"YOUR LATE!"

Tom, Tucker, and Sonja stood on a huge ramp structure they had made for the portal. The Egyptians could have copyrighted it if they really wanted to.

"I'm sorry", I apologized. "I didn't think you expected me to get Hope out of bed by 5 in the morning".

Hope threw a rock at my back, right on cue.

"This is the only day we actually want you here", Tom yelled down.

I glanced at the portal. It was shining through the sand mound in the dessert where Red had found it.

"You patched it up", I said, feeling bad that I wasn't here to help before.

"It was actually quite easy", I think it was Sonja who yelled down. "Don't stress yourself".

"SEE LOSER", Hope screamed, still upset that she had to get up before sunrise. "YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DRAG ME HERE!"

"Actually we need your help still", Red clambered over. He had so many weapons on him that I thought he was going to fall over backwards. "Furia be putting a curse on this portal".

"A what-?", I asked.

Everyone else was aware of the information.

"Well it's sorta like a key. His guardians hold them", Red supplied more information. "I didn't see them here I don't know how to get them here. We know he hates you Ianite's so..." Red trailed of.

"We're bait", I inquired, now wishing that I had listened to Hope's advise and we would have stayed home.

Hope groaned. "What is with Dianites and keys!!?"

"I think you all set it off. Just walk around a bit", Red said.

"Set what off?", Hope asked more questions, meaning she was annoyed. "How you know all this stuff?"

Red raised his eyebrows, "What are yous implying".

Hope shrugged with a pissed off sorta tone. "I just want to know what the hell is going on".

"I saw Furia plot the trap. I walked over there's", he pointed to corner of the canyon. "And it didn't go off".

"Why", I asked, "Your Ianite".

"He don't hates me", Red pointed to himself then at me and Hope, "He hates yous".

"Ugh", Hope threw her head back and flailed her arms, "Fuckin' stupid", she stomped over to the edge of the corner. "I swear to hell if this doesn't work"

Everyone was down from fixing the portal and had there weapons.

"Ready", Hope yelled back. I could almost here her mumble "for this bullshit", right after.

She stepped on the corner.

Nothing happened.

Hope turned around and gave the pirate an icy cold glare. "You piece of shit", Hope started to scream. "IF THIS DOESN'T WORK IN 6 SECONDS ILL COME OVER THERE SO FAST THAT YOUR STUPID ACCENT WONT HAVE AN 'ARR' TO GIVE".

"Damn", Tom started to laugh.

The ground shook. Not as strong as we all expected, but it shook.

A smoldering creature. Skin as the color of ash, specks of fire shown through its skin. Fangs dripped with what looked like oil. It was what we had seen in the mines so long ago, but bigger and scarier.

The creature screeched.

Hope spun around lightning fast with an arrow already in her hand. She shot the creature in the mouth without a hint of fear in her eyes.

The creature gurgled hot oil that splattered on the sand. It's clawed hand held at its throat.

Hope got another arrow out of her quiver and shot it at the creatures head. The gurgling stopped and the creature landed on the sand, clawed hands still scratching at the arrow through its neck, dead.

She reached down at the monster and grabbed a key, stained clean silver, in the shape of a star.

Hope threw it at Red who caught the key with his left hand.

"Great", He said putting on a fake smile. "You've got three more now".

We all looked up at the sky at the same time.

The same creatures loomed over top of us all.

Hope scrunched up her face. "It's too early for this shit".

Sonja was the first one to fire, throwing one of her knives right into one of the smoldering openings, into the near left creatures shoulder.

It screeched, having the two others stare at us.

The right one lunged at me which I kept back with my sword. The creature flinched back not allowing me to catch any skin.

The creature came back, nipping at shoulder and reaching for my head. I swung my glass sword sideways cutting the creatures whole right arm clean off.

The creature screeched louder grabbing the attention of friend one and friend two.

Sonja grabbed a knife a swung at her target, saving my skin. The right one flinched back and bit at the knife, turning around and squirting its black oil blood everywhere.

Sonja stabbed the right one where it's heart would be and it crashed to the floor dead. Blood leaked out onto the sand, soaking into the ground.

The left one scratched my arm. I swung my sword to it. The creature flew back dodging my second swing. I ducked as the left one clawed at my.

Hope flew an arrow through the creatures stomach. It spun back looking at her, giving her a clear shot.

Another arrow went though the creatures skull and the second one was dead.

The third one had its head severed off by Tucker and Tom.

Hope got the two keys from the two dead by us and handed them too red.

Red smiled. Finally, he seemed a tad hopeful. "I'll set theses up. The portal will be done by tomorrow", he grabbed the fourth key from Tom.

"Can I see you fix it?!", Hope asked running up to Red.

"I", He looked back at me.

I shrugged not really caring what Hope did at the moment.

"Okay", Red walked up to the portal.

On the floor right in the middle of the canyon there was four key holes.

Red placed in all the keys.

He turned the first one and the portal lit up purple.

He turned the second one and the portal turned to a brownish red.

He turned the third one and the brown went to a green.

With the fourth one all of the colors switched at once rotating to purple, brown, and green.

"There's we go-"

A crash rang through the canyon.

I grabbed for Hope as a huge gush of wind scattered sand through the air towards us.

Tucker stood as the dust hit his face. Shielding his eye, he squinted out towards Mianite.

He expression got emotionless.

I saw what he saw. I huge cloud of smoke rose from where the Mianite temple was.

"Tucker", Sonja yelled as the wind started to calm. "What is it?"

"No", he choked out. He bolted to Mianite without grabbing his horse.

"Tucker!", Tom screamed out. "It's not worth it stop".

Sonja started after him.

The temple was in ruins just as I suspected.

Furia stood on top of the scorched ruble laughing sickeningly.

"Welcome back Mianites", He yelled, almost as insane as before. "What did I land on something on my way back".

"You'll pay for this", I screamed the only thing I could think of.

"Because of you the old man figured me out". Furia grabbed his katana out of the air. "You can imagine I'm a little pissed".

I didn't move. I didn't want to fight. The one thing Mianite had gave me and it was gone.

"Cmon now tuff guy", Furia walked soundlessly on top of the ruble to me. "You want me to pay so bad then go ahead!", Furia loomed infront of me, screaming right in my face. "GO FOR IT!"

I got back up on my feet. I reached to my sides, but my swords were gone. Where had they gone?

Furia laughed. I should have known he wouldn't fight clean. Furia punched me in the face so hard that I fell to the ground.

He threw his foot on my stomach holding me to the ground. "Aw what a shame. You were a good fighter. Your whole fighting angel act kinda impressed me". He shrugged, "To bad I really want to see blood spread on the ground", Furia cackled as he took out his katana.

A sword hit the katana out of Furia's hands.

"Didn't expect me to fight back did you", Sparkles said calmly, pointing his swords at Furia's throat.

"You filthy Ianite", he hissed.

"Thanks", Sparkles narrowed his eyes. "Any last words. Maybe an apology".

Furia smirked, "You think killing me is going to solve your problems. Finding the heart will just make your problems vanish", Furia grabbed a piece of glass from the side and took it too his own throat. "You'll never escape because you ruined your own damn life!"

Sparkles didn't try to take the glass out of Furia's hand.

Furia's dug the glass into his the throat, blood started to drip down his neck though he was still very alive. "You took the one God damn chance that you lucky bastards get and squandered it!", he screamed. I swear I could almost see his eyes get glassy. "But your hear now and this is my peoples land", Furia sobbed digging the glass into his throat more. "Evil runs this land".

Furia slit his own throat on his own wishes.

"You didn't try to save him", I said to Sparkles.

"I don't think anyone could save him", Sparkles answered.

And just like Furia wanted, blood did indeed spread on the ground.