The Vanishing Stone (7 page)

10

N
ikoleta quickly climbed to the top bunk and fell asleep rather quickly. Raphael went to his room.

 
              The next morning, Raphael made everyone breakfast before he had to leave for his castle duties. At the table, Nikoleta and Raphael kept eyeing each other.
What an odd feeling to feel so many butterflies for someone I barely even know. Love has to start somewhere I guess
, Nikoleta thought to herself while eating her warm, spicy sausage.

 
              “So, does everyone understand our plan for tonight?” Raphael asked looking at everyone. They nodded. “OK, Nikoleta,” Raphael laid out his map on the table, “You're going through the tunnel behind the waterfall, the ladder leads up to the dungeon,” Raphael reiterated. “I have a key for you. It's for your parents, if they are indeed locked in chains. I will give you this tonight.”

 
              “What will the rest of us do?” asked Day.

 
              “You three will keep watch. I, myself, will meet you there. I have duties until tonight. Go to the waterfall around nine."

 
              The others nodded. “Just make sure Nikoleta doesn’t get caught. We can’t be too careful.”

 
              “Right," Bosh replied. Nikoleta thought Bosh seemed annoyed.

  
              “What can we do until tonight?” He asked Raphael.

  
              “You can stay here, if you like. Rest up,” Raphael answered.

  
              Shortly after this, Raphael was getting ready to head off to the castle. Before walking out the door he said goodbye to the others and said goodbye to Nikoleta by kissing her on the cheek. “I'll see you tonight,” he said to her. He caressed her face and turned toward the door.

  
              After he left, Nikoleta was grinning from ear to ear. Turning around she saw the others staring at her. “What's going on with you and Raphael? You two were so googly-eyed at breakfast!” Kibbie laughed.

  
              “Nothing's up with us. What's it matter, anyway?” Nikoleta smiled back.

   Nikoleta was worried about telling them anything about her and Raphael, but she didn't have to. Plus
, she was a little annoyed that they were questioning her like a child.

  
              “Oh, there's clearly something," Day said. “C'mon, Nikki, tell us! I know you two went somewhere last night!”

 
              Nikoleta blushed, “I thought you were sleeping!”

              “Nikoleta, are you in love?” Day asked. Nikoleta was shocked at the question. In love? No way, it was preposterous. She only knew him a day.
You can’t fall in love that fast. Can you?

  
              “In love, don’t be silly, Day!”

“You two stop messing with her. She is old enough to make her own decisions. If she likes him, let it be.”

                 Bosh seemed upset that Nikoleta was interested in someone. Or was he just merely standing up for her against their nosy comrades? He went into the room he was sleeping in and shut the door.

“OK, then. How about some music, shall we?”
Kibbie said. “Music? How do we have music?” Nikoleta asked, confused. Kibbie reached into Day's bag and grabbed a small, wooden flute. It was no bigger than a Chap Stick tube and had five holes in it. Kibbie began to play.

 
              The sound was actually playful like an Irish tune. Nikoleta and Day began to dance.

Bosh came out of his room with a smile on his face. “Is that
Kibbie's music I hear?”

 
              Next thing they all knew they were dancing and spinning around Raphael's den area. Bosh took Day by the hand and spun her around. Nikoleta danced with her hands waving back and forth in the air almost hippie-like. Day made everyone laugh as she almost fell over on the table because she wasn't paying attention.

  
              For a moment, Nikoleta forgot everything. She wasn't thinking about how possibly dangerously tonight was going to be. She wasn’t thinking about the people she left behind. For the first time in a long time she was actually having a good time with nothing on her mind. Bosh grabbed her hand and spun her around in a circle. Kibbie was dancing on the table while still playing her tune. Day jumped on top of the couch and was bouncing up and down. All of them were laughing. This was the most fun any of them had in a while, even if it was juvenile.

Unfortunately, the fun was interrupted by a lot of ruckus outside. They stopped dancing and hurried to the window to see. There were people in the village running back to their homes and a few children screaming in fear. The children were running out of the street as to not get trampled by the horses.
There were men on the horses. The men were wearing black armor and carrying swords and bows and arrows. Walking with them were goblin looking creatures. They were tall, thin and had long fangs and ripped clothing. Their skin looked rough and gray, their ears pointed, their eyes red.

  
              This large group of goblins and men stopped there in front of Raphael's house. Bosh immediately closed the the curtain and they all stood there looking at the door. A man burst through the door and two goblins came behind. Kibbie screamed and blew fire at them, with no effect. They took out a small bag and grabbed Kibbie and put her inside. Apparently, it was fire proof because her fire couldn't get through.

 
              Bosh stood ahead of everyone and protected Day and Nikoleta. “What are you doing with her?!” Nikoleta yelled. “We have orders from the Princess to capture all of you and bring you back to her, especially the dragon.” Suddenly, the man snapped chains around Bosh's neck and torso tying his arms to his sides. Day gasped and held onto Nikoleta's arm. The two goblins took Bosh outside. Then chains went around Day and Nikoleta too.

 
              The man pulled them both outside and handed each chain to a different goblin. “Move out!” The man shouted. The men, horses and goblins turned around and headed in the other direction. They were taking them to the other side of the village. Day and Nikoleta looked at each other with worried expressions but neither of them dared to speak. Bosh was ahead of the horses being guarded by two goblins and Kibbie was being held by a goblin in the bag they put her in. They could hear her yelling a muffled, “Let me out of here!”

Villagers were peeking through curtains to see what was going on. One particular woman looked absolutely fr
ightened for them.
What in the world was going on?
Nikoleta wondered where Raphael was while all of this was going on. She was hoping and praying that he would somehow come to their rescue just as he rescued her the night before.

  
              The goblin holding Nikoleta's chains jerked her around so hard she could hardly walk and he almost made her fall over numerous times. Once they were all the way through the village, they started going down a road. From the looks of it there was a castle at the end of it and even from this far away it looked like an awful place.

  
              Nikoleta thought they may be taken them to the dungeon. Maybe her parents would be there. Perhaps this wasn’t such a bad thing at all. Perhaps they could devise an escape plan.

  
              The castle grew larger as they got closer and it was not a pretty sight. It was made of black stone and everything about it just said, “Evil”. At the front gate, there two large winged snakes guarding the entrance. As they came to the gate a man opened it to let them through. Nikoleta recognized this man. It was the man with long, gray hair from the night before.

 
              The man caught Nikoleta's eye as he opened the gate. He winked at her. All she could do was stare at him.
Why was he on castle grounds? Wasn't the man just some ruffian?

  
              Everyone stopped in front of the massive doors. Nikoleta looked around and she could hear the waterfall that Raphael was talking about. She could hear the distant roar coming from the East side of the castle. The large door opened, behind it was another man. He was an older man with teeth missing. Nikoleta looked over at Day who looked ghostly white in the face. She couldn't see Bosh's face up ahead but was sure he was scared too even though he probably wasn’t showing it. Kibbie finally stopped yelling.

  
              “Well, well. I see you've found them. Excellent!” The man said with a rotten smile. The men got off their horses and lead the group inside, goblins and all. Behind the doors there was a rather large entrance hall. To the left, there were black and gray stained glass windows. To the right, there was a corridor and next to+ the entrance to that was a large portrait on the wall of who she assumed to be the Princess Karina she had heard so much about. She looked evil and almost familiar.

 
              “Release them! But make sure you stand by in case any of them try to attack or escape,” A woman coming down the stairs ordered. Nikoleta recognized this voice but from where?

 
              The men did in fact release them and took the chains away but pointed spears at them. The goblins stayed close by as well. Kibbie on the other hand was kept in her bag.

  
              “And as for the dragon, take her to the stage. We will deal with her shortly.” Kibbie started yelling and squirming in the bag. “Where are you taking her?” Nikoleta shouted.

  
              “You need not worry about that, young lady.” The woman came down the stairs now. Nikoleta could clearly see her face. She now knew where she heard that voice before.                               

              “Mrs. Metzger?”

11

“
A
ctually Miss Soter, the name is Akonni. Akonni Kerusso. I'm Karina's cousin," she explained.

  
              “You two know each other?” Bosh turned toward Nikoleta. Nikoleta was too angry to hear Bosh's question. “You wench! I knew there was something wrong with you!” She went to charge towards her. A goblin grabbed her and a spear was aimed at her throat before she could even get three feet. “Where are you taking Kibbie?” She screamed.

  
              Akonni smiled. “Yes, yes I detect anger issues, Miss Soter. I think you and your friends need to take a visit to the dungeon.”

 
              “You better not hurt her or I swear!” Nikoleta was fighting to get out of the goblin's grasp.

  
              “Is this her?” Another voice came from the top of the stairs. Everyone looked up. The men and goblins bowed, “Your highness.”

 
              “Yes this is her, Karina. I was just telling her that I would probably have some one take care of her dragon friend like the little vermin she is.” The cousins laughed. Karina walked down the stairs to join her cousin. She was wearing a long, dark-purple gown with a black crown on her head. Nikoleta stood there confused. “What do you mean take care of her? You better not harm one little scale on her body!” They laughed again. “Well, her death is owed to us, as is yours.” Karina smiled and it made Nikoleta's blood boil to no end.

 
              “Where did you take her? Let me go, now!” Nikoleta screamed.

 
              “Nikki, stop! It's no use!” Day told her.

 
              “Bull crap!”

              Just then, they heard a commotion coming from the corridor. Day got closer to Nikoleta, “I know this is probably the worst time ever, just in case something crazy happens, you need to know that you have an aunt. She lives in your town on Seagull Rock Avenue. I think the house number is 3218. Just remember that, OK? I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner.”

                Nikoleta didn't know what to think of this new information. She had an aunt in town all along? For goodness sakes, what else was going to come about today?

 
              Suddenly the men and goblins started leading them down the corridor. It was about as long as a football field and the crowd was louder the closer they got to the door. Karina and Akonni lead the way to the stage. Karina opened the door and led everyone out. There were mostly men shouting and waving their hands looking at them. The goblins and men let them go and stepped aside. Nikoleta, Day and Bosh stood lined up side by side on the stage. Nikoleta just stared off into the audience.

Just then, they heard a voice to their
left. There were two posts. Kibbie was tied to one and Madam Piccolo was tied to another. “Is everyone here ready to see blood?” The voice shouted. Nikoleta knew that voice, too. She also knew that ponytail. Raphael, holding a bow and arrow aimed at Madam Piccolo, turned around and winked at her. Suddenly Madam Piccolo's words came to mind, “
Someone one close will betray you.
” Then he said, “I want everyone here to know what happens when you warn someone of betrayal. You end up being betrayed yourself.” Madam Piccolo was crying and screaming as she saw the arrow flying towards her heart. “
Noooo
!” Nikoleta yelled. She could hear Bosh and Day gasp behind her. She charged towards Raphael, “You bastard!” One of the men grabbed Nikoleta before she could go any further. “No! No! Let me go!”

 
              “Oh, Nikki. You're not as pretty when you are upset," Raphael yelled above the crowd. The crowd laughed. Nikoleta spit in his face. Raphael reached back and slapped her! She charged at him again with out avail. The man was still holding her and now another one joined. Behind her she heard Bosh groan and fall to the floor and chains go around Day. “No! Let them go!” She turned back around and saw Raphael aiming the arrow at Kibbie. “And this is what happens when you help the enemy. This is what happens when someone who disobeys our kingdom and protects a dragon that was suppose to be killed years ago. Death is what comes to those who stab us in the back. Who ask us to check on our prisoners for them and devise a plan to free them and harbor their daughter who was supposed to be killed as well. Is everyone ready to see a dead dragon?” The crowd roared. Nikoleta was panicking. She couldn't lose Kibbie. “Raphael! Don’t do it! I swear on my life it will be the last thing you do!” Raphael laughed. “I wouldn’t be swearing on my life if I were you.” He pulled back the arrow further. Kibbie looked at Nikoleta and had tears in her eyes. “
Kibbieeeee
!” Nikoleta now had tears in her eyes also. Raphael turned around again and said, “I'm really going to enjoy putting arrows through your parent's hearts later.” Then he started to let go of the bow to let the arrow fly into Kibbie's heart...And without a sound, Nikoleta vanished!