Red and Purple

Author's note: You're probably wondering by now why I always put the name of the story at the top of every chapter I write. Well, never mind. I've done it ever since I first began writing, and I don't intend to break the habit.


Segment 5: From Bat to Curse

Chapter 4: Demon Ceremony


(Amy)

I have to say, being a cat wasn't one of my favorite experiences. After a while, though, I got used to it, as strange as it felt. Besides that, I had Leo and Kim on my side, and I had a feeling that they would find a way to undo the curse.

As the foxes and I stood in front of the secret door as it slid open, my confidence was at its peak. It took a nosedive, however, when we saw what was inside. This was the treasure room, all right, but we were not the first ones to find it.

No traces of treasure remained in the room. A broken vase lay on the floor, and a few empty treasure boxes were left open. The box with the eye on it was there, too, but it was empty as well.

"Rouge!" I hissed. "We're too late! Rouge got here first!"

"But I don't think she came back out," Kim added. "She's probably hiding in the room somewhere, but I can't imagine where." (She didn't explain how she'd figured THAT out.)

Leo had a smirk on his face. He swiveled his flashlight over to the far wall, revealing a pedestal on which rested an odd crystal ball. It looked a lot like Princess Mariko's, but it was much darker; a chill went down my spine as I looked at it.

"Another demon settlement," Kim muttered. "Who'd have thought they'd put it in such an obvious place for us to find?"

So that was one of the demons' settlements that Leo and Kim had told me about. I had to wonder what the crystal ball business was all about, but before I could put any thought into it, Kim grabbed me by the wrist while Leo put his hand on the ball.

The next thing I knew, the three of us were falling through a vortex of pure darkness. I kept feeling like I was going to scream, but I never did.

When we landed, we were back in the pyramid, but it was a lot darker than it had been before. Had the demons constructed their settlement in the image of the real pyramid? Apparently they had.

"I guess Rouge is in here somewhere," I whispered to Leo and Kim. I didn't dare say it out loud; I was too scared.

Leo didn't say anything. He put his hand to his ear, as if listening for something. Or maybe he was already hearing something, and was trying to make out what it was; I couldn't tell. Kim followed suit. My ears were not as good as theirs were, so I remained silent.

"Sounds like some kind of chant," Kim finally said. "Come on, let's step closer. But be quiet."

The three of us carefully tiptoed out of the treasure room and slipped around the corner. The chanting got louder as we got closer, until finally the hall ended at a doorway. "It's right behind this door," Leo whispered to us.

Peeking into the doorway, I saw an interesting scene. A series of black impish creatures- each one looked like a cross between a dragon and a wolf- stood together in kneeled positions as if worshipping someone. There was a large fire in the center of the room, above which was a familiar figure who was tied up tightly. It was Rouge.

In one of the back corners of the room, a pile of treasure was piled up. I could see a dark jewel that resembled a Chaos Emerald- assumedly, that was the Black Emerald- as well as a few shimmering golden feathers. That must have been the treasure Rouge had tried to steal.

"I'll have you know, bat girl," a familiar voice called out from the back of the room, "that we do not take kindly to people who try to steal our treasure. For that, you will be sacrificed."

"That's Princess Mariko," I whispered to Leo and Kim.

"Not exactly," Leo whispered back. "The demons have made some kind of double of her. They make a lot of those, usually to guard the Black Emeralds."

However, I had already turned my attention back to Rouge, who was tied up and hanging from the ceiling by a rope above the fire like a fly hanging from a spider's web. If that rope were to be cut, she would drop into the fire and die a painful death, and we'd never get that map back.

At that moment, two of the demons set up a ladder behind the fire. Princess Mariko- excuse me, D-Mariko- got up from the throne and began to walk slowly toward the ladder.

"What do we do?" I whispered to Leo and Kim. "If we go in there, those demons will maul us! But we have to save Rouge, as little as she deserves it!"

Leo's eyes drifted to the pillars that dotted the room. They went from the floor straight to the ceiling, and they appeared to be made of soft stone; ideal for climbing with the right tools.

"No problem," Leo whispered back. "I have an idea. If it works, not only will Rouge survive, but we'll have the Black Emerald and one of those golden vulture feathers. Here's what we do."


I bet you wonder what that idea is. Well, you'll just have to be kept in suspense until I come back to this story in the cycle!