Ch 25:
Meanwhile as Ren and his crew are heading for the treasure of Rule, Bloth said that they should soon be near the island that Dimitri had wanted to go to is telling Dimitri. "Excellent, Lord Bloth! Now after we get to the island, I need you to do me one favor, but this favor will not be under my control. And I also think you may enjoy this!" He then snaps his fingers, and suddenly Bloth opens his eyes. Bloth as if just coming into the cabin crosses his arms across his chest and says, "What do you want now pose," looks at Dimitri. "How would you like to help me rid your world of the boy called Ren?" "What? How? Tell me more stranger." Dimitri laughs as he hears this. "After we land on the island and I get off, I want you and your crew to get the boy, by the time we reach the island, they're will be some items I need from a friend of mine. After I get those items, I will then give you instructions where to find the boy and his crew." Bloth then smiles, "Go on, you have my attention." Dimitri then laughs even harder. "This fool was so easy he almost felt guilty for putting him under, hell he should have kept him under and continued on with his plan, but no matter everything he needed to get done was getting done anyway.
"After I tell you where the boy is, I want you to bring me one of the crew, you can do what you want to with the rest, how does that sound?" "I like the way you think, stranger." Bloth says smiling. "Good." "And whom do you wish me to bring back for you?" "The one called Tula." "That wench!" Bloth then laughs but then he looks at Dimitri. And the way Dimitri looks at him, Bloth suddenly gets the idea that this wasn't a joking matter. "Ok. Ok." He says raising his hand in a surrendering pose, "you got it." He then leaves the room. "At least if everything goes according to plan, I will be rid of that fool shortly!" He then goes back to study the map the Dark Dweller had given him before it had returned to the sea. On this map, he sees the island, the same island he found in one of Bloth's maps. He knew this was the place for where he could do the ritual, and soon he would rule this planet, with Tula by his side. He then laughs again looking out onto the sea.
Meanwhile as Dimitri is planning his next move, the Wraith has approached an island. But this island was different. It seemed to appear out of nowhere. At first they don't even notice it, until Tula puts her finger to her forehead and says, "Ren! I sense danger!" and that's when she points to where the spot the island. "Where did that come from?" says Ioz. "It's not on the map." Ioz, then goes inside the cabin and checks the other maps, and isn't on them either.
"Ren, I have checked all the maps, and that island isn't on any of them." "But how?" and has Ren is about to say something else, Tula then grabs Ren's arm. "Ren! Someone's there! Someone is on that island!" Ren then gets the telescope and points it toward the island. But when he focuses on the island he is amazed but it isn't the man he sees but a large variety of flowers, and all in different colors. "Oh, Ren, it's so beautiful! Do you think we could go pick some?" she says smiling at him. Ren laughs. "I guess it would be alright, but only for a couple of minutes," and that's when it happens. Suddenly the compass begins to go wild. The blue light then shoots out towards the island of the beautiful flowers. "Ren, do you think, maybe we have found another treasure of Rule." "It sure looks like it."
He then tells Ioz to land the Wraith near the island. But when they get off the Wraith and start to search for the missing treasure, Tula suddenly begins to sense something. At first she thinks she is imagining it, but then the sensation she gets stronger; as if she had a headache her head started to pound. She then began to feel dizzy. When Ren sees this, he rushes to her side. "Tula, what is it?" She tries to tell him, but the pounding, and the pain, she then crumbles to the ground. Seeing this, Ren catches her halfway. He then while holding her with one arm taps her on one side of her cheek. She then finally wakes up. "Ren I'm ok." And that's when she notices the dirt on the ground. "That's the same kind of dirt that I saw Teron say he was feeding on. And it's also the same kind of dirt that I used when I found out I was an ecomancer," she says to herself. "Ren," she says as he helps her from the ground. "That can only mean there is an ecomancer here."
At first Ren doesn't say anything. At the moment his mind is elsewhere. He was more concerned that she was all right. He keeps one arm around her to make sure she is still steady, but Tula pulls free. "I'm fine, Ren. Really, I'm ok. You can let go of me." He then nods and releases her. As they walk through the flowers unknown to Ren and his crew there was someone on the island. And he was watching them as they walked through the beautiful flowers.
He then looks down at the stone in his hand; it was because of the stone he had become this way. He had remembered how Primus had warned him not to touch it, that it was cursed. But it was so beautiful, sitting there. He remembered the first time that he, Primus as well as the rest of the crew had landed on the island. Primus was sure they had found a treasure of Rule. The compass had pointed to this island, so he was sure it was there. But when they got to the island, all they saw were flowers. Beautiful flowers. Pinks, blues, purples. Almost a rainbow of colors. You could spend hours and he meant hours picking the lovely blossoms. He remembered how Primus didn't like the looks of it. At first he didn't say anything when we reached the island, but when he started to act strange. We weren't sure why but suddenly he told the crew to go back to the ship; that he would search for the treasure. Mangus also remembered how Avagon tried to stop Primus but he wouldn't listen. When she couldn't convince him, finally after making sure the rest of the crew were out of earshot he said that he had a funny feeling that this island may not be what we think it is. The flowers could be a decoy. He wasn't sure. He wanted to look around and if there was a treasure on this island only a member of the house of Primus could get it. Mangus hated that! Why couldn't someone else get it? It had always had to be Primus. He also thought maybe Primus would be overly cautious. He wanted to prove that there was no danger and that he was overreacting. He even suggested to Primus that he would help him look for it and if he found it he could show Primus how silly he was.
But he was wrong. When they did find the treasure it was surrounded by a bunch of large plants and called The Perinciosus Pitcher Plants. They were almost six feet tall. They were both amazed how tall they were. When they looked into the hole they saw a glowing object inside of it. At first Primus bent to get a better look when he did. Mangus noticed how the compass shot of blue light as if it had spotted a Treasure of Rule. But when Primus tried to get it, Mangus rushed and pushed him aside and yelled to him. "I'll prove you wrong! You'll see!" He then reaches into the hole and grabbed the stone and pulled out of the hole. And to his horror when opened his hand the stone now looked like a bulb and that's when it happened. The bulb started to glow a bright light, almost a rainbow of light.
Suddenly the tall plants started to hover over them. It hovered closer and closer nearly touching them. And that's when Mangus noticed his mistake, which now he blamed Primus for. He pushed Primus out of the way just in time to save him, but now himself. The Perinciosus Pitcher Plant shot spores at him, and he was suddenly covered in them. Primus tried to brush them off, and when he finally did, he was struck in horror to his friend and crewmate changed into a Demotic Strangler. He then looks over at Ren and sees him with one of the crewmembers and from what he could see they seemed affectionate towards one in other. "Interesting. The Son of Primus has grown into quite a man!" Mangus grips his hands into a fist. "Because of you, Primus, I am like this, and if I can't get my revenge against you, I will gain revenge against your son!"
He also knew about Captain Bloth, and that he was also looking for the treasures of Rule. He couldn't let him get the treasures. He had to have the son of Primus get them. But how was he going to hide the treasures of Rule.
He looked around the island, and all he could see were the flowers that grew on the island. And it always amazed him how even with the dark water; these beautiful flowers could grow in such abundance! He had to put the jewel somewhere, but where. He knew Tula would find it, especially since she was an ecomancer. But how could he have communicated with her; ecomancers weren't telepathic. "Could it have been the stone?" he said to himself. He then looks at the tree - crew members; maybe he could separate them. And if these were close friends of the Son of Primus, maybe he could separate them. And if these were close friends of the Son of Primus, maybe hurting them will be a way of making him pay for his father's deed to him. If only the boy's father had just allowed him to get the stone; he wouldn't look like this, and he would have been rich with all his deepest dreams. However as he watches Prince Ren and his crew Dimitri was busy setting for the next part of his plan. As he studies the map he thinks about his master.
Suddenly one of Bloth's crewmembers runs into the cabin. "Dimitri! We have spotted an island, and it may be the island you have searched for!" "What?" he yells to the crewmember. He then jumps up from the chair and runs outside. When he reaches the bow he sees the island that Dracula as well as The Dark Dweller had described. The island was beautiful. It had three large pillars in front of a small temple. He also had learned from the Dark Dweller the island had been removed of its human contents. But even though it killed all the humans on the island, it left the temple as well as the pillars untouched. There had to be a reason, but why? Could this Dark Dweller have been a good Maybe? He wasn't sure.
It was unknown, but for now Dimitri was happy for what he had been brought to. The temple would be perfect for the ceremony as well as the ritual. "There was just two problems I have to contend with," he said to himself. "The fat pirate and my competition for the girl." He knew he could easily have the two men kill each other but that would be too easy. He then started walking around the temple. He knew this place would be perfect for the ceremony. There was just one problem, even though he had gotten one of the spell books out before the castle crashed into the sea; he still needed the other two, but how could he reach them? Dimitri then walked over to edge of the island staring at the blackened sea. "My evil counterpart, you may give me this body but you don't own my soul. My soul belongs to the Great Count Dracula." And though he wanted to serve his master, he didn't have the two necessary books he needed to do the ceremony. They had also had gone to the bottom in the sea with the castle.
He could use the creatures that the Dark Dweller had given him, but that wouldn't do. They were probably more loyal to the Dark Dweller more than him. That wouldn't do. He needed his own creatures, but how? And that's when it hit him. "If only I could do the other spell to create monsters. Monsters from the nightmares of man. But I would only need one creature for this duty. I could use to get the girl, kill the boy as well as the fat pirate." But after he says this he laughs. He wanted the boy to suffer, and just killing like he had killed Morpho was too easy. He wanted the boy to suffer. The pirate on the other hand was just a bother. An easy kill. Dimitri then walked over and sat on the floor of the temple. He had to think that was the spell, but he couldn't remember, but then suddenly it hit him; the crystal ball. He could use that.
All he needed was to create one that wouldn't be too hard. He had done it in the past when Darius was alive. He then got up and walked over to the center of the temple and sat down Indian style; closed his eyes and began to chant. "Crystallius Globus De Lucerna Conspici Penes Menus; Sic Je Facre Agere Talis Domere Inubere." As he says these words, he claps his hands together and held them tight. Suddenly a light appeared inside his hands, glowing like fire. He then opened his hands slowly saying the same chant again, and after a few minutes a crystal ball appeared in his hands. "Excellent! Now to create the perfect monster so I can continue on with my plan!" He then began to laugh, and that's when it hit him. The Dark Dweller. What about him, as well as the creatures; the harpies had created for him. He could still use them, but would they be more loyal to him or the Dark Dweller. He didn't know but that was the chance he was willing to take. He then shut his eyes and said in his mind, "Creatures from the depth of the Blacken Sea, come forth! Come forth to me now!" Suddenly three large tall blobs appear. When they approach the island they then take a creature - like shape and become what Dimitri has named them harpies. They then stood before Dimitri bowing to him as they approach.