Chapter VIII

"We did it; we really did it." Kitty said leaning against Aaron. The pair had made their way to the Minith site with out so much as a hindrance. Now Kitty leaned against Aaron as they watched the sunrise over Lake Niracina, a few miles west of the castle site.

"I know; it's kind of hard to believe they let us go after all that's happened to us." Aaron ran his fingers through Kitty's sandy-blond hair. "They let you and me go. Even though they tried to stop us, they could have done more. We both know Scott could have teleported ahead and made us go back; they could have stopped us and didn't."

"Why; why did they let us go?"

"I don't know; I just know that we're together, alone at last." Aaron lifted Kitty's face up to meet his; if anyone saw them, they didn't care. They kissed and Kitty suddenly turned her face away. "I'm sorry." Aaron said, releasing his hold on Kitty and backing away, keeping his eyes on the ground. "I thought you felt the same way; I'll understand if you hate me for a while after that." He drifted over to look the lake while he talked.

"I didn't mean it that way; I do love you, with all my heart I do. It was just sudden, that's all; you surprised me." Kitty tried to pull Aaron back into her embrace, but he shrugged her off and crouched down. "I always have and always will."

He turned and looked at her seriously as he remembered what he had dreamt back at Andrea's house the night he was shot; he remembered what he had seen and shuddered. "You can't say that; we don't know what might happen to us in the future. I might die and never see you again or vice versa; I don't want anything to happen, but I know it will. After this mission, I won't be the same person, ever; I might not ever love you again."

"Aaron Royal Nickel, don't say that!" Kitty yelled as she pushed Aaron over onto his back. Aaron's eyes grew wide as he realized that he had just made a huge mistake; Kitty was mad and wasn't going to stop yelling at him until she was satisfied. "We will find Rowdor, we will always love each other, you won't die, and neither will I. Our friends will help us and we will go home and live happily to the end of our days; you and I will live together and love each other always."

"Are you finished yelling at me?" he asked as she took a deep breath.

"No! This whole trip you've thought of everyone but yourself. Did you, even once, stop to think about the danger you were putting yourself in? Probably not; you were too busy thinking about us and trying to keep us safe. Are you trying to get yourself killed? Because that's what it seems like to me. I mean think about it, you've saved Tabby back at the orphanage by letting yourself be caught, you let Scott rest so he wouldn't kill himself back at Memorial National Park, even with the great dangers to your safety, and then proceeded to sit up and watch for anyone that might have followed us and in the open of all places! You saved my life in Bellini from that bullet that would have killed me instantly; you know it would have and that's why you did it. You and I both know it's true; in that thick head of your's, you may have thought once about your safety, but never again. You are always thinking about me and our friends first, never yourself. Every time you put yourself in danger for others I'm scared I am going to lose you forever." Kitty looked at Aaron as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Kitty, that won't happen, I promise." Aaron picked himself up off the ground, brushed himself off, and put his hands on his outraged friend's arms. "You're right, I did think about it once, when I was trapped up in the tower back home; I thought about what would happen if I did put my self first. I might lose Scott and Tabby, but most of all I would lose you; you are the most precious thing in this world to me." Aaron pulled Kitty close to him and whispered, "I would do anything to keep you safe, even give my life."

"Aaron, I know more than anyone that that's true, but I would kill myself if you died or anything happened to where I couldn't be with you." she whispered back.

Aaron pulled back and looked into her dark blue eyes. "No you won't; if we were ever separated, you would not do that."

"How do you know that?"

"Because of magic." Aaron removed his necklace that Kitty had never seen Aaron without. He placed it around her neck, touched the center bead, and let her feel the magic that flowed thought it.

"Oh!" Kitty gasped; she touched the beads and she felt them hot against her skin. "Why is it so hot? Is that the magic?"

Aaron nodded and explained. "You have never seen me without that necklace because it was found on me as a baby and Safel could not remove it. Andrea has on exactly like it; it allows us to know the other is still alive. It is hot because I am so near; the closer I am the hotter the main beads are. Andrea's is the same; with both of ours though, the nearer the other is, the warmer the center bead is. If we get separated, as long as I live, those beads will stay warm, even if I'm far away. If you come looking for me, follow the necklace, it will guide you."

"Aaron, I don't want anything to happen to you." He assured her that he would use all his power to prevent it.

Aaron and Kitty held each other for a little longer before setting off back to Minith. As they walked away, Kitty felt something slimy wrap around her body. She tried to get Aaron's attention, but a tentacle slipped over her mouth preventing her from screaming. Kitty kicked and squirmed and eventually did hit a rock, which hit Aaron squarely in the back of the head, as she went limp. Aaron turned to see Kitty being dragged into the lake.

"Kitty!" Aaron picked up a fist sized stone and chucked it at the tentacles. "Let her go you slimy monster!!" He continued to throw rocks at the creature until it dropped Kitty to the ground and slid back into the lake. Aaron ran to her and found her unconscious; he was some what surprised that Kitty wasn't bleeding, until he picked he up and felt the blood on the back of her head. She was growing colder and dying.

~Bring her to me.~ a voice inside Aaron's mind said. ~I can help, bring her here.~ Aaron looked back at the lake and saw the source of the voice. A silver haired girl peered at him from the edge of the lake.

"Who are you?" Aaron asked.

~I am Sullie, Princess of the Lake. Bring the girl to me and I may be able help.~ He did not know why, but Aaron was compelled to do as he was told. Scooping Kitty up, he brought her to Sullie, at the edge of the lake. ~Gently lay her here in the water. Now let me see what has happened.~ Sullie gently touched the floating girl, allowing water to gently caress her. ~It was Him, wasn't it?~

"Him?"

~The terror of the lake. He poisons all who he touches; his victims die unless they receive the right antidote. She has been touched by him.~

"Something did grab her. I don't know what it was but it was huge and slimy and had tentacles, two of which wrapped around Kitty."

~That's Him alright. There is an antidote with my people but you must come with us.~

"Down there? Into the lake?" Aaron questioned looking over the murky water.

~Do not worry, I will provide you with the ability to breath underwater, her too. Lean here.~ Sullie touched both of Aaron's eyelids and ears, his nose and finally his mouth. She did the same to Kitty. ~Follow me and stay close; he may come after us.~ Sullie wrapped an arm around Kitty and dived below the surface. Aaron followed, wary of the strange magic. It began working as soon as his face hit the water; he got wet, which was to be expected, but he could breath as if he was still above the water.

Sullie led him deep into the water, down to where light failed to penetrate. As he followed her, Aaron noticed that Sullie was a mermaid; her tail, like her hair, was silver and glowed slightly, even down in the depths where there was no light to reflect off of it. Far below him, a light grew.

"Sullie, where is that light coming from?"

~That is my home, Lake City. My father will help us.~ Sullie came to a stop. ~He's here. We must go a different way or risk being caught. Follow me.~ The mermaid took off left, leaving Aaron to try and follow, but the bubbles she made blinded him.

"Sullie!! Sullie, wait!!" When Aaron could see properly again, Sullie and Kitty were gone. No chance of following her now, so I'll go and head on down. Maybe we'll meet up down there. Have to stay alert, though, for Him. Aaron turned back to the city and swam towards it. He swam about twenty feet before he heard, or rather felt, Him.

Bubbles buffeted his body, to big to be made by human or merperson. Then he saw Him; he looked like a giant green octopus dripping with slime, poisonous, sticky, and huge. Aaron was terrified; before, when Kitty was attacked, he only saw two of the tentacles. Now, seeing Him in his entirety, Aaron had only one thought and that was to run.

Aaron swam as fast as he could towards the city always keeping an eye on the monster. He looked down at the city and thought, What am I doing? I'm taking this monster straight to a whole city of innocent people. I have to go a different way but which? Aaron looked left, then right and decided on right, going the opposite way that Sullie had went. The monster followed, gaining on its prey steadily. Must keep swimming until it gives up. Must save the city. Those two thoughts kept Aaron swimming away from the city.

Abruptly a stone cliff rose up in front of him blocking his way. To his left was another wall, his right was open water. Aaron looked back and saw the monster reaching for him; it lashed out, missing the boy by mere inches. It followed him right along the wall, almost close enough to catch him. Into a small canyon they went, twisting and turning, never faltering. The monster stopped its attack, but still it followed, waiting for something; a thing that Aaron had done to himself.

Aaron realized his mistake at entering the canyon too late, when he found the dead end. He was boxed in on three sides and the monster came through the only escape. Above him was sheer rock, rising high above the water; he had made certain of his own capture. The only thing he could do now was fight his way out. Aaron stood on the canyon floor and watched the terror of the lake advance. Aaron tensed waiting for the creature to strike, but it didn't; it sat waiting for something to happen, something it expected. It waited for what seemed an eternity to Aaron, then it struck. The monster struck out, trying to wrap one of its tentacles around him.

Why had he waited? Why did he not strike immediately? Aaron asked himself. The creature struck again, managing to get a hold of one of Aaron's legs. He kicked to try and free his leg with no avail, so he reached down to his right leg and pulled free a short blade. He he, beat this! Aaron sliced across the restraining tentacle and got a big shock. The slime melted the blade on contact! That wasn't supposed to happen! Now what do I do? That question was soon answered for him.

Aaron went to take a breath and got a mouthful of water. The spell had begun to stop! Pressure built up in his ears and his eyes stung from the water. Sullie, help! Andrea! Kitty! Please... help...me... Aaron faded into darkness as he called for help.