Alex knelt next to Rei, while Glenn was busy freeing Dryden. Pulling the dagger out of Rei, he noticed that it had no blood on it what so ever. Dryden was glad to be free, but in a pretty much foul mood, for having to wake up so early and being tied to stake.
"Is she alright?" Glenn asked, trying to sound casual.
"She looks ok to me…" Dryden trailed off.
The dark figure swooped down and landed in the grass behind the trio, who didn’t even notice. It muttered in the language of magic, "Kjmbu yo Sinyaa inn!"
A dense almost liquid like fog covered the clearing. Not even the caster of the spell could see through it, but that didn’t matter. It clasped it’s hands together to cast a teleportation spell, "Shjhiieen Kan sanijii youhshou!"
With that, all the beings and the fog in the clearing disappeared. Awhile later, Alex awoke to find himself in a strange room. The room was cluttered with dust covered books all over shelves, tables, and even in stacks on the floor. Most of the covers of the books were worn and those that he could spot were in strange script, most likely in the language of magic. Seeing a very important paper, Alex grabbed it, for later reading. There was also a caldron, vials and test tubes on the tables also, which could be read clearly. The vials were labeled as some of the strangest things, such as eye of pollywog and eyelash of the triclopes. Alex was just glancing at one of these vials when the sound of thumping up the stairs was heard.
"Bring me the girl. With her in my control, nothing shall stop us!" the owner of the voice had been the dark shadow in the clearing.
"Yes, milady Anju," the owner of the voice was unrecognizable. The sound of the big wooden door creaking sent Alex to stand behind it to hide.
The beast that walked in was an ugly critter; it seemed to be a mostly lizard-like beast that walked on two legs. It’s ugly tail swayed as it walked in. The lizard beast walked in and took a look around, with its back to Alex. Seeing his opportunity, Alex jumped at the creature, his arms around its neck. Since the lizard was taller, Alex’s feet dangled in the air. The lizard produced a high pitch shrill then it bucked him off, throwing him upside down across the room, to splat against the wall. Alex stumbled to his feet and reached for his sword. But his sword had been taken away while he had been out cold.
At the sound of the commotion Glenn woke up, just as more lizard creatures shoved themselves through the door. Behind them walked in, Anju. Alex stared at Anju, recognizing her from somewhere…perhaps the same place he had heard the Ballad of Hope.
"What is taking so long? Get the girl already!" demanded Anju.
"Alex, block her!" yelled Glenn from the middle of the swarm of lizards.
Alex stood in-between Anju, the dark princess, and Rei.
"Out of my way boy, if you know what’s good for you!" Anju demanded. But Alex stood his ground. "Alright, if that’s the way you want it!"
Anju pulled out a whip from a pouch. "Now move!" She cracked the whip above Alex’s head, but he didn’t even flinch. "Fine then! I really will strike you!"
The whip flashed and a cut appeared out of nowhere on Alex’s arm. Still standing there, without loosing any ground, Alex accepted eight more blows. He had to protect Rei, for who knew what Anju had in store for her. Again the whip cracked, and Alex dropped to his knees. The lizards held down Glenn.
"I change my mind," Anju said thoughtfully,
"I think we’ll take these two out of here and lock them in the cellar!"
The lizards dragged Alex, Glenn, and Dryden
through the dank, dark, stone halls of the Dark Princess Anju’s castle.
After traveling through halls that had mold growing on the walls, they
finally came to the dank cellar.
The guards threw them in, locked the door, and then walked off, working on their snarls.
"Well, what do we do now?" questioned Glenn. Alex just stared at him, then remembering he had something in his pocket, he pulled it out and stared at it blankly.
"What’s that?" Glenn pulled the paper
away from Alex. "Let’s see…
August 32, 9035
Honorable High Dark Overlord Hotohori,
The Light Warrior of Fire is in my position.
In five days we shall be traveling to your castle in Junaria to wait for
further commands. In the mean time I shall find the other three Light
Warriors, including my son, to bring them with me. . I sense the
other Light Warriors are close. The essence of the fifth warrior
shall be brought with us so we can force it to give the power to one of
our henchmen. Please let me know, father, if there is anything else
you ask of me.
Your alleged daughter,
Princess Anju
"They’re planning on taking Rei to Junaria?" Glenn was confused.
"Sounds like it," replied Dryden.
"Oh, good to see you’re awake," Glenn mumbled.
"We have to get out of here, we have to save Rei!"
"Um, how?" Dryden asked.
Alex limped over to the door and pulled a set of keys out of his pocket. "How on earth did you…wait, maybe it’d be better if I didn’t know!" Glenn stared, shocked while Alex grinned.
With the key, Alex was able to unlock the door and the group sneaked their way back up to the room they had been in before.
"She’s not here! Where could they have moved her?" Glenn was worried. The group split up and searched the room, looking for any sign of their missing companion.
"Hey Glenn, come look what Alex’s found!"
Dryden called, from where she was looking at a bottle Alex had brought
to her.
"What’s an essence?"
"An essence is kind of like a spirit," Glenn replied, coming up behind them. "What the heck? That jar is labeled Essence of earth!"
"What does that mean?" Dryden wondered.
"This must be what that letter was talking about, the fifth Light Warrior! I wonder if these Light Warriors are the same people as the guardians from the legend my mother believed in!" Glenn was excited, "Here take this Alex and hold on to it."
It was handed to Alex, who tripped over a book as he tried to put it in his sack. The jar broke open and a yellow mist escaped from it. An apparition appeared before them. It was a boy of about age 10, but something was odd about him. Something just wasn’t right. Maybe it was the pointed ears, wondered Glenn.
--- End of Part 11---