Jermaine Deon Carter
April 7, 2022
Bones to Pick
One morning before school, the Oracle Twins approached me again. Sara had a particularly bad vision. I prepared myself for the absolute worst possible situation. I sighed.
"So, how bad are we talking here?" I asked.
"Go ahead. Tell him," Kara said with a sigh.
"I wouldn't let it ruin your day or anything. It's just…the Huntsman's putting together a plan that'll mean the total annihilation of all magical creatures!" Sara said with a giggle.
"Whoa. That's pretty serious," I said.
"The vision doesn't have many specifics. I see a circle of skulls, people crying in agony," Sara said. After school, I shared this information with the Council and Rose.
"The skulls in Sara's vision must be the thirteen Aztec Skulls. It's believed that the skulls, if ever brought together, would spell certain doom for all magical creatures," Councilor Andam said.
"That's gotta be what the Huntsman's planning!" I said.
"If he gets ahold of the skulls, he'll have the power to wipe out magical creatures forever!" Councilor Kulde said.
"So, how exactly do the skulls work?" I asked.
"Whoever possesses all thirteen is granted one, irreversible wish," Andam said.
Rose and I found the first skull in a cavern in the park. A giant serpent guarded it. The Huntsman arrived at the same time we did. I dragoned up and charged towards him. While he was busy fighting me, she attacked him from behind with her staff and knocked him out.
"My staff was set on stun. He'll only be out for ten, maybe fifteen minutes," she said.
While he was out, we defeated the serpent and retrieved the skull. We gave the skull to the Council for safekeeping. After the Huntsman came to, he was livid about us beating him to the skull.
We found the second skull inside an Aztec statue at the zoo. As before, we got there the same time as the Huntsman. This time, he brought along an entire squad of Huntsclan members.
We actually anticipated this. We brought Bertha, Brook, and Silver with us. While they fought the Huntsclan, Rose and I retrieved the second skull. Brook and I performed another fire-water combo to act as a smokescreen for our escape. The Huntsman berated his men for failing to get the skull.
The following week, I returned home after school to find my family missing. Rose's family was also nowhere to be found. A few minutes later, the Huntsman came out of the shadows and approached us. He and the rest of the Huntsclan managed to locate the other eleven skulls without our knowledge.
"You two shall bring me the remaining two skulls. Your families are quite safe at the Huntsclan Academy. They'll remain that way as long as you do exactly as I say and bring me those skulls tonight," he said.
We told the Council about the Huntsman finding the rest of the skulls and holding our families hostage. The Council said the skulls only worked when all thirteen were together, and they could only be destroyed when all thirteen were together.
Rose and I met the Huntsman on top of a building in the middle of the city. He was accompanied by another Huntsclan squad. We gave him our skulls.
"We gave you your skulls. Now, release our parents," she said.
"Not until my plan is complete," he said.
His squad surrounded and trained their weapons on us. He arranged the skulls in a circle. They began to glow, floating into the air in the process. They encircled him.
"Dragon," he said to me. "Before I wish for your death, any last words?" he asked.
"Just two. Guys, now!" I said.
The Council flew in. They were joined by Bertha, Brook, and Silver. Rose and I battled the Huntsman one-on-one. Our friends and the Council fought the squad. Despite me and Rose outnumbering him, the Huntsman quickly defeated us. The Council and our friends were also quickly dispatched.
"By the Aztec Skulls, I wish for the death of all-," he said.
Rose snuck up behind him and quite literally stabbed him in the back with her staff mid-sentence. He screamed in pain before falling to his knees. Everybody, including myself, was shocked. I grabbed one of the skulls and smashed it against the floor. The rest of the skulls were then destroyed, as well.
Afterwards, Rose and I returned to the Huntsclan Academy. Our friends and the Council joined us just in case the Huntsclan had any more surprises for us. My and Rose's families were rescued without any hassle. When we all returned home, the Huntsman and his squad were gone. I declared we'd be ready if and when they ever came back. For now, I was just glad everyone was safe.