by
Chapter 1
I heard the first attack before we were attacked.
I was preparing food in the kitchen while my two brothers, Peter and Jacob, and two best friends, Nick and Andy, were sitting outside the house. Looking out the window, I saw that Peter was staring intently at the ground and Jacob was looking around nervously. I had just come out of the house with a tray of food when I heard a strange clicking sound.
Peter looked up, his blue eyes wide, and Jacob and I froze.
Five men materialized several feet away from us, their silver guns pointing right at us, one for each.
None of us moved. Then I dropped the tray I was holding and the men fired all at once.
I flung myself on the ground as I felt a bullet pass over me. Jacob conjured a shield and the bullet aimed for him bounced off harmlessly and fell to the ground. A wall of rock rose in front of Peter and a bullet imbedded itself in it. Nick caught his bullet before it could enter his chest and Andy turned his into a small stone.
I got shakily to my feet, ready to fight the men, but they were gone.
Peter scowled. “Were they trying to assassinate us or something? Because if they were, they did a poor job trying to kill us. Very poor job indeed!”
“Why did you drop the tray, Kyle?” muttered Jacob.
I ignored him and waved my hand over the broken tray and dishes. Immediately, the tray and dishes fixed themselves. I cleaned up the food with another wave. I could not put them back in the dish.
“Those were Damon’s men,” I said, joining my brothers and friends.
“Really?” said Peter, raising an eyebrow. “If that was the case, why did they shoot at us?”
“I don’t think Damon wanted to kill us,” Nick said.
“Then what?” I asked.
Before Nick could answer the ground began to shake slightly. Something large was coming our way.
“What—” began Jacob, but his question was answered for him, and for all of us, before any of us could actually ask.
Walking toward us, slowly but making the ground shake, was a gigantic metal dragon.
It was soon much closer to us, and I could see exactly who was controlling the dragon.
A shiver went down my spine. It was none other than our enemy, Damon. For a brief moment my blue eyes met his dark ones, but I quickly looked down.
“What do you want?” I shouted at Damon.
Damon didn’t answer. He muttered something inaudible and a metal claw shot out straight from one of the dragon’s front legs towards me.
“No!” Jacob yelled. He pushed me away and the claw got him instead. My youngest brother went straight into the dragon.
“Jacob!” cried Peter. Both Peter and I knew that without Jacob, the three of us won’t be as powerful (if it was just the brothers) – or five of us.
Another claw extended out and tried to grab Peter. Peter severed the claw with several large, jagged rocks.
Again Damon remained silent but I could see disappointment and anger on his face. I conjured a fireball and threw it at the dragon, but at that moment the dragon opened its metal wings and took off so fast I was knocked off my feet.
Nick helped me to my feet.
“Jacob,” was all I could say.
“Go rescue him,” Andy said. “Nick and I will stay here. If you get into any trouble, call us, and we’ll come.”
“But,” began Peter.
“Just go!” Nick said urgently. “Damon’s up to something and it’s not good.”
Peter and I rushed toward our ship, the Sky Queen. Peter took the pilot’s seat and I took the co-pilot’s and soon we were in the air, heading towards Damon’s castle.
We remained quiet until Peter pressed the Autopilot button and turned to me.
“What do you think Damon is planning?”
I was still staring out the window. When I answered I didn’t look at my brother.
“Not exactly sure, but I’m quite sure it’s something that will make him even more powerful than before.”
“But why did he capture Jacob?”
“So we could go and rescue him.”
“You mean then he’s going to try to…” Peter’s voice trailed off.
“Damon will make Jacob turn against us. He will make us fight our own brother; otherwise we will have to join him.”
“Jacob will never turn again us!”
“Damon will probably do something to make Jacob do such a thing.”
“Oh, great,” muttered Peter. “What happens if he makes me turn against you? You’ll be all alone.”
Peter didn’t wait for me to answer. He turned back to the controls. We were almost there; I could see the black castle. Several feet away from the castle the metal dragon lay silent.
“They’re probably already inside,” I said. “Let’s land somewhere safe, making sure we aren’t spotted.”
We found a good area to land, safe from any guards. Peter and I got out and stared at the castle.
“Okay, here’s the plan,” I whispered to Peter. “We’ll go separate ways to find where Damon has taken Jacob.”
Peter stared at me. “But we can’t separate. I don’t want to.”
“We won’t be separated for long, Peter.” I took out two small devices. “If you find it, give me a quick call. I’ll do the same if I find it. You don’t need to say anything, just press this button.” I showed him the button and handed him the device.
Peter stared at the device I gave him then stared at me. For a moment I thought he was going to protest, but Peter pocketed the device and nodded. “Let’s go.”
I was preparing food in the kitchen while my two brothers, Peter and Jacob, and two best friends, Nick and Andy, were sitting outside the house. Looking out the window, I saw that Peter was staring intently at the ground and Jacob was looking around nervously. I had just come out of the house with a tray of food when I heard a strange clicking sound.
Peter looked up, his blue eyes wide, and Jacob and I froze.
Five men materialized several feet away from us, their silver guns pointing right at us, one for each.
None of us moved. Then I dropped the tray I was holding and the men fired all at once.
I flung myself on the ground as I felt a bullet pass over me. Jacob conjured a shield and the bullet aimed for him bounced off harmlessly and fell to the ground. A wall of rock rose in front of Peter and a bullet imbedded itself in it. Nick caught his bullet before it could enter his chest and Andy turned his into a small stone.
I got shakily to my feet, ready to fight the men, but they were gone.
Peter scowled. “Were they trying to assassinate us or something? Because if they were, they did a poor job trying to kill us. Very poor job indeed!”
“Why did you drop the tray, Kyle?” muttered Jacob.
I ignored him and waved my hand over the broken tray and dishes. Immediately, the tray and dishes fixed themselves. I cleaned up the food with another wave. I could not put them back in the dish.
“Those were Damon’s men,” I said, joining my brothers and friends.
“Really?” said Peter, raising an eyebrow. “If that was the case, why did they shoot at us?”
“I don’t think Damon wanted to kill us,” Nick said.
“Then what?” I asked.
Before Nick could answer the ground began to shake slightly. Something large was coming our way.
“What—” began Jacob, but his question was answered for him, and for all of us, before any of us could actually ask.
Walking toward us, slowly but making the ground shake, was a gigantic metal dragon.
It was soon much closer to us, and I could see exactly who was controlling the dragon.
A shiver went down my spine. It was none other than our enemy, Damon. For a brief moment my blue eyes met his dark ones, but I quickly looked down.
“What do you want?” I shouted at Damon.
Damon didn’t answer. He muttered something inaudible and a metal claw shot out straight from one of the dragon’s front legs towards me.
“No!” Jacob yelled. He pushed me away and the claw got him instead. My youngest brother went straight into the dragon.
“Jacob!” cried Peter. Both Peter and I knew that without Jacob, the three of us won’t be as powerful (if it was just the brothers) – or five of us.
Another claw extended out and tried to grab Peter. Peter severed the claw with several large, jagged rocks.
Again Damon remained silent but I could see disappointment and anger on his face. I conjured a fireball and threw it at the dragon, but at that moment the dragon opened its metal wings and took off so fast I was knocked off my feet.
Nick helped me to my feet.
“Jacob,” was all I could say.
“Go rescue him,” Andy said. “Nick and I will stay here. If you get into any trouble, call us, and we’ll come.”
“But,” began Peter.
“Just go!” Nick said urgently. “Damon’s up to something and it’s not good.”
Peter and I rushed toward our ship, the Sky Queen. Peter took the pilot’s seat and I took the co-pilot’s and soon we were in the air, heading towards Damon’s castle.
We remained quiet until Peter pressed the Autopilot button and turned to me.
“What do you think Damon is planning?”
I was still staring out the window. When I answered I didn’t look at my brother.
“Not exactly sure, but I’m quite sure it’s something that will make him even more powerful than before.”
“But why did he capture Jacob?”
“So we could go and rescue him.”
“You mean then he’s going to try to…” Peter’s voice trailed off.
“Damon will make Jacob turn against us. He will make us fight our own brother; otherwise we will have to join him.”
“Jacob will never turn again us!”
“Damon will probably do something to make Jacob do such a thing.”
“Oh, great,” muttered Peter. “What happens if he makes me turn against you? You’ll be all alone.”
Peter didn’t wait for me to answer. He turned back to the controls. We were almost there; I could see the black castle. Several feet away from the castle the metal dragon lay silent.
“They’re probably already inside,” I said. “Let’s land somewhere safe, making sure we aren’t spotted.”
We found a good area to land, safe from any guards. Peter and I got out and stared at the castle.
“Okay, here’s the plan,” I whispered to Peter. “We’ll go separate ways to find where Damon has taken Jacob.”
Peter stared at me. “But we can’t separate. I don’t want to.”
“We won’t be separated for long, Peter.” I took out two small devices. “If you find it, give me a quick call. I’ll do the same if I find it. You don’t need to say anything, just press this button.” I showed him the button and handed him the device.
Peter stared at the device I gave him then stared at me. For a moment I thought he was going to protest, but Peter pocketed the device and nodded. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 2
We went inside together, but when we reached a corridor that ran left and right, we went separate ways, wishing each other luck. I took the right path.
I felt strange being alone, without either of my brothers. We normally did not separate.
I found a door ahead of me and flung it open. I ran inside and nearly crashed into Jacob.
“Jacob!” I gasped.
Jacob stepped back and stared at me in shock. “How did you get in? The door was supposed to be locked.”
“No time,” I panted. “Let’s get out of here.”
Jacob’s face hardened. “We won’t be able to, Kyle. Now that you’re here, Damon will…” he trailed off and looked around. “Where’s Peter?”
“We separated to find you. What will Damon do? And what do you mean, we won’t be able to?”
“Good question,” said a cold voice.
Damon emerged from the shadows. He scanned me with his dark, cold eyes.
“This is all going well,” Damon said quietly.
“What is?” I snapped.
Damon snapped his fingers. Jacob froze and I watched in horror as his blue eyes turned to red.
“You have two choices, Kyle,” Damon said. “Either you fight against your own brother, or you can be with him again – but you’ll need to submit to me.”
There was a slam. The door I had opened was closed again, probably properly locked.
My mouth was dry. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to make either of the choices Damon had given me. Jacob turned to glare at me with his glowing red eyes. I tried not to look at him.
“Separating the three of you does the job,” Damon continued. “It weakens you if you are not together.”
I slowly slid my hand into my pocket. Damon didn’t seem to notice and neither did Jacob.
I felt for my device and found the button I would press to tell Peter I had found Jacob. I pressed that; then I pressed the button that would call forth Nick and Andy.
“I was originally planning to capture you, not Jacob,” Damon went on. “You are the oldest of the three, the leader, and the most powerful, even without your two brothers. But he,” Damon gestured to Jacob, “got in the way. I wasn’t happy, but why does that matter? You and Peter have fallen into my trap.”
There was a loud crash as something was probably thrown against the door.
Then I heard Peter’s voice, loud and clear.
“Open!”
The door was flung open and Peter rushed in. He stopped suddenly when he saw Jacob. He took in Jacob’s glowing red eyes then turned to Damon.
“What have you done to him?”
“This is perfect,” whispered Damon. “All three brothers here – and one under my control. There will be two under my control now!”
“No!” Peter and I yelled. Damon ignored us and snapped his fingers again, his eyes on Peter.
Peter stiffened and for a moment his eyes were glowing red too. Then it faded and his eyes were back to blue.
“It’s harder to control me, you idiot,” Peter snarled.
Damon snapped his fingers two times and Peter’s eyes went from blue to red. My heart sank when they did not change back.
Peter walked next to Jacob and turned his eyes on me.
“No,” I whispered. Both my brothers were under Damon’s control. I was alone. What Peter had said on the ship had come true.
“You have lost, Kyle,” Damon said. “Both your brothers are now under my control. Now you will have to either join me or fight both. Even if you are powerful, you won’t be a match for your two brothers especially if you are unwilling to hurt them.”
“Kyle won’t be alone!” shouted a familiar voice. Nick and Andy appeared and ran to my side.
“This is bad,” Andy muttered to me when he saw Peter and Jacob.
“We haven’t lost them yet,” Nick whispered to me.
“Three against two,” muttered Damon. “Numbers won’t matter. Jacob, Peter, attack them.”
They aren’t your brothers, I told myself silently. Your brothers do not have red eyes.
Jacob and Peter unsheathed their swords.
I cleared my throat. Nick and Andy glanced at me but said nothing.
Jacob and Peter slowly advanced on us.
“Jacob,” I said loudly. “Peter.”
Both my brothers froze.
“Don’t listen to him!” Damon shouted. “Think of the way he treats you, ordering you around and all that!”
“I don’t order you around!” I said angrily.
Jacob and Peter were still frozen, their red eyes fixed on me, their swords raised.
“That’s it,” Damon said, his voice ringing around the room. “I’ll deal with you myself, Kyle.”
I felt Nick and Andy tense beside me. Damon ordered Jacob and Peter to leave. They sheathed their swords and walked away.
I felt relieved that I wouldn’t be fighting them, but at the same time dread spread through me. I would be fighting Damon instead and I would not be able to save my brothers.
At least I have Andy and Nick, I thought. I wouldn’t be fighting Damon alone.
Damon seemed to have read my mind. His eyes swept over my two friends. He muttered something and both Andy and Nick gasped in pain.
Andy and Nick both collapsed. Shocked, I knelt down between them.
“Kyle,” Andy whispered. “Kyle, we won’t…we won’t be able to…we can’t…we can’t help…”
Nick was motionless and I concluded that he had lost consciousness.
Andy closed his eyes and didn’t move again.
Shaking with anger, I conjured a shield to protect both my friends. Then I stood up and faced Damon.
“You’ll pay for this!” I hissed. I stepped forward, sword in hand.
Damon’s eyes narrowed. He muttered something I couldn’t hear and I felt my strength draining.
My hands were shaking so badly I dropped my sword. Before I could pick it up Damon put it out of reach by using a wind spell.
“Now for the final masterpiece,” Damon said. He conjured a jar that was swirling with dark magic.
My blood went cold. Damon was about to release the Black Serpent.
Damon opened the jar and the dark magic escaped. It swirled around the room.
Slowly it began to become solid. I could see it slowly form into the body of a large serpent. The body became less and less transparent. Finally, the serpent was whole and solid. It hissed, baring its fangs.
“Deal with him,” Damon ordered, pointing a finger at me. “But do not kill.”
The serpent moved to obey his orders. I was frozen to the spot with terror, my eyes fixed upon the snake. It slithered around me, drawing closer and closer.
I shifted my left foot. The serpent hissed and struck. I barely escaped the large, poisonous fangs.
Damon laughed his cold laugh.
Well, that’s the end, I thought. At least my friends were safe from this serpent; and my brothers too, even though they were not themselves.
The serpent wrapped its huge muscular body around me so I couldn’t move. If I even tried to move, the serpent would bare its fangs at me and threaten to strike.
The room around me began to fade as I slipped into darkness.
I felt strange being alone, without either of my brothers. We normally did not separate.
I found a door ahead of me and flung it open. I ran inside and nearly crashed into Jacob.
“Jacob!” I gasped.
Jacob stepped back and stared at me in shock. “How did you get in? The door was supposed to be locked.”
“No time,” I panted. “Let’s get out of here.”
Jacob’s face hardened. “We won’t be able to, Kyle. Now that you’re here, Damon will…” he trailed off and looked around. “Where’s Peter?”
“We separated to find you. What will Damon do? And what do you mean, we won’t be able to?”
“Good question,” said a cold voice.
Damon emerged from the shadows. He scanned me with his dark, cold eyes.
“This is all going well,” Damon said quietly.
“What is?” I snapped.
Damon snapped his fingers. Jacob froze and I watched in horror as his blue eyes turned to red.
“You have two choices, Kyle,” Damon said. “Either you fight against your own brother, or you can be with him again – but you’ll need to submit to me.”
There was a slam. The door I had opened was closed again, probably properly locked.
My mouth was dry. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to make either of the choices Damon had given me. Jacob turned to glare at me with his glowing red eyes. I tried not to look at him.
“Separating the three of you does the job,” Damon continued. “It weakens you if you are not together.”
I slowly slid my hand into my pocket. Damon didn’t seem to notice and neither did Jacob.
I felt for my device and found the button I would press to tell Peter I had found Jacob. I pressed that; then I pressed the button that would call forth Nick and Andy.
“I was originally planning to capture you, not Jacob,” Damon went on. “You are the oldest of the three, the leader, and the most powerful, even without your two brothers. But he,” Damon gestured to Jacob, “got in the way. I wasn’t happy, but why does that matter? You and Peter have fallen into my trap.”
There was a loud crash as something was probably thrown against the door.
Then I heard Peter’s voice, loud and clear.
“Open!”
The door was flung open and Peter rushed in. He stopped suddenly when he saw Jacob. He took in Jacob’s glowing red eyes then turned to Damon.
“What have you done to him?”
“This is perfect,” whispered Damon. “All three brothers here – and one under my control. There will be two under my control now!”
“No!” Peter and I yelled. Damon ignored us and snapped his fingers again, his eyes on Peter.
Peter stiffened and for a moment his eyes were glowing red too. Then it faded and his eyes were back to blue.
“It’s harder to control me, you idiot,” Peter snarled.
Damon snapped his fingers two times and Peter’s eyes went from blue to red. My heart sank when they did not change back.
Peter walked next to Jacob and turned his eyes on me.
“No,” I whispered. Both my brothers were under Damon’s control. I was alone. What Peter had said on the ship had come true.
“You have lost, Kyle,” Damon said. “Both your brothers are now under my control. Now you will have to either join me or fight both. Even if you are powerful, you won’t be a match for your two brothers especially if you are unwilling to hurt them.”
“Kyle won’t be alone!” shouted a familiar voice. Nick and Andy appeared and ran to my side.
“This is bad,” Andy muttered to me when he saw Peter and Jacob.
“We haven’t lost them yet,” Nick whispered to me.
“Three against two,” muttered Damon. “Numbers won’t matter. Jacob, Peter, attack them.”
They aren’t your brothers, I told myself silently. Your brothers do not have red eyes.
Jacob and Peter unsheathed their swords.
I cleared my throat. Nick and Andy glanced at me but said nothing.
Jacob and Peter slowly advanced on us.
“Jacob,” I said loudly. “Peter.”
Both my brothers froze.
“Don’t listen to him!” Damon shouted. “Think of the way he treats you, ordering you around and all that!”
“I don’t order you around!” I said angrily.
Jacob and Peter were still frozen, their red eyes fixed on me, their swords raised.
“That’s it,” Damon said, his voice ringing around the room. “I’ll deal with you myself, Kyle.”
I felt Nick and Andy tense beside me. Damon ordered Jacob and Peter to leave. They sheathed their swords and walked away.
I felt relieved that I wouldn’t be fighting them, but at the same time dread spread through me. I would be fighting Damon instead and I would not be able to save my brothers.
At least I have Andy and Nick, I thought. I wouldn’t be fighting Damon alone.
Damon seemed to have read my mind. His eyes swept over my two friends. He muttered something and both Andy and Nick gasped in pain.
Andy and Nick both collapsed. Shocked, I knelt down between them.
“Kyle,” Andy whispered. “Kyle, we won’t…we won’t be able to…we can’t…we can’t help…”
Nick was motionless and I concluded that he had lost consciousness.
Andy closed his eyes and didn’t move again.
Shaking with anger, I conjured a shield to protect both my friends. Then I stood up and faced Damon.
“You’ll pay for this!” I hissed. I stepped forward, sword in hand.
Damon’s eyes narrowed. He muttered something I couldn’t hear and I felt my strength draining.
My hands were shaking so badly I dropped my sword. Before I could pick it up Damon put it out of reach by using a wind spell.
“Now for the final masterpiece,” Damon said. He conjured a jar that was swirling with dark magic.
My blood went cold. Damon was about to release the Black Serpent.
Damon opened the jar and the dark magic escaped. It swirled around the room.
Slowly it began to become solid. I could see it slowly form into the body of a large serpent. The body became less and less transparent. Finally, the serpent was whole and solid. It hissed, baring its fangs.
“Deal with him,” Damon ordered, pointing a finger at me. “But do not kill.”
The serpent moved to obey his orders. I was frozen to the spot with terror, my eyes fixed upon the snake. It slithered around me, drawing closer and closer.
I shifted my left foot. The serpent hissed and struck. I barely escaped the large, poisonous fangs.
Damon laughed his cold laugh.
Well, that’s the end, I thought. At least my friends were safe from this serpent; and my brothers too, even though they were not themselves.
The serpent wrapped its huge muscular body around me so I couldn’t move. If I even tried to move, the serpent would bare its fangs at me and threaten to strike.
The room around me began to fade as I slipped into darkness.
Chapter 3
“Kyle? Can you hear me?”
“Don’t bother, Andy, he’s still out.”
“I saw him stirring though.”
“It’s a miracle that Black Serpent didn’t kill him. It had its body wrapped around Kyle and looked as if it could crush him.”
“Damon must have ordered the serpent not to kill Kyle.”
“Right. So now what do we do? We can’t live in this filthy dungeon forever. We need an escape plan.”
I let out a groan.
“Kyle?”
I opened my eyes and saw Andy hovering over me, looking concerned.
“Oh, good,” he said. “You’re awake. How are you feeling?”
“Terrible,” I muttered.
“I healed you up as best I could, but you didn’t really get hurt except a few bruises from that serpent.”
The word serpent made me sit bolt upright.
“Whoa, slow down there, Kyle,” Nick said. “Calm down.”
“What happened?” I demanded.
“Damon took us here,” Andy replied. “He said that he’ll deal with us later when he thinks things through.”
“Peter, by the way,” Nick said, “gained control of himself for several moments before Damon regained control over him. This means that Peter is fighting for control, and that’s a good sign. Jacob, though, hasn’t done that yet.”
Hearing my brothers’ name shot pain through me. Andy must have noticed the pain in my eyes because he said, “I’m really sorry, Kyle. But don’t lose hope. We can and we will be able to save them.”
I nodded. Then I motioned to the bars of our prison. “Have you tried breaking them?”
“Yes,” Nick answered. “But they have some sort of spell that prevents us from breaking it. I don’t know what.”
I walked towards the bars and placed a hand on it. Yes, I could feel some sort of spell on it. I closed my eyes and concentrated. Maybe, just maybe, I knew the spell and could break it.
It was bad timing. There was a gasp of ‘Damon!’ from Andy and a loud clang of metal falling that indicated I had broken the bars. I opened my eyes and found myself facing Damon.
Damon looked surprised that I had broken the prison bars.
“Well,” Damon said. “I put a really powerful spell on those bars.”
I didn’t answer.
“I was coming to check on how you three were doing,” Damon went on. “It seems like you’re suiting yourselves to this place just fine.”
“What do you want?” Andy growled.
Damon ignored him. His eyes were still on me. “Kyle, you want your brothers back? This is your last chance to consider my offer.”
“Kyle, no,” begged Nick.
“Fight or join,” Damon said.
I was about to say join, but I knew that was a very bad choice.
“Fight,” I said. “I’ll fight.”
Damon sighed. “Very well. You want to fight against your own brothers? If you lose, you and your friends will remain prisoners. If you win, I just might let you three go.”
“Three?” I repeated my voice distraught. “No!”
“Too bad,” Damon snapped. “Now you three come with me. Do not try to escape.”
We followed Damon and didn’t try to run away, even though we wanted to.
Damon led us outside where I saw my two brothers standing, waiting for us.
Nick and Andy were taken to the side. The Black Serpent was still there. It curled its body around Nick and Andy but not enough that they couldn’t move. Both looked nervous but they mouthed good luck to me. They kept glancing at the snake and back at me, their faces pale.
I walked shakily towards my brothers. They both turned to me as I got closer.
“Look who it is,” Peter said.
I flinched at the tone of Peter’s voice. It was so unlike what it should be. Now it was cold and full of hatred.
“Bossy big brother,” Jacob sneered. His voice sounded just like Peter’s.
“Good luck,” Damon said, smirking. He walked away towards his serpent.
“What, can’t you talk?” Peter sneered. “Are you stupid?”
Anger and hurt flared inside me. No, I thought. This is not really Peter and Jacob.
“I am not stupid,” I said as calmly as I could.
Jacob laughed but Peter frowned, staring at me. Then, his eyes changed from red to blue for a moment and during that time his eyes silently told me, I’m sorry.
“We’ll beat you easily,” Jacob said. “Two against one. It’ll be over quickly.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Peter said.
Jacob glared at Peter. “What’s wrong with you? Of course we’ll beat this idiot.”
“Don’t call him—yeah we’ll beat him,” Peter said. I heard to change in his voice – from normal to not normal.
I remember what Nick had said. Peter is fighting for control, and that’s a good sign. That was probably what was happening right now.
“Get ready,” Damon called out. “Go whenever you’re ready.”
Jacob didn’t hesitate. “Vines!” he shouted.
The ground trembled. Suddenly green vines shot out of the ground. Jacob pointed at me.
One vine wrapped itself around my ankle. I quickly freed myself, but another seized my right wrist.
“Fire!” I murmured. My hands were soon ablaze. The vine that had wrapped itself around my wrist burned to ashes. “Fire Around.” Soon there were several flames circling me, burning any vines that dared seize me.
“Water,” Jacob hissed. He launched a huge wave at me. It met with my conjured wall of fire and steam formed between me and Jacob and Peter. The wall of fire also destroyed all the vines that had come out of the ground.
“Over quickly, huh?” I said. I glanced over at Damon. His face was unreadable. I looked at my two friends. They nodded encouragingly. The Black Serpent hissed at me.
Jacob turned on Peter. “Do something!” he snapped.
“You don’t order me around,” Peter snapped back.
“Then who does? Who gives the orders around here?”
I expected Peter to say ‘Damon’ or point at Damon, but to my surprise he said, “Kyle.”
Jacob glared at me and then turned back to Peter. “No, Peter. You’re wrong. Kyle does not, can not, and will not order us around. Haven’t realized that he’s always been leader – just because he’s the oldest?”
“That doesn’t matter,” Peter said. “He’s our brother and we do not attack him.” His eyes were no longer red.
Jacob froze.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Damon yelled.
“Jacob, snap out of it!” Peter hissed. “Control yourself! Don’t let Damon control you!”
Jacob’s eyes went back to blue. A look of horror came across his face. “K-kyle,” he stammered. “I—” He stopped and turned just in time to see Damon coming towards us.
“Don’t bother, Andy, he’s still out.”
“I saw him stirring though.”
“It’s a miracle that Black Serpent didn’t kill him. It had its body wrapped around Kyle and looked as if it could crush him.”
“Damon must have ordered the serpent not to kill Kyle.”
“Right. So now what do we do? We can’t live in this filthy dungeon forever. We need an escape plan.”
I let out a groan.
“Kyle?”
I opened my eyes and saw Andy hovering over me, looking concerned.
“Oh, good,” he said. “You’re awake. How are you feeling?”
“Terrible,” I muttered.
“I healed you up as best I could, but you didn’t really get hurt except a few bruises from that serpent.”
The word serpent made me sit bolt upright.
“Whoa, slow down there, Kyle,” Nick said. “Calm down.”
“What happened?” I demanded.
“Damon took us here,” Andy replied. “He said that he’ll deal with us later when he thinks things through.”
“Peter, by the way,” Nick said, “gained control of himself for several moments before Damon regained control over him. This means that Peter is fighting for control, and that’s a good sign. Jacob, though, hasn’t done that yet.”
Hearing my brothers’ name shot pain through me. Andy must have noticed the pain in my eyes because he said, “I’m really sorry, Kyle. But don’t lose hope. We can and we will be able to save them.”
I nodded. Then I motioned to the bars of our prison. “Have you tried breaking them?”
“Yes,” Nick answered. “But they have some sort of spell that prevents us from breaking it. I don’t know what.”
I walked towards the bars and placed a hand on it. Yes, I could feel some sort of spell on it. I closed my eyes and concentrated. Maybe, just maybe, I knew the spell and could break it.
It was bad timing. There was a gasp of ‘Damon!’ from Andy and a loud clang of metal falling that indicated I had broken the bars. I opened my eyes and found myself facing Damon.
Damon looked surprised that I had broken the prison bars.
“Well,” Damon said. “I put a really powerful spell on those bars.”
I didn’t answer.
“I was coming to check on how you three were doing,” Damon went on. “It seems like you’re suiting yourselves to this place just fine.”
“What do you want?” Andy growled.
Damon ignored him. His eyes were still on me. “Kyle, you want your brothers back? This is your last chance to consider my offer.”
“Kyle, no,” begged Nick.
“Fight or join,” Damon said.
I was about to say join, but I knew that was a very bad choice.
“Fight,” I said. “I’ll fight.”
Damon sighed. “Very well. You want to fight against your own brothers? If you lose, you and your friends will remain prisoners. If you win, I just might let you three go.”
“Three?” I repeated my voice distraught. “No!”
“Too bad,” Damon snapped. “Now you three come with me. Do not try to escape.”
We followed Damon and didn’t try to run away, even though we wanted to.
Damon led us outside where I saw my two brothers standing, waiting for us.
Nick and Andy were taken to the side. The Black Serpent was still there. It curled its body around Nick and Andy but not enough that they couldn’t move. Both looked nervous but they mouthed good luck to me. They kept glancing at the snake and back at me, their faces pale.
I walked shakily towards my brothers. They both turned to me as I got closer.
“Look who it is,” Peter said.
I flinched at the tone of Peter’s voice. It was so unlike what it should be. Now it was cold and full of hatred.
“Bossy big brother,” Jacob sneered. His voice sounded just like Peter’s.
“Good luck,” Damon said, smirking. He walked away towards his serpent.
“What, can’t you talk?” Peter sneered. “Are you stupid?”
Anger and hurt flared inside me. No, I thought. This is not really Peter and Jacob.
“I am not stupid,” I said as calmly as I could.
Jacob laughed but Peter frowned, staring at me. Then, his eyes changed from red to blue for a moment and during that time his eyes silently told me, I’m sorry.
“We’ll beat you easily,” Jacob said. “Two against one. It’ll be over quickly.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Peter said.
Jacob glared at Peter. “What’s wrong with you? Of course we’ll beat this idiot.”
“Don’t call him—yeah we’ll beat him,” Peter said. I heard to change in his voice – from normal to not normal.
I remember what Nick had said. Peter is fighting for control, and that’s a good sign. That was probably what was happening right now.
“Get ready,” Damon called out. “Go whenever you’re ready.”
Jacob didn’t hesitate. “Vines!” he shouted.
The ground trembled. Suddenly green vines shot out of the ground. Jacob pointed at me.
One vine wrapped itself around my ankle. I quickly freed myself, but another seized my right wrist.
“Fire!” I murmured. My hands were soon ablaze. The vine that had wrapped itself around my wrist burned to ashes. “Fire Around.” Soon there were several flames circling me, burning any vines that dared seize me.
“Water,” Jacob hissed. He launched a huge wave at me. It met with my conjured wall of fire and steam formed between me and Jacob and Peter. The wall of fire also destroyed all the vines that had come out of the ground.
“Over quickly, huh?” I said. I glanced over at Damon. His face was unreadable. I looked at my two friends. They nodded encouragingly. The Black Serpent hissed at me.
Jacob turned on Peter. “Do something!” he snapped.
“You don’t order me around,” Peter snapped back.
“Then who does? Who gives the orders around here?”
I expected Peter to say ‘Damon’ or point at Damon, but to my surprise he said, “Kyle.”
Jacob glared at me and then turned back to Peter. “No, Peter. You’re wrong. Kyle does not, can not, and will not order us around. Haven’t realized that he’s always been leader – just because he’s the oldest?”
“That doesn’t matter,” Peter said. “He’s our brother and we do not attack him.” His eyes were no longer red.
Jacob froze.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Damon yelled.
“Jacob, snap out of it!” Peter hissed. “Control yourself! Don’t let Damon control you!”
Jacob’s eyes went back to blue. A look of horror came across his face. “K-kyle,” he stammered. “I—” He stopped and turned just in time to see Damon coming towards us.
6,565.41 
