~*~

Disclaimer, etc. in part one

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Authors notes: *Drops her guitar in the middle of playing ATWA by System of a Down and gapes at the computer screen* HOLY SNICKER BARS, GUYS! Make a girl feel special, will ya?! Well, I know I'm sorta copying Evil Irish Eyes by thanking everyone, but I can't help it! Speaking of Evil...

Evil Irish Eyes - Omigosh your review had me rolling in my chair! You're so funny! Thank you so much for your interest in my story! But of course, Mayhem Mountain PALES to The Woman in the Black Heels and the Friendship Found! UPDATE SOON! *Grin*

And to my OTHER most special reviewers (*nudges TLWROX, Audrey, Jaclyn and veggie5*), once again you guys had me giddy and near tears! *Grabs ya'll in a big group hug* I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Side note to Audrey and Jaclyn - I DID IT! THREE CHAPTERS IN THREE DAYS! WOO!!!





Mayhem Mountain (6/?)

by: Brandy Leigh



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Morning was slow coming for the explorers, the sun rising what seemed like an uncountable amount of hours after their mid-night excursion. No one had gotten a wink of sleep, with the exception of Julian, who was rather bright and cheery in the wee morning hours. Marguerite felt like pitching a shoe at her head.

After much coaxing, everyone had managed to get out of bed and prepare themselves for the day ahead of them. Breakfast was eaten, tents were repacked, and soon they were ready to continue on to the base of the mountain.

"Don't let your eyes deceive you," Julian said once they had began walking again. "We're not as close as you think we are."

"What are you talking about?" Marguerite asked. "We can see the mountain straight ahead. It can't be more than an hours walk from here."

Julian laughed then shook her head. "Silly woman. You are relying on your human senses to guide you. You must let go and feel with your spirit."

"Feel with my spirit my ass! You know, for someone who we're trying to save you're sure giving us a mighty hard time!" Marguerite exclaimed angrily.

"With that attitude, you'll never pass your test," Julian said smugly as she turned and walked away from Marguerite.

Marguerite narrowed her eyes at the girl as she walked away. If she didn't know any better, she would almost think that the girl didn't want her to pass her test.

"Only you would find a way to bring out the worst in a non-hostile race," Roxton said jokingly.

"Why don't you just let it go," Marguerite said, speeding up to distance herself from him. It was obvious she was shaken up by what Julian had said.

Walking behind Roxton yet in front of Challenger, Malone kept close sight on Veronica. She was walking next to him, yet her mind seemed to be a million miles away. He could tell that she was greatly disturbed by what happened the previous night, but it seemed to go deeper than that. He only wished he knew exactly what she had experienced so he could help to make it better for her.

"You know, you don't have to keep watching me like I'm a child, Ned," Veronica finally said.

"What uh, what are you talking about?" Malone stammered as he looked away.

"You've been watching me intently for the past ten minutes!" she exclaimed. With a sigh, she said, "I promise you, I'm okay. I'm just a little shaken up still, but other than that I'm fine. Just give me some time and stop treating me like an invalid."

"I'm just worried about you, that's all. I wasn't trying to treat you like you couldn't take care of yourself," Malone replied.

Veronica smiled softly and said, "I know, but you don't have to worry about me anymore. I'm going to be just fine."

Malone nodded slightly and smiled back. Her words made him feel only a fraction better, for he knew that she still had to face her greatest fear. He had no idea of what it could be, and he wasn't sure she'd be able to handle the stress after her life threatening experience the night before.

"Wait," Roxton said suddenly, raising his hand to signal everyone to shut up and stop walking.

"What is it?" Challenger asked curiously. "Raptors?"

"No," he stated simply.

"Apemen?" Malone asked.

"No, they're human."

"Where are they? What do they want?" Marguerite asked cautiously.

"I don't know, but they're watching us, waiting to see what we do next," Roxton said as he scanned the area, rifle ready.

There was a rustle of bushes behind Marguerite, and she knew they were behind her. She opened her eyes wide and looked over at Roxton.

"Roxton..." she said quietly.

"Just don't make any sudden movements," he said quietly as well, trying not to let the men hear.

"Oh trust me, I hadn't planned on it," she replied.

"Alright, when I say go, make a run for it. Got it?"

Marguerite nodded, then braced herself. After a few seconds, Roxton aimed his rifle, then shouted, "GO!"

Marguerite took off, making a mad dash to get behind Roxton. As she did, the men in the bushes leapt forward as if to try and grab her. She yelled out as one of them got a hold of her waist and pulled her back to him. Letting out a frustrated yell, she struggled against him.

"Let her go!" Roxton shouted to the man, rifle aimed directly between the man's eyes.

"Or what, you'll shoot me? You wouldn't dare risk it with me holdin' her here, would ya?" the man said in reply.

"I wouldn't hesitate for a second!" Roxton shouted back.

The man clutched Marguerite closer, running his grimy hand along her arm. He grinned a toothy grin and said, "Such a nice one we've got here, hmm?"

"Ugh, let me go you disgusting little creep!" Marguerite cried as she tried to pull away.

"Mmm, not so fast there, sweetheart."

"I have never, nor will I ever be your sweetheart!" she screamed as she swung her knee up to connect with his groin.

All of the men winced as they watched the man let go of Marguerite and bring both hands to his groin. Falling to his knees he let out a high- pitched yelp of pain.

"That's it!" he managed through clenched teeth. "Get them!"

As he said this, atleast five more men emerged from the bushes around them. Some were carrying knives, the others sported long hunting spears. They were large, angry men, and each of them had blood lust in their eyes.

"Well, this isn't good!" Malone shouted.

"Oh, you think?!" Marguerite countered.

"Challenger, look out!" Roxton shouted, leveling his rifle and taking a shot at the man who was about to plummel his colleague. The man howled in pain and fell back, dead.

"Roxton, behind you!" Veronica exclaimed. "DUCK!"

Roxton did as told, and Veronica flung one of her daggers above and behind him. Roxton could feel it pass, and he knew it had just barely missed his head. To his relief, the man behind him grunted in pain and stumbled back against the tree. Veronica's knife stood at attention as it protruded from his chest.

"Nice shot," another man said, coming up behind Veronica. "But I'm afraid that won't work with me!"

"Back off!" Malone shouted as he brought the butt of his rifle around to connect with the man's skull. The man fell to the ground, clutching his head.

"Thanks," Veronica said with a smile.

"Anytime," Malone replied with a boyish smile of his own.

"Why won't you just LEAVE ME ALONE?!" Marguerite shouted as the man who she had kneed in the groin ran after her to try his luck with her again.

"What fun would that be?" the man asked with a grin.

"Oh!" Marguerite exclaimed as she tripped and almost fell, allowing the man to gain a few feet.

"Stop right there!" Roxton shouted, once again holding the man at gunpoint.

The man stopped abruptly, knowing that if he made one wrong move he'd be dead. He turned and looked at Roxton, putting his hands up as a sign that he knew he was defeated. Roxton took a few steps towards the man, anger quite evident in his glare.

Marguerite had stopped running by now and looked back to see if the man was still behind her. She saw that Roxton had the man at gunpoint and looked for all the world like he was going to kill him right on the spot. 'Serves him right!' she thought.

"I should shoot you right where you stand," Roxton said angrily.

"Well, then do it. What are you waiting for, huh?" the man taunted. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Marguerite standing only a few feet from him.

The man grinned evilly as he lunged towards Marguerite. Roxton took this as his cue and let his finger pull back on the trigger of his rifle. Time seemed to slow as the bullet lurched towards the man, but by now he had already grabbed hold of Marguerite. Looking straight at Roxton, he reveled in the look of horror in the hunters eyes as he realized what was happening.

Roxton watched in absolute terror as the bullet that he had shot, from his own rifle, tore through the chest of the woman he loved.

"NO!" he screamed.

Everyone around them stopped upon hearing his heartwrenching yell, turning to see what had just occurred. They were greeted with the sight of a fallen Marguerite, blood gushing from a gunshot wound in her chest.

"Marguerite!" Veronica shouted, dashing to her side.

"Jesus, what happened?" Malone asked, rushing to follow.

Roxton just stood there in shock as he watched Marguerite lay there, gasping for air. He had done this. He had shot her. If she died, it would all be his fault... again.

"No..." Roxton said, sinking to his knees. "Dear God, no..." he moaned.

Realizing what must have happened, Challenger squeezed his eyes shut. He knew that if Marguerite died now, like this, Roxton would never forgive himself. He had yet to forgive himself for his brother's death, but if he were to lose Marguerite by his own hands, it would be the man's undoing.

"How is she, is she okay?" Malone asked Veronica.

"Oh God, it's bad. She's losing a lot of blood. Help, quick! Roxton, I need your help! Roxton? Roxton!" Veronica shouted.

Roxton did not move, he only stared at the scene before him. He knew it had to be a nightmare. If he just waited it would all go away and he would wake to find Marguerite yelling at him for sleeping in, not dying before him.

"We're losing her!" Malone shouted. "Challenger!"

But there was nothing Challenger could do, nothing any of them could do.

"John..." Marguerite managed to say through the pain. "Don't... blame... yourself..."

"But I... it's my fault. I'm the one who..." was all Roxton could say.

Marguerite opened her mouth to let him know that there was nothing he could have done to stop what had happened, but she had no more energy to speak. Instead she just looked him in the eyes, the unspoken words she desperately wanted to tell him written across her face. She managed to give Roxton one last smile, a smile that said 'I love you', as she closed her eyes... forever.

"Marguerite?" Roxton asked softly. When she didn't reply he looked to Veronica. She shook her head softly, then hung it with sadness.

"No," Roxton said again through tears. "MARGUERITE!"

Challenger hung his head, feeling the man's grief through his yell. He knew this was it, the final nail in Lord John Roxton's coffin. There was no way he would be able to live with this burden piled upon all the others that he carried on his back.

"John, I'm so sorry," Challenger said, tears of his own threatening to fall. He had become close to Marguerite over the years, as had everyone else. He almost felt as if she was his own daughter.

"No! I refuse to except this!" Roxton shouted as he stood and ran towards Marguerite. "She's not dead!"

Suddenly a blinding flash identical to the ones the night before tore through the clearing, blinding everyone again. When the light receded, all of the savage men were gone, as were the dead men that had littered the ground.

"Bravo, Lord Roxton," Julian said, stepping from the bushes. Once again, no one had noticed her absence.

"Just what in the hell are you talking about?!" he screamed at her.

"Your greatest fear was losing the one you loved most to the same fate as your brother. You passed your test," Julian rose her arm and let her hand point across to where Marguerite lay alive with wide, scared eyes.

"Oh... my... God..." Marguerite managed to say as she clutched her chest. She looked up at Roxton, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Roxton dashed to her side, and he immediately pulled her fiercely into his arms. "Marguerite! Damnit, I... when I saw you... and I knew that I'd... I thought you were..."

Marguerite shakily placed her finger to his lips to shush him. "No, John. You can't blame yourself for what just happened."

"Marguerite's right, you should blame Julian!" Malone shouted.

"I told you not to blame me for these things!" Julian exclaimed. "I did not chose for this to happen, it was Roxton's turn to face the Ultouma. Don't you understand by now?"

"This is getting out of hand!" Challenger shouted.

"I'm sorry, but I warned you," Julian replied.

Roxton just held on tight to Marguerite, who in turn grasped onto him for dear life. Both were crying quietly, eyes shut as they reveled in the feel of each other.

"You never warned us that there would be dangers like last night and today," Challenger countered. "You could have atleast given us some sort of an idea of what we'd be going up against!"

"Once again, I apologize. You must realize though, no one can possibly know what will happen against the Ultouma. Everyone's greatest fear is different, the Ultouma just uses it to his advantage." Julian nodded towards Marguerite and Roxton. "He has fed, we will be safe for now."

No one spoke a word, they just stepped back to allow Roxton and Marguerite their privacy. They knew that this, along with what had happened to Veronica the night before, was going to make things much worse for the remainder of their quest. They could do nothing but pray and hope that everyone would make it through the journey.

~*~

End part 6

~*~

Authors notes: Well, I'm not sure if that is really worthy to be part six, but I hope it turned out okay. I had been planning Roxton's fear for quite some time now, so I'm glad to finally get it out. I knew either he or Marguerite were going next (thanks to the lovely suggestions by my faithful reviewers), and Roxton just seemed to jump up and down and ask to go. Well, I'll try to get part seven out to you as soon as I can. Buh bye, now!

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Possible questions answered in part 7...

Who will be the next victim of the Ultouma?

Why does Julian always seem to be gone when trouble arrives?

Will Roxton recover from this ordeal, or will it truly break him?

You'll have to read to find out...