Chapter 6

It's been 16 days since the Winx and the Specialists entered the Catacombs of Kanuse. There was still no sign of Bishop and Myrta and they had gone through the last of their supplies 2 days ago. They were in a very dire situation with no way out. Here now, on the 16th day, the group could go no further, so they laid to rest with little to none hope left in them.

Flora curled into a ball on the hard floor with her head in Helia's lap, shaking with exhaustion. Everyone, too tired to talk sat in stony silence for quite a while until Riven spoke softly so as not to wake Musa, who was already fast asleep and snuggled tightly into his side. "We need a plan. We cant just keep walking. We could be walking in circles for all we know."

"What do you suggest we do Riven? We have no way of tracking Myrta and Bishop, we have no map, we have no food, and no way of getting in touch with Ms. Faragonda or Professor Saladine. There is nothing we can do!" whispered Timmy in a feverish tone.

They let that statement fill the air until Bloom whispered into the earth "We give up." All open eyes turned toward Bloom as she struggled into a sitting position. "We cant keep searching guys, there is no way Myrta and Bishop and their group lasted down here for almost two months. Were lost and hungry and if we keep going were going to die in these tunnels. Our only hope is to try and retrace our steps and make it back to Kanuse before we all starve to death."

"But our Mission!" Sky gasped

Bloom put a hand on Sky's chest and looked into his eyes, begging him to understand "Sky. I'm sorry but... we cant complete this mission." Sky just looked away and ran his hands through his hair and mumbled "This sucks."

"Umm guys, I hate to be the barer of even worse news but how are we going to retrace our steps if we don't even know how we got here? All the tunnels and openings looks the same." Roy chimed in.

"While that may be true, statistically speaking we have a better chance of finding our way when we have a specific destination in mind." Tecna yawned and laid down next to Timmy and Layla. "Kanuse may be strange but it is better than wandering these tunnels aimlessly."

"Then its settled. In a few hours when we are all rested we will turn around and try for Kanuse." Helia said "Now Musa, Layla, Stella, and Brandon have the right idea. Were exhausted; and we need to get some sleep guys." and with that all conversation was at an end and slowly they each fell into a deep sleep.

Flora had been listening in silence. They were going to forget about Myrta and Bishop. There was nothing they could do. To continue looking would have devastating consequences. They had to try and stay alive, that was their main concern. She would miss Myrta especially but she had Helia and the baby to think about. Tears escaped her eyes and she watched them fall onto Helia's leg. she closed her eyes and fell asleep with Helia gently stroking her hair.

Musa woke up to find herself and Riven curled onto the stone floor with the rest of their group. Rubbing some of the sleep from her eyes she peeked up at Riven who was starting to wake. Stretching out a little she could see that everyone was still asleep. Riven made a loud yawn and stretched out his arms.

"Riven shh! Everyone's still asleep." Musa whispered and lightly slapped his arm.

"Hmph! I would be too if someone hadn't woke me up!" Riven grumbled as he curled back onto the hard floor. "I was having a very nice dream."

"Im not even gonna ask." Musa sighed and then tried to stand and stretch but the minute she sat up a wave of vertigo hit and she fell back down.

"Musa? Hey! are you okay?" Riven asked suddenly sitting up with his face full of concern. "Whats wrong?"

Musa's world had stopped spinning but she still felt light headed. "I fine. I just... got up too fast... I think."

Riven leaned over Musa and placed his hand on the curve of her cheek; his palm nearly covering the whole side of her face. "No. Your exhausted. We all are. Its a good thing were abandoning the mission. We aren't going to last much longer down here."

Musa didn't know what to say. She knew she and her friends had to abandon their mission or die but she still felt bad for leaving Myrta a Bishop. Riven knew what Musa was thinking and he tried to reassure her by rubbing circles on her cheek with his thumb. Musa closed her eyes and leaned into his hand and felt his lips touch her. Riven was a very strong and pig headed type of guy but Musa got to see a side that no one else knew when he held her gently like he was now. His soothing touch and soft kiss pulled her from these dark and eerie tunnels and into a world all their own. It was a short and soft kiss but it held so much. Pulling away, Riven stared down out her, his eyes soft with compassion. As he was leaning down to kiss her again however Musa gasped and then put her hand to his lips and stared off in the distance.

"What the-" Riven asked, a furrow appearing between his brows, but was cut off by Musa violently shushing him.

"I thought I heard- oh! There it was again! Did you hear that?!" Musa's eyes went large as she looked up at Riven who was on full alert now listening carefully for signs of danger. "No I don't hear anything. what is it?"

"It sounds like drumming... or like a pounding of some sort. hmm..." Musa clarified

"Like pounding feet?" Riven asked in a deadpan sort of voice

"Yeah exactly! OH! oh shit! GUYS! GUYS WAKE UP!" Musa yelled; startling the rest of their group awake.

"Musa! Shut up would you i'm trying to sleep!" Stella mumbled into Brandon's chest

"Get over it princess! We've got company approaching and we got to get out of here fast." Riven growled none too gently

"What?!" Brandon yelled and sat up abruptly, Knocking Stella hard onto the floor. "How many?!"

"I don't know exactly but it sounds like a lot Brandon." Musa Replied.

"More than we can manage?" Roy asked as he helped Layla to her feet.

Musa listened carefully before answering. "There's definitely too many, even for you Roy." She said with a smile.

"I don't hear anything Musa. which way are they coming from?" Sky asked.

"They are coming from down that way!" Musa said and pointed deeper into the catacombs.

"Good then at least when we run away we can run the way we came and we wont get pulled deeper into the catacombs." Tecna said, always the optimist.

"Come on!" Helia yelled as he grabbed Flora's hand and started running back in the direction they came and everyone followed close behind so not to get lost. Soon they came to a section with two openings.

"Fuck! Which one did we come out of?" yelled Layla

"That one!" Flora stated and started heading through the right opening when Musa cried "No!" and grabbed her arm. "There's more footsteps coming from down that tunnel! Go through the other one its clear!" and everyone followed Musa. Turn after turn they followed Musa and ran through different openings. After a while of running they ran through a doorway that opened out into a small clearing. It was round and enclosed with six doors surrounding them like a roulette wheel. "Which One Musa!?" Bloom yelled in desperation.

"I don't know!" Musa cried "Everywhere! The pounding! I can hear it in my head!" she screamed holding her hands over her ears and slumping to the ground.

"I can hear it now! Oh goddess were surrounded!" Helia said and wrapped Flora into his arms.

Then all of a sudden, the pounding in Musa's ears stopped and she could hear Riven yelling her name and feel him pulling her to her feet. "It... it stopped. why-"

Musa was abruptly cut off by the sound of clapping coming from a tunnel to their right. Turning toward it they saw King Mikahl slowly making his way into the clearing, his duster trailing out behind him. "Very impressive my friends. You lasted over two weeks in the catacombs. Your friends didn't last nearly as long, well maybe they would have if they had gotten the chance."

Sky was shocked "King Mikahl? How-"

"Silence! The time for answering your questions has passed! You've reached the end of the line my friends. Its quite sad actually, a couple more days and you all would have probably found the end of the catacombs, but alas, you fools had to change plans. Tsk tsk. You were all very entertaining if I do say so" King Mikahl said, winking in Musa and Riven's direction. "Sorry to say, dear friends, but the time has come for most of you to die."

"We are not your friends you bastard!" Brandon yelled.

"True, very true. Well would you like to meet some of my real friends? I am sure you will find them... enchanting. Haha! Friends! Come join me in the dance!" King Mikahl yelled and threw his hands into the air. Just then the pounding started again and from every entrance streamed in hundreds of the statue soldiers. "Aren't they lovely?" Mikahl crooned into the face of one of his now still statues. "All beautifully carved from a special stone by my own hand. They feel no pain and are impervious to magic. They are the perfect soldiers! Tee hee! aren't they terrifying?" Mikahl laughed and gave a satisfied clap.

"Your a few marbles short of a full basket aren't you? Ya loon." Stella said crossing her arms in defiance.

Mikahl spun around and growled. "You will regret that fairy! Friends! Kill them!" and with that all the statues drew their swords and advanced on the exhausted Winx and Specialists.