Hello, everyone! Oh my gosh, I'm a terrible person. I think we have established this already, though. So, without further ado, here's chapter 6!
Blue flames rose up to ceiling, just transparent enough to see what they surrounded. Hades, god of the underworld, was forcing Angelica's soul from her body, while Genevieve, the only other behind the wall of fire, sang so loud that it was more like shouting. The golden tips of her hair shimmered, blocking Hades from getting the little girl's soul much farther than a few inches. With a menacing yell, the fire atop his head turned red with anger, and he conjured up a small object, throwing it so that it pierced Genevieve's neck. She yelped and fell backwards, allowing Hades to take Angelica's soul and disappear along with the wall of fire. Lance, who had been struggling to get through, knelt beside his sister's unconscious body. "Angel? Angelica?!" Brook bent down to examine her as well, while Rosette looked over Genevieve instead, whom had a hand hovering above where the thing had hit her. Rei sat down beside her, allowing her to lean on him. The rest stayed back, afraid to crowd the scene.
"Those bastards..." Lance whispered through the lump in his throat. He had failed her. His beautiful sister that had been so supportive of him, so wise for a girl of five-years-old. Jane, who had rushed downstairs to see the spectacle, put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
She hesitated, before taking a deep breath. "It isn't too late. I know someone who may be able to help you get your sister back." Lance's eyes dried almost instantly as he stood up and grabbed Jane by her shoulders, a little too forcefully.
"Who?! Who is it?!" he demanded. James ran over to them and forced Lance to let go of his mother.
"Hey, stop it! Don't grab my mum like that, do you hear me?" Reluctantly, Lance ran a hand through his hair and nodded shortly. Turning, James pleaded with his mother. "If you know how to help them, mum, I want to be a part of it. They obviously aren't safe here, or anywhere for that matter." Still shaken from being grabbed, Jane cautiously continued speaking.
"My old friend, Alice, can get you to the Underworld. She has... um...experience with rabbit holes," she explained, rubbing her shoulders. She turned to face James. "As for you, sir, if you really want to help, you can get Angelica, Genevieve, and Rei safely over to Peter's house."
James opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it. Rosette interrupted the conversation with a shaky tone. "I'm afraid I've got some more bad news." Rei was pale as he watched Genevieve, trying not to imagine the worst for his friend. "That dart Hades shot at Genevieve was a necromancy dart. If we don't get Hades to take the poison out of her, Genevieve will..." She could not finish.
"Gen what?" Rei asked, his voice smaller and drained of its usual mischief. Rosette shook her head, and he buried his face in Genevieve's hair. This was not okay. He was not going to lose his friend.
Lance intervened. "But that's not going to happen. We're going to get both of them back." He started looking around at everybody in the room. "Okay. So we've settled who's going and who isn't, correct?" James nodded, and picked up Angelica in his arms.
"Can you help her stand?" James asked Rei, whom was hesitant, but he eventually stood up with Genevieve. With a sharp nod, James led them out the front door. Gladice heard the car start outside and drive off.
Jane stopped the rest before they could follow. "You must be dense if you're thinking of going out there without proper supplies. Come on," she instructed, leading them down a corridor, into an old door on the left. Stopping in front of a door, she thought about all the times she had sworn she would never use it. But now, she thought it was for the best. When she flipped up the light switch, the room illuminated, revealing countless weapons and armor lining the walls. "Each of you choose one weapon and one piece of armor. I'll be waiting in the front."
They instantly started rummaging around, trying to find just the right gear to suit their needs. Gladice ended up choosing a medium length silver sword, with a pair of lightweight, but durable, iron boots. Lance grabbed a longer, ebony-handled sword, and a bulky chestplate. Rosette chose a crossbow, with an adjustable quiver, along with a bronze helmet. Evan took a pirate pistol, and a few pouches of gun powder, and pieces of leather armor to cover his arms and knees. Melody decided on two metal gauntlets with retractable knives. Brook didn't feel entirely comfortable with weaponry, so she picked out a golden shield, with a light chestplate. Thalia easily took one of the few war axes and dawned a Norse helmet. As the small group exited, Jane mentally critiqued their choices. But she said nothing, and instead gave them directions to Alice's home in the countryside. "You won't be able to use any more pixie dust," she explained. "They can track it too easily. And James took the car, so you're going to have to walk. to the bus stop." Sighing regretfully, she sent them out into the streets.
Even with assistance from the bus, took at least three hours to reach the small house, and everyone was exhausted by the time Alice answered the door. The distance from her home to the bus stop was so ridiculously far, Brook was surprised no one had passed out. Alice gasped at the sight of the sagging group of teens. "Goodness, you all look exhausted! Jane told me you would be stopping by, so before you go, please, drink some rejuvenation potion, please. You will fill so much better. I'll prepare the rabbit hole." Each of them gratefully sipped the refreshment, and their strength was replenished. Brook relished the tasty liquid, risking a smile at Lance, but he did not notice, and she pouted slightly. Moments later, Alice had returned. "Right, then. Everyone into the garden. The rabbit hole is between the roses and the tulips. Oh! And, do try to be quiet. My sons and daughter are sleeping." They thanked her, and walked out the back door.
Walking through the garden was like a maze. Finding the roses proved to be a challenge; everywhere they turned there seemed to be a dead end. Brook eventually spotted the tiny hole, and it was… disappointing. Instead of a shining or magnificent or big entrance, it really was just an ordinary rabbit hole. Actually, that made sense, the more she thought about it. "Are… are ya sure this'll take us to the underworld?" Thalia asked hesitantly, clearly not convinced.
Lance shrugged and bent down to crawl into the tiny hole. He was about to push himself out, but a strange sort of wind was pulling him down further. He had to use every ounce of self control to prevent himself from screaming. The only sound was a tiny squeak Brook let out as the hole swallowed him. "W-well, let's not keep him waiting," Brook stated. The others followed Lance's example single file, each of them seeing mysterious floating objects as they fell.
After falling for what seemed to be an eternity, the group finally found themselves stranded on a large platform above a sea of souls, their wails the only noise in the enormous cavern. There were similar platforms scattered around, each looking bare and undesirable. A large castle-like building stood in the center, towering over the sea of death.
"That's where we need to go. We have to move fast, or else we may never find your Angelica's soul," Rosette stated. Lance nodded, and the group made their way down some old stone steps that led to a decrepit boat on the river of the dead, with a ghastly figure holding the oar. The figure held out one bony hand, and Kaise, the only one of the with money, gave it eight golden coins. It dropped them off at the bottom of the castle-like structure, and Galdice furrowed her eyebrows. The walls were beginning to fade, and she was walking forward for some reason. Her friends were shouting, but she could not tell why. All she knew was that she had to keep going forward.
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~Peace Out- Icee~