Exciti

Chapter 47 (Adam)

They ran toward the light shining from the Raising. In the few minutes they were gone, the light had gotten considerably paler. Both Kerman and Lago looked visibly shaken as they listened to Lucy's recount of what happened since the house was taken. Barb's lines flickered, "And they are trying to Raise him? Are they insane?"

Dr. Little was still in shock, "Gafol? I can't believe it. He was on the BOARD!"

Lucy grimaced; her shoulder had brushed against a broken column, "That's what I said."

"It makes sense, though." An ashen faced Kerman added, "Only the Board knew I recommended the Toy Warden to Adam. How else would that rogue know to anticipate his visit?"

Dr. Little exchanged a grim look with Lago and Kerman, "Gafol must've been alarmed by Adam's sudden progress in the last report. He couldn't allow him to get any stronger, and I think I know why?"

"Quiet, the square is just beyond that arch." Announced Lucy.

The group snuck a peak around the entrance. The scene had changed. "This is why we didn't come across any guards on our way here," Liam signed.

The doctor muttered, "So this is where all the missing Exciti went!"

Adam swallowed. There were now dozens upon dozens of the Crimsoners, all standing between them and the stage at the far end of the square. If he stood on tip toes, he could just make Tam at the heart of the Raising, and she wasn't alone.

The disfigured humanoid shape was definitely human now, a skeleton of a man that looked too big for a human, even in his kneeling position. A crimson robe was draped over his shoulder, but what showed from his skin was tight, red and glistening as if burnt. He was sneering, his teeth white and blinding, and holding Tam up by her hands.

Adam looked at the way her head lolled back and her long hair trailed on the floor. She doesn't have much longer.

Feeling exposed, he focused on feeling for and summoning his puzzle. It took a second before he heard a surprised yelp and the puzzle came flying into his hand from some Crimsoner's grip.

That seemed to get their attention. Every eye in the room, except for the pair on the stage, turned to them. Ricky looked livid. "Stop them! Nothing should interrupt the Raising."

The mass of red robes advanced, but Barb moved in front of the group and hissed. Her size and sheer ferociousness slowed the incoming onslaught as the Crimsoners hesitated.

"That wasn't the wisest thing to do!" remarked Barb from the corner of her beak. Adam tensed, she was right, now their small group was surrounded by an overwhelming number of enemies.

Only Liam seemed unruffled, "Well, what are we waiting for, then? Let's clear the way to Tamara," he signed, his ball ready.

"That's right," Lucy said and took a step forward.

They stopped when Lago put a hand on their shoulders, making Lucy wince."Nay, leaveth those hooligans to us." He gave Dr. Little a look, and the latter nodded then raised the staff, the rattling of the horse stopped a few Crimsoners who'd started to advance again.

He then looked at Adam. "Let us handle this crowd. Tamara needs you." He turned to face the advancing Crimsoners, " and in case something happens, I want you to know that I owe you the mother of all apologies. I should've believed in you much earlier. Barb, will you, please?"

Adam's surprised yell rang in his ear when Barb, in one swift motion, picked him and Lucy in her talons and plucked Liam in her beak then took off.

Adam felt his heart sink when he saw the rest of the group fall away until they looked like three grains of sand facing an incoming crimson ocean wave. "They don't have a chance, Barb! Take us back!!" He watched as the first row of Hushers attacked. One of them managed to aim a blow at Kerman, who fell down, holding his head.

"No! Kerman!" screamed Adam. Lucy started pounding her fists on Barb's leg. "Let me go, Lago will die! He can't handle them all! He can't even handle a swarm of zippers."

Barb veered to one side as darts were shot at her from below and growled, "Don't underestimate them, children." She turned again to avoid a bunch of marbles zooming at her and grumbled. "All this zigzagging. It is taking forever to get there!"

A visibly terrified Liam adjusted his hold on Barb's beak, then mouthed, "What's that?" Adam squinted. A crowd, not clad in crimson, was pouring through the entrance to stand hind the doctor and his group.

Barb's laugh was loud, "Backup, Lago's emergency tree works."

Adam stared as the crowd shuffled closer. Dozens of familiar and unfamiliar Exciti stood shoulder to shoulder with Lago and Kerman. He recognized Steve the Stove, Frida the Fridge, Nut the sky goddess and even Lib, who was easy to spot with her massive skirt and the paper tube in her hand. He heard a faint roar and looked to see Marolo, brandishing a piece of rope with Pam Pam tied to one end, gnashing his teeth.

Even from so high up, Adam could hear Lib yelling, "such bad manners! How dare you attack such darling children, and our Lucy!" to which Steve replied with a ball of flame, "Yes, for Lucy!"

The call, "for Lucy!" echoed around the crowd as two waves, one of crimson and the other a multicolored mass, merged with a thundering uproar.

Liam slowly turned his wide eyes to look at Lucy. "You have one BIG, SCARY group of friends," he mouthed.

Lucy's watery smile was so out of place, and yet somehow very appropriate.

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Barb landed them right in front of the stage and turned around to guard their backs, "I will guard your backs. And guys?" she said as she morphed into a woman, a spear of light in her hand, "you do what you need to do, but you come back to us. You hear me?"

They turned and ran to the stage. They were a few meters away when Ricky blocked their path, twirling the ether mask in his hand, "Stop right there!"

Lucy's made her doll pull a sword, "That doesn't work on me, pal. Now, get out of the way, or I swear I will..."

Ricky drew out something that looked like a little trumpet. "Oh yeah? You will do what?"

She swore, "That's Tamara's hunting horn."

Adam looked beyond him. The Emperor was standing on his own feet now, holding up an unconscious Tam by one hand. "Ignore him. He is buying time".

"Maybe I am!" Ricky said and put the trumpet to his mouth.

"Duck!" Lucy yelled and pulled them both down as a flare of a scorching white fire shot forward from the horn and singed the air above their heads.

Lucy sent her doll slashing and jabbing, forcing Ricky to retreat away from the stage. She stood up and ordered through gritted teeth. "You guys go on."

Liam's eyes popped, "What? No!"

She manipulated the doll away from another fiery attack and pointed at the stage, "There is no time. Go!"

Adam pulled on Liam's arm, told Lucy to, "Kick his ass!" then ran to the stage. Ricky made to stop them again, but Lucy's doll blocked his way. The last thing Adam heard before Lucy's voice was drowned in the noises of the battle behind him was her taunting, "It's just you and me now, Ether boy!"