Chapter Four: The Search
"Malorn," said a voice next to me. I slowly turned my gaze toward the direction of the voice. I looked up and saw my mom there. I was back on duty again once I was better. Only smaller search parties were being sent out now as it had been so long. But some of the teachers would leave to go search for her.
"Yeah...?" I asked, numbly. Dalia looked down at me and sighed.
"Malorn, we'll find her. She's a strong young wizard. She'll be fine."
I shook my head. "I don't care whether or not she's fine," I spat. "I want to see her and know that she's alive."
She sighed again and put a hand on my shoulder. "We'll find her."
Just then, a small puff of smoke appeared next to us with the face of the Headmaster floating within it.
"Headmaster!" I cried. "Have you found her?" He was on the last expedition himself.
"I'm afraid not," he replied solemnly. I looked down. "However, I need your help." I snapped my head up at the request.
"Yes sir."
"I need you as well as Samantha Moonheart, Cole Legend, and Ryan Wyldflame to go to the Sunken City and investigate. It is a grueling task, and the Sunken City is a dark, unwelcoming place. But we need students that are close to her to try there. Are you up for the task at hand?"
"Yes sir!" I replied with a quick salute. "I won't let you down!"
Ambrose's eyes opened slightly wider at my sudden respect for him. He knew I wasn't one for following orders, but he didn't comment and simply smiled. "I'm glad. Come to my office immediately. The others are already here to collect their supplies."
"On it!" I waved my staff and the cloud disappeared.
"I see you're leaving then," Mom said. She smiled at me, but I could see the worry in her eyes.
"I'll be alright." She bent down and hugged me tightly.
"Be careful, okay?"
"I will be." Then, a couple of Life students walked by, laughing. I quickly let go of her and brushed myself off. Mom laughed. "Oh, shut up!" I yelled at the kids.
"Don't get too hotheaded while you're there. That can get pretty dangerous and could put you and the others at risk."
"I know. I'll be fine. I'm going to find Nicole. I'm going to bring her back, unharmed if it's the last thing I do."
"I know you will." She kissed me on the forehead and started to walk inside to the Fire School. "Be safe." And with that, she was gone.
"Even if I have to take down my father…." I added under my breath.
*Two seconds later...*
"Hello, Malorn," the Headmaster greeted. "These are some of Nicole's friends. Samantha Moonheart here-"
"Yeah, I know. I've met them before. Sam's the Thaumatuge, and Cole's the Life dude."
"And this is Ryan. Ryan is a student of the Fire School, studying alongside Nicole."
"Hey, what's up?" he said, holding out a hand. "I'm Ryan."
"Malorn," I replied without even looking at him. I folded my arms across my chest.
"And now that you've all met," Ambrose continued, "these are some of the supplies you'll need in the Sunken City." Ambrose waved his staff and four backpacks appeared in front of us. Each one had the colors of our schools. "In these backpacks, you'll find items that will help you on your journey. Also, you'll find some treasure cards, as well as new necklaces for each of you. Use them wisely." He waved his staff again, and each bag zoomed toward us. I caught mine before it hit me. Cole caught his smoothly in one hand, Ryan caught his with a swift swipe of his hand, and Sam's slammed her in the stomach and knocked her off her feet and onto her ass. Cole rushed over to help her up immediately.
"Smooth…." I said, rolling my eyes.
"Shut up, Malorn!" Cole snapped at me. He stood up and glared at me.
"Make me," I said, darkly. My hands balled into fist with small skulls and black dust shooting out of them. Cole's hands were glowing bright green with yellow sparks flying. I stepped toward him, but then Ambrose waved his staff and an absorption spell was cast on each of us. Even if we hit each other, we wouldn't feel it.
"Enough! Malorn, you must have more self-control if you want to go on this mission!" I hung my head in embarrassment. "And Cole, I'm surprised at you. Do not encourage him."
"Yes sir," he replied gruffly.
"Now then. You all best be off. I wish you good luck, and be careful."
"We will, sir," Ryan replied.
All of us walked to the door. The second we were teleported outside, Cole stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
"You listen, and you listen well," he told me. He jabbed a finger into my chest. "Make one mistake, one slipup, and you won't have to worry about which side to choose anymore. Got it?"
"What are you talking about?" I said narrowing my eyes at him.
"You know what I mean. Your father, of course. Him killing your mom must've messed you up. You almost fought me right in front of the Headmaster. You have self-control issues because of all of that. Admit it."
"I don't have to admit anything to you!" I balled up my hands again and started shaking. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder next to me. I looked to the right and saw Ryan standing there.
"Guys, cool it. So Malorn's a jerk, we get it," he said. I almost lost it, but he laughed, so he must've meant it as a joke. "And Cole over here is being too sensitive as always. So why don't we just take a chill pill from Sam and head out there and save our friend? Alright?" Ryan looked at Cole and then to me. He held out his hand again. "I'm Ryan. Nice to meet you, buddy."
"Malorn. Malorn Ashthorn." I shook his hand, greeting him properly now.
"Come on guys!" Sam called from the waterfall. She was on her Enchanted Broom and ready to go. "If we don't hurry, she could be in even more trouble than she already is!"
I looked to Cole and Ryan, nodding my head at them. In a flash, I was on Kalohae, with Cole on a Black Stallion and Ryan with Seraph Wings.
"Come on! Let's move out!" I called. All of us sped through the Commons and past the waterfall to Nightside.
"Man, I forgot how dark it is over here," Cole said. "It's been awhile."
"That's why it's called Nightside," I commented. Cole rolled his eyes.
"Whatever," Ryan said, "Can we just get in there already?"
"It's fine with me if it's fine with you," Cole said.
"Well then let's go already! We have to go save her!" Sam added. "Ready?"
"Ready," we said in unison. Together, we all ran onto the blue platform. The yellow clock started ticking down.
"Four..." Sam said.
We're gonna find her. We have to.
"Three…." Cole said.
I can see her face, hear her beautiful voice, and smell her scent in the air around me...
"Two…." Ryan said.
I need her. And in that moment, even if it is just to save her and nothing more, she needs me.
"One!"
All of us were transported inside.
The city streets were black with murk and so was the sky... no stars. Fog covered the entire area, making it impossible to see too far ahead, and the trees were all dead, as was the atmosphere. Everywhere you looked were Lost Souls... waiting for a kill.
"This is cheerful," Sam commented.
"Very," Ryan added.
"My kinda place," I said. Everyone turned to me. "What?" Sam and Ryan laughed and Cole face-palmed.
"Well, if it is, then maybe you can help us get through here," Cole said. "We've all been here before, but we still need to get through this place alive."
"Hey," Ryan started, "What's with the bags?" All of us took our backpacks off and saw them glowing different colors.
"Dunno," I said. I threw the flap back and dug through the bag. Inside, there was an item that felt slightly warm. I pulled it out and realized it was the necklace Ambrose was talking about. "These must be the pendants the Headmaster gave us."
"But... they're not for our own schools," Sam said.
"That's good," Ryan instructed. "In case we fight something in the same school as us, we have an alternative.
"Oh!" Sam gasped. An enlarged blue card appeared in front of her with a picture on it. "Mine's a helephant!"
"Mine's a Colossus!" Ryan said. His card came up and then Sam's turned into a glowing red orb, and Ryan's turned into a glowing blue orb. Both of the orbs grew brighter and brighter before finally absorbing into their skin.
"Mine's a Wraith," Cole said, numbly. His card glowed black and absorbed into him.
Then, a card appeared in front of me. There was a picture of a hand pointing through a cloud.
"You got Regenerate!" Ryan exclaimed. I looked carefully at the card and saw what it does.
"I can heal?"
"Only once though," Cole said. "These are item cards. You only get them once in a match."
"Right." My card turned bright green and absorbed into my skin. It felt warm and smelled like pine.
"Alright, let's map this out," Ryan said. He tossed his book up and the map opened up huge for us to all see it. "Okay, we're here," he said, pointing to the Nightside main entrance. "And we have these places to check for her. Here," he pointed to the first tower, "here," the second, "here," the third, "and finally... Grubb." He pointed to the main castle at the end of the road. "My thinking is that we stick together."
"No," Cole said. "I think we should split into two teams. The first team will take on the first two towers, and the second will take the third and try to get Grubb. Then the first team will meet up with the second team to beat him together. We'll cover more ground that way."
"Sounds like a plan," I said.
"Then it's decided," Ryan concluded. He waved his sword and the map closed. He put his book away. "Team One will be Sam and I. Team Two will be Malorn and Cole."
"No way!" Cole said. "I am not going with him!"
"But having your opposite with you would be the best battle tactic," Sam offered.
"But what if they have resistance to one and use a minus 80 percent damage shield for the other?" I asked. "'Cause then we're screwed."
"He's got a point," Cole said. I rolled my eyes.
"Fine," Ryan agreed, "Cole and I will go together, and Malorn and Sam will go together. Fair enough?"
"I'm cool with that," I said to Sam.
"That's fine by me," she said.
"Alright, let's go!" Ryan spread out his wings again and Cole got on his horse. "We'll meet you down by Grubb if we don't find anything!" And then they took off.
"Let's go, Sam."
"Right."
I hopped on Kalohae, and Sam got on her broom.
"We're gonna find her," Sam said.
"We have to."