Chapter 37: The Only Choice

    Everyone sat in stunned silence for a few seconds.  

    Finally, Denarius took the gem off Thalia and placed it back inside the box.  He got up, picking up Thalia's body and turned to Faye who also rose.

    "Faye, you're the leader now," he said. "Where are we going?"

    "We can't fight Anoteros," Faye admitted. "Not now.  We need to escape somewhere safe and bury Thalia and then come up with some sort of plan."

    How are we supposed to get out of here though?" Abby asked as she looked around the dark prison.

    "The water," Faye said. "We need to get to the nearest river and then transport to the secret cave, save the others, and then escape."

    "I hate running from Anoteros," Abraham said. "Isn't there something else we can do?"

    "No, this is our only choice as of now," Denarius said, agreeing with Faye. "Let's go before the Chasers get here."

    "There has to be some sort of backdoor to this place," Faye said, picking up the box with the Gemstone of Nature in it.

    "There is," said Abraham. "This way, follow me."

    He ran off into the dark prison and they all followed closely.

    Abraham led them through the maze of cells and to a door  which brought them to another flight of stairs.  These stairs led them to a laboratory.

    "I wonder what goes on in here," Dede said.

    Faye walked up to a table and noticed the plans for the city's energy.  "Abby," she said, calling the girl over. "Why did you never shut off the power?"

    Abby told Faye about everything they had found at the center of the city.  "I didn't know Beast blood was that powerful," she finished.

    Faye turned to Denarius who looked horrified.

    "We need to rescue those people down there!" Faye yelled.

    "We don't have enough time," Cameron put in. "Besides, if they found Thalia and Abby down there then it's probably already secured by Chasers."

    "We can't leave them to die," Faye fought.

    "Faye, Cameron's right," Denarius said. "We can't risk our lives.  We might be the only ones left to save the world."

    "I will not leave anyone behind again," Faye said firmly. "Thalia put me in charge so my decision is final."

    "Very well," Denarius said. "But we need to put Thalia's body somewhere safe."

    "I will watch her," said Dede. "I can't fight anyway."

    They made it outside to the back of the building in an abandoned alley.  Denarius placed Thalia's body in a safe spot and Dede sat next to it, saying she would wait patiently and not get into any trouble.

    Faye led them to a sewer opening and they all got inside.  

    "We need to follow the sounds of voices," Abby said.

    "Everyone stay behind me," Denarius ordered and they all walked in a single-file line.

    Faye could hear voices getting louder and quickened her pace. "We need to surprise them," she said. "So we need to go faster."

    "But they'll hear you," Denarius called to her. 

    Faye didn't listen and ran up to the entrance into the large power room.  She waited for the others and then said, "Abby, you and Cameron will go and get the prisoners.  Me, Abraham, and Denarius are going to hold off the Chasers."

    "But I don't know my animal yet," Abraham said

    "It's time for you to find out," Faye said. "On three.  One . . . two . . . three!"

    Faye shoved the door open and they all rushed in.  

    Abby grabbed Cameron's hand and led him toward the place where the prisoners were.

    Faye shifted to a falcon and flew right into a Chaser's face.  She scratched it bloody with her talons and get grabbed the Chaser's Rod.  

    Faye then threw the Rod at another Chaser which stunned her and she fell over.

    Denarius was right behind her, using his master fighting skills to knock out the Chasers.  Then he turned into a wolf and began trampling more.  

    Abraham had grabbed a Rod from a unconscious Chaser and was electrifying people left and right.  

    "Abraham," Faye yelled. "To change into your animal you need to think

about a peaceful place."

    "Wow, that sounds so easy." Abraham said with a sarcastic voice. "Definitely not hard at all seeing as I am surrounded by people trying to kill me!"

    "Just try!" Denarius yelled.

    Abraham thought of the one most peaceful memory he had.  As he slashed at Chasers, he was remembering how his mother used to read to him everytime he was scared at night.  He remembered curling up next to her and how she would always smooth his hair.  He'd always felt peaceful during those nights.

    As he was thinking of that, he felt himself fall to the ground and his arms change to legs.  His eyes became sharper and his legs shorter.

    Faye turned and saw Abraham's change.  She couldn't believe it. "Abraham, you're a cougar, just like Mama!"

    Abraham looked himself over and realized that his sister was right.  Feeling his lion-like strength burning inside of him he jumped on Chaser after Chaser and knocked them to the ground.

    But despite their strongest efforts, more Chasers were pouring into the room and Faye knew they couldn't hold up much longer.

    Meanwhile, Abby and Cameron had been inside the small room with the caged Beasts.  

    "I think this will do it," Cameron said, scanning the fingers of the Chaser they had electrified.  The first cage popped open and the animal hopped out.  It was a small white bunny and Abby took her Rod and snapped off

the bunny's metal band.

    The bunny immediately turned into a young boy with snow-white hair and large blue eyes. "Thank you." he said, his eyes wide and scared. "Can you get my mom out too?"

    "Yes, of course," Abby said as Cameron began unlocking more cages.  Abby stared at the young boy who had to be younger than seven and couldn't believe that the government had tried to harm even the innocent little children.

    They had unlocked a few more cages before there was a loud crash and Cameron looked up.

    A woman had walked into the main power room.  

    She wore a long black coat and her hair was a red bob.  "Captain," she

said, "put a stop to this nonsense."

    Faye frowned at her and dove toward her face.  As quick as lightning, the woman flipped a knife through the air and cut Faye's wing.

    Faye fell to the ground and shifted back to a human.  There was a long cut across her arm and it began to bleed.

    "Faye!" Cameron yelled as he ran into the large room and slid next to her.

    "So you're Faye Spring?" the woman said, eyeing Faye with interest. "I expected someone older.  How old are you anyway?  Fifteen?"

    Faye didn't say anything, she just gave the woman a malevolent face. 

    Cameron helped her to her feet and they scotted backwards.

    "I have come a long way to take care of the mess that the Mayor has let grow under his nose," the woman said.  "My name is Samantha Kile.  I am 

an expert with Beasts, if I do say so myself.  The Mayor called me in because you were growing rather strong.  Either that or the security in this city is lacking significantly."

    "It's both," Faye said. "We are getting stronger and soon we will retake what is ours and destroy your unjust government!"

    "Actually, you're right," said Samantha. "We do work better together.  I am creating a world where Beasts can actually be helpful.  We are developing a machine which will allow us to take the blood of the Beasts and use it to power our cities.  In return we will preserve your minds in a simulation similar to this world, but better.  So you will help us thrive in the real life, and you will thrive in the unconscious."

                                    Chapter 38: A Sacrifice

    Faye couldn't believe what Samantha was saying.  How could Anoteros be so cruel as to lock all the Beasts up in some fantasy world when they were actually gone in real life?

    "That's not doing us a favor!" she yelled. "We don't want to live in your fakey world!  Your plan will never be accomplished as long as I'm around!"

    "It seems like a better way to die than just having the life sucked from you," Samantha said coolly. "But I suppose you Beasts are all so 'tough'.  Just wait until we need the little ones to power our cities."

    Faye snatched up a Rod and hurled it at Samantha with her good hand.  The woman dodged skillfully and the Rod hit a guard behind her.  She 

then made a few motions wit her hands and the Chasers in the rom began encircling Faye and Cameron.

    Faye turned to Cameron and said, "You and Abby need to get the prisoners out that door now.  We will be right behind you."

    Faye cleared the Chasers out of Cameron's path and he ran back to help Abby.  The girl had successfully unlocked all the cages and he yelled to the people, "Follow me!  But you all need to go fast!  If there are any children then carry them please!"

    Cameron ran out of the small room and the crowd followed him out.  

    Faye stood tall and straight and defiant in front of Samantha.  She had found another Rod and was wondering how she was going to knock out the woman.

    Suddenly, Samantha waved her arms to her guards and they lowered their weapons. She unhooked two smaller Rods from her belt and said, "How about a fight just between you and me, Faye?"

    "You're gonna die," Faye warned.

    Samantha chuckled. "I'd like to see that happen."

    Faye ran toward her and swung her Rod right at her face.  Samantha blocked with her two ones and Faye dodged a blow from one.

    Denarius and Abraham had finished cearing out the Chasers in their area and had just noticed Faye's fight.

    "We need to go help her," Abraham said.

    "No," said Denarius. "Faye would just get angry and she can handle herself.  We need to make sure the people get out safely.  Look, there 

they are now."

    They saw the crowd following Cameron out and rushed over to help quicken their pace.

    A group of Chasers noticed this and ran over to stop the escapers.  Denarius and Abraham helped hold off this new wave as Abby shoved the people on from the back.

    They finally reached the door and Cameron stood to the side as the people poured through it.  

    Finally, once the last person had gone through, he called to Abraham and Denarius who slipped through the doorway as well.  

    "Wait, where's Faye?" he asked, looking around.  

    He spotted her far from them, fighting Samantha.  Cameron turned to 

Abby and said, "Go and lead the people to the surface and then Denarius will lead them to a river where they can go and be safe."

    "What are you doing?" Abby asked worriedly.

    "I'm going to get Faye."

    He pushed Abby through the door and turned and ran toward the fight.

    Meanwhile, Faye had given Samantha an ugly injury across her leg as well as gained some of her own.

    Faye's body ached and her legs felt like they were about to give way.  

    Why had see agreed to this fight?

    Samantha struck another blow across Faye's arm, the exact place where she had hit her before with her knife.

    Faye dropped her Rod and clutched her arm as the pain shot through her

body.

    "I told you I would never die, or loose," Samantha said, bending down on one knee.

    Tears stung at Faye's eyes and she lowered her head and said, "This is only round one."

    "Hah, I'd like to see what else you can do with an injury that bad," Samantha laughed.

    Faye snatched back up her Rod and jabbed it straight at Samantha's stomach.  

    But the woman, obviously having very quick reflexes, grabbed the handle before the electricity hit her and twisted it out of Faye's hand. 

    "What could a teenager do against the future leader of Anoteros?  You

have no more power, Faye Spring.  And now you will die and this whole thing will die with you.  But I will give you some credit.  Your group managed to slip back into here after your precious leader died.  You actually injured me.  I will remember to mention to the history writers that it wasn't an easy fight.  But, in the end, the strongest always come out the winners."

    Faye suddenly heard a scream and looked up to see Samantha bending down just like her, a knife held up to her neck.

    Cameron had came in just in time and he had grabbed the woman's hair and taken one of her knives.

    "Try to stop me and Faye as we leave and she dies," Cameron said to the Chasers around them as he forced Samantha to her feet.

    "Cameron," Faye muttered. "I told you to go."

    "I will never leave you, Faye," he said, motioning for her to get up.

    Faye got up and she and Cameron slowly made their way to the door, with Samantha still captive.

    Then, Samantha chuckled and said, "You didn't actually think you had the drop on me, did you, Cameron Simon?"

    Her head twisted out of his grasp and she grabbed his hand which was holding the knife, forcing it to his throat.

    Faye quickly grabbed the same arm and pulled the knife away from Cameron's throat and back to Samantha's

    Samantha kicked her leg straight into a wound on Faye's knee and the teenager's leg gave way with the pain.

    "Chasers!" Samantha yelled.

    Cameron was immediately surrounded by Chasers and they grabbed his arms away and Samantha took the knife from his hands.

    "So this is the traitor to Anoteros," she said calmly. "One would wonder why one would give up the luxurious and safe life of the city to follow the bad and dangerous life of the wild Beasts.  But after seeing you here today, and your actions, I think I know what's going on."

    Samantha smiled at Cameron and continued. "I was once in love as well.  But I had to choose.  Him, or my rightful place as leader over thousands.  Obviously you can see I left all that foolishness behind to follow my true destiny.  Cameron , you can do the same.  Kill her ow and you will be forgiven of your crimes and made the finest Chaser ever."