Second to last chapter! Thank you to all my reviewers! I'm sorry if this story is getting way out there. I'm trying to finish it off. Probably one more, and it'll be done. My sister and editor, says hi by the way.

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

I stood on my little ledge and listened with all my might. Nothing, no sound anywhere. Panic gripped me, accelerating my heart rate. I tried conjuring up their lifelines, but no such luck. I didn't know what was wrong. Maybe I was too tired even for that small exertion. I looked up and spotted the cave that Kendall had pointed at. They had to be in there. If they weren't… No. I had to believe they were okay. I couldn't have let anything else happen to my best friends.

Slowly, but steadily I began scaling the cliff face. I had no energy to do anything, but my anxiety drove me to move. The distance from me to the cave seemed to multiply with every second that passed. I took it one move at a time. Left hand first. Then right hand. Left foot. Right foot. One move at a time. Finally-finally, I reached the last ledge. Heaving myself up on trembling arms, I hooked one leg over the edge and hauled myself inside.

I blinked allowing my eyes to adjust to the dimmer light of the cave. My stomach dropped when I didn't immediately see anything. I dropped to my knees, despair overwhelming me. I curled my hands into the rough floor of the cave. My shoulders shook, and I trembled violently. I leaned forward pressing my forehead into the cool stone. No. No. No. No. No. This was all my fault. First Carlos, now James and Kendall, how did I let this happen? I was so worthless. I tightened my fist and slammed it into the ground next to my head.

A sudden noise from in front of me had me raising my head. It sounded far away, but how could that be? Where did this cave end? I stood up and stumbled to the edge of the cave. Running my hand along the smooth wall, I started down the cave.

As I walked, I noticed spots of blue light. There appeared to be a type of bioluminescent moss growing on the walls. Before long, I could see well enough to lower my hand from its guiding position. I strained to hear more sounds. Occasionally I thought I heard the scuffling of footsteps, but I couldn't be sure. Then I heard a voice that forever exculpated my spirits.

"Come on James, they're gone. We've got to find Logan."

I sprinted forward, not caring that the ground was uneven. I skidded around a bend and came face to face with Kendall. "Kendall!"

"Logan!" he cried joyfully. He pulled me into a bone-crushing hug, and I returned it just as hard. Another body slammed into us, and I felt another arm around my back.

After we broke apart, I felt my grin slipping. We still had to get to Carlos. "What happened to you guys? Are you alright? How did you end up all the way back here?"

Kendall and James exchanged a shudder. "We're fine. We got chased by these… things, like bats almost, only they didn't fly. They kind of scuttled around on the ground. It was nasty."

I curled a lip at the mental image. "We need to get back out there. We have to get out to Carlos."

"I think we might have a better way," Kendall answered. "While we were running, I saw another tunnel that went upward. I could see a light at the end. It might let out at the top."

I was up for anything at this point. "Let's do it."

Kendall led the way deeper into the tunnel, the soft light from the moss illuminating our path. I really hoped we didn't run into any of the creatures Kendall had described. I didn't know how much more conflict I could take at the moment.

We reached the connecting tunnel and started up a steep slope. There was indeed a light at the top. However, getting there was becoming exhausting. I was so drained from the avalanche. Kendall and James seemed in better shape, but I could see the exertion starting to wear on them too. Hopefully, we'd have enough energy when we got up there to help Carlos.

We came to the end of the tunnel, and I shielded my eyes from the suddenly bright light. The sky was still the pulsing red and black. We'd been let out in a bowl shaped area, with jagged cliffs forming an open-topped dome over us. Across the bowl, I spotted a rectangular rock formation that looked almost like a cage. I squinted harder. It was a cage… with none other than Carlos in it!

I took off across the dome, yelling, "Carlos! Carlos! We're here! We came to rescue you!"

I saw the figure in the cage shift and come to stand grasping the bars. "Logan?"

"We're coming Carlos! Don't worry we'll get you out!"

I slid to a stop in front of the bars. Carlos grinned out at me. His familiar, contagious smile lighting up his face and yes his eyes. I wrapped a hand around his hand clenching the bars. "You don't know how good it is to see you," I whispered.

"I think I have an idea," he returned. "You're not the one who's been in a cage for the past forever and a half."

I laughed, "That's not even possible."

"It feels like it."

Kendall and James made it over, shouting ecstatically at finding Carlos. There was much hand grasping and laughing. After a few moments, Carlos got to the heart of the matter. "How are you guys going to get me out of here?"

"Watch," Kendall responded smugly. He put his hands to the bars and concentrated. I watched minute cracks form on the rock restraining our friend. Then they crumbled to dust.

Carlos jumped up and down, grinning so hard it looked like his face was going to crack. "Dude! How did you do that? That was so cool! The bars just like turned to dust! Can you teach me that? I wanna learn! Teach me! Teach me!" Kendall just wrapped his arms around him in a proper hug. James stepped up next.

When it was my turn, I held on tight and whispered softly into his ear, "I'm so sorry Carlos."

He pulled back, holding me at arm's length. Confusion creased his face. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything."

"I just… I'm just sorry okay?"

Carlos smiled again, "Whatever man. I should be thanking you, for saving me and all, but how do we get out of this crazy place. I really want to go home and eat. I'm starving."

"Yeah Logan," Kendall picked up, "How do we get home?" They all looked at me expectantly.

"Uh…" I was prevented from answering by another shift, only I didn't have to look for the cause of this one. It was obvious. The center of the dome bulged and the earth began cracking. It was as if some giant beast was pushing out of the ground. I gasped when I saw fiery red poking out of the fissures. With a groan, the stone gave way and released the monster.

It looked to be made of lava, and I could feel the heat it was giving off from here. Its outline was blurry, and more the implied shape of a human than anything definite. It gave an unearthly roar and turned toward us. It shot a bolt of something red and glowing at us from its hand, and we scattered.

I threw myself down, taking Carlos with me. I felt a scorching heat pass over me and cringed slightly. I slowly looked up, jumping to my feet, when I saw it readying to attack again. I pulled Carlos up. "Come on! We've got to move!"

Carlos and I darted to the left. I felt another fire bolt flash past us, but didn't slow down. We dove behind a rock and caught our breath. The thing gave another roar. I peeked over the rock and saw it walking. It trudged around the bowl, swishing its head from side to side. I wondered if it could see. It didn't appear to have eyes. Although, it didn't have a mouth either, and it kept making those horrible screams. The beast whipped around and shot another blob of steaming hot lava at the boulder Carlos and I were crouched behind. We leapt out of the way, and streaked around the rim, looking for a better hiding place. The tunnel we'd used to get in here came up, and we threw ourselves inside.

I stayed by the opening and scanned the area, looking for Kendall and James, but then I heard an agonized scream. I froze and tried to locate the sound of the noise. I spotted Kendall and wished I hadn't. Kendall was on his knees cradling a body to his chest. There was only one person it could be.

"No," Carlos murmured from over my shoulder. "No James! No!"

Carlos ran out from behind me, heading straight for Kendall. "Carlos wait!" I yelled desperately, but he ignored me. I ran out after him, praying neither of us would get incinerated.

Carlos reached Kendall and fell to his knees. I didn't have to be close enough to see the news wasn't good. Carlos' shoulders slumped, and he gave a heart-wrenching howl. Suddenly he was back up and running towards the monster. I was almost as Kendall's side, but couldn't manage to halt Carlos.

"Carlos you idiot! Stop!" Kendall called desperately. He shifted James' body away from him and rose shakily to his feet. His eyes locked with mine for a moment.

"Is he…?"

Kendall's tortured gaze met mine, "He's not-he's not breathing, Logie. He's got no pulse."

My knees sagged, but I didn't fall. My heart was shattered into a million pieces. I'd just lost one of my best friends, one-fourth of my existence. I felt a piece of my soul being ripped out, must've been whatever piece James had given me. Kendall said something else, but I couldn't hear him through the roaring in my ears. It was only when he turned and ran off that I came to my senses.

I spent one last grief-stricken look on James, before I too took off. I had to protect Carlos and Kendall. I had to stop something bad from happening to them too.

Carlos was running around the behemoth pelting it with small stones. I could see tears coursing down his cheeks, and he was screaming profanities. Kendall was using his power to hurl little streaks of light at the beast that caused it screech in pain. I waded into the fray and tried to call my own powers to life. I sighed when they responded. It seemed I had finally recharged.

I imitated Kendall, sending flashes of pure energy at the thing. I didn't know exactly what I was doing, but it seemed to be working. Even as I felt my abilities responding, they didn't feel the same as before, nor were they as strong. It was as if some vital component was missing, like a piece was gone. I knew what it was, but refused to acknowledge it.

We continued the onslaught. All of us running in different directions, wanting to keep it confused, keep it from hurting anyone else. The heat this close up was unbearable. It was like standing next to an industrial furnace. Sweat poured down my face, making my eyes sting. I felt a fire ball shoot past me, scorching my arm and burning my shirt, but I shrugged it off. A rock in front of me exploded from the impact of another projectile. Shards stung my face.

The creature was showing signs of weakening. It appeared to be growing smaller, and the roars had died down into whimpers. We all fired a shot at if simultaneously, and it folded into itself, collapsing with a hiss.

I stopped running and almost sank to my knees, but that's when I felt the shift. The monster disappeared, and I felt a breeze stirring. My heart stopped. I knew what was coming, and it was much worse than what we'd just faced.

End of chapter. Cliffhanger. Blah. Blah. Blah. Please review!