Chapter Fourteen

Jade and Star�s quest to the tower; Tygra�s meeting with Drake�

Jade wavered slightly as the world around her swayed. Stumbling into a nearby tree, she decided to lean against its rough bark for support. She placed a hand to her aching head; the pain from the remnant of the poison coursing through her body was unbearable, yet she refused to give in to that pain. Giving into that pain would mean she would have to give up on saving Tygra…and on completing her mission. Neither one of the scenarios was for her. No at the moment she would continue on. She could rest once her journey came to an end.
“Jade, are you felling alright?”
Jade jumped at the sound of Star's voice beside her, quickly lowering her hand back to her side. She scowled at the thought of allowing Star to see her in such a weakened state. "I'm fine." She faced Star, she features paler then normal. "Let's just keep going."
"Don't lie to Jade, I can tell that poison is really taking a toll on you. You need to rest for a bit longer."
Jade huffed, turning her head away from Star's concerned eyes. "I've dealt with worse." She began to walk down the pathway leading them in the direction of Drake Tower once more. "If I haven't, we would never be able to save Tygra."

                  *   *   *

Tygra woke to pounding headache and blurred vision. She squinted against the dim light illuminating her surroundings. "What happened?" She questioned allowed rubbing her eyes gently, removing the blur from her sight. "Where am I?"
As she looked around, a small gasp escaped her lips. The room she was in was dark and damp. Torches were set along the walls a few feet set apart. Something hanging from the wall beside her caught the light of one of the torches. Shackles? I-I'm in a dungeon?
She crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to stay warm as goose bumps formed over her arms. Her eyes scanned the area for a door but found nothing but four solid walls. She sighed, lowering her hands back out to her sides. "I guess I have no choice but to make my own."
Bringing her hands out before her, she stretched her fingers so the tips pointed towards the closed wall. She took in a deep breath, summoning enough energy to blow her own way out through the wall. But after a few moments of waiting, nothing beckoned her call. Not even the slightest tingle could be felt within her fingertips.
“What's going on?” she questioned loudly staring at her hands as if they had somehow betrayed her.
“You haven't figured it out yet?"
Tygra gasped, turning to face the direction of the voice. "Drake!" She raised her hand, attempting to summon any amount of energy she could.
He shook his head closing his eyes. "Your powers won't work within this room."
Tygra lowered her hand backing away from him cautiously. "What do you want? Why have you taken me here?”
"It's not necessarily what I want, but what I need." His blue eyes pierced through hers as he walked towards her, the loud clicks of the soles of his shoes against the concrete floor making her nervous with every step he took. “I need you to see. To see how Jade is using you and Star.”
Tygra watched him frightfully, yet curiously. “What are you talking about? Jade wouldn’t do such a thing!”
“Open your eyes.” He said, stopping in front of her. “She knew I sent my guard to capture you. She let you get captured.”
“That’s a lie!”
“Is it?” Drake questioned, walking in a circle around her. “Then why hasn’t she come to save you yet?”
Clutching her hands into fists at her sides, she raised her chin up defiantly. “She’ll be here. Star too. They’ll both come to get me out of here," she looked to him, a smile curling along her lips, "and kill you.”
Drake laughed. "We shall see." He waved a hand swiftly in front of her face. Tygra felt as if the wind as been knocked out of her at that moment. "Come." She felt her legs begin to move.
No, what are you doing? Don't follow him!
No matter how hard she protected, it was in vain. She no longer had control of her body as she aided the dark sorcerer call. He placed a hand to her shoulder, and with a snap of his fingers, they vanished from dungeon.

                   *   *   *

Jade and Star finished their hike through the Forbidden Forest and into a land marred by the tyrannical sorcerer known through out Hellinous history; Drake. The soil was no more; the nutrients sucked dry leaving nothing but sand and rocks in its place. In the distance was Drake’s Tower, reaching more than a hundred stories high; the tower where Tygra was being held captive that very minute.
Jade stood where she was surveying the area. She is definitely here…I can feel it! She reached out grabbing Star’s arm as she began to walk off towards the tower.
Star stumbled backwards a few steps before looking to Jade with irritation gleaming in her eyes. “What?”
“This land is the perfect camouflage for all kinds of creatures.” She grabbed a stone lying on the ground beside her, throwing it out into the sanded area before them. The instant the stone landed upon the ground, it was swallowed whole by a huge fish-like creature which came jolting from the beneath the sand and dove back below as if it were water.
“What the heck was that?” Star exclaimed taking a few timid steps away.
“It’s a sand shark.” Jade said matter-of-factly, watching the tower before her. “Drake must have them here to protect the tower.”
“Well, couldn’t we just kill it?”
“I can tell that there are more then just that one hanging around here. Here seems to be at least twenty within the designated area.” Jade closed her eyes trying to think of a solution to their problem. However, right now thinking wasn’t the easiest thing for her to do and tried to think of what to do. Right now, thinking wasn’t the easiest thing for her to do. The poison had yet to leave her system leaving her body aching and fatigued.
“You must be kidding me! How can we possibly get across to save Tygra now?” Star pondered placing a hand to her forehead when she allowed it to fall back to her side as an idea came to her. “Oh, I know! How about I fly you across? That will work, won t it?”
Jade picked up another stone throwing this one higher than the last. Another massive sand shark came up from the sand, grabbing the stone in mid air. A few seconds after it went underground, it spat the stone back out onto the sand with a growl.
“Now that they know we’re here, they’ll get you before you even get off the ground.” Jade looked around for a moment before allowing her gaze to fall back to Star. “You have anymore ideas?”
Star shook her head, thinking the same thing Jade was:   How could something so close, be so far away?
Jade then stepped out before Star. “I guess I have no choice.” She bent down a bit. “Star, get on my back?”
“What?” Star exclaimed her eyes narrowed in confusion.
“Just do it!”
Star stepped towards her, wrapping her arms around her neck and placing her legs on Jade’s forearms in the traditional piggyback stance. As Jade stood upright, Star couldn‘t help but question. “What are you planning?”
Jade smiled, her eyes beginning to glow bright red. “We have to get over there somehow, don t we? We‘ll be able to do so with my technique.”
“No, Jade! You’re not strong enough yet to use your powers!”
“Right now we don’t have the choice, do we?”
“But-”
“Just make sure you hold on tight. I’m not coming back for you if you fall off.”
Without giving Star a chance to say another word, Jade bolted across the dessert sands before them darting past the sands sharks with her ludicrous speed.