Missing

Chapter 14

Atti's eyelids blinked open.

He was in a small cell, and shafts of pale light filtered into the room. The sound of his bre

him. Sitting up, he groaned as a prickle of pain slithered up his back. Shivering against his clothes, he leant on his aching knees.

He shook his head to clear his mind and ran a hand through his dirtied hair.

As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he noticed a figure at the other end of the cell.

Sara.

He considered waking her but decided against it.

She looked so peaceful when she slept, her pale face partially hidden in her pale-blue headscarf.

Atti shuffled up close to her.

He wondered where the Souls were, they always seemed to be able to disappear in times like this. He glanced to Sara beside him, who had begun to shiver. Atti removed his coat and placed it over her. He lay on the stone floor beside her, staring up into the ceiling.

A clank of metal resonated from the door into the cell.

Atti crawled over to the edge of the cell and stared into the next, it was darker in that cell, only thin streaks of light showed through.

He flicked his fingers in an attempt to create a small fire.

Nothing happened.

He felt his heartbeat quicken and an ice-like sensation filled his veins.

Then, he felt a prick of metal against his neck.

Slowly, with quivering hands, he brought his hands to the back of his neck where a cold disk lay.

Struggling to keep his breathing under control, he pictured Topolino beside him, the only comfort in the dark.

Like a candle-light, a wavering and faltering image of his Soul came into view before becoming solid.

Atti had no time to be interested and focussed his attention to the figure in the next cell.

"H-Hello?" he called out.

"Hi." came a voice and a girl shuffled up to the edge. "I'm Melanie."

"Atti."

The girl gazed at him with her almond-shaped, sea-green eyes. Her black hair hung neatly at her side.

"How long have you been here?" she asked.

Atti stammered, "I don't k-know... A f-few hours?"

"You see, I only just got moved to this cell." she responded.

Silence entered the room.

Atti looked back to Sara.

Melanie spoke up, "This is where the captured elementals go."

*****

The inky-black peaks towered over the thick forest that crept up the slopes.

Something was wrong.

Killian grinned and squeezed his way past the crowd.

"Allie!" he called, heading down the gravel path into the woods, and Allie followed him.

A little while later, the two stopped in front of the elite hut. They stood, motionless for a moment. Killian tilted his head up to the roof. Pearl-white clouds coiled around the gaps between the leaves.

Allie drew a silver key from her trouser pocket and fitted it in the lock in the door.

It swung open and Allie and Killian stepped in.

"FLANNA, WE'RE BACK!" Allie called.

No response.

"FLANNA!?"

Killian dashed up the steps. He stood in front of the cream door. Silver letters spelt out Flanna's name.

Allie darted up the steps next to him.

"She isn't here." Killian said.

"But she was supposed to stay here until we got back." Allie protested, whilst fingering Flanna's door handle.

"Well, we were delayed." Killian suggested.

"No." Allie said, her voice firm. She worked her jaw, "Something's definitely wrong."

"She can't be gone too." Killian whispered in despair.

*****

Allie sprinted out of the building, Killian trailing behind her.

Allie created a teleportal in the air, the image of the Moondoor main hall shimmered into view. Allie leapt into it. She was gone in a blink.

Killian followed as the gold circle closed in front of him. A ripple of yellow light flowed out from where the teleportal once stood.

He sighed, the long way round it is then.

Apon arriving in the main hall, it was already crowded with elementals and a cacophony of voices filled the room. The air was thick with heat and fear.

By now, all of Moondoor Island was on high alert and more reports of missing elementals were coming in on Mirror-stream.

Allie stood at the front of the hall beside the desk. She was running a hand through her hair and her eyebrows were angled.

Lyra was sat on the seat by the desk and was listing all the missing elementals. Her Soul, Aziraphale, was perched on the table, her owl-like face peering over all the elementals. She flapped her wings, adding to the intense noise.

Merlin stood next to Allie, his chainmail clinking with his movement. His forehead was creased, and Tan flicked his tail unhappily beside him.

Killian made his way to Allie and Merlin.

Allie's face relaxed slightly when she saw Killian, "More and more reports of missing elementals are coming in, the majority being the Elite."

Killian nodded.

"Moondoor can't function with so many elementals and not enough Elites." Allie continued, rubbing her face with her hands. "We need Shadow Patrol, Guards outside the entrance." she shivered, "If we get any bloody Lackers."

Phenoxa flew in circles above the crowd shrieking.

"This can't be the Jeger." she said.

"That's what I fear." Killian grumbled.

Another message appeared on Merlin's mirror.

"Allie. Brown has reported Mari, Tyler, Steve and Steph missing." Merlin informed her. "He's now heading here."

Allie drew in a shaky breath, "Who do we have left?"

Merlin looked down at Lyra's list. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again and closed his eyes briefly.

Lyra spoke up. "Us."