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Stand Your Ground: Legend of the Monster – and the Firebird that Never Returned
Chapter 9
Out of Time
Iridessa pulled away from her bonds just moments after the fire sprang up and filled the top of the cavern with smoke. The fairies quickly flew down and looked around for Vidia.
"Vidia!" Scruffy saw her inside the circle of fire.
Vidia dodged again as the salamander tried to crush her. She dodged another swing, then something caught her eye. The stick that Rosetta had grown for her – or half of it – was lying nearby. She scrambled to her feet and ran to it. She ducked another blow, then grabbed the stick. She set it so that one half was on a flat rock, and the other hung off. She stood in the middle. The salamander brought his hand down to crush her, but she stepped onto the stick next to the boulder and he moved his hand so he wouldn't crush his hand on the sharp rock. Unintentionally, he hit the stick.
"AH!" Vidia yelled in fear as she was catapulted into the air, soaring just over the flame, and then starting to fall downwards. She impacted Rosetta, who had been hovering in the air, and they both fell, but Rosetta managed to slow them down and they both landed gently on Scruffy, who let them use him as a pillow.
"Are you okay?" Vidia, Rosetta and Scruffy all spoke at the same time, each speaking to another person. "I'm fine." they spoke together again,
Tinkerbell, Silvermist, Fawn and Iridessa landed next to them.
"Are you guys okay?" Silvermist asked, anxiously.
"Yeah, we're fine." Vidia replied, then she turned and looked at the salamander, who was vainly trying to douse the flames by blowing on them.
The flames were drawing inwards. The fire was burning taller, almost to the ceiling. There was no room to jump.
Vidia climbed onto Scruffy's back. "Take me up to talk to him." She directed.
He obeyed, and the other fairies flew up after them.
"Put out the fire." Kemalth ordered "When it goes out I'll come after you, steam or not, and eat every last one of you."
"It's my choice whether to let you live or not." everyone turned in surprise.
Silvermist flew forward. "I'm the only one that can put out the fire. I'm the water fairy."
"Then put it out!" the salamander demanded. "Now!"
"I don't think so." Silvermist put her hands on her hips. "You tried to kill us all – you've imprisoned me twice. You specifically went after Vidia, and she doesn't even have wings. I think I might let you burn to death."
"Let him go, Sil." Tinkerbell told her. "He isn't worth it."
"But Vidia is." Silvermist narrowed her eyes. "You have one chance at life. Tell us where the Firebird tears are."
"I don't have any."
"Then you die." Silvermist turned away.
"NO! I do have the tears." Kemalth admitted. "Put out the fire and I'll get them." He pulled his tail away from the fire.
"No." Silvermist shook her head. "You'll tell Fawn and Dessa where they are. They'll get them."
"Go into the tunnel through the door behind me. Go to the left. There's another cavern on the right, just before the tunnel dead-ends. It's sitting in the corner in there."
"Check it out." Tinkerbell requested.
Fawn and Iridessa left to find it.
"I didn't know Sil had that kind of backbone." Vidia whispered in Scruffy's ear. He nodded.
They waited for a moment, then they heard Fawn whoop in joy.
"We've got it!" she shouted, coming into the cavern with Iridessa close behind.
Fawn handed it to Vidia.
"Hang on a minute." Tinkerbell stopped them. She turned to Kemalth. "You're going to drink one of those before Vidia does."
"All right." Tinkerbell flew the vial to him and let him drink one tear.
He did so willingly. Tinkerbell watched him closely, and glanced down as she noticed his foot healing abnormally fast.
"They must be the Firebird tears." Tinkerbell pronounced. "His foot is healed."
Silvermist pulled water from the ground and put out the fire.
The salamander jumped from the circle of still hot pixie dust.
"Let's go." Scruffy turned to leave the cavern.
"Wait!" Kemalth called.
"What is it?" Vidia answered.
"You said that if I didn't hurt you friends you would set me free. I didn't hurt you or your friends. Honor your bargain."
Vidia gestured to Scruffy to go over to the monster.
He stopped in front of the salamander's face.
"You tried to hurt all of us too many times to count." Vidia pointed out. "And a brave Firebird died so that you would be imprisoned."
She paused. "But you're right. You didn't hurt my friends. I gave you a choice." she leaned forward. "You chose wrong. So get used to it. Home sweet home." Scruffy turned away and took Vidia back to the other fairies.
The salamander was still as he watched them leave.
The fairies turned into the tunnel and flew toward the light that seeped all the way down to where they were.
They flew for several minutes in silence, but all jumped when they heard the Salamander shouting behind them.
"I hope you're happy! You're still too late!"
"Ignore him." Vidia instructed.
"What does he mean? Too late?" Scruffy asked as they all emerged from the cave, flying into the sunlight.
"He means that it's almost noon." Iridessa realized, pointing at the sun high in the sky. "Vidia, quick, drink the tear!"
Vidia pulled out the vial and gulped down the tear.
She waited for her friends to say something. One way or another. The silence continued.