Chapter 29: Oblivion Obliterated

Only moments had passed since the nightaur vanished, taking the Drakesoul with him. In the interim, everybody who had been waiting inside the front gate of Fablehaven had all gathered around Kendra, who had been used as the nightaur's own bargaining chip.

"Kendra!" cried Mrs. Sorenson, hesitantly shaking her daughter, who had nearly collapsed upon the ground.

"She looks fairly weak," said Dale. "She needs help!"

"Allow us," said Bracken, as he allowed himself to transform into his unicorn form.

Bright nodded and transformed into her unicorn form as well. Like Bracken, she had white fur, but sported a rainbow streaked mane and tail as opposed to the silvery one her brother toted. Bravia also became a unicorn, displaying silvery fur and a platinum mane and tail.

"What are you all doing?" asked Seth.

The three unicorns surrounded Kendra in a triangular formation, all facing towards her. They then lowered their heads and pointed their horns towards her. Simultaneously, beams of rainbow-colored energy shot out of each of their horns and flowed into Kendra's body.

Once the beams stopped, Kendra suddenly felt completely rejuvenated. She got up onto her feet, then looked around at everybody.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Kendra," exclaimed Mr. Sorenson. "Are you all right?"

"I feel like I'd just had the strangest dream. Oblivion had captured me."

Warren squinted, "Kendra, that- was no dream."

"What's going on?"

"We'll tell you everything," said Grandpa. "In the meantime... Seth, we need you to locate the Drakesoul right away!"

"I got it," said Seth, acknowledging Grandpa's recommendation.

"What happened to the Drakesoul?" asked Kendra.

Grandma presented the Oculus to Seth, as she and the other adults all began to explain everything to Kendra that had happened upon her getting kidnapped.

"I hope this works," said Seth, as he closed his eyes, squeezed the Oculus in his hands, and began to envision the Drakesoul in his mind.

Sure enough, the Drakesoul began to phase into existence within Seth's mind. Soon the scenery surrounding the Drakesoul slowly began to come into view as well. From what Seth could tell, the Drakesoul was being carried in the arms of the nightaur, who was in the midst of galloping through the forest somewhere.

But where? Seth had to know. His view still centered on the nightaur carrying the Drakesoul, he allowed his vision to back off, moving up towards the sky, giving him a bird's eye view of everything. Still pinpointing the nightaur, he continued to zone away from the fleeing creature, until he was able to see the land for miles around. From what Seth could tell, the nightaur was fleeing Fablehaven, trotting off towards the southwest.

"I found it," said Seth, opening up his eyes, allowing the world around him to come back into focus. The nightaur is running through the forest southwest of here."

"Heading towards New York City?" asked Warren.

"Perhaps," said Seth.

"That's right!" exclaimed Kendra. "Oblivion said something about keeping me in the basement at Dynabridge. Maybe she's still there!"

"We'd better hurry," said Bright. "Now that the nightaur is no longer holding Kendra hostage, we can pursue him without the risk of her getting harmed."

"That settles it," said Warren. "We'll go after the nightaur immediately and follow him to wherever it is that Oblivion is waiting!"

"I got the gist of what's happening," said Kendra.

"Then let's roll," said Bracken. "Get on my back, Kendra!"

Kendra acknowledged Bracken's suggestion, and mounted herself up onto the white unicorn's backside. Warren then climbed onto Raxtus with Clover, while Seth hopped on Geminus. Bright and Bravia remained in their unicorn forms.

"Everyone set?" asked Warren, to which everyone replied positively. "All right. Let's go!"

"Good luck, everybody!" said Mrs. Sorenson.

"Relax," said Geminus. "From what I understand, Seth can track down that nightaur using the Oculus. We just have to catch up and follow from a distance. Don't see what's so dangerous about that. We just need to be careful!"

Raxtus and Geminus then started to flap their wings and took off into the air with their passengers, accompanied by the three unicorns and Kendra.

"All right, Seth," said Warren, once they were cruising across the sky. "You've still got the Oculus?"

"Yup," replied Seth, as he held up the Oculus for all the others to see.

"Good. See if you can track the nightaur, or at least the Drakesoul, and guide us to him."

Envisioning the Drakesoul in his mind again, Seth grasped the Oculus in one hand, using his other hand to keep hold of Geminus' reigns. He closed his eyes and the Drakesoul soon came into view, still being carried by the nightaur.

Seth retreated his view away from the nightaur, back up over the forest and into the sky. From what Seth could gather, the nightaur had advanced a good number of miles from the previous time he checked on him.

"No way," said Seth. "Uh, guys? How fast can a nightaur run?"

"Don't know about nightaurs," replied Warren, "but typically, a centaur can run about as fast as a normal horse. Why?"

"Well, this nightaur seems to have crossed nearly ten miles in about two minutes. And he's not flying, despite possessing wings, probably to stay hidden."

"No horse can run that fast!" exclaimed Bracken.

Still following the nightaur through the Occulus, Seth zoomed his focus back down into the forest, where he continued to monitor the dark creature. From what he could tell, the nightaur was galloping at an adequate pace.

Seth then noticed the nightaur holding up the wand he had been carrying into the air. In mid-run, the nightaur waved the wand around, then vanished in a flash of light. Seth's view shifted to another area in the forest, where the nightaur reappeared and continued to run onwards.

Curious, Seth backed away from the nightaur, his perspective looking down upon the forest growing further and further away, until he could see the entire state of Connecticut. Based on where he had just spotted the nightaur a moment ago, it now appeared to be several more miles southwest of its previous location.

"The nightaur," said Seth, "he's using that wand to instantly teleport himself across long stretches of land! He's continuing to do the same thing he did to get away from Fablehaven in the first place!"

"What?" exclaimed Raxtus.

"We'll never catch up with him if he keeps skipping ahead!" cried Bright.

"Time out!" shouted Warren. "Everybody land. Now!"

The unicorns and dragons soared back down towards the Earth beneath them. As they neared the forest below, they slowed down and soon came to a landing in a small clearing between several trees.

"What gives?" asked Kendra. "If we stop here, we'll never catch up with that nightaur."

"We'll never catch him as long as he cheats," said Warren. "So I say we cheat as well."

Warren pulled the Translocator out of his bag and twisted it, then held it out for everybody to touch.

"What's your plan?" asked Clover.

"Why waste time chasing that nightaur to Dynabridge? We can just beat him to the punch and nab him right when he arrives!"

"If we're going to Dynabrige right now," asked Seth, "why not just go after Oblivion again?"

"We still don't have a way of pinpointing her," said Warren. "She's not going to be waiting around for Kendra to bring us to wherever it is she may be hiding. We'll just go to Dynabridge, not draw Oblivion's attention, and go after the nightaur once he gets there, assuming that's where he's headed."

"Okay," said Seth.

Once everybody who had been riding a creature dismounted from it, Bracken, Bright and Bravia all transformed back into their human avatars. At that point, everybody place their hand on the Translocator and got whisked away.

The group then reappeared atop the roof of the Dynabridge building.

"So, what do we do from here?" asked Kendra, as everybody released their hand from the Translocator.

"We wait," said Warren. "Seth, do you mind following the nightaur some more?"

"All right," said Seth, as he reached into his bag and pulled out the Oculus, then proceeded to immerse himself into using its power.

"What's this supposed to accomplish?" asked Clover.

"That nightaur's on a path to Dynabridge," replied Warren. "If Seth continues to spy on the Drakesoul that he's carrying, it'll lead us right to Oblivion. Once we find Oblivion, we can de-power her using the Skullifier, and defeat her once and for all."

"He's getting closer," said Seth, who was holding onto the Oculus with his eyes still closed.

"Good," said Warren. "Now that he's got the bait, we'll be able to get the drop on him and Oblivion."

"Kendra," said Bracken," where exactly in the building were you being held?"

"Oblivion said we were in the basement," replied Kendra. "Whether she was being truthful or not I have no idea."

"Well, wherever Oblivion is in that building," said Clover, "our friend the nightaur will lead the way. No need for us to risk our lives trying to find Oblivion on our own."

"Does that mean we've gotta let the nightaur successfully deliver the Drakesoul to Oblivion?" asked Raxtus. "Rather than just subduing him before she gets involved?"

"That's exactly it" replied Warren. "That Drakesoul is our ticket to Oblivion. As long as we can sneak up on Oblivion before it's too late, we're good to go."

"Why didn't the nightaur transport himself directly to Dynabridge using that wand?" asked Kendra.

"If I had to harbor a guess," replied Bravia, "it's because transportation magic is very difficult to master. That wand that the nightaur's got may not be able to compete with the Translocator, but it's still a practical tool. It's probably also why he can't use it continuously without taking short breaks in between."

Seth continued to monitor the nightaur's progress as he continued on his path to Dynabridge. Within minutes, he spotted the nightaur as he appeared on a street somewhere in the Bronx.

"He's getting closer now," said Seth. "He's already entered New York City."

"People are just going to see him as a horse," said Kendra. "They'll probably think he just escaped from a farm or the zoo."

"An odd sight, but nothing too far-fetched," said Warren.

"If he's running," said Clover, "then nobody's going to try and restrain him with their bare hands. Just as well, though. Anyone who touches that nightaur will die."

Seth watched as the nightaur galloped between several lanes of traffic, drawing the attention of numerous motorists, passengers and pedestrians. After another moment, the creature transported himself to a street in another area in the city. From what Seth could tell, this was a more urbanized area, with tall towers surrounding him on both sides. Seth focused his perspective up into the air, looking down at the nightaur.

"He's on the street, nearby!" exclaimed Seth, as the nightaur continued down the busy street, cutting off several more lanes of traffic and running a red light, nearly getting hit by a car that came to a screeching halt. Part of Seth wished that somebody would just crash their vehicle into the nightaur. Part of him didn't.

"He's coming," said Seth, as he nightaur made his way onto the sidewalk, where he galloped up towards the front doors of a large office building. The building looked familiar to Seth.

"He's right here!" shouted Seth. "He's at the front entrance to the very building that we're atop of right now!"

"Keep following him," said Warren. "Raxtus and Geminus, you'd best revert to your smaller forms."

The two dragons nodded, as Raxtus transformed into that of his human form, whilst Geminus assumed her tiny fairy form.

"Bracken, I want you to pick up Seth and carry him over your shoulders," said Warren. "Just because he can't move around on his own doesn't mean we can't help him."

Bracken then wrapped his arms around Seth's body and hoisted him up over his shoulders.

"What are you guys doing?" asked Seth.

"I've got you," said Bracken. "Don't worry, I'll be extremely careful."

Seth watched as the nightaur had already trotted through the seemingly empty lobby and entered an elevator. The nightaur's large body appeared to be a tight squeeze in the elevator car. "He's in an elevator," said Seth.

"What floor did he push?" asked Kendra, as Bright opened the door to the stairwell.

"Two" said Seth, watching as the nightaur pushed the button for the second floor, causing it to light up.

"Two?" asked Warren.

"Two what?" asked Raxtus, who was cradled in Warren's arms as the group progressed down the stairwell. Bracken was being extremely careful with his footing as he marched down the steps holding onto Seth.

"He's getting off," said Seth, watching as the elevator doors slid open and the nightaur stepped out into the second floor hallway.

"Oblivion's on the second floor," said Warren, "trying to hide from us in case we attempted to infiltrate the building. It's a good thing we didn't. We probably never would have found her down there."

"We're still more than forty floors away," said Kendra.

"The nightaur went down the hallway," said Seth. "And now he's entering a room."

Seth watched as the nightaur opened up a door and entered a small office, where Oblivion was sitting at a desk. Once she saw the Drakesoul in the nightaur's arms, her face lit up in delight.

"The nightaur's with Oblivion!" shrieked Seth, "and he's about to present her with the Drakesoul!"

"Tell us everything!" said Bravia.

Although he was unable to hear her, Seth watched as Oblivion accepted the Drakesoul from the nightaur, expressing a huge grin. She then accepted the wand from the nightaur, and seemingly absorbed it back into her body. Seth wasted no time in explaining what he saw to the group.

Holding the Drakesoul in both of her hands with a wicked smile on her face, Oblivion got up from the desk, said something to the nightaur, and the two of them walked out of the office. They then walked back to the elevator, where the nightaur pushed the down call button. The same elevator that the nightaur had come up on opened, and he entered without Oblivion.

"It would've made things a whole lot easier for us if that nightaur had accidentally touched Oblivion and killed her," noted Warren.

Just as the doors to the nightaur's elevator had closed, Oblivion pushed the up call button. Another elevator arrived seconds later, and Oblivion entered. Oblivion then pushed the button for the highest floor, and proceeded to ride it up the building.

"She's going to the top?" asked Bracken.

"But we've already gone down like twenty flights of stairs!" exclaimed Clover.

"Stop!" cried Warren. "Everybody stop!"

"What now?" asked Geminus.

"Oblivion's up to something," said Warren. "Let's backtrack our way up to the top floor and see where she goes from there."

"That elevator's pretty fast," said Seth, eyeing the elevator's floor display. "It's already shot up ten floors."

"Why don't we just use the Translocator to get back up to the top?" asked Clover, as the group now changed their direction to climbing upwards, "Instead of climbing back up all of these lousy stairs?"

"We don't know where it is she's going," said Warren. "Besides, Seth'll have to stop using the Oculus in order to use the Translocator with us, and we want him following Oblivion no matter what."

As soon as the group had only gone back up several more flights of stairs, Oblivion arrived at the top floor. She then snapped her fingers, and Seth was able to follow her as she reappeared on the roof of the building, still holding the Drakesoul.

"We should've just stayed on the roof this whole time," moaned Bright.

"Just a couple more stories!" exclaimed Warren, as the group continued to race up the stairs.

"She's using it!" said Seth.

Seth watched as Oblivion flew up into the air, allowing the Drakesoul to emit a brilliant, vibrant green hue of light. He then watched as Oblivion grew into a massive black dragon, possibly on par with the likes of Navarog.

"We're too late!" cried Kendra.

"Not if this Skullifier is as powerful as Gilvenoff said it is!" shouted Warren.

Seth watched as Oblivion seemingly laughed. As a dragon, her voice was powerful enough that it boomed down through the upper floors of the stairwell, where everyone could easily hear her.

"If she's a dragon..." said Clover, "what's she going to do now?"

"I don't know," said Warren, "and I don't want Oblivion to live long enough to find out."

At last, the group barged through the door at the top of the stairwell, and exited out onto the roof of the building. Surely enough, the enormous dragon that Oblivion had transformed into was hovering no more than thirty feet above the group, seemingly unaware of their entrance. Seth then released his hold on the Oculus and opened up his eyes.

"Now's our chance," said Warren. "Seth, get the Skullifier ready."

"What's going to happen?" asked Kendra, as Bracken placed Seth down on his feet.

"We shouldn't try anything directly above the city," said Warren, "as long as Oblivion hasn't spotted us. If this doesn't work right, we might end up getting crushed by a de-powered dragon."

At that moment, Oblivion looked downwards, and seemingly spotted the group standing on the rooftop.

Kendra froze. The shock of seeing Oblivion as an all-powerful dragon overwhelmed her soul with fear. No time to think about using Vasilis or going fairyprime, there was nothing that she could do to fight back.

"YOU!" roared Oblivion.

"She needs to be stopped," said Seth. Wasting no time, Seth aimed the Skullifier directly upwards at Oblivion, allowing it to emit its waves of shadows at the menacing dragon above them.

The moment that the Skullifier's attack made contact with Oblivion, the dark dragon roared in agony. Whatever it was that the Skullifier was doing to Oblivion seemed to be working.

Everyone watched as the mighty dragon suddenly shrank down in size. What had just been a humongous creature was now imploding back into Oblivion's fairy form. As the dark fairy firmly clasped the Drakesoul within her hands to no avail, Seth continued to force more negative energy into Oblivion and the instrument.

Within seconds, Oblivion seemingly vanished, and the Drakesoul proceeded to fall down towards the rooftop. Seth stopped the Skullifier's energy flow, just as the Drakesoul crashed down onto the roof, only several feet from the group.

"He did!" uttered Geminus.

"He stopped Oblivion!" cried Bright.

"We got the Drakesoul!" laughed Clover.

Kendra and Seth were overcome with joy. Seth had just defeated Oblivion and won!

"Uh, we've got a problem," said Bravia, pointing towards the fallen instrument. We may have the Drakesoul back, but look! Something's wrong!"

Kendra and Seth both took a good look at the Drakesoul that was lying on the roof. No longer was it a golden base housing an emerald; the gem part was now clear, and the base appeared to be all rusted.