*POV* Cassy Iris Aleera
We entered the large cave mouth that roared with the sound of water that crashed onto rocks somewhere deep in the cave.
"So they are holding out here?" Dixie sounded skeptical. The cave sloped down, I tried my best not to trip on my own feet as I kept close to the movement of the others.
Mink admonished her to stay quiet as we continued on. The echo of their voices faded out and was replaced by others. I heard it faintly and so did everyone else, slowly we descended farther.
After a moment then we could see their fire light and Mink stopped us. When she was satisfied they hadn't heard us, we moved on.
We rounded the abrupt corner, I wasn't sure what we would find and I wasn't at all surprised to see 2 men sitting around a large fire. It's dark smoke drifting out a hole in the stone.
We held back and watched. I looked closely for Clay but couldn't see him at all. The men continued their conversation until Mink stepped into the light.
She didn't give them a chance to talk or to even react, before they were out cold "Come on!" She directed to a large opening that I hadn't noticed before.
"I am guessing they took him down there." Monique stood alarmed in my mind as I took a step towards the entrance to the dark tunnel. "What's wrong?" I asked her, wondering what she could sense.
"I feel dark magic." Was all she said to me before she went silent and I had to hurry to catch up with the others. After only a couple seconds the hair on my neck stood up and my skin began to crawl.
The thought of bugs crawling around in here with us made me tense. The light of the fire disappeared and we were left walking in darkness.
Mink whispered something in front of me but I didn't comprehend it. Even though it had echoed all I heard was a shout, Mink, Dixie and Kristine all turned and I was being pushed out of the tunnel towards the way we had come.
"Move!" The yell came from either Dixie or Kristine, Mink stood at my back and continued to push me. I didn't know what we were running away from.
All of a sudden I was hit from behind, slammed me to the ground as water rushed over my head. I choked for air in the darkness. I closed my eyes, as my frantic movements slowed.
I wondered if I would drown.
I couldn't breathe.
A light surrounded me as I was slammed into something solid. I could see the light from behind my eyelids, my mind began to blacken and panic set in. I wasn't ready to die!
I felt the faintest pull and the feeling of Monique leaving me before I couldn't make anymore coherent thoughts.
I awoke coughing, choking on the water in my lungs. Hot water ran down my front as I gulped in the life-saving resource that helped me gain control of my thoughts, my body shivered with cold.
I looked up to see who had helped me, and to my surprise, I was laying slumped against Clay's chest. I could hear a whispered conversation taking place around us but I forced myself to relax and breathe.
He didn't speak for a while which disappointed me, but his hand rubbing my back slightly made me feel better. I could hear Dixie and Mink's voices clearing now. But I couldn't see them in the dimly lit space.
"I am glad you're okay." I told him, silence answered me. He turned a little and I felt disappointed that he couldn't hear me.
I wasn't sure where we were but it didn't feel like the cave anymore.
I was dry so it had to have been sometime since I had passed out. I tried to sit up, Clay helped me. The moment made me aware of the silver cuffs that bond my wrists, it was confusing because our touch was not generating a reaction.
Mink came over to sit on the floor beside us. "How are you feeling Cassy?" She questioned, I shrugged in answer and looked around a little more. She sat an arms length away.
She sighed again. "From the look of it we are in trouble. He has gotten even crazier than before." She glared at the door. "He is insane!." Clay didn't say anything and just continued watching me closely and holding on to my arm to steady me.
I adjusted myself and looked around us more intently. I motioned around us in question, Mink shifted and began to explain that we were in some sort of castle dungeon, probably a castle on the sea border.
I noticed that Kristine was nowhere to be seen, that alarmed me. I focused on Mink and Clay again just as Clay spoke. "We can't beat him.." he mumbled. I turned to study his face that was sunken, his eyes were tired with dark circles under them. No cuffs bond his wrists.
"Don't say that.." Mink tried to encourage in a soft voice. "Face it Mink! He is using dark magic, we can't beat him, no one can!" Dixie moved to slump down on the floor beside us. "We can't think that way.!" Mink was determined to stay positive.
"SERIOUSLY MINK, DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT KRISTINE WILL RETurn The same she was?!…" she ran a hand ruffly through her messy hair, her frown deepening. Mink's eyes glossed over with held back tears. "Sorry.." Dixie muttered and Clay's hand left my arm, his warmth leaving me, a chilly shiver ran down my back.
"He took Clay's magic. What will stop him from taking yours or mine? or anyone else for that matter." Dixie sighed in defeat. I realized that our situation was dire, my eyes met Clay's as he looked sadly at me. What was I supposed to do? All my friends were in danger and was I their only hope?