[To Be Named] - Chapter 3

[To Be Named] - by Ho-Oh16
A QuizUp fantasy adventure story.

Chapter 3.

   "I guess that would be... us?". I wasn't trying to make it angry... That's just the effect I had. With a ferocious roar, the dragon swung its arm and knocked me sideways.
   That hurt more than I thought it would...
   You asked for it.
   "Nobody asked for your opinion..." I murmured.
   Rashaun ran over to me and tried to help me up.
   "OWW!" I shrieked.
   "What?!"
   "Hahaaa...I..I'm just messing with you." I smiled, getting up off the floor.
   "Wow..." he remarked. "Well, we need to get out of here. Shadow can't distract that thing for much longer.". I looked over at Shadow. He was precariously balancing on the dragon's back, and I could see it trying to shake him off.
   "Good idea." I said. I put my jacket on and we raced back to where we entered. Shadow was now on the dragon's head.
   "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! COME ON, SHADOW!". Rashaun yelled.
   "WONT BE A MINUTE!" he called back. He sat down on the dragon's head, and whispered something to it. Within seconds, it had stopped shaking and lowered its head, allowing Shadow to get off.
   With a slight grin, he walked back towards us.
   "What...what did you say to it?".
   "That's not important right now." he replied. He stepped between me and Rashaun and casually strolled down the path.
   Rashaun and I looked at each other, then at the dragon. It snarled at us, it's eyes still showing signs of anger and torment. It looked away, opened its large navy blue wings and flew off into the darkness.
   "Wha-"
   "I'm not even going to question it.". I looked back at Rashaun, relieved that the dragon had gone, but curious as to why.
   Shadow is Shadow.
   Shadow popped his head back round the corner. "What are you waiting for? An invitation?"
   "An invite is that last thing I want to see." I replied, feeling my pocket. It was still there.
   Invitations are nice.
If you say so.
   The voice in my head wasn't the same as the one who had spoken to all of us earlier. That much I had worked out. This voice was different. Less harsh, more sane. Marginally.
   Still trying to process what just happened, we continued to walk somewhat aimlessly.
   "How's your arm?" Shadow asked me.
   "It's fine..?" I said, wondering why he'd asked such a random question.
   "Sure?"
   "Yes, I'm sure!" I snapped. I rolled my eyes and looked up and slightly left.
   I could make out the shape of a building in the darkness. The tower was now a lot closer - perhaps another five-hundred metres away? It wasn't particularly tall, but I didn't care.
   Rashaun cleared his throat. "We aren't that far. I reckon that if we...". He continued talking and walking, but I wasn't listening. My mind was elsewhere.
   That snake... It didn't attack us. I mean, I know I threatened it, but surely a powerful thing like that wouldn't care. And the dragon. Shadow said something to it and it flew away without a fight. It doesn't make sense. I suppose if the snake had attacked us so early in the day, things could've been different. Worse...
   I sighed. Shadow had now taken over the conversation.
   I need to know what Shadow said. That dragon was big, angry, and fierce. What could he possibly have told it to make it stand down?
   "You two understand?" Shadow asked. I tuned back in to the present.
   "Hm.. Uh, yeah. Sounds good." I replied. Of course, I had no idea what he'd suggested. I just didn't want to sound rude.
   "I don't think it's a good idea." Rashaun said. I guess what Shadow had suggested didn't sound good.
   "No, it's a good idea. If we split up we can cover more ground and find the way to the tower quicker. We don't have much time left.". He gestured to the three paths that were in front of us.
   "Wait, SPLIT UP?!" I shouted. "If we had our weapons, I would agree. But we literally have ourselves and a phone that has... Forty-six percent left! There is no way we are separating.".
   "Well, you two can go together, and I'll go on my own.".
   "NO!". He was beginning to annoy me. "Don't you understand? That's exactly what he wants! He wants us to split up so they can strike us from their list for good!". I put my hand on my left arm, but quickly removed it.
   Suddenly, a roar sounded overhead and a silhouette swooped over us. The roar was familiar, but it wasn't a good familiarity. Assuming that the roar came from the mouth of the very dragon that had fled earlier, I panicked and started to run down one of the paths in front of us.
   "NEVER MIND! LET'S GO!" I called behind me. Another roar shook the hedges. Adrenalin kicked in and I ran as fast as I could.
   You can run but you can't hide.
   I almost stumbled when I heard those words.
   Hide.
   I stopped running for a quick breather. Sometimes, the voice in my head wasn't too annoying. Other times, it really freaked me out.
   I looked over my shoulder to see if Rashaun and Shadow were behind me. I could see them both - they weren't far away. But neither was the dragon. It's return was daunting. It's eyes were more vibrant than ever, and it had blue sparks radiating from its scaly skin.
   It's... An elemental dragon?!
   However, what I saw next terrified me the most.

   The red glow from the fireflies started to fade. Anton would've let out a sigh of relief, but he decided to stay quiet, just in case.
   After a couple more minutes had passed, Anton poked his head around the corner to see if the coast was clear. He turned back to Ozy and DD and sat down.
   "Safe?" Ozy asked as quietly as he could.
   Anton nodded in response and pulled a bottle of water out of his bag.
   "That was close. Too close.". She let out a huge breath - one she'd been holding for some time.
   "I guess nature still holds a grudge for the time I stood on that ant." Ozy said, hoping to lighten the mood.
   "If that's its revenge for one ant, I hate to think what it would do to someone who doesn't recycle." Anton replied. After a short silence, the three laughed. They were still trying to comprehend what had just happened, but were glad to be unscathed.
   "It looks like we were running in the right direction. We're a lot closer now." DD said referring to the mysterious fortification. A few more correct turns, and they'd be there.
   "Let's not stop now then. For all we know the others could be waiting." Ozy mentioned.
   "Good idea." Anton agreed. They stood up and made their way out of the dead-end. Anton did one final check of the area, before allowing them all to continue. Once he was convinced it was fine, they pressed onwards.
   "We should go left here!"
   "I would've said right, personally..."
   "We can try both."
   This argument took place numerous times, each direction leading to a different outcome.    Sometimes, they ended up at another dead-end. Other times, they were faced by a noise that made them back away very slowly. This time, they were stopped by three paths.
   Each path seemed to be a straight one, but it was not clear where each one led.
   "I guess we try one at a time?" DD suggested.
   Ozy checked the time on his phone. It was getting late - there wasn't time to waste. "We have to be quick. In a couple of hours, this place will change again.".
   "Well, we shouldn't split up. Not without our weapons or powers." Anton said. It was a difficult decision. There may only be time to go down one path as a group, or they could separate and find the entrance to the tower quicker.
   A voice spoke in Anton's head.
   Only one path is safe. Choose wisely.
   "Wait... What?" he asked, rubbing his head.
   "What? Everything alright?" Ozy questioned.
   "Uh... Yeah. All good. We need to travel together. Choose one path. The question is, which one do we pick?".
   "This one." DD replied, pointing down the path on the left.
   "Why that one? We can't be sure that it's sa-"
   "It just seems like the right path." She interrupted.
   "But that's the left path!" Ozy smirked. He received a groan and a slow clap. "Thank you, thank you. I'm here all week!". He gave a slight bow.
   "At this rate, we all will be." Anton reminded him. "You have to be absolutely sure, DD. Only one of these paths is safe.".
   "What makes you say that?" DD asked.
   "Just a hunch...". He reminded himself of what he had been told.
   "Right..."
   "Left!" Ozy insisted.
   "I KNOW!" DD yelled back. "Look, I think this is the way we should go! If you don't trust me, then I'll go alone!". She started to walk down the path in front of her.
   "Wait! We need to stick together!".
   Ozy and Anton chased after her and caught up just in time. The entrance to the path closed up behind them.
   "We need to stick...together." Anton repeated.
   "Left it is." Ozy remarked, staring at the newly formed shrubbery.
   "Oops..." whispered DD. "I really hope I was correct...".
   "We all do." Ozy stated. He decided to take the lead once more, and aimed the light of his phone down the path ahead. "Come on then, there's only one way forward.".

   "GUYS, STAY TOGETHER!". I had realised my mistake, but it was too late. The living and thinking shrubbery had grown once more, and I was now unable to see Shadow.
   My fault... All my fault...
   I started to run back towards Rashaun, but before long, he'd disappeared from view too.
   "DAMMIT!" I yelled.
   "Well, it looks like we are splitting up after all." Shadow commented.
   "Now what?" queried Rashaun. All three of us were now apart, and there was no obvious way for us to go.
   Suddenly, a gap opened up in the wall to my right.
   As one door closes, another one opens.
   Yeah, yeah. Whatever.
   "Uh.. Has anyone else just had another path open up in front of them?" I heard Rashaun ask.
   "Yep." Shadow and I replied simultaneously.
   A blue flash appeared in the air close to Shadow. The lightning dragon was approaching, and fast.
   "There's only one way forward." he said.
   "I don't know about you, but I'm going to follow this path. I don't want to become dragon food.". I assumed this meant that Rashaun and Shadow had started to travel down their new routes.
   I'm so stupid...
   "I guess I'll see you at the end?" I called to the others.
   "I guess so." was the distant reply.
   Another blue flash was my signal to get going. I reminded myself that the dragon was still out there, so I had to keep moving to stay alive.

   Ozy noticed something moving on the other side of the hedge to his right. He put his hand up, telling the others to stop.
   "What is it?" Anton inquired.
   "Please say it's not more angry bugs..." DD added.
   "I'm not sure what it is." he answered. Cautiously, he looked further along the corridor, and saw an opening.
   There was a high chance that the opening was a merging point for both paths. That left two possibilities; the thing on the other side would come through the opening and either attack them, or ignore them.
   "Got a spare bottle of water, Anton?".
   "Yeah," he replied, rummaging in his bag, "but what do you need it for?". He handed over the bottle of water.
   "That'll just make it angrier!" DD pointed out, already realising what he was planning.
   "Then just keep running." Ozy replied. "It's going to join our path in a moment. Maybe I could distract it long enough for us to make a quick getaway. It's not ideal, but it's all we've got.".
   "OK.. just be careful." Anton said, looking Ozy in the eye. All three were worried about what was around the corner, but knew they had to survive at whatever cost.
   With their backs close to the hedge wall, they shuffled over to the opening. Anton held up his hand and counted down from five.
   Five.
   Ozy readied the water.
   Four.
   DD and Anton got ready to run.
   Three.
   It was getting closer.
   Two.
   Four deep breaths.
   One.
   It turned the corner and started to walk through the opening.
    GO!" Ozy yelled, throwing water in the direction of whatever was coming. Anton and DD began to run, but didn't get far.
    WHAT THE?!?" cried a familiar voice.
   "Rashaun?". Ozy threw the bottle to the side, out of sight.
   "That's my name, don't wear it out." he replied, wiping his face. He held his phone up to see who had very kindly soaked him. "Ozy?!".
   "Don't forget us!" DD said, approaching the gap, followed by Anton.
   "Well, I'm certainly glad to see you all doing well." Rashaun remarked.
    "Yeah, we had a run-in with a swarm of angry fireflies, but besides that, we're fine." Ozy mentioned.
   "Where are the others?" Anton asked.
   "Oh... We...we got separated." he replied hesitantly.
   "What? How?".
   "Well there was the dragon waking up, then it left thanks to Shadow, we continued, the dragon returned so there was a bit more running, and that's when we got separated...".
   "So long as they can get out of here in time. Maybe we will bump into them on the way." Anton said, restoring some hope.
   "I hope so..." DD said
   "I'm sure they'll be fine. Both of them." Ozy reassured her.
   "We should get going.".
   "Agreed. If we carry on down this path, we should reach the tower soon.". Ozy checked the time again. It was 5pm, which meant-
   "Slight change of plan folks. You have one hour left. If you aren't already where you want to be, I suggest you hurry. The clock is ticking.". Mr Guy in the Sky had returned.
   "I cannot wait to meet that guy. There's a lot I have to say to him..." scowled Rashaun.
   "I'm sure that day will come, but for now, we have to find Shadow and Chloe. One hour isn't a lot of time." Anton urged.
   DD noticed a light further on down the path. "Hey, that could be one of them now!" she exclaimed excitedly.
   Clutching my arm, I stepped out onto the path. It was much wider in comparison to where I'd just walked. My pathway had gotten gradually narrower as I went on, and although I hadn't encountered any unfriendly things, blood loss was my biggest issue.
   Yeah, that's right. I'd lied. My arm wasn't fine. Not completely.
   I took a deep breath and tried to focus on where I was. I saw a collection of lights to my right.
   Could it be? Pleeeease let it be...
   "Oh, hello again." a voice said from behind me.
   "Oh my g- DON'T DO THAT!" I yelled.
   "What?!" Shadow questioned defensively.
   "APPEAR! Don't just pop out of nowhere and scare me like that!" I said. Still clutching my arm, I glared at him.
   "It's what I do best." he replied. "Still hurting?".
   "Is what still still hurting?" I asked, quickly letting go of my arm. I pretended to not know what he was on about, but was convinced he could see straight through the lie.
   "Oh my Arceus, you're OK!" DD yelled, running over to us. She gave me a hug, putting pressure onto my arm. I winced at the pain.
   "Yeah. I'm still alive." I replied, genuinely amazed at my survival. "Chloe - one, maze - nil.".
   As soon as DD finished her hug, Rashaun stepped in and gave me one too. I hugged him back.
   "I'm glad you're safe".
   "I'm happy you're OK too.". I couldn't help but laugh a little at this whole conundrum. A few days ago, all of this would've seemed impossible, yet here we are, running for our lives. Temperamental shrubbery, dragons, voices... It's the stuff from books!
   "Right, now that we are all back together, how about we get a move on?" Ozy suggested with a tone of urgency. "We now have 50 minutes left.".
   "The tower's that way, I think." Shadow added, pointing down the path. "Should be a left turning. I'm sure we can make it without dying.".
   "Not dying is a very good idea.". Anton checked the path behind him. There were no unwanted surprises coming towards them from that direction, to his relief. "Go the way Shadow said to, and not in single-file.".
   "Understood.".
   And so we set off. For the millionth time that day.

   "Hang on... that's not glass!" DD exclaimed. We'd finally reached the bottom of the tower. "I think it's ice!".
   "Who makes a tower out of ice? Like, seriously?". I looked at it in amaze.
   "What an ice tower!" celebrated Ozy.
   "That joke was snow good."
   "You have to admit, this place is very ice-olated."
   "NO MORE PUNS!"
   "But they're really cool..." Ozy argued under his breath.
   I checked my phone. We had half an hour to reach the top of the tower. I figured that we'd be able to make it in time - it was only around a hundred metres tall.
   Nothing compared to the Eiffel Tower, that's for sure.
   Time is money.
It is also of the essence.
   I saw a blue flash reflected on the icy walls. "Everyone, get inside and get up those stairs NOW!".
   "What? Why?" asked Rashaun. The sudden roar in the distance answered his question, and he led everyone into the frosty stronghold. "That is a very persistent dragon...".
   Walking up the stairs was a whole other test in itself. The slippery surface proved difficult to walk on. The main floor at the foot of the stairs was the same dirt and leaf path we'd trekked on for the past several hours.
   "Why isn't the floor covered in ice, or snow? Or even frost?" I asked. The leaves looked fresh - they had not been affected by the freezing atmosphere. I stopped trying to climb, and observed the floor.
   "What are you doing? We don't have time to admire the ground!" Ozy called, almost slipping.
   I ignored the question, and started to sweep away the leaves and and twigs with my foot. It didn't take long for me to find what I was looking for.
   "Tadaaa!" I sang with jazz hands. I'd uncovered a small wooden trapdoor next to the stairs.
   "This whole time, we assumed we were meant to go up, but-" DD began to say.
   "We are meant to go downwards.". Shadow completed the sentence.
   "But how can we know for sure if that's right?". Ozy had asked the question on everyone's mind. The one no one could answer.
What gets bigger and bigger, the more that you take away from it?
   Anton and I frowned at the same time and looked at the trapdoor.
Riddles. My favourite.
   "A hole.". Anton didn't say it out loud, I just did some simple lip-reading. But what he'd said was thought-provoking.
A hole? What does tha- oooohhh... OOHHHHH.... That is very interesting...
   I looked at Anton.
He can hear you too, can't he?
   I was speaking (well...thinking) directly to the voice in my head.
Anyone can if I want them to.
Well, how can you possibly control something like that?
Don't concern yourself with that. You've got other things to worry about.
   An electric blue flash appeared outside of the entrance.
   "Will this dragon ever quit?!" moaned Rashaun. He spoke to the entire group. "Make a decision now. Up or down.".
   "Down!" Anton and I replied at the same time. We looked at each other in a certain that told me something new, and perhaps quite valuable.
   He knew that I could hear it too.