Chapter 26:

Freedom comes at a price

Terror Mountain inside:

Noise of scraping claws made all of them run again. They entered a large darkened room. Out of breath from running Peter leaned against the wall or what he thought was a wall. It feels kind of scaly to me. "What the?" Peter screamed.

"Now what trouble did you get us into Peter?" asked Master Tibo.

"I…" he swallowed. His breath was shallow. "I don't rally know what I just touched over here but it was not a wall."

"Oh, no. I think that we are inside Terror Mountain." The yellow said as it approach him. Peter heard the strain in its voice. He hated that sound.

"And that's a bad thing isn't it." he swallowed again.

"Yes," Master Tibo walked up to him. He could hear the faint snoring on the Terror Claw next to Peter. "We have found the layer."

"Good we can get the Master Meems and cube and get on out of here."

"I don't think it's going to be that easy."

"It never is," the red one response. "We…"

There was movement and a snort. "Let's go." Peter tried to move but his fear kept him there. The dragon had turned his face. Now he was face to face with Peter. He took a deep breath in Peter face. The hot, moist air hit Peter and he coughed. The noise woke the dragon up. Its eyes were locked on Peter.

"Get out of there." the wolf dogs yelled at him. Master Tibo was already out of the path of the dragon. Peter stared at the dragon a little too long. It's tail whipped around knocking Peter to the ground. Master Tibo raced up to him and clamped down on his suit dragging him out of the way, just as another blow went down.

"Run." They turned the corner just in time. "We have to Master Meems."

"We can't go back out there." shouted the gray one. "It's to dangerous."

"Not for me." yelled Master Tibo.

"I'm going with him. I got you guys into this mess and I'm going to get you out of it." Peter took charge. Master Tibo just blinked. He faced Peter.

"Then let's do it son." Peter took a deep breath. Son? He's finally giving me respect. He swallowed. Have to do this. He stepped forward. I'm making up for lost time.

They peered around the corner into another room and saw to cages one on each side of the room. One that held Master Meems and the other one held that white Terror Wing.

"We have to free them." Peter said forgetting that Master Tibo wanted to be in charge. "You sneak that way." Peter pointed. "I'll go over here to get that one free. He saved me now it's my turn to save him." Master Tibo stared at him. "I know that you wanted to do this your way but…."

"Yes, but you do care about someone else then yourself."

"I try to." The wolf dog nodded.

"Not many of us would save a Terror Wing. You know you could be in more trouble."

"That's my middle name." Peter laughed.

"You got that right."

Peter slowly made it to the other said of the room with ease. He sat near the wall when one of the Terror Wings came into the room. Peter almost screamed when a bony hand fell on his shoulder. He breathed fast. What could that be now? He looked over in that direction. A skeleton was chained by one arm to the wall with a sward in the other. Peter reached for the sward. This might come in handy later on. I hate to do this but you're not going to use it. He pried it from the man's hand. The skeleton fell part. Sorry. Peter steps out into the room, not seeing the blue Terror Wing that was hiding in the shadows. It started to creep up on him. Peter turned just in time to see it jump at Peter. The weight of it knocked him to the ground. It spreads its long wings over Peter, pinning him down with his claws. Peter drops the sward he was carrying.

He hears that cry again he turns his head sideways and out of the corner of his eyes he see what he believes to be his friend wolf dog Master Meems. He tries to stretch his arms so he can reach for the sward. The Terror Wing sees this and clamps down harder on his arm, pulling the whole thing back towards Peter's body, which, because of his sharp claws, rips open, a long cut across his arm. Peter screams out in pain as the blood drips on to the floor. To him it felt like a newly sharpen axe sliced his arm open and all the blood in his body was gushing out of it like a faucet water turned on high.

The Terror Wing fixed his eyes on that for he had never seen any thing bleed before. From the outside howls can be heard. The Terror Wing moved somewhat forward just enough so Peter could reach his sward. More howls rang though out the building. Terror Wing hated the howls so he ran for cover in another room where it was quieter.

"Pete…..err help. Cries Master Meems. Then there is silence. Peter gets up despite the pain in his arm and jumps on the back of Terror Claw. He starts striking him with the sward. The Terror Claw shook his body violently back and forth. Peter couldn't hang on and was thrown across the room, where he smashed into a glass window and then slumps down.

"Pity thing nothing can defeat me. Why do they even try?" Glass covered Peter's suit, which was the only thing that saved his life. He sakes himself off and is right back up. He pretends he is super human and charges the Terror Claw this time he stabs it with all his might. That stab went right though the Terror Claw. He screeched in pain as he fell over on its side with a loud thud that made the ground shake some. Peter not knowing if the dragon was dead or not stands on top of him, he drives the sward one more time into the dragon' stomach just to make sure. Terror Wings, hearing all the commotion, flew though the now open window. Staring in horror as they see their king is now dead. Next they did something no one expected them to do.

They bowed down in front of Peter. When they were back at standing positions the blue dragon reappears from his hiding place. He slowly, not really sure that he should or not, approaches Peter. "We," he turns his head only towards his fellow Terror Wings "command you on your work. No one has even dared to come looking for the Terror Claw, nevertheless beat one down." all of a sudden all the Terror Wings in the now darkened room, spread their wings and waved them together like they are clapping. This produced so much wind that almost blew Peter over.

"What are they doing?" he asked Master Tibo. "It's their ceremony, I saw this when I was a pup years ago they were inducting a new king. You have now become one, I guess."

"I don't want to become any stupid king of theirs." He took a deep breath, "Listen up." he yelled at the top of his lungs. Everything stopped and was quiet. "I know you want me as your king but I really don't want to rule," he paused to think of the right words to say so he wouldn't offended any of them. "I came here looking for my friend." A picture formed in his mind of Egon. He jumped off the dead dragons' body onto the ground. "I never found him." He sighed as another memory of Egon flashed before him. Tears dripped down his face. "You," he looked over at all the wolf dogs that had now entered the building. "Needed my help to be free once more, I did that." He began to walk closer to the blue Terror Wing "Now all I want to do is locate my cube and leave this place."

"Not so fast. We must have a new leader." The blue Terror Wing called.

"No, you guys don't need one." Peter looked him in the face, "I think you guys have shown me that you can all work together as one. Wolf dogs," he looks over at them again "stay on cloud 9 and Terror Wings," he looked back "this and the mountain ranges, are now, your new home." They all nod in response.

"What about the trapped White Terror wing? Does he live among us?" asked the green Terror Wing.

"Yes," Peter went over to the cage and let the White Terror Wing out. "Freefall," he smiled at the Terror Wing will be with you. You will respect all creatures as equals." Both the Terror Wings and the Wolf dogs went their separate ways. Peter looked at the dead, limp body of Master Meems. He bent down and put his hand under her head. Why am I caring for her so much, she's only an animal, well was an animal. Tears dripped from his eyes, "Thank you my friend. I will never forget your help." He scooped up her body in his arms and followed Master Tibo to the outside. When they got back to the "Dog house" they had a burial for Master Meems under he fire hydrant. The red dog jumped up and hugged Peter.

"Do you really have to leave us?"

"I have to go. I have to find my friend."

"Thanks for all you help Peter we will not forget you." Master Tibo said.

"I'm going to miss you." he smiled. All the dogs said their good byes to Peter as he walked off from the house. He waved at them. With a flash Peter was gone.

Under the sea in under world:

Egon covered his eyes. "How many more sharks are there?"

"Well," the dolphin rode up next to him. "We live in the waters that are full of them. They don't bother us at all. Do they bother you?"

"I just don't like them. They might try to eat me. I mean I heard that somewhere."

"Where are you from?" asked the dolphin that he was riding on.

"Not any where near the water that's for sure." the other one called.

"You didn't like water either do you?" Egon shook his head no.

"We are almost…" Waves crashed about and water got rough.

"Hold on back there." Egon's body flapped about.

"Whoa…" One sharp upward motion jerked him hard. He lost his grip. "Oh no," down he went into the depths of the dark.

"Is he?" he heard a voice. He thought he saw a mermaid or two. I'm not seeing what I think I'm seeing. He blinked twice to make sure but they didn't go away. The figure held out a hand to help him up. A human hand, that's a good sign I think.

"Take my hand." What a lovely voice she has. "I have been waiting for you all my life." What did that mean? I've never been here or seen this people before. Egon took the hand. Her red hair flapped as she gracefully swam beside him. That hair. Oh, how soft it was. I never…he shook the thoughts right out of his head. I will not turn into Peter. I have Janine waiting on me. Oh…. "This way." The mermaid wrapped her hands around his waist. She was sure that she would get caught by one of the guards. "You know that you are cute."

"Thanks, I think." He swallowed. I have to get out of here. Something's not right. Egon told himself. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. She winked as she saw her eight-armed friend. Egon pushed her back some. "I can't do this."

Just as he said that her friend arrived.

"Let's bring him to the castle."

"Good idea." The family had gathered for a celebration at the castle. Author told her father bout what happened as she lured Egon inside the house.

"That's the man." Author yelled. "That's the one that did it."

"Did what? I didn't do anything."

"I saw how you grabbed her up. And kiss her."

"I was lured into that."

"You say that she's lying about it." A deep voice echoed through the water.

"I…"

"You tried to get her run off with you." Author shot back. "I saw it all."

"I did no such thing." Egon protested.

"You know this baby is ours." The mermaid called as she entered the room.

"I have never…" Egon didn't know what to do now. "I have a family of my own at home, why would I…." He swallowed. "I never touched her.

"Your saying my daughter is a whore, who made up this story." Her farther came forward. His deep voice stuck in Egon head. Egon had never seen a male mermaid before.

"I…" he swallowed as he looked at the size of the man in front of him. "She's trying to frame me." Egon noticed that she was smiling at him. "I would never do that to anyone. You have to believe me."

"You know that we did. Just tell the truth." She flutters in front of him. "You loved it. I was all yours for that night."

"But I…we didn't." she started to cry and disappeared. The man's face turned red.

"Take him away to lock down." Two strong woman grabbed Egon by the arms. They dragged him away. "No…" Egon screamed.

"Wait." Called the man. They halted in heartbeat. "I have a better idea. I'll take him the special way. I'll take care of him." The two mermaids let him go. They stood watching Egon as a third and fourth arrived. This two didn't look too happy either. The male mermaid swam up to Egon, "I think the sharks would love to see him first."

"Oh, no not that." the male mermaid grabbed him and dragged him off.

To be continued….