Deltora Quest Fanfic~ The Arrival * Book 1*

Chapter 12: Jin and Jod's Trap_Part 3

" This was all a trap to have us as their dinner," said Jasmine, her body shaking violently.
" I don't believe it..." muttered Barda.
" But how come we could not see it?"
" A re-verse spell," said May.
" Huh?"
" These creature have magic flowing through their blood and they placed a spell onto our surroundings to change the area around us. It must be sort of sorcery..." She looked off, a smirk creeping up unnoticed. Lief thought for a moment. Then looked up in fright.
" Their names are Jin and Jod, they're Sorceress Thaegean's children!"
" Right," muttered May, disturbed.
" I thought it was strange that the grey guards stopped searching for us. It's just not like them to give up so quickly. But now I understand why," growled Barda.
" The grey guards must have guessed that we were hiding nearby and knew that we'd eventually fall into the quicksand. Only to be eaten by Jin and Jod," explained Lief. Jasmine stood up.
" Let's get out of here!" May just gave her an incredible look.
" And how do we plan to do that? If I remember we've already went through the options possible."
" Since the window's so high. The only way to get out is through the kitchen," groaned Lief.
" Exactly," mumbled May, snuggling her legs to her chest. Jasmine looked around, her large eyes focused on one of the wall corners.
" Hey look! Is that a door?" She ran towards the hidden door in the wall. She opened it and looked inside. Lief followed in her footsteps.
" Wow! Look at all these stuff!" he exclaimed. In room held lots of treasures and jewelry of all sorts, swords and weaponry included. Gold coins glittering in the darkness.
" This must of been the treasure of the travellers who have been trapped and eaten by Jin and Jod," said Lief, grimly.
" Just like the witch's former prey..." whispered Jasmine. May also took a look inside and looked at the objects. When their attention was focused somewhere else, she rummaged through the room and put interesting items in her purse. She walked over to a large chest and shoved her hand inside it. Amongst the coins, she felt something in particular. Grabbing it, she yanked her hand out and began to examine it. It was an amulet with seven pieces of gems engraved on it. It looked very beautiful and May looked at it with delight. One of her fingers slipped and the amulet opened, which made her jump a bit. Inside the stone was empty frame and a folded note. She then placed it is her bag with the rest of her items, before they returned to the room. The two monsters opened the door widely, only to see their prey on the floor, not moving at all.
" It looks like they drank all the tea," smirked Jin.
" They're sleeping soundly," replied Jod, as they closed the door and returned to their kitchen. Lief, Jasmine and May got up from their fake slumber and muttered.
" What should we do?" asked Jasmine. Lief pondered.
" We have to pass through the kitchen."
" But we don't have a chance against Sorceress Thaegen's children."
" It's better doing nothing and being eaten alive."
" I... agree," said May.
" But Barda looks like he's about to lose conscious."
" You three go. Leave me behind," said Barda, grunting.
" That's not gonna happen," replied Lief. To their surprise, they heard a bell ring. The same one that they rang from the outside.
" Someone's out front," said Jasmine, surprised. The two monsters left their kitchen and left to go outside. Lief thought for a moment.
" We'll run away when they're both preoccupied. It's our only chance." With Barda supported with Lief and May by his sides. Jasmine lead them into the kitchen.
" I'm sorry, you guys," sighed Barda.
" No worries," smiled Lief, as he looked around. His eyes stumbled on a corner that laid lots of hay, accompanied by a long rope that hung by the wall.
" Lief." He turned to see May urging him to move forwards.
" Ah... Sorry."
As steady as they could, they walked through the front door, the monsters' backs faced them. They creeped as quietly as they could. Lief gasped went he realised that the person who had rang the bell was the little ralad himself.
" It's a trap don't come any closer," he yelled." There's a pit of quicksand in front of you." May frowned.
" Tsk..."
" Just great," muttered Jasmine. Jod hissed, angrily.
" Those maggots were only pretending to be asleep!"
" How dare they trick us," growled Jin, furiously. The four of them ran to the back of the house as quickly as they could, only to find the house completely surrounded by quicksand.
" I know these monsters need to get out to their sorceress mother," mumbled Lief." So there's got to be a way to get to the other side." They turned around to see the two running after them with a large fork and kitchen knife.
" I was looking forward to this feast," yelled Jin.
" You won't escape!" They yelled, when they both got hit on the head by multiple rocks. They stopped running and turned to the person who threw the rocks.
" Who's that?!" Turning back, they all saw the ralad throwing rocks at the two monsters.
" Look the ralad man as come to save us," said Jasmine, happily.
" We've saved his life once and now it time to save ours,"grinned Lief. Jin and Jod ran to the ralad man, fighting him with their axe and fork. The ralad man dodged the multiple attacks of Jin and Jod, until they bumped into each other and fell onto the floor. Then ralad man walked over to them.
" Wait, I don't understand. You're not wet or dirty at all," asked Jasmine, astonished.
" How did you make it through the quicksand?"
The ralad man pointed to button that laid hidden in a bush nearby. The ralad pressed against it and a path glowed in front of them, he was met with surprised faces.
" What is that?"
" I think it some kind of path that will lead us to the other side," replied Lief. The ralad nodded, he started walking off, the others followed after him.
" I think there's one of these on the other side too," said Jasmine. Lief just smiled.
" He risked his life for us. To show us the way to escape from Jin and Jod." In the distance, they could hear Jin and Jod waking up.
" They'll be here soon," replied Barda." Even if we're able to cross I don't know how we're going to lose them." The ralad pointed to the other side and made hand gestures with his hands.
" It looks like he's saying that you were right, Jasmine," said Lief, surprised." With the other device we might be able to close the bridge."
" You want to trap Jin and Jon in their own quicksand?"
" That's right, you guys go on ahead." Jasmine, the ralad and May ran across the bridge, while Lief and Barda stayed back. May tried not to look back, in order to keep on going to the other side. The ralad took one glance at her expression then turned to go back. But Barda grabbed him before he could do anything and carried him on his back.
May watched with astonishment, then shook her head with a sigh. Feeling more confident in herself, she ran.
On the the other side, Jasmine stood there ready to press the device to disconnect the path. When May crossed over, she stood behind Jasmine, leaning against large, thick tree to take a breather.
During this time, Jin and Jod has joined themselves together to capture Lief.
He was fortunate he was wasn't captured yet, though he tried to ran fast as he could, the enemy was catching up.
" Hurry up, Lief!" yelled Jasmine. Jin and Jod fumed with anger.
" You cannot stop us, little girl!" Jin threw an axe heading for a beeline towards Jasmine, who dodged to the side, receiving a minor cut. The axe continued flying until it hit the tree behind her. The large, thick tree where May sat.
Pain soared through out her body as she felt her skin get cut as butter. Her friends looked back at her, horrified. She yanked the axe from her shoulder and started shivering, as she continued to lose blood. She could hear Jin and Jod laughing in the distance, but couldn't respond to the cries that surrounded her face. She focused on covering her shoulder within her cloak, so they wouldn't see.
" Are you alright?" asked Jasmine.
" ...Press..."
" Huh?"
" ...Press the... Device..." Lief ran to the device and press it with all his strength. As the monsters came closer, Kree flew hitting them directly in the face. Jin and Jod swatted Kree with all their might, not realizing the path disappearing. Knee soon grew weary after a lot of flapping and got hit on the wing, he stumbled down. Jasmine caught him just in time and started scolding him. May could hear her surrounding tho. She smiled at the thought of watching Jin and Jod's demise, their pathetic faces disappearing into the murky quicksand.
To her side, she saw Jasmine treating Kree with a yellow substance, which she presumed was nectar from the lilies of life. He soared through the skies, flapping his wings happily.
" Let me use the nectar on your arm. Its been cut quite badly," replied Lief. Jasmine looked over at May.
" I think there's someone who needs it more than I do." They all turned to May, who laid there on the brink of unconsciousness.
" W-What are you t-talking a-about?"
" Your shoulder, let us see it," asked Lief, softly.
" No!" she yelped, sluggishly." I'm completely fine." The three looked at each other.
" That wouldn't explain the blood leaking through your cloak." May stayed silent. Jasmine walked over and lifted her cloak, to see the messed up shoulder.
" Lief, help me take off this cloak!" Lief came over and removed the cloak gently. He took a step back as he looked at the deep cut on her shoulder.
" Is it... that bad?" Lief his head.
" No, it's my fault for taking my time before they got to you." May just looked away.
" I have bandages in my bag. I don't know if there will be enough," Jasmine replied.
" Use my cloak," said May, gravely. Jasmine nodded. When Jasmine had finished wrapping up May's wound, more than half of May's cloak was gone. Remains left safely in her small bag. She didn't dare look of what had become of her arm.
The ralad leaned on the ground and started writing. Barda looked over his shoulder to take a look.
" The reason why I'm talking to you through writing is because Thaegen placed a spell on all ralad people. From then on we could not speak" recited Barda. Jasmine and Lief widened their eyes.
" Out of spite and jealousy, Thaegen created the Lake of Tears through the beauty of D'or. The ralads of the time, raised their voices against her to put a stop to it. There hasn't been a word spoken in Raladin for 100 years." The ralad, whose name was Manus, stopped writing. Lief looked over at quicksand and took a deep breath.
" Thaegen, will find out what happened to her children soon enough." Barda stood up.
" We should leave this place, right away."
" Well, Manus take care of yourself," smiled Lief.
" Try not to run into any grey guards now," grinned Barda. Kree squawked.
" That's enough, Kree," said Jasmine, smiling." I think Manus can take care of himself."
" Hey Kree, you were a real hero back there. I feel safe with him around. I think Barda agrees with me," replied Lief.
" Yes, I do." May smiled. Filli squeaked from Jasmine's shoulder.
" That's four against one," grinned Lief, cheekily. Jasmine shrugged her shoulders.
" Well, I guess it can't be helped then. I still don't think it's a good idea, but everybody else wants you to come." She held out her arm and Kree perched on it gently. Lief held the belt, firmly.
" Alright. Let's get going."
Jasmine helped May get up, when May looked behind her to see the spirits of Jin and Jod hovering over the quicksand.
With one quick glance, she turned back and fell into a deep slumber.
--