~Alright, for anyone reading this story I'll still keeping up with my goal to never leave a story unfinished (Check my profile if you really care about it). So here's the next chapter~
Vern, Doyle, Cally, and Lance all stared with a mix of fright and anger at the Puppet Master who was calmly walking towards them.
"I seem to have come at a bad time." The Puppet Master said tauntingly.
"Leave us alone." Doyle commanded, standing in front of the kids.
"After all they done against me? I don't think so." The Puppet Mater replied coldly.
"We were just trying to protect ourselves!" Cally yelled.
"It doesn't matter," replied the Puppet Master, "I will have my revenge."
"I won't let that happen." Doyle replied sternly. The puppet master turned to Vern.
"You have so much potential; why do you hide behind this weakling? You can have all the power you want if you join me." He said smiling cruelly.
"I don't trust your side." Vern said, not breaking eye-contact with him.
"You are aware of the consequences of not following my lead. I will have to treat you like anyone else who gets in my way." The Puppet Master said, now glaring at Vern.
"Like I care, I can take you." Vern replied, though he shifted uncomfortably.
"Don't play the hero, Vern." Cally whispered, warning Vern. The puppet master stepped towards Vern.
"Illi excusso." The Puppet master said, casting a beam of magic to hit Vern. Vern fell backwards and clutched his stomach in pain.
"Not so tough now, are you?" The Puppet master sneered. "I'll be back and you four better be more... well mannered." With that, he left the room with a confident air. Doyle, Cally and Lance went to see if they could help Vern, who was gasping in pain. Doyle checked his books.
"Sana." Doyle commanded. Vern began to look better, at least not in as much pain as he was in when the beam hit him.
"Thanks." Was all he managed to say.
"Now you see why we need to use more than power spells. You're... We're lucky he didn't use a stronger attack spell." Doyle lectured.
"Maybe you're right, but I will learn all the spells that you claimed I wasn't mature enough to handle." Vern replied as he slowly stood up. Doyle decided that this wasn't the best time to voice his objections to Vern's stubbornness.
"We need a plan in the event he comes back." Doyle said. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"We can use the rope so if he trips on it we'll be able to tell if he's here." Lance suggested. Cally and Lance set to work on tying the rope near the door as Vern and Doyle went to the back room to look for anything that could help.
"Hey Cally, I was thinking about how... If I didn't go to the comic book store that day, or even if I didn't stay late enough for you to have to get the groceries by yourself, neither of us would be in this mess." Lance whispered to her.
"Lance, you're not seriously blaming yourself for this, are you?" Cally replied. Lance nodded slowly.
"Lance, it wasn't your fault it was...Omen." Cally's voice took on a sad tone as she said the name of the person who so bravely sacrificed himself for her, so soon after she forgave him. It still hurt her to think about it and Lance knew this.
"Cally, I'm sure he'll be fine; Omen's tough, he can handle it." Lance said reassuringly. Normally he would be frustrated at Cally still being upset over a guy but he understood that Omen meant a lot to her. Cally nodded and continued working with Lance.
An uncomfortable silence fell in the room as Doyle and Vern worked to find anything to help their fight.
"Thanks for saving me back there." Vern said slowly, as if he was unsure what to say.
"I wasn't going to let you or anyone get hurt." Doyle replied. He wanted to tell Vern how he wished they could work it out, but he didn't. "How's teaching yourself magic going?" He added.
"Why do you care?" Vern scoffed.
"You just need to pace yourself." Doyle advised. He expected an angry response from Vern, but all Vern did in reply was give a quick nod. At that moment, Cally and Lance entered the room.
"It's getting late. I think we should try and get some rest so we can be prepared if he attacks in the morning." Doyle told the others. Cally and Vern got ready to sleep, Vern went to the back room and Cally slept in the store area. Lance tried to go to bed, but something serious was weighing on his mind. He noticed that Doyle was still awake and went to talk to him.
"How long do you think we'll be trapped here?" Lance asked.
"I don't know, Lance." Doyle replied wearily.
"We don't have many supplies so if he keeps us here much longer..." Lance didn't want to finish that sentence, there was enough food for them to have during the day, but both of them knew that it wouldn't last for long.
"Just... try to get some rest, I'll think of something." Doyle promised, though he was just as, if not more, worried than Lance.
"Alright, thanks Doyle." Lance replied. Lance fell asleep in the back room as well, but close enough to the door he'd be able to hear Cally call if she had to. Doyle sat up and thought. Maybe Vern was right. He realized that the Puppet Master was slowly attacking them by trapping them here, surely such cruelties weren't below him. Maybe they had to fight to survive but were they ready- Was he ready?
~There will be at least one more chapter~