Chapter 16

Sanctuary

Kassidy wasn't stupid, she knew that statue wasn't actually talking and if it was, its mouth would've been moving. Something was in that statue.

"The world is full of strange and wondrous things. Just because you've never seen them, doesn't mean they don't exist."

Kassidy looked at the statue confused. The voice didn't sound threatening, in fact, it sounded very kind. At this point, she didn't know what to do and she looked at her friends and they were as confused as her.

"You mean like giant bats?" Shade asked towards the statue.

Kassidy looked back at the statue and she then noticed something in the mouth of it. As she got a better look at it she could tell that like them that there was a bat. He had a gentle smile on his face and he then walked away into the throat of the statue.

As Kassidy's friends got next to her, she demolished the fire from her hands. She then looked at them. "Do we follow him?"

"Probably," Marina said.

"In that case, I need to do that sight-seeing spell, it's time for me to do that anyways."

Her friends nodded and Kassidy made sure to get all the details right, imagining that whoever would try to see through their sight would only see a block and hovered her hand from their foreheads to their chin and it was a success as usual. This was the only hard spell that Kassidy learned to manage to use and it was mostly because she wanted to learn it so no one could see her secret life if they had powers.

"Come inside," the bat in the gargoyle said.

The four friends looked at each other and then flew near the gargoyle. Kassidy could see that extended far back into the spire was a sort of tunnel.

Holden furrowed his brow. "You guys expect me to go in there?"

"Well it's the right tower," Shade said. "The cross and everything. And there's definitely a bat inside."

"Don't be afraid," said the bat's voice from deep within the spire.

"Well that's good enough for me," Holden said sarcastically.

Kassidy looked at Holden annoyed. "Holden, this is our only option. It's either the gargoyle or the pigeons."

"Well I'm not taking my chances with the pigeons," Marina said.

Shade got in front of Holden. "Look, man, It's got to be safe. Otherwise, my colony wouldn't use it as a landmark, right?"

Kassidy watched as Holden was thinking about this as he looked to all three of them and then to the gargoyle's mouth. He then sighed. "After you, guys."

They all then flew inside the gargoyle and it wasn't easy for them to fly directly into the dripping jaws of the gargoyle but they managed to fly into the gullet. As they flew inside through the gullet the tunnel then opened out. Listening intently as her echoes came back to her, Kassidy saw that they were inside the spire and it had a vast space. She also saw herbs were hanging on beams and they were pretty much everywhere and she could name all the herbs that she was seeing.

They all then landed on a beam and they all then saw a bat roosting upside down on a beam away from them and he was scribbling something onto the wall. Kassidy squinted her eyes to get a better look at it and there were markings all over the wall. She couldn't tell what it was but she kind of figured that it looked important to this bat.

"Ah, Graywings, leaving right on time," the bat marking something on the wall said to himself.

Holden was looking unsure about this. "This is something you don't see every day."

"Who are you?" Shade asked.

The bat that was scribbling something onto the wall dropped down to a beam below him and looked at the four friends. He was all white and he looked very old. His wings were translucent, so you could see the dark outlines of his forearm and long, spindly fingers. Even the latticework of his veins stood out. Kassidy then noticed that his eyes were glazed ghostly white with cataracts. She then realized that he was blind.

"My name is Zephyr," the blind bat said. "I'm…uh…" He thought with his finger on his chin and then looked back at the four of them after a few seconds of thinking. "The bat traffic controller for the migrating colonies." He then walked closer to them. "This city is the central hub through which all colonies pass."

Marina spread opened her wings and flew towards the markings on the wall and then landed to get a better look at them and with curiosity, Kassidy took off from the beam she was on and landed next to Marina to get a better look at the markings as well. As she looked at them she was surprised by how neat and organized it looked. She and Marina then looked at each other surprised.

"Those are the flight paths, my dears." Zephyr got near the girls and they both smiled at him.

"My name is Marina," Marina then gestured to Kassidy. "That's Kassidy," she then pointed at the boys, "and that's Shade and Holden."

Holden tilted his head confused. "You know where all the colonies are?" Shade then flew towards the wall and landed on a beam and looked at the flight paths. "That's a lot to remember…"

Shade then looked back at Zephyr. "So… where are the Silverwings?"

Zephyr thought with his finger on his chin. "Uh… they passed by here about two hours ago heading south."

Shade smiled. "We can catch up to them in no time. Let's go!"

Kassidy sighed as she rubbed her temples knowing he still had that ripped wing. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Shade looked at her confused. "Why?"

Kassidy looked at Shade. "Are you serious right now?"

"Well off you go then," Zephyr said. "Unless you think that ripped wing of yours will slow you down."

Shade looked at his ripped wing and when he did, the color drained from his face. He then passed out onto the floor.

Holden landed next to the girls and they looked at each other. "He certainly took that seriously." Holden scoffed.

Kassidy and Marina rolled their eyes.

He already couldn't stand it here. The weather was freezing him to the core of his body, this strange place was way too bright, and it was too noisy. It sickened him as much as it sickened him to even think about humans.

Goth was flying in the darkness with Throbb trying to find more food to fill up their hunger. They used their web of sound to search in the city for something that was fresh and alive. What they've been eating was fine with Goth, but he mostly preferred bats. Oh, how he wanted to sink his teeth into a bat, even if it was just only one. He'd been trying to come up with a plan to get them out of here and it occurred to him that if they were to get out of here they would need to find a bat.

"Goth, when are we ever going to get out of here?" Throbb complained.

Goth growled to himself and didn't dare to try and strangle him. "When we find a bat we'll be out of this monstrosity in no time."

"How long will that-" Goth glared at Throbb and Throbb then closed his mouth.

Goth looked away from Throbb and he shook his head. Why was I cursed to have him as my brother?

He then noticed two pigeons roosting on the top of one of the tall architectures and the pigeons were looking around them. The lights that were shining on them were flickering on and off and the pigeons didn't dare to move from their spots. Goth smiled at the sight of them and he flew towards them and was ready to attack them. As he flew towards them he flexed his claws and kept his eyes on his target.

All the sudden the pigeons got attacked by something and they yelped.

Goth stopped in his tracks confused and before he could process what just happened, he then heard bones breaking and the sounds of the pigeons' death rattle. Throbb got next to Goth and he was confused as Goth. They looked at each other and then flew towards the architecture that the pigeons were on. When they got to it they landed and it was pretty dark around this area but since they were bats they had no problem seeing in the dark.

When they looked straight ahead of them their eyes widened at the sight they were seeing.

In front of them were two giant bats.

The giant bats were feasting on the pigeons they had killed and they had their backs to Goth and Throbb. As they were eating blood was getting everywhere and organs were coming out of the pigeons. Goth noticed something about one of them that caught his attention. On one of the giant bats' backs, there was a drawing of a ferocious-looking snake and it looked like it was actually staring at him. How could he have not noticed them before or catch their scent?

As the two giant bats kept eating, Goth and Throbb looked at each other and Throbb was shocked. Goth looked back at the giant bats and slowly walked towards them, trying not to make a sound. As he advanced towards them, thinking they haven't heard him, one of them flicked their ears back. Goth stopped and held his breath.

"I can smell you from all the way over here," the one bat with the snake on his back said. The voice sounded deep but it didn't sound fluent like Goth's. He then laughed and stood up with his back still to Goth as did the other one. "Now ain't that convenient that we would come across giant bats like us." The giant bats then turned around and they were smiling at Goth and Throbb. "Am I right?"

Goth's eyes widened more at the male that stood before him. The male bat had two different colored eyes with one of them being green and the other being brown and they looked more like the eyes of a snake rather than the eyes of a bat. Four pointy teeth of his seemed to also be more snake-like rather than of a bat. On his arms, he also had drawings of two snakes-one on each arm-that looked ferocious as well. He had blackish-grayish hair, with a beard, with a hazelwood mane, along with steel gray fur, and sangria red wings. He looked to be around his middle ages and he looked very muscular and strong.

The other giant bat next to the male was a female and she was around her middle ages as well and even though she was she looked strong like her companion and she looked very pretty. Her eyes were a very intense green color and it was like looking at gems. She had raven black hair, sacramento green wings, with a turkish blue mane, and sepia tan fur. Goth then noticed her claws and they were longer than his, Throbb's, and her companion's and they looked deadly enough to even slice someone into pieces.

He noticed that these two weren't wearing bands like him and Throbb. He then wondered if these two actually lived up here. Were there more giant bats here like him?

The two giant bats then wiped the blood off of their muzzles and then the male bat crossed his arms. "Where are my manners? My name's Martin," he then gestured to his companion, "and this is my lovely wife, Dianna."

Throbb got next to Goth and he looked a little timid looking at these two strangers. If Goth was being honest he couldn't entirely blame him. These two come out of nowhere and he had no idea what they were capable of.

"I see they're having doubts about us, dear," the one bat named Dianna said.

Martin hummed to himself and he then shrugged his shoulders and turned his back to them. "It's alright I understand. Why trust two bats like us, right?"

Martin all the sudden leaped forward and landed near Goth and Throbb and he looked as though he was going to bite one of them but instead he closed his jaws near them revealing his pearly white teeth and Goth flinched while Throbb yelped and got behind Goth. Martin laughed hysterically and so did Dianna. Goth couldn't help but have his eyes widened at the most they could go but he then narrowed his eyes at the two spouses and thought they were nuts. Throbb looked from behind Goth and was still scared of what just happened.

Martin wiped away the tears of laughter from his eyes as his wife got next to him and they then looked back at Goth and Throbb. "So, what might your names be?"

Goth looked at Throbb and Throbb looked at him unsure. Goth then sighed and looked back at Martin and Dianna and cleared his throat. "I suppose it's only fair that you get to know our names since you told us who you are. I'm Goth, Prince Goth of the Vampyrum Spectrum." He then gestured to Throbb. "This is my… brother-in-law, Throbb."

Martin cocked his eyebrow up. "Ah, so it seems we have royalty here and you're royal of blood. Quite interesting to say the least."

Dianna inspected Goth and Throbb as she walked around them to have a better look at them. "Indeed, and from the looks of it I'd say they have enough meat on them to make someone full, especially this one." Dianna grabbed Throbb's chin and pulled him closer to her and Throbb gulped. "With all this fat on him, it'll be enough to go on for one day." She then let go of Throbb's chin and traced one of her claws up Throbb's arm until she scratched a little scratch on his shoulder and Throbb yelped in pain. Blood trickled from Dianna's claw and she then slid her claw across her tongue to taste the blood. "Fresh to say the least, the weaker he is the more likely his fresh blood will be feasted on."

Dianna chuckled as she got back next to Martin and Goth furrowed his brow at them. "If you're planning on killing us amigos, then you're making a big mistake."

"A-Are you going to try and kill us?" Throbb asked nervously.

Martin chuckled. "Killing you would only be too easy. Besides if we wanted to eat you we would've been feasting on your carcasses right now."

"And what makes you so sure about that?" Goth asked.

Martin and Dianna looked at each other still smiling and then Martin lifted his hand in the air. Goth crossed his arms and wasn't finding Martin holding his hand in the air to be very impressing but he waited to see what he was going to do. Then all the sudden, as if he had lightning started to form in his hand. Goth and Throbb gasped. They watched as Martin controlled it and played with it a little and he didn't even get electrocuted by it.

He had magic.

Goth didn't want to believe what he was seeing but it was for real. He thought it was impossible for anyone to have magic but here in front of him was a bat with powers. He was not one to be afraid but this was so unnatural to him that he felt like his heart was going to stop but he didn't show it.

Martin then demolished the electricity in his hand. "Weren't expecting that now were you?"

"You… have magic," Goth said.

"Yes, I was born with it when I was just a pup." Martin then held out his hand and Goth then saw some sort of star on the palm of his hand but the star looked different from the stars Goth was used to and around the star was a circle. "This symbol means that I'm a wizard." Martin then put his hand down. "So what brings a couple of bats like you out here?"

Goth furrowed his brow thinking about the day he and Throbb got captured by those pesky humans. Zotz, how he wished he could kill one of them. "The humans captured us from the jungle and placed us in a fake one and were doing their experiments on us. We managed to escape from that prison, however."

Martin slowly nodded his head and looked at Goth's band. "And it seems as though they banded you two."

Dianna stepped towards Goth and grabbed his arm with the band on it. She hummed to herself and as she turned his arm to the right and left as she inspected the band on him. Goth was finding this uncomfortable. Dianna then went to Throbb and grabbed his arm with the band on it and did the same thing. Throbb looked at Goth as if to say "Help me". Dianna then released Throbb's arm and walked back to Martin and stood next to him.

"The bands they have on them are certainly the same ones we had once."

Goth was now interested on their side of the story. "You two got captured by the humans as well?"

"We have," Martin said. "At a very young age we were taken away from our parents from the jungle and like you, we were placed in a fake jungle. We were tested a lot and it always tired and angered us. But one day we found a way we could get out and we escaped. After we escaped, Dianna and I worked together to try and get home and as we did I managed to learn on my own how to use and control my powers. When we finally managed to find a way home we took our chance and when we got home we couldn't find our parents. We then found out that they were dead.

"It was tragic but after that day we decided to explore some other places. A lot of different places out there and a lot are different from this place and the jungle." Goth looked at their forearms and thought the reason why they no longer had bands on them was because of Martin's magic. "You two seem as though you could use some help."

Throbb got next to Goth. "Well we have been trying to find a bat…"

"Then you've come to the right one, if you two are to survive out here you're going to need all the food you can get for your journey back home. When it gets colder out here it's hard to survive and there can be many complications. But we have a perfect solution to your problems but in order for us to help you, you'll need to help us with something. We like to do things differently, we give someone what they need and they give us something we need in return."

Goth and Throbb looked at each other using only their eyes. They did seem like they knew a lot but for some reason, Goth had some sort of bad feeling about them. They didn't look to be normal but something was telling him that they should take their offer. Otherwise, they'd die out here. If they didn't they'd only miss the one chance they have of getting home. Maybe taking this offer wouldn't be a bad thing.

"What is it that you two require?" Goth asked.

"Smart Prince," Martin said. "We've actually been after someone for a while now and she's very important to us. We need you to help us track her down."

Goth furrowed his brow. "Why is she important?"

"Like me she has powers and she's a witch and like me, she has drawings on her but they're way different from mine. I guess you could say that she's pretty special." Another animal with powers and this she animal Martin's talking about is a witch? Goth then wondered what made her so special that these two would be after her. "She came here with three companions and the best part is that all four of them happen to be bats."

Throbb licked his lips at the mention of bats and even hearing the word bat could make Goth smile. Maybe working with these two wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe this might work.

"They're migrating and if we can get their trust then there's a chance they'll take us to the colony and you two will have the right amount of food you need for the journey back home. You help us find those four bats we'll make sure you two get the food you need and not only that I might consider getting those bands off you. So what do you say, do we have a deal?"

The thought of eating a whole colony of bats was too good to be true. Not only that, Goth might finally be able to get this band off him. The band that he was wearing irritated him and he'd be glad if Martin could get it off him. Maybe Zotz sent these two to help them get out of here. Maybe Zotz wanted Goth to trust them.

Goth looked at Throbb and he now looked calm about this. Goth then looked back at Martin. "We help you find these four bats amigo, you make sure we get to eat the colony and you get these bands off us."

Martin chuckled. "Deal." Martin extended his hand towards Goth. Goth looked at it for a few seconds but then grabbed Martin's hand and they shook on it. "As long as we don't have any problems we're good to go. You two can eat any bat you want but the witch is ours."

Kassidy was roosting next to Holden and Marina on a beam and they were watching as Zephyr was applying some medicine on Shade's wing with his foot. Shade was still passed out after he saw his wing ripped and Kassidy was glad Shade didn't try to fly out of the spire otherwise he might've made it a whole lot worse. First, it was Holden's scar, then her burn, and now Shade's ripped wing.

Shade then started to flicker his eyes open and he looked up. Holden smiled at Shade. "Hey, Smalls, have a nice nap?"

Shade rolled his eyes and sat up. "Very funny."

Marina looked at Zephyr. "So, Zephyr, when are you going to migrate?"

Zephyr looked at Marina. "Never, my full name is Zephyrnaia which means protection." He looked back at Shade's wing and kept rubbing in the medicine and Shade was looking at the medicine on his wing confused. "I believe it is my destiny to protect other bats as they migrate."

Marina clutched her arm. "Don't you miss your colony?"

"I was abandoned as a baby." He then looked at Marina and pointed at her. "Perhaps you know what that is like?"

Marina sighed as she looked at her band sadly. Kassidy put her hand on Marina's shoulder and she gave her a weak smile. "Hey, it's going to be alright. Band or not it won't change a thing about who you truly are."

Marina rubbed her banded arm but gave Kassidy a weak smile back.

Shade smelled his wing and he was then grossed out. "Ugh! Gross! Get this stuff off of me!" Shade started to shake his wing up and down until the medicine was off him. "My wing's fine!"

Kassidy rolled her eyes. "Shade, that stuff is a healing poultice and your wing isn't hurting because it's working."

Kassidy, Holden, and Marina took off from their roost and landed near Zephyr and as they did, Shade tested his wing and he cried out in pain. He then passed out again. Zephyr shook his head and Kassidy sighed annoyed.

"If he keeps doing that I think we should blindfold him," Holden said.

As Zephyr wobbled back over to Shade to reapply the healing poultice on his wing, Holden saw an herb on the ground and he picked it up. He looked at it like he was actually studying it for a scientific experiment. When Kassidy saw what he picked up, she knew that he needed to be careful with it and she hoped he wouldn't do something stupid.

"Careful, that's strong medicine," Zephyr said as he reapplied the medicine on Shade's wing.

Holden looked at him confused. "Huh?"

"That herb kills pain!" Zephyr then looked at Shade and he opened his eyes and sat up again. "Don't lick your wing or you'll be out cold for a week."

As Holden's eyes went wide and he slowly put down the herb from where he found it without even looking at it, Shade looked at his wing satisfied. He then looked at Kassidy, Holden, and Marina. "Let's go, guys, we've gotta find the colony." He then took off for the entrance and Marina and Holden followed him but Kassidy stayed back knowing that the wound on Shade's wing wouldn't heal that fast and she crossed her arms.

"Oh, by the way," Zephyr said and Holden, Shade, and Marina landed near the entrance, "if that poultice falls off and your wing rips in half just come on back and I'll be happy to give you some more."

Shade looked sick after hearing what Zephyr just said. "My wing… in half?" Shade then passed out on the ground once again.

Kassidy, Holden, and Marina looked at each other and they all knew they were getting tired of Shade passing out. "All in favor of my blindfolding idea, raise your hand," Holden said.

The three friends raised their hands.

A/N- That's chapter sixteen everyone. I was pretty excited when I finally got to the part of where Goth and Throbb finally meet Martin and Dianna and Goth and Throbb are definitely going to have an interesting time together with those two.