Written By: Cabey9
Chapters 27 - 29
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Chapter 27: Drake
Jonathan was the first to react. He raced to the cliff and started to find foot holds. He slowly began to climb.
Bricks and Alyss came right after him. Although Drake was not too far up, climbing the cliff's side was difficult. The rock was straight up, and there was hardly anything to get a hold on.
Now ten feet up, Jonathan looked down to check on his team. Alyss was just a few feet below him, Bricks below her, and Duke was bringing up the rear.
Without warning, the rock Jonathan's foot was on cracked. Jonathan slipped down dangerously low, almost hitting Alyss, but remained a tight hold on the rock. The rock fragment fell on Duke.
"Watch it..." said Duke. He overcame his annoyance and asked Jonathan if he was alright.
He managed a weak "Yes" in response, and slowly hauled himself up to the next set of footholds. He lifted up his arm and hit a flat surface. He was at the top of the cliff.
Driven by the desperation to get back Drake, he launched himself atop the cliff and ran to Drake's side. His eyes were closed. There was an enormous gash on his side, and his arm was bent at a bad angle.
Jonathan placed his hand over Drake's heart. he was still alive. But barely. He had lost too much blood.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jonathan saw Alyss scramble up behind him, Bricks right after her.
He put his hand over Drake's head.
"He has a really bad fever." Jonathan said. "It feels like he's burning up!"
Duke, who had climbed over the top onto the cliff, took out a foldable stretcher. "This is all I've got," he said. "We're going to have to find a way to get him out of here."
"Be thankful he's alive," said Bricks beside Drake.
"He might not be long if we don't act!" Alyss said.
"Yes, Alyss is right," said Jonathan. "We have to get him back to the tower soon. I'll clean his injuries and set his arm in a cast. But that's all we can do besides getting moving."
Duke took charge. "Alyss and you, stay by Drake. Bricks and I will try to find a way out of this canyon. I knows there's a way to the north. I just have to find it."
"Good luck," said Jonathan.
"Same to you," said Bricks, saluting them. Then Bricks and Duke descended into the fog.
Jonathan turned back to face Drake. He was pale and unmoving. His hair and shirt were soaked in sweat. Drake - the hero - reduced to this.
Suddenly, Drake took in a loud, hoarse breath.
"Drake! Drake!" shouted Jonathan. "Are you awake?!"
He was pleading. Sweat was forming on his brow.
He looked at Alyss. She had reduced to tears.
"What if... if...?" she gulped,"he doesn't... live?"
"He will," said Jonathan dressing the wounds.
"Aye.... Perhaps.... But the pain is killing nonetheless. Make sure to put some more anti-sting cream on next..."
Jonathan and Alyss jumped back.
"Drake...?!"
He mumbled something, and his breathing returned to normal.
Jonathan fell over in relief, laughing. "He's going to be ok!"
Alyss smiled warmly. "Let's get him down off this cliff. That way, it'll be easier to follow the others."
"Gotcha."
They slowly began to lift down Drake on the stretcher. By keeping on hand on the rock and the other supporting the stretcher, Drake was on the ground in about an hour.
Bricks and Duke came running out of the fog.
"We found a way!" Bricks shouted.
"Good. You got him down." said Duke happily. His tone seemed to become more dark. " We have to go. Now."
They followed Bricks and Duke into the darkness. Duke only had one flashlight to guide the way.
In 10 minutes time, the group reached a small ramp to go up. The top was just a crack of light.
"Go! Go! Go!" said Duke giving everyone a pat on the back as the went on to the ledge.
There was no way to tell time. Duke's phone had quit. All the group knew is that they had been traveling a long time.
The trudged on, sometimes slipping and tripping over the rough terrain.
Eventually, the made it to a large cliff. "We'll camp here." Jonathan said.
He stepped on to the cliff. He slipped and landed hardly on his back. The rock cracked around him.
"Not rock..." he whispered.
The edge of the ice cliff began to crumble, getting closer to Jonathan. Bricks instinctively reached out his hand.
"I'm not gonna let you fall!"
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Chapter 28: Preparations
Dr. Overbuild stood on a large stand, overlooking a crowd of thousands.
"A war is about to start. The Maelstrom has overthrown Avant Gardens, Nimbus Station, and other planets. This is the last safest place in the Universe. Here, we will make our final stand against Baron Typhonus and the Maelstrom!"
His thunderous words echoed through out the silent tower. The army still had their eyes on him.
"We fight for our home! Our friends! Our Universe! But, most importantly, we stand for the power of Imagination! You have all answered the call by coming here today to fight. May He give us strength."
Many of the Minifigures shouted a yes in response. Soon, the whole tower was shouted this and many more things.
"For Imagination!"
"Protect the Universe!"
Dr. Overbuild, Hael Storm, and Vanda Drakflame looked down on Crux Prime. Purple flashes of Maelstromic light shown on the surface of the destroyed world.
"It appears he's mustering everything he's got, maties..." said Hael.
"This is going to be the biggest battle in the history of our Universe." Doc Overbuild predicted. "We'll get the Nexus Force rested. The battle will begin tomorrow."
He turned and left, his white cloak swirling behind him.
"Where is Duke when we need him most?!" he muttered.
Dr. Overbuild went into the Nexus Tower elevator, and up to the Assembly level. Inside, a few hundred Assembly recruits had gathered, discussing new fighting-building techniques to use for the upcoming battle. The old master builder smiled to himself and took a seat at his desk.
"We'll be ready for you Baron," he whispered.
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Chapter 29: Plotting
Baron Typhonus - the Darkitect, controller of the Maelstrom, his army of chaos, wisped through his forces, whispering unintelligible words as he past to each group.
He made it to the front of his enormous army. Above him, Nexus Tower beamed with the power of the last pure source of imagination.
"Welcome," the Darkitect said his dark, menacing voice. "Tomorrow, we shall fight to gain control of this Universe, and rule it by chaos..." His words echoed throughout the crowd Maelstrom creatures. "You have done well," he continued."We will easily destroy this rust bucket!"
There were shouts and grunts of agreement from the army.
"Imagination shall fall. Chaos shall reign!"
The army went into an uproar, shouting, shrieking and grunting at the tower.
The Drakitect laughed to himself and disappeared.
Bricks thrust out his and and Jonathan grabbed hold. The ice cracked closer and closer to where he lay. Bricks tugged at Jonathan, and Duke quickly joined to help him. He was almost on when the rest of the cliff fell and went spiraling into the darkness.
Duke and bricks pulled Jonathan up.
"You all right...?" said Duke. "You gave us quite a scare!"
"Don't worry about me. We're stuck now!" said Jonathan.
"No we aren't," said Alyss. "Look! Where the edge of the ice clung on, there's rock. It's real thin, but we can do it."
"Too thin..." said Bricks.
"She's right!" said Jonathan. "It's our only chance of going on. We'll have to be very careful with Drake, though."
"Let's go, then!" said Duke. "We have to get ALL of us to safety."
Jonathan timidly set one foot on the thin ridge and found a hand hold. He leaned all his weight on the ridge and slid a foot away from the broken edge.
"Pass me Drake," he said. "Some one else, hold him from the other side. We'll go slowly."
"I'll do it," Alyss said quickly. She passed Jonathan the front of the stretcher and she set out onto the ledge. Bricks and Duke followed them.
After a half hour of near deaths from falls, slow sliding, and complete silence, the group fell over on the other side.
"Please say it's not ice this time..." said Jonathan groggily. "Let's get some rest...."
His team was already fast asleep.
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Come back next time for the continuation of this epic saga on Media Of The Universe!
Read more of "Imagination's Call" HERE!
