Guest: No, his powers are that he can create things that he's touched before.
We started down the corridors, keeping to the shadows so we were less easily spot. We could hear from the commotion echoing through the long halls that the skeletons were suspicious about the robot. It was only a matter of time before they found them. They needed to hurry up and find Lucas.
"Any idea where he might be?" Nancy asked.
"Most likely a cell," I said. "They probably have a corridor just for holding prisoners."
We have to find it somehow! It isn't like we can stop and ask for directions, Caleb told us.
"You three lost?"
We all jumped and turned to see a girl, probably older than Alex, with blonde hair and light blue eyes. She was wearing an ice blue ninja suit.
"Um, yeah," I said nervously. "We're looking for–"
"Lucas," the girl guessed. "I see... Well you're in luck, I know where his cell is. Just follow me..."
"Wait! How do we know you're not working with the skeletons?" Nancy asked.
I sighed. "Nancy! She's in a ninja suit! Who's side do you think she's on?"
"Oh!" Nancy said. "Well excuse me for being cautious in the Underworld!"
Caleb grabbed our arms to get our attention before signing, Since we are in the Underworld we should be quiet!
"Sorry," I whispered to him. I turned back to the girl. "How do we know you're not trying to trick us. We don't even know your name."
The girl sighed. "My name is Zoey and I'm—according to Lucas—the Ninja of Prophecies."
"So you can see the future or something? A seer?" I questioned.
Zoey smiled. "You're a smart one, Echo. Yes I'm a seer. I... We need to go."
"Why?" Nancy asked. "Are the skeletons coming?"
"You are trying to avoid the other ninja too, aren't you?" Zoey asked. "They're lost here, and I was going to talk to them but Lucas insisted you three be the ones to find him."
So why are we just standing here? Caleb asked.
Zoey nodded and we started down the hall. "Uh, if you're here why haven't you rescued Lucas?" Nancy asked.
"Oh, I'm not a fighter. Fighting would require physical contact," Zoey said.
"But you're a ninja," I said.
"An untrained ninja," she corrected. "The closest to training I got was right after they brought me here and Lucas tried teaching me Spinjitzu."
"Oh, so why don't you just leave? You could've gone to the ninja and brought them back," I said.
Zoey mumbled something that I didn't catch before she said, "Getting out of my cell and hiding within the castle is easy. Leaving the castle and escaping the Underworld seems impossible."
We stopped at the end of a corridor. "The other ninja will be here in twenty minutes, they get lost a few times. Lucas is in this cell."
I saw a button and walked over to it. I pushed it and the floor opened up. "Finally!" a voice called up. Next thing I know there's a man standing next to Zoey. "I thought you'd never get here."
"Lucas," I guessed. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him.
He knelt down and accepted my hug. "It's nice to finally meet you Echo. So I hear my mom is your mom and my uncle is your dad. We have one messed up family."
"No kidding," I agreed. "My uncle was evil and killed a giant snake, my mom and dad are really old, my sister's spirit is intertwined with some evil spirit, my younger older brother is the Golden Ninja, and you're here!"
"Wow, you learn something new everyday," Nancy said.
Lucas and I turned to her. "Well, Miss Nancy," he said. "It's not like you aren't hiding or just not mentioning things about your life."
Nancy's cheeks flushed red. "My secrets are my secrets and secrets for a reason."
"I know, and I won't pry," Lucas said.
Guys I hear something, Caleb signed, looking down the hall.
"Zoey, get the kids out of here," Lucas ordered. "I'll hold them off."
"But I don't see any..." Zoey started as she turned. Suddenly she dropped to the ground.
"Zoe!" Lucas said, rushing to her side. He turned back to us. "You three need to go. Hurry!"
"What about you?" I asked. "I just met you, you're my brother! You can't just ask me to leave you behind!"
Suddenly the air got thick and I felt dizzy. Caleb fell over and then Nancy. I didn't know what was happening but Lucas toppled too. I closed my eyes and next thing I knew I was on the ground. The air started to return to normal but I still felt like my brain was shutting down.
"What do we do with them?"
"Lucas goes back in his cell, he's to dangerous to have anywhere else. Zoey on the other hand goes to cell EC16."
"And the kids?"
"Why not. Put them in with Lucas. We'll see what they can do in the morning. Perhaps they can be of some value."
I tried moving my arms or opening my eyes but I couldn't. The rest of my body was shut down and my brain was following. I opened my mouth to say something but that was it. I blacked out.
I opened my eyes and it took a minte for them to adjust to the darkness. There was actually a small light from the walls. I went to push myself up, but my hands were bound behind me. "I gotcha," Lucas said from behind me. He grabbed my hand and slowly helped me to my feet.
I looked around and it felt like my heart stopped. This time I could tell I was underground. Deep underground. My head was spinning, my heart was racing, and my stomach was in knots. "Where are we?" I asked.
Lucas sighed. "My cell."
"I-It's underground," I murmured. "I..."
"Echo? Ugh, what happened?"
I turned to Nancy. "I d-don't know."
Lucas walked over and helped Nancy up. "The skeletons attacked. I would've woken you guys up as soon as I awoke, but I figured you needed your sleep," he said.
"Sleep? I can go twenty hours without sleeping!" Nancy retorted.
"Oh, uh..."
"She has insomnia," I told him.
"So I can assume you didn't dream," Lucas said. "And Echo, what about you?"
"No," I said.
"Good," Lucas said. "This cell was designed to hold me and to use my powers for the skeletons. Any dreams instantly turn to nightmares."
"You're a telepath aren't you?" I asked. "That's how you were able to speak in mine and Alex's minds."
"Yes, but most of this cell is made from venge stone. It stops my powers. Only when I'm having a nightmare do they work," Lucas said.
I looked around and spotted Caleb. I walked over to him and knelt down. "Caleb," I said. "Wake up."
Caleb closed his eyes tighter in his sleep. He rolled to the side and then rolled back. I was worried he was having a nightmare and sat down next to him. Moving quickly, I lifted myself up a little so I could get my hands under my legs. Then I moved them to the front of me so I could reach forwards. I kneeled down and started shaking Caleb.
"Wake up!" I insisted. "Caleb!"
Caleb opened his eyes and sat bolt up. He looked to me and gave a small smile. He realized his hands were tied behind him and frowned. I guess for him, having his hands tied behind him was like if my mouth was duct taped or gagged. He couldn't talk without his hands.
I helped him to his feet and we turned to Nancy and Lucas. "Okay, so how are we escaping?" Nancy asked.
"Escaping? This cell was made three years after I was brought her. They made sure there was no way for me to escape," Lucas said. "We're stuck here until Zoey or the other ninja come."
"Or until the skeletons come back," I mumbled. "They said they were going to."
Caleb gently nudged me. I looked to him and he gave me a look that said, Don't talk like that. Then it changed to, We'll be fine.
I nodded and reached for my kunai. They hadn't taken it, but it didn't surprise me they decided not to search a seven-year-old for weapons. I used it to cut the rope around my hands. I turned to Nancy.
"No, no, no," Nancy said, backing up. "I'm not so sure I'm comfortable with you cutting..."
"Nancy, I know how to use it. I learned from the Ninja of Weapons herself," I assured her, walking over. "Just turn around."
Nancy sighed and turned. "If there's just one cut on me..."
I cut her rope and took a step back. "See, it's fine." I cut Lucas's next and then Caleb.
Thanks, he signed.
"No problem," I smiled. I turned to Lucas. "I think I have a plan."
Lucas smiled. "Let's hear it."
"Okay, so first off, how strong are you?"
Nancy: Ooh! Another Echo plan!
Caleb: *signs* "Didn't her last one get everyone caught?"
Echo: Yeah, but this one is after my ninja training. I got this.
Lucas: I believe in you! So everyone else that's reading this, review! Don't flame!
I love knocking down that fourth wall.
