by Lola StVil
I nod my head reluctantly. I know Nexus is right, and I know if Sailor were here, she’d have been out the door on her way to the alley while I sat here arguing with Nexus about it.
“Fine. We’ll do it. Assuming I can convince Adam to let Sailor out of his sight,” I say.
Nexus smiles at me.
“You can be very persuasive when you want to be, Rye. Why don’t you put some of that charm of yours to good use for once?” she says.
I roll my eyes, but again I nod my head. I’ll have to persuade Adam to let her out, or I’ll have to drag her out against his will and hope that one day he forgives me, because if we don’t get the gem soon, then Sailor isn’t going to survive this, whether Adam keeps her locked up in the house underneath his watchful eye or not.
“I’ll find a way,” I say, resigning myself to the fact that we’re going to do this today.
I finish the rest of my coffee and head into the games room. Mel and Jinx are sitting playing a game on the Xbox.
“Guys, Nexus brought us a potion that will allow us to breathe on the staircase. I’m going to Sailor’s place to collect her and then we’re going to go and get the Soul Gem. Let everyone know and meet me there.”
“I’ll come with you,” Jinx says, getting up.
“That won’t be necessary,” I say.
“In case you forgot, the buddy system thing was your idea, Rye. I’m coming with you. End of.”
“Fine,” I sigh. “Come on then. Mel, can you let the others know?”
Mel has already switched off the game and she nods and gets up.
“See you in the alley,” she says.
Jinx and I head out to the warehouse, where I grab my sword and push it down into the pouch inside of my jeans’ leg. Jinx grabs two daggers and puts them in his pockets. I open a portal to the edge of town and we walk the rest of the way.
“Don’t you think it’s a little soon to be taking Sailor on what could be a dangerous mission?” Jinx asks as we walk.
“Yes. But like Nexus pointed out, she only ended up in the hospital because someone is trying to get the second Soul Gem. Once we have it, then at least that bit of danger will hopefully be past.”
“Fair point,” Jinx says. “And anyway, it would take more than a few bad dreams to keep a girl like Sailor down for long.”
I think his words are supposed to reassure me, but they don’t. Not in the slightest. I still feel like we’re pushing Sailor too hard, too soon, but what other choice do I have? Let the Boundless have another shot at getting the Soul Gem and perhaps killing her?
I have to keep telling myself it’ll be alright, that I won’t let anything bad happen to Sailor. I will do whatever it takes to protect her.
“So what are we planning?” Jinx asks. “You distract Adam and I’ll grab Sailor out her bedroom window?”
“I was thinking more like knocking on the door and asking if she can come and spend the day at the cabin with us,” I say.
“Have it your way.” Jinx shrugs. “My way would be more fun though.”
“Nothing about any of this is fun, Jinx,” I say.
“Oh come on, you know that’s not true. Outwitting the Boundless is fun and you know it. I know you can picture their disappointment when they find a way to get closer to the gem only to find out they’re too late.”
I can’t help but smile.
“Okay, you got me. That part does sound kind of fun.” I grin.
“Told you.” Jinx grins as we reach Sailor’s door.
“Let me do the talking,” I say as I reach up and knock.
Adam answers the door before Jinx can reply. He smiles at us and invites us in. Sailor is sitting in the living room and she looks up, surprised to see Jinx and me at her house so early.
“What are you guys doing here?” She smiles.
“Nice to see you too, Sails.” Jinx winks.
She rolls her eyes.
“It’s always a pleasure, Jinx. But seriously, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” I interject. “We just thought you might want to come and spend the day with us all at the cabin. Assuming your dad is okay with that of course.”
Sailor is already getting to her feet when Adam shakes his head firmly.
“Sailor, sit down, you’re not going anywhere. I’m sorry, Rye, but there’s no way she’s going out today. You guys are more than welcome to hang out here if you want to see her.”
I open my mouth to respond but Jinx beats me to it.
“See the thing is, Mr. M, the girls have a surprise planned for Sailor. And just between me and you, those girls are fierce and I don’t want to be the one to have to tell them they wasted their time,” he says.
“But you still have Ya-Ya and Zi-Zi’s numbers, right?” I ask, joining in.
“If she can’t come we will stay here with you and you can call and tell them no.” Jinx leans in close to Adam. “Better than going home and facing them, if ya know what I mean… women scorned and all.”
With a shock, I realize Adam is wavering.
“Please, Dad,” Sailor says.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Adam says with less conviction than before.
“She’s fine, Adam, look at her. Let her go and spend some time with her friends,” Raven says.
I didn’t even notice her coming into the room. I can’t help but wonder if Sailor is right about her being a part of Boundless. Could it be possible that she somehow knows about the gems and what we’re planning to do today, and she’s allowing it because she has some vested interest in them?
I decide to keep the thoughts to myself for now. Sailor is already paranoid enough about her without me giving her any other reason to hate Raven.
“Okay, fine,” Adam says with a sigh.
Sailor squeals with delight and jumps up and hugs him.
“Thank you, Dad,” she says.
“And you, Raven,” she adds somewhat grudgingly.
“Just be careful, Biscuit. I don’t want you doing anything too strenuous, okay? Rye, you call me if she seems even the tiniest bit off to you. Do you understand me?”
“Completely,” I say. “Don’t worry. She’ll be fine. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
Adam nods his head.
“I know. Now go, before I change my mind.”
Sailor hugs him again and we leave with shouted promises to be careful and look after Sailor. Once we’re out of sight of the house, I round on Jinx.
“I told you to let me do the talking,” I shout.
“I know,” he replies, completely unrattled by my shouting. “But you got all tongue-tied at the first hurdle, and we’d still be standing there now if I hadn’t come up with something.”
I know he’s right; that’s why I’m angry and it’s not really fair of me to take my anger out on him.
“What’s really happening?” Sailor interrupts before I can think of anything to say.
“Nexus has made a potion that will allow us to breathe on the staircase. We’re going to get the second Soul Gem if you’re up to it,” I explain.
She smiles, a radiant smile that lights up her full face.
“Bring it on,” she says.
Jinx gives me a look that says I told you so, which I ignore. We head out to Starbucks. We’re almost there when Sailor puts her hand to her chest.
“I can feel it. The pull of the power,” she says. “But it’s not painful like last time. Does that mean there’s no threat?”
“It means the Boundless aren’t tampering with the gem right now, but it doesn’t mean there’s no threat. We have no real idea what’s down there,” I say.
“Where are the others?” Sailor asks.
“Meeting us at the gate,” I say. “They’re probably already there by now.”
As we step into the alley I see I’m right. The others are already there. Mel rushes forward and hugs Sailor, who laughs and hugs her back.
“Wow, you’d think I’d been missing for weeks,” she says.
“It’s just good to see you back out and about and looking so good,” Mel says.
“Thanks.” Sailor grins.
“Right, guys,” I say, switching into leader mode. “Let’s get this done as quickly as we can. We need to get down there and grab the gem, and we need to be vigilant. We have no idea what’s down there. And we need to keep Sailor in the middle of the group where she’ll be the safest. No arguments, Sailor.”
I get the last part in as she opens her mouth, no doubt to complain. She closes it at my tone, and although I know she’s bursting to argue with me, she doesn’t. Grudging acceptance is the closest I’ll come to a win, so I’ll take it.
“I’ll go first; Aziza, I want you at the rear. Everyone else, get yourselves organized around Sailor.”
I pull the potion out and open up the bottle. I take a mouthful and wince at the bitter taste. I swallow it and hand the bottle to Mel.
“Cheers,” she says to no one in particular before she takes a drink and pulls the same face as I did.
When everyone has drank some, I push the gate open, draw my sword, and step inside. I start down the concrete steps. Ya-Ya is right behind me, and I realize an eerie blue glow is radiating from her. I pause and turn around, concerned for her, but I see what she’s doing and I relax. Cupped in her hands is a little ball of blue lightning.
“Just in case the gate closes so we can see where we’re going,” she says.
I nod and turn back to the front. Other than that brief exchange, everyone is quiet as we descend, on high alert, and the only sounds are the echoing of our footsteps and the odd intake of breath as someone stumbles slightly.
We reach the corner where I found Sailor, and I shudder as I remember her limp, almost lifeless body flopping in my arms. I push the thought away. She’s right here, she’s fine, and I intend to keep it that way. I round the bend, leading the team down further and further. At a guess, I would say we’re now at least two or three stories below ground level. The only light is the light formed by Ya-Ya’s blue ball. At least the potion is working and we can breathe easily.
After what feels like forever, the staircase runs out and a small area opens out in front of us. There’s a solid brick wall broken only by a gate that matches the one at the top of the staircase.
“Anyone else feel like we’ve descended right into Hell?” Sunday asks.
“I figure we’re a level or two below it,” Aziza replies.
Their voices echo around the small chamber, startlingly loud in the small opening.
“I’m going to open the gate. Cover me,” I say.
I wait until the team forms a lose semicircle behind me and then I move to the gate. I give it a hard push and it creaks open slowly on rusty hinges. A swarm of brown rushes towards us, the creatures flying at us making a skittering noise. I can hear gasps behind me and I can hear weapons being drawn. The tiny flecks of brown swarm past me and I spin to face the others, to check they’re alright. I can hear little screams in amongst the skittering noise, and I start to raise my sword.
“Stop,” Sunday shouts. “Guys, stop. They’re just bats.”
He manages to get through to the team. A few shaky laughs sound and I watch as Ya-Ya carefully untangles a bat from Aziza’s hair.
“Rye. Look out,” Mel shouts.
I spin around. The creature advancing on me now is a hell of a lot more dangerous than a bat.
CHAPTER NINE: THE BALLOWS
I look into the yellow-green eyes of a Ballow, a snake-like creature whose bite is so highly venomous it can kill with one drop. This one is a big one—at least twenty feet long and as fat as a cow. It rears up off the ground, bringing its head level with mine, hissing at me. Its mouth opens wide as it strikes towards me, and I can see the venom dripping from its fangs.
I duck and swing up with my sword, but the Ballow retreated the second it struck and it hangs back at a safe distance, still watching me, its eyes never leaving my face.
“Rye. Duck,” Aziza shouts.
I drop without hesitation as a ball of fire flies over my head. The Ballow might have gotten a safe distance back from my sword, but if it thought it could escape Aziza’s fire, then it was very much mistaken. The ball of fire slams into the Ballow’s face, and for a moment, I can see its scales singeing, curling up at the edges. It lets out a roaring hiss and rears up and then it slumps to the ground as the fire consumes it.
“Fuck,” Jinx curses from behind me as I come back up out of my crouch.
I turn to look at him and I see the whole team staring past me in horror. I turn, expecting another Ballow. Instead, I see hundreds of tiny Ballows, the body of the burnt one gone.
“What the hell is going on?” Sailor says.
“Your guess is as good as ours on this one. I’ve never seen anything like it. Someone must have enchanted that Ballow,” Sunday says.
Although the Ballows are tiny, they aren’t to be underestimated. Even a baby Ballow’s venom can kill. It takes slightly longer, but it’s still fatal. They’re coming at us in a wall, and I drop back to join the semicircle. Aziza, Ya-Ya, and Jinx exchange looks, then as one, they step forward. Aziza throws more fire down the center of the encroaching mass. Ya-Ya throws lightning bolts to the right, and Jinx fires a force field of pain to the left.
Ballows are dying by the masses, but there are so many of them that they’re still advancing. I reach down with my sword and sever one that’s gotten past the others. More are starting to escape and I know it’s only a matter of time until someone gets bitten.
“Mel. The gate. Close it,” I shout.
The gate slams shut. Aziza, Jinx, and Ya-Ya stop their assault and turn to face the rest of us. We quickly go around sticking our blades through the escaped Ballows.
“Now what? There’s no other way through,” Sunday says.
“I know. But we can’t afford to have them swarming all over us. You saw how many of the damn things were in there. Here’s the plan,” I say. “Mel, you’ll open the gate, and Aziza, Jinx, and Ya-Ya, keep doing what you’re doing. Blast your powers in there for a few seconds and then let Mel close the gate again. Let’s try and keep most of them contained as we deal with them.”
Mel moves a bit closer to Aziza.
“The rest of us will have to have eyes all over. Watch the ground, the walls, the ceiling, everywhere. You see a Ballow escaping? Down it,” I say.
“Ready?” Mel asks.
She gets a chorus of yesses and she opens the gate. Instantly Ballows race towards the opening, and Jinx, Aziza, and Ya-Ya open fire on them. They keep firing. My eyes are all over. I spot a Ballow creeping along the ceiling and I crouch down and then jump up, knocking it to the ground with the tip of my sword. Before I’ve landed, Sailor has stabbed it with her dagger.
Sunday has found one on the ground, which he deals with by stamping on its head. I look away as black blood escapes from each side of his shoes. Mel slams the gate closed again and we all take a few minutes to examine the small chamber. Aziza spots one on one of the walls.
“Rye, there’s one,” she says, pointing. “I can’t use fire this close to you guys.”
“On it,” I say, cutting the Ballow in half.
“Ready?” Mel asks again.
Again, she gets a round of yesses and opens the gate.
“Shit. They’re getting bigger,” Ya-Ya shouts as she rains electricity down on them.
She’s right. We have to do this quicker.
“Mel, keep it open a bit longer. Guys, fry the fuckers,” I shout. “What if that wasn’t an enchantment, but a normal thing for a Ballow? If they can all break into hundreds more when they’re a certain size, then we’re screwed.”
Even as I say it, I pray it’s not true, but it’s a definite possibility and we need to get these things gone. Now.
The team is making progress and only a few Ball
ows are left. They keep coming, but the team of three keeps blasting them away and only two more get through. Sunday and I make short work of them.
“Okay, they’re all dead,” Aziza says. “Just give me a minute to spray fire over the whole passageway, just to be sure. Mel, when the fire starts coming this way, slam the gate shut. It’ll burn out quickly in there once it’s contained.”
Jinx and Ya-Ya step back a bit, and Aziza rains fire into the passageway. Mel watches the flames advancing, giving Aziza as much time as she can. At the last second, Mel slams the gate and we all breathe a sigh of relief.
“Is everyone alright?” I ask.
Everyone nods.
“Yeah, but let’s hope the Soul Gem is somewhere close. Nexus said the potion will last a few hours, but if we keep running into shit like this…” Ya-Ya says.
She trails off but we all know what she means. There’s enough of the potion left for us all to have one more tiny sip, but that won’t buy us a whole lot of time.
“Aziza, how long will it take for that fire to burn itself out?” I ask.
“It should be about out now,” she says.
“Mel,” I say.
Mel opens the gate, slowly this time. The flames have all gone and nothing comes out at us.
“Okay, let’s keep going,” I say. “The passageway is wider here, so we don’t need to move in single file. I want Sailor covered from all angles.”
I walk away before Sailor can argue, stepping through ashes and charred Ballow bodies. The smell in the passageway is horrific. Burned flesh, smoldering dust particles, and something else, a rotten undertone that can only come from the Ballows.
The passageway stretches out in front of me with no end in sight, but at least after a couple of minutes, the terrible smell begins to fade. I keep my sword drawn, ready for an attack, but nothing comes.
A screech goes up from behind me and I spin around. Ya-Ya is screaming, her hand on her leg.
“What’s wrong, Ya-Ya? Got a hole in your pant leg?” Aziza teases her.
“I…” Ya-Ya starts.
She doesn’t get any further before her eyes roll back in her head and she drops to the ground. My stomach rolls over when I see a tiny Ballow slither out of the bottom of her pant leg and move over her shoes. Aziza spots it at the same time as I do.