Hey guys,

We're into the final five chapters.

I hope you thoroughly enjoy these, this, at the end of the day, is what you've all been waiting for.

I'll try to keep the posts as regular as possible, but I just don't know at the moment so please bear with me.

Anyway, hopefully you'll all enjoy this, try to leave feedback where you can.

I'm building up as to whether doing a sequel or not.

But, let's get on with it shall we.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride,

Writey x

Jaden's POV

It was Tuesday afternoon, or at least I thought it was.

Josh had been here about a day.

Tess had been here about three days.

I didn't want to really picture what could have happened to them.

Or rather, how much older they were, but it was all I could think about as we arrived.

If you picture a darkness realm, it was pretty much what you would expect…

Darkness…

Are you sure?

We'd landed flat on our backs and when I say landed, I mean landed, it must have been a thirty-foot drop…

Overexaggerating…

Clearly, Alexis didn't agree.

Anyway, I hadn't really been able to take in my surroundings. I had pretty much just spent the time looking up into nothing, the darkness that was there. I managed to help myself into a seated position and finally realised what they meant.

Everything was dark, but it also felt like home.

Basically, picture Obseleasium, but instead of everything being light, it was all dark.

"This is so weird," Sabrina said, making her way to her feet.

She started to walk around and after a few steps something crunched.

"Umm, guys…"

She beckoned Alexis and I over, but I didn't like what I was greeted with.

"Oh, that can't be good."

Beneath the feet of Sabrina, laying in perfect symmetry was a skeleton.

I didn't want to think about who's bones they were, or rather what they were from. More importantly, I really didn't want to know how they ended up like that.

"Well, that's a lovely greeting," Alexis said, turning to face our stuff.

Sabrina stood motionless for second, so I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, let's go, the more we stand here, the more time we're going to lose finding your brother."

At first, Sabrina looked hesitant, then a steely determination seemed to pass over her face.

"You're right!"

She went over to Alexis and started to pick her own things up.

Once we'd grabbed everything, it became abundantly clear we had no idea what to do next…

I mean, we'd only planned so much, the actual details of this place weren't something that we'd really gone over, but I guess now was the best time to change that.

"I mean personally, I don't fancy going towards all the bones."

Alexis was pointing in the direction of where Sabrina had been stood and she was quite right, I personally didn't fancy that either.

"Well, which way then?"

I looked around, there wasn't anything specific, it was like we were in some kind of field. I thought I could make out what appeared to be some buildings in the distance, but I wasn't completely sure.

"Well, whichever way you decide, you need to hurry up and make up your mind…"

That voice wasn't of either Sabrina or Alexis and I knew exactly who it belonged to?

"DK?"

Standing about 20 yards away, was a figure, but it didn't look anything like DK. Beside him was a female and I also had a feeling I knew who that was as well.

"Indeed Jaden," said DK, slinging a backpack over his shoulder.

I don't really know what was weirder, the fact DK looked nothing like himself, or the fact that he was actually walking on the ground.

"What the…"

DK came over and smiled, "I'll explain on the way, but we can't hang around here, Deutorius will know we're already here, I imagine one of his scouts will have seen you guys land."

I still had so many questions, but if what DK was saying was true, then we really didn't have much time.

"Okay, then, where to?"

"That way," said the other person, pointing towards the bones.

It was Dee, but there were more pressing matters.

"Really, we had just decided that was the worst choice."

"Precisely, if we know Deutorius, then that is the exact way we should be going."

I looked in that direction once more. It didn't really look appetising, but it just felt right to trust them.

"How do you know all this?"

Dee and DK looked at each other.

"If there is one thing we do know, it is that this screams Deutorius and this is exactly part of his plan."

What did they mean part of his plan?

I gathered he was expecting us, but I wasn't so aware that he had fully planned for our arrival.

"Right, come on," said Dee, as she picked up the rest of Alexis's things.

That was another aspect I was going to have to adjust to, they were able to touch things.

Wait a second…

I reached out my hand and grabbed DK.

Now usually my hand would just pass straight through him but this time I got a handful of shirt.

"Okay, that's so weird…"

"I know Jaden and I will explain, but please hurry grab all your things."

There was an intensity about his voice and for the first time, I really didn't want to mess with DK. I finished picking up my things and followed on to DK as he set out.

As we made our way something became clearer, we were on a farm. It was definitely a farm. I mean there weren't any animals, but I for sure knew it was a farm.

I could see a barn, at least I thought it was a barn.

It could have been this place playing a trick on me. Delorium had warned us that it would try to mess with our heads, but I was pretty sure that it had been a farm.

We eventually reached a road. Everybody had kind of left DK to lead the way. The girls had been chatting non-stop since we started walking.

I had been caught up in my own thoughts.

How could we find Josh and Tessa?

This place, from what I could gather, was massive.

It could take ages to find them.

We might not even find them.

That thought had been rolling through my mind as well.

It was really going to be down to luck.

And I wasn't exactly the luckiest person going.

During the walk I'd managed to talk to DK, and he had explained everything.

Turns out Delorium had wanted them to come all along but he knew that Deutorius would sense their spirits in an instance so made them a body of sorts that they could possess.

He'd decided it would be a good disguise as well, considering they were the two people Deutorius had feared just as much as Delorium.

They're also here as an insurance, Delorium had told them how to sort out the aging problem.

I think that's the main reason but having them as insurance was always a bonus.

DK had also explained about Deutorius and realistically, he would have known their every move without DK and Dee.

They're almost able to put a shroud over them, even though they aren't completely covered it'll be a while before he can actually find them again.

Either way it was important they kept moving.

I think it was good to have them, it was more company for everyone as well.

We didn't know how long we were going to be here for but having more people around made the journey interesting.

We eventually stopped walking after a while.

I think Sabrina's moaning had finally worn-down DK and he allowed a five-minute break.

"Thank god, I thought my feet were going to fall off," Sabrina said, taking off her shoe and rubbing the bottom of her feet.

Give her some slack, we had probably been walking for about three or four hours by this point.

"Yeah DK," Dee said, taking a seat next to Sabrina on a brick wall.

We found what appeared to be an abandoned gas station, again something I wasn't expecting.

It was becoming clearer that Deutorius, for however much he wanted to destroy the world, seemed to have a love for the simpler things of our own realm.

I looked at DK, who was really fidgeting and trying to get us to hurry along.

"I don't want to hang around too much longer guys."

He started to walk back out to the road, looking in either direction.

"Is he crazy?"

Dee smiled as Sabrina was seemingly asking a seriously question.

"I am starting to wonder that," she replied, looking at her brother, "but he's just concerned we were being followed from the very start, my father placed quite a lot of responsibility on him."

I paused; he hadn't said about any responsibility being placed on him.

"I haven't seen anyone following us," said Alexis as she came walking back over to us, "however I have found supplies."

I couldn't believe what she was holding up…

"Is that candy?"

It was if Sabrina had forgotten about being tired because she was straight up and over to Alexis.

"Yeah, great huh?"

She started to munch through a chocolate bar.

Now, I'm not one to state the obvious, but this all seemed a little too convenient.

And I was also not expecting Alexis to be so gullible as to just start eating the candy.

"Hey, I want some!"

Sabrina bolted towards the shop that Alexis had been scouting out.

"I better just go with her…"

Dee hurried along quickly after Sabrina.

I couldn't blame them it did look really tempting.

I stared at Alexis, who was just casually eating.

"Wh..aa," she said through a mouthful of chocolate.

"Don't you think it's a bit strange that there is chocolate right here."

She paused eating for a minute.

"I mean…"

Before she could finish DK was back and interrupting.

"Right come on, let's go…."

He started looking around.

"Where are the other two?"

He then noticed the chocolate and his eyes widened.

"Alexis, where did you get that?"

She pointed innocently towards the shop.

"Oh no," DK said, running towards the shop.

Without hesitation, Alexis and I hurriedly followed him to the shop.

As we went inside, it did look like any usual convenience store. Everything was laid out on shelves and there was even a till on the far side. There wasn't any workers, but then again I don't think I really want to meet the worker that Deutorius would create.

I spotted the girls over by the chocolate. They were relaxed just as they should have been. This place made you feel relaxed even though we were in a weird darkness world.

Yet, I couldn't wrap my head around it. Something didn't feel right, surely Deutorius wouldn't just leave chocolate around for us to grab.

So why was this here?

"Dee, leave the chocolate alone and let's go…"

DK sounded very wary.

"Oh, come on DK, there is clearly nobody here," she said, grabbing some chocolate.

They both had their hands full as they turned their backs to the shelf.

As we started to make our way to the door, DK paused…

"Nobody move…"

It only took me a few seconds to realise why…

Outside the store was…

Something…

Picture something you'd see in your nightmares; well, I was looking straight at it.

Looking at it, you could be confused to see it as a massive dog, but when you got a better look, that was when the fear started to creep in.

It was about the size of a double decker bus. Its teeth and claws looked like they could tear through just about anything and it didn't help that it head two heads.

"Well," whispered Dee, dropping her candy, "maybe we're not alone after all."

"What do we do now?"

Alexis looked serious all of a sudden, the chocolate was gone from her hands and it was clear she knew we were in trouble.

Sabrina on the other hand, she was terrified.

"Dam it…" muttered DK under his breath.

To be honest, that's how I felt as well.

There wasn't any other option but to go out the front. All of our stuff was there and as far as we knew it was our only exit.

Thankfully, I don't think the dog creature had actually noticed our stuff, which meant at the moment, it didn't know we were here.

"Right," DK said, spinning and turning to face us, "Dee and I will distract it, you three get to the bags and start running."

I was slightly confused at the plan, but I guess they had more of a chance of surviving that thing than we did.

We all moved into position, but there was one problem…

"Where has it gone?"

We'd only looked away for a few seconds and the thing had disappeared.

We stood up and exited the store.

"I mean it was right here," I said, looking around.

It definitely wasn't around anymore.

"Let's not hang around to find out," said DK hurrying over to the bags.

I went to follow but felt a sudden obstacle in my way.

"That's weird…"

I reached out a hand and felt something soft…

Oh no…

In the blink of an eye, I was met by two sets of steely gold eyes.

So, turns out it can also go invisible.

That had clearly gained Alexis attention, who had paused for one minute but had been dragged away by Dee.

Before I had time to think about my next move, a huge set of claws came flying at me and I ducked out of the way behind on of the cars.

I felt a sharp pain course through my arm…

I looked at it…

Yep, it had got me…

I wasn't sure how the others were fairing, but really, I just needed to keep moving. I didn't have time to worry about my injuries.

I jumped from one car to the next, trying not to be hit by the massive paws that were flying around, whilst trying to stem the flow of blood from my arm.

Bits of debris were scattered all around me…

Then I heard a loud roar, but in my head it translated…

Boss will be happy if get Jaden Yuki….

Oh great…

At this point I didn't really have any options.

I was running out of cars…

"JADEN!"

I looked over in the direction of the shouting. Alexis, Sabrina, Dee and DK were all at the edge of the road waving at me.

60 feet…

Roughly, that was the distance between me and safety.

Or at least my friends.

I hadn't really tested the speed of the creature trying to take my head off, but I guess this was as better time than any to do so.

In my head I counted down…

3…

2…

I didn't let myself get to 1 as I bolted it across those 60 feet.

I think I must have taken it by surprise because I managed to make it, stumbling to the feet of Alexis who helped me back up.

As I stood, I realised that our big friend had managed to cover the ground as well and was now towering over all of us…

I started to realise that our escape was looking less and less unlikely.

I hadn't realised up until now, but as well as my arm, my ankle was in pretty bad shape, so I wasn't running anywhere.

How I managed to get here?

Adrenalin. Death defying adrenalin.

"Stay behind us," Dee and DK said as they stepped in front of the three of us.

They looked at each other almost communicating with each other.

They both held out their hands as the big guy growled.

Brave hoomans, not defeat me…

"Who said anything about defeating you…"

With a swish and some movement of the wrists, a bright light shot out between the two piercing the creature.

The beast let out a loud scream and the light started to surround it.

Dee and DK turned their backs to the creature and started to walk.

"Come on," they said to us, grabbing my backpack and walking.

Alexis put her hand over my shoulder and started to help me walk. I didn't really want to find out what had just happened.

"What was that?"

Sabrina looked shaken.

"It doesn't matter," said Dee, "Deutorius knows we're here now though so we must keep moving."

I felt a shiver down my spine.

That wasn't good. Dee and DK were our secret weapon and they had already given away their identities.

Everything started to sink in…

This wasn't some game of cards anymore…

This was clearly life and death.

Considering what had happened, I'd slept pretty well that night.

We'd decided it was no good trying to keep walking with my ankle in the state it was, so we'd decided to set up a camp about 200 yards off the road in some forest.

DK and Dee had said that they would both take the watches, which after last night was probably the best idea.

We'd never asked what they did to the creature, but all I know was we were in one piece.

That was the main thing…

That we had survived…

Dee had sorted out my injuries, so I was raring to go this morning.

I stretched out and moved my ankle. It ached a little, but it wasn't anything I couldn't deal with.

I'd shared a tent with DK overnight and to be honest it had actually been quite pleasant. I think it helped knowing that he was there watching over me.

I stepped out the tent.

Clearly, I was last up as everybody had already gotten their stuff ready.

The girl's tent was even packed away.

"Go eat breakfast."

I spun around and saw DK coming back towards the tent with a towel.

"We wanted to let you sleep in, but now you're up, better get ready to move on."

I smiled.

"Okay, but don't you want me to help with the tent?"

"No, you're okay, I want to do it, it's nice being able to actually touch stuff."

I laughed in response. It was true I suppose, this might be the only time DK actually gets to touch stuff.

I made my way over to where the breakfast stuff was.

There wasn't a great selection but then again, I wasn't really expecting one. We hadn't exactly been able to get in a real choice since arriving here.

As I sat eating my breakfast, I had to think about yesterday.

It put everything in perspective.

I mean I guess I was so fixated on getting my brother and sister back that I hadn't really thought about my own safety.

It wasn't that I wasn't wary, but the fact that I almost had my head taken off by a huge dog, it kind of makes you think twice about everything.

I knew what I was here for, to save Tessa and Josh but in order to save them, I have to save myself and to do that I had to be smarter.

I peacefully ate my breakfast, looking out across everything.

Considering this was the darkness realm, it could actually be quite peaceful at times.

The forest we were in was just like one I used to visit with mum and dad when I was younger. I would always get dad to carry me on his shoulders and then help my build a fortress out of sticks.

I was interrupted from my thoughts when I heard a rustling behind me.

I turned to look at where the noise was coming from but couldn't see anything.

Hmm, strange…

Just as I was about to turn back around and resume eating, in the blink of an eye something shot out of the thick grass and curled up around my legs.

"What the…"

I looked down…

It was a dog…

Why is there a dog here?

I stared at it for a second…

It did look awfully familiar…

"What's wrong Jaden?"

Alexis came over carrying a bag that was probably for the tent.

She noticed the dog at my feet and instantly dropped the bag.

"Aww…"

She walked over to my feet started to pet it as I wracked my brain.

"You know, its fur is so soft…."

Soft fur….

Then it hit me…

I bolted up out of the chair, not only scaring Alexis but also the dog itself.

"Whoa, Jaden! What the hell?"

Alexis bent down and picked up the frightened animal.

"You scared it…"

Alexis started moving her hand over the dog's head and it visibly relaxed.

"It's the…."

"Yes Jaden, it is."

DK, Dee and Sabrina came over staring at the dog in Alexis's arms.

"What do you mean?"

Alexis started to grip the puppy tighter as everyone came closer.

"That Alexis, is the beast that you saw yesterday."

Alexis suddenly froze…

"No way…. It can't be?"

"I'm afraid so…"

How that I could actually see the dog properly, I started to see it more clearly, there were certain features of it that looked incredibly like the ones that I saw yesterday from the beast.

Minus the fact it was now a quivering puppy.

Dee came over to stand by Alexis and started patting the dog as well.

"It's okay though," she said, taking it from her, "we removed the darkness from it."

I paused for a minute.

"Wait," I said, inching closer to the dog, "you can just remove darkness away from living things?"

Dee and DK looked at each other.

"It's not that simple Jaden, we can but only certain things, things that aren't powerful enough to hold in the darkness."

I looked at the dog for a minute. Yesterday it seemed so powerful and now it was an innocent puppy.

I didn't get how it could change this quickly but if it wasn't trying to take my head off any more then I was all for it.

Alexis had decided to keep it.

I mean leaving it here did seem rather cruel.

We eventually packed everything away and set off again.

Alexis and Sabrina spent most of the time we were walking trying to figure out a suitable name for it.

I'd suggested Lil' Beast but that didn't go down very well.

I decided whilst they were distracted to talk to DK. I'd been wanting to for a while about last night but hadn't found the time to do so.

"Hey" I said catching up with him. Dee had been walking beside him, but she fell back to try and help the girls figure out a name.

"Hey Jaden."

"I… umm"

"You want me to explain about last night?"

I just nodded. There was no point in answering because he would be able to tell through my thoughts anyway.

"Right, I knew this would happen," he said, motioning to the dog, "but it did take up an awful lot of our strength."

He started to twiddle with his thumbs.

"I just feel responsible, to make sure you guys are safe and I almost failed that last night."

I felt him deflate slightly so I put a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you."

He looked at me.

"You didn't have to do that, or rather you won't have to from now on, I'll have to be more careful."

It was true. I didn't want DK to feel pressure. I needed to be smart and the only way I was going to do that was to look after myself.

I had others to look after, but they weren't going to be able to rely on me if I wasn't smart with my own safety.

We didn't really say much for a while as we walked. It wasn't that we didn't have anything to say, it was more the fact that we both understood the others point of view.

After a while I felt someone move up alongside me.

"Hey Jaden."

Alexis cruised next to me still carrying the puppy. I realised that DK too had now moved back to join the others.

"Hey."

She walked in unison for a while with me, but I knew there was something on her mind. Eventually she started to talk.

"I…. errr… I wondered if we could talk?"

I briefly looked at her out the corner of my eye. She actually seemed quite nervous, something that I hadn't seen from her in quite a while, around me at least anyway.

"Yeah, Lex, what's up?"

She paused again for a few minutes, putting the puppy down on the floor. It was weird seeing her lost for words. She always found something to say to me.

"I… oh screw it!"

She ran ahead of me, puppy trailing her.

I was lost for a minute.

What was that…

I started to run after her but realised that she was actually moving a lot faster than I had anticipated. I ran past her puppy that seemed to be getting slower and slower by the minute.

Eventually after a good few minutes of running, she grinded to a halt, panting as I caught up with her.

"What the…"

I tried to catch my breath back before trying to talk again.

"What the hell was that."

I finally managed to get behind her but realised that she was sobbing.

"Alexis?"

Slowly, Alexis turned to face me. I could see the tear stains on her face from where she had been crying and running.

Alexis's puppy finally caught up and curled at her feet, clearly just as exhausted as the rest of us.

I put a hand on her shoulder and she slowly rested her head down to lay on top of it.

"You scared me yesterday…"

Silence.

She finally lifted her head to be level with mine.

"I was so scared."

She stepped closer to me with our head barely inches away.

"Ever since that barbecue, I haven't known how to act around you."

I felt something hitch in my throat.

I didn't know where this conversation was going.

She started to walk side to side.

"And you know, I've been trying to work out why Jaden."

She started to talk to herself.

"Why?"

"Why couldn't I talk to one of my best friends with ease."

She stopped walking and looked at me. It wasn't just any look though, there was something else, something else in that look that I'd never seen before.

"Then yesterday, seeing that thing attack you."

She bent down to pick up the puppy.

"I was so scared of losing you, nothing else in my head made any sense when I saw you in danger."

I felt my heart beat a little faster.

I hadn't felt like this around her in a while, but everything she was saying seemed to be bringing back different emotions.

"Alexis…"

"No Jaden, let me finish."

She moved to be back in front of me.

"It only really came to me just how much you mean to me…."

She looked at me in the eyes again…

"And I just needed to tell you, because last night made me realise that anything could happen whilst we were here, that I…"

Suddenly, she stopped and moved past me, looking distracted.

"Hey, where are the others?"

I didn't register what she had said at first because my mind was a complete blur.

"Jaden…"

Eventually, I snapped out of it and turned to see what Alexis was talking about.

It was true.

There was no sign of Sabrina, Dee or DK.

The road was empty.

"What the…"

Then suddenly, I felt a chill go down my spine…

The air got thicker…

Dark clouds started to form above us…

"Did you really think I would let you get away with coming to my home?"

I froze. I knew that voice.

"Deutorius…"

I spun quickly on my heels but was instantly pinned down by some form of creature.

This one though wasn't natural, it was all black, covered in fur and had one singular eye in the centre of its head.

I looked at Alexis. She too was being pinned down.

I felt a sense of helplessness as I stared up at the creature. There was no way I was going to weasel my way out of this one.

"Deutorius, what is this?"

I heard laughter, "these are my pets Jaden, but don't worry, I've got them well trained."

I only just realised that indeed they were the same creature stopping Alexis and I from moving.

"But I must say, you really were too predictable Jaden."

I felt anger bubble up inside me as I struggled trying to break free. The creature just gnarled and increased its grip on me, and I struggled that little bit more.

It seemed though Deutorius wasn't paying attention to my struggles.

"I knew you would come you see, and I knew you would bring backup, I just needed to work out to what extent and you let me, and now I have you exactly where I wanted you."

Deutorius moved into my eye and I got a good look at him.

He looked similar to DK and Dee, but everything about him was different, he just seemed eviler. He had long black hair, scars all across his face, he wore long black robes and sandals where covering his dark socks.

Deutorius studied me for a second.

"Let him go," he said, putting a hand on the creature currently pinning me down.

The creature moved away, and I saw my chance. I leapt up towards Deutorius, but in an instance, I was still.

"What the…"

Deutorius turned, his hand raised out in front of him.

"Do you think I would be that naive?"

I was floating, but I could feel an intense grip on me. It was like he had frozen me in the air.

Suddenly, three bubbles holding, Dee, DK and Sabrina appeared. They were all moving and screaming but it was clear I wasn't going to be able to hear them.

"Now, this should be simple, if you want to see your friends again, give yourself over to me."

I ignored him at first, only wanting to know one thing.

"Where are my brother and sister?"

Deutorius smirked, "now, now Jaden, first, agree to my demands and then we'll talk."

I thought about it. If I give myself up, I save everybody I care about, including my brother and sister.

"No Jaden don't!"

I looked at Alexis who was still being pinned down by the creature.

"Silence girl!"

Suddenly, something shot through the sky, covering over Alexis's mouth.

She was still struggling under the grip.

I looked at Dee, DK and Sabrina, they were all shaking their heads.

But I couldn't let them die. Any of them.

I felt a wave of emotion come over me.

"What will it be Jaden."

Deutorius clicked his fingers realising my from the bind.

I looked around, I hadn't realised until now, but there were several other beasts surrounding us as well, making escape incredibly difficult.

I started to plot and scheme….

There had to be another way surely…

I looked around again, there wasn't a lot on offer in terms of ideas.

I dropped my head…

I couldn't think of anything…

Maybe I should just give up…

"To long…"

Deutorius clapped his hands and started to walk away…

"Wait…"

"Sorry Jaden, I have so much to be doing and I didn't really want to give you an offer anyway, I just thought it might be nice, but clearly you're ungrateful."

I looked around; all the creatures started to close in…

Deutorius clicked his fingers and the next thing he said made my entire body shake….

"Kill them all…"

Few, finally, that took a while to sort out.

But what did you guys think?

Please let me know in the review section.

I don't have a timescale on the next chapter, but I'll try to get it done sooner rather than later. I have got another story idea that I want to start working on, so I will try to balance out both of the stories but I will keep you updated if anything changes.

But until then, favourite, follow and review, look after yourselves and have fun.

Writey x