CHAPTER 18:

RE-RESSURECTION

"Hey, who's that?" Justin wondered, pointing down the shore. Two people had arrived in a boat, and were headed their way. Justin and the others hid behind the boulder to see who these people were without being spotted. These two were the last that Justin wanted to run into, Sethylos...and Baal! But Baal was no longer a worm. He had evolved yet again into his human form. Now, he could use telekinesis and attack physically.

"There it is, Master," Sethylos announced, pointing to the giant tree.

"Yes," Baal hissed. "Gaia will evolve soon. I can feel it!" Baal walked up to the tree, and touched the bark with his palm. "I know you can hear me, Gaia," he said to the tree. "Do you remember me? I am the one who gave you life, once again. You can't wait to break out of this cocoon of yours, can you?" He paused for a moment, as if thinking. "I can help you, Gaia. I can help you survive. All you have to do...is give me command of your army. You can trust me with your soldiers. I was once a general." He closed his eyes, keeping his palm on the tree, as if waiting for an answer. Then, he opened his eyes, and grinned evilly. "I knew you would make the right decision, Gaia." The tree suddenly grew warm on Baal's hand. "It's getting very warm," he muttered to himself. "Its about to evolve!" Baal backed away from the tree, looking up into the branches.

"Oh, boy," Justin exasperated. "This is it." He held his breath tightly as the pine needles swayed in the wind.

Then, the ground shook, and the tree began to expand as if something was pushing on the sides of it from the inside. "This is just like my dream," Justin said out loud. The bark began to slowly crack loudly, releasing a thick, goopy, tar-like substance. Finally, as in Justin's dream, the tree exploded, sending pine needles and pieces of bark flying everywhere. Where the tree once stood, there was just a large hole in the ground.

Baal and Sethylos, both covered in pine needles, looked down into the hole. Something enormous began to emerge from the hole. It was Gaia, just as everyone remembered it. Fully emerged from the ground, Gaia towered up to its full height, and spread its massive wings. Even worse, this Gaia was much, much more powerful than the last.

"You can come out now, Justin," Baal said, without turning around.

Justin narrowed his eyes at Baal. "How...did you know...."

Baal chuckled softly. "I'm psychic, remember?"

Justin only stared at him, angrily.

"So," Baal began. "The Hero and Icarian have come to save the day." He turned around, facing them. "Come back for another fight, eh? Well, here you go!!"

Five Gaia Battlers suddenly emerged from the ground. Shaking dirt off of themselves, they opened their circular mouths, and roared fiercely at Justin and the others. Although they had no eyes, they could still 'see' the adventurers with their heat-sensors, like a rattlesnake.

"Oh, no! Not these guys again!!!" Justin exclaimed, clutching the hilt of his sword.

"DISPOSE OF THEM!!!" Baal commanded the monsters.

The Gaia Battlers immediately surrounded them, saliva dripping from their pointed teeth. At first, they just stood there. But, then, one of them bent down, and opened its head, revealing a large, green gland, which began to glow brightly.

"EVERYONE, GET DOWN!!!" Justin commanded. They all dropped to the floor, and the Gaia Battler shot deadly, green rays of light out of this gland. However, the rays of light went right over the targets, and hit two other Gaia Battlers instead, incinerating them.

Justin readied his sword, and sliced another one right down the middle. Only two left.

One Battler swung its gorilla arm straight for Leen, but Mullen sliced that arm off just in time. The Battler then tripped Mullen with its foot, causing him to fall to the ground. It opened its head, preparing to blast him, when Leen plunged her saber down the center of the green gland. As the creature howled in pain, Mullen stood up and shoved his sword straight through its body. And then, there was one.

The last one charged at Sue. It scooped her up with its long, blue fingers, and opened its mouth, preparing to crush her skull in its jaws. As it held her up to its mouth, however, Sue grabbed her bow and an arrow, and shot it into the creature's open mouth. It swayed from side to side, and then plummeted to the ground, dead.

"That takes care of them," Justin said. But then, he heard the ground rumble. He looked at the horizon and saw an entire army of Gaia Battlers, stretching as far as he could see, and coming straight for them.

"Hmm," Rapp began, seeing the reinforcements coming straight for them. "Maybe, we...should...RUN!!!!!"

TO BE CONTINUED