Take Back the Light

Chapter 42

The weeks after Blakk's escape were full of nonstop work.

Days were spent either training, preparing for missions, or actually going on missions. Antimony had been the first cavern Blakk had gone after, but definitely not the last. Every day at least one call would come in, either helping evacuate from an overwhelming full-scale invasion or attacking the first Blakk Industries footsoldiers anyone saw to prevent Doctor Blakk from taking another cavern.

The Shane Gang may only include one adult (although when the adult is Pronto, it couldn't exactly be called adult supervision), but they needed no prompting to stay focused. As tantalizing as it would have been to spend free time playing video games, everyone was finding ways to be productive.

Alana would have liked to spend that time training- she wanted to push the limits of her energy and slinging, do everything she could to be prepared for the inevitable final battle. But the usual exhaustion from so much slinging combined with the daily contact with ghouls and dark energy was taking its toll.

It wasn't as bad as when she'd been ill enough to need a visit to the Lightwell, but Alana knew she was behaving radically different than her usual chipper self. Every moment the gang as a whole wasn't training or on a mission, she was curled up in her bean bag chair, fast asleep. Facing the constant dark energy was almost as tiring as any duel itself, and she was desperate to get as much rest as possible.

After a morning spent doing recon, trying to figure out Blakk's next moves before he made them, the gang returned to the hideout to await another inevitable distress call. The second she walked through the door, Alana made a beeline for her chair. She paused for a split second to set her bandoleer, blaster, and backpack on the coffee table before collapsing on the bean bag chair, asleep almost instantly.

The good part about the quick rests was that Alana was never asleep long enough to dream. No nightmares plagued her, helping keep her mind a little clearer. But the rests were quick, often interrupted by distress calls.

Alana wasn't surprised when, after what seemed like mere minutes after she closed her eyes, the distress alarm began to blare through the hideout. She sprang to her feet, ignoring the head rush that came from the rapid movement. A thin blanket fell to the ground- she hadn't grabbed one before laying down, she realized. None of the other slingers could understand what it was like to have her energy struggles, but they did their best to have her back.

"Where are we headed?" Alana asked, blinking sleep from her eyes as she slid on her black backpack.

"Out near Undertow," Kord replied, rushing past Alana and into the garage to prepare the Mechas. "Real patched up message, dated a week ago."

"Why are we just now getting it?" Alana asked, clipping on her bandoleer and following Kord into the garage. Eli, Trixie, and Pronto followed behind.

"Blakk attacked the cavern a while back, and his workers have been scrambling any messages for help," Trixie explained as she hopped onto her Mecha. "But this one made it through. We're going to have to expect a big fight. They've had too much time to get ready for us."

"A big fight, Pronto's specialty!" Pronto exclaimed, leaping onto his Mecha. "Doctor Blakk's workers could never be ready for the wrath of Pronto the Magnificent!"

"Then let's head out, gang!" Eli said, leading the team out of the garage and through Wild Spores Cavern.

Alana rubbed at her head. It didn't hurt yet, but she had a feeling that facing the amount of ghouls Blakk was able to make in over a week would make her miss Mage even more.

"So, where exactly are we heading?" Alana asked, riding up alongside Eli.

"Uh, you already asked me that," Kord called up. Eli frowned, and Alana felt heat rush up to her face.