Chapter 1
The royal mystic return back inside the night club and walked over to Raziel who had just about given up hope on persuading the owner to join them on their quest. Nothing the grand duke offered Wade was enough to make him change his mind. He was completely satisfied with his life and achievements and desired nothing else, aside from more women of course.
“Raziel, we’re jus wasting our time! C’mon, let’s find the otha’s.” The mystic turned to walk away then stopped and turned back around to face Wade, “But be warn’d, we’ve already been attacked! Once at tha castle and a’gain on our way here. It’s only a matter uh time till they come look’n fur ya! They knew our path, n they’ll know yur need’d, n they’ll get ya cause it!” the mystic over dramatically warned while shaking his hands about and pointing at Wade in the face.
“How can you wear such a thick wicker hat and still manage to spit on another person when you talk?” Wade commented, completely disregarding the mystic’s warning. “I’ll be fine, trust me.”
“You sound sure of yourself on that one.” Raziel chimed in. “One of our attackers have already slain eight soldiers using super natural power, are you sure your prepared for that? If you travel with us you’re guaranteed the best in security.”
“Thanks again, but Amanda here can use alchemy and create a barrier for protection. Right, Ms. Jones?” Wade explained, asking contently.
“Well yes, but only as long as I’ve got my gloves.” she explained with a smile, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
“So you see, I’ll be fine, but please feel free to drop in any time for a visit. And you, we gotta coat check girl at the front, she takes hats too.” he said joking towards the mystic. “Yeah, that big’ol hat thingy, just leave that with her or something.” Wade motioned with his hands as if holding a wicker hat like the mystic’s. “She’s cute too, you’ll love her, unless you don’t ride that bus, then it’s cool. If that’s the case, I’ve gotta another club you’d rather go to.” Wade rambled while walking the mystic and grand duke out. The wealthy owner’s words had ended suddenly once the burst of flame quickly spread across the entrance! Everyone had instantly stopped where they stood. The sudden rising spread of fire was a startling “slap in the face” of reality for all except two, Raziel, the warrior always prepared for battle and death, and the royal mystic, the person responsible for this extreme act.
“FIRE!” Amanda yelled in shock. The grand duke buckled down and raised his arm to hold everyone back for protection. “I get the feeling its more than that.” Raziel warned. The grand duke looked at the royal mystic with a feeling in his gut and the haunting memory of the demon Naga’s voice calling him, “Fire starter.” The grand duke’s attention was quickly snared back to the roaring fire. The entrance to the Golden Ticket consisted of four glass double doors which all began to echo crackling sounds. Raziel immediately turned his back to the doors and shielded Wade and the manager. The royal mystic, however dove head first behind the coat check counter barely evading the exploding glass. Amanda’s scream was drowned out through the ear shattering pop. Raziel kneeled close to the ground protecting the others from the deadly spray of glass.
The giant night club suddenly became engulfed in flames, immediately gaining the attention of Vincent and the soldiers. “Damn it!” he spouted in shock. The club was massive, but completely blanketed in flame, much too quickly for an ordinary fire. Vincent’s yell awoken Seth from another of his naps, curious as to what would cause the white haired teenager to dart out of the vehicle. The orphan stood outside the terrain dosser in awe of the unexpected inferno.
“Everyone alright?” Raziel asked.
“I’m fine, you good?” Wade answered while asking Amanda her condition. She nodded her head assuring him she was okay. The sprinkler system switched on immediately. Explosions could be heard in the kitchen, with stoves and gas lines in there overheating and killing staff members. Employees ran to the front and stopped close to the lobby and the glass shards that were sprinkled in the carpet. The grand duke stood ready to save everyone from the burning building. Vincent and Raziel remained on both side of the fire wall, but both regrettably witnessed a brave soldier heroically try and run inside to save the members of the royal family and the civilians trapped inside only to be instantly cremated upon contact with the high flames.
Streams of fire shot across the floors of the night club. Before Raziel could warn unknowing employees, he witnessed two running through some fire to join the others.
Raziel realized it was in fact a death trap, constructed only to force everyone inside to either burn alive or turn to ash in an attempt to save their own lives, “Everyone stay back!” he ordered.
Wade and Amanda ran over to the others while Christian and Carmon remain still on the dance floor. The D.J.’s techno music maintained its noise despite the excitement. The prince and warrior’s daughter stood in surprise as maintained trails of fire coursed around them.
“Behind you!” the mystic yelled standing behind the counter.
Raziel turned fast with a tightened fist and punched a small head sized figure that hovered in mid-air. It snapped in two upon impact and its remains turned to shattering embers once touching the ground. The grand duke was unable to identify the object due to attacking so quickly. He then noticed two more magically appear from the walls of fire.
It appeared to be an aged looking tiki mask, odd in its appearance with shabby craftsmanship. And somehow a large leaf poked out from the top like a feather in a cap, unthreatened by the fire which surrounded it. One of the levitating masks flew towards Raziel’s head, he dodged it easily. The hero was angered to witness the mask latch on to a defenseless woman’s face and cremate her entire body within seconds!
“AMANDA USE YOUR ALCHEMY!” Raziel ordered in anger. The manager stood puzzled, the grand duke was too far way to be protected by her barrier.
“What about you?” she worried.
“Use your barrier! Protect the others!” he yelled disregarding his own safety. The grand duke punched another floating mask throwing it backward. Wade and the golden ticket employees stood behind Amanda while she snapped her fingers and clapped her hands together. She then slapped both hands to the ground. The ground ripped from underneath the carpet and created a dome of rock that protected them from the fire and the bizarre floating tiki masks.
“Raziel!” Christian pleaded.
Even though the grand duke had his hands full at the moment he was NOT going to let harm befall his daughter or the prince. Identical floating wooden masks surround the experienced hero, he tackled through them while shielding his face with his left arm. Carmon unsheathed her katana to create doppelgangers and fight off the murderous masks that began to manifest around them.
“Shield your faces!” the father warned.
Christian obeyed without hesitation, Carmon on the other hand looked at this danger as an opportunity to redeem herself as a warrior. Being defeated in front of her father by the demon Naga was humiliating, it was her only moment she had been given to prove to her dad that she could be an intimidating and fierce warrior as him. Fate had presented her with yet another moment of opposition and she refuse to fail again.
Three Carmon’s created a circle of protection around Christian and sliced through the wooden masks that swarmed them. The prince peeked through his fingers to witness the girl’s act of bravery. The flames began to lick her face, and sweat dripped in her eyes. Raziel only seconds away viewed a tiki mask strap on to Carmon’s face as she sliced another one in half. To his relief the Carmon it attacked only burst into smokey cloud, letting him know his actual daughter was still alive. Raziel realized he just witnessed a one in three chance of losing his baby girl, and now the odds were increasing.
In the front of the night club the mystic remained crouched behind the counter with the coat check girl. She hid petrified by the frightening attack with tears in her eyes. The mystic sat quietly and looked at her with a bit of mild agitation. He sighed then tilted his head, “Crazy, huh?” She remained unresponsive until a levitating mask hovered above the counter staring at them both. “Whoa!” he reacted startled. The mystic widened his eyes and tilted his head in the direction of the girl, “Well don’t look at me!” he said speaking to the mask like an idiot. At which the mask speedily drifted to the frightened girl’s head and placed itself upon her face charring her to ashes while she screamed to death. “Oh now ya got som’thin ta say?” the mystic sarcastically replied.
The royal mystic peeked from behind the counter and saw Raziel with the prince and Carmon being swarmed by masks and fire. He stood up from behind the counter and tightened his grip on his bladed staff and wondered if maybe everything was getting a little too out of control?
Meanwhile, outside the club everyone took note of the magical essence that wrapped itself around the fire. Only the most extreme temperatures or sorcery would cause a person to suddenly incinerate such as the heroic soldier did. The fire department had shown up and began fighting the fire with water to aid the soldiers and victims with in, looking for any possible angle to approach the building to rescue everyone.
Vincent and Seth stood several feet away from each other, “There’s gotta be some way of getting in and outta there.” Seth stated perplexed.
Vincent struggled to look for an opening in the flame somewhere.
Raziel stood by Christian and both Carmon, “Carmon, give me your sword!” he ordered sternly. She hesitated for a split second before having her remaining clone disperse and giving into his instruction. Raziel stood in front of Christian and Carmon to protect them from all angles, “Just stay close behind me!” he tried yelling over the music. Raziel punched and sliced apart many of the multiplying deadly masks which gave the royal mystic plenty of time to catch up with them. Raziel paid close attention to all enemies surrounding them and the location of the mystic.
“What kept you?” the grand duke asked.
“Take a guess.” The mystic snapped back with sarcasm.
The grand duke and royal mystic fought back to back against the continuous respawning enemy within the destroying night club. The mystic swiped and jabbed with his staff striking tiki masks down while Raziel expertly sliced through them. The four of them were completely surrounded by fire, air had already grown thin and the temperature had risen exponentially. Christian stood protected by the two fighters, watching Raziel in action and seeing the royal mystic step into new light. The prince had never witnessed him in battle before, he was an old mystic, but his reaction time was quick. The mystic cast out a burst of blue flame that forced the enemies away from him.
Carmon stood close behind Raziel like he had wanted. “If you give me my sword back I can help you!” Carmon yelled over the snapping furniture and loud music.
“You’re not ready for battle yet! You’ve already made that clear!” her father replied without suffering his focus on his enemies.
“Plen’y of time fur family talk later!” the mystic complained.
“Any magic for this situation in your bag of tricks mystic?” Raziel asked.
The mystic squinted his eyes like he was trying to ponder a spell to cast.
The barrier Amanda had erected was engulfed in fire and had been burning for some time now, air supply was thin and everyone inside the barrier was getting light headed. It was as if they were being cooked inside an oven. The building could be heard snapping and crumbling due to the fire. People were beginning to panic and others faint. Wade turned around quickly and saw someone had passed out in another person’s arms.
“Amanada we gotta do something!” he warned. Without a reply Wade looked at Amanda from behind and watched her begin to fall to the ground. He was shocked and ran over to her side. He removed her hat and began fanning her face with it to try and cool her down. With Amanda unconscious the barrier began to slowly deteriorate. Burning parts of the barrier crumbled onto them, they were trapped like rats in a cage. A side of the stone barrier crumbled to rubble, “Quick everyone through that opening!” Wade instructed. The staff ran through the gap, some carrying others. Wade lifted his oldest friend over his shoulder, worried that she would not survive.
As he ran out of the crippling barrier, he saw the grand duke and royal mystic fighting off the multiple tiki masks. He looked around while others were in a panic and starting to be attacked by evil masks. He placed his hand over Amanda’s face and braced her body over his shoulder with the other, leaving his own entirely vulnerable. The owner tried opening the entrance to the stairway, but it was locked.
Christian remained standing by helpless once again and watching Raziel and the royal mystic fight to protect everyone. The prince looked at Carmon standing behind her father defenseless and wanted to help out. Christian’s mind began racing trying to figure out some way to help combat against the danger. Finally, it struck him, maybe the being became stronger depending on the amount of fire it produced?
“I’ve got an idea!” he said to quietly before coughing. He looked, but the mystic and Raziel didn’t seem to hear him. The prince thought to himself, full of doubt and fear, but then he looked at Carmon again and decided he wanted to be a hero. The teenager balled up his fists and charged away from them, clearing through the fire that surrounded them on the dance floor.
Raziel saw Christian break away in his peripheral, “Damn it, Christian get back here!”
The prince ran towards the kitchen as fast he could. He stopped once a mask swooped down before him and aimed itself in the direction of his face. He jumped aside landing close to some fire. While he was on the ground several masks slammed against him trying to force his face for exposure. He was curled on his knees in a fetal position trying to protect his face. He felt a pain in his ribs due to the physical attacks of the wicked masks. He felt everyone could be depending on him, maybe he had the right idea? He couldn’t give up. Carmon wanted to fight, the royal mystic kept on, Raziel kept on, and Christian thought about his father and how proud he was for him to finally be out on his first adventure and knew his father would keep on. The prince grinded his teeth, “I WILL KEEP ON!” he yelled.
The prince jumped up pushing aside some levitating masks and pushing one in front of him completely out of his way. He finally made it inside the kitchen and looked around. He remembered a time there was a kitchen fire in the castle and the chef used a nearby fire extinguisher to put it out. His eager eyes searched the corners and counters of the room in a panic, his nerves were out of his control. His adrenaline had complete control of him. He took a few more steps inside before getting a feeling of being watched. He half turned before realizing a mask had followed him inside and tried quickly killing him off. He was startled and yelled in panic. The mask slowly levitated closer and closer to him. He saw a large plate on the counter top and dashed for it. The mask tried finishing him off swiftly, but Christian had already grabbed the large plate and smashed it into the mask hurling it across the room with the force.
He ran to the other end of the demolished kitchen, but slipped on destroyed pastries. He began to pick himself back up until he saw the fire extinguisher underneath some debris. It was like finding treasure. He hurried off the floor and threw the debris to the side to retrieve the fire retardant chemical spray. It was heavy, but his determination has unwavering. The same mask lifted itself off the ground and charged towards Christian once more, this time being srtuck into pieces by the fire extinguisher.
Wade tried kicking the stairway door in, but couldn’t do so while protecting Amanda from instant incineration. Then it donned on him the manager of the building was in his arms, she would obviously have a key. He felt of her pockets and found nothing but change and an old movie ticket. He was getting tired and stressing out then remembered her old saying. She would always tell him, “Always keep the important things here.” while pointing at her heart. He sat her on the ground and felt of her handkerchief pocket on her breast. His pervy mind didn’t think of anything aside from getting the key for safety. He pulled it out and opened the stairway door. He remembered the stairway well thanks to a particular employee “looking for employment” and recalled an emergency water hose. He placed Amanda in the corner next to the door and ran over to the glass, breaking it without hesitation and turning it on full power. He stepped outside the doorway and began spraying tiki masks down and dowsing the flames.
Christian smiled while holding the fire extinguisher “I got it!” he yelled with excitement while running out of the kitchen. His shout gained the attention of more masks causing a few of them to swarm to him. He was still nervous beyond description, but still knew what he had to do. He pressed the handle, but to no prevail. To his shock the fire extinguisher was a dud, it didn’t work. He shook it in a panic trying to force it to spray.
Everyone except Wraith, who couldn’t see what was going on, was worried for everyone inside. The fire fighter’s water didn’t seem to be helping fight the fire at all. There was only a single moment where a fire fighter had noticed something extremely odd. As he used his fire hose it knocked an object off the front of the building shrouded in flames, only to levitate back into place.
“Chief! Hey chief, check this out!” he yelled over all the commotion. “There’s somethin’ there!” he warned.
Seth was close enough to hear and tried looking at what the man was fussing about. Seth squinted his eye where the man was pointing to his chief about. He noticed solid movement and what appeared to be a leaf that refused to burn.
Raziel and the mystic continued to slay the respawning masks. “Ugh! Christian!” Raziel yelled upon seeing his struggle.
Carmon looked at what her father was worried about and saw what Christian’s intent was. She took notice of his act of heroism and began to worry since she knew the prince’s combat skills were terrible. In a panic to rescue a friend she’s grown up with all her life, Carmon dashed away from the protection of her father and karate chopped two masks from behind. She ran quickly, jumping, and landing close to him to kick a few threatening ones aside and a few others into pieces.
“Carmon!?” the prince said with pleasure and confusion. He swung the extinguisher snapping another mask apart.
Carmon grabbed the device away from the prince, “Here, lemme show ya how to use this thing…” she yanked the safety pin out and squeezed the handle down tight, “…properly!” she said with confidence. At that moment the extinguisher spewed its fire retardant foam around the area to hinder the flames and thwart the annoying tiki masks.
Outside the Chief realized his fellow fire fighter was on to something, “Hey! There! Right there!” he yelled instructing the other fire fighters to concentrate their streams of water in the same spot at the odd moving head sized object. As they did the soldiers began paying attention to the one area as well. Seth began walking closer towards the fire fighters hosing down the object. Seth couldn’t get a clear visual of what it was. Eventually, the powerful stream of water jarred it off the building which had an obvious effect of the strength of the fire! Seth felt his heart pounding hard, it was in fact responsible for this mayhem.
“There, that’s it! Hey, shoot it down!” Seth yelled.
The soldiers had quickly taken aim and unleashed a round of fire into the air. They emptied their barrels in the direction of the mysterious being. Seth maintained focus to try and hone in on the target, he withdrew is old gun from his days as an officer, and took aim with the soldiers. Seth fired off his gun with the soldiers. Even though the floating object was distant it was struck hard and shot multiple times. It had taken enough damage to fall apart and fell to the ground smashing into more pieces upon doing so. Seth, Vincent, and a few soldiers rushed over to the object to see what it was exactly.
“Is that a, mask” a soldier inquired.
Seth and Vincent looked at each other puzzled and were surprised once the remains blew away into the wind into tiny charred embers.
After the death of the summoned being, the fire fighters were able to near immediately gain control over the fire which threatened its captives. Members of the staff hid behind Wade for protection. To his surprise the fires intensity had drastically dropped and the attacking masks had instantly vanished into soot. Carmon and Christian still stuck close to each other’s side and were amazed once the masks disappeared simultaneously. Raziel and the royal mystic each swung their weapons slicing air as their targets were vaporized before them.
Raziel saw some fire fighter’s charge through the dwindling flames in the entrance to rescue civilians. Knowing nothing else for certain except this was their only moment for a safe escape.
“Quick! Everybody outside! Hurry!” he yelled trying to assist in saving the remainder of who was left. He ran over to the prince and his daughter extremely quick, ignoring the remaining fire that was in his way. He picked them both up and ran outside the building in a flash.
Wade followed the fire fighters and his frightened employees out of the destroyed building.
“She needs help! I need help over here!” he yelled getting the attention of nearby medics for Amanda.
Seth hurried over to the prince, grand duke, and Carmon to see of any injuries, if any. The grand duke stopped once he was safely away from anymore danger and placed the teenagers down. He leaned against the hood of a cop car and tilted his head back in exhaustion. He took deep breaths and coughed from time to time to clear his lungs. Paramedics rushed over to check up on Raziel and Carmon, Christian stood mesmerized at the sight of the ruined building almost as if unaware two nurses had rushed to his side for aid.
Seth placed his hand on Raziel’s shoulder with concern, “You feel’n okay there?” he asked.
The grand duke continued catching his breath, he watched Seth remove his hand and place his gun back in its holster. A pair of handcuffs were clipped on the lieutenant detective’s belt. Raziel looked down with his hand resting on his thighs while in a crotched position still leaning against the car, “Ugh.” he sighed. He glared his eyes, “Follow me.” he said to Seth finally making up his mind.
In the back of an ambulance Wade sat beside Amanda who was lying down in a stretcher. He held her hand, fearful his friend’s last moments were so near. Amanda opened her eyes slowly, dazed, and confused. “Where’r we?” she asked slowly coming back to consciousness.
“You’re in an ambulance, but don’t worry the paramedic said your vitals were stabilizing. You’ll be okay.” Wade smiled relieved she woke up.
Amanda’s face had shown strain, she weakly squeezed his hand.
“You hurting?” her friend asked.
Amanda weakly grinned with her eyes shut, “Jus feel like crap.” she half joked. The two sat silently while chaos was maintained outside the ambulance. “Wha happen back there?” she asked faintly.
“Well… ” he paused. “I had to rescue my protector for one.” he smiled picking at her.
She laughed and coughed a bit at the same time.
“Wha’ bout tha ticket? Did it make it?”
“Looks like we’re down to five now.” he answered.
“Six.” she corrected quickly.
“Yes, six still. That’s what I said.” he nodded agreeing with her. “You must have not heard me right I guess. They said you’d kinda hear stuff wrong. I did say six.”
Amanda slightly tilted her head and barely opened her eyes to stare at Wade’s eyes. “You’re sweating.” She mumbled.
“I was just inside a burning building!” he defended stating an obvious observation to try and trick her. She just continued to stare at him. “What?” he asked without an answer back. “Okay, I lied. Geez, I forget things sometimes.”
“We jus talked about it, …”
“I know, I was going to remember this time I swear, …”
“… you weren’t listening to me, …”
“… I was focused, listening, and most importantly paying attention, …”
“… you weren’t even paying attention in a conversation about how you can’t pay attention. “
“… but then the whole fire attack thing happened and it was very distracting.”
Wade and Amanda had a habit of disagreeing with each other and speaking simultaneously. In this way the both of them would voice their opinion, but neither of the two would be capable of hearing what the other said, so it was never effective. Once the two of them stopped trying to make their points they usually managed to end their sentences at the same time, leaving a moment of awkward silence.
“Looks like you were wrong.” Amanda quietly pointed out.
“I said I was listening.” he responded.
“No, bout being a hero.” she smiled half way. She then closed her eyes and turned her head away from Wade, “Talking to you,” she paused “can be so tiring.” Amanda fell asleep from some medication inside an I.V. she was hooked up to. A serious look came over Wade’s face upon hearing her “hero” comment.
The royal mystic sat with a nurse trying to find a vein to check his vitals and assure he was not in any danger from the fire. The mystic’s wrinkly skin was making it difficult for the male nurse. The royal mystic flailed his arms at the medic in frustration, “Ya know what? Jus’ get outta here, getta’way from me.”
The medic was ticked at the mystic’s resistance and pleaded with him to let him help. The man continued until the grand duke, Seth, and three soldiers approached behind the man and dismissed him. “I’ve got it from here.” Raziel interrupted.
“He won’t allow me to read his vitals.” he explained.
Raziel raised his palm to the medic and nodded his head at him assuring him it was fine to leave the mystic, “Don’t worry, son. I’ve got this.”
“Finally, idiot didn’t know what he was do’n.” the royal mystic complained. “So, wha now?” he asked sitting in front of Raziel. He looked at Seth and the soldiers standing behind the grand duke like they were ready to pounce. The mystic grew suspicious. “Wha’re ya do’n Raziel?”
“Going with my gut on this one, Fire starter.” he said motioning with his head for them to restrain the royal mystic.
“Are you kidd’n me? You beliv’n that demon? She’s a DEMON Raziel! Ya can’t trust a demon, ya know that. Idiot! You’re mak’n a mistake ya know?” the mystic protested the entire time Seth and the soldiers handcuffed him and walked him into one of the trailing terrain dossers.
Raziel stood still questioning himself, he remained a bit uncertain, but couldn’t afford the mistake of being wrong. He looked around and saw Carmon and Christian being checked up by medics and Vincent sitting off to the side watching the dying fire burn with what little life it had left. In the distance a huge crowd of people were watching and taking pictures with their phones and cameras. Police held the media at bay, allowing no-one permission to cross the police lines. The grand duke certainly didn’t want a media circus watching their every move and broadcasting to any foes that may watch that program. Raziel saw Wade walking to him, he appeared to be deep in thought.
“How’s your,…” Raziel lingered his sentence not knowing the relationship status between Wade and Amanda.
“Friend.”
“So, how’s your friend?”
“Nurse said she’ll be fine. Still going to get checked out, but they said she’ll recover.” Wade informed. “Your friends?”
“Everybody’s good.” Raziel answered slightly nodding his head. He prepared to ask Wade to reconsider accompanying them on their quest, but the famous adult entertainer started talking before he could ask.
“Look, I was thinking about what ya said earlier.” he began, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t know about fighting fly’n island masks or trying to be some kind’a hero, but I don’t want this.” he said motioning at his burned club with his right arm. “And I certainly can’t live with myself by putting everybody in danger so, what I’m trying to say I guess, is, …” Wade struggled with the rest of that sentence. “I’ll help ya out. Whatever ya needed me ta do.”
Raziel was so relieved Wade had a change of heart, cause without one of the seven chosen the armor was unattainable to him. “You’ll be doing your kingdom a great service.” he stated shaking hands with Mr. Smith finalizing their agreement.
