Many years ago

Miaba Scotch

Months have passed, since that fateful day, when our lives became entwined with our saviour Pluto's.

If he had not been there, at that exact time, we may not have been here today, masking in the beauty of the sun and our floral creations.

Pluto allowed for us to keep our traditional values, allowing us to roam unclothed, as we used our powers to grow flowers, which in turn were used to concoct medicines that helped in curing the ill.

Pluto taught us the basis of shape-shifting, so that when visitors came by, we looked like them, which put our guests at ease and allowed them to enjoy their time spent with us.

Trixus Newbert

I was tucked up in bed, trying to close my eyes into a peaceful nights sleep, but unfortunately I stirred uneasily, a sudden dry, tickly throat, that left me with a deep thirst for some milk.

As I step half dazed from my slumber, I smell an aroma of decaying stench fill the air around me.

I thought it was just a Prank, as I was the troublemaker of our group, always dipping my hand into the jar of mischief.

I never went to far with my pranks, no spiders in the bathroom or ghosts in the walls. They were all relatively harmless and as soon as their was any sign of upset, I stopped it in its tracks.

I would then apologise and we would laugh for days to come, enjoying the bond that we all shared.

It was like we were siblings, siblings with entirely different parents.

However, despite my previous fun, this stench overpowered my nose, leaving me uneasy and with a deep sense of death now looming over me.

I pull myself up from the bed and tiptoe down towards the kitchen, uncertain what lay ahead.

Although, when I got there, I saw no imminent danger, just an ordinary shining silver kitchen.

I open up the creaky metallic fridge door, where I pull out the jar that seemingly contained the substance my system now required.

I don't notice that the jar doesn't contain the milky white liquid that came from the udders of cows. But, rather a bloody red liquid that we see only briefly in our span of life's.

I pour myself a glass and prepare to gulp it down, but then I realise that this was not the drink I wanted.

The glass drops from my hands, with a piercing crash, my hands trembling with indescribable fear.

In the right side of the corner, two familiar golden, beady eyes stare back at me.

However, unlike all the other times they greeted me, they showed malice and wickedness.

Which was only further proved, by what lay at his feet.

The remains of an innocent, frail, old Lady.

He was an monster, that tricked 15 innocent kids into trusting his every whim.

I knew I had to warn the others.

But, as I turn to go, he pounces from the shadows, his eyes now glowing a bloody red, his teeth bared, as he pins me defenceless against the wall.

"We can't have you telling your friends, not now I'm so close." were the last words I hear, before everything fades to darkness.

Athena Trexuon

I awake to the sound of an ear piercing scream, I pull the sheets of my bed, as I sprung from the step and down to the bottom bed, where Miaba slept soundly.

I give Miaba a gentle shove, but she doesn't stir, I try to be loud, but she still doesn't stir.

It's only when I start bouncing on her bed, that she half wakes.

She groans at me, as she tries to push my pleas away.

But, that was not going to happen today, because today I was going to make her listen.

"Miaba, did you hear that?" I ask curious, but with a hint of fear in my voice.

"Hear, what?" she responds grumpily, just wishing she could return to her sleep.

"That, scream."

"What scream? I didn't hear no scream."

"Really?" I respond dumbfounded, because I had heard it as clear as day and that pitch should have woken up the entire neighbourhood, but I seemed to be the only one that stirred.

So, perhaps it was just a figment of my imagination.

Miaba Scotch

I awake, groggy and restless. As the sun descends into morning, with the chirps of birds signalling another tranquil day on this majestic Manor.

I lied to Athena last night, denying I heard a scream, that resounded and shook the walls of the Manor.

I didn't want to tell her I heard it, for I knew it would only fuel her and her unnecessary fantasies.

But, as I step down the stairs, and towards the kitchen, where the smell of freshly baked pancakes emits itself from, I couldn't help, but notice a splatter of blood on the hallway floor.

I begin to assume the worst, my mind now turning to Athena's speculations. What was it she had said?

Oh yes, Pluto had given off signs, that suggested he was in fact a demon.

As I make my way downstairs towards the Kitchen for breakfast, I notice a splatter of blood on the floor.

I try push it out of mind, and to think logically about it all. I mean truth be told, I had no real proof, it could just have been an accidental bruise or cut, no serious harm done.

But, then again I can't seem to shake this uneasy feeling I had growing, with each second more I spent with this stranger.

The words he said were gentle and sincere, but the way in which he said them, was almost mocking.

I could have told someone, but the only person who would believe me would be Athena.

I would have to admit I was wrong, she would never let me live that down and then of course a whole debacle of events would ensue.

As, I step into the kitchen, of pancake paradise, I notice food splurged across the table, condiments covered over them all.

"Where is Trixus, you demon?" Athena yells, as she flips a pancake, that lands squarely on Pluto's face.

Pluto turns to see me standing in the doorway, looking on confused and uncertain of what to make of it all.

"Miaba, thank goodness your here, please tell your friends I had nothing to do with Trixus's disappearance." he asks pleadingly, with what I now know as false emotions.

"No!" I simply say in response.

The demons cheeks turn a fiery red, and his head singes itself in rage.

He goes to say something, but I cut him of, saying this "Why should I defend you, when I know you were responsible. That scream we all heard, was not an animals, but Trixus's cry for help. One in which I ignored, we all ignored. But, the person to make the biggest mistake is you. You should never have messed with us Pluto."

Just as I said that, Pluto's upper body, separates from his lower body. No blood spills, just one swift cut, that lets the upper body, slide of with ease.

It was like cutting a fruit, where you cut precisely in the middle and the fruit slides of into a beautiful, tasty slice, that your mouth can enjoy.

Pluto's mind can't seem to keep up with this change, and soon it just explodes, his whole intestines shattering in two. His green blood spilling all over our faces.

Standing over, the gloopy remains of Pluto was an average sized, African American man, who wore a red leather cloak, and a sunny brown pair of sandals. He had a clean shaven beard, that seemed to feel fatherly and inviting.

His fashion sense was a little odd, but often the oddest of people were the nicest of people.

"I am so sorry about your loss, I know me saying everything will be alright, won't make it all ok. I know, I have been there, I was taken from my home, when I was just an infant, raised in a realm of darkness." this stranger states, with a flood of tears, and constant fidgeting as he recalls the tale.

"Your probably expecting a grand rescue, but this Manor is not just a simple home. It was a prison for the Salamander and by entrapping and burning all of you, Pluto and the other salamanders could be freed. " he continues on.

"However, this prison if hacked accordingly, can let two escape, for 3 days, before anyone takes notice of their absence. The two then outside can race against time to find the stashed keys, breaking the time lock and freeing you all from this prison."

"Won't the Salamanders escape to when, we break this time lock." I state, jumping on a flaw within this strangers plan.

"Not if those left behind, use the mainframe system, to override the prisoners rota and keep it set to Pq 22931.Which will permanently keep the Salamander's locked in their cells."

Those words meant nothing to me, but thankfully for one tech genius it was as simple as 123.

So, agreed that me and this stranger (whose name I now know was Blukus) would go and find the keys, while the others stayed inside, ensuring that all Salamanders remained imprisoned.

"Look, I'm only trusting you for we have no alternative choice of escape. But, should anything happen to me or my friends, I will ensure you die very slowly and very painfully."

He gulps in fear, at my threat, which seemed strangely reassuring to me.

I pull all my friends into a group hug, , hoping on hoping, that this was not last time I would be seeing them.

Together, me and Blukus step out of the manor, walking through that hidden barrier, that had kept us imprisoned for so long.

Once out of the Manor, that provided sanctuary for so long, I was free to finally leave.

"Get down!" Blukus shouts, just as the Manor went up in flames.

My cheeks burned red, and my fists were clenched. This man had lied to me, he had said that they would be safe, but it was a trick, a demons trick.

I charge at him and pound my fists into his face, with in fact quite the surprising ease.

He did not defend himself and instead took the beatings, as if in his mind he felt that he in fact deserved them.

I knew that demon of any form would never surrender to death. Unless, some goodness still remained inside of them.

I pull myself of him, and help him back to his feet.

"You didn't kill me, Why?" he asks, with a deep sense of sadness and thanks in his voice.

"Most Demons would put up a fight, but you seemed scared. I guess you could say I felt sorry for you."

"You shouldn't feel sorry for me, I deserved it all. In fact, you should have just killed me, it would have ended this misery."

"They're not dead are they?" I say, aloud, as that idea flows through my mind.

It takes Blukus by surprise, but he responds with this "They're still alive in that Manor, for this is the present and the Manor is currently playing out the past. When the past catches up with the present, then they will burn."

"Is there a way to stop it?"

"There is, but it won't be easy."

"tell me exactly what I need to do."

"I can do one better." he states, as he stretches out his hand, for me to take.

I take his hand and in doing so a disfigured image appears in front of my peripheral vision.

It's all a little faded, but what I do make out, is me, standing over a fallen beast and holding up this radiating, glowing crystal.

"Wait, this is the future, what does it mean? Where are you? Just how? I thought you were a Salamander, Salamander's can't do this right, can they." I ask in a muddled, quickened pace.

I had seen the vision, but my mind was still yet to register it.

"Look, what I had said in there about me being taking from home was true. I just neglected to mention, that it was the Salamander's that took me from my home, using me and many others, as test subjects to their wicked experiment. It worked on turning the outside me, into this monster, but my
heart and soul still remained intact."

"I was originally born a Seear, a species that foresees the future and intervenes at a low risk rate. And that is all I know about my life. But, I have a way to find out more because before I was locked up in that Manor, I was following a tale of a coven, that helped aid monsters that were not really monsters. That's why I won't be accompanying you on this journey. But, I wish you the best of luck."

"So I guess that's it." I say with a deep look of solemn on my face, after all I had been looking forward to getting know more of this man. He seemed to have such a tragic tale, that I wished he had time to share.

"For now. But, I do foresee our paths crossing once again. When the moon aligns with the sun, then we would team together to take on a great foe. But, until that day,

I wanted to know more, but felt it was rude to pry.

So, Instead I bid him adieu and set of on a quest to free my friends from their imprisonment.

Present Day

Miaba Scotch

That Scoundrel!

He knew this would happen, he knew Jo would take the burden from this girl, rendering its protection useless.

And unknowing of that Oaf's culture and fears, I could not head into battle against unknown opponent, that undoubtedly would have eyes on vengeance locked upon me.

I turn to my nearest solider and bark at them to fetch me the Salamander.

But, they defy me, they remain as still as can be.

I ask again.

But, he still does not finch.

So I clasp my hands around his throat, as I lift him from the ground, in which moments ago, he stood poised and ready for action.

His breath becomes shortened and he cries for my release.

But, I show no mercy.

I will have him killed for his insolence.

"I won't fetch him, for I know you are not yet fated to meet." this solider states, between short and broken breaths.

My hands release an he drops to the floor, with a thud.

"How do you know of this?" I ask in a mixture of curiosity and rage.

"Simple, I am his apprentice, the one that carries out his errands and aids him in his quests."

"Your the one who brought me the necklace, not him, but why?"

"My master felt betrayed by your path to darkness and thought it wise he taught you fear and betterment. I, on the other hand, having seen your future to, I know that you do in fact grow back into the innocence you once possessed."

"Why do I wait to meet so long to see him once again."

"For he foresees the meeting and by changing that, you risk breaking the entire releatitivtity of time. Who knows what damage that could cause."

"I know, but it has been years since we last spoke. I just want to know, that he is well."

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say, but I give you this riddle that you can make as you please." he takes a moment pause to clear his throat and to leave dramatically hooked for his riddle.

"In times of Past, a goat and pig, led by the same farmer, took their own course of destiny, that shaped their now. The pig lives inside a den of wonder, where onlookers look shamefully in on his life. Alas, the pig did not care, for they were happy and awaiting a friend." he says in tone of rhythmic song.

A riddle, does not always have a definite answer. Some do, but others are all about the minds interpretation.

For you see this Pig could represent Blukus, just as it could me.

After, all I lived in a den of wonder, the Palace walls the very place I confine myself at night. People hate me, for my wickedness and plots. But, regardless I'm still happy.

I am the pig.

The selfish, revengeful, bloodlusting pig.

I had made so many mixtakes and I wish I could turn back time, but now I was in to deep.

And their was no escaping the fate, the demons have marked on me.