[sorry for not updating recently, school is being a big pain in the -.-]

We started off on foot. Not all of us though since Kris would fly ahead and circle around us to scan the area even though that was unnecessary since we had my mom. Andy, Kai’s Fenghuang, and Hyde, AJ’s owl would fly with him. Fellise, Kris’ Griffin didn’t though since she was too big and could be spotted easily. Of course Andy could be, too, but he didn’t really care since he could sense things coming. Since we were walking through the mountains we didn’t take horses and it would be easier to flee. I was walking next to Mia who’s mouth was as active as a subway for new york. Never stopping and noisy. I usually wouldn’t mind, but it I couldn’t keep my thoughts with what she was saying as they kept wandering off. Ren you shouldn’t worry so much. But this can’t be it. Just going over there to kill the Empress with a big group like us? Wouldn’t it be smarter to send only two or three people instead of seven? Not to mention you guys, I mean we’re double as much and we can’t just waltz into Sanan and kill everyone in our path until we get to her. I agree with you, but now is not the time to think about that. What do you- ‘Everyone down!’ Mom whispered. We all hit the floor with our bellies, our Animins hiding away incase we’d get caught and we’d need to talk our way out.

We hid in the bushes for some time before rustling could be heard further away. They were a group of men, not sure how many, but they were coming straight for us. And they were speaking in mashek meaning they were Amnendarian. I only caught a few words: Where, here, I saw. They are wondering where we are. But how would they know where we are? They were too far away from us to see us. They have devices like radars. They don’t show exactly where you are but just about. Oh so like mom’s power but in a machine, right? Exactly. And since they can’t see us, they’re confused. But I’m sure they will start looking soon. I looked over to where my mom was. She held up her hands showing nine fingers. Nine soldiers, brilliant. I saw feet come towards the bush where Mia, Kai and I were hiding. Kai and I already had our words drawn, waiting to attack where as Mia was frozen to the floor. She was scarred and I understood. The feet came closer and behind them there were two more pairs. Kai and I silently pulled our feet under us, so that we could jump. They were saying something I couldn’t understand and I could tell he was less than a meter away from me. Not even a meter, mere centimeters were between us. I could feel my heart beating faster as I awaited the moment he’d see us. I wanted him to, I wanted to get going. And then it happened. I was first to react as I sliced his throat, he fell to the floor with a loud thud before he could even make a sound. The soldier behind him shouted warning the others and then we all emerged. The second soldier was shaven bald with only a line of hair on the left side. He attacked with an odd looking ax which I avoided. I aimed for his arm holding the large ax, but failed as he blocked it with a long dagger. As he tried to hit me again, I raised my left hand, letting red and pink beams shoot from it and burn the metal of the weapon so that it melted and dripped off the pole. He starred at it in shock and I took my chance to slice my blade through his neck, blood spraying from it. ‘WHERE IS IT?!’ Mom was sitting on top of a soldier, holding her sword to his throat, her eyes wide and threatening. The Animins came out and helped us as we dragged the dead bodies to a pile. A bit further away I saw AJ helping Mia wobble over to where we were. Her face was pale and hung when she saw the bodies. ‘Here.’ Kai was holding a towel in front of me, there was blood on it and I knew it was only the blood from the swords. I wiped mine clean and put it away, looping the cloth around my belt. 

‘TELL ME WHERE IT IS GOD DAMMIT!!’ Mom shouted again. The soldier looked like a madman with his blood splattered face and his crazy smile. ‘I’d rather die.’ He smiled. ‘TELL ME NOW YOU BASTARD!!’ He started laughing. It became louder and louder and it creeped me out how he was looking at her. Then he abruptly stopped. ‘Never.’ And without warning he threw her off him, grabbing the dagger that was in her hand, landing on her and stabbing her in the heart twice before slicing her neck. ‘NO!’ Without thinking I pushed all my power out and the colorful rays hit him with full force, burning him to ash in seconds. ‘Mom!’ Lay reached here before me and he began his work on healing her. I slid next to her and took her hand in mine. I felt the tears coming up as I saw how the blood started to flow out of her chest and neck, making little puddles on the floor. They slowly closed up, but when they were healed, Lay didn’t move away. He stayed like that, his hands on her collar bones, his eyes closed and wrinkles started to form on his forehead. ‘Lay..’ Kris started. ‘I can’t keep her.’ He gasped. He looked at me, his eyes eyes strained and scarred. ‘She’s healed but she’s slipping away, I can’t keep her here.’ He said through clenched teeth. ‘Try. Try and get her back.’ I heard Kai say behind me. My eyes were focused on my mothers face, her eyes still open. I couldn’t hold back the tears from running down my cheeks. ‘Lay, you’re going to kill yourself if you bring her back.’ AJ said surprisingly calm. ‘What? Are you saying she should die?’ Kai shouted at him. ‘As crewel a it might sound yes. I’d rather loose one person than two.’ His voice was sharp. ‘But we need her! She knows where to go and what we need to do! And what about Ren?’ He’s right. We can’t keep her, she can only die. I gently took Lay by the hands and pulled them off of my mom. He looked at me as if I were crazy and I replied with a small smile. ‘Ren, you can’t do that! Lay, get her back!’ Kai shouted. ‘Kai, Lay said it himself, she’s slipping away and he can’t keep her. Is it better to loose two important people or one?’ I shot back. ‘But you can’t let her die!’ ‘Kai there is no other way.’ He glared at me in disbelief. ‘You’d let your own mother die? You wouldn’t sacrifice to get her back?’ He said through clenched teeth, holding back his loud voice. ‘You’d sacrifice your friend to something which you don’t know will work?’ I asked back. ‘At least I’d try and not give up on my own mother.’ With that he turned, grabbing his backpack from the floor as he walked through the bushes. Everyone was looking at me. ‘I’ll go and check on him.’ Kris said, following Kai into the bushes. ‘Ren, your mom won’t hold on much longer.’ Lay said behind me. He was pale and sweat drops were running down his face. ‘I’ve given her enough energy for her to talk.’ He said before getting up and leaving. 

‘Ren.’ She whispered. ‘I’m here, mom.’ She looked at me and smiled. ‘I’m sorry. I should protect you but I’ve failed. I-’ I shushed her and whipped her hair out of her face. ‘Don’t say that, you know you’ve protected me so much already.’ She smiled weakly. ‘Rocky knows what to do, he’ll help you. I have a map of the rout and plans in my bag.’ Her voice became quieter and quieter with every word. ‘I want to give you something.’ She whispered. ‘My necklace, take it.’ She shakily pulled it out from under her clothes. On the chain hung a very small capsule and in it seemed to be stones of white, silver and pink even. ‘It has a power you will come to learn.’ She whispered, as she laid it into my hands. ‘I’ll always be with you, Ren, I’ll be around watching over you.’ She breathed. Her head laid on the floor again, her eyes closed. ‘I love you, mom.’ I whispered into the palm of her hand as they became wet from my tears. ‘I love you, too, Ren.’

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Sorry for not updating since so long!! School's become extra busy and I have a lot to do other wise as well, but I never stop writing!! I'm going to warn you though that I won't be updating sooooo much now, because it's test season until enf of January, BUT thank the heavens I have Christmas vacation in between ^^ 
Thank you for reading and comments are very much welcomed!!!