been quite sure that she believed the kids when they said Rico was afraid of Ben, but now there was no doubt. Whatever he had done to kill the pirate necromancer, he could do to Rico, and Rico didn't like being reminded of it. At least that's what she took from this.
"So what do you have planned for us?" Lee asked.
"A simple but necessary mission. I'm sending you to retrieve the key to open the Realm of Dreams. I'd let you four do this when you start your main mission, but I want to make sure this is the correct key. Plus," Rico said with a wink, "why make that night any harder than it will already be?"
He handed them a shimmering silver pouch, which Cassie took. She didn't open it, but juggled it in her hands. It felt like it held a key of its own. She gave it to Lee, who also ran it through his fingers before placing it in his pocket.
"There's an identical pouch on one of the guards. Kill all six, switch the two, and speak this incantation." He placed one hand on each of their foreheads, and the magical word popped into their minds. "This will keep the guards' cosmic masters from realizing there's a problem. It will not only give you the ability to enter the Realm of Dreams, but also create a clear path when I deem everything is ready to go. Assuming, of course, it's the correct key, but that's not your concern. Get this one to me and your debt is repaid."
"Sounds good," Cassie said. "Quick heads-up on what we're fighting?"
"Six goons with more brawn than brains. I'm not certain they're bright enough to even know how to use weapons. Don't get overconfident, and it'll be an easy fight. And it's best not to burn them with acid in case that melts the key. Ready?"
She and Lee exchanged glances and nods.
"Ready," Lee said, and Rico snapped his fingers. They found themselves on a dusty path in the middle of a green field that led to an enormous brick wall, easily as tall as the foothills that led to the San Bernardino Mountains. The ruby red sky above proved this was not their home realm. Up ahead, six humanoids, standing roughly eight feet tall, with thick, green-tinted skin, guarded a gem-encrusted gate that ran halfway up the wall. Great, Lee had already taken a shine to that sparkly gate. Ugh, dragons!
"Come on, Lee, snap out of it. I'll let you drool over it for as long as you'd like after we complete our mission."
He shook his head and blinked rapidly a few times. "Sorry, Cassie. I don't know what came over me." She rolled her eyes as he transformed into his natural blue state.
"They haven't seen us yet," she said, pulling out her twin short blades. "With luck we'll put them down two each before they can react."
"Don't get overconfident, Cassandra. Remember, I can't use my acid breath."
"Like I ever let overconfidence get in the way."
He grunted, it coming from his long throat rather than her mind. She leapt onto his back, and they rocketed forward. Rico had been right; these monstrosities had been hired for their muscles, not their minds, as they didn't notice Lee streaking towards them until the last second.
Cassie somersaulted off and buried her twin blades in the neck of the first guard, severing its head with a quick flick of her wrist. Seconds later, Lee confirmed his first kill, though she didn't dare let go of her concentration to see what he did.
As unobservant as the muscle-bound guards were, they were quick enough to react. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she had to twist out of the way of both fists of the next closest guard. She launched herself at the third, but he swatted her away before she could stick it with her blades. She wasn't hurt, but she had to take her eyes off her foes to land safely.
"Cassie?"
"I'm fine, not even bruised. How are you fairing?"
"These beasts are proving tougher than I imagined. As you discovered, their necks are their weak points, and, unfortunately, they guard them well."
As Lee talked, she flipped in between two, drew double attacks, and slashed at
"So what do you have planned for us?" Lee asked.
"A simple but necessary mission. I'm sending you to retrieve the key to open the Realm of Dreams. I'd let you four do this when you start your main mission, but I want to make sure this is the correct key. Plus," Rico said with a wink, "why make that night any harder than it will already be?"
He handed them a shimmering silver pouch, which Cassie took. She didn't open it, but juggled it in her hands. It felt like it held a key of its own. She gave it to Lee, who also ran it through his fingers before placing it in his pocket.
"There's an identical pouch on one of the guards. Kill all six, switch the two, and speak this incantation." He placed one hand on each of their foreheads, and the magical word popped into their minds. "This will keep the guards' cosmic masters from realizing there's a problem. It will not only give you the ability to enter the Realm of Dreams, but also create a clear path when I deem everything is ready to go. Assuming, of course, it's the correct key, but that's not your concern. Get this one to me and your debt is repaid."
"Sounds good," Cassie said. "Quick heads-up on what we're fighting?"
"Six goons with more brawn than brains. I'm not certain they're bright enough to even know how to use weapons. Don't get overconfident, and it'll be an easy fight. And it's best not to burn them with acid in case that melts the key. Ready?"
She and Lee exchanged glances and nods.
"Ready," Lee said, and Rico snapped his fingers. They found themselves on a dusty path in the middle of a green field that led to an enormous brick wall, easily as tall as the foothills that led to the San Bernardino Mountains. The ruby red sky above proved this was not their home realm. Up ahead, six humanoids, standing roughly eight feet tall, with thick, green-tinted skin, guarded a gem-encrusted gate that ran halfway up the wall. Great, Lee had already taken a shine to that sparkly gate. Ugh, dragons!
"Come on, Lee, snap out of it. I'll let you drool over it for as long as you'd like after we complete our mission."
He shook his head and blinked rapidly a few times. "Sorry, Cassie. I don't know what came over me." She rolled her eyes as he transformed into his natural blue state.
"They haven't seen us yet," she said, pulling out her twin short blades. "With luck we'll put them down two each before they can react."
"Don't get overconfident, Cassandra. Remember, I can't use my acid breath."
"Like I ever let overconfidence get in the way."
He grunted, it coming from his long throat rather than her mind. She leapt onto his back, and they rocketed forward. Rico had been right; these monstrosities had been hired for their muscles, not their minds, as they didn't notice Lee streaking towards them until the last second.
Cassie somersaulted off and buried her twin blades in the neck of the first guard, severing its head with a quick flick of her wrist. Seconds later, Lee confirmed his first kill, though she didn't dare let go of her concentration to see what he did.
As unobservant as the muscle-bound guards were, they were quick enough to react. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she had to twist out of the way of both fists of the next closest guard. She launched herself at the third, but he swatted her away before she could stick it with her blades. She wasn't hurt, but she had to take her eyes off her foes to land safely.
"Cassie?"
"I'm fine, not even bruised. How are you fairing?"
"These beasts are proving tougher than I imagined. As you discovered, their necks are their weak points, and, unfortunately, they guard them well."
As Lee talked, she flipped in between two, drew double attacks, and slashed at
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