Hey guys

The Dragon is back. I know it's been a while, but like I said in the last chapter that my grand-dad was really sick. Unfortunately he passed away the next morning. After that I just couldn't bring myself to sit and write anything. My grand-dad used to always support everything I did and he used to love the fact that I wrote stories, so I'm dedicating the rest of this story to him.

I hope you guys like it.

"Hey April," Jake said. April turned around and he was immediately struck by how sad and miserable she looked. "April what's wrong?" he asked concern in his voice.

"I'm the only one left of my tribe," April said practically in tears. Jake stared at her. April never cried. "My parents and grandparents are all dead. All my friends are dead. Everyone I grew up with is dead. Dead! Dead! DEAD!" Jake stared at her like she'd suddenly sprouted another head.

"Jake," Amber whispered from behind him. He turned around to find her in the same state as April. "Jake I'm sooo sorry I messed up during the battle and caused you to get hurt. I can't believe I let Draconis' guards beat me up sooo badly that night. What if we never find and save our parents! What if he's torturing them or he's killed them!" Jake stared at her. He was freaking out slightly by now.

"Don't worry Amber I'm sure they're fine," Jake said reassuringly.

Meanwhile

Raven and Rich were sitting on the floor of their cell. Raven and Rich were playing chess. Opal and Ethan were playing Uno in the corner.

"Let me get this straight," Rich said as Raven took his knight. "None of us managed to get a single weapon in, but somehow you managed to sneak in three packs of cards, two packs of uno, a checker board, a battleship board and a chess set. How is that possible?"

"Ethan had them all in his backpack," Raven replied. "While you three were taking a nap I got them from the guards in exchange for teaching them how to play hopscotch." Rich raised an eyebrow at this. "They appear to have been rather deprived." She explained. Rich nodded and grimaced as she checkmated him.

Back on Jake's ship

The two girls were still going on about all the bad things in life and Jake was still trying to calm them down.

"Errr…alright you two calm down," he said trying to keep his cool. The two just continued going on about how depressed they were. "Please calm down," he begged in earnest, but it was to no avail. For nearly five minutes this went on before Jake finally grew impatient, raised both hands and slapped them across the face.

"Oww" they both said rubbing their cheeks.

"What the hell was that for?" April asked angrily.

"For not shutting up," Jake said. He saw the girls thinking back and taking on slightly confused faces as they remembered their behavior. "Go to the cabins and rest. You're both probably just tired." The girls nodded and walked off. Jake stared after them. The only thing that was freaking him out even more than Amber and April's little display was his own urge to feel depressed and cry and what not. He shook his head and looked around. He saw Demetri standing by the railing and walked up to him.

"Demetri do you know…?" he started but stopped as he saw the look on Demetri's face.

Before Jake knew what was happening Demetri had started a looonnnggg lecture about how depressed he was. When he finally pulled himself away he received similar lectures from both Troy and Jennifer both talking at the same time. He raced to his cabin going through similar conversations with all the members of his crew. He finally reached his room and quickly slammed his door shut. Amber who was dozing in his hammock jerked awake and nearly fell out of the hammock.

"What wrong Jake?" she asked gloomily. "Oh let me guess. Everything?"

"Oh not you again," he muttered as he started going through his books. He saw Amber fiercely shaking her head, no doubt trying to shake off the urge to feel depressed. "Even Eliza isn't talking enough sense to figure it out."

"Eliza?" Amber asked.

"Our resident genius," Jake answered taking down a book and starting to flip through it. "An old sailor. When her old captain didn't pay any attention to her warnings they ended up getting shipwrecked. We agreed to help them, that is in exchange for a bit of money. We didn't reveal our identity, but Eliza figured it out. I was so impressed I offered her a place on my crew. She accepted and that's that."

"I see," muttered Amber. "Tell me how you met that Angela girl."

"Well technically I met Angela in a mall," Jake began "She's a typical fashion model. She caught me trying to pinch a ladies purse to buy supplies. This was still when I was lying low. She followed me and confronted me later. She was pretty tough too. You see she got my attention by slashing my leg slightly with a thorny root which she picked up. I still actually have the scar. I knew I could escape from her so I told her why I had pinched the stuff. She was interested in becoming a 'parrot' as she called it. So I let her join the crew. She's pretty helpful. That is when she isn't too worried about breaking a nail. But the most annoying thing is that she keeps hitting on me…and pushing the other female members of my crew overboard." Amber nodded slightly.

"So what are you looking for?" she asked voice still a bit depressed.

"This," Jake said taking a book off the shelf. He opened the book and started to read aloud. "The Sea of Gloom. This is one of the most difficult of seas to cross. This is due to the magical air around it that causes anyone who takes in the air to become unbearably depressed. They become so depressed they can't even sail." He shut the book with a snap. "This may be bad."

"Wait a second," Amber said taking the book from him and opening it again. "How come it doesn't affect you?"

"Mom," he replied simply. She looked up slightly confused. "She taught me how to hide my emotions." Amber nodded slightly.

"So then you'll just have to get us out of here," she said. He nodded.

An hour later

Jake was at the steering wheel of the ship. He had just passed the most difficult hour of his life. Everyone else was lost in a deep pool of depression. Jake picked up and drank his thirteenth glass of coffee. He had had to keep drinking coffee to stay alert enough to fight off the need to be depressed. It seemed along with depression the sea also made one extremely tired.

"Just a little further," Jake muttered to himself. He could see the Nightmare Forest ahead of them. It was only about ten minutes away. "Hopefully nothing will go wrong."

Five seconds later Jake cursed himself for breaking the golden rule of every adventurer. Never say 'nothing will go wrong' because something definitely will. At that point a GIANT squid rose out of the water and glared at the ship.

"Shit!" he muttered. He raised his hand in the air and lined it up with the squid. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" he shouted as he fired a ball of energy at the squid. The ball hit the squid and it barely flinched. "Son of a bitch!" he muttered. The creature raised a huge tentacle and brought it own towards the ship. Jake quickly put a shield up around the ship that just barely held up as the squid hit it. He took a deep breath and raced across the deck and leapt into the air. He knew the rest of his crew was tooo depressed to even realize they were in danger.

Jake used his powers to fly into the air and race at the squid. He raised his hand and muttered a spell which created a huge ball of energy in his hand. He sent it flying at the beast. This had a much better effect than the first energy ball and the creature staggered backwards, but quickly regained its footing. It let out a roar. It raised another tentacle and tried to hit Jake who easily dodged it. But at the same time it raised another tentacle. It held up the underside to reveal spikes all across it. Then with a grunt several spikes were sent straight at Jake. Jake flew around dodging them as best he could. Three stray ones headed towards the ship. Jake swooped down, his eyes following them. Two fell into the water, but the third was heading straight at the deck. He used his powers to quickly grab hold of the huge spike and change its direction. He sighed and turned around. Unfortunately he noticed the tentacle heading at him a little to late. It hit his boy with full force and sent him hurtling into the water.

The beast turned its attention towards the ship thinking the young boy it had been fighting was long gone. But then again it didn't know our Jake now did it. Jake came bursting up through the water roaring a spell. He created a beam of power which it shot at the beast's raised tentacle. The creature roared as the beam went straight through its tentacle. It turned on Jake and glared bloody murder at him. Jake glared back. The creature leapt into the air and started spinning its tentacles around like a giant fan. Jake barely managed to dodge the attack. The squid hit the water still spinning. It created a giant wave that caused the nearby ship to tilt slightly. Jake quickly caught it with his powers and set it straight. The squid attacked him again with tentacle, but this time he managed to throw up a shield around himself that protected him from the attack. He said another spell that created magical knives and sent them straight at the squid. The knives pierced its skin and the squid stumbled backwards. Jake started creating energy balls one after the other sending them at the squid. They hit the squid dead on and a thick layer of smoke was formed in the air. Jake stopped and waited for the smoke to clear.

Just as Jake thought he had won the squid came leaping out of the smoke and started swinging all its tentacles at Jake. Jake managed to dodge the attacks, but suddenly the squid leapt backwards, raised four powerful spiked tentacles and fired the spikes at Jake. Jake dodged the attacks as best he could, but he noticed that huge spike a little tooo late. He moved sideways, but it came and slashed deeply across his chest. Jake let out a cry of pain and started hurtling downwards towards the sea, but the beast caught him in one of its tentacles.

Meanwhile on the ship

Amber who was seated on the bridge watching the battle suddenly something clicked in her head.

Jake…squid…danger…JAKE IN DANGER! she thought to herself. Instantly she felt herself waking up from her depression. "JAKE!" she screamed. She muttered a spell and she started levitating towards the squid. She muttered another spell that created a ball of energy in her hand. She threw it at the squid's tentacle that was holding Jake. The ball hit dead on and the squid dropped Jake's bloody body. Amber levitated towards him and caught him before lowering them both on to the deck.

"Jake we have to do that power combination spell Master Obi-Wan taught us," she said taking his hands, intertwining their fingers. Jake muttered a curse that Amber wished she hadn't heard. "Come on Jake. Just one spell." Jake focused and raised his hand along with his.

"AZARATH, METRION, ZINTHOS!" shouted Jake at the same time that Amber shouted a spell of her own. A powerful white and black beam of energy burst from their connected hands and headed straight at the squid. The energy hit the squid in the center of its head and went right through the squid's head. Finally the energy beam stopped and after a second the giant beast crashed into the water. The last thing Jake remembered of the day was his back hitting the deck and Amber calling his name.

Meanwhile with Raven and Rich

"JACOB!" Raven screamed as she lunged forward from her meditation position. She was sweating slightly and breathing hard. Rich who had also been in a meditation position returned to reality with a start.

"Rae?" he said as he watched her trying to catch her breath. "What's up?" he asked wondering why she had suddenly screamed their eldest son's name. Especially since he had disappeared five years ago.

"I had a sort of vision," she said her voice calm again.

"What did you see?"

"I saw Jake," she said quietly. "I know it was him I saw. He looked older. He was on a ship and he was attacked by a giant squid that could shoot spikes out of its tentacles. He was fighting it all by himself and he got hurt. One of the spikes slashed his chest practically off. The squid was going to kill him. And then I saw Amber. She saved him and they beat the squid with a power combination spell. Then Jake collapsed onto the deck."

"And that was the vision?" Rich asked. She nodded. They were quiet for a minute.

"Rich," Raven said finally. "There is only one place that has that kind of a squid. The Sea of Gloom. Rich if that vision was true that means he's coming. He and Amber are coming to save us." Rich was quiet.

"What if this vision isn't true?" he asked. "I mean not all your visions come true." Raven nodded. She knew he was right. She gently placed a hand on his cheek.

"A part of you is being realistic," she said quietly. "But a bigger part of you doesn't want to get your hopes up. It was a hard blow on all of us when he left." Rich shook his head slightly.

"He never left," he whispered. "When you say someone has left it implies that they've gone forever. Our Jake isn't gone forever. He's just…"

"on vacation" they said at the same time. They smiled. The night Jake had disappeared Obi-Wan had said that Jake had just gone on a 'nice long vacation' and since then that was what his disappearance was referred to as.

"I wish we knew why he left," Raven said sadly. Rich nodded.

"Something must have happened the night of the party," Rich said. She nodded. "Remember Opal said that she thought she saw Jake running out of the hall with tears streaming down his face."

"Yeah," Raven said. She laid her head against Rich's shoulder. "But Opal said that was only a few minutes after I was talking to him on the balcony and he appeared to be fine at that point. What could have happened in a space of so little time that would push him to leave like that?"

"He must have seen or heard something that made him immensely depressed," Rich said.

"But what could have done that?" Raven asked.

"I don't know," Rich said. "But I have this feeling in my gut that it had something to do with…"

"Tom," Raven said finishing his sentence. "Me too. He was just acting a bit weird after Jake disappeared. As if he knew something about Jake's disappearance that he didn't want anyone to find out."

"As if he felt guilty about something," Rich said thoughtfully. "As if he knew something that was linked to Jake going away that he was afraid to tell us about."

"But what could it be?" Raven asked rhetorically. She sighed. Rich leaned down and the two kissed. They sat in silence both thinking about their son. And although they didn't say anything both secretly knew in the depths of their hearts Jake was on his way to save them.

The next day on the ship

Jake moaned loudly as he slowly regained consciousness. His chest was on fire. He opened his eyes and saw that his shirt was off and his entire chest was bandaged up. He could barely move. He couldn't remember being in this much pain ever before in all his adventures. And that was saying a lot. He hear the door open. He turned his head to find Amber standing with a tray full of food. She put the tray down on his desk and walked up to him quickly. She sat down in a chair beside his hammock and took his hand.

"Hey," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," he muttered trying to sit up, but she pushed him back down gently.

"You need to rest," she said firmly. He smiled and chuckled.

"Wasn't it less than three days ago I was saying the same to you?" he asked with a smile. They both chuckled.

"Thanks for saving all of us," she said.

"Thanks for saving me," he said. "How is everyone?"

"Fine," Amber said. "Though they're all feeling extremely guilty." Jake nodded slightly. There was a pause in which they just sat staring at each other.

"Hey Amber," Jake said suddenly. She looked at him. "Before you were going to tell me something about Tom. What was it?"

"Oh right err…" she hesitated and he gently squeezed her hand. "Well the thing is…" At this point the door swung open and Angela strode in. Jake and Amber quickly let go of each other's hand and Angela walked towards the bed and pushed Amber off the chair and on to the floor. Amber stood up hand on back.

"Déjà vu," Amber muttered to herself. Jake gave her another apologetic look. Angela took a hold of Jake's hand.

"Ohh Jakey," Angela said in that annoying voice that made Jake want to rip off his ears. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Jake replied pulling his hand away and shooting her a 'leave me alone 'look. "You can go now." Angela began to say something but Jake interrupted her. "Angela just leave Amber and I alone."

"Alright Jakey," she said as she walked towards the door. "Get well soon Jakey. I can't bear the thought of you lying here all beaten up." Jake simply ignored her comment and lay back in his hammock. Angela exited the room and Amber sat back down beside the hammock.

"She really can't take a hint can she?" Amber said after a while. Jake chuckled.

"Yeah," Jake said. "She really can't. She's soo annoying."

"Then why can't I beat her up?" Amber asked cracking her knuckles.

"Because Amber I'm her captain," Jake replied. "I can't just let you beat her up. No matter how much I want you to." Amber shook her head and sighed.

"You're way too kind and caring to be a pirate," she stated.

"HEY!" he said glaring at her. She laughed slightly.

"I'm just kidding, Mr. Sensitive," she said still chuckling slightly.

"So you were saying?" he asked.

"Oh right," Amber said. "You see the thing was…" At this point April walked in.

"Morning Jake," April said. "Hope I'm not interrupting?"

"Not at all," Amber said quickly. April nodded.

"So April where exactly are we?" Jake asked.

"We're harbored in the Nightmare Forest," April replied. "We're not too deep into the forest. I reckoned that if a place is called Nightmare it's safer to sail with your captain." Jake nodded.

"So what exactly is dangerous about this place?" Amber asked.

"Not sure," Jake said. "All I know is that there have been mysterious disappearances around here." The others nodded. "Well we should explore the forest a little. Maybe find some supplies in the woods."

"Yeah," April said. "But only after you're feeling better."

"Only after I'm feeling better," he confirmed. The two girls nodded. Jake could tell both were going to make sure he kept his word. April exited the room to go check on the supplies and other such things. Amber placed the tray of food on Jake's lap. He started to slowly eat it.

"Hey Jake who's that guy with jet black hair and black eyes?" Amber asked suddenly.

"Mark?" Jake said. "He fits that description. Why?"

"Well it's just that April was screaming orders at him at the top of her lungs and he didn't seem to hear a bloody thing," Amber said. "Is he deaf?"

"As a doornail," Jake said once again wondering how he'd got stuck with Mark. "But don't mention it to him. He insists that he's simply a little hard of hearing. And whenever you're talking about him he will suddenly be able to hear everything."

"I think you know my next question," Amber said.

"Eliza found Mark on this island we were on," Jake said. "Took pity on him. You know deaf guy wandering around all alone. She managed to convince me to let him stay. Still don't know how. A conversational wizard that girl is." They both chuckled a bit. "Oh Amber what were you saying?"

"Oh right well the thing is…" Amber began, but before she could finish the door once more swung open. A teenage boy with sandy brown hair and nervous green eyes walked in.

"Captain," the boy wailed. "I'm sooo sorry you got hurt. I knew this was a bad idea. We should have never tried to go on this trip. It's far toooo dangerous to try to go to the Dark Isle……"

"Egor, shut up!" Jake said firmly. The boy instantly shut his mouth. "Egor it's too late to turn back now. Now instead of spending every waking moment hiding in your cabin how bout you go and help?" The boy nodded stupidly and ran out of the room. There was a pause.

"Who was that?" Amber asked. "I seen and been introduced to everyone else, but not him."

"That's Egor," Jake said with a sigh. "Our resident wimp. He's spent the entire trip hiding in his cabin. And don't ask how we met him because I don't know. One fine morning we were harbored on an island and he just appeared and never left." Amber nodded. "So Amber come on the thing is?"

"Oh yeah. The thing is…" she began, but for what felt like the thousandth time the door swung open and two people stepped inside. Amber let out a slightly frustrated sigh. She turned to find a teenage girl and boy. They both had dark brown hair and looked exactly the same except one was a girl and the other a boy. Also the girl had green eyes and the boy had blue eyes. She already knew these were the infamous twin cooks.

"Morning captain," They said at the same time.

"Just came by to get the tray," Troy said picking up the now empty tray.

"And to tell you April has ordered you to get some more sleep," Jennifer added.

"Thanks," Jake said. "I will." The two nodded. Then Troy produced a cupcake.

"Here you go captain," Troy said handing it to Jake. "I made it." With that the two left and Jake through the cupcake into his trashcan. Amber chuckled slightly.

"Well I better let you get some rest," she said standing up. Jake nodded.

"They remind me of Dad and Aunt Eli," he said suddenly. Amber looked a little confused. "Jennifer and Troy. Whenever I see them together it reminds me of Dad and Aunt Eli." His voice wasn't the strong powerful one it usually was, but a little lonely and sad.

"You feel homesick and miss them sometimes. Don't you?" Amber asked.

"Maybe a little…" Jake muttered. "Sometimes…especially Mom." Amber gave him a sympathetic smile. She put out her hand and gently ruffled his hair.

"Hey look on the bright side," Amber said. "You get to see them in a few days." She smiled at him and he smiled back. Then she surprised them both by leaning forward and kissing his cheek. Then she turned around and left the cabin. She stood outside the door and both thought about the slight jolt that had taken place when she kissed him.

Well do you think?

Read&Review

Oh and my summer break is on for six more weeks so you'll be hearing plenty from me.

Until next time

Dragon. Out.