Gifts and Sacrifices
Sacrifices
Part Two: Into the Mind of Evil
Chapter One: Mistakes
The three cubs turned to run only to have a shower of fire blocked their path. Emi's voice echoed throughout the cold chamber,
"I used Celina as a way to halfway enter this world. They kept this room locked because of that mirror. That mirror trapped me. Now that it's broken, you freed me to travel as I please, through this world although not through time. Buddi, Sunni don't you realize I tried to destroy you before, when you were in your mothers' wombs? Why do you think they died in childbirth?"
The cubs made no reply and tried to turn around to find another way out. Emi let another shower loose. She laughed and went on,
"I failed. Now after being trapped for so over 900 years, I'm in this time, it's perfect. I've been trapped so long. My powers aren't strong enough. When your infernal ancestors trapped me, they made it impossible for me to enter another time, even after I was freed. That's why you two survived your birth. My powers were so weak. I had to wait until you were nearly born before I struck. In any event, it's much more valuable to use my power here."
She laughed again,
"But I'm not done with you yet…oh no, there are far worse fates than straight death. I want to see you squirm."
That said, she laughed, and the corpses rose from their position, ripping the spears that bound them loose. The piles of bones rearranged and stood. The three cubs looked at each other.
"Now what?" Sunni asked in a shaky voice,
Buddi swallowed, "well, there's always one alternative."
"What?"
Cubbi caught on fast enough,
"HELP!"
Buddi nodded at Sunni,
"Works for me."
In unison, the three cubs screamed as loud as they could,
"HELP!"
* * *
Ursa knew Buddi was at the Glen. She knew it. Where else would he go? She should have been angry; instead she felt an increased need to talk to him. They had to get on a common level. But as she approached, an odd fear gripped her heart, a fear she couldn't place yet felt just the same. Her heart sped up and she ran.
She was certain she scared the Glens to death but the Barbic didn't care. She had a feeling that Buddi was in trouble and her desire to protect him overwhelmed all else. She landed hard after she dropped in a door.
Her heart froze.
"HELP!"
"HELP!"
That single word was enough to put any soldier on red alert. The Knights of Gummadoon had grown accustomed to the word in the years before the Ancients fled. But this word made Sir Plucki sit right up.
It was a child.
Not just any child, that was his youngest knight.
The knight ran down the hall, following the sound. He saw a female running as well, recognizing her as Ursa immediately. He did not agree with everything the female gummi did but he could tell that as tough as she was, she truly cared for Buddi. Listening harder, the knight heard Buddi and Sunni's voices as well.
Sir Gumlittle and Sir Blastus joined their leader in the hall. The four adults raced towards the source. Sir Plucki said aloud,
"Oh Great Gum, no!"
That forbidden trapdoor was open.
Ursa ran ahead of the knights and was down the trapdoor before they could say a word. The knights shrugged at one another and then swiftly followed.
Ursa was horrified by what she saw in this chamber. If Buddi wasn't hurt, he was surely afraid. Buddi was brave but he was still a child. Ursa ran towards her child's scream for help. She was worried. She didn't like the aura of feeling she was getting from this room. It positively reeked of evil.
Sir Plucki and the others were not far behind Ursa. Plucki was scolding himself. He should have known this would happen. By gum, he should have followed Cubbi's advice and just told him what was under here. Cubbi was a knight but had not developed the patience that the adult knights had.
Ursa drew her sword and dove through a shower of flame she saw.
Buddi reluctantly looked up when he didn't feel the scythe Emi was throwing hit him.
"Ursa!"
He'd never been so happy to see her in his life. He would have hugged her hard but they had other issues. Ursa pressed him against her side and faced her assailant. Buddi looked around and demanded,
"Sunni? Where's Sunni?!"
"Right here," a cold voice answered.
Emi appeared just as the knights appeared. She turned to them with a small smile,
"Knights of Gummadoon, well met."
In a flash of light, Sunni appeared and Emi grabbed her hard around her neck.
"Sunni!" Buddi would have run to her but he was smart enough to know that would do nothing to help. He growled and curled his palms into tight fists, muttering many words under his breath that could not be said aloud because of the mixed company.
Sunni was terrified. Emi was so cold! Her arm was like a curled icicle. The breath that fell on her was a chill that froze any bravery Sunni had. But her eyes…those ice cold eyes. They were merciless and held the core of evil itself.
The knights were at a loss…. all but one.
"Sunni!"
Cubbi ran forward but Plucki caught him under his arms and tugged him back. Cubbi strained but Plucki was stronger.
"Sir Cubbi stop!"
Cubbi looked up at the older knight, his eyes burning with anger. Plucki shook his head. Cubbi let his muscles relax and Plucki let him go.
"Now, as I was saying, Cubbi I do have to thank you. When you broke that mirror you freed me."
Cubbi shouted a few words the knights didn't realize he knew.
Emi shook her finger, "Tsk, tsk, such language."
Cubbi was pushed behind the knights. Growling, he snuck off, behind some equipment and made his way towards the evil gummi.
Ursa glared at Emi.
"You-it's you that made my cub so sick! It's you that tore his confidence down and made him go into a Breach of Life!"
Buddi hissed, "You killed Missy!"
Emi smiled, "Correct."
She grabbed Sunni by the throat and smirked,
"Here's one more to add to the list,"
She started to tighten her grip but a forced barreled into her. She dropped Sunni and Gumlittle ran forward and caught her. Buddi ran to her but Ursa kept close to him. Sunni caught her breath and then screamed,
"CUBBI! YOU'RE CRAZY!"
The knights whirled around. Cubbi had knocked the black gummi onto her back. With a blast of power, she sent him flying backward. Sir Plucki ran forward and caught the cub in his arms.
Emi lifted her head. The pink cub was tough, he'd drawn blood. Blood was trailing down her face from her mouth. Standing, she wiped it away with the back of her hand, saying,
"keep your children close Gummies. Emi's back."
That said, she vanished, until only her cold evil laugh remained.