"Andor think fast!" Tucker threw a huge bag of food at Andor, who was still comprehending what he had said.

"Think wh-" the bag hit him in the face.
Tom and Tucker cackled at the sight and I rolled my eyes.

"Leave the kid alone boys, ain't his fault he never had sharp instinct," Steve chastised from the top of the RV.

Martha's face popped up from behind him.

"Andor sweetie, are you okay? Should I strike Jericho for you?"

Andor sighed and picked up the food bag from the grass.

"Dude you would suck at football, you'd get crushed immediately," Tucker laughed.

"Can we just go? I grow tired of your catching games..." Andor handed the bag up to Steve.

"Not yet dearie! We are almost packed! Then we can go!" Martha sang.

"Imagine if he was in the purge, oh my god I'd pay to see that!" Tom laughed harder, his face turning slightly red.

"Will you shut up?!" Andor yelled at the two.
Tucker threw up his hands defensively and smiled.

Sonja came walking out the door of Tuckers dojo with a ton of potions in a crate. We didn't know if there'd be any guards this time, or if there was going to be tons and tons. But, better safe than sorry I guess.

We had packed even more things than the last time we went to the Inertia. This time we brought potions and a bunch of pliers and lock cutters so that we could get through the security. We didn't have a lot of weapons since they were already at the place, so we just carried some old swords we had made when we first arrived on the island. Tom didn't have any other swords, so he brought his mining wang. Which was a huge hammer that could bust through cobble like lightening.

I'm sure he'd be fine, that thing weighed fifty pounds.

This morning when we woke up, I'd given a bow to Andor. I tried to teach him, in an hour, how to fire it.
He nearly killed me with it on the first try. But after a couple more tries, he actually hit something that was close to the target I'd put up. That was good enough I suppose. I gave him a dagger that was large enough to possibly kill someone, but I doubt he was gonna be stabbing anyone anytime soon.

My throat was slightly sore on the inside, but didn't hurt as bad as it did yesterday. However, the outside of it was a different story.

It was completely black and blue, with light undertones of purple that showed clear human hand prints. There wasn't a spot on my neck that wasn't a dark color. Tom nearly had a heart attack when he saw me in the morning. Andor hasn't been able to look straight at me all day, when he talked to me he looked at my feet or he didn't look at me at all.

"Hey Tucker, you got a bandana any where?"

"Yeah I've got one in my bag, one sec." He dug around in his messenger bag and pulled out a grey and black bandana.

"Thanks," I replied while taking it from him. I tied it around my neck, hiding the bruises.

"Has anyone seen Wag? I've been trying to call him all morning, he won't pick up his communicator," Sonja asked while handing up the crate to Martha.

"Didn't you hear? He went off on some trip into the twilight forest yesterday, something about getting ingredients for spells and junk. I don't think he's coming with us," Tucker answered.

"Oh that's too bad. I really do enjoy that wizards company," Martha said in a sad tone.

Steve grumbled something under his breath, to which Martha rolled her eyes at.

"Oh Steve, you know my heart and body only belong it you."
I heard Tucker and Tom gag and Sonja snort. Andor's face reddened and so did mine. You could just tell we were Ianitees.

As usual, Ianite wasn't coming. Steve said she would have if Andor hadn't said he was joining us, she couldn't reveal herself yet to him. I wish she would. Just to get it over with.
He already knew she was alive and back. He already knew she was his grandmother. Why wouldn't she meet him?

He hadn't asked me anything else about Ianite, or why she wouldn't see him. But I knew he was wondering why.

"I do believe that is everything! Is everyone ready for round two?"

~

Everyone was laughing and talking about what they were gonna do when we reached the prison again, since last time had been such a breeze; But Andor looked like he was about to puke at any given moment.

The whole ride there, Andor kept nervously tying and untying the string on his bow. He bit his lip continuously until it started to bleed, he kept fidgeting and messing with his wings, and he would let out shaky breaths every few seconds.

I'm starting to feel like he shouldn't have come. It was obvious he was scared for his life to come back to this place.

He occasionally would glance at Tucker and Tom who were playing a game that I'd never seen before. Sonja would count to ten and after she finished both of them would draw back their arm, while holding an apple, and throw it.
They both shouted,"BOOMBA!" and the apples flew across the RV. Tom lost and a small bruise began to form on his chin from the apple that smashed into it.
I really didn't understand where this game came from, or why they say BOOMBA, but I didn't really feel like asking.
It was hilarious to watch, but Andor just seemed stunned at the sight.

"How can they play games when they are about to face death?"

"Well, I guess they're fine with it now that we've already done it. You should've seen us the first time we came down here, no one said a word the whole way. It was really depressing."

He sunk down in his seat, feeling of his white wings.

"You know...you can take the wings off if you want. Just remove the ring, and they'll disappear. They're not like the other ones you had. These can be removed without pain..." I knew he was nervous about his wings being taken away again.

"I suppose I should...they just comfort me when I'm nervous. I think it is why Al had my others removed. They were the only things keeping me losing my head. He saw that..."

He felt of the wings one last time, then took off the golden ring. They shrank, then disappeared altogether. He sighed sadly. His bandaged stubs replaced the wings, which surprised me. I thought the bandages had fallen off. I guess the wings just magically covered them up.

The RV began to slow, and the prison came into view. I could feel Andor shrink even more in his seat beside me.

But it wasn't as menacing as it had been before. No guards were in sight. None of the ports had a single person on them. The front gates that had been closed the first time we came here were wide open, one of them swinging back and forth in the wind.

Martha drove inside and parked in the port. We all looked out the windows in search of a single guard, but there were none. The port was empty. The security box had no one behind it. The scanners were turned off.

What had happened to this place?

Martha rose and scratched her head in confusion.

"I am...not sure as to why there are no guards...I thought they had doubled the security, tripled it even. But...I suppose we should just grab our things and leave as soon as possible. We should not wait around to be caught. Grab what you need to cut off the locks and bars, bring a sword if you think you need it. Jericho, Thomas, and Stevie will go to the guards station and retrieve our things. Andor, Foxxy, Jordan and I will go to the maximum prison and retrieve Stevie and Andor's things. Is everyone okay with these plans?"

No one was okay with these plans. Everyone was split up from their partner or lover and our group was way weaker than the other. But no one said a thing. So I didn't either.

"Very well, let us go!"

Everyone united with their partners one last time before getting off the RV.
Tom kissed my forehead and told me he loved me.
Tucker and Sonja embraced for the longest time.
Steve and Martha made out, without a single ounce of shame. Andor stood awkwardly by his seat, fiddling with his dagger.

We finally ended our goodbyes and stepped off the bus. The place was cloudy like before, I could feel tiny raindrops on my face as I looked up.

"Well, good luck everyone! Phone in if you run into any trouble or dilemma!"

We parted slowly. Tom waved at me with a sad smile. I waved back.

They all disappeared behind one of the large gates, leaving us alone.

"Alright, this way everyone! We must not delay!"

The rain began to pick up. My hair was now matted to my face and my bangs were starting to get in the way of my eyes.

I removed my glasses and put them in my pocket, it was useless to have them when the sun wasn't out.

Martha lead the group the whole way there, Sonja by her side. I hung back with Andor, who was still on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Martha was getting irritated by the rain, since her hair now made her look like a wet rat. Sonja had a hood on and didn't seem to have a problem with it. She sharpened her sword as she walked, not saying much.

We still hadn't see a guard yet. This place seemed abandoned.
The concrete began to get slick from the rain. Once or twice I slipped, and Andor caught my arm one of those times. He didn't seem to have a problem with the rain, only the prison.

After what felt like forever, we finally reached the outside of Andor's prison. The giant Mianite statue still stood tall, looking luminous in the dark rain.
Andor tried his best to keep his gaze away from the statue.
Martha rolled back the giant wheel again, struggling with it this time. The rain was making everything slick.
Sonja helped her push it aside, and the dark cave was revealed.
Martha entered, then Sonja, then I.
But Andor hesitated.

I came back out and talked to him.

"I do not wish to go back in the dark Jordan..." He whispered.

"Come on, no ones here. No ones gonna lock you up. You're safe."
He took a deep breath and drew his bow down at his side. He entered the cave and I followed behind him.

Martha and Sonja were waiting at the door to the prison. Andor stared at the alters to Mianite as we walked down the hallway.

"Stick together, alright?" Sonja asked.

We all nodded.

Martha opened the door, and revealed the pitch black room.
We slowly entered the room. The dark was hard to adjust to, since we'd been outside for the longest time.

But when I did adjust, my eyes immediately went to the floor like last time. The torture instruments still scattered the ground. The bones and blood still covered multiple areas of the cold stone floor.

"Andor sweetie, do you remember where they hid your things?"

"No. He would not tell me." He sounded like he was about to take off and run from this place as fast as possible.

"Oh well. Let us look around the cells for your items, maybe he hid them in a chest somewhere."

We looked through each cell.

Martha so Sonja took the left side, we took the right.

They soon got kinda far away from us, since Andor was moving like a turtle the whole time.

We reached one cell, and I almost fainted from the smell. It smelled like rotting flesh and dried blood.

I looked inside, and there laid Al's body. Flies swarmed it, the smell was overwhelming. His head was in the corner, his eyes were rotted out of his skull. Bloody holes were all that remained. His rapier was at his side, covered in his own blood. I wanted to get it, but I don't think I could take the smell.
I was already gagging and I wasn't even in the cell.

I pulled Tuckers bandana over my nose and began to walk in.

"Wh-what are you doing?!" Andor whispered.

"Getting his weapon. Stay here."

I walked over to his body and slowly picked up the rapier. I didn't look at the body, but I could hear the sound of the flies as I bent down. My eyes gazed at the head again, and I nearly puked right there. I fast walked out of the cell, the rapier in my hand.

"Did you get it?" Andor asked.

"Yeah. Let's go find your stuff."

We continued to walk down the aisle of cells. Each one empty, except for a few bones here and there.

In one cell we came across, I saw a disfigured pink teddy bear. It's eyes were missing and one of it's ears had been ripped off.

Did they keep children here too?

"After Dianite was killed and Ianite left, there was a variety of extremely loyal followers who refused to abide by Mianites rules. He sent them here, and they worked their fingers to the bone until they died. Some...were just mere children. I do not understand how a god could be so cruel. I suppose that's why so many converted, they were scared for their lives."

Mianite had killed children here.

Killed families. Killed people who believed in different things.

"How come everything was empty when we got here the first time? The only prisoners we saw were you two. No one else."
"Why do you think? Mianite has taken over everything in Ruxomar. Who in their right mind would dare rebel?" He smiled at his own joke.

"I'm sure lots still believe in their old gods, they are just too scared to admit it. Most converted to save their own skins, I never converted. I refused against my father each time he tried to get me to sign the papers."

A chuckle made us stop in our footsteps. I didn't laugh. Neither did Andor.

"I wish I could have had the courage you did my boy, maybe then I wouldn't be without you..." A raspy voice said.

The voice was coming from the cell in front of us.

We walked slowly towards it, and peeked inside. I threw down a light spell Wag had given me long ago and lit up the cell.

The cell doors were wide open, and inside them laid king Helgrind. He sat on the metal bench, staring at the floor.

His armor was laying on the ground, his clothes were disheveled and torn. His beard was grown out and scraggly.

His eyes gazed up at Andor and I, he focused on mainly Andor.
"You look well, I see Sparklez has taken good care of you. Thank you, you were always a caring citizen."

I didn't care about his kind words. I'm glad he's suffering.
"Father, what's happened? Why are the guards no longer here?" Andor's voice was small.

"What good are guards without their leading lieutenant? Or their leading soldier? You killed them both. I told them all to leave. There is nothing else to guard here. Why have you come back?"

"We came to get our stuff. Where's Andor's things?"

"How am I to know? Al was the one who stored them away, not I."

"You do know, because you freaking watched him beat your son and take his things. Tell me where his stuff is, or I'll kill you right here. I won't hesitate. It's my greatest dream to see you die." I was surprised at my own voice. It was cold and harsh.

"Oh? When did you become so brave?"

"When I saw you purse your lips as Al ripped off Andor's wings, when you stood behind and watched your only child left get beaten to death by his childhood best friend. That's when I got brave. Cut the shit Helgrind and tell me where it is, you only have a few seconds left. If you have one ounce of wisdom left in your body, then use it."

"They are in the seller room down the hall. Where the code system is, there is a chest full of belongings from recent prisoners. They should be in there. How did you know these things about me? You weren't here."

"I didn't need to be there to know you're a conniving bastard. Let's go Andor, say goodbye to your dad. It's the last time you'll ever see him alive. Sooner or later, he'll die in here. I hope Mianite kills you himself. That would be a blessing."

Helgrind looked down at the floor again. He sighed shamefully.
"I remember when my father spoke the same words, the last words he ever said to me. When I betrayed him in a simple sword fight, and cursed my mother for chastising me. He told me to never speak to or of him again. I wonder if he saw me now, would he take pity on me. I would say not...Andor my boy, I love you as well. You never deserved the way I treated you."
But this time, Andor didn't say he loved him back. He just stared at his father disapprovingly.
"I'm ready to leave Jordan. My father is gone. There is nothing left here but a broken man." He turned his back and walked away from his father.

I gave one last glance toward Helgrind, and then followed behind Andor.

~

I'd never seen Andor this happy before. He was practically skipping as we walked back to the meeting place near the port. He had found his things, his wooden helmet, his boomerang, and his messenger bag. With each step he took on the sidewalk he leaped a little in each. Martha watched him like a proud mother duckling, smiling at his happy behavior.

We still hadn't seen a single guard the whole time we'd been here. I had sheathed my weapon because I didn't really think Id be needing it anytime soon.

It was still raining, but it wasn't as bad as it was before. I couldn't wait to get home and shower, this trips been really tiring for some reason. I wonder if Tom and the others had found their things.

We arrived at the main gates, our meeting place. But the others weren't there. I looked at my communicator watch, five thirty six. We agreed to meet at five thirty. Had something gone wrong? Did they get caught by someone? Were they hurt?

"I suppose we should send a message to ask if they are alright, just to be sure. Jordan do you mind sending it?" Martha turned her gaze away from Andor for a moment and fixed it on me.

"Yeah sure." I held up my wrist and punched in the numbers for Toms communicator.

"Hey, where r u? U okay?" I texted.

The rain began to getting worse. I even heard a small clap of thunder go off in the distance.

Sonja began tapping her sneaker nervously and biting the end of her thumb nail. Martha stared worriedly at the path the other had taken when we split off.

"Maybe I should call him..."

They nodded in agreement.

I dialed Toms number and put the call on speaker. The sound of fast rain hitting the pavement and the ringing of the communicator was the only thing to be heard.
I saw Andor shifting his eyes from my communicator to the path. He was getting worried too.

"C'mon...pick up Tom..." The ringing continued.

Thunder boomed from the sky, earning a jump from all of us. It sounded like a bomb went off, it scared the crap out of us.

After five minutes of the continuous ringing, Sonja sighed.

"Let's go look for them. I'm not standing in this rain for an hour. They most likely got distracted or something."

We began to pick our things back off the ground, when we heard footsteps.

I squinted into the dark rain and saw not three, but four figures, running in our direction and laughing.

I saw Tom first, his blue hair made him impossible not to notice, then Steve, then Tucker, then a dude I had never seen before. He wore lime green armor and had redish brown hair. He had a scruffy beard and mustache, a diamond sword in his huge hands.

They finally reached us and stopped to take breaths, still laughing in the process.

I was kinda angry. Tom had me made worry over nothing, and brought back a total stranger.

"Tom, who is this?" I asked the panting zombie.

"He's Tom!" He laughed, his crew laughed with him.

"C'mon I'm serious, who is he?" I grew impatient with his jokes.

"I'm not kidding Sparklez, his name is Tom! He was a guard here, before his leader was assassinated. Isn't that tragic? Good thing we weren't here when it happened." He put extra emphasis weren't.

It took me a minute to process, but Martha caught right on.

"Oh! Oh yes, such a tragedy to have a close one lost. May I ask why you are still here?"

"Well, I don't really have a home ma'am. I have no where else to go. My only friend I had here was killed in the same incident that my leader was lost in. Your friends have been extremely kind to me though! They have even offered me a ride to the next town, isn't that polite?" He voice was really squeaky and high pitched. But I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, he's lost his job and his best friend. All thank to us. That's probably why they brought him back, they felt guilty.

"Extremely polite! These boys are so kind, such good men. Well we'd better head to our town, please follow us to the R- I mean our vehicle!" Martha stumbled over her words.

So that's one more secret well have to cover up.

Fantastic.

~

I decided to spend the night at my new tower, and Tom was a little indifferent about it. He said I might, 'get into trouble' if I stayed some where else. I knew he'd miss me. But I needed my own place, living in a tree gets tiresome after awhile.

I took some supplies with me to make a bed, and then some of my important items. Just some things to get me through the night.

Andor said he would just stay at Toms and visit me tomorrow for sword fight lessons. I told him I'd been fine with that.
He seemed distant when he told me goodnight. He even hugged me, which was a little unusual for him.

"You were always a good friend to me...I'll never forget that," he said as he hugged me.

"Sure dude..."

Why was he acting like that?

I roped up Franklin, packed my bag, and began to head out. Before I left, Tom just had to say goodbye. I told him I'd visit, but he seemed so sad about me going into a new home.

"So...you have clothes?"

"Yup."

"Food?"

"Yes."

"Supplies for a bed?"

"Yeah. Anything else mom?" I laughed.

"No I don't think so...bye Sparklez. I love you." He hugged me around the waist and closed his eyes tightly, as if trying to hold back tears.

"I'm not going away or anything, just switching houses, why are you so sad?"

"I'll just miss looking at your crusty face when I wake up. It's always brightens my morning," he teased.

I sighed and smiled while hugging him back. "I'll miss that too."

"I love you..."

"As do I. Bye Tom."

"Bye Sparklez."

We parted and I walked out the front door, not looking back.

Because I knew if I did, I would burst out crying.
~~~~~
MY GOD THIS WAS A LONG CHAPTER!
I was inspired to put BOOMBA in the chapter from the show iCarly, which was a really awesome show until they stopped airing it and making episodes :(
Anyway, thought it'd be a game Tucker and Tom would play xD
I'm thinking about posting one day, then skipping a day, then posting. It would really save me a bunch of time to write and watch the streams and stuff so I can catch up on things. Let me know what you guys think, if you really don't want me to then I won't. I'd better go, I wanna sleep a little today. School sucked, mostly because of stress and junk. I took a Tylenol but I still feel like crap.
But anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Leave a favorite if you did! Thanks!
- Lee