Complications

Rescue Mission

The Professor stood in the Machine. Everyone was silent.
"Okay, we can find Clessa now."
Then, a flash of light appeared in the room. A swirl of golden dust appeared. It spread through the room, and came over to the Professor. One word was whispered.
"History." The dust disappeared.
"No. No way." Breathed the Professor.
"What?" Asked Xander.
"The prophecy....how?"
The gang leaned into the Professor, expecting an answer.
"The prophecy about me....there was no just one person. Two. My brother....History. He was said to be the prince...me more powerful....but....but...." The Professor struggled for words.
"But what?" Asked Nikki.
"I watched him die. I saw a shadow take him."
"So...what does golden dust tell you about him being back?"
"Well, whenever a Shadow Searcher truly believes something, and it's not true, when the belief is strongest, the dust appears and gives the truth."
"So....how would he still be alive?"
"The shadows have been known to spare people. Maybe....maybe he's working for a greater cause."
"What would that be?" Asked Emily.
"I don't know." The Professor stood frozen. He looked off at where the dust had come from.
"So, he's evil now?"
"I guess. But.... I watched him die. This is not possible."
Cher placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He sucked in a deep breath to refocus himself, and then went back to the task at hand. Finding Clessa.
"Alright. Finding Clessa. We know she's in the dungeon. And, I'm thinking that wherever she is, Hist will be there too. But first we need to find Clessa."
The Professor got the Machine on course to get to the dungeon. The Machine bumped around, and then landed with a thud.
"Alright, let's get out of here and find Clessa!" Said Xander.
The Professor grabbed a jacket and led the gang out and into the darkness.
"Alright." He said.
They were in the middle of something.
"We are back in the castle...but where?" Asked Cher.
"I think....the maze." Said the Professor. He was correct. They were standing in a room with multiple outlets.
"This time....no map." He said, popping the p.
Professor's POV
I looked around the room. Several outlets extended into darkness, and I for once had no clue on where to go. I had to trust my instincts.
"Follow behind me. Any corner could have a surprise behind it." I ordered.
No map, no idea if this was even the way to get to the dungeon, and no clue and where I was going.
This was great. Just great. The darkness could hide any shadow just perfectly.
Third person POV
The group walked slowly through the moist tunnels. Water dripped down the sides. The floors had moss growing out of it, and worn bricks. Every once in a while, someone would see a carcass.
"Are we even going the right way?" Whined Xander.
The Professor stopped.
"Do you think I know? I saw a map once of this place, it is pitch black, and you are whining like a three year old. I don't know. So shut it." Snapped the Professor.
He turned around and continued with the group. Left, right, left, left, left, right, left, right , right, there was no turning back.
Cher started whistling, which earned a glare from the Professor. She stopped.
Pretty soon, the gang had been walking for hours.
"I think... I am going to die."
They were all silent.
"I think I see l light." Said the Professor.
Gathering up strength, they started running towards the light.
"Come on!" Yelled the Professor.
As they got to the light, it was disappointing. All the light was was the map.
"So....basically...we just wasted three hours to find the map?" Asked Nikki.
"No, wait...yes."
The Professor scanned the map. They were about an hours walking distance from the dungeon.
"Alright, I know the way." Said the Professor.
He then looked to the left of the map. There was a picture of History.
"Come on Time!" Exclaimed a young History.
Time races over to his brother. History was gawking at their little pet Rac. Rac had just done a somersault.
"Isn't he amazing?"
Time sighed.
"Yes, but I have other things to do." He said, and left the room.
History sighed and sunk into a chair that was next to a window. Outside, the stars showed brightly next to the one o'clock moon. History loved the stars.
Time came back into the room with a grin on his face.
"I guess I could hang out with you." He said as he ruffled History's hair.
History grinned. Time took a seat in the chair adjacent to his, and relaxed.
"What do you want to do?" Asked History curiously.
Time shrugged and looked out the window.
"We could star gaze..."
History smiled and ran over to the window and stood next to his brother. There was not a dark cloud in the sky....except for one.
"What's that?" Asked History.
Time shrugged, and then he noticed the cloud growing bigger.
"Wha-." Said History.
Soon, the cloud was covering the whole sky. The stars were gone.
"Look Time! The clouds are swooping into the city!" And sure enough, they were. A cloud came to the exact window they were at.
"Time?" But the cry was not fulfilled. A shadow swooped into the room and 'ate' History.
"No!" Screamed Time. But it was too late, History was gone, and so was the rest of his city.
"Professor?" Asked Nikki.
The Professor turned towards the kids, after wiping his tears.
"What's wrong?" Asked Emily.
"Nothing, just a bad memory."
"History?"
"Yep. Alright, let's go. We have to go left left right left right right right left straight." The Professor bounced in front of the group and raced down his selected path. The rest of the group felt completely out of energy, but they still followed him.
He raced down corridors like a fireball. Turns and twists were made.
"WOO HOOOO!" He'd occasionally call. Everything that had happened so far was catching up to him. He had a daughter. A daughter. He's not alone anymore.
Soon, they reached the final turn that lead them to Clessa. It was too good to be true....the Professor slowed down a little.
"Here we are." He muttered to himself, looking down the straight hallway. It was the last thing standing between him and his daughter.
The Professor raced into the hallway labeled DUNGEON, and looked for his daughter. Slowly, he walked in and saw rusty cells with dusty concrete floors and musty atmospheres.
Must have been horrid.
Soon, he reached a cell with something circling the edges.
"Clessa?" He asked weakly. The thing circling the edges stopped and looked at him. It was indeed Clessa.
"D-d-dad?" She asked.
He smiled and looked at her. She was a mess!
"I'll get you out."
"Careful! The bars b-burn."
He nodded and went over to them. Slowly, he picked the lock and opened the door for Clessa. She happily ran out of there, hoping to forget all that had happened.
"Tell me now....what had happened in there?"
"Well, out that window there is a huge colony of shadows. Mom came back to visit me. I started having seizures, and I have gone mentally insane."
"What do you mean she came back to visit you?"
"Well, as a ghost, she came back."
"Alright, let me get you all fixed up."
He pulled something that looked like a wand out of his pocket, and ran it all over Clessa. Soon, she looked healthy and normal. Her brown hair was pulled back, and instead of the dress, she had on jeans, vans, and and blue t shirt on. The dress now lay in a heap on the floor.
The Professor extended his hand to Clessa.
"Let's break out." She nodded and bolted out with her dad.