Spirits: The Gatherers

Chapter 15: Deception

"M-my...father?" Owen said with a smile on his face.

Michael grinned at him.

"That's right, we are all here for you," Michael said.

"We?," Saria asked.

Michael snapped his fingers and every spot of the rim of the bowl was filled with blades of the massive search party.

"We were looking everywhere for you, my boy. So we can go home...together," Michael said with a smile.

Then, laughter. It became quiet as Saria was laughing uncontrollably.

"Oh boy you did it now," Saria said as he continued to laugh. "You know, that brightened up my day, it really did. I was going to teach some piece of shit a lesson in messing with my family, but now I really want to kill you."

"What are you talking about?! Don't kill my dad!" Owen said as he summoned his weapons.

"No, Owen, no no no. That snake is not your father," Saria said. "I see your plan now, but now I am going to foil it...aren't I...Loki..."

"Loki?!," Owen gasped in surprise. Whispers can be heard from the crowd surrounding them.

"And where Loki is...Axius is not too far behind...huh?," Saria said.

"This is not like before, Saria. You will not get in my way this time. Michael deserved death and your father denied it to me," Loki said.

"There was no last time, Loki. You had us exiled. Now, I won't let you take Owen," Saria said.

"Rumor has it that you can hear the aria just as my master can...you know what you have to do...," Loki said.

"Yes...but it's not giving him to you...," Saria said.

"Oh really?," Loki said before he lunged forward to grab Owen, but Saria returned the leviathan into the necklace, causing them to drop to the ship below, the waves crashed, swaying to ship violently. Saria quickly went into zen mode and put the scythe around Abel's neck.

"You will drive us out of here, or you are getting it," Saria said.

"Already one step ahead of ye, mate," Abel said wiggling out of the trap and running to grab the helm. He turned the ship towards the opening as the waves crashed onto the ship. It pushed the ship towards the canyon. Loki surfaced above the water as he watched the ship try to make their escape.

"Grab them! Now!," Loki shouted.
Abel turned the ship so it was facing the opening. People's chatter can be heard from the surrounding walls, but they didn't care. There! The opening was upon them and they can see the exit. Saria gripped the necklace around his neck as he looked back. Owen then put a hand on his. Saria looked at him and Owen shook his head. Saria put his hand down.

"We can't be followed though," Saria said.
"Well...if what he told me was a lie then...he must be lying to them too...," Owen said. "It's best to just let them be"
"No time to celebrate yet, matey," Abel interrupted. "When we get out, thar might be hundreds of them. We need to stay alert!"

They sailed through the canyon. The rest of the search party was staring down at them, watching as they tried exiting. On top of the canyon wall, stood Ted, Len, and Mikka. Ted gazed at the ship as it sailed out to the open waters.

"Loki...," Ted said to himself.

"What?," Mikka asked.

"I think we were tricked...," Ted answered.

"How do you know for certain?" Len asked. "His voice cant reach this far. How do you know that Saria didn't just take him...?"

"Because I just know it...I can hear it...,"Ted said.

"Your gift is saving us again, eh?," Mikka said.

"So...what now?," Len said.

Ted smiled and spoke: "we slow him down."

The three of them turned and looked at the ship. It sailed farther and farther away.

"Now...have yourself an adventure worth telling...Owen," Ted said with a smile.