Earth Protectors

---Begin Chapter---

**Jen's dream**

She ran, and ran and ran some more. There was a looming darkness behind her, and only eternity ahead. She could hear laughing, evil laughing, from the darkness, growls, roars and snarls from behind. She ran with her friends, but then they were separated, glaring at each other, and slowing down. Jen could feel her legs slowing, as she looked down, it seemed as though she were in a bog or swamp, with mud clinging to her clothes, slowing her, and she sank. She sank into an abyss of darkness, she screamed for help, but there was none, she heard the screams and yells of her friends, and they too were going down. Then the last thing she saw before she woke was a tall handsome figure shrouded in darkness with it's silver eyes laughing at her, and another man, about the same height, eyes glowing purple in blue, with no shirt showing well kept abs and scars.

***While Jen was dreaming***

Artemis heard Jen's yells; everyone did as they were awoken by it. They rushed to Jen seeing her flail in her sleep, yelling, "Aah! Help! Ah! Huh? No! I got to get out of here! I HAVE to get out of here! I have to help them!"

Rain and Nny grabbed her thrashing limbs and held her down. Artemis splashed a bit of water on her face, immediately drying it, fearing it may freezer. She shook Jen. "Jen! Jen, wake up! We are here. Get up, girl!"

"Ahh, eh, eh," Jen calmed down, she opened her eyes and saw all her friends looking at her worriedly. "Ah, uh, huh?"

"Jen, are you alright?" Katrina asked kneeling down, brushing back Jen's wet bangs. Selena, and Ashleigh pushed back Nny, and Rain, who they felt were being a bit forceful by grabbing her. They and Terry, Lyra and Ava kneeled down near Jen asking if she was all right.

"Yes, yes I'm fine. It was just a dream," Jen said.

"A dream?! What was it about? I asked you a question!" Terry said, slightly shaking her. Jen looked a bit disturbed and terry backed off. "Er, sorry. But, what was about, can you remember?"

"We were all running, together, from this darkness, then we were separated. We glared at each other like we hated each other. Then we were in a bog like place, still separated, and we started to sink. I started screaming and yelling for help. And everyone else did too. The darkness had laughter, and it grew louder as we shrieked for help. Then I saw these to figures. Shrouded in darkness, one had silver eyes, the other had blue, but purple was glowing from it too. It was strange, and scary," she said shivering, not only from cold, but also from a bit of fear. Ashleigh gave her the coat that Jen had tossed aside. Jen accepted it gratefully, putting it on.

"We should leave now. It's near day time anyway. Let's try not to get separated, and let's keep watch of our backs, we don't want to fall victim to this evil in Jen's dream," Selena said getting up and putting on her hat and scarf. Ava looked at her questionably.

"Are you insane? It's like below freezing out there, and what does a dream have to do with anything?" Ava asked.

"Let me explain, to all of you new people," Ashleigh said. "Now, remember what I am going to tell you. One; never, I mean NEVER yell at one of my friends like again. Two; there is a reason we are here. We are supposedly "Earth Warriors". We were are, in this world in general, is called "Crypto-Egypt." We are specifically in the Frost Mountains, for training. Now, you're here because you are one of us. We have to stick together, and get a long so our powers can be strong. Now, this is a team effort, you either come with us and help save the world, or you stay here, freezer you ass off, and watch as the war for Earth begins and all die because you don't participate. What will it be?"

"I'm going," she said. The three new guys agreed they were going too. They all nodded and said it was good and all.

"But perhaps we don't have to go out of the cave," Ava said. " we could just take a short cut through the tunnel. It may lead somewhere."

"But how can we be for sure?" Nny asked. Khan walked past him and into the cave.

"We'll just have to find out, Nny. But I agree with, Ava. It may be the better decision."

Artemis and the girls walked on into the cave, each carrying a torch. Together they said, "Let's go, boys!"

The boys followed hurriedly to catch up, each taking a torch. The cave was dark, and the torches didn't provide that good of light. They stayed near the sides of the cave, taking care not to lean on the walls, least they should run into a trap door or hole. They kept the torch low, and looked about to make sure they didn't fall into any pits. They had no idea where they were going, but that made it all more interesting for them. Lyra was near the back, she looked up at the wall. She could see a glint. Moving the torch around she saw more glints. "Hey, everyone, wait."

They all stopped and turned to her. Artemis, who was only three feet in front of her, asked, "What?"

"Check this out. Move your torch along the walls," she said demonstrating. They did, curiosity aroused, they uncovered the glints to find:

"Diamonds!" Alex shouted. Then he stood, frozen.

Selena's eyes were wide, and full of fear, "Diamonds? But aren't diamonds formed in volcanoes?"

Everyone all of a sudden became sweaty as they felt a rush of heat pass them. They looked at each other as they felt the mountain shift a little. They steadied themselves against the walls. Tension mounting they stood frozen to the walls, their torch light thinning, then puffing out.

"Shit," Terry whispered, as she saw an orange glow only a few hundred yards away.

"Time to go!" Alex shouted, sounding very much like Rick. They sped off back in the direction they came from. Running, running, as they felt the steam rush by them. Finally, they spotted their fire, and saw the entrance, the icicles melting from the top of the entrance, and the stalagmites rising. They ran quicker and made a jump past the rising stalagmites, all but one made it out…Nny was on top of a stalagmite, his pants and coat caught on it. Everyone rushed to him, and grabbed his arm, they pulled and pulled. Nny could feel the stalagmite making it's way into his abdomen as he felt the top of the entrance on his back, he closed his eyes, fearing the pain of death. His friends did not give in, they kept tugging and pulling then finally WHUMP! Nny landed on them in a heap of tangled limbs and coats, and scarves. They all got up seeing if he was alright, then they laughed a bit. They escaped death!

"Whoa! That was close!" Nny said, holding his abdomen while putting on his greatcoat. Khan walked over to him and removed his hand from his abdomen. There was a long gash from the middle of his stomach stretching right! They gasped. What a grisly site! Nny's hand was covered in blood, and his clothes were damn near drenched in it too! Khan cursed and grabbed his herb pouch and made Nny lie down.

"Artemis, Selena, hand me your scarves, you two never seem to use them," he said, removing his own scarf. They handed him their scarves, he too took his off and tied them tightly around the wound. "Nny, keep a tight hold on them, keep applying pressure!" Nny nodded and did so. "I need a better place to work than here! I need a table or something!"

Then a gust of heat swept from the little holes in what was the cave entrance. Ashleigh looked at it, "It's building up pressure, we need to get out of here!"

"Alright, Rain, Miguel, you two carry him," Khan said getting up. They nodded and did so. "Where are we going to go?"

Artemis looked around, and then looked down, "The only we can. Down." She went over to a wide thin (about 6") stone slab. "Jake, Vassilij, help with this." They went over and tried to move it, but it would only go a little ways. "Selena, Ashleigh, Terry, Khan will you help? Katrina, Ava, and Lyra, will you two clear a path for us?" They nodded and did so. Between the seven of them, they moved the stone easily. Then they hit an ice sheet.

"We can't clear any more, Arty, it's ice, fucking two feet high," Katrina said kicking the ice. Arty nodded.

"Good, then this will work."

~~~End Chapter~~~

Okay, I updated **finally** Only problem is. I haven't gotten any reviews! Come on! Where are you?! Will you please review soon?? Please???

Jester