Lights Out (Book 2 of the "Living Nightmare" series)

Chapter 2

Ciara watched in amazement as Kane sat up gasping. "Oh, Kane! Thank Notch!" She reached a hand towards his. "I was so worried that—"

"Ah!" Kane scrambled back, bumping into the wall behind him. "Stay back!"

Ciara frowned. "Kane, are you okay?"

"Where am I?" He looked around frantically. "Who are you people?"

Ciara literally stopped breathing. "What on earth do you mean?! It's me! Ciara! We've know each other for years. And look, Rain and Stella!"

Kane looked at them curiously for a moment, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't recognize you."

Ciara's heart felt like it had been smashed by a rock. "None of us?"

"Nope," he pointed past her. "I don't know who those three are either."

She glanced over her shoulder to see Ceris and Gwendolyn come in, carrying Lance between them. "What happned to him?"

"Hellknight stabbed him," Gwen explained. "He's hurt really badly."

"Let me help," Stella offered. "I'm not Azura, but she taught me a thing or two."

Kane looked curious. "Who are you people?"

Ciara bit her lip and studied him. He looked the same on the outside, but he had changed on the inside. Her eyes fell on his wound and then it clicked into place. Of course, the poison!

"Kane..." she said slowly. "What is the last thing you remember?"

He frowned. "Uh, frankly, I don't know. I do know that I'm Netherbane Captain."

"O-okay. Uhm...I'm stepping outside." She threw a karambit and teleported out.

Kane turned to Stella. "Huh. I didn't realize she could teleport. That is very interesting. But is she okay? She claims I know all of you but...I think she's mixed me up with someone else."

Stella said nothing and just exchanged glances with Rain.

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Echo's eyes blinked open and she sat up with a gasp, her gaze jumping around the room.

She was on a bed set up against the wall of a well-lit stone room. A brewing stand, chest, and crafting table lined one wall while a furnace and barrels covered the other. The wall across from her had an oak door in it. The room had no windows, however, and was irregularly shaped, making her believe she was in an underground cave.

The door opened to reveal a boy who looked about 17. He had blue hair so dark it was almost black with a streak of lighter blue highlighting it. His right eye was hidden by his hair, but his visible left eye was an ocean blue. He had a pair of headphones around his neck and his face lit up when he saw her. "Oh, you're awake, thank Notch! I was starting to worry that all my work had gone to waste."

"Wait, what? Who are you? Where am I?" She snapped. "And what happened?"

"Woah, relax. No need to attack me," the boy put his hands up. "My name is Spinner and when Alexsis gets here, I will answer your questions."

Echo couldn't help but snort. "I'm sorry. I've never heard of someone being named 'Spinner'," she paused. "Then again I know someone named 'Rain', so never mind."

Spinner gave her a weak smile and the door swung open again. 

A girl with long pink and blue hair entered. One of her eyes was a murky green while the other was an unusual red-brown. She had dragon wings, a fluffy tail, and a mask concealing the rest of her face.

"Alexsis," Spinner gestured to the new-comer. "This girl has some questions for you."

"Well, I would assume so," Alexsis gave Echo a serious look. "You're lucky. You just barely escaped death, girl. Tell me your name."

"Well, I'm Echo. Now where am I and seriously, what happened?"

Alexsis sighed. "We're not exactly sure. A scout from one of the higher levels heard an explosion and saw you fall down here. I'm shocked you didn't die. You fell straight to the bottom."

"Enderkins are truly amazing!" Spinner added. "I was amazed ar how many of your bones only suffered minor damage. Except for your ribcage. That's going to be a little longer in healing."

Echo stared. "Wait, higher levels? Fell to the bottom?! Where am I?!"

Alexsis sighed and opened the door. "Come here."

Echo cautiously got to her feet and was pleased to find she wasn't in too much pain. She joined the two by the door. "Okay, wow."

Her eyes were met by a massive shaft leading both down and up. Hundreds of oak wood walkways lined the walls on all sides and there was four sets of chains. A wooden platform loaded with raw ore blocks came up a set of chains up towards the shaft mouth several chunks above them. Across from that, another platform was dropping people off at the level.

"This," Alexsis said. "Is Nightshaft."

Echo went to the edge of the walkway and peered down. The shaft plummeted down below them and even she couldn't understand how she had survived the fall. Something else caught her eye and she had to stiffle a gasp. "Are those Wardens?"

Spinner bodded. "Yup. Back when Nightshaft was first started  the very first Warden-Speak made peace with them. Now they help us out and we've even got a few Human-Warden hybrids."

"Nightshaft is the Overworld's biggest independent mining communities," Alexsis informed Echo. "Our shaft is the biggest and deepest there is, starting at one of the highest points in the Epic Mountains and heading all the way to bedrock."

Echo frowned. "But hang on. I fell through a small hole on the forest level."

"That was either a secret entrance or just a vent," Spinner explained. "The main entrance is much bigger and is operated by a Restone mechanism."

"We produce over a third of the Overworld's raw and refined minerals," Alexsis continued, walking along the path with Echo and Spinner following behind. "But Nightshaft isn't just a mining community. We're also a somewhat secret organization that helps those in need and is actively working to bring peace between the Nether ans the Frostbourne."

Echo blinked. "Oh, Notch! The Nether has this guy named Hellknight who's trying to capture the Ender Watchers! He's the reason I fell down here. I gotta get out of here! Where's my weapons?"

"Woah, Echo slow down!" Spinner exclaimed as she ran backt to the room. "Your sword burned in lava but you're still healing and can't—"

"Ow!" Echo grunted and fell to her knees, her staff in hand. A sharp pain hit her ribs and she groaned. "I can't stay here. I'm putting people in danger. And I need to help my parents..."

"Echo, slow down," Alexsis put a hand on the frantic Encerkin's shoulder. "Who are your parents? What happened to them? Echo, we can help you. Just relax and explain."

She sighed. "Fine..."

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A/N: Yay, new chapter! I hope you guys liked it! Alexsis and Spinner are characters that belong to