Chapter 10: The Daemon Ritus and captured
(Shaggy, Scooby and Professor Phibes)
After the split-up, the trio made their way further down the passageway with the professor leading the way.
"Keep quiet and don't make a sound." Phibes instructed Shaggy and Scooby. "We don't want that thief and his hypnotized friends catch us."
Shaggy and Scooby both nodded without saying a word, the former still feeling suspicious about the professor.
Once they reached a fork in the passageway, the trio were about to debate which direction to take when they heard footsteps.
Silently, they hid behind a wall and took a glance as the source of the footsteps walked by.
It was the hooded figure, accompanied by Arlene Wilcox and Sharon Wetherby.
"Like, it's Arlene and Sharon!" Shaggy whispered to Scooby, who nodded. "There's got to be a way for us to get them out of their trances."
"I'll think of something." Phibes said. "But right now, we've got to stop that thief from stealing the treasure!"
Unaware that three of their escaped prisoners were hiding nearby, the hooded figure turned to Sharon and Arlene.
"You two go check on our prisoners while I go check out the progress of the escalation." The hooded figure ordered.
"Yes, master." The two girls nodded before heading off on one of the passageways while the hooded figure took the other.
"Uh oh." Shaggy said. "We're going to be in big trouble if they found our cells empty, Professor. Should we further split up and perhaps, Scoob and I can go after our schoolmates and bring them out of their trances?"
"Don't worry." Phibes replied. "It's a large place anyways. They're going to have to spend at least an hour finding us in here, according to my calculations and analysis. Let's go!"
Shaggy and Scooby nodded as they silently followed the professor, who directed them towards the passageway the hooded figure took.
The trio silently shadowed the hooded figure down the passageway, with Scooby looking back to make sure no one is following them.
Eventually, they reached another part of the tomb where they found the sonic drill, along with the hooded figure and more of their hypnotized schoolmates.
"There's the sonic drill!" Shaggy said before turning to Phibes and added. "What's the plan, Professor?"
Phibes' face formed a frown as he was in deep thought for a plan.
(Fred, Velma and Daphne)
Meanwhile, Fred and the girls managed to reach the room where they first encountered the professor in the manor.
"I hope one of these books can give us some information on that fabled treasure that fiend mentioned." Fred said.
"As well as giving us a way to help get our schoolmates out of their trances." Daphne added as they walked over to the bookshelves.
The trio then grabbed a few books from the shelves and started skinning through them.
"Let's see here..." Fred trailed off as he begin going through the books he found.
One by one, Fred and the girls sorted through the bookcase until Velma came upon the book they were looking for.
"Jinkies!" She remarked as she picked up the book she found. "This book gives us a detailed description of the priceless treasure we've got in this room."
"From the Renaissance Era?" Daphne asked as she and Fred leaned over to join.
"Yes." Velma nodded. "However, this book mainly details the treasure that was from the Ottoman Empire at that time."
She then flipped through the pages before founding a treasure of interest. "And I think I just found the fabled treasure that fiend was after."
Fred and Daphne leaned closer to the pages as Velma read.
"The Daemon Ritus is an ancient magical artifact and it was fused together through dark magic by an evil sorceress long ago." Velma read. "It may look like a small-scale model of a pyramid, but it has the power to grant immortality to the holder and absorbs the consciousness of everyone else."
"This must be the artifact that hooded fiend that has been hypnotizing our friends is searching for!" Fred said.
"Yeah." Daphne agreed. "If we don't find a way to stop him, we'll soon be in big trouble!"
"The question, though, is how?" Fred asked. "We don't even know how did our friend hypnotized our schoolmates!"
Velma didn't say a word as she continued to scan the text in the book she was reading. Eventually, she spoke, "Maybe we do."
"Huh?" Fred and Daphne both asked as they turned to face her.
"It also says here that in order to activate the full power of the artifact, the holder must utilize the Darkopolypse Ritual, a spell. This spell grants the holder of the Daomon Ritus hypnotism powers and when used together with the artifact, it collects the brain powers of the hypnotized victims and fully unlocks its full power." Velma said. "However, it also says here that the holder cannot use the artifact on a rainy day or near a body of water, such as a lake or ocean, as moisture coming from water can disrupt the flow of the power coming from the artifact and the spell."
"Water!" Fred snapped his fingers. "That must be the way for us to free our schoolmates from the trance they're all under!"
"Then, we have to be quick!" Daphne said. "I'm sure our hooded friend must be sending someone to check on our cells and we'll be in big trouble if they found our cells empty."
"Right!" Fred agreed. "We've gotta find Shag, Scooby and the professor!"
Velma nodded as they grouped up and raced back out of the manor.
(Shaggy, Scooby and Professor Phibes)
Meanwhile, the professor was still thinking when the drilling suddenly stopped.
"Hey." Shaggy whispered. "They've stopped drilling! What's going on?"
Phibes' raised his eyebrows at the question as they turned their attention back to the dig. It was then that they saw the hooded figure emerging from the site, laughing.
As the trio looked on closely, they saw that he was holding a small artifact in the size of a pyramid.
"Oh no." Phibes said when he saw the artifact the figure was holding.
"What's the matter, Professor?" Shaggy asked.
"That artifact..." Phibes said, pointing towards the pyramid-shaped artifact held by the hooded figure. "It's the Daemon Ritus! This is an ancient magical artifact that's one of the most powerful artifacts of all time!"
Shaggy's eyes widened.
"Like, you mean it's the artifact that grants its holder immortality and the ability to control the thoughts of others?" Shaggy asked.
"Precisely." Phibes nodded glumly.
"Then, how do we stop that figure?" Shaggy asked.
Phibes thought for a brief moment before saying, "We're going to have to split up. One of us is going to distract that fiend and attract his attention, and someone else is going to grab that artifact and then make a run for it while the whole party is distracted."
"Sounds like a dangerous plan to me." Shaggy shivered with Scooby swallowing.
"You boys got a better idea?" Phibes asked.
Shaggy and Scooby looked at each other before the swallowed and nodded. Then, Scooby marched forward, intending to be the one distracting the hooded figure.
As Scooby marched forward, Shaggy glanced at the professor, expecting him to make a move.
Seeing that Phibes didn't move to drag Scooby back, Shaggy nodded to himself as if to confirm something before joining Scooby.
At that moment, the hooded figure was laughing evilly.
"Success!" He exclaimed as he held the artifact triumphantly. "Soon, the whole world is going to bow to their new master!"
Just then, the professor heard footsteps coming and hid in the nearby tunnel.
Those footsteps came from Sharon and Arlene, who then saw Shaggy and Scooby sneaking off.
"Master!" Sharon shouted. "We came with bad news!"
"Yeah!" Arlene agreed. "The prisoners have escaped!"
"Oh, is that so?" The hooded figure asked. "No matter. I've got what I've came for, children, and it is time we put the Darkopolypse Ritual in motion!"
"Darkopolypse Ritual?" Shaggy asked before turning to Scooby. "Doesn't sound good to me, Scoob."
"Reah." Scooby agreed as he nodded nervously. "Ret's get out of here!"
Just then, two lengths of rope were wrapped around the duo.
"Wha-?" Shaggy said before founding himself and Scooby facing their two hypnotized schoolmates. "Zoinks!"
"Relp!" Scooby exclaimed as the girls tied him and Shaggy up.
"Ah!" The hooded figure said when he spotted Shaggy and Scooby struggling. "We've got two volunteers to test out my new powers!"
"Volunteer?" Shaggy asked. "I didn't volunteer for something that will allow someone to control my thoughts!"
"Re neither!" Scooby agreed as he struggled, to no avail.
"No matter." The hooded figure said. "Take them to the back yard of the Henderson Manor. We will begin the ritual in due time!"
"Zoinks!" Shaggy exclaimed as the girls tied him and Scooby up. "Help!"
Safe from his hiding spot, the professor saw the hypnotized girls following the hooded figure as they dragged Shaggy and Scooby out of the tunnel and made their way to the back yard of the manor.
After the coast is clear, he quickly rushed over to find Fred and the girls.
When Fred and the girls arrived at the back yard of the Henderson Manor, they saw Shaggy and Scooby tied up above a camp fire on a platform of sorts as the hooded figure held the artifact triumphantly.
"Oh no!" Fred said when he saw the Daemon Ritus. "We're too late!"
"And Shag and Scooby are in big trouble!" Daphne added.
"And where is the professor?" Velma asked.
Just then, Phibes rushed over to them.
"Professor!" Fred exclaimed. "Are you alright?"
"I am, but I don't think your friends are going to be in any moment!" Phibes puffed as he tried to catch his breath. "I tried to grab the artifact while they were supposed to distract them, but they ended up getting caught."
"We can see that." Velma said. "But right now, there's something you should know about the artifact!"
"What is it?" Phibes asked. "Besides the fact that it can grant the holder immortality and the ability to control other people's thoughts."
"The artifact only works fully when they perform a certain ritual, which I believe is what they're about to perform." Fred said.
"However, it cannot be performed on a rainy day or when near a body of water, as the water moisture can disrupt the flow of the power coming from the artifact!" Daphne said.
"Water!" Phibes said. "That's the key!"
"Yes, and I think I just had a plan on how to put a stop to this!" Fred added before motion the professor, Velma and Daphne to huddle in before outlining his plan.
After the outlining, the girls and Phibes all nodded.
"Let's hope this works!" Velma said.
What plan does Fred in mind? And will they be able to save Shaggy and Scooby in time?
Stay tuned, and please read and review!