Traitors?

After barely making out of the tenebrans cave the girls started their hike to the top of the mountain where they were supposed to meet Penelope.

"Jewel I think we should stop. Cally seems tired" David said. He had his arm around Cally as he tried to support her on the long climb.

"We can't stop. The tenebrans' backup are probably scouring the entire forest to find us right now" she said without looking at them "we need to get to the top of the mountain fast so we can leave this place"

"Jewel's right let's just keep moving" Cally said even though she seemed pale and tired.

"How did the tenebrans even find out we we're here?" Hailey voiced out the question which has been hovering in everyone's mind.

No one answered and they just continued their trek.

After about an hour of walking Cally passed out.

"Cally!!!!"

"Open your eyes"

"Get her water"

"Calm down you guys" D.F stepped forward and checked her pulse and her breathing "she's fine she's just tired she needs to rest a bit"

"Fine I suppose we could all use the rest we'll stop for an an hour and then we keep moving" jewel said and they sat down on the rocks that surrounded them.

They laid Cally on a soft patch of grass as she snored lightly.

"Wait I thought this place was just a simulation, how come all this is happening?" D.F asked.

"The TARANA is kind of capable of doing both. It can simulate a surrounding or it can transport you to the actual place, but it's impossible to say which one you're in" etim took a deep breath "right now I'm guessing this isn't a simulation"

Mokini was snuggled close to Cally as she tried to rest and watched over her protectively.

"I’m gonna get some water" jewel said standing up.

"And I'll come with you" David also stood up then he whispered to her "we need to have a word"

Jewel's POV,

Whatever David wanted to tell me I could already guess it isn't good news as we hiked downwards towards a spring I saw earlier he remained silent probably contemplating how to say it.

"Oh just spit it out already" I stopped and faced him.

He sighed and said "I think Penelope set us up"

Whatever I was expecting him to say it definitely wasn't that "What! Why would you say that? She obviously didn't know they'd be here"

"I knew you'd say that but think about it whenever she takes us on these so called 'Adventures' " he said making air quotes "she's always watching, meaning she was probably watching the whole time so why didn't she send backup to come help us".

I stayed silent for a bit contemplating what he just said. He had a point if she had seen everything that went down why didn't she send help. It could be that it was just part of some elaborate test to see if we have what it takes or David could be right... In that case she could be watching us right now.

I cleared my throat loudly "you are saying nonsense just come of it boo" I placed a hand on his cheek.

I hoped he got my message and just stopped talking about it and I saw that he did as he nodded slightly "you're right me and my conspiracy theories" he laughed a little and we continued towards the spring in silence.

I continued pondering over the matter as I filled my water bottle with water from the spring but then I heard something like a boot on gravel.

"Did you hear that?" I drew out my sword

"Hear what?" he didn't hear it but he still drew out his daggers in case.

After a minute of standing in position I didn't hear anything again.

"It was probably nothing I'm just being paranoid now" I bent to pick up my water bottle when I heard David shout jewel look out and I quickly fell to the ground just in time to dodge a laser Ray heading straight for me.

David threw a dagger at the person who shot the laser and he fell while I quickly stood up and shouted "RUN!!!"

I didn't have to tell him twice as we ran and made our way swiftly to where the others are.

"The tenebrans are back and they're gaining on us" I went over to Cally and shook her out of her sleep "we need to move right now".

Rebby had drawn out her bow and arrow and was now pointing it in the direction we just came from.

Cally gently stirred back to life "hmm what's happening?"

"We need to move Cally get up" I tried to help her up.

Rebby fired an arrow at one of the tenebrans who was now on the floor.

"They're here...move!"

Cally clearly understood what was happening now cause she quickly stood up on her weak legs and started running while using me as support.

"We need to get out of here now!" etim shouted as he shot at one of the tenebrans who had managed to sneak up on us.

We kept on running but Cally fell. She was too weak to run.

Hailey ran over to her and lifted her up bridal style like she weighed nothing.

No one seemed very surprised and we just kept running.

Rebby shot another tenebran down while D.F covered her by throwing one of her boomering to a tenebran sneaking up on her.

"I can see the top of the mountain" I shouted when I spotted the mountain top.

"We're almost there Cally" Hailey whispered to cally.

We kept on shooting down the tenebrans as we ran to the top of the mountain.

We finally reach the top and nothing happens.

"Nothing is happening" i shout frustrated.

"Where is Penelope" rebby asked.

Cally seemed to be gaining her consciousness again

"Why are we still... Here?" She said weakly.

"PENELOPE!!!" David yelled as if expecting her to drop out of nowhere.

I could hear the footsteps of the approaching tenebrans.

"We'll need to fight them off" I said suddenly realising that even if Penelope came it would be too late "Cally are you alright now? Do you think you can handle a battle?"

But she had already worn her laser bracelets.

"Way ahead of you"

Hailey drew our her staff and we all took our stance ready to fight off whatever came up this mountain.

The sound of their feets made the ground shake beneath us and Cally swallowed hard.

We all expected to have a great fight to the death but suddenly we heard the shouts of the tenebrans and a very loud noise that sounded like rebby's scream but she wasn't screaming.

After a minute we couldn't hear the loud sound of their footsteps.

Penelope walked up to where we were with Zack and Arthur on both her sides.

Zack rushed over to Cally and she held on to him tight.

"Cally babe... are you okay?" Zack asked with his brows furrowed in worry.

"Yeah... Yeah I'm fine” she replied with a small smile.

"Wait what was that sound we just heard" I asked

Penelope purposely ignored me and she cleared her throat "okay girls I can tell you're tired of this place already follow me the transporting device is at the foot of the mountain"

"Why'd you make us climb to the top of this mountain if we're just gonna climb back down?” etim said pouting.

"It's okay etim let's just go" D.F said holding on to his arm.

"Fine"

Cally and Zack were holding hands, rebby and Arthur were flirting, D.F and etim were talking, Hailey seemed like she wanted to be alone while Penelope was in front on her watch it seemed like the perfect time for me and David to talk.

"David" I whispered "David we need to talk"

"Jewel not now"

I didn't push it any further.

++++++++++++++++

When they got back Zack took Cally to the medical Ward to get her rest and the other girls retreated to their room.

Jewel was also in her room when she heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Jewel it's me"

She recognized the voice as David’s and got up to let him in.

"Hey what's up" He sat on her bed

"The sound we heard earlier what do you think it was"

"Well I've been suspecting that the lucemians are trying to weaponize our gifts for quite a while now" she lowered her voice now "when we first got here I overheard them talking about it but I didn't take it seriously back then but now it seems they've succeeded"

"I think we need to be careful of who we trust now" he said in a hushed voice.

"We need to tell the girls too"

He remained silent

"What is it?"

"Well I don't think that's a good idea" he said scratching his head awkwardly

"I think we should keep this between us"

"And why is that?" She said crossing her arms.

"Well I just said trust no one"

"That doesn't apply to the squad right"

"It applies to everyone"

"I can't believe you" she stood up defensively.

"Jewel calm down"

"How could you say that about them? They would never do anything to hurt us?"

"I didn't say they would just..."

"You know what... you can leave now"

"But jewel why are you getting so mad?"

"I... I... I don't know... Just go"

He raised his hands up in surrender as he left.

And she laid down to sleep

I am back in tenebras and the city is burning I see a beautiful lady with black hair who looks surprisingly familiar and a man dressed in Royal clothes holding hands as the pod few away.

The pod with me in it.

They couldn't see me.

She cried and he tried to comfort her saying "one day she'll come back and she'll save us"

I didn't understand what they meant by come back to save them.

"Hi" I was slightly startled when a Little girl came up to me

"Hey" I looked at her and saw that it was Jenny "jenny! I've missed you so much but how are you even here"

"Oh I'm not really here I'm just in your head" she smiled "but I make you feel calm so I'm always here"

"Oh" my heart sank a little but I was still happy to see her (even my imagined version of her) "so what's happening here"

"Those are your parents"

"How do you know that?"

"Because I'm you"

"And how do I know that?"

"a part of you always knew you just need to try to remember"

"But how do I remember something that happened when I was just a child"

"Because your mom made sure you did you just need to remember" she wasn't smiling anymore "they need you"

"Just tell me how to help them"

"They need you" her voice kept echoing in my head .

Then she woke up.

She didn't What to do but one thing was sure ... She wouldn't keep this from her friends any longer.

They are a team.