Chapter 7- Secrets Unfold
They all went running out of the room. Darby told everyone to wait a second, and they did. She went still, her eyes in a trance. She just stood there.
Darby concentrated. She could see Amber. She was lying on the ground, and it was cold. She has a pulse, but it was faint. Amber was definitely weak.
"C'mon Amber, gimme a sign so I can find you…"
Then Darby saw it. It was a huge book, sitting next to Amber. Darby guessed she was in the library, looking for a way to bring Jordan back. Although she was wrong about Amber's reason, she was right about her location.
Darby broke out of the trance and said to the group "We need to get to the library, she's hurt."
Jamie grabbed Emily and Brady's hands, while Patch grabbed Darby's, and then the two vanished in opposite blasts of fire and water.
Amber started to stir. What happened? All she remembered we stabbing a book and it burst into flame…
Then it all came rushing back to her: Jordan, the snake, Patch and Jamie getting in her way, throwing up, everything. Along with thoughts, came the heartache of loosing her last member of her family. She had no one left now…
"No, I have to stop thinking like this! I have Patch and Jamie now."
"No, Maiden, you don't"
"Who said that?" Amber gasped, loosing her strength and hitting the floor again.
"Your succubus, the one you just awoke Maiden, don't you remember?"
She did. She didn't like it either. Too much work after loosing Jordan was her opinion on the matter.
"The Titan and the Supreme were destroyed Maiden. After you disappeared and the Artist (Amber cringed) was killed by that horrid beast, they went back to save The Artist before it was too late, but the snake killed them…I'm sorry for your loss, Maiden."
Amber listened. Then something clicked.
"How do you know all this?" she asked.
The Voice sounded surprised in its response, but it still sounded confident.
"Because Your Highness, it's happened before…"
Patch and Jamie appeared with their new friends in front of the door of the library.
"We need to get in there! She could be in trouble!" Darby shouted.
"Leave that to me." said Emily.
She held her hand in front of the door. She squinted her eyes, and the grains of the wood started to twist and turn. They began to shake, and then they parted, revealing an entry way to the library.
They stepped in. Amber was talking to herself. Patch rushed over, and grabbed her by her shoulders.
"Amber, are you okay?"
Her only reply was "What do you mean it's happened before?"
Then Patch, along with all the other members of the room, were sucked into what seemed like a huge drain. They were pulled so fast, that none of them had time to stop it.
It was like watching time rewinding in super-speed. After only a minute they hit the ground. They looked around. They were still in the library, but it was dark now. Patch walked over to Amber, and checked to see if she was okay. He asked his earlier question again, and her only reply was a huge hug around his neck, sobbing the whole time.
"Amber, look at me." Patch said. "We'll get him back. I promise."
Amber wiped her eyes.
"I hope so Patch, I don't want to loose him, he's my only blood relative left."
"We'll get him back, but first we need to find Alex."
They grabbed the others, but when they went running for the door, they met a bad surprise. Their opening was gone, and the doors locked from the outside.
"I'll take care of it again," Emily said.
She stuck her hand out squinted. Unlike last time though, nothing happened. She tried again. Still nothing.
Brady took a try. Brady's gift was an odd one. Brady could take something, and turn it into whatever he needed. He once turned a barrel trash can at a soccer field into a soccer ball for his sister. It was amazing what he could do. He could change its composition completely. He could turn water into metal, turn a car into a glass marble, and do so, so much more.
Brady looked at the door. He touched it and closed his eyes. Then he started chanting.
"Wood to dust, wood to dust, wood to dust…"
Nothing happened for Brady either. Darby got frustrated, and told everyone to think of something that made them mad. She focused on the energy, but she couldn't feel it. She couldn't sense the energy.
Patch was getting angry. He told Jamie to try the same thing they had tried on the front door. They said the spell, yet once again, nothing happened. No fire or water, no magic.
Patch tried vanishing, but to his disadvantage, nothing. He got so frustrated that he ran up and hit the door, and with a yell, he fell through it, landing on his face.
"Umm guys…I think the door is fake," he said with his face still towards the ground.
They walked out and looked around. The halls were completely different. In a good way, though. There were paintings of beautiful women, hansom men, kings, queens, knights. Something had definitely changed in the castle.
They walked down the halls to the foyer. When they got there, they ducked almost immediately, due to the fact a flaming arrow went flying over Brady's head. They looked between the pillars of the staircase. There were huge tables, with people all around. There was music, jesters, and animals all over the place. But none of these things were as surprising as who were at the main table.
Sitting at the table were Patch, Jamie, Jordan, Amber, Emily, Brady, and Darby. The Quartet, as they were called, were in gold thrones, with Darby to Patch's right, between him and Emily, and Brady on Jordan's left. Jamie sat on Patch's other side, and Amber next to Jordan. Patch rose, and everyone stopped talking, and everyone watched as he began to speak.
"Welcome to Castle Morgana. Tis' the 8th day of June, of the 1446th year of the Lord. I hope you have all enjoyed the feast, since you have all earned it. Alexander the Shade has finally been defeated, and now we can feast in harmony."
Everyone cheered. The music began, louder then ever, and everyone danced. Patch and the others rose, walking among the crowd. That was, until the large oak doors of the castle flew open. There, standing in the door way, was Alex. Only, like Patch and the others, he was older, and in much more royal clothes. The only difference was his clothes were black, with odd symbols all over. People screamed when they saw him. It wasn't until Alexander walked in and they saw what was behind him that made The Quartet gasp themselves.
It was a dragon almost as tall of the doors themselves. Spikes jetted out of its back, and its wings were folded around itself, like a cloak. Its eyes were blood red, with slits of black, dark as the evil heart beating inside it. Its claws were dark as gold, and glimmered with an evil glow. Its scales were gleaming in the torch light, and they showed reflections of all the people.
"Ah, I see you all thought I was gone," said Alex, or as he was known in these times, Alexander, "but unfortunately, that misconception will cost you your lives."
The dragon's eyes roared to life, as it opened its mouth. A small light formed in its throat, and it was growing brighter and brighter. The people ran, but nothing could stop the fire raging up the black creature's throat.
That is, nothing except the Morgana Quartet. They formed a circle, along with the other three friends, and started chanting. A bright light emitted from their hands, and they started to rise into the air. The light grew brighter, and the dragon shielded its eyes with its wings.
"You will not pass you wretched serpent, stay out!" The group was now in the center of the room, and they the bright light shot at the dragon. It flew through the foyer, and right out the door.
But it didn't last. It got up, and came flying into the foyer, roaring. It shot a huge fireball at the Quartet, and they barely deflected it. They all fell to the ground. Alexander walked over.
"Listen Quartet, you have one chance to leave now, or you'll pay for this with your lives. Give me your powers, or die. "
Patch didn't even listen. He got up, and threw a fireball at Alexander. Then another, and then Jamie got up and started throwing water balls. Then Jordan started with boulders, and Amber with hail. The others joined in, and they forced him out of the castle. Alexander was on the ground, and Patch got down to eye level with him.
"Alexander, now it's your turn to listen."
The Quartet joined hands, and then they started chanting once again.
Black as night
Betrayal is your crime.
These words seal your fate,
Now and for the rest of time.
Alexander twitched, and then he started to scream. He started to smolder, and an explosion was obvious. Right before he exploded, he made his final threat.
"Curse you Morgana Quartet. I'll be back, and Dantalion shall feast on all of you. I'll be back. I'll be back….."
Then, he exploded with a terrific boom.
All of a sudden, the Quartet was back in the original library. They looked around. Someone was coming. They all looked at the door.
Alex, or Alexander the Shade, stood at the door of the library.
His words made the Quartet tremble, since he looked so evil when he said them.
"I always keep my word…"