The Green Guardian

Chapter 28: Heart of Darkness

Song: "A Blackened Heart" - Peter Gundry

        Sam and Euphorbia, unaware of the incoming Thebes, were with the basilisk in its den. The creature actually wasn't that evil once you got to know it a little bit. It was upset because it missed Euphorbia. Now that she was back, it was the happiest it'd been ever since Evie and Mateo's great-grandfather trained it.

Sam sat cross-legged in front of the serpent. Confused, he asked, "Why aren't you attacking me?"

"Becausssse my masssster issss not here," the basilisk hissed in snake language. It focused its attention on the Green Guardian.

She settled down on its nose. Euphorbia crossed her right leg over her left knee. She enjoyed herself. It had been a long time since she and the basilisk shared a peaceful moment.

Unfortunately, the peace did not last–not with Thebes in the loop.

He chucked one of his swords into the basilisk's tail closest to him. Blood poured from the wound.

The basilisk screeched. It ripped its tail free from the sword. Its face changed from peaceful to evil. It swung its neck.

Sam and Euphorbia ducked under it. At the sight of the centaur, their eyes widened.

Thebes, who stood just outside the basilisk's den, twirled his second sword in his hand. He offered the creature his arms. It looked like he was trying to hug it. "Come at me, bro! You're going to pay for what you did to Mateo!"

"Thebes, stop!" Mateo leaped into the fray. He grabbed the hand that Thebes had his sword in.

"Kid, what are you doing?" Thebes asked. "I'm trying to save you."

"Don't hurt it. Please."

Too late. Thebes pushed Mateo's chest with his powerful arm. He fell onto the forest floor. The centaur galloped toward the angry basilisk.

It swung its good tail at him, but Thebes stopped it. He was very strong.

From the ground, Mateo clenched his teeth. However, he pushed himself to his feet. He jumped into Thebes's back and wrapped his arms around his neck.

"You can't stop me," the centaur said. "I'm going to kill it." That time, he snatched Mateo's arm. Thebes chucked him away from him.

The ranger flew backward. He crashed onto his back and did a backflip, slamming down hard on his belly. Yelling, he grabbed it.

Just before Thebes could lift his sword and stab the basilisk again, a rope came from out of nowhere and wrapped around his wrist.

Maria, Ben, John, and Evie made it to the scene. Evie was the one who threw Mateo's rope. She gave it her best tug. Her free hand grabbed Euphorbia's shimmering pebble from the sky.

Maria slid off Joey's back. She sprinted toward Mateo.

John struggled into the air. He zigzagged past Mateo's rope and the basilisk's tails, rounding up Sam and Euphorbia.

Ben helped Evie. He clashed swords with Thebes. "Get Mateo, Sam, and Euphorbia out of here," he told the little girl.

Nodding, she coiled Mateo's rope.

He broke free from Maria.

"Mateo, wait!" Maria held her hand out to him.

Determined, Mateo sprinted his fastest to Thebes and the basilisk. He passed Evie and snatched his rope right out of her hand. "Thank you."