Alex
My body hurt like hell. It hurt so much I felt like throwing up but I couldn't. I was loosing my mind. The vines kept wrapping tighter around me every second. This wouldn't have happened if I had been more cautious. I let my guard down even after the map had suddenly glowed a red light. It was the first time it'd happened, and before I could find out what the meaning was. She had taken control of me. I didn't know how she did it but I couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't move my eyes. It was like I had become a puppet. When she said she was Kathryn, I knew she was lying immediately. How I knew? That's because Kathryn isn't a snake from her waist down to her legs, while her upper body had the shape of a female with green scales covering her up. Her tongue slithered out like a snake's and her pupil was as straight as a cat.
She definitely wasn't Kathryn.
Now I was loosing my organs inside a bubble. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted it to end. My head felt fuzzy and my eyes got blurry from the blood.
It hurts.
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!
Please stop it.
My strength left me now as my head fell and I met Tyler's eyes. He had a frown between his face as I couldn't help but think about how handsome he looked with his hair down.
I gasped for air as I tried to think of a way to get Tyler and Tyson out of here. I couldn't think straight anymore.
Please, somebody... End this.
My eyes fell shut but then it flew open again as I thought I was mistaken- but I wasn't. The eyes that met mine was no longer the familiar blue eyes I'd always seen. His eyes lit like flames just like his mark glowed the same golden colour.
He was hot.
No really. He was actually hot! I could see steady flames fuming out of his body. He looked back at the monster and for a moment no one said anything.
He didn't move. He didn't raise his hands, but suddenly, she went aflame.
"Arrgggg!!!" She shrieked as she was engulfed in a large flame. I could feel the heat through the bubble. How'd he do that?. The bubble popped and all the vines fell off. I could feel myself falling. I didn't have the Strength to pull myself together, but then I felt something gently wrap itself around me as my fall took a slower approach. I blinked as I felt my body slowly touch the ground. It unwrapped me and I finally saw it.
A flaming Phoenix!
It beautiful wings flapped before me and I thought I was dreaming. I'd never seen one before. Only in books, but seeing one made of flames was utterly amazing. Strangely, it's presence gave me a sense of relaxation. I could feel my body gaining some strength back. It began to fly higher and before I could utter a word, it disappeared into thin air.
I blinked again as reality hit me. The monster. I looked to my side to see Tyler standing alone. Where's the monster? Did she get away? I caught a glimpse of ashes dispersing and I was shocked.
No way!
She got burnt to ashes without leaving a trace?! It was less than two minutes. I looked at Tyler. Is he okay?
While we were in forest I found out something about Tyler. He has pyrophobia.
The incidents started to make sense. Why he collapsed the first time we saw again in the forest. Also, why he'd been avoiding using his fire since we've been on the journey. He had told me about this but asked me to keep it a secret from Tyson. I didn't know why he said that. They're brothers, shouldn't Tyson be the first to know? Was what I thought but I didn't pry any further. Now my biggest worry at the moment is that Tyler just used his fire, and it seems stronger than the last time.
He staggered.
"Tyler!"
"It's okay!... I'm okay" he said but I could hear his breathing getting unstable. I struggled to pull myself up but all I could manage as to lay head up on my tummy as my body hurt like my inside were bursted but then I paused as I realized, it wasn't over. More of the monsters started trouping out and I knew this situations wasn't looking good. I couldn't do anything to help at the moment. Tyson, where's Tyson? I looked around to see holding him his head and getting up from the ground.
"Tyson" I called as he looked to my direction "we have to get out of here. Where's the map?"
He looked confused like he had just woken up.
"The map? Oh, y-yeah right the map" he searched his body as he looked even more confused "where's the bag?"
"What?"
"Moreover are you okay? What happened to you?!" He asked looking more confused
"Forget that! We need to find the map!" I yelled and I realized that was a mistake. My insides squeezed as I coughed up blood. This situation is so pathetic. Tyler won't last any longer.
Just in cue, I heard someone fall to the ground. I looked back towards Tyler to see him hyperventilating again.
"Tyler!" my voice croaked. Damn it. We have to get out of here. I couldn't get what I had seen inside the water out of my head.
"Tyler?" Tyson went over to Tyler and raised his head up. "Tyler. Hey Tyler what's wrong? What happened to him?!"
He shot at me but I couldn't tell him what happened. Tyler had his eyes shut as he clutched his chest. His breathing wasn't getting any better and he looked really scared.
"Tyler calm down. Tyler!" Tyson yelled as he didn't seem any more relaxed.
I looked at the monsters. They hadn't moved closer. I wondered why, then I realized they were probably still scared of Tyler. I guessed Tyler's fire works on them.
"Tyson get Tyler away from here. Now"
"What about the map?"
"We'll get that later. Just get Tyler out of here first" I said as I knew I was just going to slow them down. My body wasn't ready to move. I watched him carry Tyler on his back then he moved over to my side and grabbed me by the waist.
"Ah!" I screamed in pain and he flinched. It felt like someone was rolling a knife inside me.
"Sorry. Are you okay?"
"Not really. I feel like my insides are busted. You just get Tyler out of here"
"And leave you here? Are you crazy?"
"Look we don't have time for this. Just listen to me and get as far away from here as poss..."
Suddenly, an earthquake shook the maze out of nowhere and then a shrieking sound followed through. It pierced my ears as I groaned out.
"What's going on?!" I could hear Tyson scream out.
After a while, it stopped. I couldn't hear a thing as the ringing sound in my ears took over. Just then, the fountain blew up as I heard Tyson say something I couldn't make out. I saw a boulder fly our way.
"...out!" I faintly heard Tyson's voice and before I could say anything he dropped Tyler and smashed the boulder into pieces just in time. "Are you okay?"
He asked looking down at me.
"Yeah. Thanks" I said as I looked at Tyler. He seemed to have calmed down now, but he was unconscious. I looked back behind Tyson as I suddenly remembered the monsters.
They were gone.
"Where'd they go?" I said out as I tried to move my body to look around.
"What is it?"
"The monsters. They're gone"
Tyson looked around "You're right"
That's strange. Where'd they go? There was none in sight but I still didn't feel like letting my guard down. Not after that shriek.
"It's in our favour anyway. Besides do you plan to lie on the ground forever?"
"It definitely wasn't in my to-do list" I said as he crouched down and scanned me.
"You're bleeding" he reached for my head and I hissed as sharp pain shot through where he'd touched me.
"It must've been when she shoved me inside the fountain"
He sighed "Can you move?"
I tried to move my body but there was no difference. I shook my head and Tyler got up. He scanned the area.
"I need to find the map and our bags. Can you wait here for a while?"
I was reluctant to agree with him moving away. Something still didn't sit right with me, but I knew we had to find the map. It's our only way forward.
"Alright. Watch out though, they could still be anywhere around" I warned. I noticed him looking around confusedly. "Check that hedge. I remember they went in there with our bags"
"Is there a path there?" He asked and I raised a brow at him. "You just have to walk through it. You were practically there the whole time"
"Strangely I don't remember a thing from the moment we entered the maze until you shouted my name" he said and gave me a funny smile. He didn't remember? Was he also under a spell? I thought as I watched him move over to the hedge I had pointed to. He stuck his hand out and it went in.
"Woah!" He exclaimed as I concluded, she casted a spell on him. He went in and the dead silence fell. I couldn't take my eyes off the fountain.
Why was there so many skull in the water. Who did they belong to? There was something beyond the skulls but I couldn't see it as it was too dark. I looked around the fountain again. Nothing. Was I thinking too much into it?
There were similar cases where some of the monsters we encountered ran off halfway, but this time just didn't sit right with me. Our route seemed to get more dangerous the farther we go in the map.
I rested my head back down as my body relaxed. I wish I hadn't done that. My body felt sore as it became hard to breath. I coughed as my insides squeezed up again. I was going through some major pain I'd never been through before. My chest hurt, where the vines had grabbed me stung, my head ache real bad, my legs seemed to have given up on me as they felt weak, my mind was going blank.
"Is this him?"
I didn't say that.
"Where's Kathryn. I don't smell her anywhere here"
"We finally wake up after all this years and the first thing we're told to do is run an errand"
"Was she taken out. I knew she was too weak to watch over our bed"
My body suddenly went cold. The voices were different. Him? Who were they referring to? I couldn't raise my head. Today is really not our lucky day.
"Guys I'm starving. Can't we go back after a little snack?"
"I wonder how she was taken out? Did they gouge out her eyes?! Hahaha!"
"Enough" Another voice spoke up and it sounded clearest among the others. "Let's just take the boy and go back to sleep"
Tyler? I shot up and I smacked the hand that was reaching out for him. I held on to him and glared back at the voices. My eyes widened.
"Oh? You're still alive!"
"Who is she?"
"I don't know, but she looks tasty!"
"Do you only ever think about eating?!"
"Hey, did you take out Kathryn?"
I was now staring at five heads sitting on one body. Their eyes had different colors. I immediately guessed the head sitting in the middle was the real one 'cause she was the only one with real hair. The others were bald.
"Do you have a problem with us?" She hissed as she didn't look happy about something.
I didn't say anything. More like I couldn't. I could barely raise an arm and Tyler was left defenseless.
"We don't have time to play around with you so don't get in our way. Be grateful I'm not in the mood to eat you right now. I just want to get some sleep" she said as she looked like she truly had zero interest in me. She bent down again and grabbed Tyler by the shirt.
"Hey wait!" I yelled but she flung him under her arm with one swing. I didn't have the grip to hold on.
She turned and started to walk off with Tyler.
"Wait! Give him back! Where're you taking him to?! St..." I coughed out again the blood on my hand was the least of my problem. Were they really taking Tyler away? She isn't stopping!
"T-Tyler. Wake up...Tyler! Tyler! Tyler wake up!" I yelled as it as the only thing I could do. My throat was burning up. "TYLER! TYLER!"
What the heck is wrong with me? Freaking do something! You can't let go this again Alex!
...
'Whatever you do, you must not let them get the third mark'
...
"TYSON! TYSON! TYSON COME OUT! TYSON!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as emotions were starting to take over me.
Tyson jumped out of the hedges. He had our bags. Just like he read the situation, he flew so fast and grabbed Tyler away from them. Immediately, he dug his right leg in her stomach and sent her flying. That was the strongest kick I'd ever seen. They flew far back into the hedge as I'd never been so happy to see Tyson.
He rushed back to grab our things and came back to meet me.
"Damn. I've never heard you scream so loud" he said and crouched down in front of me. "Think you can handle a few minutes? I'll fly as fast as possible"
I nodded immediately as I didn't even want to waste a minute. I'll endure whatever Pain it is. Let's just get out of here before...
Splash
...
It happened too fast. I froze on the floor as a sound couldn't escape my lips. I just stared at Tyson who was still in shock. He spat out blood as his gaze slowly looked down at his stomach. The tail was withdrawn and I heard him groan. I was left staring at the hole in Tyson.