asked in a voice full of dread. 

"Shintaro is ... like the gatekeeper of the Abyss," Kai told him. "If the gem gets close enough to him, the Abyss will open without Shintaro's permission. That's what Thorn was trying to do while we were there, but we stalled him long enough to get out in time. I don't think any of us thought about the gem after that, but it obviously isn't there anymore. Moon is looking for it so she can do what Thorn failed to - open the Abyss." 

"Who's that 'him' she mentioned?" Chase asked, twisting his fingers together nervously as he asked. 

Linda and Kai shared a look of dread, worry, and fear. 

"The Dark Lord," they said at the same time. 

"The creator of Darkness," Linda continued when Kai shuddered. "The leader of all the Darks. The opposite of Shintaro. The Dark One, some call him. He's a ruthless, heartless wretch who kills and tortures for fun. He has a bone to pick with Shintaro, though I'm not entirely sure why. There's more to it than just because Shintaro's a Light. Since Chase is as well, I have a feeling he will be after him too." (This made Chase visibly shiver.) "I can't even explain him right. He's terrible." 

"'They shouldn't have it much longer'," Kai quoted Shintaro's words. "Shintaro knew we were listening. He summoned us there and carefully planned his words. He means that we have to get the gem first. I don't know what he wants us to do with it, but while he's captured, we have to get to the gem before Moon does." 

"But we have to rescue him," Abby countered, her voice small and worried. "What are we supposed to do? We shouldn't split up. There are still Darks out there who are bent on revenge. Or maybe they're waiting for their leader too..." 

"I don't know what we're going to do," Linda admitted. "Kai is right, though. We have to get to the key before Moon does. We should do that first. I don't know how we're going to find it, but once we find it, we'll go get Shintaro. Moon will keep searching until she has it, but if we have it, that means she won't find it. That means she'll keep herself busy looking for it, hopefully not harming Shintaro too badly. We should have enough time to get the gem before she does if we start moving soon. Dang it, I wish Shintaro gave us a clue on where it was. Once we get the gem," she repeated, "we'll go rescue Shintaro. Believe me, Abby, I'm just as eager to rescue him as you are, but I think keeping The Dark Lord in the Abyss is a bit more important. If he escapes... Who knows how many could fall to his hand." 

Everyone remained silent after that comment, obviously nervous about what would happen if he really did get out of the Abyss. This was equally terrifying for all of them, Kai knew. This wasn't as bad as simply escaping from Thorn and Moon like before. They had to rescue Shintaro and stop The Dark Lord from coming. 

Shintaro was depending on them.

They couldn't let him down.

They had to fight back.

They had to protect what they knew.

Their homes.

Their family.

Their friends.

Their world.

~

Another chapter in a matter of minutes!

I'm getting there, you guys.

I'M SERIOUSLY SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK, Y'ALL.

IT'S NOT HEALTHY HOW EXCITED I AM XD.

How are you all liking this so far?

Welp, until the next chapter!

Peace!!!~~