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Chapter Twenty Seven
Temptation Time
Cubby POV
Inhabitants of the temple of the Hills: 1. Me, Jake, Nikki and Skully: 0. Izzy's out of the picture, so the only one who can change the game now is Peter. This was absolutely hopeless.
I silently moped and grumbled as we ascended up the steps of the Temple in the Hills, Morgan following close behind, her tall figure casting a stark silhouette against the fading light. Her straight black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of shadows, adding to the air of mystery that surrounded her. She held a dagger to our backs, threatening to shishkabob us if we dared try and run away. Skully squawked nervously, unable to fly away with Morgan's grip tight around his tail feathers. Nikki, trailed nervously next to me, his every movement betraying his apprehension
I couldn't help but notice Morgan's lack of interest in Nikki's presence, for he wasn't with us when we first entered the temple. She hadn't questioned him…. until now.
Morgan's eyes seemed to bore into Nikki, her gaze sharp enough to cut through steel. It was as if she was trying to unravel some hidden truth buried beneath his skin. Nikki, sensing the intensity of her scrutiny, shifted nervously, his discomfort palpable in the air.
"So Cubby, who's your little friend here?" her voice dripped with curiosity, her tone laced with an undercurrent of something darker. Nikki's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he stumbled over his words, trying to find a suitable response.
"Uh….I…." he squeaked. Morgan's gaze shifted from Nikki to me, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Speechless is he?" she remarked, a hint of amusement coloring her words. I stepped in, attempting to ease the tension.
"Uh, no, he's just a little shy." I explain. I tried to maintain a casual demeanor, hoping to deflect Morgan's attention away from Nikki's discomfort.
"Well, he will not be so shy when he meets the Mistress. I'm sure he'll scream in shock when he sees her," Morgan's lips curled into a smirk as she turned her attention back to Nikki. "You never answered my question, little fella. What is your name?"
Nikki's voice trembled slightly as he replied,
"N-nikki."
Morgan paused, studying the little boy intently.
"Nikki? That's a nice name. You know something, you kinda look like this little pest I know, or maybe at this point - a little pest I knew," Her tone turned contemplative as she observed Nikki's features. "The tan skin, the chocolate hair, the small physique... it's just those bright blue eyes of yours that throw me off. Izzy doesn't have two miniature galaxies for the windows to her soul, no, just two plain brown orbs."
"Hey! Don't talk about my aunt that way!" Nikki bristled at her words, his defenses rising instinctively. Morgan's expression shifted and she halted in her steps, surprise flickering in her eyes.
"Your WHAT!?" she exclaimed. I couldn't help but smirk at the sudden vulnerability in Morgan's expression.
"Oh, didn't you know, Morgan? Nikki here is the son of Izzy's sister." I explained smugly. Morgan shook her head in disbelief.
"This can't be true!" she let out with uncharacteristic worry. I raised an eyebrow, unable to resist a jab at her.
"What? What's the matter with you? A little post-resurrection migraine or something?"
The black haired girl's expression turned serious as she pointed at Nikki.
"No, you fool! If he is who I think he is, then this changes everything!"
Nikki looked utterly confused.
"H-h-huh? What are you talkin' about?"
Morgan took a deep breath, her demeanor shifting as she prepared to reveal something significant.
"If you really are the child of Izzy's only sister, then you, my little friend, are the son of the Mistress of the Mountains."
Jake POV
Sitting here, alone just me and the Forever Tree, I let the weight of my decision crush me like a tidal wave. I wished I could just dissolve into nothing and become one with the soil that surrounded the magical tree, but I knew fate would not grant me such mercy. Guilt gnaws at my insides, consuming me with every passing moment. I can't shake the image of Cubby running in raw fear as this awful witch chases him to either his capture or doom. And then there was Izzy, lying on the cold floor of the dark dungeon, her life hanging in the balance, all because of me. Last of all poor Skully will be forced to watch this all go down and feel pitifully alone and abandoned when it all ends.
My gaze drifts up to the Forever Tree, its gnarled branches reaching towards the heavens, casting a lavender glow inside mount Destiny's interior. It stands as a symbol of all that is magical and wondrous about Neverland, but now it feels like a looming specter of my own failure, its ancient presence casting a shadow over my troubled thoughts.
Suddenly, Ria's return breaks through the silence, her descent marked by the gentle fluttering of Izzy's stolen pixie dust. I rise to my feet, my heart heavy with apprehension.
"Back so soon, huh?" I manage to choke out, trying to mask the turmoil within, but the weight of my words hangs heavy in the air.
"Sadly so." Ria responds nonchalantly, her voice echoing off the temple walls, as if her absence meant nothing at all. My anger flares at her casual demeanor.
"So, what? You find Cubby and Skully and take care of them?" I demand desperation seeping into my voice.
"Does this answer your question?" she responds and then produces a square of blue fabric, stained with what appears to be blood. My heart lurches in my chest as she hands it to me, the fabric cold and slick against my trembling fingers. It's Cubby's bandana, and dread grips me like icy fingers as I imagine the worst.
"You DIDN'T!" I exclaim, horror and worry tainting my words, the sound echoing the inner walls of Mount Destiny. Ria lets out one loud raspberry sound, followed by laughter that cuts through the tension like a knife.
"Ah ha HA! You should see the look on your face!" she cackles, her amusement infuriating me even more, the sound grating against my frayed nerves.
"What are you talking about!?" I seethe, my anger bubbling to the surface like molten lava. Ria's response only fuels my rage further.
"I'm just pulling your leg, you fool! Take a whiff! It's not really blood! I found that blue bandana in your room you two shared and spilled some wine on it and I thought why not have a little fun!?" she taunts, reveling in her own twisted sense of humor, the sound of her laughter echoing in the cavernous space.
My fists clench at my sides as I struggle to contain my fury, the muscles in my jaw tightening painfully.
"What is your problem!?" I shout, my frustration boiling over like a cauldron about to spill over. But Ria remains unfazed, dismissing my anger with a casual shrug, her expression unreadable.
"Is a witch not allowed to have a laugh every now and then?" she asks.
"Well, I'm happy to know that playing with the lives of my friends gives you a good laugh!" I retort bitterly, unable to mask the bitterness in my voice, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. Ria's laughter finally subsides, and her demeanor shifts as she reveals the true reason for her return, her eyes glinting with a sinister gleam.
"Oh, that wasn't playing with your friends' lives, Jake my lad," she says, her tone chillingly calm, sending shivers down my spine. My heart sinks as she produces the familiar purple vial, dangling it tantalizingly in front of me, the liquid swirling hypnotically within its glass confines. "This is." the Mistress slurs with a conniving smile. "I'm a very patient saleswoman, Jacob," she says, her voice laced with a sickening sweetness, the words dripping like honey from her lips. "Strike the tree just once, and this will be yours." Her offer hangs in the air like a poisoned apple, tempting yet deadly, the weight of her words heavy in the air.
"Why are you doing this to me?" I manage to choke out, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and frustration.
Ria's tone shifts abruptly, her eyes flashing with intensity.
"Listen to me, you little punk!" she growls, her words cutting through the air like a sharp blade. "Quite frankly I am getting sick of putting up with your whining for the last four hours! I am doing my best to try and suck it up but I will just say one thing: If you don't grab that axe and start chopping at this tree, I will make every soul in Neverland suffer because of you. You selfish little prick!"
Her threats strike deep, gnawing at my resolve. The weight of guilt presses down on me, suffocating any flicker of resistance. Reluctantly, with a broken heart, I grab the axe and approach the majestic Forever Tree. My hand trembles as I raise the axe, the weight of my betrayal heavy on my shoulders.
With a deep breath and after a tear falls from one of my green eyes, I muster all my strength and swing the axe with a single, forceful strike into the trunk of the tree. The sound reverberates through the chamber, a cruel testament to my surrender. The tree, once a symbol of hope and magic, now bears the scar of my betrayal.
As I step back, a surge of emotions floods through me—shame, regret, and an overwhelming sense of powerlessness. Ria's twisted victory hangs heavy in the air, suffocating any lingering hope. I turn away from the tree, unable to meet its glowing gaze, my heart torn between the agony of my choice and the burden of Ria's dark promises.
Now, I just stand in the shadow of the Forever Tree underneath the moonlight, its bright vibrant purple glow dimmed by my actions, I realize that I have crossed a line from which there is no return.
"There!" I spat, throwing the axe to the ground. "I did it! Happy!?"
Ria's laughter subsides into a chilling silence as she watches me with a sinister smirk.
"Congratulations lad," she says. "It's all yours." I glance up, my eyes meeting the glimmer of the purple vial. Izzy's salvation lies within my reach, but what a price I had just paid to get it. I swallow hard, my hands trembling as I reach out to accept the vial, the weight of my decision settling heavily upon me. Ria's eyes gleam with satisfaction as I grasp the vial, her gaze burning into my soul.
" Thank. You." I grumble.
"Oh you're very welcome," the Mistress replies. "Of course…you getting the cure doesn't really change much. Izzy getting the cure and actually drinking it, well ... .then it'll be mission accomplished. But I don't really see how you're gonna do that when you're trapped in here, and I'm the one with the pixie dust, the only-way-out."
I stare at the purple vial in my hand, feeling a sinking realization hit me like a punch to the gut. I've been played.
"You tricked me!" I growl, my voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear. Ria just laughs, a cold, mocking sound that echoes through the temple.
"No, I didn't. I promised you I'd give you the cure. And I just did. I never made any promises about Izzy getting it and actually drinking it. You really didn't think this through, did you?"she asked. "Now, I think I'll just hold onto this for safe keeping." she says, plucking the bike out of my hands and dropping into the folds of her robe. I didn't even bother trying to protest.
My mind races, trying to find a way out of this nightmare.
"So now what? I get to stay here looking just as evil as you while my friends die?"
Ria rubs her chin, pretending to think.
"That was the idea. But I'll tell you what, if you strike the tree once again like how you just did now, and do it repeatedly, I'll let you out."
I glare at her, my hands clenched into fists.
"Give me one good reason why I should believe you after you just scammed me into doing it the first time. Give me one good reason why anybody would listen to what you say!" I demand to know.
She giggles, a high-pitched sound that makes my skin crawl.
"Oh, you poor naive little boy. It's a simple answer, really," she says, her tone quickly becoming sinister as she pulls out a blade and holds its tip an inch away from my neck. "I END anybody who doesn't!" Her voice softens, dripping with malice. "However, there are worse things than death. Like not actually being put out of your misery yourself but watching those you care about, painfully say goodbye to this silly thing we all call life."
Her words cut deeper than the blade ever could. The thought of watching my friends suffer because of my choices tears at my insides. I look at the Forever Tree, its once majestic presence now a haunting reminder of my betrayal. My mind is a whirlwind of guilt, anger, and despair. How did I get here? How did it come to this? And most importantly, why me?
My eyes meet Ria's, her cruel smile never wavering.
"You really are a witch." I spit, my voice trembling with rage.
She just shrugs, unfazed.
"That I am. And I'm also the witch who holds all the cards. So for the fiftieth time, what's it going to be, Jake? Are you going to make the same mistake twice, or are you going to fight for your friends?"
I feel a tear slip down my cheek, my resolve crumbling under the weight of her threats. I don't have a choice. If I don't do what she says, my friends will die. But if I do stab the heart of Neverland continuously, I'll be just as evil as she is. Although did it really matter at this point? I know she definitely isn't going to keep her word about letting me out. After I've finished the job and taken all the magic out of Neverland, she'll probably just kill me or leave me here to rot along with the remains of the Forever Tree. So in the end, what I did didn't really matter because I won't be here to see the aftermath for someone will have already willingly taken my life ...be it Ria or myself.
"A-alright," I whisper after licking my lips nervously, my voice barely audible. "I'll do it."
"Atta boy." she says, with a gleam of triumph in her eyes.
With tears welling up in my eyes, (making me feel like the biggest weakling ever) I trudge toward the forever tree, axe clenched in my sweaty palm. The weight of it feels heavier now, heavier than it ever has before. It's like I'm carrying the burden of all my doubts and fears in that single, worn-out tool. As I draw closer, I can feel my heart hammering in my chest, a steady drumbeat of anxiety. I shut my eyes tight, blocking out the world, and raise the axe, preparing to strike at the tree that holds the key to all my troubles. But just as I'm about to let it fall, to let out all my pent-up frustration and anger, I feel it.
A pair of hands, warm and rough, wrap around my forearms, stopping me dead in my tracks. It's a shock to my system, like a bucket of ice water thrown over my head. I crack open one eye, then the other, and there he is.
Peter Pan.
He's floating there, right above me, looking down at me with wide, disbelieving eyes. It's like he's just as surprised to see me as I am to see him. And for a moment, all I can do is stare up at him, feeling like a deer caught in the headlights.
"WHAT in the Neverseas do you think you are doing!?" Peter's voice cuts through the silence, sharp and incredulous.
I let the axe slip from my fingers, relief flooding through me at the sight of him, even if it's to give me a good scolding.
"Out of all the times I call for you, only now do you show up?" I grumble, my voice thick with frustration.
But before Peter can respond, Ria chimes in, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Well, well, well, look who's decided to grace us with his presence!" she says, her words like needles in my ears. "The cock-a-doodle-douche bag himself! How've you been, Peter dear?"
Peter's jaw clenches, and he shoots Ria a glare that could melt steel.
"Perfectly fine until now," he retorts, his tone sharp as a knife. "But can I just say when I banish you somewhere, it means you have to STAY there!" he snaps, his frustration bubbling to the surface.
Ria just giggles, unfazed by Peter's anger.
"Oh, would you look at who's talking about 'staying places'!" she fires back, her words like a slap in the face. "The very brat who abandons his so-called home, leaving it completely unprotected and in the hands of an eight-year-old boy and his little sidekicks, yet returns to take all the credit when evil is stopped and Neverland is safe once more, because you're 'Peter Pan' and everybody knows you're always right because everybody loves you. That's a lot of narcissism you got there. Contrary to popular belief, the world does not revolve around you, my friend."
"Have I ever implied that it does?" Peter asks, his voice laced with confusion as he turns to face Ria.
But Ria just shrugs, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Well, ya know..." she trails off, her implication hanging in the air like a dark cloud.
"Cut that out!" Peter interrupts, his patience wearing thin. "It's all in the past, so just forget it! I'm here now, to get rid of you again."
Ria's grin widens, like a cat toying with its prey.
"Yes, because Peter Pan is never one to live off of the past. In fact, all he does is forget and lie about it. Right, Jake?" she says, turning to me with a knowing look in her eye.
My heart sinks, feeling like I've been thrown under the bus.
"Hey!" Peter shouts, pointing a finger at me. "Whatever she told you, it isn't true!"
"REALLY!" the Mistress shouts, not as a question though. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up as she strided closer to me. "Jake my boy, would you like to remind this poor deluded soul of what actually happened all those nights ago? Of what actually happened during his so called 'forever quest?'" she asked, her arm wrapping around my shoulder in a disturbing grip that neither Peter nor I welcome. I stay silent, frozen in place, unable to find the words to respond to her challenge. "Go on, don't be shy." she presses.
"Peter…" I begin. "Be honest with me...and I promise I won't tell anyone about this but..." My voice trails off, choked by the weight of the accusation I'm about to make.
"But what?" Peter asks in a gentle tone, a stark contrast to Ria's aggression, encouraging me to continue.
"Did you, or did you not become so obsessed with the Forever Tree's magic—that keeps you young forever—that you battled and banished every native Neverland inhabitant who told you it could possibly be dangerous?" The question hangs in the air, thick with accusation. Peter's silence is deafening, leaving me to wonder whether it's disbelief at the absurdity of the accusation or shock at being found out that renders him speechless.
But before Peter can respond, Ria interjects, cutting off any chance for explanation or denial.
"Well? We're waiting." she says, her tone dripping with smug satisfaction. Peter then shakes his redhead, as if doing so had just snapped him back into reality.
"No!" he shouted. "The answer to that is no! Jake, I swear to you that is not what happened, you have to let me explain—."
"Yeah, well too late for explanations, buddy," Ria declares, her voice oozing with confidence. "You see, Jake here has already joined my side, and together, we are going to revert Neverland back into the peaceful, magic-free world it once was."
Peter's disbelief is palpable, his glare piercing through the tension that hangs in the air.
"You can't be serious!" he protests, his voice tinged with desperation. "After everything we've been through, Jake, you're really going to stoop to this all because of some believable lie you've been fed!?"
"What? No! Of course not!" I protest, stepping away from Ria's grasp, my heart pounding with uncertainty. Peter's arms remain crossed, his skepticism evident as he challenges me to explain my actions.
"Oh, really? Then explain why you were just chopping away at the Forever Tree!" Peter demands, his voice a mix of frustration and hurt.
"I had no choice, Peter!" I blurt out, feeling the weight of my words. "I-I had to do it! For Cubby and Skully and Izzy! To protect them!" I plead, desperation evident in my voice.
"Cubby and Skully?" Peter echoes, confusion knitting his brow. "What are you talking about? They're fine, I just ran into them and they're the ones who told me you were in the temple so I went there. But you weren't there. Where were you then? Oh wait a minute, you're here, killing the Forever Tree!" Peter argues, his tone a mix of frustration and disbelief. "And on top of that, where's Izzy? She wasn't with Cubby and she's not with you, so what gives?" he pressed.
"I think I can answer that, Pan." Ria interjects, stepping forward with a smirk playing on her lips. I notice Peter's demeanor shift, his anger bubbling beneath the surface at the mention of her name.
"What have you done, you witch!?" Peter explodes, his voice rising with fury.
"Oh temper, temper," Ria chides, her voice dripping with amusement. "And you can stop calling me 'witch'. For alas, I have a name now."
"Really? And what is that?" Peter challenges.
"You see, boy, when you used my magic and turned me into a mortal infant and set me afloat on the Neverseas, I ended up in the mainland, more specifically on an island in the Caribbean. There, I was taken in by a lovely couple whose daughter you had already kidnapped. They raised me and gave me the name Maria. It means, 'the star of the sea'. But I also go by Ria for short." she explains, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips as Peter processes her words with stunned disbelief.
"I don't care what your name is. Where-is-Izzy!?" Peter demands, his voice tinged with panic.
Ria glances up at the dark sky, a calculating gleam in her eyes.
"Hmm...sun's not up yet so...she's still alive right now." she explains casually, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Still alive?" Peter bellows, turning to me with urgency. "Jake, what did she do to Izzy!?"
"More like 'what has Jake done to Izzy?'" Ris snickers. I put my hands on my hips and glare at her.
"You're acting like I'm the one who poisoned her!" I exclaim, feeling the frustration bubble up inside me.
"You see, boy, there's not just physical poison—which I admit I am guilty of—but there's also emotional poison, of which all fingers point to you." Ria says, her words slicing through the air like a knife.
"Jake, what is she talking about?" Peter asks, his red hair catching the moonlight. I can't bring myself to answer him. I just can't.
"Don't worry, I'll speak on your behalf," Ria offers with sickening sweetness, patting my shoulder as if she's some kind of twisted mother figure. She clears her throat before speaking. "You see, Pan, after yelling at dear little Izzy about how many problems she causes and how he wishes she was trapped on the Isle of the Bells again, Jake here really wanted to get out of the Temple in the Hills. So he traded his first mate for his own freedom." she explains. My jaw drops.
"I did not!" I snap. "She's lying, Peter! That's not what happened at all!" I exclaim, my voice cracking with desperation.
"Oh look who can talk all of a sudden," the witch mocks, her grin widening. "What? Are you going to deny that you traded your little sidekick away to me?" she asks, cunningly.
"Well I….yes…I did." I admit, reluctantly.
"Hah!" the Mistress lets out. "See?" she asks, facing Peter and pointing at me. "He is a liar, mister flier." she slurs. I let out a large huff and started to explain.
"Peter, Izzy's been poisoned by a snake, and if she doesn't get the cure in time, the venom will kill her at sunrise. She told me that if I cut down the Forever Tree, she'd give me Izzy's cure. But I couldn't do it, Peter! I couldn't help her destroy Neverland! But she forced me to!" I exclaim, pleading for Peter to believe me.
Peter stays silent for a moment, then locks eyes with Ria.
"Why would you do this?" he asks, his voice cold and hard.
"You know why, you flying fool. You were there when it happened," Ria mutters, her eyes narrowing. "I was about to save Neverland all those years ago when SHE came and saw me, and then she had to go and bring you to come and banish me. If it weren't for her and her blabbermouth, I'd have gotten the job done!" she shouts, her voice filled with venom.
"Well, she's gonna die soon, so I hope you're happy!" I shout, my voice full of hurt and frustration.
"Not so fast Jacob. You had the chance to save her and you didn't take it." the Mistress quipped.
"Jake?" I heard Peter squeak. I turned to look at him. "You…..you didn't?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. I was about to answer, when Ria's commentary beat me to it.
"You're really losing it when you choose a plant over the life and well being of your first mate." she criticized
"I did what I had to!" I exclaimed. "It was either Neverland or Izzy! You would've made the same choice Peter and you know it!"
"Besides," Ria said. "The girl was nothing but an envious liar."
"You keep quiet! You don't even know here!" Peter shouted.
"And neither do you when you really think about it. You never really cared about Izzy, Cubby or Skully. This one is the only one you paid attention to!" she crackles, pointing at me. "That's called favoritism, Peter Pan. So I favored Izzy."
"Yeah, as your victim!" I let out.
"Call her whatever you want, she'll be history in two and a half hours," Ria says, nonchalantly. "I'm sick of talking about her. Let's talk about you Pan," she pauses to smile. "I have something for you as a matter of fact."
"Really? You shouldn't have." Peter retorts, his sarcasm heavy in the air.
"Yep, you should thank your lucky stars," Ria quips back, a smirk playing on her lips. "But tonight, I'm feeling a bit magnanimous."
Peter raises an eyebrow.
"And what exactly are you planning to 'give' me?"
Ria taps her chin, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Well, it's more about what I'm taking away." she corrects herself, her voice laced with dark amusement. Peter's expression darkens.
"What?"
"It's something you cling to, something you flaunt like it's a blessing," Ria continues, her words like venom. "But deep down, you know it's nothing but a curse. A curse that shackles you to a life of eternal suffering. I know because I once bore it too, until I was freed from its grasp. It's what keeps you from having a family, from finding peace. It's what haunts your every step, Peter Pan, it's the very thing that prevents you from seeing the poor, late Wendy," Ria's smile widens, her eyes glinting with malice. "This curse, my friend, is the curse of your everlasting youth, and I may just be able to help free you from it."
To Be Continued….
Wow that one was long. Anyways, please review. Say what you think or ask any questions. Or just type a smiley face.
Oh! I almost forgot. No chapter next week and probably the week after (exam prep week and actual exam week) But, come June 1, it'll be smooth sailing! So stay tuned!