"Finally." A deep, very old voice said.
"Who are you?" I demanded.
'The person who your puny mission has been about."
"So you're the sorcerer."
He chuckled as if that was a good joke. "You could say that."
"SHOW YOURSELF!" Nat yelled. Wow, who knew Nat could be so demanding.
"So bold. If only your petty little life would last longer."
"It will. Yours won't you old fart!" I said. Don't ask me where old fart came from, it just came.
"Ha! Good luck." He said and we didn't hear him again.
"Let's go. We have an old fart to kill." I said.
"Yes, he will be the one who dies, not us." So we walked deeper into the tomb.
We came to a turn where we had to choose one of five tunnels. "Do we split up?" Maddie asked.
"No! Definitely not! We would be separated and if someone was in trouble, there's nothing we could do. That's probably what the sorcerer wants us to do."
"True, but we could cover more ground." Maddie argued.
"No! It's not happening." I persisted. That was that. I'm glad they finally listened. "Which one?"
"How about that one?" Nat asked and pointed to the one on the far left.
"Sure." So off we went down the tunnel. I was concerned. What was going to happen next? Would we run into the sorcerer or someone else? What was going to come? So many questions and we had no answers. The sorcerer did have something on his side, which was the element of surprise.
I was going to be answered within the next hour though, but of course I didn't know that. We were walking down the hall when I finally realized how hungry I was. "Stop!" Everyone stopped immediately.
"What?" Nat asked urgently.
"I'm hungry."
"Seriously Candace? You almost gave me a heart attack."
"I need fuel for the fight!" I insisted.
"Fine." Nat sighed. "We might as well load up on food and water. Who knows when we'll eat again."
"Yes!" I was happy now. After all, the last thing I'd eaten had been forced out of my body, by some unpleasant sights. I ate hungrily and we all finished the rest of the food.
"This'll either be the last time we're alive and eating, or we will be flying home so we can buy new food." Maddie pointed out. We had tons of water bottles left so we left four of them so we could fight easier with less weight if we were forced to fight with our backpacks. I also boxed our money and stuffed it into my pocket. If we were captured ad our backpacks were taken, then we could at least get home and buy food.
"That was good!" I said. I really enjoyed all the food I had eaten, which was a lot. I only hoped that I wouldn't see any bones or muscles sticking out again.
Off we went again. We'd taken a twenty minute break so the thing/person would probably come soon. "Guys, something’s coming." I said.
"Yeah, well we knew that." Nat said.
"I mean right now." The hairs on the back of my neck stood up like they seemed to do when danger was coming. Last time that happened, well I'm pretty sure I died.
We all grabbed our wands from our pockets and backpacks and got ready. "Keep walking." So we went further into the tunnel unt9il we entered a big room at the end of it.
"Good tunnel choice." A familiar voice said.
"Brooke." I said coldly. She had taken my brother and betrayed me and Nat! She was going to pay!
"Hi Candace. How's it going? I see you’re alive again after my fiancé killed you." She said cheerfully.
"Ha ha. You died by my hand, may I add, and I wasn't killed by you."
"Yes, but he wanted to avenge my death. Then a sorcerer you haven't met yet brought me back to life so I could kill you and I could avenge my death myself."
"You'll NEVER kill me or anyone here, ever again." I snarled.
"Ha! You want to bet? Oh yes, and I forgot to mention something else, your brother's here." She flicked her hand to do some magic and Brent was there, the real Brent. He was tied up in a chair.
"So, you're not going to use your tricks on us this time?"
"Who says I'm not, Candace. But to figure out the last one, you had to have been smart, and I'll give you that and that alone."
"Thanks, hmmmm.....let me think; yep I have nothing to give you. I just think that it would be best for you if you died."
"That's not going to happen."
"Brooke, she killed you once and she can do it again." Nat said sticking up for me.
"You betch'ya." I agreed. "But this time, we have four of us and one of you." Oh and by the way, Brooke looked human again, not ghostly. She was dressed in normal clothes, but she seemed more alive, even though she was a ghost. She quickly ran over to Brent, grabbed her knife, and held it to his neck.
Apparently all ghosts carry knives with them. "Take one step and he dies, but since I'm nice, I'll let him say some last words to you." She took off his gag.
"Candace, don't move or anyone! I can't die!"
"Brent, she'll kill you no matter what we do." I said.
"Maybe not."
"Brent, whatever happens today, just remember that I love you." I knew we couldn't stay there forever and Brooke would eventually kill Brent, so I had to say it.
"Thanks, but I have to talk to her for a moment." He turned to Brooke in his bonds. "You still love me. You know you do."
Brooke was quiet. Then she whispered something in Brent's ear.
"I understand. We will together in the end. I just need you to know that, Brooke, you can't kill me."
She whispered something else in his ear.
"Brent, what's she saying?" I asked. I couldn't have her tricking him and I hated secrets.
"I know, but Brooke my sisters and their friends won't move."
"Brent, I-I love you." At least that's what I thought Brooke said.
"Brooke." Brooke faced Brent. I saw my chance and ran.
"I'm sorry Brent." I whispered. I had to kill Brooke again. And I knew she and my brother had fallen in love again. I only hoped she wouldn't kill him."
Unfortunately, Brooke freaked out. She still had the knife to Brent's neck and jerked back in surprise. "OW!" Brent yelled.
"BRENT!" I tackled Brooke, "YOU WILL PAY!" I screamed at her. Brent was gushing blood and there was a pool of blood around him already. "Guys help him!" Maddie and Kendra ran over to help him while Nat came to help me. "Nat help me, Acamancha." Freeze, I said.
"Punmip." Stop, Brooke said.
"You killed my brother!"
"He's not dead yet." Brooke said. "I didn't want to kill him!"
"But you want to-suncana." Blast, I said casually in the middle of my sentence. This time Brooke wasn't fast enough. IT hit her and I rolled of her legs. "Conco." Lightning and she was hit. She started flinging around like a rag doll again and I knew she was dead. It was easy that time.
I ran over to Brent and grabbed his hand. "Brent, I'm so sorry. I didn't think she'd actually do that." I whispered.
"It's okay." He said weakly. It looked like a piece of his esophagus was cut and he was still bleeding badly. I assumed she'd hit a vein or an artery.
"Don' leave. Please. Wanbop." Heal, I said. I cast it at Brent's neck. I was super concerned. He looked almost grey and even I was sitting in blood, which was gross, but I didn't care.
The spell made him look a bit better. "Candace, if I die don't try to bring me back to life. I can fight for the magicians in the Land of the Dead. I can bring Brooke back to our side. Tell Mom and Dad that I love them and I'm sorry that we left right away without a proper goodbye. I love you Candace. And Natalie," He gasped for breath. "You've always been a sister to me too. I love y-" Brent's eyes went blank as he died. I began to cry.
"No Brent! Why him?" I asked.
"Ha." The old fart's voice said again. "That's only a small amount of pain compared to what you're about to experience. You will die alongside your brother and your friends, Candace Brown."
"No, YOU WILL!" I screamed. I was so mad! "YOU WILL DIE FOR KILLING MY BROTHER! YOU WILL PAY!" I began to cry again. This was the worst day of my life. I hadn't realized how much I cared about Brent, until he was gone.
Nat came and hugged me. "Candace-" Her voice broke and she started to cry too. We sat there hugging and crying for what felt like forever.
"Guys." Maddie said gently, "I'm so sorry, but we have to keep going. I-I know how you feel."
"You're right. Sorry for taking so long." I said sadly.
"That's okay; you had every right to take that time. You should've had more, but we have to continue."
"That sorcerer will die! If it's the last thing I do, he will die!"
"Come on, let's go." Kendra said. We slowly went back through the tunnel. I looked back and saw Brent's body for the last time. I felt terrible for leaving it there and quietly sobbed, but kept going.
Soon we were back where we had started to choose a tunnel. "Let's go down this one." Nat and I went first and we quickly entered another room. "Nothing here." I turned around. "Nat, where are Maddie and Kendra?"
"With me you fools!" The sorcerer’s voice said.
"I HATE YOU!" I screamed.
"I know you do."
"Come on Nat. I have a feeling I know where to go." I now could sense the way I was going, then suddenly I couldn't. "I lost it Nat, I'm sorry."
"You got us really far, Candace. You did really good!"
"I killed Brent."
"No, Brooke did."
"If I hadn't moved, she wouldn't have."
"Brent was okay with it. He seemed almost glad to die."
"No one is glad to die. Believe me, if you're a magician you’re not happy to die."
"I'm a magician too." Nat pointed out.
"True, so you would know."
"Fine, Candace. I guess I know how you feel."
"I know. This is really tough, Nat. I don't know how I can get through this."
"You will, Candace. You will. Remember I'm his sister too."
My face hardened. All I could think of was that sorcerers face! (Even though I didn't know what he looked like.) Oh how he would pay! Brent shouldn't have died, the sorcerer deserved to die in his place, and he would die. I would make sure of it. "Nat, this is super scary. Let's go invisible; we may be safer that way."
"Good plan, I feel like we're being watched."
"Since when?"
"Like a couple of seconds ago."
"Oh, alright." I said.
"Amarama." Invisible, we said quietly. "Now, grab my backpack, we've got to move! Something’s watching us, you're right. I can feel it now too." I felt Nat grab my backpack.
"Go Candace!" Nat whispered. We walked even though we had no idea where we were going. Suddenly I got a feeling some dark magic was around.
"Nat," I began.
"I feel it too Candace."
"Beware." I said. (Lame, I know. Who says beware these days?)
"Let us go!" A voice that sounded like Maddie's said. I gestured for Nat to come with me, but then remembered she couldn't see me. I just started walking instead towards the voice.
"No, you'll die here." The sorcerer’s voice said.
"No, we won't." Maddie insisted. Just then Nat and I entered a chamber. It was filled with gold and jewels. I wanted to say something, but thought better of it.
Then something came out of the shadows. It was what? "You will die Madison and Kendra."
"Not if we have anything to say about it." Kendra said. I couldn't believe it. The 'sorcerer' was a mummy. That would explain the sorcerer's 'bad foot.' All along it had been a mummy running the show.
Then I think he looked right at Nat and I. "Hello Candace and Natalie. I see you've made it."
"How?" I asked, or began asking. I know earlier I called the mummy an old fart, but he moved swiftly. He was suddenly holding Nat and I by our necks.
"You thought you could beat me?" Nat and I were visible again, and the mummy squeezed our necks harder. I could barely breathe. "The dark side will win, now you can see just how powerful we really are." I began to see black spots. After the entire mission, this was how it would end; I would be strangled to death by some mummy. Then I only saw blackness and I stopped breathing. I knew I'd be seeing Brent soon, and joining Brooke and all the other dead spirits in the dead world.