Garth unsheathed his sword as he watched the gators race up the hill.
"Why couldn't I be a wolf?" Scar groaned, wishing he had his fangs. Richard's finger glowed and he instantly had a fireball in his hand. He hurled it at the nearest alligator, but the flames didn't phase the scaly beast. Garth's sword, however, did.
"You guys get some weapons while I hold these things off," Garth ordered. Richard ran back to the castle, Edward following him. Scar stayed by his side, grabbing a fallen branch. He swung it and hit a gator in the snout.
"We gonna stand here or charge?" he asked. Garth glanced at their surroundings, trying to come up with a plan. As he sliced into another alligator, he noticed a shed out of the way. The door was open, gardening tools spilling out. He turned back to Scar and smiled at his friend mischievously.
"Give me a few minutes to myself," he replied, nodding toward the shed. Scar swung his club at another gator and nodded.
After chopping the head off another alligator, Garth bolted for the shed. He half slid, half ran down the hill. A quick glance back let him know Edward and Richard were back with swords. And a pesky reptile was tailing him.
He ran faster, keeping his eyes on the shed. Rather than hoping what he needed was in there, he was praying he would get there fast enough to check. He could hear the alligator behind him, gaining ground. Which was more of a shock for him than anything else.
"Timber!" someone shouted. Garth could see the huge oak fall. He rolled out from under it, but lost his footing and slid farther down the hill. A hand grabbed his and pulled him up.
"Solved your gator problem," Vicky said before Garth could speak. He looked behind her at the fallen tree, the alligator tangled in its branches and unable to get out. He turned back to Vicky, who had a proud smile on her face.
"Well," he replied, grabbing her arm and dragging her behind him, "if you can handle a gator, then you can probably help me out." He didn't let go of her until he reached the shed. It was dark inside, despite the light outside. Garth felt his way around, hoping it was here.
That's when something thick and rough touched his skin. He grabbed it and took it out into the sun. He held in his hand a coiled rope, thick and strong. Perfect.
"Take this," he told Vicky, handing her the rope. When she took it, he went searching for more. He came up with only one more coil.
"Uh, Garth," Vicky said, gazing at the top of the hill. Garth looked up to see the dragons taking action. Scar, Edward, and Richard were surrounded by the winged lizards, drool slipping through their teeth.
"Got here just in time then," Garth replied, racing toward them. While doing so, he tied his rope into a loop, hoping this plan of his would work. "Do what I'm doing, Vicky."
"Got it," she called from behind him. Garth kept running, a small army of alligators between him and the dragons. Without a second thought, he tossed the rope onto his shoulder and started to run along the gators' backs, keeping his eyes on the target.
At some point, the tail of the dragon closest to him whipped around. Garth jumped and landed on it, running along the scales. As he neared the wings, he could see Vicky in his peripheral vision. She was copying his every move on a different dragon, climbing up the tail like a monkey.
Garth reached its neck before the dragon truly realized someone was on him. One of his buddies stretched its neck out, trying to grab the Never prince in its jaws. Garth narrowly missed getting eaten, but lost his grip on the dragon when it reared its head.
He launched himself forward, grabbing one of the dragon's frills. It roared and shook its head wildly. Garth tried to pull himself up, but his hold slipped every time he tried. The dragon didn't stop, twisting and curving its neck. Garth held on for dear life, trying to find a better hold.
"Hey! Lizard breath!" Edward shouted from below. In short glimpses, Garth thought he had lost it. He could see Edward waving his arms and hear him make the weirdest noises. This got the dragon's attention. As it roared at the prince, the dragon dipped his neck. However, it happened so quickly that Garth was thrown off.
What had been going on in a fast pace instantly seemed to freeze. Garth felt like he was flying, but knew he would fall any minute if something wasn't done. He could see the dragon raise its scaly head, the snout just in reach. As he came forward, he grabbed the black scales on the tip of its nose, almost touching the sharp teeth that came out of its lower jaw.
Everything came back into regular time. Garth screamed as he dangled from the dragon's snout, the force of his fall almost ripping his arms out of their sockets. His racing heart rang in his ears as the dragon stared down his nose at him. To his dismay, the dragon started to open its mouth and lean back. Garth could see an empty abyss with a long red tongue.
"GARTH!" He couldn't tell who screamed, but it snapped him out of his trance. Garth quickly grabbed the rope off his shoulder and hooked the loop around the dragon's snout, letting go completely. He clung to the end of his rope as he spun around the dragon's neck.
He landed on the dragon's back, the rope wrapped once around its neck. He pulled with all the strength he had, despite the pain in his shoulders. The loop around its top jaw tightened and the dragon backed up, its head forced against its neck. Crocodiles and alligators under foot got crushed by the weight of the dragon.
Chest heaving and tears stinging his eyes, Garth pulled even tighter, trying to hold back a painful wail. The dragon tripped on its own feet and fell backward into the corn fields. Garth let go of the rope as it fell, rolling onto the ground.
Surrounded by corn stalks, he looked up to see the dragon's massive claw coming at him. He curled up into a ball on the ground, waiting to be impaled. He heard claws sink into the ground around him. Everything seemed to settle. Garth opened his eyes slowly, seeing the dragon's claws form a cage around him and blocking the sun overhead.
He relaxed on the ground, shifting onto his back. He tried to catch his breath, his heart still pounding against his ribcage. His arms felt like twigs, ready to snap at the slightest breeze. His head throbbed, all his effort draining him completely.
A low growl came through the constant ring of his ears. He just barely opened his eyes, the act painful. He could see the crocodile, a sickly grey like the ones he had dealt with in the river. He could see the glint of its sharp yellow teeth. The only problem was, Garth couldn't get himself to move. He couldn't even reach his sword.
"Help," he moaned pathetically, sapped of all his energy. The crocodile came up to his face. Its breath was warm and sickly, causing Garth to choke. Garth rested his face away from the crocodile. The only plan he had left was fooling it.
Garth stopped breathing, his body laying limp in the field. He didn't dare move. He felt the crocodile nudge him, but he stayed still. He could hear it walk around him, the stench of its breath telling him that it was now looking at his face. It poked and prodded him, but Garth didn't move. The crocodile snarled, its drool dripping onto Garth's face. He stayed down, finding this opossum play very relaxing.
The crocodile gave up and walked away, growling. Almost like telling his friends one was dead. Garth hoped that was the message, at least. He just barely opened his eyes, watching the crocodile's tail disappear. Sure he was in the clear, Garth sat up, keeping his painful groan to himself as a headache came around.
When his vision cleared, he stood up shakily. He walked out from underneath the dragon's hand with a struggle, grabbing a claw for support. He noticed the number of heads bobbing underneath the surface of the water, a little farther out from where he was. He shifted his gaze upward, noticing a rocky pillar in the water. High above, the structure widened out, looking like a rocky treehouse.
"Garth!" He turned to look behind him, but felt Vicky's embrace before seeing her. He fell into the grass, grunting as pain raced up his spine. Vicky pushed herself up, her cheeks bright pink.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized. Standing up, she offered him a hand. He took it and used her to pull himself up to his feet. Scar came up beside him and grabbed his arm, putting it over his shoulder as Garth's knees buckled.
"Thanks," he groaned. Scar smiled.
"Least I can do. Those dragons would've eaten us for dinner if not for your crazy plan." Garth found it in him to chuckle at that. Edward patted him on the shoulder, causing him to tense up.
"Oops," Edward said. Garth shook his head, dismissing his friend's accident.
"Totally fine." As Garth stood up on his own, rolling back his shoulders, Vicky's eyes rolled back in her head as she fell into Richard's arms. He glanced at the mark on her arm. A third line darkened. Wait...third?
"Where-"
"She passed out after taking down her dragon," Edward explained, glancing at Scar. The boy was growing pale as he stared at Vicky, slowly gaining consciousness.
Without turning to Garth, he muttered, "It's happening more frequently. We have to hurry." Garth nodded and glanced at the spire towering behind them.
"Pretty sure we know where Stephan is," he said. When Vicky got to her feet, pressing her palm against her temple, Richard crossed his arms.
"What I said about Dead Man's Stand is true. The lake is practically impossible to sail. And that's the only way to the spire." Garth glanced at the dragon he had taken down. It looked like it was still alive, breathing softly. He glanced at the wings, which were still intact despite the fall.
"If we can't go through or below," he replied, stepping toward the dragon's head, "maybe we can go above." Everyone else stared at him as he slowly pulled the rope off the dragon's snout. Its eyes opened immediately. Garth grinned at the dragon nervously.
"Hey." The large lizard snarled, steam billowing out of its mouth. Garth quickly extended the loop in the rope and wrapped it around dragon's jaws. "Help please," he called to the gawking group. Scar ran over and grabbed the loop, holding tight to the knot. Edward grabbed the end of the rope while Vicky wrapped her rope around the dragon's snout also. She and Richard took it into their hands, standing opposite of Scar and Edward.
The dragon struggled against his restraints, trying to stand. The four teens held him down, keeping his lips shut. The dragon's head lay on the ground, staring right at Garth. The boy put his hands on the scaly beast's nose, gently pushing it down. He rubbed the scales carefully.
"Hey, mister dragon," he breathed, trying to keep himself calm. The dragon gave a muffled growl. "Look, we need your help. Stephan-" The dragon lifted his snout, trying to break away. "Hold him down. We can't lose him."
"Trying," Edward grunted, digging his heels into the ground. They were able to bring the scaly beast's head back down to earth, but it shied away from Garth when he tried to come over. The Never prince looked into its eyes, noticing a hint of fear behind its increasing anger.
"We are trying to stop Stephan," he said, staying where he was. "I'm not sure if you're still being manipulated by his staff thingy, but we need your help to stop Stephan." The dragon grew very still, staring at him. Garth took a steady breath.
"Stephan took our friends and is planning to do something that might end the world or something. We need to get to his spire." Garth pointed to the top of the rock tower. The dragon shifted his gaze toward the tower. "We need you to fly us up there so we can stop him," Garth finished. Richard glanced at the dragon, the spire, and then Garth.
"You sure..." Garth held up a finger so he knew to stop talking. The same doubt was crossing his mind though. If the dragon didn't understand him, if it was still under Stephan's control, if it was injured. If one of these or others was a reality, his whole plan was a bust.
The black dragon finally turned back to Garth, its yellow eyes searching his soul. Garth kept staring, just waiting for some kind of sign it was on his side. It blinked, the slitted pupils of its eyes growing. The steam seeping through its lizard lips stopped.
"Let him go," the boy commanded a moment later. Edgy and cautious, the four teens holding the dragon down let go of the ropes. Before they could back away, the dragon lifted its head, snapping the ropes still wrapped around its muzzle. It stared down at Garth with fierce eyes, but the prince didn't move.
"Garth?" Edward questioned, staring at the dragon as it slowly neared Garth. Its nose was inches away from Garth's chest before the dragon stopped. Minutes passed as the two stared at each other.
Finally, the dragon moved. It nudged Garth's hand gently, which the prince laid on his smooth scales. The black beast growled with approval, laying down in front of the teenager. Garth grinned at Richard.
"All aboard." Scar laid a hand on the dragon first, slowly climbing onto its back. It didn't move. He gave Vicky a hand up while Edward clambered on. Richard got on in the back. Garth pat the dragon's snout before walking around and climbing up in front of the group.
"To the spire," he ordered as the dragon slowly stood. Richard put a hand on Edward's shoulder, steadying himself. Edward, in turn, grabbed Scar's shoulder. The wolf boy wrapped his arms around Vicky while she held onto Garth. Garth could only look down and realize how far above the ground they were.
The dragon's wings spread out, the leathery material flapping like a sail in the wind. Five powerful wing beats later, the dragon was in the air, taking the five teens higher and higher. The distance between them and the ground grew, making Edward queasy.
"Garth," he gargled, trying to keep from throwing up, "tell your friend to...take it easy." Richard and Scar gave him more space, noticing how pale his face was.
"Please do," Richard shouted so he was heard over the wind. Garth pat the dragon.
"Hurry, but don't go too fast," he told it. The dragon looked back at him curiously. "Hey, I didn't know he got air sick." The dragon rolled its eyes and flew forward toward the spire, keeping an even pace.
"Fourth line," Garth heard Scar shout. He looked back. Vicky was in Scar's arms, unconscious. A fourth line on her arm darkened. Two bold red and two dark black lines, intertwined with each other, screamed her nearing end. Only two pieces of the mark were left.
Garth shifted his gaze to Scar. The boy hid behind a mask of sternness, his worry shadowed by his determination. Staring into his scarlet eyes, Garth could see his growing fear behind the stiff courage. The same kind of fear that burned Garth's soul. His loyal companion nodded, foreseeing his comforting comment that would be meant for them both.
It seemed like hours before they landed on the roof of the rock spire. The dragon's claws dug into the rock, trying to steady itself. A few rocks tumbled off the roof, hitting the lake in a splash fifteen minutes later.
"Be careful, Richard," Garth called back to the prince. Richard slowly climbed off the dragon's back, finding his footing. He kept his hands on the tail of dragon, steadying himself. Edward climbed down next, following behind Richard. Scar helped Vicky, now conscious, off the dragon before hopping off himself. He slid slightly, more stones sliding off and hitting the water.
"Thanks for your help buddy," Garth thanked the dragon, patting his neck. The dragon turned back to look at him, its eyes gleaming. Garth clambered down and found his friend's using the dragon's tail like a ladder. When he got to the edge, everyone else below, he wrapped his arms around the black scales of the tail. He slowly slid down the tail, his view of the inside of the cavern increasing as he went.
Garth's feet touched the smooth rock floor. When he let go of the dragon's tail, it flew off, headed to who knew where.
"Garth," Scar said, his voice echoing. "You gotta see this." Garth stepped into the cavern, surprised by the darkness. Even the green torchlight along the walls didn't help. The prince took a torch out of its metal rung, waving it in front of him.
"Where are you?" he yelled, his voice echoing along the walls. He heard footsteps and put a hand on his sword. But Stephan didn't step into the light. Instead, it was Vicky, holding a dim torch of her own.
"Scar forgot about the darkness," she explained, beckoning him forward with her hand. Garth followed her into the cavern, keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword. He would look around for an opening, someplace to be jumped, but it was just a hallway. A long one.
"Are we still in the cavern?" he asked as Vicky slowed to a stop. Scar, Edward, and Richard were crowded around a section of wall on the left, holding torches also. Edward glanced at him.
"Ever heard of the inside being bigger than the outside?" he countered. Garth shrugged.
"Not really." Scar turned to him with a grave face.
"Well get used to it. Cause this place is even bigger than we think," he responded, holding his torch up to the section of wall they were crowded around. An opening the size of a door stood there. On the stone surface beside it was writing, messy but readable.
DOWN THIS PATH AND THEN ANOTHER
THROUGH BLAZING FIRE AND IRON JAWS
LIES THE GRAVE OF SILENT LOVERS
Garth took a closer look and realized the message was written in blood. Knowing Stephan had done this made him sick. He didn't even want to know whose blood it was.
"If he was attempting to write a creepy rhyme, he didn't impress me," he responded, reading the message again.
"Doesn't have to rhyme to scare me," Edward muttered, staring at the last line of the message. Garth read the line again.
"What do we care about silent lovers?" Edward turned to look at him, the green glow of the firelight making him look sickly.
"I had a crush on Amanda and vice versa, but we never told each other until recently." Garth's eyes widened as he glanced from the final verse to Edward. Silent lovers as in lovers who didn't speak to one another.
"You think Amanda is in there somewhere," Garth summarized, pointing and accusing finger at the opening. Edward gazed at the dark passage, a form of certainty in his eyes. Garth cleared his throat. "Ok, we'll check it out."
"No," Edward replied sharply, staring at him. "I'm going alone. You can't waste time searching this passage when you need to stop Stephan." The prince started to enter the tunnel, pushing past Scar.
"Edwa-"
"Garth," the prince interrupted, turning back to look at him. "I have to do this alone. I need to prove I can be the prince Amanda needs me to be." Garth had never seen this kind of determination in his friend's eyes until now. A courage Garth had never believed the prince possessed.
Garth tapped the last verse written on the wall. "Prove this line wrong, Prince Edward." His friend smiled at him before disappearing into the tunnel, his torch growing dimmer the farther he went in. Garth kept watching the green flame move down the corridor until Scar told him to keep moving.
It wasn't even five minutes later when they came up to another passage and message, this time on the right. Vicky noticed it, the bloody message still wet. Richard held his torch up to the message, his face growing pale as he read it.
THROUGH THIS TUNNEL AND TO THE OUTSIDE
WATCH YOUR STEP AND KEEP YOUR HEAD
HERE LIES THE FUTURE ROYALS
"I wish he wouldn't try," Garth moaned, shaking his head. "These messages are just terrible." Richard stumbled back, Scar steadying the boy.
"Something wrong?" the wolf boy asked. Richard stared at the message in a daze.
"Watch your step and keep your head," he muttered. Garth looked at the verse, then turned back to Richard.
"You know what that means?" Richard nodded, gulping with difficulty.
"Stephan would say it before we got onto the sky bridge for a duel. The bridge wasn't more than ten feet off the ground, but I always fell off or lost my sword." Garth glanced at the message, noticing the last line. 'Here lies the future royals.'
"He knew you would get the meaning of this," Garth said, pointing at the second line. "So the future royals must be you and Isabella." Richard nodded, agreeing to his logic. Garth glanced at the opening. He stepped toward it.
"What are you doing?" Vicky asked. Garth stopped and turned around.
"I won't let Richard get hurt trying something he doesn't do well with. I'll get Isabella, you guys keep going." Richard shook his head.
"No, you keep going," he replied defiantly. "I will rescue Isabella." Garth was about to protest when Richard pushed him out of the way. His hand still on the boy's shoulder, he said, "I appreciate you wanting to help me, but I have to do this alone." He took his hand away and started to walk through when Garth grabbed his arm.
"Grip your sword like your life depends on it." Richard grinned a little.
"I think my life already depends on my sword." Garth let go of his arm. "Thank you for not giving up on me," Richard said before running into the passage, carrying his torch. As the light grew further and further away, a thought came to Garth's mind.
"I think I know what your thinking," Scar sighed, putting a hand on his shoulder. They started to walk again.
"If it's that Stephan is splitting us up, then you're right," Garth replied, staring at the ground. He hoped they wouldn't find another message and path leading off this hall. Scar and Vicky were his only back up now, and he had been relying on their numbers to help him beat Stephan.
Vicky groaned and dropped her torch, hitting the ground hard. Scar and Garth ran over, the wolf boy cradling her motionless body in his arms. Garth moved his torch over her arm. The last red line grew bolder, leaving a single, dull black line.
"Up there," Scar said, gazing into the dark. Garth moved his torch over to the left wall. Another passage lay there, but a message was carved into the rock this time. But despite this switch, the message was still three verses like the others.
DOWN THIS HALLWAY AND THROUGH THE WATER
SO CLOSE TO THE CURE TO KEEP LOVE HUMAN
LIES THE PETS WHO DEFY INSTINCT
"This is the only one that makes sense," Garth growled, kicking the wall. Scar stared at the message, nodding.
"'The cure to keep love human' must mean the cure to save Vicky's life. I guess she'll stay human too." Garth nodded.
"Though I hate how he called you pets, he's talking about you two going in there," Garth grumbled. Scar glared at the prince.
"And leave you alone with Stephan? Not happening." Garth bent down by his side and pointed at the blood magic symbol on Vicky's arm.
"Vicky won't live long enough for you to come with me, stop Stephan, and come back here. Now I order you to go in there and save your princess's life like all the others." Scar shook his head.
"I'm not a wolf anymore, Garth. I'm not your pet you can order around." Garth scowled at him.
"Then why do you still act like my bodyguard? Edward and Richard didn't need convincing to save their girlfriends." Scar glanced at Vicky, still unconscious in his arms. He shook his head.
"This is a trap. Garth, you can't go without help," he barked, staring at him hard. Garth's gaze softened.
"I know it's a trap. That's why I'm telling you to go now, so you can hurry and save Vicky. Once you're done, you come out and help me." Scar's gaze softened slowly, the tension in his shoulders relaxing.
"Save a piece of Stephan for me." Garth smiled.
"I'll try holding back, but no promises." Scar stood up, carrying Vicky in his arms. He ran into the passage, not taking a torch with him. Garth watched him fade in the darkness before moving on, the last left in the hall.