Chapter Twenty-four: Rif's Maze

Rif didn't like the way he had been thrown into this predicament without his brother. The Dozen was able to crack the illusion of the world he was in, but it wasn't enough to break out of it. The world around him shimmered like a sea of broken glass. The only constants were him and the Dozen. Growls from above and below unnerved him. He had been in a place like this before. How did they get out last time?

Rif drifted through the air as he felt weightless. A loud boom came from above, and the soundwaves rippled through him. With the burst of energy, he was able to fly towards the rupture in his prison.

The Dozen pulsed with energy as they passed through the barrier and landed in Hekin's arms.

"There you are!" Hekin blurted. "Come on. We have work to do."

Rif held onto Hekin's shadowy hair, but the more he held on, the softer Hekin's hair became.

Sketta was keeping an eye out behind them.

Hekin stopped and turned to the right. "Master?"

Rif didn't see anything until a flash of lightning illuminated the forest. In the thicket were two violet eyes burning with hatred.

A black cat strolled towards them and studied Rif. He reached out and scratched her chin. Her purrs filled the forest until a crash of thunder frightened Rif. He ran to Hekin and grasped his leg.

"Hekin!" he cried. "I saw something!" He pointed at the sky where dark clouds were gathering.

"Oh, so now you're scared," Hekin mumbled.

An explosion of a tree threw sharp stakes of wood that burned to crisps at Hekin's hand. Rif stared at him in adoration. "Can I grow up and be strong like you, Unc Hekin?"

Hekin beamed at him and chuckled. "You can be anything you set your mind to, kid."

"Where's Tark and the others?" Sketta wondered.

The black cat cleared her throat. "This way, people. Hurry, now."

Rif stared at her for a moment. "She can talk?"

"Master can kick your ass, too, if you're not careful," Hekin warned.

"She's so fluffy!" Rif gushed.

Hekin and Sketta froze at hearing it. They watched as the black cat turned to Rif.

"Don't kill him!" Hekin blurted.

"What are you talking about?" the black cat asked with murderous eyes. "I would never hurt an innocent child."

Rif giggled as he scratched her ears.

Hekin and Sketta sighed with relief.

"Unc Hekin gave me this awesome fire bow called the Dozen!" Rif explained as he showed it to her. "He said that some special words can make the arrows do different things, but he only remembers 'hyn' and 'kyn.'"

The black cat glared at Hekin. "Is that so? Looks like I'll have to teach him about it all over again!"

"No, Master!" Hekin started. "Please! Not that!"

"You had better remember it right now!" the black cat hissed.

"Hyn! Kyn! Fom! Sep! Gor! Lob! Ryk!" he blurted.

"And?" the black cat added.

"And?" Hekin mumbled. "And? And?! What the hell is after? What the hell?! No, Master! Wait!"

"The most important one!" she blasted. "Really, Hekin?!"

"Maz!" he shouted.

The black cat beamed with pride. "Did you get that, Rif?"

Rif nodded and smiled. "What does each one do?"

"Let's find out," she grinned.

Minions from the sea began to flood into the forest.

"Fom!" Rif shouted. The arrow blasted away the closest demons, spewing their eel and octopi parts onto the others. "Sep!" The next arrow poisoned the remaining demons. Fish demons retched their innards onto the dead leaves. "Gor!" Black blood from the enemy swirled into the air and replenished Rif and his friends. "Lob!" The earth upheaved and swallowed the demons that didn't hop or run away from the arrow's path. "Ryk!" A shadow of death sliced through anything the arrow touched. Heads flew in its deadly wake. "Maz!" Black wings swept through, carrying everyone to a safer spot in the forest. A wave of destruction flattened the demons thinner than prosciutto. The untouched trees quivered with the remaining energy.

Hekin gaped at the aftermath. "What the hell was I thinking, giving that to you?"

"Dumbass," the black cat muttered.

"It's really cool," Rif praised. "Thanks, Unc Hekin!"

Sketta laughed as she steered Hekin to their destination. "We still have to find the others. Let's keep going."

Hekin sighed as they continued searching for mainly Golir.

"Do you think he's all right?" Rif asked as they traveled towards a commotion ahead.

"This way!" the black cat ordered.

A thunderous slam broke the trees ahead, revealing an enormous wolf demon. Its maw was large enough to swallow the trees in one gulp. Crimson eyes followed the black cat as she bolted towards it. Paws the size of houses whacked at her, but she dodged them with blinding speed.

Sketta and Rif stared in awe while Hekin smirked.

"That's right, Master! Show him what for!"

The black cat scowled as she pulled Hekin and placed him next to her telekinetically. "Have you learned nothing?" she hissed. "Defeat this demon without letting him touch me."

Hekin gulped before he blasted away the wolf demon's attacks.

The black cat sat as the vortices of fire raged around her. "Higher!" she demanded. "I didn't teach you to be slower than a dead turtle!"

"Give me a break!" Hekin cried. "This demon came from Noforl!"

The wolf demon howled as the flames singed its fur. It lurched towards Hekin and tried to squash him flat. Hekin roared as he channeled his fires, and the blazes turned black and blue as they scorched the wolf demon's arms into ashes. The wolf demon shrieked in pain and jumped back to escape. Hekin hollered as another fiery blast engulfed the wolf demon. Its haunting howls filled the forest until it collapsed into ashes and dust. Hekin was panting from the effort.

"You've been slacking!" the black cat admonished. "Do it faster!"

Hekin gritted his teeth as he tightened his fists. "I really hate you, Master!"

The black cat laughed as three huge demons lumbered towards them.

"We can do this together!" Rif shouted as he nocked an arrow. "Sep!"

Sketta smirked as she twirled her daggers. She took aim and threw one. It pierced the green eye of the tallest demon, grabbing its attention. She threw the other dagger at its other eye, but it swatted the weapon away. She summoned more daggers and tried to cut their hides, but the demons had tough, thick skin and bristly fur.

The poison from Rif's attack slowed them, but it wasn't enough.

Hekin shot black and blue fires beneath their feet. The flames consumed them, but the demons didn't burn. "What the hell?" Hekin started.

The black cat scowled. "Hell ogres. Noforl has been doing his homework."

"What does that mean?" Hekin blurted.

"Hell ogres are immune to fire and are built like tanks," the black cat informed. "They'll crush us if they reach us."

Hekin glanced at Rif and Sketta. "Master, will you help me keep them safe?"

The black cat smiled at him and nodded. "You bet. Hell ogres are immune to fire, but not holy fire."

Hekin scowled. "I'm not an angel or a priest, Master."

"Who said you had to be?" the black cat responded. "Think of those you love; your will to protect them is enough."

Hekin stared at her for a moment, skeptical. As he mulled it over, he soon nodded. "Let's try it."