“Donavan, because he had a scar over his eye and he wouldn’t talk to me." “What is your favorite weapon of mine that I own?”
“A bow. You made it out of wood and unicorn hairs.”
“What did your parents say to me before they left?”
“We love you and please be safe.”
He stepped forward and hugged her, secretly sliding something in her hands. Around them people cheered.
After Orion let go, she began helping people up and filling them in on the state of the world. Many were shocked to hear how bad things had gotten, for they did not expect that things would escalate so quickly; they told her their stories too and they seemed almost unbelievable. Apparently their kidnappings were a highly thought out event; some were taken on different nights, but they were all grouped together. “Eighty-eight of us,” a man said, “meant to be one hundred.” Rose secretly counted.
When Rose had gotten almost everyone situated, a voice rang out amongst others. His face was the least bruised, and yet his movement was the slowest, his hair had grown out a little, and he now had a slight beard to match.
“Daniel,” she yelled and ran to him.
“Rose,” he called out to her.
Both hugged each other with tears in their eyes; Rose felt them blind her until she was drowning in sobs.
“Do you have the watch?” he whispered in an urgent way.
She nodded once. “Yes.”
“Good, we might need it."
Before any more reunions could be held, Hazard yelled out, “Rose, someone is trying to lock the door again, get out of there.”
Everyone ran. Rose prayed you could get out the dungeon without the game being finished as they had to get out now. That someone turned out to be a “something” who turned into a vicious monster like creature and tried to eat them and threw blades. Everyone rose to the challenge, showing that they would not let themselves be captured again. Nearly fifty people fought the creature at once.
“Daniel,” Rose called out.
“I haven't gone blind. I see it.”
“No, not that. We need to get the door open."
“I can't help you, Rose. I ALREADY tried everything.”
Rose yelled for Artisan but he didn't come, so she threw huge rocks at the door. When she was on her fourth attempt and growing tired, a black butterfly finally came. After floating around, it made another door at the front for them to leave, only twenty paces away. Good. Behind her people sent their loved ones to make it out first, which made it clear that they wanted the creature gone before they went away. Seven different people attempted to wrap it up with vines and metal while the others sent attacks to keep it distracted. It sent attacks at the people who appeared the most weak and knocked them out like dominos. Rose was ready to help, so she joined beside Orion and threw a heat wave that was nearly two hundred degrees. It spun around in circles, attacking everything in sight.
An audible grunt was heard and, out of the corner of her eye, Rose saw Daniel stop and stagger. He fell to the ground, for in the front of his neck, now stood a spike. Rose stopped and felt as his life drained from him. It only took twenty seconds for him to go still. She wanted to scream, to cry, but she could not find the emotion inside her. She began to feel all warm and, after a deep breathe, Daniel did not look hurt or dead or dying. He looked healthy. It was like a white glow was coming from him, and when she paid closer attention, she saw he was okay. Not only was he okay, he was happy. He wore his favorite outfit and favorite haircut. Around him she saw all his favorite things cookies and stars. His best memories played in front of her like a movie; the time he went to her dad's wedding, the time he flew to school, the time he met her. Rose stepped forward and she felt so proud. Oh so proud. By now he had stopped moving, and she knew that in another life, he had died. When she looked hard enough she could see the blood all over the floor, and the way he looked so lifeless. Part of her told herself to run and go away, but instead she kept walking to him and then she grabbed his hand. A huge amount of love surged through her. No, not love. Energy. More than she ever knew she had. People called out to her, but she ignored them. Attacks were thrown that bounced off of her like a ball. After what seemed like an hour, Daniel's eyes opened and his breathing picked back up. Slowly but surely the white glow was gone... and so was the wound.
“Thank you,” he said, and she smiled.
“We're not done yet.”
Rose turned to see the evil looking man from her dream had appeared - the one winter had warned her about. “No, please, you don't have to do this, we can help you,” she stated, but he had already taken off into the night. Rose followed him out, hoping he was just trying to make an escape and not harming anyone.
He began controlling at least forty elements at once wreaking havoc over all the earth. People screamed and fled, grabbing on to whatever they could to protect themselves.
“Just tell me who you are and why you're doing this?”
He ignored her and uprooted at least thirty trees while he set fire to them. As fast as she could, she used her water powers to put then out.
“Who are you?”
“They did this to me,” he said with venom in his throat.
“Who?” Rose asked.
“Everyone.”
“What everyone? What do you mean? The government? The army?”
“No, all of them did this to me.”
Rose stopped, wondering what to say.
“Since I was a child, nearly three million years ago, they made me love the idea of nature becoming so powerful that no one could stop it. When I learned I was “special,” they made me love my powers. And then when they were accused of something bad, like going after humans or causing wars, they blamed me. They beat me and they locked me in cages, till I screamed and begged to be let out. I became the world’s official scapegoat sincetheywere innocent as they said,they'dnever do that. And my name...” he paused. “They named me Disaster.”
Without a second thought he threw a tornado at her, literally threw. It sucked her into the air and made her spin around. Then it reached up into the sky, and reached down and touched the ground. It must have been absolutely huge, as around her trees were lifted. She almost died from the sudden loss of air, but then she remembered how tornadoes formed and she balanced the temperature so it would go away. She fell back to the ground, and he threw a landslide that made her lose her balance. She used water power to fling herself up into a tree and then threw tiny glass shards at him. He threw landslide after landslide, forcing her to keep moving.
Others tried to run to help, but he threw lava at them. Simultaneously, at the ground under their feet, he threw sinkholes. He had no care in the world about what it would do to the earth. The ground was soon going to become completely inaccessible, so she distracted him by throwing a wave of ice cold air.
Lena flew up, took green fire, and turned it into a huge monster, while Morgan and Orion ran up to help her. For a second they were a group of ventriloquists. The monster did a loud roar and flew towards him.
Without a second thought Rose filled one of the sinkholes up with water and jumped inside, so that when Disaster managed to blow the monster away, she was ready to hit him with a wave so huge it almost knocked his head off. From the forest, Sakara caught her eye and winked, and as if on cue, Disaster threw one last attack, turned and ran.
Rose let the water launch her into the sky, and then, after landing, she took off after him. The night was dark and she could barely see, but she knew that she couldn't stop running. He ran in a zigzag motion, and Rose saw that he was doing this on purpose, trying to confuse her. His tracks were light, as his steps seemed to be light as air. Soon she found the pattern, and she cut down to where she thought he would go next instead of following the path.
If Artisan hadn't of yanked her back, Disaster and Rose would have run right into each other. He looked at her and smirked until at least twenty people ran to help keep him occupied. Together the m
askers, who had erupted from random parts of the forest, began to bind Disaster down. He laughed, obviously sure of himself and that he'd find a way out, but Rose could tell that deep down he was scared that they managed to get him down. He was not so quick to throw an attack and he stared hard at the sky, wondering where they had come from. Even still he did not go down without a fight. The ground began to shake furiously, and the maskers had no choice but to lose their hold. Rose's legs turned to jello so fast that before long, she could barely stand correctly. He laughed as he took off. Noah, Kris, and Kana cornered him and threw poisonous air at him. Some hit Rose and she went down, but with her last bit of strength, she shot ice right at Disaster's heart. She thought it was over, but right before he fell, he threw something.
In the darkness, after the shock kicked in, Disaster chuckled and ran away. Rose did not follow as she had seen what he had thrown, and knew it would be no good. In the middle or Artisan's stomach, a black hole started to form. It started very small; just a tiny spot in his stomach, then leaves and tiny rocks started flowing through. Eventually it started to absorb bigger things and everyone close to him ran away - even the maskers. He fell to the ground.No. she thought. No.
“Someone help me,” she screamed, but it was no use.
She ran to him, and a protection field was put up instantly. Lena screamed her name. It was Alex who broke through the forcefield, using energy the power of the sun. Without another word he took Artisan, and they launched into the sky. “No, you'll die,” Rose yelled, but would he? Would the fact that he was part light stop him from needing oxygen?
Behind her, Daniel screamed. Rose did not say another word; instead she focused on the water vapor around her and let herself become it; it was unusual to see so many things at once, like being a god. She put her thoughts into the one she wanted, so she could track him down. Disaster had actually not gotten very far; he laughed gleeful like a kid who had just gotten away with stealing. Rose took an ice ball and launched it right to his head, Lena shot an arrow right to his heart, and Ana, who had come to the scene, hit him with a spear. He fell to the ground. When his body was found, everyone cheered.
Chapter 18
The second the room was clear of the guards from the meeting, Ana threw her arms around Daniel, which was a shocking sight to see. For the past two hours, Rosalie had thought Ana did not care that her brother was back. Her army had come and they'd been discussing the war, during which Ana had not paid him the slightest attention. Daniel now wrapped his arms around her immediately, and neither of them talked. Rose did not blame them. As of now the conversation would go, “I'm sorry for letting your mother die,” and then, “I forgive you.”Does she forgive him?
Rose walked over to the bench and sat Daniel's watch down, a little sad that they no longer needed it. Orion, the only one who had stayed behind, walked forward and put his arm around her shoulders, stopping her worrying thoughts. For a second, it looked as picturesque as a scene in a movie. A reunion that could only be captured with beautiful tragic music and tears.
The door opened, ruining the moment, and Lena came inside of the room holding a very worn out Morgan. Rose waved but looked away, the question she had asked herself only hours before making her heart beat in a dramatic way.
“Everyone's gone,” Lena pointed out.
“As they're supposed to be,” Ana responded.
“Let the mice come and try to catch the cats,” Morgan agreed playfully and flirty
“We're big guys, we can handle them.”
“Actuallyyoucan't handle anything becauseyouneed sleep.” Lena said. “I'm actually a tough little kitten,” Morgan complained.
“Who can easily go to bed.”
“Are the weapons away and is the battlefield clear?” Ana asked, a little annoyed. “Yes, I told them all to do it.”
“Good. I was going to announce it but didn't have the time. We've been discussing
how the rankings will be now that everyone is back.” All the people who were appointed were virtually losing their jobs; in fact, there would be a new order to everything. Rose did not have to look up to know Lena was staring at her. “Are you sending the patrol back out?” she asked.
“Perhaps tomorrow, but not tonight. I want all of us to sleep in peace tonight.” “So it’s true you let them all go home?” Anyone could hear that her voice was laced with unease.
“Of course.”
“But why?”
“I was never one to believe the army should stay with the government. If there is
war, let them go with their families, they'll fight harder that way.”
"What about the monsters? Have they stopped attacking people and is it safe to go out
now?” both girls asked at the same time.
Ana paced. “They won't be back, as they know and acknowledge our deal now. As
long as we show we do the same, they will not harm us.”
“So you discovered why they were crossing the border?”
“Let’s just say someone was making plans to slay them while being overheard. Said
person made the monsters believe they would never be safe; it will not happen again.” With the look on Ana's face, Rose felt truly scared for Vister.
“Any case. I'm perfect for if you need to fight off a monster attack” said Daniel as he
smacked his chest.
But as the girls laughed, Ana shut him down with a “you need sleep too.” He stood up straighter. “I'm perfectly fine.”
“No, you’re not. At the end of the day, you died and it’ll hit you. Whether it's
tomorrow or a year from now, it will.”
“Who says it has to 'hit' me in a bad way. It's not everyday you come back to life.” “That's what they all say, and then they go into shock. I remember it happened to me.
I had said, “it's not every day you survive a shooting.” Next thing I knew I was crying
hysterically because I dropped a piece of cake.”
“What flavor?”
“Chocolate.”
“Understandable.”
“You're missing the point.”
“Different times. Anyway. What are you thinking, Rose?”
She lifted her head up. "About how everyone is back now."
“That’s an amazing thing to think about.”
Rose looked at her uncle and recognized she had not had the chance to truly talk to
him since he’d been back. So far he had been making jokes and keeping the peace as
usual, but now a sense of doom settled over her, as if deep down, she knew getting
everyone back would only lead to bad news. She did not know what to think. “Lena,” said Ana, “and Orion. While I’m in a good mood and awake we can discuss
what’s happened; I'm going out to take a walk through the garden. Walk with me. You
too, Morgan, if you’d like.”
All four of them gathered their things and left the room.
“What’s wrong?” Daniel asked the second they were away.
“What happened while you were gone?”
He yawned and smiled. “I was waiting for you to ask. I believe I should just tell the
full story from the beginning, since I understand there are things you don't remember.
Ana threw her chain at you and lunged for me, but at the last second we both decided that
you were more important. Our powers merged and the monster who had you died. All I saw was black and then before I knew it we were in the dungeon, which I didn't know was the dungeon for a long time. We weren't locked up at first, just left to walk through space - the gravity magicers would take turns settling the gravity - Orion had informed me of what happened and said that he left a trail. After that it was merely a matter of waiting, every so often they would add more people and we'd talk about what was going on in the outside world. Two people, Naclipse and Bethany Jones, were picked to begin a mission where they would break out. Eventually they di
d, and that was when we were left with Raphael and Disaster. Disaster only came when many of us attempted escape at the same time. Raphael was in charge full time, and there were weeks at a time we got to go
home, or so we thought.”
“What does that mean?”
“Fake realities. I saw your mom in one, and your dad. They came home from their trip
with a pair of twins; it was meant to torture us.”
“But I don't understand. If that's all that happened, why were all of you so hurt?” “They were like nightmares in a sense. He has a way of making you dream a dream
that feels very real. Something would always happen in the dream - I got attacked by a
monster or stabbed - and then I would wake up. He never let Orion or any of the other
guards dream, or so I noticed. When I woke up, they'd merely be looking at everyone
sleeping.”
Rose sat in the chair and put her head in her hands. She felt so tired she could fall
asleep where she sat. “Why did they take you?”
“Rose, you know what I noticed since I've been back? You're a good deal wiser than
the young thirteen-year-old I left. It's all in your eyes and your face, and so I feel like I
can tell you things even though your aunt would not agree.”
Rose sat up eagerly, for this had been what she really wanted to hear. “Our world is ending, and I'm sure you can sense it, for it is happening in the human
part and in our own. It is so bad, in fact, that people have even discussed moving our whole entire city, as America will soon become uninhabitable. Like all other beings we must put aside our selfishness so we can coexist, only like all other beings, we will
realize we can’t.”
He smoothed down her fly away hairs in a protective manner. “How long do you think
we have?”
“If you go by the will of both species, little. If you go by the plans of the universe,
enough for me and you to last a lifetime.”
“So you think it's fate?”
“I think that every time a planet failed, God made a new planet. We’re the third planet,
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