Guest: I love your reviews! Have the time it makes me question myself, but in a good way!
Let me tell you, an adreniline rush really does work. I was determined to protect my friends, and I managed to turn twenty to one to ten to one. I'd made a small path and let Nancy and Caleb take off down the hall. I fought for about five minutes after they were gone before the adreniline kinda left and a skeleton was able to restrain me. My breath was heavy and I felt sweat run down my face. I hoped Nancy and Caleb were far enough away as the skeletons started leading me down the hall. I tuned them out, not caring what they were saying, my mind already racing to find a way out of this. Sadly I was too tired to think of anything besides, 'Get free, kick butt,' and that didn't seem like a very thought out plan.
We stopped in some kind of throne room. The king, Sukeruton, was sitting in the throne, looking down at me. "What's this? I was told that you managed to capture three kids that showed potential," he growled.
Two skeletons stepped forwards. "Actually we said we found three that might show potential," one of them said.
"The other two kinda escaped," the second said.
"Kruncha, Knuckles, I think I've heard quite enough failures from you two!" Sukeruton boomed. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't–"
"We'll find the other two!" one said.
"Yeah! And I'll kept Knuckles from messing up!" the other, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say Kruncha, said. The two hurried away and oddly, I wasn't worried about them finding Nancy and Caleb.
"As for you!"
I turned back to the skeleton king. He walked over to me and cupped my chin. I tried pulling back from his boney hand, but then I felt my back run against a boney rib cage and wasnt sure which was worse! I though snakes were bad, these skeletons were just creepy!
"Use your powers," he said. "I know you have some."
"I can't," I managed. "Not underground."
He pulled his hand away. "Oh? It's not like there's any venge stone around."
"That has nothing to do with it," I mumbled. "You can't make a storm underground."
Sukeruton frowned. "I suppose not. Either way, take her to a holding cell."
The skeleton next to the one that was restraining me reached into my pocket and took my kunai. "Wouldn't want ya fighting back now would we?" he chuckled.
The skeletons led me out of the throne room and down a corridor with cells. I didn't want to be thrown into just any cell. Maybe if I put up a fight, I could be thrown in the same cell as the ninja. So I did what I did best. "You know, you guys really aren't as smart as you think you are," I said.
The three skeletons that had me looked to me. "What do you mean?" the one on my left said.
"I mean, technically you guys are all dead and just, well, a skeleton. You don't have a brain anymore," I said. Logic killed, in this case it distracted. "You're barely being held together. I mean, I was able to knock you guys apart and I'm seven." I let that sink into them...
"Oh we're the idiots?" the skeleton holding my hands behind me retorted.
"In case you hadn't noticed, we kinda caught you," the skeleton to my right said. "You call that idiocy?"
"No, I call thinking you can think, idiocy," I smiled.
They stopped. "What do you..."
I pulled away, breaking the skeleton's boney arms off. I had to fight the urge to scream and took off down the hall. I slid around a corner, then another, and then I was at a dead end. The universe truly hated me didn't it?!
They caught me again. "She's too slippery to put in just a regular cell."
"There's another place to put her..."
"There is one more colomn..."
I heard a can open and a gas started to spray. I tried not to breath, but this caught me off guard and in just a few seconds I was gasping for air. As soon as the gas entered my system, I felt myself shut down again. I closed my eyes and passed out.
"Echo, you awake yet?"
"Lillie! Shut up!"
"I just want to know if she's awake."
"She isn't responding yet now is she, eh?"
I let out a moan as I pulled my self up. My hands were bound behind me to a column of stone, but I was still able to find a comfortable position. I opened my eyes only to find they were already open and the room was just pitch black. "Where are we?" I asked.
"Uh...you don't want an answer to that," Lloyd said from somewhere to my right.
"Are you okay? Where are your friends?" Zane questioned.
"I'm fine, but I'd bought time for Nancy and Caleb to escape. The king went two skeletons, Kruncha and Knuckles, after them but I'm not too worried..."
"Those two bone heads definately aren't the real threat here," Cole said.
"So how did you guys get caught?" I asked.
"They were expecting us," Kai told me. "I guess the skeletons figured out that they don't need air and started fighting with knock out gas. We were all out within seconds."
"Except for Zane and I," Alex said. "We lasted a bit longer and then I lost my breath and passed out."
"I cannot remember how they caught me," Zane confessed.
"Wait, Alex how long can you hold your breath?" I asked.
"Hmmm...well it's been a while since I've timed myself but probably at least five minutes," Alex said.
"Five minutes? No way!" Jay retorted. "Unless you're a nindroid too."
"I assure you I am ninety-eight percent human," Alex said. There was a few seconds of silence before she added, "I think I'm done talking about it."
"Actually the nindroid is over here," Lucas spoke up.
"Lucas!" Zoey hissed quietly.
"It's okay, Zoe," Lucas said. "They aren't going to do what the skeletons have done. I promise."
I blinked a few times, not liking the zero light anymore. "Can anyone make it brighter in here?" I complained.
"Zane's head can be a lightbulb," Jay joked. "Think that'll help?"
"I can't reach my arm panel," Zane said.
"Why not?" Lillie asked.
"Maybe because our hands are tied behind us," Tove said slowly.
"So just do this..."
We were all quiet for a moment. "Lillie, we can't see. What did you do, eh?" Vanessa asked.
"I used my powers to get free," Lillie said from the opposite side as when she had spoken a moment ago.
"Venge stone doesn't affect you?" Lucas questioned. "And you chose to wait to tell us?"
"I thought we were waiting for Echo," Lillie said. "Now, does anyone have a dagger so I can cut the rest of you free?"
"Uh, I am not letting you cut me free," Alex said. "You can cut Kai free first."
"Hey!" Kai snapped.
"Please, I'm a trained ninja," Lillie said. "I know how to use a dagger."
"Oh gosh," Alex mumbled. It was quiet for a moment before she said, "Wow, not a single cut. I'm impressed."
"Thanks Alex!" Lillie giggled.
"Now give me my dagger before you mess up."
A few moments passed and Zane's head lit up which had to her the coolest thing ever! It was a little blinding at first, but my eyes adjusted quickly. Alex walked over to me and cut my bind. I stood up and rubbed my wrists. "Thanks, Sis," I smiled.
"Uh, huh," Alex said, staring at me for a moment. "You just don't listen though, do you?"
I thought for a moment. The easiest thing to say was, "Nope."
"You and Lloyd," Kai mumbled. He looked to my brother. "Like when he tried to take the serpentine problem into his hands and got caught."
"Or when he released them in he first place after I told him countless times not to," Alex added quietly.
"Or when we got turned into kids and he..."
"Wait, what happened?" Tove questioned, cutting off Jay.
"Uh...you know what? Let's just forget it."
"It's good we're getting to know each other better," Zoey said.
I started walking around the room. I think I was getting a little use to being underground. That kinda scared me. I heard voices on the other side of a wall and headed towards it. I listened carefully, trying to tune out the ninja who were coming up with an escape plan.
"Face it, we're lost."
I couldn't identify the voice and I frowned. Who else would be in the Underworld?
"I know, I know...well which way would you go?"
There was a long pause.
"I think you're...did you here that?"
"Echo!"
I jumped and turned to the other ninja. "What?" I asked.
"What are you doing?" Lucas asked.
"I heard someone," I replied, looking to the wall. "On the other side of the wall."
"It's thin?" Alex smiled. She pulled out a dagger. "Do you still hear them?"
I placed my ear on the wall, but after a long moment of silence I figured they were gone. I turned back to my sister. "No."
"Then step back," Alex said. I did so and she walked over, driving her dagger into the wall and cutting a large circle.
"It's not fair your powers aren't affected," Jay mumbled.
"Lots of things are unfair, Jay," Alex said, finishing the circle.
"My powers still work around venge stone," Zoey said with a frown.
"Oh, yay, lucky you, eh," Vanessa said.
"Not really," Zoey sighed.
Alex studied the wall for a moment. "Either we knock it down and draw attention, or someone comes up with a better plan."
"Uh...I vote knock it down," Kai said. "The skeletons should already know we're finding a way to escape."
"I say we find another way," Lucas said. "Don't ever risk it in the Underworld."
"We'll vote then," Zane said. "All in favor of knocking it down?"
I was tempted to raise my hand, but I didn't. Kai and Alex both put their hands up, Lloyd almost voting with them. First time they agreed on something though!
"All in favor of coming up with a better plan?" Cole asked. He, Zane, Jay, Lloyd, Lillie, Vanessa, Tove, Lucas and Zoey raised their hands. I kept my hand down though. We needed to get out quick, but I didn't want to draw the skeletons to us.
"Nine to two," Jay said.
"Echo still didn't vote," Alex argued.
"Either way, we're finding another way," Lloyd said.
I felt a weird feeling in my gut. Something wasn't right. I thought maybe my mind was getting back to the fact that we were underground. That maybe I only seemed over my fear because of how scared I was. I felt light headed and stumbled back into Lloyd.
"Woah, you okay?" he asked, concerned.
"I..." My voice faltered and I felt the twist again. My eye lids began to close and the world became dark.
So uh, review and don't flame.
