Crystal Cave

Chapter Nine

*Mitch POV*

I don't know what I was doing. Nothing is makes sense anymore. I was so sure of what I had to do. And then we entered the cave and met Erramun and now.... now I am sure I am making a mistake. Now I am terrified. I don't know what to do. He will kill me if I try to oppose him. Maybe I can tell Siren, or Erramun. Erramun seems to be the only one who He is afraid of.

As soon as I knew everyone was asleep I slipped my favorite black high tops on and grabbed by Hilden High football hoodie. I half jogged half ran to the river. It was almost as if He knew what I was going to do, and was warning me. The wind howled as I pushed through it, the trees moaned and creaked around me. I couldn't stop now.

The water was the same as it had been this afternoon, slow, smooth, and steady. I walked to through the entrance, the walls still changing colors and the mist still circling my ankles. When I rounded the bend to the fog wall I didn't hesitate as I stepped straight through. The arches still had a glow to them just fainter. I walked over to the black arch and reached into my pocket where the matching crystal remained concealed.

"Mitchell, I had a feeling you would come tonight.", I whirled around to see Erramun, leaning casually in the entrance of a tunnel. His posture suggested cool, but his mouth was pulled in a frown, his eyes held a mixture of sadness and disappointment. Disappointment in me. I found myself feeling ashamed, for some reason I did not want to disappoint Erramun.

"Come child, let us walk while you explain everything", he turned back to the tunnel he had been leaning on and waited for me to join him before beginning to walk at a slow pace.

I felt like I could trust Erramun. Like I had to trust him, for he was the only one I knew could help me fix the mistakes I have made. So I told him. I told him everything.

I told him about the football game Siren took me to when I was twelve, the first time I met Dreadyn, Griffin, Roxy, and Kaylan. How from that night on I idolized Griffin and Drea. I confessed my feelings about Kris and how the first time we spoke was when I spilled a banana smoothie all over her and she just laughed and bought two more. Finally I told him about the first time Master had contacted me.

It had been on my fourteenth birthday, about 6 months ago, I had been sitting in bed listening to Panic! At The Disco on my new Monster headphones. My music stopped and a Voice replaced it.

"Hello Mitchell."

"Hello? Who is this? What is going on?!?"

"Calm yourself my boy. My name is not important. All that matters is I need your help."

"With what?"

"Saving the world of course! You are the only person who can help me accomplish this."

"Why me? What does it need saving from?"

"All in due time my boy. For now I need you to do something for me."

"What?"

"Keep an eye on your sister. We can't trust her."

"My sister? What does my sister have to do with any of this?"

"SHE is who we have to save the world from! Her and those so called friends of yours!"

"But why?"

"No time for questions my boy. Do as I ask and all your wishes will come to pass. Do as I say and you can rule."

As that final sentence finished an image of Kris had come to mind.

"I thought I could trust him. I thought I was doing the right thing. I see now that I was wrong. I was so stupid! How could I have believed him!", I kicked at a rock that had been in my path.

I turned away from Erramun and watched the water race through the veins of walls. Unshed tears prickled the backs of my eyes.

"You are young. Barely an infant in the overall scheme of things. You thought you could be the hero and get the girl. You let Him fill your mind with doubt and hatred.", Erramun placed his hand on my shoulder, "But you came through, you are here now and seeking help. It takes a strong person to ask for help. And seek forgiveness."

"Can you help me?"

"I can. To an extent. You have to fix this but you will not be alone. I can, however, block Him from your mind. If my suspicions are correct, and I have no doubt that they are, then I have much more experience than Him. So tell me boy, what is His name?"

Erramun's voice had become urgent by the end of the sentence. Almost as if he knew the answer and didn't want to hear it. I answered anyway.

"Ashbel"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*A/N The picture is the closest I could find to what I imagine Mitch looking like. I hope you like it so far! 2 updates in two days? I am on a roll! Let's see if I can keep it that way! :} *