A/N 3/16/05: ZCIM 14. That's all I really have to say.

- ARK -

Chapter 14: The Temple of Darkness

The group rushed into the forest, Zack tripping over a tree root. Again.

"Why the hell do I always keep falling over things...I'm getting tired of it." He mumbled as he got back up and continued running. They finally reached the temple.

It was a majestic sight to behold, with an evil feeling about it. Two statues, carved with such realism that they seemed to be alive, guarded the front door. The five saw a hole in the wall near the top of the pyramid shaped temple, apparently dug to let air in or something.

"Are...we going to do something?" Amy asked.

"Let's go in through that hole. I don't like the sound of going in through the front door." Zack said.

"It'll be more fun that way too! Come on!" Alex said as he raced for the pyramid and began to climb, using the small indents between layers of brick, straw, stone, and mud for footholds. Cody was the second one to break free from his trance-like state and rushed over, followed by Marc, and then Zack. Amy, becoming quite bored with watching them, headed in through the unlocked front door.

A FEW HOURS EARLIER

"Now all we must do is get the boy." Kimitsu said to his young apprentice. "Yes master. I shall do the same to him as I did with the girl." The apprentice spoke, again from the shadows, not wanting to reveal its identity just yet. "Don't you dare lay a hand on Marc, you traitor! I should never have trusted you!" Sarah screamed. "Ah, but you did, and there is your ultimate weakness. Your friends don't know, and you can do nothing to help them." "You should really learn to keep your mouth shut." Kimitsu said coldly as he exerted more power on her. "No...no...AGH!" Sarah screamed as the dark, deperessing feelings of loneliness, pain, and immense fear bore down upon her emotions with the speed of the rushing wind of a hurricane.

oooooo

The group climbs to the hole near the top.

"Don't look down, don't look down..." Cody repeats to himself.

"Look down! It's awesome!" Marc yelled. Cody looked down.

"AH!" He screamed and let go of the bricks in complete shock. He began to fall, slowly, to his death below. Time seemed to stop as his life flashed before his eyes, one moment at a time. Suddenly a vine wrapped around his waist, nearly suffocating him. He looked up, and the vine seemed to be growing out of Marc's hand. He blacked out, and when he awoke, he was sitting on the roof of the temple, next to the gaping hole.

"What...how did I get here?"

"You blacked out for about an hour." Zack said.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get Sarah before anything bad can happen!" Cody shouted, jumping up and rushing to the hole.

"You first!" He said, pushing Zack in. Zack fell, and hit the ground.

"OW! I tink I borke by doze." He shouted up after he had peeled his body painfully off of the cold stone ground. Marc, Cody, and Alex weren't far behind him, gracefully landing on the floor.

"I could've done that...if I hadn't been pushed." Zack said.

"Whatever, let's just split up and find Sarah. Marc, you and Cody head that way, and Alex and I will head this way." Zack said, motioning to a corridor that led off in the opposite direction of another.

"Ok." Marc said. They each take a corridor, and rush down it, in hopes of finding Sarah.

XxX

Did you like this chapter? Please review, and again, sorry about the shortness. Next chapter might not be up for a while because of school. I wish summer would get here faster!

- ARK -