people! ahah! the morvus explains everything in this chapter. xD.

take care. xD. suddenly so small font. xD.

Chapter 23 – Rescuing Trixie

            The groups were ready. Once again, there was a plan. But a normal plan. Not mastermind-DED, or anything.

          Russell rubbed his head where it hurt. A splitting headache was attacking viciously at his subconcious. He was a big guy for his age, playing too much basketball in the sun didn’t give him a ferocious tan he was supposed to get, his skin was a pale colour. His eye bags were huge, indicating that he didn’t have much sleep the night before. He was worried.

          The only form2 class that were willing to take part was form2 Newton. And his sister, Eltjse was in it. She was with the expedition force too. LynLi and Adelyne named this group of form2’s, form1’s and form3’s the expedition force. To rescue Trixie and nothing else. The form1’s consisted of Jenner and Wordsworth. Sheena, Carmen, Catherine, Emily, Elliot, Vishwal and Jerrick were from Jenner. EeLin, Azalea, Johann, and Andrew were from Wordsworth with a total number of 11 from form1. Then Eltjse, Liew Kit, Jason and Jet Liang from Form2 Newton. The only form2 class. And lastly, Russell, Joshua, Charles, Adelyne, Ruyee, Ryan Foo, and Jia Lik from Form3 Aristotle, LynLi, Luter, Matthew, Calvin, Kenneth, Wei Ken and Lauren from Form3 Dickens and Marc, Kian Yuan and Zhi Xiao from Form3 Mozart. All together, the Expedition Force will consist of 36 people altogether including Trixie, Lucas, Ian and Weng Yee.

          Adelyne and LynLi decided that the Expedition Force would be given its real name soon and will be trained as the protectors of Sri KDU from threats such as these. But planning such at that will come in stages much much later. For now, they don’t even know whether they would triumph over the Morvus now or not. The arenaline kept LynLi well enough to fight this next fight despite the wounds of her previous one. Adelyne slept well, as she did not suffer much injuries.

          Only Joshua’s eye bags were at least capable of rivalling Russell’s. They both didn’t sleep that much. Joshua, taking care of Lucas and Russell, thinking of the safety of his sister, Eltjse.

          Trixie had to be saved no matter what. Somehow, everyone had looked to her as, sort of a doctor of sorts. Not a hands-on doctor like a surgeon. But one who has enough knowledge to control a situation. They could’nt find another person like her. Not that they know of.

          So the Expedition Force was created and had to be utilized to rescue Trixie. LynLi and Adelyne had got so carried away, that they plan to adopt a new calender, a calender after the Apocalypse. Where the year would start from 1. Over-ambitious, over-zealous, Amanda Ooi and Anne had giggled. But it was an idea worth looking at.

          The doors were opened at 10 in the morning. The athmosphere didn’t change much from last night. As the sun didn’t rise of set like it used to, the sky outside was still dark. The lights in the corridor were a homely yellow. Reflecting off the powdery snow that had gathered over the night. From the snow, they knew that nothing tried to disturb them during the night. There was no footprints.

          The form1’s met up with each other and headed to the form2 level, one floor above thiers, where the form2 group will be waiting. Then when the three groups were united, they would head to the form3 level. Which is the same floor as the form2 level, but just a little walk away. When the Expedition Force was united, weapons were checked and then they all headed off to the library.

          The Morvus’ Lair.

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          Trixie had her arms pinned behind her back. She went through a rough night. Partly because of a small misunderstanding, a stubborn one at that. She refused to let the Morvus take a sample of bones from her arms. So much as to fend each other off for nearly 4-5hours. But the Morvus got tired of teasing her and used its bone-controlling methods to force a fragment of bone out of her arm. She was now tied up like a common prisoner at one corner.

          Not like there are any prisoners any more. Unless their 13-16 years old.

          She had tried struggling out of her bonds but she realized it was fruitless, as her bonds were made entirely out of bone. She only could hope for rescue. Which was a favourable offer.

          The Morvus had left the door unlocked with the tarnished metal pipe, it was at the other end of the library chemically examining her bone sample and her feet was’nt tied up. And she was all the way here, amost at the entrace of the library.

          She hadn’t tried escaping herself yet, paticularly she could’nt get up without the help of her hands. She had woken up earlier to find two iron needles stabbed into both her knees. There was no blood, no pain, no nothing. But she could’nt feel or move her legs at all.

          She guessed that the Morvus really studied anatomy. This was a library after all. There was a tap on the door. A slight tap, which would be unheard by even the keenest ears at the end of the library. It was Russell.

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          They moved like ninjas, scaling corridors in seconds. LynLi and Adelyne had told everyone that the dress code was black. All black. And everyone abided by it. Except Carmen. Who could’nt help but to bring something of flashy colour along.

          They reached the library and saw that it was unlocked. Inside it, they saw Trixie in a mess by a corner and the Morvus nowhere to be found. Russell, who was leading the Expedition Force along with LynLi and Adelyne, tapped at the glass. He saw Trixie look up and smile. Then he spied the needles in her knees.

          He was about to gesture her to come out, when Ian whispered in his ear.

          ‘Its Trixie isn’t it? She can’t move. I can smell broken nerves.’

          Russell nodded at it, then gestured for a few people to come out. Form1’s.

          ‘Enter in there was get Trixie out as fast as possible, if your cover is broken, rely on speed. We’ll cover you once you get out, but if you get caught in there, you’re on your own,’

          LynLi thought that was a little harsh, but the Form1’s just nodded in agreement. Then set off quietly. Everyone was wearing rubber-soled shoes, almost everyone. Part of the dress code too. Adelyne and LynLi thought it would be fun. But times were serious now, and the rubber-soled shoes were for a sole purpose alone. Silence.

          The eleven form1’s spilled into the library silently. They dragged Trixie out slowly, step by step. They thought it would hurt for her, as the needles were embedded quite deep within her knees. She gestured for them to go faster.

          ‘What?’ Sheena whispered.

          ‘Go faster,’ She mumbled, not wanting to be too loud.

          ‘What?’ Johann whispered piercingly loud. As if he was being sacarstic. Trixie had the time to slap her forhead when a loud roar echoed from the back of the library.

          ‘RUN!’ EeLin yelled and the Form1’s burst into a messy group of people dragging Trixie to the entrace, which wasn’t far away. They had to fight the Morvus on their ground, not on his.

          The chase went on for a while. Until a few minutes later, the Expedition Force held their ground at the form4 corridors almost the highest places in the school. Russell put the Form2’s, her sister especially guard Trixie who was resting against the lockers. She slowly pulled out the needles.

          Russell had to keep her sister away from the fighting as much as possible.

          ‘If it looks like we’re losing, run away okay?’ he had whispered to her earlier.

          He had forced her to agree willingly before being satisfied. He could’nt bare kill her sister. Now that he knew what the Morvus was capable of, it could even control his bones to kill his own sister. He would’nt want that to happen. He’d rather die.

          The Morvus stood at one end of the corridor, while the 30+ Expedition Force members stood at the other end. Weapons brandished. LynLi had been keeping a theory to herself. She had recently bore witness to or found the Morvus’ weaknesses quite often. And she was certain this one was included.

          Earlier, she predicted that the Morvus’ simple teleport-behind-them trick was the key to why it was such an efficent dispatcher. She bore witness to Trixie finding out the weakness that the Morvus can’t move when its controlling people’s bones and it could only control bones he could see. With the knowledge she collected, she was sure her information was right.

          The Morvus won’t be able to control bones he can’t see again for sometime soon. That was her guess.

          That’s why she promted Adelyne to make this plan. This simple plan, to prove to herself whether her theories were correct of not. It wasn’t only that, it was also for the good of the entire school.

          All they do now, is start fighting.

          ‘You are daring, young ones, to come back here and face me, after you basked in the power that I have unleashed before,’ its calm, freaky voice said.

          Russell stepped forward.

          ‘We just wanted Trixie to be with us, that is all, why did you have to take her anyway?’

          ‘Because I needed her,’ it replied.

          ‘For what?’

          The tension was rising, everyone had a feverish grip on their weapons.

          ‘To test her bone,’

          ‘But why hers? And not the others who were unconcious in the corridor with her at that moment?’

          ‘You want to know the truth?’ the Morvus asked Russell.

          ‘Of course,’

          ‘Then sit down, I’ll sit too, lay down your weapons, and I’ll lay down mine too, this is going to be a long conversation,’

          Everyone did it appropriately, knowing from past experiences that the Morvus was a creature of its word. Eltjse and the rest of the form2’s helped Trixie up to listen to what the Morvus had to say.

          ‘I feed on bone, I bet you know that now,’

          There were a few nods.

          ‘Anyway, my powers are not few, but many. The radiation was merciful to me in this area, but to others…’ His voice trailed of. He was gesturing to his arms.

          ‘The radiation mutated my body and turned me into this, and the only way I could live was to consume bone on a regular basis. That was when I reached this school and found a neverending supply of bunnies. But that neverending supply somehow ended. And I had to continue feeding. So I take you people,’ It said. But Russell interrupted. ‘We know this part already,’

          ‘Patience, young one.’ It spoke as thought they were friends, one mentor, many students. ‘I decided to use you like calf but not kill you. Just to instill fear enough to not interrupt me in my daily life. I would take a few of you and extract some bone, then give you back soon enough. But before I could give those I extracted bone from back, you already messed with me. I was angry, so I gave a piece of my mind and utilized a few of my powers on one of your groups. Teleportation, Libia.’

‘Libia? The power to turn people into stone then,’ Joshua smirked.

          There were some that nodded and exclaimed in admiration. But the form3’s didn’t. They continued listening.

          ‘You were smarter than I thought, all of you. Stronger too. And that’s why, in the last battle, I showed you my true powers, to contorl bone. But yet, you managed to find the limitation of that power. That I can only control bone I see and move at the same time. If I were to control bone I don’t see, I would not be able to move. And you, LynLi, also found out another of my weaknesses.’

          All eyes turned to LynLi.

          ‘But how?’ She thought. ‘I was thinking that we would’nt be able to cast the bone spell thing again after any time soon, it needs time to recharge. If that was his weakness, then I’m right! But, how did he know what I was thinking?’

          She had a short flashback on what he said earlier.

          ‘My powers are not few, but many,’ the words that came out of his gaping mouth had echoed.

          ‘Can he…’ She thought.

          ‘Yes I can.’ The Morvus said outloud. Everyone had a bewildered look on their faces and was looking from LynLi to Morvus, desperately trying to find an answer.

          ‘I can read minds,’

          Gasps ran through the group of sitting teenagers.

          ‘Another one of my powers. But I can do much more. Teleportation, Libia, mind reading and bone manipulation. Those are all my powers.

          ‘But Libia is more complicated than you think. I came up with the name myself. Libia is the power that is associated with an eye,’

          Some stared at each other questioningly.

          ‘Libia is a power that is used with ones eye. For example, my Libia, is the Libia to turn people into stone, there may be another person, whose Libia is to see through clothing.’

          Giggles.

          ‘My Libia made me grow a third eye apart from my other two.’

          The Morvus showed where his first two eyes were situated. They were small and black. Like spider’s eyes, situated at almost the top of his head. Then he showed us where his third eye was.

          ‘I can turn those who look directly in my third eye into stone when I want it to, so don’t worry. When I don’t want to, I won’t turn you into stone, I promise.’

          As promises made from The Morcus were paticularly well kept, everyone peeked inside its mouth to see the third glowing eye floating around.

          More gasps.

          ‘That’s how I dispatch all of you so effectively, through the use of all four of my powers and manipulating them, joining them,’

          Everyone was awed.

          ‘But why did you choose Trixie? You haven’t told us that part yet.’ Russell asked.

          The Morvus chuckled.

          ‘You really want to know? Russell?’ It asked.

          Aware that it read his mind, Russell replied ‘Yes,’

          ‘Well, I shall tell you then.’ The Morvus said. ‘I chose Trixie because of the slit on her forehead,’

          Everyone exclaimed in shock. She had a slit on her forehead? LynLi and Adelyne gasped in surprise. They didn’t know she had a slit. All eyes turned to her.

          ‘But we had slits too!’ LynLi shouted at the Morvus. ‘We had slits and we were there when you took Trixie, we were just, pretending to be unconcious,’

          ‘Now why did you do that?’ The Morvus asked, ‘Why did you pretend to be unconcious?’

          Trixie began trying to stand up.

          ‘I was listening to Trixie uncovering your weakness, about the bone thing, so I had to pretend to be unconcious to tell everyone else your weakness,’ LynLi said softly.

          ‘You are lying,’ The Morvus hissed. Trixie, who was standing upright now with much difficulty, began to stare hard at LynLi.

          ‘I am NOT!’ LynLi yelled.

          ‘You were also mainly afraid, afraid that I would take her too,’ The Morvus said.

          Before LynLi could say anything, Russell interjected.

          ‘Then why didn’t you take them too?’

          ‘Because I didn’t see them, besides, if I saw them with the slits on their foreheads, I would have taken them too,’

          ‘Why?’ Joshua asked.

          ‘Because, these three,’ The Morvus gestured to Adelyne, LynLi and Trixie. ‘May be able to beat me sometime soon,’

          Everyone stared at LynLi, Adelyne and Trixie.

          ‘HOW?’ Joshua asked again.

          ‘When my third eye started growing in my mouth. I felt a slit there too.’ The Morvus said.

haha. here.chapter22. :D. enjoy! Joshua you must be patient. dumb crap. :P. new blogsite! haha! to write down my poems and stuff. xanga is saved up for eternity's eclipse. xD.

www.darknessandshadow.blogspot.com

lucas. xD.

Chapter 22 – Slit on the forhead

            Kenneth wrestled with the tightening hand around his throat. Had Wei Ken been telling the truth? It would explain everyone’s weird behaviour. But trying to find that out was’nt the most urgent thing on the list. Currently, the most urgent, would be saving his own life.

          He choked and his vision swam. When he felt someone jerk him away from Wei Ken. It was Matthew.

‘We have to go now, everyone will kill us sooner or later, don’t know why,’ Matthew snapped, he was strangely calm. Kenneth was guessing he did’nt know what happened. That he could’nt see the strange way everyone’s lips moved. So frantically. So feverishly.

          Kenneth’s mind worked lightning fast as Matthew and Calvin dragged him, Lucas, Russell away from the staggering zombie’s who were once their friends. He could’nt really speak now. He could try. But he was betting his life on it that no voice would slither out. His throat was sore.

          He heard Calvin asked questioningly, ‘What about the other statues?’

‘We’ll worry about them later, their just statues,’ Matthew snapped.

‘But their going to turn human soon, and…’ When Matthew cut him off with a cuff to his ear.

‘Are you on my side or thiers?’ He asked.

          Calvin muttered something, and continued dragging Lucas and Russell.

          They were heading across the field, into the passageway and then into the cafeteria. At least it was there were they could make a stand. The group of people walked stiffly after them. Arms outstreched. Eyes in wild fear.

          The Morvus could control people’s bones. The bones in other bodies. He could control them. Manipulate them.

          This is bad.

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          Despite the fact that her head was hurting like crazy, Trixie forced a crack open in her eye. And what she saw made her mouth go wide.

          It was the Morvus, as bony plated as ever. It was sitting in a mediative stance. Its fingers moved every so often and the muscles on its face twitched here and there. Its was breathing very lightly, almost humanely. Green light poured out from it. There was a sickly green foam everywhere but the other unconcious bodies on the floor did’nt seem to mind.

          What was it doing?

          The last time she remembered it, it was… She nearly slapped her forhead.

          It unleashed its powers! But what did it unleash? After the flash of white light, there were screams, and then It subsided. And that’s when Trixie passed out. What happened?

          She thought silently. The situation strangely reminded her of her mum. How she would become silent all of a sudden in her most venoumous moods and storm out of the room and cry alone upstairs. The thought made a tear slid out of her eye. She missed her. Like crazy.

          Her ribs hurt. She moved her hand cautiously to where it did. When she felt something protruding outward at a very alarming angle. The bone stake! It was still impaled within her, causing her to bleed.

          Her mum had experience in this sorta thing. She did’nt know how, she wasn’t a doctor or a nurse before. But despite it, she was glad that her mum passed down that knowledge. For it was going to save her now.

          She slowly pulled the stake out of her body.

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          Weng Yee knew it was happening. But she just could’nt believe it. How could they beat the Morvus now? When the most experienced ones in such matters where snatched up by it to serve as its zombies?

          Her muscles were beginning to strain. She had a cramp just now. It was excruciating. She could see Wei Ken closing his eye lids. He must think it was hopeless now. He’d rather let the bones do the walking while he rest and give up. But she was’nt going to give up that easily.

          She gritted her teeth with difficulty. Is it possible for one to be strong enough to resist the Morvus’ bone manipulation?

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          Lucas’ blood was giving the cafeteria floor new colours.

          They dragged both of them under tables and stood their ground. Kenneth regained his posture and seized a few kitchen knives from the back of the cafeteria. When the zombie’s spilled in slowly. Matthew, Calvin and Kenneth braced themselves. How would they bring themselves to murder their friends?

          The lifeless bodies dragged their knuckles along the ground. Wei Ken’s eyes were closed, so were many others. They surrounded in a circle around them. Wei Ken’s lifeless body ambled forward, Kenneth moved forward to intercept him instinctively, then hesitated.

          Wei Ken’s hand came up again, and closed around Kenneth’s throat. His eyes flew open. Kenneth struggled. He could’nt. Could he?

          His hand came up, a kitchen knife in its grasp. A tear slid out of Wei Ken’s eye. And their eyes met.

          Scream.

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          Trixie screamed with all her might and shoved the bone stake directly into the Morvus’ bone plated torso. The stake managed to pierce the armour, and a fair amount of flesh. The Morvus’ roared, the green light fading. Its concentration broken. With a grunt, it punched Trixie across the face.

          She slid and fell back down to the ground. The Morvus grabbed her by the collars and heaved her upward. Carrying her to the ceiling.

          ‘Why did you do that, puny human?’ it asked sacarstically.

          ‘That was your secret wasn’t it?’ She sneered through gritted teeth.

          The Morvus’ features softened.

          ‘Your limitation, your…’ She took some pride in saying the last word. ‘Weakness?’

          The Morvus roared in her face.

          ‘ When you use your most powerful powers, you can’t move, can you?’ She sniggered.

          The Morvus headbutted her in the middle of her forhead then threw her aside.

          ‘Damn,’ it whispered.

          ‘I knew it!’ she thought to herself as she began passing out once more. ‘ That’s why when I screamed, he did’nt move, he did’nt even breath a tinge more loudly. That’s it. When he uses that power, the limitation is he can’t move or he’ll have to cancel out the power,’

          She hope she saved a few lives by doing this. As she thought about it. A bony tail wrapped itself around her torso and carried her upward. And down the corridor…

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          ‘Kenneth?’ Wei Ken whispered. His grip around his throat weakened considerably. After that piercing scream. It seemed something was happening else where around the school. Kenneth broke down and sobbed. Dropping the kitchen knife that was about to take his friends life.

          Everyone could move normally again. Hugs were exchanged. Tears were shed. Everyone rejoiced. Then exclaimed at the sight of Lucas’, large amounts of blood seeping from his head. But what happened? Had The Morvus stop casting its spell? Whats going on? Who let out that scream. The mood that was produced after the miraculous rejoicing was an utter dissapointment. Everyone galf-staggered back to class, arming themselves with weapons like kitchen knives, forks. No more the weapons they used before, which was lost in the corridor where the Morvus used his bone-controlling powers.

          Everyone who was there was thankful that they didn’t have to kill each other. But something was going on. Something that made The Morvus stop controlling them. It had something to do with that scream.

          Lucas and Russell were no longer dragged upon the floor anymore, the guys helped lift their bodies and exchanged turns when they were tired. The situation at hand was extremely taxing. If they weren’t as evovled as they were now, they would have passed out a long long time ago.

          ‘Where did that scream came from?’ Weng Yee thought. Her stomach wound had reopened, now that she wasn’t moving stiffly like before anymore. And it hurt. But despite that, she shoved off anyone that tried to help her.

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          LynLi knew now. Why had The Morvus not moved when Trixie screamed into its face. It had something to do with its powers. The Morvus had stabbed her in the neck in the previous battle, but since after it had explained that it was merely a temporary measure, a near-death state, she wasn’t afraid anyomore.

          She got up and grimaced in pain. Guess her wounds can’t heal as fast as she thought they did. Adelyne was up already, checking on bodies, accounting for the weapons they had. She moved toward her.

          ‘Adelyne,’ She said softly.

          She swivelled round, knives in her hands.

          ‘Oh, its you,’ she grinned. ‘Don’t scare me like that,’

          They both stared at each other for a while. When they said at the same time. ‘Theres a slit on your…’

          ‘Forhead,’ They both breathed.

          ‘Theres a slit on mine also?’ Adelyne asked.

          ‘Theres a slit on me?’ LynLi shouted wildly, grabbing for her forhead.

          ‘Shut up,’ Adelyne hissed. ‘ The Morvus might come back, sooner than we expect, I think we should identify the bodies and account for the weapons first okay, then we worry about this,’

          ‘Okay,’ LynLi agreed reluctantly, Adelyne obviously was awake longer. ‘What about the others?’

          Adelyne sighed. ‘If they are still alive, they would come back here,’

          ‘Oh,’ LynLi replied. ‘You overheard Trixie and The Morvus?’

          ‘Yes,’

          ‘Then why didn’t you help?’

          ‘You too LynLi, why didn’t you help?’

          They both shuffled their feet and kept quiet for awhile.

          ‘We know the extent of The Morvus’ powers now, that it can control merely bone it can see when he is not really concentrating, however, he can control bone that he cannot see when he’s concentrating. That means when he can’t move. So we know now.’

          ‘Yes.’ Adelyne agreed. ‘It was better for us just to overhear The Morvus only than to get up and help Trixie, this way, The Morvus dosen’t know that we know his weakness, and we can tell everyone else instead of getting caught by The Morvus like Trixie,’

          ‘We’re cowards aren’t we?’ LynLi explained.

          ‘Yes, I guess that makes us cowards. Trixie’s a hero,’ Adelyne said softly.

          ‘Yeah,’ LynLi agreed.

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          It was nearly dawn now. Although it was still dark. Who would have guessed time passed so slowly? When faced with challenges like this, time usually did pass slowly. It had been night since Ruyee drew The Morvus. Azuri remembered it nearly perfectly. The drawing had been so accurate. It nearly make him flinch when she thrusted it and pinned it onto the wall. Everyone was in their respective classes now. There was some sort of mutual understanding between The Morvus and everyone else in the school.

          You rest, I rest. We fight again at night.

          But no one could help feeling grief for Trixie. Where was she? Was she okay? Was she thinking of us? Was she, alive?

          LynLi and Adelyne had faxed information about The Morvus, casualties and injuries throughout the whole school. They also faxed out how much Ian evolved, to a point where his sense of smell and hearing is so acute, he could smell a needle in a haystack. He could even here the same needle drop in a subway.

          ‘The Morvus could control bone it can currently see, but it cannot control bone that it cannot see,’ the report had said. ‘It can only control bone it cannot see when it is not moving, this is a weakness, prepare to adhere to orders from this fax machine when we send it, we may need to ambush The Morvus’ lair later in the night,’

          Many phone calls came in for Ian that night. Mostly from girls. Luter was disgusted and had laughed at him. But accompanied him anyway, until late in the night. Having three way conversations on the loudspeaker. Ian was happy. He never had this much attention before.

          Russell was okay now. He could walk and move fairly easily. He, Azuri, Wei Ken, Kenneth, Calvin and Matthew decided to move the statues of their friends which are still outside into the class. For so much time has passed, they must be back in their original forms already.

          The only hostage now was Trixie. Weng Yee, Malcolm and Ian had lead the others into a successful escape.

          Form1 Jenner and Wordsworth were going on greatly with the Form3’s they were proud they could. The Form3’s in turn respected their bravery and courage when in battle. The other Form1’s sent in faxes of congrads as well. There was word going around that the Form1’s were creating separate clans to combat The Morvus. But it was obvious that the Form1’s were making their own plans. They musn’t clash with the Form2 and Form3 plans however. For they are making their own as well.

          Adelyne decided to give the Form2’s a chance to prove their worth as with the Form1’s. In her congrads fax to Jenner and Wordsworth, she had adviced for them not to be too over-confident. It makes failure all the harder to bear. She should know.

          She and LynLi still had the slits on her forhead. Knowing that Trixie was familiar with medical staff, they yearned to ask her what the slits meant, No blood slid out from it. Yet it looked like a cut. But to ask Trixie, they need to save her first.

          Joshua, despite the huge gash on his back, which was bandaged many many times by the over-ambitious Amber, who decided to treat the injured wounds, was taking care of Lucas. He was’nt actually taking care of him. Rumour has it that he had gone into a coma and will die soon enough. A hit on the head with a hammer wasn’t a good thing. Even for a super saipien. Someone ought to tell Matthew off for this. And when I’m healed. I’m going to do it.

          Joshua stayed up all night beside Lucas’ bed. No one disturbed them. Everyone knew how good friends they were before the Apocalypse. The situations at hand were obviously extremely taxing and painful for both of them to bear.

          It was evening now. The once-statues from outside had been taken in. Everything was in place. The plans were co-ordinated. The objectives were simple, Trixie’s rescue. Nothing else. The Form1’s, Form2’s and Form3’s communicated extremely well through the intercom. Everyone knew what they had to do.

          Dusk was falling. The clock said so.

          The night would bring much action. And sadness. And death would come, temporary to some. Permanently for others.

HELLO PEOPLE! xD. enjoy!

Chapter 21 – Bone

            Weng Yee stood staring at the fight. She stared with awe. No one saw her. She was hiding behind a wall, observing the corridor in which Azuri, Joshua, Wei Ken and Charles were battling Morvus feverishly. She had been there even when Joshua charged at it. She had seen everything.

          Further ahead. She could make out about ten people. Form1’s most likely, staring at the battle. Scared stiff. One of them was already stone stiff.

‘Carmen,’ She whispered. She usually went cheerleading with Weng Yee, and now, she was frozen like a statue.

          Weng Yee could also make out the three other form3 guys who were sent by azuri to ask the form1’s to help. She could roughly make out who they are.

          Nabil from 3Galileo, her class. John Ling, from 3Dickens and Marc Wong, Fiona’s long time boyfriend from 3Aristotle.

          She had followed Ian’s intructions to the letter. She, Ian, Malcolm, Catherine, Emily, and about six others who were either passed out, frozen like stone or asleep in Morvus’ lair was already there. Ian had instructed them to help, and told them the original plan. They were supposed to send a runner, then make the runner lure the Morvus into this corridor. Where LynLi, Adelyne, and the guys who came back from smashing the statues will engage it. Then, they would escape from the lair and ambush Morvus from the back.

          But it seemed. As if the plan had gone really wrong. For one, Ian did send a runner, but a runner who did’nt know the plan. Trixie, she ran before knowing the plan. Secondly, there where form1’s there? What were form1’s doing there? And third, where were the others who were supposed to smash the statues, according to Ian, Matthew and a number of guys were supposed to be there.

          But no matter, the plan could have still worked, partially. But now, after injuring Morvus several times, Weng Yee saw it use its tail as a whip, to fling the four of them away and sprawling onto the ground. It saw it talk. It heard what it said.

‘I have the power to manipulate the bone in my body itself,’ Morvus had said.

          But that means, he could move the bones in his body where ever he wanted, he could make them jut out of his flesh, he could make spikes, take them out of his body and use them as weapons, he could cover his entire body with an exoskeleton of bones which were supposed to be inside his body.

          And precisely what he did.

          His body became an exoskeleton of armoured bone plates and spikes, whats more, the huge white blade he was carrying was attached to an equally white chain that jut out from his veins at his wrist. Like the area where spiderman shoots outs his webs. But Morvus was’nt a spiderman. He was a monster.

          Weng Yee nodded in realization. That’s why his tail is made out of bones which were linked together, that’s why he had long ivory needles, that’s why he could have made the blade. He extracted bone from the bunny carcasses and molded them into a solid, sharp weapon.

          He could in fact, control bone.

          This is bad.

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          Trixie blinked. She had thousands of thoughts running through her head as she did so. She opened her eyes and yellow light filtered into her ears, she heard the sounds of battle close by.

          Have they destroyed the statues yet? Who knocked me out? Is Weng Yee and the rest okay? Do they know that the turning to stone is a temporary meaure? Do they know that statues will turn back into their original forms sooner of later? Do they know that the creature had such anatomy that it knew where to stab in the neck to make the person not die, but merely in a near death state? Do they know all that?

          These were a partial number of the questions that constantly shot in and out of her mind. She felt something poking at her palm. She turned to look downward. It was Adelyne’s long weapon. She took hold of it as she turned to look toward the right. Four people, she couldn’t vsee who, were battling the monster. Morvus. She stood up. And despite the pain in her head, despite the questions. She dashed toward it.

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          Sheena stared at it blankly. At the four people courageously fighting the huge monster which turned her friend, Carmen, who was beside her into stone. Everyone was staring at the four people fighting it.

          When suddenly, there was a small movement behind them. Some screamed while others swivelled round and brandished weapons. It was their own kind. Not Morvus.

          Three people. She knew them. These were form3’s, here to help us.

John Ling, Nabil and Marc.

          They nudged people out of their fears and comforted them. And soon, Sheena herself was comforted. Her eyes kept shifting toward where the four people were battling Morvus, something told her that they were going to be beside them soon.

          Marc asked everyone to gather round, and everyone did so.

‘Guys, listen to me. I know this is not your fight. Many of you that I know of, would rather stay back and linger in the shadow, delaying a moment of truth. We cannot do this anymore,’ He said passionately. Some nodded. Sheena gave a nod herself.

‘Look at those four people there,’ Marc pointed toward the four form3’s battling Morvus. ‘They are fighting despite the danger thay are in, that is what differenciates the form3’s and the form1’s, the form3’s are heroes, and the form1’s are cowards, do you really want to be cateorized like this?’

          The mood changed, everyone was staring up at Marc and agreeing with him unhesitantly. No one had the urge to run away anymore. No one felt cold fear anymore. They were determined.

‘Well, if you’re not cowards,’ Marc whispered and smiled slyly.

‘Prove it,’

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          Weng Yee digested the facts. She looked back out again and saw her friend dashing toward the creature, ready to impale it with her long weapon.

‘Ian, Trixie is out there,’ She whispered to the big blind guy.

‘I know,’ came the reply. Weng Yee looked at him like he was mad.

‘How?’

‘I can smell her, anyway, we charge on my signal, the form1’s are going to charge soon,’ Ian said calmly.

‘But…bbbut,’ Weng Yee stuttered. She pushed the thought to the back of her head. How did he do it? How did he know? Well, the time for asking these questions and finding out the answers was later.

          The small group heard an enourmous cry. Not the screaming shriek of a girl. The howl dripped of power and passion. The form1’s came storming down the corridor.

          Weng Yee stared at Ian in disbelief as he turned around and yelled back at the group while drawing a long wooden stake.

‘CHARGE!’

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          Charles deflected the bony blade flying towards the group, which gave off a strange metallic twang.

          Then flung back into Morvus’ arms.

          There was a pause. And then suddenly, two new groups swirled and mix together with the four form3’s battling Morvus. Ian and Weng Yee’s group, and Sheena, John, Nabil, EeLin, Marc and Azalea’s group. They fought with valour. Passion fuelling their rage.

          But even though Morvus was faced with such an onslought. It devastated its enemies.

          Joshua screamed and charged back at Morvus. When suddenly, there were louder screams and cries coming from all around him. And just as sudden, Trixie was running alongside him, brandishing Adelyne’s polearm. And man, did she scream loud.

          Joshua nearly had to cover his ears, but he reached Morvus. He plunged his sharpened metal stick into the first opening he sees. But it bounced of the bony carapace lining Morvus’ body. There was a roar, and Morvus brought the huge bony blade down on Joshua’s head. Joshua closed his eyes, waiting to be dissected perfectly in half. When he heard a clang.

          That wasn’t right.

          He opened his eyes and stared. Relief flooded his body.

          Trixie was wrestling with the blade in front of her. Skillfully, she came in between the path of the blade and Joshua and placed her weapon in between. Parrying the blow with only using half her strength, and utilizing Morvus’ own strength against him.

          ‘Smart, but not smart enough,’ came the calm voice.

          With a quick flick of his wrist, the Morvus made use of the chain which was attached to the bony blade flew behind Trixie, arced back and cut Joshua in the back.

          He roared in pain. The blade hardly cut him, but with a blade that big, ‘hardly’ took the form of a huge gash across his back. He grimaced. But then, forgot about the pain when he saw Trixie turned back and winked at him.

          He almost begun questioning. When suddenly, she flipped backward, with her polearm still in its horizontal position, she flung it upward and it dropped down toward Joshua. Without thinking, as if they both communicated telepathicly, Joshua caught the pole. At just the right moment, Trixie almost completed her manouver, she stepped on the horizontally held pole in Joshua’s arms and launched herself high in the air.

          Spinning in another backflip over Morvus’ head, she grabbed a knife from the folds of her sleeves and threw it directly at its back as she completed her backflip. But to no avail.

          Despite the move that would dispatch most opponents. A move no one would have predicted. A ‘spontaneous’ move, as Joshua had no idea what to do, and did what he was supposed to. The knife simply bounced off its armour. Morvus teleported behind Trixie as she landed and used the flat of his blade like a bat. And sent her flying like a bowling ball through the form1’s, who were like bowling pins.

          There was a loud clang.

          Charles tried attacking Morvus’ back. Fruitless. Morvus did’nt even turn around. And its chain linked blade struck Charles from the side, cutting deep. Blood spewed from the wound. Charles was thrown to the lockers and he smashed against it.

          And then, The form1’s crashed into the batte.

          Wielding knives and wooden stakes, the group fearlessly engaged the creature in battle. They were like zombies, swatted away by the flat of Morvus’ blade, then returning, wanting more.

          Morvus had to step back.

          When Ian’s group crashed in. Malcolm wildly attacked Morvus’ back, his short hair flinging around crazily. It was comical, the way he was doing it. He even managed to break one of its bony quills.

          Morvus’ was surrounded. He was strong. Possessing an extremely powerful weapon which can reach an enemy from nearly anywhere, and having an impossibly strong armour. But even so, the sheer numbers of the humans was winning over. He had to use his number one ability.

          His curse.

          Joshua was happy, hacking and slashing at Morvus wildly with his makeshift sword. So were many others. When suddenly, the situation was drained of its enthusiasm when Morvus began to glow a bright green. It fought with greater strength and speed than it had previously.

          Joshua saw Weng Yee weaving through the crowd with her two knives, anxious for a blow at Morvus, being slashed in the guts by its huge blade. Blood spilled as she went down on her knees.

          Trixie, who was grabbing another weapon from a form1 was impaled through the torso by a huge bone stake Morvus extracted from his back.

          Malcolm’s rib cage was broken completely when the Morvus thrust its elbow directly into his chest. He flew to the end of the corridor and crashed against he wall.

          And it was with these new attacks. That the humans began losing hope. They stayed in a circle around Morvus. His growl echoed through their minds.

          ‘We have to beat it now, but how?’ Marc whispered.

          There were whispers all round. When suddenly Morvus snorted and relaxed his arms. A harmless move which made everyone flinch miserably.

          Morvus chuckled.

          ‘You are all inferior to my strength,’ It said in its voice. ‘At first,’ It began. ‘The white furry creatures gave me enough bone and food to sustain my existance,’

          ‘It needs bone to survive?’ Joshua whispered to John.

          ‘But then, after you humans defeated them. They retreated completely and dissapeared from the compounds of your living area. That’s when I started preying on you. But I only wanted you for small bits of your bone. To sample on them, to whether I can use them for my purposes. I had to take various samples and compare them. So I had to use various people. You thought I killed them didn’t you?’ It said as it was pointing to Ian, Weng Yee, and their group.

          ‘I don’t kill. I only knock them out. They’ll live, but only partially,’

          ‘But then, you turned them to stone!’ EeLin yelled at it. Everyone was taken aback. But Morvus did’nt seem to mind.

          ‘Yes I did. But it was only a temporary measure. They will return to their human forms after an hour or so,’ it said smartly.

          Trixie nodded at EeLin. Apparently, there was so little movement, that everyone noticed it. And begun to believe that Morvus was at least capable of telling the truth.

          ‘So was the stabbing of the necks. I study anatomy. I know where to strike to put people in a near-death state. Like in a coma. But not like coma in certain ways. They don’t breathe. Their heart dosen’t even beat. But they’ll wake up sooner or later,’

          ‘But,’ came a voice from the crowd of humans. It was a small voice. EeLin’s voice. Innocent.

          ‘How did a creature like you learn english? How could you. Study?’

          Morvus’ tone softened considerably.

          ‘You humans are much more interesting than rabbits, your minds are more complex to understand a creature like me. But no matter, I learnt english a long time ago. I can read. I used the library to its full extent. And the changed that the Apocalypse is bringing is making me remember all these facts. Making me change into this thing,’

          ‘Change?’ EeLin’s soft voice asked, unable to hide her curiousity.

          ‘I can’t eat, drink, sleep like I used to anymore. My instincts change, and through it, my actions changed as well. And as a result, my mind disintegrated. I can only now… act… like…’ Morvus spasmed briefly, as if it were trying to control itself.

          ‘The Morvus,’ It whispered finally. When the entire corridor exploded into a blinding green light. Fire was melting snow everywhere when the light subsided. Morvus was already standing up. Its hands as if gripping imaginary apples and crushing them. It eyes were a burning green. Glowing intesely. He controlled his most powerful powers.

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          Matthew awoke and rubbed his eyes. He stared down at Lucas’ his head already stopped bleeding. Russell was snoring gently. Calvin and Kenneth flanked his sides. They were all from the same class. 3Dickens.

          Calvin could’nt help thinking of Morvus and what the others were doing right now. There was a huge explosion sound a moment ago. He almost wanted to sprint there and see whats going on. But he could’nt. He made a promise.

          They were all waiting desperately for a reply from their friends. Whether they beat Morvus or it cowered away. But if they did’nt return. They would know the answer.

          Morvus slaughtered them.

          Suddenly, there was movements on the ramp.

          Calvin thrust his head sidewards, so did Kenneth and Matthew. They all grabbed up their weapons. And then sigh in relief to see only a relatively big group of people. Their friends. Walking stiffly toward them.

          Ian, Nabil, John, Charles, Catherine, Emily, Joshua, Sheena, Azalea, EeLin, Azuri, WeiKen and a big group of people comprising of those missing or captured by Morvus, a few form1’s and a few form3’s.

          But. Something was wrong. They were walking to stiffly. Kenneth saw WeiKen’s lips moving. He walked toward them casually. No one turned to say hi, smile, or stretch out a hand to shake.

          As he neared WeiKen. He suddenly grabbed hold of Kenneth’s arm, his grip was very very tight. Kenneth gasped.

          He could hear WeiKen whispering. His jaws unmoving, only his lips.

          ‘Kenneth!.. He. .. lp., Morvus.. control,.. .. . bone. He’s … controlling.. us! .. . controlling..  our. .. ., . ,bones!’

          WeiKen’s other hand was lightning fast. In a blink of an eye, his hand was around Kenneth’s thoat.

HELLO PEOPLE! haha! There. sorry for the interruption. was waiting for new people to finish reading up till 19 then i'll put in 20. xD. xD. enjoy! .

Chapter 20 – Demonic Speed

            Trixie ran with everything she had. She had never in her life ran this fast nor this furious before. She was practically tearing down the corridors and zipping down the staircases. But despite travelling at this rate, the monster bounding along behind her, bone blade in hand would catch her soon enough.

          She had ran the moment Ian’s phone started beeping and Morvus caught sight of her. It bounded like a kangaroo before the Apocalypse. God knows what will a kangaroo be now. Its bone tail whipping behind it. Trixie avoided looking at it. Its eye would most probably freeze her in stone. And she would be smashed like the others will be.

          ‘I hope its not too late,’ she whispered as she ran.

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          There was an enormous CRACK sound. The statue shattering into a billion pieces wasn’t what happened. It was what happened through Matthew’s eyes. He would dearly like to see Lucas’ face on the ground smashed into nothing. But as dearly as he would like to, it did’nt happen that way. The hammer hit his head. He had regained his human form and the stone form that he was a moment ago dissipated. Temporary. It seemed that Trixie was right. But, there was still the fact that there was blood gushing out from a crack in his skull.

          Russell collasped onto the floor a moment later. Coughing then lying still. Breathing hard. Unconcious.

          Matthew stared at the figure on the floor, blood gushing like a fountain from his head. When he felt a pain between his shoulder blades. He tried looking around but only heard Azuri’s voice.

‘You’ll pay for what you did Matthew,’ He whispered. Then with a swift strike, he used the blunt butt of his blade to smash it over Matthew’s head. He passed out.

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          There were screams down the corridor. A wild tip tapping of shoes and clawed feet was echoing in their ears and reaching into the minds of LynLi, Adelyne, and the eleven form1’s there.

‘Where are the others? They should have been done smashing the statue by now, Ian should have called us and told us he already sent a runner!’ LynLi shouted.

‘Dammit!’ Adelyne yelled.

          All of a sudden, Trixie’s head popped around the bend. She was running for her life. Screaming louder than she have ever did in her life.

‘Get ready guys, you haven’t seen Morvus just yet. Hold your ground and fight,’ Adelyne told the others as Trixie made her way past them and grabbed LynLi by the collars.

‘WHERE ARE THE STATUES?’ She yelled.

‘Their being smashed, calm down okay? You’re affected by the fear,’ LynLi yelled back.

          There was a wild struggle between the two when LynLi knocked Trixie out with a blow to the head.

‘I’ll see to that later,’ She said to herself. Then she recalled the possible reason why Trixie was like that. She lied. LynLi told her that Lucas’ and Russells statues were chucked away by Morvus. Perhaps that’s the reason why she was all wacko. Perhaps that was what ‘STATUES?’ meant. Why was she so scared? Lucas’ and Russells statues were just going to be smashed and then put in urns and await a proper burial later.

          The thought evaporated as Morvus bounded around the bend, its green globe freezing Carmen to stone. Logic gave way to reflex as humans clashed with a monster that could not be contained.

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          There were wild screams from the form3 corridors and then that occasional grunting. The ten, now nine people outside were certain that the runner was done running and Lyn Li and Adelyne alone was fighting Morvus. How could they have forgot about what they were supposed to do? They did’nt see the eleven form1’s creeping up the ramp, so they nearly gave up in trying to save LynLi and Adelyne, thinking it was too late.

          But most agreed not to pick the general option. Half of them who did’nt have faith nor morale anymore stayed there and lugged Matthew’s unconcious body about and stop Lucas’ head from bleeding. The other five dashed up the ramp, weapons brandished.

          To them, five people did’nt make a difference. But if they made it there at least to see Adelyne or LynLi’s dying moments. It would be worth it.

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          Ian awoke to the dim lighting of the library. He could sense people crowding around him.

‘He’s waking,’ Weng Yee whispered.

          He jumped up.

‘Wheres Trixie? I need both of you, Trixie and Weng Yee, so I can tell you the plan,’

          Weng Yee choked back a sob. Everyone did relatively the same thing. She ran out, your phone started beeping and Morvus bounded after her, its been fifteen minutes now, they haven’t been back yet. I hope that…’ Weng Yee could’nt continue.

          Ian reached into his shoe and pulled out a knife.

‘It’s a little of schedule, but still along with the plan so far,’ He said. He could sense people lifting their faces and looking at him.

‘We have to go to our corridor, Trixie may be still alive, and we need to aid our comrades,’

          Weng Yee smiled and nodded.

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          LynLi stared as the creature came closer. She did’nt dare look at it that much. Only frequent glances. She kept looking away. No one knew what turned people into stone yet. So they kept their precautions. As with the rest of them. But so far. Only Carmen got turned into stone.

          It was moving in slow-motion. But if a creature like Morvus moves in slow-mo, then what of the others? They must be moving extremely extremely slow. The Morvus’ bone blade did’nt seem to slow it down. More ever, it seemed to quicken its pace somehow. It held a few ivory needles in the other hand. Its mouth gaping as if smiling. Smiling the smile of death.

          Spinning round Adelyne charged first, her long weapon giving her a slight advantage over Morvus. But to no avail. It dissapeared and materialized behind her. Stabbing her in the neck.

‘Its tactics are obvious,’ LynLi whispered.

          ‘Fiona told us that this is what it did. It appears behind you, where you least expect it to be, then it jabs you between the shoulder blades, freeze you with its strange powers, stabs you in the neck. And in this case, a new fatality arises. Impale your body with a huge blade made entirely out of bone.

          Slow-mo.

          LynLi dashed forward. The others were too petrified to move. They just stood there. Watching.

          She held one knife upright in her right hand. Another knife down side up. In her left. She ran directly toward the Morvus. In a whir of motion. It dissapeared.

‘Bingo,’ She whispered.

          Whipping round and slashing it across the cheek.

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          Joshua and Charles woked up at nearly the same time, rubbing their heads. It seemd that Charles phone was ringing.

          They were in another classroom. Form1’s were huddled all over the classroom. Shaking in fear. Using their senses, they roughly worked out how they came to be here.

          Obviously, they went loco after the fear struck the inside of their heads and spread like fire. This class must have saved them. And brought them in. But in this condition, they would’nt be able the talk awhile. The class I mean.

          They grabbed some titbits, assuming that the inhabitants of the classroom did’nt mind. They wondered what happened to the rest as they ran away. It seemed tragic. They could be dead. A new sense of urgency heightened which clearly showed in their movements, they grabbed their weapons. Joshua’s a sharpened metal stick, and Charles’ two wooden stakes, and stalked out of the classroom slowly and made their way toward the ramp.

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          They ran frantically toward the ramp. The five of them. Matthew and the others had agreed to see to Lucas, Russell and the other statues. Knowing that they can be saved, Matthew hardly thought of smashing Lucas anymore. But he still had the fire of vengeance. After what happened earlier, scolding him when the fault lie on the entire of Dickens. Revenge would come soon and swift. But yet, he was unconcious.

          Wei Ken, Azuri, and three others bumped into Joshua and Charles as they were running up the ramp. Nothing much was said. Stories were to be exchanged later, not in the face of danger, their help would be useful too. Upward they ran. Toward Morvus.

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          ‘HOW!’ Morvus screamed within his mind. ‘HOW DID SHE HIT ME?’ he thought. How did the girl predict my movements?

          He had used his powers to teleport behind her and yet, she still managed to throw a cut into his newly formed list of injuries. How did she manage? Where they finally finding out ways of defeating me? He did’nt have time to think longer. For after the slash on his face, LynLi’s left hand came swiftly downward, slashing his gut. He roared out in pain.

          ‘Yes!’ LynLi thought to herself. Obviously pleased, but in danger at the same time. Who knows how much Morvus can take? Perhaps he’s even invunerable. Immune to physical damage. But assuming from the dark red blood seeping from its wounds, it hardly showed that he was immune.

          But still. Facts are facts. Identifying ones weakness, is also, creating ones strength. Ways to combat and protect its weakness.

          Morvus dissapeared again. LynLi grinned. Was he really that stupid.

          She swung round, daggers arched high, ready to stab its head. When suddenly. Swish. She stabbed nothing but air. There was no Morvus behind her. She looked in front again. And got stabbed in the gut. Blood spilled.

          She grimaced in pain.

‘How could you have?’ She whispered.

‘You obviously know my tactics, so I decided to change them,’ came the chilling reply. ‘I teleported twice,’ Morvus raised two fingers up. Like a peace sign, but in this case, hardly the word. Peace.

          LynLi’s eyes widened.

‘Once I was behind you, I teleported…’

‘again,’ LynLi whispered in realization. So Morvus wasn’t really that stupid.

‘Smart girl, teleporting once behind you, then in front of you again. You were completely off guard. It’ll be a pleasure killing you later on,’ Morvus sighed. And stabbed her in the neck.

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          They arrived just to see Morvus stabbing LynLi in the neck with a long white needle.

‘No,’ Charles whispered.

          He and Joshua could’nt believe that they ran away like cowards. So much had happened during the time in which they passed out. He did’nt know what time it is. Heck, it could be a week since they’ve opened their eyes. And the deaths. This was what happened when they were lying down, sleeping. Unconcious. They should have stayed and fought. At least, dying alongside their friends.

          But no. They had to run away. They just had to.

          Their blood boiled.

          Joshua let out a scream and charged at the creature. Anger and rage fuelling his energy. In seconds, Joshua was on Morvus.

          When it suddenly dissapeared. Joshua had thought about this instance of the Morvus since he was awake. How did it dissapear like that? Teleportation? It could’nt be. It just could’nt. He spun round. Anticipating a strike.

          And a strike it was. Joshua barely managed to parry a powerful blow from a huge white blade. He slided backward and still managed to stay on his feet. Screaming he charged once again.

          Charles did his thing. Creeping silently on Morvus was fun. But now came the fun part. Tatooing it. Slashing at its back with his stakes, Charles completely took it by surprise, with Joshua distracting it, it would’nt expect such an attack. That’s it.

          Azuri had an impossible prediction. That was it. That’s why we fell against it the last time. Because we did’nt work, together.

          Azuri asked the three guys standing behind him to get the group of form1’s to stop staring with their mouths agape and use their numbers as a weapon. After doing so, he and WeiKen dashed toward Charles, prepared to aid him slashing at the beast.

          Joshua parried blow after blow from the roaring beast. Each of its strikes were stunningly swift, Joshua’s strikes were also formidably fast, then why was it that he could’nt get the chance to counter attack? His blade was so huge, and yet, he could move it as if it were a feather? How was that possible? Besides teleporting, did the law of physics even apply to this creature? Joshua saw from the corner of his eyes that Charles and the rest of them were desperately hacking at its back. He had to grab the creatures attention enough to let them finish the job. But sadly. That’s not how things go.

          Parrying with impossible swiftness. Joshua saw an opening, without hesitation. He lunged for it. Puncturing Morvus’ gut. He grinned. A hit. Morvus roared. And with a whip of its long tail, sent the four of them, Joshua, Charles, Azuri and WeiKen sprawling toward the ground. It seemed as if it were using something otherworldly to combat them now. No more simple teleporting, stabbing and turning into stone. The four of them could sense it. Something was at work.

‘It seems that you all have found my weakness, your teamwork is good. But it needs a great deal of improvement to fight me when I use my powers to their full extent,’ Morvus snarled.

          Powers? So it IS true. He had supernormal powers. But, how?

‘And what might those powers be?’ Azuri, as snappy as ever, shot back.

‘I have the power to manipulate the bone in my body itself,’ came the calm reply.

          Before they could even comprehend what it meant. They saw what ‘full extent’ means.

          Morvus began convulsing and spasming extremely quickly. Green foam dribbled from its mouth and a bright green light ilumminated the twang of yellow lights in the corridor. The foam seemed to burn through the snow as it came contact with it. In a few seconds. The Morvus had changed its form. Bone spikes covered his body, his back were bristling with long, bone stakes. His whole body was literally covered in an armour of ivory white bone.

          And yet in another second. Before any of them had time to digest what his power is and take in the sight in front of their eyes. The bony blade it held clanged to the ground.

          They stared at it and through that stare. They began to feel the fear again.

          The blade was’nt completely let go by Morvus. From its wrist, bone like links, like white chains sprouted from beneath his purpley skin. It was like a long, long ivory chain, connected to the blade. It was impossibly fast. Demonicly fast.

          It whipped forward. The dark sillouhet of the blade darkening the lights of the four students who sat staring at it. Mouths agape.

PEOPLE! xD.

chapter 19 guys. enjoy. loves. ohoh. and the thing highlighted in yellow in my previous post. here it is: more clearer. xD.

Thanks ruyee! for your amazing copyright. :D. the MORVUS. its her idea. xD. .

Chapter 19 – Rebellion

            They all stared at the picture as Ruyee pinned it up on the board at the back. Not believing their eyes.

          Ruyee drew accurately, by all accounts. She even does her homework in the process. Which somehow dosen’t make sense to most people. How could you multitask that much, but still be super efficent?

‘It really looks like that?’ Boon Sim asked.

          Fiona screamed. Which affirmed Boon Sims question. She was shuddering like crazy. Consumed by fear. Unknown to Aristotle, a lot of the other classes who heard the news also felt the same. Petrified. They all shuddered. Shivered. They were at the brink of madness.

‘We need help, we need to know how to save our friends, we need to kill this thing. This. Morvus,’ Ruyee uttered out loud. Determined. Confident.

Angry.

          A lot of people were already kidnapped, stabbed in the neck, or turned into stone. So much in so little time. How did Morvus operate? Even in pitch black darkness. How?

          Adelyne called up Lyn Li from 3 Dickens and began drawing up a plan together. The two grew increasingly close after their plan to gather food and deliver them all across the school despite the bunny threats was a success. And of course, It would appear normal for them to conjure a plan. Together. Another master plan.

          They evolved. Much smarter than they would have thought.

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          It did’nt feel right touching Malcolm’s chest. Which was searing hot. But of course, it would be a neccesity. His chest was also branded. The girls realized that guys got branded on their chests. Wheareas girls on their bellies because their chests were already occupied.

          The Morvus.

          A suitable name.

          Weng Yee and Trixie huddled into where they were when they woke up. They could’nt have the Morvus noticing that they moved when it came back. Which could be any time now. The twisted pipe was twisted from the outside. Which made it inaccecible through the frozen glass doors even though they had the strength to untwist it. Only someone who can untwist it from the outside can free them. Which will be really really hard. Because no one they knew had that strength. Unless they evolved, of course.

          Malcolm had started snoring and coughing a few minutes ago. Which led them to belive he was no longer unconcious. Just, sleeping. He’ll be awake soon. So will the others. But as for those trapped in stone, little could be done for them.

          They lie in pitch blackness. Hearing Malcolm and themselves breath. It was quite loud. They hoped Morvus would’nt hear it. Which it definitely will. A problem then.

          What was with the bone blade? How did Morvus get the bone??? From… its victims?

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          Sheena, Carmen and the three other girls stalked the corridor silently. Fear gripped them. They headed over to Form1 Wordsworth and knocked on the door as silently as they could. The door opened with a pressurize hiss, as EeLin, Azaelea and four guys stalked out slowly. Eleven of them.

          Sheena, Carmen and the three girls had used the intercom phone back in Jenner to call Wordsworth. As the eleven of them were stalking the corridors to the higher levels now, those in Form1 Wordsworth were telephoning 3Aristotle, to warn them and to prepare them, for the Form1’s arrival.

          EeLin immedietly volunteered to go, Keefe was in Aristotle. Two days of not talking to him was more than enough.

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          Ian Tan Vern Ian. The blind guy. Wandered mindlessly in the corridor. He had no idea why he volunteered. His mind was ablur why he was up here. Oh. Right.

He remembered.

          They had chose him.

          Adelyne and LynLi tried brainstorming on what it was first. And this was what they got.

          A form5, perhaps, or maybe even an adult, trapped outside the school grouds during the Apocalypse. The human must have been young, as he did’nt die immedietly from the radiation. In fact, the radiation drived him crazy. It drove him only to hunger carnage and slaughter. Only to kill. Its face was burnt of. But evolution helped him fix it. That’s the only possible reason. The only reason how it could choose its own name. The only reason how it could talk. The only reason how it looked so human.

          It was human. Was. Note the was. He’s not a human anymore.

          Ian chuckled. They had no idea what Morvus is going to do to him and decided to use this plan? He chuckled more. He recalled their conversation.

‘If he was human, was. He would understand blind people as a weak point won’t he?’ LynLi had chimed over the phone.

          I’m blind. So they chose me? What the fuck.

          Ian grinned. He heard a voice.

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          Trixie’s phone rang all of a sudden. It was on vibration. But it was quite loud in the dead silent room. Malcolm had already woke up and was shivering. Victim to fear. Weng Yee tried calming him down. She realized a few others were snoring lightly too. Among them. Melissa Khor, and Emily. Both sisters. Under the surname Khor. Perhaps siblings wake at the same time? Nah. That’s silly. Weng Yee chuckled.

‘It can come back any time!’ she hissed.

‘Shut up! I freaking know okay, hello?’ Trixie hissed back.

‘Hello Trixie, LynLi here, we’re forming a plan to get you out. And somehow kill the Morvus by tomorrow. All you have to know is. Number one, Ian will tell you what you guys have to do… Nu..’

‘WAIT! How is Ian coming here?’ Trixie interrupted.

‘Wait and see! Don’t interrupt. You don’t have much time left. Number two, pray for those who turned into stone that are outside of the library, we are going to smash them and keep them in urns until this threat is eracticated, then we’ll burry them, okay?’

          But Trixie only heard it partially. She knew they were going to smash the once-living statues. But she suddenly spied something from the corner of her eye with the light beaming out of her phone. It was Catherine, the one who got turned into stone. The one whom Morvus placed down there almost an hour ago. Her skin. It was becoming lighter. No longer the dull gray it used to be.

‘Okay Trixie? I know its hard to take it. Their our friends, we should…’

‘SHHHH!’ Trixie hissed back into the phone. LynLi was bewildered.

          Catherine suddenly coughed. Then fell toward the ground gasping for air. Both Trixie and Weng Yee could see clearly now, because Weng Yee was shining her handphones light toward Catherine. The once stone statue.

          Trixie had a revelation. Like the stabbing of the neck. It was meant to put people in a near death state. The turning into stone. It was…

‘Temporary,’ Trixie said under her breath.

‘What?’ LynLi questioned. ‘We really have to take the statues and smash them now, If we’re not in time, the Morvus will probably take them and stash them somewhere like he did to Lucas’ and Russells statues,’

‘NO!’ Trixie yelled. ‘DON’T SMASH TH…’

          When suddenly, there was a wild twisting of grated metal. A hard, heavy breathing. Something that sent a jolt of shock whipping throuugh Trixie and Weng Yee, which also made them drop their phones.

          Which smashed into a million pieces on the frozen carpets.

          Dammit. Trixie thought. The turning into stone was only temporary. Catherine was no longer stone now. Our communication tools are gone. Plus, she flinched as she thought about it.

          They were going to smash the statues.

          But that’s bad. They’re only statues temporarily. Their going to kill them without knowing.

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          The eleven form1’s silently thread through the corridors. Waiting for some imaginary creature to pop out of nowhere. They took the ramp. Luminous blue lights lighted the way. There was mist that clung stubornly to the floor. They could’nt see the blood.

          EeLin heard something coming from way up above the school. Something. Metal complaining under brute strength. She gestured to her friends about it. They nodded. They heard it too. They managed to get into the form3 corridor without too much difficulty. They knocked on 3Aristotle.

          There was a pause. Then out sprang Adelyne brandishing a long pole screaming.

          She felt foolish after that short outburst. She thought the Morvus was there. But it turned out to be eleven equally frightened form1’s they nearly screamed. As almost all of them were girls.

‘What are you guys doing here? Get in,’ She gestured.

          They all tumbled in and rested on the carpeted floors as Adelyne closed the door. LynLi appeared from behind the toilet bowl, shakily clutching a knife.

‘So its not Morvus then,’ She chimed.

‘Do they look like crazed fear-filled creatures to you?’ Adelyne snapped back.

‘No,’ came the reply.

‘What are you guys doing here?!?’ Adelyne questioned.

‘We wanted help,’ Carmen spoke out. ‘Two of our number has been captured by a creature,’

‘The Morvus,’

‘The what?’

‘The creature is called the Morvus. We have found it out. We’re currently in a plan now, us, 3Aristotle and 3Dickens, that’s why no one’s in the class now,’ Adelyne explained.

‘Oh,’

‘I think you guys should stay here until the plan has been carried out, then we’ll help you guys get your two friends back, besides this plan, another is being carried out now,’ LynLi said to Carmen.

‘Okay,’ came the simple reply as they all sat in a circle and waited.

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‘Okay, the plan was to get the statues into the field, but its freaking impossible, its too heavy, so now what?’ Azuri asked.

          The plan was simple. To demolish the statues and collect them in urns and small containers they had with them. The lot of them moved all the statues halfway out, then they sat behind a tall, stone bench and waited silently, thinking of what to do. To demolish them here would attract too much attention. Especially with a creature like the Morvus wandering around.

          Unknown to them, eleven figures moved silently up the ramp behind them. And soon, dissapeared out of sight into the form3 corridors.

‘We have to complete the mission guys,’ Wei Ken said. ‘We have to,’

‘Yeah, lets just smash them here, LynLi said the Morvus would most probably be with Ian,’ Matthew chuckled.

‘Shut the fuckup, you think this is like some game? OOH, look I’m matthew, lets go smash some statues,’ Azuri snarled.

‘You’re exagerating things Azuri,’ Matthew said calmly, smile fading.

‘These are your friends idiot! Have at least some freaking respect!’ Azuri said as loud as the situation allowed him to without drawing attention.

‘Wrong Azuri, these are YOUR friends, not mine,’ Matthew snarled.

          Azuri’s eyebrows arch downward as he drew his metal stake from its cloth sheath on his back. There was murder in his eyes. As with Matthew. There was tension in the air. And in Azuri’s head, the words were echoing.

‘Anything to stop him from smashing them, anything,’

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          Trixie and Weng Yee hurriedly lied down where they were as Morvus desperately ripped apart the piping.

          Would he know? Would he freaking know? Our loud breathing? Catherine gasping on the floor? The shattered pieces of our only communication device? If he did. What would a monster like him do?

          The fear returned as the creature stalked in the library, breathing hard. Its footsteps were loud. Bouncing echo-like of the frozen walls. It was pitch black. No one could see anything. Pure darkness. Yet, they knew that it was there. They knew that it could sense them, even in this darkness.

          It threw something on the floor. Something heavy. Another victim? There was a lot of shuffling about. The sound of furry hairballs being kicked away. Then, there was a disgusting click. And then liquid spilled on the floor.

          What the heck was he doing? There was a grunt from Morvus, then a throathy growl.

          There, again, the thoathy growling. What was he doing?

          There was a pause. Trixie immedietly stopped thinking. As if it could hear her thoughts.

          Then, it continued its growling.

          Weng Yee and Trixie felt they were safe. They even felt warm in the presence of so much bodies. They felt sleepy. Was it actually okay to sleep here? After all, the monster strangely kept them alive. But they could’nt help thinking of their friends who were about to be smashed. They had to help. They had to tell them not to smash the statues. They had to. But how? The only way they could was with Ian’s help. Like LynLi said earlier. But how was he to enter this lair? Morvus’ Lair.

          Unless.

          They used him as bait. As a bait. So he can enter the lair and tell them what to do. And then they can escape. That has to be it. Trixie moved a little, opening her eyes slightly. She was shocked a little. Then she breathed a soft sigh of relief, and then a sigh of regret after that.

          The room was bathed in pale yellow light. It did’nt seem to light up things. But it did made most things visible. The light in the room did’nt seem to come from any source. Towards the end, Morvus stood there, making sick clicking sounds and throathy growls. He was at the place where the bone blade was. Carcasses of bunnies and fresh blood were strewn on the floors around him.

          This was their chance. While he was busy making the blade, this was Trixie’s chance. The monster did’nt twist the pipe back. Her chance to escape and save her friends lives was now. And no other time. Ian was sprawled on the ground.

          He’s supposed to be the one to tell us what to do. But he’s just unconcious there. Weng Yee stared at Trixie as she began getting up slowly. The door was just over there. Less than 4 meters away. She could in fact, make it. Weng Yee’s eyes gestured Trixie to come back. But she was’nt going to just go back and lie there. She was going to go for it.

          She stepped on the frozen carpets slowly. It would have been much more difficult if it was not frozen. Her grip ladened shoes would definitely have made noise over the fabric. She walked slowly. She had to thread carefully.

          Even if it was frozen, it did’nt mean It was completely soundless. The floors will make sound if you step on them too hard. But Trixie knew that. And she made it that four meters. She was overjoyed. She could leave now. But not to leave Weng Yee and the others here to die. She’ll stop LynLi from smashing the statues. Then she’ll get help, to kill Morvus once and for all. She’ll be a hero. Like Lauren when she devastated the giant bunny.

          But. Stories aren’t so straightforward.

          Ian’s phone began beeping. Morvus snapped round speedily and caught sight of Trixie at the door.

          Screams galore.

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          LynLi frantically dialled Ian’s number. She, Adelyne and the eleven Form1’s were already at the corridor. According to plan. But where was the others? Those who were sent to smash the statues? They were supposed to be here already. Where were they? Perhaps they could’nt get the heart to smash a once alive friend up. That’s why, they had to think rasionally. Have no emotion when doing a job.

          If Ian was getting a runner towards them now, they’d be dead. Why was’nt he answering? The plan was relatively simple.

Number 1 – they had to dispose of the statues to create a proper burial later on before Morvus takes the statues.

Number 2 – they had to rescue those trapped in the Morvus’ lair.

Number 3 – they had to kill the Morvus.

          Most of 3Aristotle and some of 3Dickens was to transfer the statues from the lobby area to the field so they could dispose of them without grabbing too much attention and get the urns for the burial. Ian was supposed to be pitied by Morvus.

          Adelyne and LynLi decided, that if it was once human, it should have at least a little bit of emotions left. A blind person. But it did’nt happen that way. According to the way Ian is not answering his phone in which he promised to. He was most likely unconcious. He was supposed to tell Trixie that they needed someone to escape the lair and run to the corridor, making Morvus chase him/her. At that time, the urns would have been already in Aristotle, and most of 3Aristotle and 3Dickens, LynLi and Adelyne would be ready to kill the Morvus.

          It seemed simple. But complications happen. Complications like…

          There was a piercing scream. Everyone was on the alert now. The thirteen of them, the eleven form1’s and two form3’s sprinted down the corridor and up to the library. Abondoning their plans immedietly.

          Thoughts were going through LynLi’s head.

          ‘Where are the others?’

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          In a flash, Matthew slapped Azuri’s weapon out of his hand and pushed him aside. Grabbing the hammer sheathed on his back. The two statues Azuri was protecting came into view. Lucas or Russell?

          Both were equally afraid. Both were equally stone.

          He maed up his mind. His hammer smashed Lucas’s face. And the statue burst into a billion pieces. And Lucas. Died.