And Then There Were Four

---Time's Up---

Another 3rd Person PoV filler chapter.

" Rascal, no!" Jay called. But it was too late. The dagger had found its mark. Rascal dropped to the ground and there was a sickening crack as his right arm hit the ground.

"Interesting." Erica commented "I didn't expect that to happen but it doesn't change anything. Except he's not in charge anymore."

"And what does that mean" Kendall challenged, "that you're in charge?"

"Why, that's not as bad idea. Yes. I'm in charge now. Any objections?"

"I'll start," Kendall spoke up, but was cut short.

"A shame then you won't finish. CRUCIO."

She screamed. A piercing scream. A cry of pain. An intense pain. When the screaming finally stopped, Kendall had fallen to her knees.

"That should teach you. Any other objections?" Silence. "Well then, to the river. We'll just leave Rascal here. If he's not already dead, he'll bleed to death for sure."

They walked down the corridor, made a left turn, and found themselves at a locked door. A chain locked the door but had an 8-digit passcode that would need to be solved to unlock it. To the right of the door was an inscription.

One challenge for each of the Five
Two are left in the dark of the night
Three heads to be severed towards end
Four will stand at the climax of the fight
Five clues are hidden within four

"What does it mean?" Hailey wondered.

"Well," Erica replied, "do you have anything prophecy girl."

"Let's see," Kendall attempted to decipher the inscription, "there are five challenges between here and the river, I'm assuming that this is the first one. The second line means that somewhere two Vashta Nerada escaped from Missy and are hiding somewhere. At the end, or more likely close two it, there is a three headed monster that will have to be killed. Someone, one of the Five, will die, thus four shall stand at the end. And finally, the clue to the passcode is hidden within the fourth line.

"How did you know all that?" Jay was awestruck.

"It's a child of Apollo thing. I'm not really sure how it works. Interesting, though, how it's in English, not Ancient Greek. This must have been what Apollo inscribed before he was chained down here."

"So, how do we figure out the passcode?"

"Well," Erica guessed, "there are seven numbers in the inscription."

"Yeah, but there are eight digits on the lock." Jay pointed out.

With a click the lock suddenly opened. "Get over here." Tori called, "We've got to get to the river."

"How did you do that?" Hailey asked?

"Easy. The first letters of the first five words in the fourth line were F, W, S, A, and, T. It's a simple number code correlating to where letters fall in the alphabet. F is number 6, W is 23, and so on. The passcode was 62319120."

"One task for each of the Five." Kendall repeated. "That was Tori's task."

"This shouldn't be too bad then."

"No, now we have to worry about what Rascal's task is. Because he's already dead."

They silently proceeded through the door and faced each challenge ahead of them. The two Vashta Nerada were eliminated by Kendall. Jay defeated the three headed sea serpent with some help from Hailey. And, in the last room, Erica mixed some chemicals to create an explosive, blowing out the stone wall and creating a direct line of sight to the river.

"Where's Rascal's challenge?" Tori wondered.

"I'm not sure," Erica replied, "but that's not our problem. Now, we figure out where the others are."

They approached the lake and saw the rest of their company waiting for them."

"Where's Rascal?" Catherine asked.

"Dead." Erica responded.

"What?!"

"I killed him. Long story. Now there are Four."

"What are you going to do now?"

"Well," Kendall speculated, "according to the prophecy--"

"Shut up, prophecy girl," Erica snapped, "just because your bloody father is the god of prophecies that doesn't mean you can boss everyone around on what to do."

"It seems like you're the one doing the bossing around." Tori stood up for Kendall.

"Oh, you little bitch. I can boss you around whenever the hell I fell like it."

"Try us." Hailey challenged.

"You're not even one of the Four so shut--"

"DO NOT tell my friends to shut up." Tori interrupted.

"Ha! As if you could stop me."

Jay stepped closer to Erica and did a roundhouse kick as her leg momentarily lit on fire. She barely missed Erica's leg.

"You missed."

"No I didn't. Look down."

Erica's right pants leg was burning from the cuff up.

"Greek fire. It should start hurting right about--"

"GAHH" The fire reached the point where it burned her skin.

"--now."

Growling, Erica tore her pants leg off just above the knee and threw it in the River Styx where the fire fizzled out. Her lower leg was badly burned and she leaned against a nearby tree for support.

"We're supposed to unite not try to kill each other." Erica seethed through gritted teeth.

"We'll get there somehow." Jay said, "but first we will have to get you to comply."

Erica pulled out her wand and pointed it at Jay. "No, I have enough time to get you all to comply. I'm a child of Jupiter. I don't settle."

Suddenly, a hand came from around the tree and grabbed Erica's midsection. From the other side a sword was pressed against her neck.

"Do you really have time? No, you don't. Because I'm back. And your time's up."

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