Inner Demons✔

Chapter 29

"Get the book!" Ms. Pierce shouted to all of us, just as the Organization military started firing off gun shots into the group of Gate Keepers.

A few of the bullets connected with bodies, and as they fell to the ground, the guns were plucked from the hands of the soldiers without a single keeper nearby. It was clear the Keepers had brought a few powerful beings of their own. Though they were all covered with hoods, making it difficult to decipher who was human and who wasn't.

Declan multiplied and scattered throughout the cave, attempting to retrieve the soldiers' weapons. Wes charged for the woman with the book but was quickly tackled by several larger Keepers. A fight of fists broke out between them. Lolly joined in, popping in and out of the Group of Keepers, only staying long enough to deliver a well-placed punch or kick to an unsuspecting body before vanishing and doing the same to someone else. Doing this didn't mean she was able to take anyone completely out of the fight, but it did an awesome job at distracting a good number of them.

Sage and Lucas dove into the throng of fighting, Lucas shooting off fireballs and Sage putting her fighting skills to good use. The woman with the book stood in front of the portal, unguarded and alone. I reached out from yards away and attempted to swipe the book from her hands the same way the Keepers had done to the soldiers with their guns. But the woman held on tightly, visibly struggling as I attempted to pull with every ounce of strength I could muster.

It seemed getting the book without getting close wasn't going to work, so I did the same as Wes had tried and charged for the woman. If I could knock her down or knock her out, I might have been able to get the book. But before I could reach her I felt something solid hit my stomach.

I flew back and hit the ground, the air in my lungs forced from my body. Gasping for air, I tried to push myself off the ground only to have another force hit me in the face. The force flipped me over and the back of my head smacked against the rock platform. Black spots danced in my vision and I was once again left gasping for air.

Laying on the ground, I tried to pull myself together. I could make out the others fighting off in the distance. Wes was going hand to hand with a few more Keepers with the help of multiple Declans. Lolly was still bouncing around and Lucas tried to stay as close to her as he could while shooting off fireballs and landing a few punches with some extra firepower behind them. Even Mr. B and Ms. Pierce were tangled with a few keepers, along with Martin and a couple soldiers. It seemed that Martin's army was down several people but I tried not to think about that as I rolled over and slowly pushed up from the ground.

I had barely lifted my body a few inches when another force landed on my back. Though unlike the other times, the force stayed in place, pushing me back down to the ground. Frantically, I looked around and caught sight of Sage a yard away, landing a strong kick to a Keepers' chest and sending them flying. As if sensing me, or maybe hearing my thoughts, she turned to lock eyes with me. Using only my eyes and my thoughts, I pleaded with her to think of something, do something.

Sage's eyes bounced around me, her brows pinched together in confusion. After a quick second, and another kick to a Keeper that engaged her, Sage's eyes popped open.

"It's Alicia!" she shouted to me.

I wanted to slap myself. Of course it was Alicia.

"She's holding me down!" I yelled back, but before Sage could do anything, I spotted a fireball fly in my direction.

I closed my eyes, hoping that I didn't get burned, and soon heard Alicia curse before the pressure was lifted from my back. As fast as I could, I got to my feet not wanting to give Alicia enough time to knock me down again. I looked around, trying to keep my back to the edge of the platform. But with Alicia being invisible, I couldn't see or do anything to prepare for her next attack.