The Temple of Nightmares

Chapter 5 - Ritchie

He needed to reach them. That Ritchie knew and dreading the idea if he didn't as he started sprinting towards the two. When he was close enough, he checked on David just to make sure he was alive at least.

He was. Ritchie let out a sigh of relief that quickly faded as he turned to deal with the other problem. Blake was struggling against- well he actually didn't know what it was, it kind of reminded him of both an octopus and a virus at the same exact time, and it was pitch black which wasn't helping his case.

But he could probably get rid of it easily if he just shot a lightning bolt at it, if it didn't kill it, it would distract it long enough for Blake to get out of its hold. Ritchie raised his left hand to shoot the bolt at the thing and just as he was about to shout to Blake to dodge, something happened.

Well, something didn't happen.

He couldn't feel his magic, nor could he activate it.

He realised that too late. Blake lost her footing with a startled scream and as Ritchie darted forward to grab onto her.

She was already gone. Just her scream echoing in Ritchie's mind as it repeated.

You let it take her.

You failed her.

He took in a shaky breath as he tried to get himself together. He can't help Blake and the others if he just stands here. Maybe if he can get David awake, he'll know more about the situation they are in. Ritchie whirled around to try to get David conscious.

But he was gone.

He. Was. Gone.

You failed him too.

Ritchie stumbled in disbelief. David was right there, and now he was gone too. It must have taken him when Ritchie tried to get to Blake. He doesn't even know what it is!

He balled up his fists in anger as he searched his surroundings of any signs for his guild mates, any signs that they were there. Any signs tha-

"RITCHIE, HELP ME!"

Brandon.

Ritchie whipped around to the direction he heard his brother's voice from, and he started moving towards it.

"RITCHIE PLEASE!"

Devin.

But that came from his left. He didn't know where to go, Brandon or Devin? Brandon or Devin.... Does he have to choose?

"MR. RITCHIE!"

Inmo

"RITCHIE HELP!"

Lucas.

"HELP US!"

"PLEASE"

Mario. Kit.

Ritchie was desperately looking around for some sign for any of them, so he could see where everyone was. But no. All he could do was listen to the rest of his family scream out for help as he helplessly stood trying to locate them.

He couldn't do anything. Anything! He just listened as each of his guild mates quieted down as it finally got them. And he couldn't do anything.

You failed them. Again.

"NO!" Ritchie screamed as he was unable to hold it back any longer. His knees buckled as he collapsed to the ground, and the tears that he was trying to keep hidden started flooding.

"PLEASE DON'T TAKE THEM...please" He pleaded. He didn't know what or who he was pleading to, but he was.

He was crying on the floor like a broken puppet, he probably looked pathetic. Ritchie laughed bitterly at his situation. Crying like a baby as he pleaded, no begged, for his family to not be taken from him while he was crumpled on the floor.

Truly pathetic. Ritchie thought as he tried to compose himself, he won't get anything done if he just sits here useless. So, he tried focusing on his hands to fully calm down. His hands that were holding the rest of him up, so he doesn't fully collapse to the ground, his hands where his left didn't have the Divinus Magia guild mark while his right hand-

Wait What? Ritchie was fully alert now as he realised that on his right hand where his guild mark should be is nowhere to be seen. His guild mark was gone- why was it gone?

Is it because he failed them? No. That's impossible. The only way to get rid of guild marks is with a spell that reverses the magical stamps that they use to give members their marks. Only the guild leaders can do that spell. Does that mean that Brandon- No. Ritchie shook his head. Brandon wouldn't do that.

Then why? Ritchie looked up to take in his surroundings once again. How did he get here again? He was at the guildhall, and then Inmo came barging in, telling them that the mission went wrong. Then- Oh right, the temple.

Then they should be in the temple, but this looks nothing like how it looked when they entered. Is it some sort of pocket dimension or....

Am I dreaming?

.

.

Everything faded.

.

*

Ritchie gasped as he woke up, for real this time. He tried to take in where he was, but the whole room was blurry, and as his vision cleared, he recognised the familiar walls of the temple.

That was really a dream? He looked down hastily at his hand, and his shoulders dropped from the tension that he didn't even realise was there.

It was there. His guild mark that sits on the back of his right hand.

So, it was a dream. But why was this temple or whatever making him dream or better yet have a nightmare because that was no dream that he would like to ever have.

He thought it over as he slowly stood up using the wall next to him as support and then he remembered. The murals that he and Lucas were looking at. It depicted a creature putting people to slumber, but the victims looked more like they were experiencing nightmares than a blissful slumber.

Temple of Nightmares, great, just what Ritchie needed.

So, this place causes nightmares, great, that means the others are also experiencing nightmares, not so great... He thought it over in his head as his eyes focused on the suspiciously open passageway.

Why was it suspicious? Because it was the only one that was open.

Well, only one way to go. He thought as he hesitantly walked down the barely lit hallway of the temple.

He was walking for no longer than a few minutes before he reached a new room. This time he didn't hesitate as much exiting the hallway as entering it. Though, he wasn't expecting the sight that he came across.

Kit. Crumpled on the floor unconscious.

"Kit? Kit are you alright?" Ritchie approached the passed out blonde, but just as he was going to shake her shoulder and maybe wake her up.

He blacked out. And came to, on the guild island.

A very destroyed guild island. Just how he remembered it to be.

(1601 words)