"So Adrian has been trying to kill me since I was four . . . that's pretty low. I guess some people have nothing better to do," Liz sighed.
"Well, it certainly sounds like something my brother would do," I said. "On the bright side, it sounds like your memories are starting to come back. Aside from when you got stabbed, your memories should all be revived by the end of today."
Liz's stomach grumbled. "Oh, gee. That was embarrassing," she laughed. "Can we get something to eat?"
"Of course!" I replied. "What do you want?"
"I could really go for a bunch of pancakes right about now."
I got her a big plate of pancakes from Vesta. They were stacked so high that I had to struggle to keep their delicate balance. I must say that Vesta is one skilled cook when it comes to pancakes. They were delicious. She made so many that Liz couldn't eat them all, so I decided to help her finish them off.
After we had eaten, Liz and I talked for a while, sharing memories from years before. I could tell that Liz was going back to her old, spunky self. I was still concerned about the bite, though. I decided not to worsen her day with talk of such menacing things.
She brought the topic up on her own, anyway. She showed me her wrist. It had become blood red, and it looked like it was starting to spread. Not only that, but her aura was becoming darker and darker by the minute. I was shocked that I hadn't noticed it. I was starting to really worry, but I didn't know if there was anything I could even do. I explained to Liz about what was going on, although I didn't know much myself.
Just when Liz was starting to become all depressed again, she noticed something on my bedside table. She picked up the note and handed it to me so I could read it.
Dearest brother,
I hope you are well. I know you've been working hard in protecting your assignment. As a matter of fact, it seems that you thwart me without even trying. As you may have noticed, evil is spreading through your assignment like venom through a doomed man's body. Do not fear; it will not kill her. It will simply turn her over to me, where her new master will care for her. She will grow like the budding flower she is so she can blossom to be just like me. There is nothing you can do to change her, so you might as well just give her to me. Meet me at the cliffs of Mount Skelecea at 10 o?clock PM on Tuesday. If you do not wish to turn her over, I'd be happy to fight for her. Good day.
Your faithful brother,
Adrian Prince
No way! I just couldn't believe it. It was the first time my brother had contacted me since Liz was born. I handed it to Liz so she could read it. If she could believe it, I could.
"Mount Skelecea is in another state," Liz informed me when I told her I hadn't heard of it. "I don't know how we'll get there in time, but we'll find a way."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You mean to tell me you want to confront him? He's been trying to kill you since you were four!" I shouted. "How can we face him if he's immortal?"
"Of course I want to confront him! I want him to stop being a problem, even if I die! Anyway, I've heard about a nutty guy who knows all sorts of stuff about this kind of thing. I bet he knows how we could defeat Adrian. I think he lives near Mount Skelecea, so we could stop by and see him before we go up the mountain."
"Well, we'd better set off as soon as possible. We can ask Vesta for some supplies. Let's go!"
We got some food, water, a map, and blankets from Vesta before we headed out the door. The morning breeze was refreshing and it was at our backs as we walked.
We didn't say anything while we walked. Both Liz and I were off in our own worlds of thought. It took me a while to realize that Liz should cover up her bite. I mentioned it to her. She wrapped the smallest blanket around her arm, since it was almost entirely infected with the darkness.
When we reached the outskirts of the forest, we stopped.
"Get another blanket and wear it like a shawl. It'll look less suspicious," I told her. She followed my command quickly. If we took too long, we could be in serious trouble. I think Liz could tell.
We started walking again. We caught a couple bus rides that took us as far as the correct state. As we neared Mount Skelecea, it became more and more clear that it was not a pleasant place to be. You could see the menacing clouds circling it from miles away. They blackened the sky and shrouded the peak of the mountain. Not only did it look evil, but also a disgusting stench could be smelled from afar. It reeked of a thousand dead men, and tortured our noses as we walked.
Before too long, a small house came into vision. Liz and I sprinted there, even though we were already exhausted.
"This must be it," Liz said.
We stared at the odd building. It was old. You could tell just by looking at it. The paint was coming off in numerous places and the windows were covered in cobwebs and grime. The shades were pulled shut as if in a desperate attempt to keep out all light.
Right as I was about to knock on the door, an old man screeched, "Angel comes in, girl stays outside!"
Liz whispered in my ear, "Nutty, remember?"
I laughed uncomfortably. I was going to have to deal with this guy on my own.
