The creature raised his enormous head and turned towards the opposite wall in the chamber. “Do you think I was born yesterday, girl? I am Rakuu the relic. I’ve seen more than you can imagine. Don’t waste our time trying to hide. It will only anger me, and I’ll make your death that much slower.” He dragged his head left towards our direction, taking slow, rhythmic breaths.

He halted, squinting his pale-blue eyes at the bright orange glow, then took three more breaths. “Clever,” He laughed. “You’ve realized that I have nocturnal sight … so you thought you could conceal your stink with the stink of the foul spirit you’re bound to. I admire your spirit.”

Mowak looked upon Tuma and I. “He doesn’t know you two are here.” Then she turned towards the creature. She took a step forward, and before I could pull her back, she came out of the light into the shadow.

Shade shook her head.

The creature corked his head and hissed, “there you are.”

Mowak shrugged, “you’ve found me. Guess you’re more clever than I thought.”

He let out a low, hissing laugh. “That I am, girl … that I am.” He slowly opened his beak, exposing a rounded-red ball.”

Tuma’s eyelids widened and he pointed to his tongue. I shrugged, never good at guessing games. He pointed to his tongue several times, sticking it in and out. I shook my head, waving my hand to shoo him away.

Suddenly Rakuu snapped his jaws close. He raised it and took two more long breaths. “What is that familiar,” he licked his beak's edge, “smell?”

Mowak looked at us, eyebrows twisted, then back at the creature. “Um, I’m uncertain what you mean …”

“Of course you are,” he took another breath, “But I could never forget that smell.”

“And what smell is that?”

He hissed and laughed. “The smell of rooster … are you with those miner fools?”

“No … I’m no miner … not even a miners daughter.”

Rakuu snapped his beak three times and gave it a quick lick. “I hate roosters … but they’re quite the delicious tttrrreattt!”

From the wall, Sqakron’s head popped out, whipping right and left, eyes blinking quickly and out of rhythm. Tuma clenched a fist then waved his hand. Sqakron blinked three more times, then slipped back between the walls.

He didn’t get sprayed, I thought. That lousy creature is going to cost us our lives ... I rubbed my temples, and closed my eyes. Think, Kai, think … Suddenly, a thought hammered into my head. “Panchu! I can call Panchu. Sapphire told me I could, but how?” I rubbed my temples. “I must focus …”

“I’ll make a deal with you, girl.” Rakuu snapped. “If you bring me the rooster, I’ll make sure your death is quick and painless.”

Mowak leaned against her hip and grinned. “I prefer pain.”

A low, rumbling hiss came from deep in the beast belly. “I like you, girl. Too bad I’ll have to kill you, or I think we would make a great team.”

He opened his beak exposing the rounded-tipped, red appendage. Sqakron’s head popped out. The creature turned, his tongue springing out, firing as quick as an arrow. It slammed into the wall. The chamber rattled. Dust and rocks fell and splashed. The tongue recoiled back into the creature's beak.

Rakuu hissed with laughter. “So you’ll run and hide, huh?”

Tuma smacked me and whispered, “He’s part crocodile, part turtle, and part … part … chameleon.”

I raised my eyebrow. “How can you be certain?”

“The tongue … climbing walls … it all makes sense.”

I closed my eyes and took slow, rhythmic breaths. “Focus,” I whispered, “focus …” Suddenly the world around me went silent and black. The darkness expanding around me in every direction. Off in the distance was an orange silhouette. What is that? I thought.

“Kai?” A deep, low voice echoed into the void.

“Panchu?”

The orange silhouette zigzagged in the blackness. “Stay in Spirit Focus. It is how we can communicate from afar. And it how I can come and find you.”

“Onwae? Sapphire?”

“They’re with me, and they’re safe.” Panchu's voice echoed. “But Mowak and Shade have been taken by that foul creature …”

“They’re alive … for now.” I replied somberly. “But the creature is amongst us. If you don’t help us get free, I fear our fate is a grim one—”

A haunting hiss caused my eyelids to snap open. I found myself back in the cavern, surrounded by the orange orb light. Tuma and shade on both sides of me. Mowak standing only a few feet away.

Rakuu hissed and chuckled,. “If you will not come out, little rooster, then I’ll have to come in.”

Sqakron's head popped out, eyes wide, blinking rapid and random. Tuma waved his hand, “Hide you dumb bird … hide!” The cockatrice’s head tiled then slid back between the cracks.

From Rakuu's belly came a high, hissing laugh as the creature snapped his jaws. He opened his beak slowly. A second, black appendage fell from his mouth and hit the ground. Saliva splattered. His breath heavy. Suddenly, the black appendage jerked from right to left. It snapped to life. Two red eyes glaring towards the crack.

Tuma swallowed. “And it’s part snake ... “

Rakuu hung on the stony bank of the pool, head resting, beak open, while the snake-like tongue slithered across the ground. A trail of saliva behind it. The appendage head examined the crack then disappeared inside.

“It’s going to kill him!”

“Guardians can’t die unless the spirit they’re bound to dies.” Shade whispered through her fangs. “But they can be wounded … and leave your spirit scared, Tuma. If that happens, Sqakron will need to heal before you can call upon him again.”

The boy dropped his mouth and trembled.

I closed my eyes and slowed my breaths until they matched the beats of my heart. Darkness wrapped around me, and in the distance stood Panchu’s orange silhouette. “What happened?” His voice echoed.

“For now the creature is preoccupied with Skaqron … apparently he really hates roosters.”

"Glad I'm not the only one," Panchu chuckled. “And glad to know you're not dead. We must hurry … you can’t stay in spirit focus forever.”

“What do you mean?”

I saw Panchu’s orange silhouette leap then climb down the blackness. “This is not really the time to discuss these things, but there is a duration to your spirit energy. The more you use it, the more your spirit is weakened, until it’ll fade in order to keep you from killing yourself.” Panchu said grimly. “It doesn’t take much spirit energy to keep me in flesh form, but if I was in spirit form, you’d be severely weakened.”

I nodded. “I understand.”

Panchu looked left then right, choosing the left direction. “We’re getting closer —”

Buh-Cock! Sqakron shrieked and flapped his wings, unable to gain lift. He landed on the stone. Rakku tongue whipped from the crevice and snapped, clinging onto the Cockatrice’s tail. The creature shrieked. Sqakron pulled and the tail popped off.

Tuma stepped from the light and into the shadow, “Run, Sqakron, run!”

In a blur, the cockatrice skipped across the stone and dived, disappearing into the pool. Rakku turned his head, gazing at Tuma with his pale blue eyes. He reeled his tongue into his mouth. “Another meal! And this one's fat!" His lips curled and he guffawed, causing the cave to quake. Tuma stood frozen. Eyes wide with terror. “I’ll deal with you later!”

Rakuu sunk into the water in pursuit of Sqakron.

“Now is our chance!” I said, running over to where the stones had collapsed. The others followed on my heels. “We need to dig through as quickly as we can!”

One stone after another was picked up and thrown as we dug. Are hands gathering cuts and bruises, leaving them red with blood.

Tuma’s lip trembled. “We’re not going to make it …”

“We must!” I yelled. “Together we can do it!”

Shade grabbed a stone between her teeth only hard enough to pick it up and sling it behind her. Mowak was the most productive, tossing the boulders like they were skipping stones. Showing much more discipline than both Tuma and I.

“This is useless …”

“Quit whining and keep throwing!” Mowak said harshly. “Or I’ll make you my next target!” Tuma swore beneath his breath. “And without attitude!”

I halted and closed my eyes allowing the void to return. Panchu was closer and brighter than before, racing towards us. “We’re almost there!”

“Hurry!” I waved. “The wall has collapsed … and we need your help to get us out!”

“We’re going as fast as we can. Hold on—”

I felt a dull pain in my chest. My eyelids ripped open. A foot away stood a boy with round cheeks, a gapped frown, and eyes a bark brown. Tuma reddened and yelled, “what are you doing taking a nap! You need to help us!”

I clenched my hands and decided it best not to hit him back. “I wasn’t sleeping … I was in spirit focus, you idiot! I'm Trying to help Panchu find us before we all die.”

Mowak snapped, “You both need to help out because that thing is about to resurface!”

Tuma groaned.

Irritated, the four us pulled and yanked, fighting the pile with all our might. With each pull, another group of stones fell. An endless mountain with no end in sight. When the pile at our rears, filled with stones of many sizes, was taller than all of us, we halted, panting. Every muscle in my body screamed while sweat trickled down my face like a waterfall. The others looked in my condition, and Tuma's robe head was drenched.

“I give up,” He said, plopping down on the pile of stones. “I’ll just let the creature eat me …”

“Get up!” I snapped. “This is not the time to give into your pain …”

“I’m not giving in. I am completely spent …”

Mowak shook her head, “No surprise there … he is as soft as shade's fur.”

Shad corked her head, “don’t compare me with him …”

"My bad."

I took a step back and closed my eyes, allowing the void to cloak around me. The large, orange silhouette was very close. Panchu said, “we’re here on the other side of this pile … i’ll do my best to get through!”

“Hurry!” I said. “I don’t know how much longer we have.”

Panchu swiped and pulled at the blackness. “I’m coming … just hold on!”

I opened my eyes, “Panchu, Onwae, and Sapphire are on the other side. They’re going to help us.”

“It’ll be too late,” Tuma dropped his head.

I grabbed a rock and slung it, connecting with his ear. The boy yelped. “What was that for?”

“I’m sick of the way you’re acting. Now get up and help us or I’ll throw you in that pool. Together we can do this, but alone we will fail. Now, please, Tuma be a part of our team.”

He kicked a rock, and grumbled, standing to his feet. “Fine,” Tuma wiped the sweat from his hands. He began heaving rocks.

Mowak wiped her forehead. “I can see why they tried to keep this thing in.”

I looked at Tuma, halted, grabbing his chest, breathing heavy. “Come on, Tuma … stop being lazy, will you?”

“I’ve got a pain deep within me,” he frowned, “an ache down in my spirit.”

Shade tossed another rock, “you’re feeling spirit sensations.”

“What’s that?”

She rolled another stone with her snout. “When you can feel your guardians emotions … it’s good to know how they feel, but it can zap your spirit energy.”

Tuma grabbed another stone, and with much effort, heaved it. “Maybe that’s why I feel so tired …”

Mowak rolled her eyes, “you feel tired because you’re lazy.”

“No.” Shade shook her head. “He’s probably right. The longer Sqakron is being chased, the more his energy is waning. He needs to call him back to hibernate or I’m afraid Tuma will become useless.”

“Isn’t he already?”

I picked up two more boulders and threw them, “Tuma, take a break …”

He nodded and wiped his forehead, “Gladly.”

From on the other side of the wall, I heard the sound of grunts and groans. Some beastly, and some of a young girl.

“Panchu?”

“We’re here, Kai!” Onwae’s voice sounded muffled, but I was thankful to hear it. “We are coming!”

Tuma shouted, “Get us out of here, quick! I’m starting to feel faint! Might be because of this skugars stink!”

“Quiet!” I snapped. I then called, “keep digging! We can do this!”

From the pool, a blur shot into the air and tumbled on the ground. Gobble. Gobble. “He’s coming!” Sqakron shouted, running like he was deranged. “Run!”

Water expelled from the pool as the enormous head shot out, the giant beak coming towards us, coming towards the wall.

“Jump!” I yelled, diving to my left.

Mowak and shade dove to the right while Tuma collapsed and rolled, just in time. Rakuu’s head slammed into the wall, causing the cavern to shake. The creature roared and hissed, collapsing. It then slid backwards and disappearing back into the pool, unconscious.

“It knocked itself out!” Tuma grinned, looking at Sqakron shivering by the wall. “You alright?”

“Yes, master—”

From the pool, a black appendage shot out and hissed, flinging forward, snatching onto the cockatrice. Sqakron screeched. Together they slipped back into the pool with only a single ripple.

Tuma raised his hand and grabbed his chest, “Sqakron!” He groaned.

Mowak pointed her hand, “look there! Rakuu has blasted a hole in the wall!”

I turned my head and saw light pouring through the stone. It was a hole large enough to fit my head through. Onwae’s face peeked inside, “what was that?”

“You don’t want to know,” Mowak said, “Trust me on that.”

Panchu Roared, “move!”

Onwae stepped aside and his large paws came down on the stone wall. It collapsed, opening the wall up for us to get through. “Hurry! This way!”

I waved a hand, “you two first!”

Shade nodded. Mowak said, “You'd don’t have to tell me twice.” And they both climbed through the passage to the other side.

I ran over to Tuma, still lying on the ground, gazing upon the pool. “I can’t leave him …”

“You must!”

He shook his head and frowned. “He was so scared,” Tuma teared, “I could feel him … his fear … and when he … died.”

“He’s not dead,” I patted his shoulder, “he is only weakened —”

Tuma’s eyes grew. A purple glint of light casted amongst us. I turned my chin over my shoulder to find a purple orb floating from the pool towards us … no … towards Tuma. The boy quickly jumped to his feet and reached out a hand, “Sqakron?”

The orb halted in front of him, no more bigger than a coconut. It spun, while a misty smoke slithered around it. Suddenly it brightened, and in a blur, shot forward, drilling through Tuma’s chest. He collapsed and cried out. Rolling and grabbing his chest, faced twisted in agony.

Tuma screamed, “It burns!”

A popping sound drew my attention back to the pool. Bubbles met the surface and exploded. Few at first, then many, popping like the water began to boil.

Rakuu, I thought, he’s coming back …

I knelt down. “Tuma we have to go!”

“I can’t!” He gasped, his face reddened, but not by anger. “The pain is too severe.”

“Rakuu is almost here!” I shouted, eyeing the bubbling water. “We must go!”

Mowak stuck her head back into the chamber, “Come on, Tuma! You’re strong! Be strong for Sqakron!”

“I can’t,” tears rolled down his cheeks, “I’m not strong. I’m afraid. And I feel like I am going to die …”

“You're not going to die,” I said, “I won’t let you!” I reached out a hand. “But if you stay here then that thing will kill us both. Come Tuma. Or if you stay, I stay, and we'll be taken together.”

"No you won't!" Panchu growled. "Tuma! Get your tail moving now, before I rip your head off!"

Tuma looked at Panchu and winced than turned his eyes on me. “You’d stay for me?”

“I’d stay for my friend, yes.”

The boy grabbed his chest and sighed in pain. He gave a weak smile. “And I’ll fight for my friend.” He grabbed my hand and together we got him to his feet. He groaned, breathing heavy. I threw his arm around my shoulder. “Thank you.”

We walked towards the breach in the wall, “thank me when we’re out of this place.”

Our steps were slow and took much effort, but we were moving, and that was all that mattered. Foot after foot, getting closer to our way out.

Onwae and Mowak waved their hands both shouting, “hurry!” and “Be strong!” And when we finally reached them, I placed Tuma into their hands, as they guided him through the wall.

Pool water exploded, wetting the inside of the cave. The creature's head raised and slammed against the floor. “You will not escape me!” Rakku beak opened up. I turned and dove.

I heard the slick sound before I felt something cling onto my leg, tugging on me, pulling me backward. I grabbed onto sharp stone, fighting from being retracted into the monster's mouth.

Onwae screamed, “Kai!” And with my spear in her hand, hoisted it above her head, then downward, bringing the speartip into the red appendage. The tongue tore in two, blood squirting as it seperated. The end stuck on my leg. The other part retracted back into Rakuu’s beak. He released a high, earpiericing screech. Hissing and huffing in agony.

I pulled the sticky ball from my leg then climbed through the breach.

Panchu yelled, “Get behind me,” and once we had, he stood on his two back paws. And with his front paws, grabbed the rocky ceiling. He roared and pulled until the rocks collapsed, closing off the passage once again.