We hurry to a door on the far side of the back wall and enter a large room held up by columns and arches. The cavernous room is perfectly white and has the feel of a cathedral to it. At the far end of the room is a huge machine encased in a glass dome. Lights whiz around the outside of it. We can clearly see a multitude of gears clank together, faster and faster, until the machine hums loudly. Jason stands within the dome, his arms raised as crackles of energy fly from his fingertips. On seeing him, we duck behind a thick column. When I peek around, I get the impression there’s something different about Jason, though I can’t place what it is.
A flash of light coming from the dome shoots toward the middle of the room and a loud pop sounds. A small hole suddenly appears in midair, crackling with the same energy that’s in the machine, and it begins to grow.
Baun cocks his head and listens. “What is that?”
I describe what I’m seeing and Baun frowns. “This is bad news. He’s made a machine that generates magnetic energy he can use to create a portal into the Unknown.”
Jason leaves the dome and squats by something near one of the pillars. It’s Leo. He’s tied and gagged like a bad-tempered mule outside a glue factory. “You should’ve picked sides better,” he yells over the hum.
Leo sends Jason a withering glare.
“You may be okay with being his errand boy,” Jason taunts, “but I have better things to do than follow him around.”
Kera taps my arm and points to a spot low to the floor. It’s a familiar white ball of fluff. Lucinda blends in so well, if Kera hadn’t pointed her out, I wouldn’t have seen her.
Unfortunately, Jason notices her, too, and sends a nasty blast her way. In cat form, Lucinda is powerless. The blast sends her little body crashing into the wall, where she crumples to the floor.
Kera gasps and my jaw stiffens. “I think it’s time Jason knows we’re here,” I say.
I step into full view. When Jason turns, he sees me, and it’s then I get a really good look at him, and what I see isn’t good. He’s aged ten years. With all the magic he’s using, it’s tearing up his body, and he doesn’t even know it.
“Only you?” He shakes his head in mock sorrow. “Your dad and your girlfriend gone in one day. That’s tragic.”
“What’s tragic is you thinking you’re smarter than you really are.” I quickly shoot a series of fireballs his way. He dives behind the nearest stone pillar as sparks burst in every direction.
Jason gets to his feet and actually laughs. “Good job, Dylan.”
Is he really that cocky that he’s not upset to see me?
Kera steps out and throws one of her stars. It zips past Jason, and with a bit of magic, she causes it to spin back and sink into his hand.
He grimaces, pulls it out, and glares at Kera. “I actually felt bad thinking you were gone. Now I’m sorry I gave you a second thought.” He holds up his hand and watches the last of his wound heal. “Awesome trick, huh Dylan? I bet you don’t have that one.” He whips the star at me. Kera darts over and catches it, then sends it back. He dodges it this time and snags it from the air, throwing it to the ground where it embeds in the rock. “Are we done playing with toys?”
When Baun steps out, I see a flash of fear enter Jason’s eyes. Baun bends and touches the floor. It ripples across the room and shakes the area where Jason is standing.
He sends a hot energy bolt toward Baun. I don’t know how Baun does it, but he blindly catches the bolt with his staff, swings it, and sends it back. It totally catches Jason off guard, and he’s thrown across the room behind a pillar.
“Touch the floor,” Baun yells. “It’s the fastest way to send all the power we have to collapse the gateway and stop the transference.”
It’s then I notice the little hole has grown bigger. We do as he says. The lights flutter. The room shakes. The noise of stone jostling stone is deafening. Part of the floor begins to liquefy. All we’re doing is weakening the hall, not the magic that connects to the Unknown. The power is still humming along, though at a slower pace.
Jason reappears, dragging a still-bound Leo beside him. He tosses Leo a few feet in front of the growing portal and ties a rope around Leo’s bound wrists. He then throws the other end through the growing hole. A sudden tug jerks Leo to the floor and drags him toward the portal. He rolls until he can splay his legs out and dig his heels against the floor. His rubber soles squeak as he’s slowly pulled closer to the Unknown and all the nasty things within it.
Fake sadness crosses Jason’s face. “I wouldn’t want to be him. Have you seen what those dark souls do to a guy? Nasty. But I’ll tell you what.” He draws his sword. “We can end this now. You and me, Dylan. Let’s see if you’re as good as you think you are. If you beat me, everyone walks away unharmed and I leave.”
He’s got to be kidding. His ego has gotten crazy big if he thinks he can beat me. I’m the real deal. He’s just putting on a show. I stand and draw my sword, ready and willing to give him the beat-down of his life.
The portal grows bigger. Leo is pulled closer to it. I can’t waste time playing games. I rush Jason. Our swords connect. Metal pounds metal. Though I’m taller, he has weight on his side. He’s like a bull, pushing me back.
Kera shouts a warning even as she pours the magic she has into weakening the floor. I’m suddenly in the eye of the portal and I nearly trip over Leo, but manage to spin away only to have Jason grab me from behind and knock my sword out of my hand. I grasp his sword hilt and we grapple. There’s a reason he’s a state wrestling champion. This is a fight I can’t win, and he knows it. Equally strong, it’s all about technique, which he has and I don’t.
I feel myself slipping and I use the arm-twist Grandpa used on Wyatt. Miraculously, Jason drops to his knees. His sword clatters to the ground. But he’s more limber than Wyatt. He twists and punches my knee. Pain rips through my leg. I push him away. We each grab our swords. As soon as I touch mine, it flares back to life. We face each other again, and as we circle around, my knee burns where Jason hit it. It’s going to give. I feel my bones click, my muscles stretch too far. I ignore the pain and lunge forward, bringing my sword down on his. The power from that blow cracks my blade and the fire goes out.
Jason slashes his sword down and cuts a gash into my arm. I stagger back as he laughs. “You’re making it too easy to kill you.”
I lose my temper. I toss my sword aside and light up—full burning man on display. He’s not laughing now. I get so hot, the hair on Jason’s head singes into nubs. He lashes out, but the tip of his blade melts before it touches me. I haul back and slam my fist into his face, angry at everything he’s done.
He swings wide. I punch him again. Hard. He staggers back. I go in for another hit that rocks him back on his heels. Dipping back, I jump into the last hit, knocking Jason out.
“Dylan!” Kera yells.
I twist around and see Leo’s arms pulled taut, his fingers only inches from the portal. Before I can move, a white cat jumps toward him. Lucinda morphs into human form and cuts the rope. Leo collapses onto his back and scoots away from the portal and the creatures waiting on the other side, mumbling against his gag that he’s okay.
With Leo safe, I stand over Jason and stare at his battered face. My heat instantly cools. I don’t like what I’ve done, and I feel a moment of regret.
“It’s not working,” I hear Baun yell. “We need to combine our power. It’s the only way we can stop the evil in the Unknown from coming through.”
I’m beside Kera in an instant. If Baun thinks either of us is going to give him our power, he’s crazy. I see Kera waffling and I place myself between them, leveling a serious glare at her. “Don’t you do it.”