Crimson Red, Cerulean Blue
Chapter 43

(Violet)

Orange didn’t waste a second. “RUN!!!”

Nobody bothered to stick around after that one. We all took off as fast as our legs could carry us.

“Yo, RT!” Red shouted, in the rear because after all, he was kinda low on blood at the moment. “What kind of bomb is it?! I might be able to defuse it!”

“It’s not a bomb!” Orange yelled back. “Didn’t you hear them taking?! This whole place is a gigantic volcano, and they’ve rigged it so they can set it off whenever they want!”

“What?!”

Lucas was next to me, and I could see his eyes widen. “It’s not going to work!” he shouted. “We can’t find our way around this place! It’s a freaking maze!”

“Oh, please,” Red scoffed right back. “You’d be surprised at what we can do.”

I didn’t doubt that. When I was inside his mind, I found traces that someone else had been there, someone good. They’d actually helped me wake him up, showing me what to do and where to do it. I didn’t know who they were, though. When I asked them, they only responded, “The Protector.”

I decided to ask. “E-Excuse me? Red?”

“Yeah?”

“Um, who exactly is the voice inside your head?”

He almost skidded to a stop in surprise, but resumed his pace. “Oh! Well… I dunno. They just showed up when we arrived here. You read my mind?”

I gave a timid nod, not knowing if this was a bad thing. He nodded right back in understanding.

“Ah, I see. Well, next time, give me a little warning, ‘kay? It’s a little surprising when you do that. Really cool, but surprising.”

“O-Oh… Okay!”

“Um, I hate to break up this extremely interesting conversation,” Green cut in, “but is that lava?”

I really shouldn’t have done it, but I did anyway. I looked back.

Runny lava was spilling into the tunnel, a lot faster than I’d have expected lava to be able to move. My eyes widened, and without a single word, everyone began running faster.

“This way!” Orange swerved, and we found ourselves in a bigger corridor. But there was lava spilling into the other end, too, and I heard him curse under his breath.

He reached the stream of lava and bounded right over it. The others followed, but when it was my turn, I slipped on the edge. My eyes shot wide as I tumbled face first toward the searing hot liquid.

And then I was flying over it, Lucas having grabbed my cloak and yanked me over. “Th-Thanks!” I gasped, heart racing from the near-miss. He gave a sharp nod.

We flew around another corner, and I slammed face-first into Red’s back when he skidded to a stop. A second later, I found out why – the entire other end of the corridor was filled with lava that was pouring toward us.

Without a word, we all spun around and ran the other way, barely making it out before the lava blocked off the exit. Orange’s voice was tight with worry when he called out, “Almost there!”

And then he was gone.

“What?!” I gasped, before Red jumped, vanishing into a hole I hadn’t seen before. Blue followed immediately afterward, Green after her, then Lucas. I swallowed, shut my eyes, and did the same, letting out a shriek as my body went into free-fall. The hole was pitch-black, the only source of light one of Red’s flames.

Air swirled around me once I got closer to the ground, Blue’s magic slowing my descent. I wanted to stop and catch my breath at the end, but everyone was already running ahead, so I put all my thoughts on trying to keep up.

A strange glow appeared from ahead, and it took me a few seconds to realize it was more lava. Needless to say, we all avoided that corridor and swerved in another direction.

A few minutes later, Orange stopped short, and so did everyone else. I was glad for the rest; there was a stitch in my side, and I was completely out of breath. A month in a prison cell doesn’t do wonders for your athletic ability.

But any trace of relief I felt melted away the instant he said, “There’s no way out.”

“What?” Green demanded. “What do you mean, there’s no way out?”

“I’m telling you, there’s no way out. All the exits are blocked.”

“That can’t be right,” Blue interjected worriedly. “There’s no way all the exits are blocked. If we just keep going…”

“They’re blocked. And once that lava hardens, it’ll become rock. There’s no way out.” Orange’s voice grew quiet. “They’ve sealed us in to die.”

“No way!” Lucas insisted. “There’s gotta be some kind of other exit. How the heck do you even know this, anyway? We haven’t explored the entire place yet!”

“We don’t have to. We’re trapped. No way out. Dead.”

“Orange, you – ” Green began, but then Red cut her off.

“No, we aren’t.”

Orange shot him a look. “What? I would have expected you of all people to – ”

“There is a way out,” Red insisted, sounding as if he were in a trance. “This way.”

And, without another word, he took off.

Orange’s brow furrowed, but he followed anyway. Blue gave a hesitant shrug and did the same.

“What’s he on about now?” Green muttered. “C’mon, you two. Let’s see what Ash Brains has in mind.”

I ran after her, wondering what Red was doing. Maybe the person in his head was giving him hints on what to do.

Red took a complicated series of twists and turns, running faster and faster as if something were calling to him. My side ached, and I was gasping like an audience at a motorcycle stunt show. I hoped he’d stop soon. I didn’t think I could take much more of this.

And then, suddenly, he did.

Right in front of a dead end.

“What the… There’s nothing here!” Green snapped. “What’re you doing?!”

But Red didn’t reply. He was too busy staring at the wall like it was the most beautiful thing in the world, a strange smile making its way across his face.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” he breathed. “Princess.”

Green opened her mouth, probably to ask him if he were crazy, but she didn’t get the chance to. Because suddenly, there was a woman standing there in front of the wall.

One who definitely hadn’t been there before.

“Hello,” she sighed, and her voice was amazing, soft and musical and relaxing. I felt my exhaustion seeping away, my breathing slowing as she smiled the most brilliant smile in the world.

“The newest Protector of my city. I never thought we’d be able to meet face to face like this.”

“Neither did I,” Red responded, grinning. “You’re real?”

She laughed, the sound full of bells and sunshine. “As real as one can be. I’m glad to find you know the story. I’ve watched many pass by who did not.”

“Yeah, I had a great friend who told it to me. Thanks for helping us, by the way. I really appreciate it.”

“But of course,” she replied simply. “It is my role to protect my city, as its Princess. And you are one of its people.”

She turned, resting a hand on the wall. “Now, I suppose you need a route out of here?”

“It’d be greatly appreciated.”

The Princess smiled again. “It is my duty. No need for appreciation. Now, you must be cautious. There will be a few more obstacles after this, and I cannot help you any more than I already have. My time is running low, so I bid you good luck, Protector, and farewell.”

Red nodded. “Thanks. I hope… I hope you’re happy.”

She beamed, then vanished. And a second later… the wall exploded.

“Ah!”

I dived for the ground just like everyone else, but there was really no need – the wall had burst outward. I lifted my face and felt sudden heat, realizing with a jolt that the lava was right behind us.

“Hurry!” Red leaped through the opening first, and I ran after him. We were suddenly in a wide corridor, and a cold wind swept across my face. Fresh air!

“That way!” Blue shouted, probably sensing the air. To the right was an opening, leading out to freedom. My heart fluttered in anticipation.

Finally, I’m going to be free!

No one spoke – we all just sprinted for the exit like our lives depended on it. (Which they did.)

A gigantic smile tugged back the corners of my mouth. Only a little bit more now. “We’re almost there!”

But of course, I’d spoken too soon.

A gigantic section of the floor caved in with a BOOM that shook the entire cavern, bringing a scream to my lips and revealing a gigantic hole in the ground that Lucas and I almost toppled into.

I stumbled back, coughing from the dust. Shock filled every corner of my brain, before horror and disappointment sank in.

No.

But we were so close…!

No, no, no, no…

“Lucas!” I shouted, hoping he was okay. “Lucas?”

“Right here,” he answered gruffly, then muttered something crude under his breath. “Did the others make it?”

“Lucas?! Violet!”

Blue waved from the other side of the gap, looking worried. “Are you okay?!”

“Y-Yeah! But…” I bit my lip, staring at the chasm. The gigantic chasm we couldn’t possibly cross without dying. “The ground…”

Lucas appeared next to me. He took a long look at the gap, then up at the ceiling. Something in his face changed, and suddenly, my heart was in my mouth.

“L-Lucas?”

He looked at me, biting his lip. “Hey, Vi?”

“What?” I managed to get out through the dread. “Lucas, y-you’re not going to…”

Suddenly, his arms were under me, and he was lifting me up. I stared at him, eyes wide, suddenly realizing what he was going to do.

“B-But… What about… What about…”

“You’re a member of the Seven, Violet. You’re powerful beyond anything Mask could ever throw at you.” He smiled, a rare Lucas smile. “Promise me you won’t forget that.”

“Lucas, you’re not going to… What about… You can’t…”

“Promise me, Vi.”

My voice cracked. “You’re not going to leave me, are you? Don’t leave me, Lucas. Please…”

His smile grew wider, but it was sad, now, too. “Promise me.”

I couldn’t understand this. “Lucas… Why…”

He didn’t respond, and I knew what was going to happen next, no matter how much I wanted to stop it. My heart clenched, wanting to fight against everything, but there was no other way.

I swallowed, eyes filling with tears. “I promise.”

He nodded once, eyes warm, then leaned back. “You’re a great kid, Vi. Give ‘em what for. Destroy every last baddie you see for me, okay?”

And, before I could respond, he hurled me across the chasm with every last bit of strength he had.

I slammed into Red, who yelped, but I was already scrambling to my feet, suddenly desperate to drag Lucas over here any way I could. But by the time I shoved my hair and cloak out of my face and shouted his name…

He was gone.

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