Sealing Death (9 page)

The Name Of The Lost Hero

      Once everyone was on their feet and ready to go, they each were given a weapon of some sort and directed down a long hall. On each side were drawings of a beast that seemed familiar to Cassie, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

      "What are those?" Cassie questioned the chief, "The pictures on the walls?"

      Nastumea stopped and explained, "Those are the interpretations of the beast below. Our scribes and artists study the screams we have heard and drew what they thought it might look like.

      The group looked at the green and red blobs of ink. Cassie knew she saw it before, but where? "What did the screams say?" Cassie inquired. Nastumea called for 'the scrolls'.

      "Here they are," he announced, presenting the documents, "a record of every single noise that came from below."

      Cassie opened a scroll and scanned through. There was a lot of AH's and the like, but a few stood out to Cassie. The main record she saw was labeled 'Screams of the Beast'. It read "Cassandra Smith! She is evil! Beware! Cassandra Smith! Beware! Beware!"

      "I know what the beast is!" Cassie screamed, scaring the chief, "It's the Hu-Po-Dane!"

      Will looked at his girlfriend. Had she gone crazy? "What is the Hu-Po-Dane?" he interrogated, "And how do you know about it?"

    Cassie cringed of the thought of what she did. "Remember how Skyler Gledhill went crazy and was sent to that mental institution?" she breathed, "She's not there anymore, because when I was evil, I took her to Everlanon and turned her into a monster and kind of forgot about it."

      Everyone stared at her with blank faces.

      Charlie gaped. Did she just say she turned his ex into a monster and forgot about it? How do you forget about turning a person into a monster?!

      Stella started screaming. "SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO ENCOUNTER THAT PSYCHO WHO ALMOST KILLED MY CHAR-CHAR!" she yelled, and then realized what she said. "How do you know about that?" Charlie asked. "And why did you just refer to Charlie as your Char-Char?!" a slightly threatening Cassie added.

      "Well," Stella admitted, "since we're confessing things, I was kind of spying on you all with my Magic Mirror while I was in Athea Guana." "YOU WERE SPYING ON US!!!" Will hollered. Stella nodded. "You still didn't answer my question." Cassie reminded fiercely.

      What was she supposed to say? That she likes Char-Char again? They just broke up! Stella couldn't tell Cassie she wanted her ex-boyfriend! "Um," Stella started slowly, "so you know how you and Char-Char broke up? Well I am kind of on his side, and then I started to, have, feelings again."

      Stella likes Charlie! Cassie was furious! Stella should know better! Wait, she can't flip out on her, otherwise Will might get angry. "Oh." she said.

      Just oh? Charlie was sad. He was kind of hoping for a bigger rea- wait, Stella likes him again! Cassie doesn't even seem to care! She can't be that angry at him that she doesn't even care, can she? He thought they were going to get back together soon! Charlie was really sad.

      But wait! Stella likes him! But he can't move on this quickly!

      "Ok, I understand." Cassie continued, "I've moved on, so go ahead and pursue him as you may."

      "Really?" Stella, Charlie, Susan, James, Betty, Braddock, Vander, and Vanessa gasped in unison. "Yes!" Cassie replied, hoping that online acting course pays off, "Me and Charlie are old news!" Cassie glanced at Will who was smiling. "Speaking of news," Cassie added, "Me and Will are back together!" She instantly looked at Charlie when she said it. He seemed tense. Awe!

    Awe! They're back together! Why did he break up with the girl of his dreams?! Charlie was an idiot. A very stupid idiot. He looked at Stella. It'll be nice for comfort, at least.

    Stella KNEW something was up! And she was RIGHT! Cassie probably never even liked Charlie! He was just a shoulder for her to cry on until someone better came along! Stella looked at Charlie who was surprisingly looking back. He turned away quickly and swished his hair like nothing happened. Yay! Stella smiled. Chella is coming back! Only this time, they will be stronger than ever!

      Cassie felt like crying, but she smiled and grabbed Will's hand. Charlie didn't even care about the news! They were done! Over! Finished! Instead of tears, she had laughs, and instead of sadness, she showed fake happiness. She was happy with Will before, she can get over Charlie and be happy with him again. She'll have to!

      Betty sighed. "As much as I enjoy my soaps, there is no time for drama!" she announced, "Let's get a move on it!"

      Cassie refocused. "So we know who the monster is," she began, "but what is the name of this Lost Hero we are looking for?"

      "Ah!" the smiling chief sighed, "An age old answer like that can only be found by an age old man! Luckily, I am one old fart." Vander and Vanessa giggled at his word use. "The Name of the Lost Hero is Wahteecee." he moaned, "Now go down the rest of the hall, and at the end is a hole. Go in the hole, and I might see you again. Good luck!" Nastumea turned in the opposite direction and walked away.

      Wahteecee.

      The group stood at the edge of the hole. "Are we ready to enter a dark, dangerous hole so we can save Reality?" Cassie asked. "Nope." Susan sighed. "Let's go!" Betty yipped, jumping in. "Grandma!" Charlie yelled, following. One by one, they all jumped in.

      Inside the hole, no one could see. It was too dark. Cassie made flashlights with a poof of smoke, and handed them out. "It stinks in here." Charlie whispered. Cassie smelled the air. It smelled like sewage. "Why are you whispering?" Cassie questioned, "We want Skyler to hear us!"

      Stella ran over to Cassie. "Why?" she demanded to know. "I'm going to change her back, somehow." Cassie exclaimed, "I need to right the wrong that I did." Stella nodded and walked forward. "SKYLER GLEDHILL!!!!" Stella screamed, "GUESS WHO JUST BROKE UP WITH YOUR EX-BOYFRIEND, CHARLIE!! MISS CASSANDRA ALICE SMITH HERSELF!" Stella paused before finishing, "AND NOW I'M DATING HIM!!! REMEMBER ME BEAST? STELLA SANDERS IS HERE TOO!!!!"

      They all listened attentively to the dark. "CASSANDRA ALICE SMITH! BEWARE! BEWARE!!!" a voice echoed through the caverns, "CHARLIE'S HERE TOO! YAY! STELLA SANDERS WOULD MAKE A NICE MEAL AS WELL!" The smell of sewage grew stronger. A fire lit up the tunnels. "CASSANDRA!!!" the monster growled, "FIRE IS FUN!!" With a big thump, the Hu-Po-Dane landed feet away. It sent its tentacles after the bunch and swooped up Will. "I REMEMBER YOU!!!" she snarled, "YOU LOOK YUMMY!!!"

    Cassie panicked. She needed to save Will and fix Skyler! She pointed at the Hu-Po-Dane and began.

Creature that I made back when I was bad,

I demand that you go back when,

You weren't as large and mad,

      The Hu-Po-Dane brought Will up to its mouth and got ready for a nice meal. "Do something!" Will yelled.

I SEND YOU TO NINETEEN FIFTY-SEVEN!

      A bolt of lightning shot from Cassie's hand and smashed into the Hu-Po-Dane. It quickly morphed back into Skyler, and the group saw her helpless face as she was zapped back in time fifty-nine years. "NOOOOOO!!!!" Cassie screamed, but it was too late. Skyler was nowhere to be seen. "I panicked! I didn't know what to do! I couldn't think of a word that rhymes with when!" Cassie was stopped by Will. "It's okay! You saved us!" he comforted, hugging her, "On the bright side, she might still be alive, and hopefully she didn't change too much." Cassie looked at Will. "As soon as we put the Scarrcedenhogg back," she announced, "we will find Skyler and fix this." Will nodded.

      "Don't worry!" a woman said, watching the events on a television, "You'll find me soon enough!" She stood up and looked out the window of her NYC skyscraper at the world below. The seventy-five-year-old whispered, "But I can't guarantee you'll be able to fix anything."

      Back in the tunnels, the group continued their search. Cassie was now determined to find the Lost Hero so they could go stop the Scarrcedenhogg, and fix things with Skyler. Cassie marched forward in the dark.

      Charlie looked around at the darkness. He registered moving in the corner of his eye. A slither here, a scurry there. He felt breath on the back of his neck, but when he turned around, no one was there. Charlie hurried to the middle of the group.

      "Wahteecee! Are you here!" Cassie called, "We are trying to stop the Scarrcedenhogg, but we can't leave without your approval!"

      They heard loud laughter echoing through the tunnels. It sounded like a girl. Cassie jumped back as a woman dressed in animal skin landed in front of her. "That's hilarious!" said the lady. Her hair was decorated with pink flowers that matched her clothes, and she held a large blade in her hand.

      "Who are you!" Cassie demanded she say, making a fireball in defense. "The name is Wahteecee," the girl claimed, "but the people up there call me the Lost Hero." She held out her hand for Cassie to shake. "Preferably the not flaming one!" she joked.

      Cassie decided to trust her and shook her hand. "That can't be the Lost Hero!" Braddock snorted. The woman smiled at him, "Is it because I'm a girl?" Mr. Braddock held his breath. Cassie glared at him. The girl glared at him. "No..." he lied.  With the blink of an eye, he was licking the ground, being held there by the stranger. "Liar!" she barked, "How 'bout now?"

      Braddock mumbled, "Mmf mmlm mmm mmfl mmmf." The girl released his head. "Whatever you say, Miss Wahteecee!" Braddock yelped. Wahteecee helped him up. "Why did you laugh?" Cassie asked, "You don't think we are good enough?"

      "No! I think you're Reality's last chance!" Wahteecee explained, "You have awesome power! I laughed because the chief lied to you. He sent you down here to die! And if you return, he'll kill you himself! That's why I'm down here!"

      "What? Why?" Will questioned, "He can't be that bad! Maybe he's bluffing." Wahteecee stared at Will for some time. "I'm his daughter." she stated. "Maybe he can be that bad." Will muttered, "But why?"

      Wahteecee walked around the group, sizing them up. "He's an old timer." she began, "He believes that in order for him to stay chief, he has to snuff out those who might be able to show him up. So when I came back from defeating the Scarrcedenhogg the first time, he threw me down here, so he could keep the public appeal." "Wait!" Cassie cut in, "You defeated the Scarrcedenhogg? But your so-" Wahteecee stopped her. "Young? I suppose." she continued, "Us Alaskuians live a long time. For example, I am 160,000,000 years old, and my father is over a billion." The group gaped once more. "Anyway, even though the chief is old, he was able to overpower and throw me in here." Wahteecee finished, "I've been here ever since."

      The girl sat on the ground and Cassie blurted, "Let's fight back! We all can take him together!" Wahteecee jumped up. "You're right! We can beat him, and then I'll become the chief of Alasku!" she cheered, "Let's do this! Oh, and no plan, just attack, okay?" Cassie nodded, "Okay."

Escape From Alasku

      The group climbed out of the hole and followed Wahteecee to her father's office. She went in first. "Father?" she called, getting his attention, "I'm not lost anymore!" "Wahteecee! You're alive!" Nastumea gasped, "What are you doing here?"

      "I wanted to give you a chance." Wahteecee answered, shifting on her feet. "A chance!" the chief shouted, "For what!"

      Cassie was ready to go if things went bad, but she was told to wait until the chief made a move.

      "I want to give you a chance to give me the throne, and name me chief, or else I'll fight." The chief laughed in his daughter's face. "The throne? A woman chief!" Nastumea steamed, "Over my dead body!"

      "That might have to be arranged." Wahteecee warned, swooping in on her dad. Nastumea stopped her and tossed her on the ground. "You'll never beat me!" he teased. "I never said I would!" she shot back, "Cassie!"

      Cassie ran in with Stella, Will, Charlie, and Betty. The others were standing guard. "Nice to see you again!" Cassie called, "What's wrong? Didn't think we'd make it?"

      The angry chief ran at Cassie, who threw fire balls at him. Pow! Cassie, and Will joined Wahteecee on the ground. Nastumea flew at Charlie and froze in his tracks. His lifeless body tipped forward and shattered into thousands of ice shards. "No one messes with my Char-Char!" Stella snipped.

      Cassie helped up Wahteecee. "Congrats on your promotion!" she smiled. Wahteecee looked at the ice and grinned. "Thank you." she whispered holding out her hand. Cassie gladly took the offer, but was immediately thrown onto the floor. "GUARDS!!!" Wahteecee ordered, "SEIZE THEM!!!" "What?" Cassie asked, feeling betrayed. Guards came in, with the others already secured. More guards got Stella, Charlie, Cassie, and Will.

      "What can I say?" Wahteecee smirked, "Backstabbing runs in my family!" She turned to the guards and pointed at the ice. "These people killed the chief, my father. They are to be executed at once!" Wahteecee ordered, "But first, they will watch my coronation as the new chief of Alasku!" The guards nodded and took their angry prisoners away.

      Wahteecee swept up her broken father. "Oh dad," she mumbled, "you taught me too well!"

      Once Cassie's and Stella's powers were suppressed, they were tied and set in the front row of the audience for the show. "If there weren't kids present," Cassie grumbled, "I'd swear."

      Cassie shouldn't have trusted that dirty, no-good wolf! Now they were all doomed! Cassie gritted her teeth as Wahteecee came on stage and sat in the throne. Another Alaskuian came on carrying an elaborate head dress.

      "I, Medicine Man Alasheudfebvodned Meskingtonisghest Hopesertyemiyte Mel, am proud to declare that Wahteecee shall be Alasku's first woman chief ever!" the man yelled as he placed the hat on Cassie's betrayer, "I now name her, Chief Wahteecee the Great!" Everyone in the audience, who could, clapped for their new ruler.

      Wahteecee stood up and proclaimed, "My first order as chief is that I, myself, shall heroically send the Scarrcedenhogg back to Death, where it, as well as these assassins in the front row, belong!" Once again everyone clapped. "And now for the beheading of the criminals!" she announced, and everyone cheered, "Any last words?"

      Cassie opened her mouth and went off as the Scarrcedenhogg roared loudly after its nap. "I am going to assume that you said very hurtful things." Wahteecee sighed, "So, ouch." Cassie opened her mouth and somehow shot a fire ball towards her hands, freeing herself. She lifted her hands and freed everyone else in her group. Cassie sent the ropes at Wahteecee and ran towards where they had left the vehicles.

      Wahteecee struggled to get out of her bindings. "What are you waiting for!" she screamed, "Guards! Get them! Kill them! Something!"

      Cassie ushered everyone into the vehicles. Stella wondered how Cassie did what she did, but they didn't have time for an explanation. Spears landed here and there as the real hero's rode into the crack, leaving Alasku in the dust.

      "Chief, we are sorry," the guard stammered, "but they got away." Wahteecee smiled. "Don't worry boys," she began, "good things come, to those who wait." Wahteecee sliced her finger, and using a stick, wrote 'Cassandra Alice Smith' on the ground in front of her. "Remember the name." the chief whispered, "Cassandra Alice Smith."