Chapter 2: Breaking the Rock
"Now what?" Kayla asked as they stared at the rocky cliff ahead of them that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky.
"We look for another way around." Rowen replied simply as he turned around and was preparing for a long walk when he felt Clara tense up beside him. "What is it Clara?"
"I'm not sure…but I can feel an energy pulse coming from the base of the cliff." Clara said slowly as she held her eyes closed in concentration. "It's as if someone or something important was buried deep inside. Oh, but that's ridiculous!"
"It makes sense to me," Rowen said softly as he placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "I fell from the sky, so it would only make sense to find one of my friends here."
"Yeah, but how are we supposed to get to them?" Kayla asked sarcastically, "It's not like we're moles who can burrow into the earth."
"Like this," Rowen replied calmly as he reached behind his back and pulled out a bow and arrow then motioned to the girls to get behind him. "Arrow Shockwave!!"
As soon as the arrow hit the rock, the sound of rock breaking apart could be heard. Slowly Clara and Kayla peeked out at the cliff from behind Rowen. A huge circular indentation was now where the arrow had hit the cliff.
"It's safe now." Rowen said smiling.
"Thank goodness for that." Kayla murmured as she dusted herself off and continued to stare at the rock.
Clara meanwhile, had made her way to within inches of the hole itself and knelt in front of it. As if in a trance, she clasped her hands together as if in prayer then suddenly reached forward and placed a hand on the rocky face of the cliff. "Awaken warrior of Hardrock." Clara whispered softly as her kanji glowed brightly on her forehead, causing Rowen's kanji to light up as well.
Slowly a trickle of light ran up the cliff a little way then stopped as Clara sighed and passed out. "I've got you Clara!" Rowen cried out as he dove forward and knocked her away from the cliff's base and a transparent dark blue sphere surrounded them.
"Hey guys, you okay?" Kayla called out into the settling dust as she made her way towards the base of the cliff where she last saw them then suddenly gasped in surprise, "What the…?"
A few grunts and the sound of rocks hitting against each other could be heard as something large fell on top the young woman, neatly pinning her to the ground.
"Man why'd you guys have to ruin my sleep. I was having a pretty good dream." The figure that fell on top of Kayla pulled him-self into a sitting position as he rubbed his head.
"Aw poor baby," Kayla said sarcastically as she abruptly stood up and the boy fell off backwards. "let me help you go back to sleep!"
"Ow!! Why'd you do that for?" he whined as he stood up and rubbed the back of his head.
"Because you were crushing me!" Kayla shot back as she turned away from him and crossed her arms.
"Kento!" Rowen called out as he ran over to the other boy and warmly embraced him in a hug. "You're all right!"
"Who me?" Kento laughed as he ran his hand through his short charcoal gray hair. "Yeah, I'm fine. It takes more than a few monsters to get rid of me!"
"Good for you…" Clara mumbled as she tried to stand up and found that the rest of her legs had turned to stone, making it impossible to move on her own.
"It's okay I've got you," Kayla said as she pulled Clara to her feet and let her lean up against her for support.
"Who's the living statue and the fashion freak?" Kento asked smiling.
"I heard that!" Clara shouted as Rowen hurriedly went to her side and carried her over to Kento.