“Do you have any advice before we pop into this death trap?” I asked.
“You contained it previously and showed great courage escaping the clutches of the foe. Try to use your connection with Cal to capture it. It might work with a spell, possible, but not guaranteed,” Nayla pondered out loud.
“Alright, and if that doesn’t work, what then?”
“Improvise! Use those Buffy skills, or was it Willow? Kicks some butt!”
“That was just a TV show,” I prompted with a stare.
Nayla gripped me with her paw, and a sudden shudder ran through my body. The sensation grew stronger until I’d felt as if I’d jumped out of my skin! Landing on all fours at the base of the cavern, I glanced deep into the darkness.
“Where are they? I’d think if that thing attacked my father it would hone in on us like a dog on bacon!”
Nayla gave me a stern motherly look, “Did you think we’d just be right where you found her? It’s not going to be that simple. Last time Cal called you, pulling you into her vortex.”
“It still doesn’t explain why it was near the entrance when it attacked my dad,” I replied.
“Suppose, it was searching for food, or it heard him? It could be a number, of things really,” she admitted.
We trotted further into the cave. My eyes adjusted, little by little, enabling me to see shadows. A slight fluttering from above spooked me. Backing away, I looked up at a few bat inhabitants. Thank goodness they weren’t the bandit bats! All at once my vision went, wacko! It was as if I was staring down the light in the tunnel. The one, in a near-death experience, but I’d never had one of those!
“Are you good, should we keep moving?” asked Nayla.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
“What is it? Do you see something,” she asked, trotting to my side.
“My vision, it’s kind of, gone cray cray. If I’m seeing, things correctly, they’re straight down this tunnel. It’s hovering over them, right now. I’m not sure how or why I’ve lost my voice. Maybe it has some, kind of power over me, is its nerves?” I thought to her.
“Possibly, we need to proceed with watchfulness,”
“No, duh,” I responded automatically.
Nayla pushed ahead, reminiscent of a ghost urging me to stay out of harm’s way. I followed close behind tracking the entity ahead of us.
“Now, when I get up there it’s going to take a lot out of me. I’m going to play with it. Cat and mouse so to speak, keep it busy. If this works, once it’s distracted enough take Cal and Nuria out of here. Don’t worry about me. If I’m lucky, I’ll have enough power to transport myself out of the cave.”
“What do you mean? We have to destroy this thing, or at least, entrap it! I could try to throw fire at it. You know, like I did to Molly accidently.”
Nayla turned around facing me, “Please trust me, it could dust you!”
“I know, but we’re already going to be dealing with the bandit issue. It would be nice to have one nasty baddy, out of the way permanently!”
“Ok, Ok,” she muttered. “If you think when I’m confusing it you might be able to take a hit then, take it. It will be one less thing we have to deal with back at the park.”
“Mmm K,” I whispered, my voice gradually coming back to me. Crouching down, we crawled in the direction of the villain. My throat was dry. I licked my lips with as much saliva as I could muster.
“There,” pointed Nayla towards the back side. “Go slow, stay behind me. I’ll disappear and then reappear attempting to get it to catch me. If it should catch a whiff of who you are, we may be in trouble. Let me do the talking. I want you to work with Nuria and Cal to trap it.”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
I hung back, shadowing Nayla. She swished her tail at my nose. Gee, that, tickled! I tried not to giggle. Nayla flashed me a concerned look, and we trotted on. A sudden jolt of energy pushed me forward briefly moving me ahead of her like a chess piece. Nayla bounced forward throttling me to the side, but not before the entity leaped in front of me.
“News is, you’re the new guardian. If we mix, then you could be surprisingly powerful,” it hissed floating back and forth in front of us.
Turning my head to the right, I saw Nuria and Cal. One of them was pointing to a pendant of some kind.
“Go to them. I’ll try to hold him here,” mind spoke Nayla.
“And if you can’t?”
“Girl, please, take out that can of whoop-ass!”
I leaned back on my hind legs, getting ready to run eyeing Nayla the whole time.
“Ah, ah, ah, I don’t think you’re going anywhere. You wouldn’t want to end up a pile of ash.”
“Why are you helping them?” I asked.
“Power, Sika promised me I’d be their new leader. All I needed was to gain access to you. Once you’re in my possession, I can harness your powers. Your clan will have no choice but to join us.”
I scoffed, “No way that’s happening. I’d rather be cinder!”
“Really? I could make it happen right now.”
Nayla sprang forward.
“What are you doing? Do you want to play a game? I’m all for that. I love games, and I always win!”
“Do you presume you can catch me?” cackled Nayla. She dashed from one side of the cave to another.
“I bet I can!” The entity smirked.
Nayla winked at me, then vanished.
“Where the heck?” He turned his head from side to side, trying to guess where she’d gone. Then randomly began to pounce.
Nayla reappeared near the left of the cavern and then disappeared as he surged ahead!
I scurried to the right where Cal and Nuria huddled.
“How do we get rid of this thing? Can we banish it? I’ve seen it done on TV in supernatural shows lots,” I commented.”
“We’ve got to contain it. I’ve been teaching Cal how to use her abilities. Minder aided us prior to our imprisonment. We had to wait for you to be physically here. We needed three people for this spell. Come on, before it tires of this game, or it squelches her,” advised Nuria wincing. Nayla reappeared near where the crazed creature had dropped to smash her.
“Now, you have to do it now!” she screeched before she vanished again.
Nuria and Cal scooped up my hands, “Listen, follow along, and chant what we do.”
A whoosh of air hit my face. Nayla dove to the side, redirecting it away from us.
“You are after me, remember,” she shouted.
“Spirit of hate and haste frozen in a sapphire. Cold bold women of three, bitterness we rage on thee. Frosty winds whisk, you into this pendant for eternity!”
I watched the sapphire necklace on Nuria glow.
Just then, it sped up dive bombing me. I hit the ground, bringing Cal and Nuria with me. I smelled smoke! Fire?
“It’s fine. You’re only singed. You’ll be fine,” Nayla choked, coughing from the fumes. “Three times, repeat the mantra,” pushed Nayla. She was wavering; growing tired. She wasn’t the only one. I watched the monster lose its balance. It stumbled, falling off to the side.
“What are you doing to me, witch? Or should I call you charmers and gypsies?” It continued to spit out accusations of who we were appearing, now disoriented, out of sorts as we chanted in unison.
“Spirit of hate and haste frozen in a sapphire. Cold bold women of three, bitterness we rage on thee. Frosty winds whisk, you into this pendant for eternity! Spirit of hate and haste frozen in a sapphire. Cold bold women of three, bitterness we rage on thee. Frosty winds whisk, you into this pendant for eternity! Spirit of hate and haste frozen in a sapphire. Cold bold women of three, bitterness we rage on thee. Frosty winds whisk, you into this pendant for eternity!”
A tremor of vibrations grew, fluttering from Cal’s hands to Nuria’s and then reaching mine. Our bodies emitted a bitter chill, forcing it outward.
“Push it out of yourself; aim at it, now!” Nuria stood away from
its withering body.
We directed the element out of our bodies. The Wind formed inside our circle.
“Release your hands, direct it to it, before it regenerates!”
What? Regenerates, what was this thing!
We lifted our hands and pushed! It engulfed the entity in a bitter chill. The gusts pushed against it despite the fact that it struggled to break free.
Nayla lay slumped over in the corner, not moving but continued breathing rather heavily.
“Concentrate, you’re almost there,” she whispered her eyes closing.
As the matter before us, chilled the entity, it grew smaller until it crystallized stopping all movement. Time slowed down for me. Nuria and Cal moved closer huddling in.
“Now we have to push it, don’t stop concentrating force it into the pendant,” Cal whispered into my ear.
Speeding up, the crystallized villain jolted to the side, zig-zagged and then zapped into the necklace transporting Nuria a crossed the room.
“I’m still here, just a bit sore now,” she stammered pushing herself up. “We’d better get Nayla back. Do you have a healer on hand?”
“My friend Molly, she’s a beginner,” I added.
“Gifted,” Nayla coughed weakly.
“Save your strength,” soothed Nuria.
“I might be able to help,” I replied.
“If you were in human form, right now we have no clothes for you. It would be rather embarrassing if you showed up without them,” Nuria answered.
“We can’t let her fade,” I gulped nuzzling her with my long fox nose. I breathed, what was left of my power, into her. She began, to slowly revive.
“Starla, let’s go,” said Nuria.
Stepping back, I sat on my hind legs.
“It will do for now. I sense it’s best, for you and Cal, to get re-acquainted. I’ll carry Nayla.”
“What happens next?” Cal inquired.
“We’ll exit the cave. Dad and Minder are waiting for us,” I replied.
“Good, the rest of the clan is?”
“Where I left them, or in the parking lot near the lake. They were holding off the bandits so Nayla and I could locate you,” I answered.
“I hope that’s all under wraps. It would be nice to present them to the console.”
I shrugged, not sure who they were; Cavin was one of the members. Perhaps they would be the elders to give the bandits, a trial? Reaching for Cal’s hand with my paw she accepted it.
“Miss me?” I asked. My voice was a bit squeaky as a fox.
She pulled me into a bear hug.
“I knew we were connected. I sensed it when you showed up, but my mom?” Cal, leisurely, let go of me.
“She had to stay behind, guard the clan with the kits. I wanted her to be here too, but they insisted.”
“Did you talk to her a lot, since you’ve found out about us?” she mused as we began to travel.
“No, not really, it’s been a wild ride so far. I have a long way to go and plenty of decisions to make.” I gazed back at Nuria, making sure Nayla was stable.
“Everything’s fine, keep going,” she reassured us.
I turned back continuing, “What did you do all the time you were gone?”
“The bandits treated me as their, own daughter. They told me an astonishing story. My clan, our clan, would sacrifice me, to their gods, so they rescued me. I was foolish to trust them. It was fine for a while until they threatened Minder. After that we left, when Nuria came to us. I just... I didn’t know what to think. I almost didn’t go with her, but something told me to. A gut feeling at first, then my tattoo glowed. I saw Nuria had one also. Have you seen it?”
“I was too busy helping you both, trap that phantom. Nuria, I’d like to get to know her,” I said looking back. “We have so much more to do in order, to make things right. The entity is contained. That is one evil, dealt with. It doesn’t end here. You were told what they really, wish to obtain. Were you, not?”
“Minder spoke of killings of half-breeds. It’s why my mom left Springville. We moved back, but you stayed behind,” she said, strolling towards the sunlight that beckoned us. The opening of the cave gradually appeared ahead.
“Almost there,” said Nuria. Minder raced up and peered inside, “is everyone OK?”
“We’re going to be fine. Nayla is a bit out of sorts. She needs to be healed. Is Molly with you?”
“I’m here. Cavin dropped me off.”
“What happened?” I asked as I exited the cave into the daylight. Cal and Nuria followed behind me with Nayla.
“Your dad is healed,” she said, motioning me to where he stood.
I frowned, eyeing the scars left on his arms.
“Well almost, I couldn’t quite stop the scarring. I’m not that advanced yet,” she confessed.
“Minder, where is she? What about Jenson, is he OK? Gosh, I wasn’t even thinking about him at all. He could be dead!” I shrieked.
“He’s fine. Minder left, when she got the signal to go. As far as we know all the bandits are in custody. Jenson was banged up a bit, Shellena and Lance, being Vampire hybrids, got a taste of Gavin. He wasn’t as scary as Sika had convinced us,” she laughed shaking her head.
Nuria walked up to Molly holding Nayla in her arms. She carefully set her on the ground. My dad came closer to me. Then pulled me into a bear hug.
“Dad, I’m no hero. Cal and Nuria instructed me and knew what to do,” I protested, pulling away.
“Yeah, but you showed up,” answered Cal.
Molly knelt down next to Nayla. She placed her hands on her body. Lightly she ran them a crossed her fur in a soothing motion. Nayla shivered a bit before shakily standing up on her own.
“Can you make it to the van? Everyone else is at Hunters Park,” said Molly.
“Should we head back there, then?” I asked my father.
He glared at me, then again at Cal, “I imagine your mother expects us home. It’s almost nine a.m. She’s probably pacing the floors. I know, and you know, how old you are but...”
“Mom still thinks I’m her little girl,” I replied.
“The clan can wait. I’m starving, and besides your mom makes great pancakes!” blurted Cal.
“Just a Sec, your mom is waiting for you at Hunters Park. It’s been how many years? You don’t seem that distraught by it,” my dad pointed out.
“She’s probably still in shock,” concluded Nuria, standing up for her.
I turned back and took one last look at the cave. Not really, sure why. It’s not like it was a huge part of this case. After all, Du-Vance was only a small portion of it. We still didn’t know who had killed him. I sighed to myself turning to my tribe. I hoped Jenson and Molly would remain in the company of me here. Maybe, I could be a part of both worlds. We’d just have to wait and see.
“You ready to go, or are we going to live in the cave now?” asked Nayla.
I shook out my fur and gave her a grin, “No, let’s get going.”
“Alright, Cal, we’ll drop you off first, and then pick up Jenson at the station. He’s gone, to help, but you’ll need to be home, Starla. I promised your mom you’d have some time off. If, you wish to train you must finish this semester of college at least.”
“I plan on finishing my degree,” I chirped as we trotted along. I could see the others lagging behind us.
“You will, but I have plans for you. If you wish.”
“My friends, Jenson, Molly, and I have Jone’s test and the dance!”
“You’ll get to those things, patience is a virtue,” she added.
Chapter 35
(Breakfast Aftermath)
Jenson, Molly and I rushed out of the van. We scrambled up to the apartment complex. My dad trailing behind. As soon as I stepped onto our front stoop, my mom opened the door. She greeted us with Megan at her side.
“Glad to see you in one piece.” She exhaled a sigh of relief and patted me on the head. I nuzzled her hand a bit, then pulled
away. Megan just ogled me in awe.
“I’d like to go up and change. I’m afraid if I stay a fox much longer I won’t be able to be human again,” I muttered.
“We all need showers,” observed my dad staring at the lot of us covered in dirt and grime.
“Well, the girls can head upstairs. Jenson, and Dan, go clean up in my bathroom. Megan, and I will get breakfast ready. We’ve been on the edge of our seats ever since last night,” she said, nervously touching my father on the arm.
“Heading up now. Molly, could you get the door for me?”
“Yeah, come on,” she replied, glancing back at the others.
“We’ll see you at the breakfast nook. No worries, I’ve spoken to your mom,” said Tri to Molly. She nodded back, and we headed in. I raced up the staircase.
“Wait up! I don’t have foxy speed. I’m drained, from the healing I did,” said Molly.
Once we reached the hallway, Molly opened the door to my room. Everything was as I’d left it. I walked in and sat down next to my bed. Molly shut the door behind her and strolled over to me.
“I’ll shower first that way you can transform. Do you mind if I borrow a shirt?”
“Go ahead, you have a pair of jeans in the bottom drawer of my dresser,” I said.
“Oh, I must have left them the last time I stayed,” she shrugged. Then calmly waltz over to my dresser and opened the drawer, shuffling about until she uncovered them from my mess.
“Found em! Good thing I forget them,” she said, shutting it. Molly stood up casually sauntering to the bathroom and then pushed the door closed behind her. I waited until I heard the shower running. Twitching my whiskers I closed my eyes, bracing myself. Would it hurt this time? Did I have to panic as before or was I able to now control it?
“As a guardian you’ll need to learn to change without panic,” Nayla mind spoke to me.
“So I just imagine changing, and poof?”
“It will take work, but yes, something similar to that. Now, do what you must. I’ll contact you again near the end of the semester. The console will be putting the bandits on trial. We’ll need you there. No worries, we’ll keep your father and mother informed. She still has yet to decide if she’s coming back to us.”
Myth (Book 1) Page 28