Chapter 98: Final hours

Tazer and Annie were hiding outside the abandoned building which is where the Five pillars are meeting.

"Do you think Merlin and the others are heading towards here?." Annie asked.

"They have to if we're going to put an end to their plans." Tazer replied.

He noticed from a far and ducked Annie's head and his on the ground as someone was coming, Tazer takes a peek and it was Sanity who just came back, he was walking excitedly as his grin would grow by the minute he'd get closer to the building.

"What's happening? what do you see?." Annie asked.

"It's the one that kidnapped you from before.." Tazer replied as he simply crushed a part of the ground.

He really wanted to beat the crap out of Sanity ever since their last meeting but since he was defeated and taken to the hospital he felt even more raged that he was defeated by the likes of him, so he promised himself if he ever had the chance to see him and take him down he would do it without any hesitation if it means making Sanity regret kidnapping Annie he would do anything to make that happen.

but now's not the time for that, and he knew it so he had to bury down his urge to make him regret kidnapping Annie, They were simply watching from a far.

[Merlin you gotta hurry.. or I'll start attacking them on my own!] Tazer thought.

His arm was conducting electric sparks all over, Annie even noticed it, Tazer really wants to fight that guy and make him pay but his fighting over that emotion for now.

Meanwhile Merlin and the other chose to go the long way around to avoid crossing paths with Sanity before reaching the building to which they believe to be their meeting place.

Alex and Merlin were talking secretly about something while everyone was busy taking care of the wounded.

"No, I won't allow that.. they're not ready for that type of thing!." Alex denied.

"We don't have any other choice .. if we ourselves do it we might attract too much attention.. we have to trust them with this.." Merlin insisted.

"So.. we're letting them shoulder all this alone!? They're still teenagers Mage of flowers."

"Even so.. if what my clairvoyance tells me is correct we need to be the ones to send them off.. if we do it.. we'll be thrown off who knows where.."

"You're not even sure about that yet.."

"Yes I'm not.. that's why I'm telling you in advance.. what if I am sure and this is where it's heading to.."

Meanwhile Abbigail was healing Gray, Arthur, Frenda, Atalante and Aiden all at the same time.

"Abbigail.. are you okay?." Patrisha asked in concern.

"I-I'm fine.. this is nothing compared to what I've done when I was younger." She replied.

"Will Frenda be alright?." Gwyn asked in concern.

"Her injuries have closed up thanks to the Mage of flowers's spell so she's out of the woods all she needs now is a bit more time to rest." Abbigail responded.

Gwyn, Kix and Bones were relieved to hear that their fourth member was alright now they're all heading towards the abandoned building, to where Sanity and the Five Pillars are currently are.

Meanwhile inside the base there was Touch, the just now awake Taste, Dorothy, Saya and Carla were still unconscious while Sanity walks towards them as he just came back.

"Welcome back big brother." Touch uttered happily.

Sanity ruffles the little girl's hair as he then says,

"Get the portal ready to open.. we'll be leaving in five minutes."

The Portal they are speaking of is what they built themselves over the years, a gigantic machine that could open portals to another world, to power the machine they placed at least three containers, containing at least three years worth of mana with this they can open and close the portal in which they prefer as long as they have these containers.

"Tchh those brats are gonna pay!!." Taste uttered angrily.

"Enough of that! you underestimated them, now look what has happened to you? you do realize we still need to do more tasks once we reach the other side.. Sight and the others have already started!." Sanity replied.

"Big brother if I may ask don't we need the Ackerman boy for this?." Touch asked.

"Yeah I thought about that too but we won't need him anymore these three are enough.." Sanity replied.

As four minutes remained until their plan begins Tazer was getting impatient of waiting for Merlin and the others to arrive with Annie besides him.

"Tchhh they're taking so long, they're about to get away!." Tazer uttered.

"How do we know that? maybe they're still talking about their plan or something.."

He then noticed a vehicle approaching them, Tazer closes his eyes and sighs as he says,

"Took them long enough."

The van stopped and Anastasia, Merlin, Alex, Jazmyn, Arthur, Gwyn, Liz went down while the others stayed behind, Tazer lets Annie on the van while Merlin walks up to him saying,

"Yow, glad you didn't go in there before we arrived.. I was really expecting that from you HAHAHAHA."

Enraged from that statement Tazer's tone went deeper and louder as he replied.

"HUUUH!? WHADDYA SAY!?."

"Nothing.. anything up lately?."

While Tazer was informing Merlin on what's going on before they arrived, Alex was concerned about Arthur and asked,

"Should you really be here?."

"I have to.. I must protect Dorothy.." He uttered.

"But you also have to worry about yourself you know.. if you're down for good then you won't be able to help anyone.." Alex said.

"Don't worry president.. I'm fine, all thanks to the Vice President's healing spells." He insisted.

"Just don't over do it alright Arthur.. you have to rely on us when it comes to things like this." Alex said.

After a few seconds Merlin was fully informed of what's happening and came to a conclusion..

"Alright guys.. I have a feeling we only have three minutes left."

Shocked from the news they simply continued listening to what Merlin has to say.

"We need to storm in there and stop them.."

"What's the plan?." Tazer asked.

"There is no plan.. we simply use the front the door and head straight towards them." Merlin replied with a smile on his face..

Meanwhile Sanity just sent out a couple of droids to guard the outside perimeter incase their guests would chase after them while waiting for the portal to activate Touch was merely looking at an empty bottle, Taste was sound asleep while Sanity was keeping watch at the window.

"Hey Sanity.." Taste asked.

"Hmmm? what is it?."

"Is that droid you took in last week joining us on this mission?."

"No, I gave him a different mission for this.. and he'll be the one guarding this portal when we're gone so there is that."

Taste simply closed back her eyes and went back to sleep, not giving a care in the world while Touch was already shaking the bottle intensely in which she placed a tiny pebble in it.

An explosion occurred from the outside and as Sanity watched from the window he had this diabolical grin on his face as he uttered,

"They're here... how much time left?."

"At least two minutes or so.." Touch replied.

"They won't make i---huh!?."

A never ending rumbling was occurring in the building, it felt like it was about to collapse or something was heading towards them, and just like that a part of the ground collapses as Arthur and Tazer reaches their level.

"Surprise Surprise!!." Tazer uttered.

"You're going to pay!." Arthur uttered.

Sanity summons his lance out of thin air and says,

"Touch, Taste carry those three and prepare to enter the portal at once!."

Sanity then rushes towards the two and faces them alone while Touch was carrying Dorothy on her back while Taste was carrying Saya and Carla.

Arthur evades the lance by crouching while springing himself towards Sanity with his sword ready while Sanity was evading Tazer's electrical claws, as soon as he saw an opening he kicked Tazer away while sidestepping thus evading Arthur's attack.

While they were battling Merlin and the others were dealing with the droids on the entrance.

Anastasia created three ice golems and commanded them to take down the droids in their sights, Jazmyn used her wings to pierce a few droids and slam them unto others around her.

"Take that you lousy machines!!." Jazmyn yelled.

Alex summoned his main familiar, the samurai as it sliced the droids that came towards it, Gwyn used her lance to pierce or throw the droids around and because of her water armor some of the droid's attacks couldn't pierce her skin while Merlin was right behind them giving them boosts and supporting them.

"Get the intruders!." Droid said.

"Don't let them in the base!!." Droid said.

"Tchh these metal buckets aren't making it easier for us." Jazmyn uttered.

"Doesn't matter.. I'm pretty sure Tazer and Arthur have made it to their floor by now and are stopping them at this point.." Merlin said.

Sanity evades Tazer's strikes while parrying Arthur's slashes from his sword with his lance, Sanity was starting to loose his balance and posture as he was having a hard time dealing with two people who know how to fight together and it was strange for Sanity because the last time Arthur and Tazer fought together.. it wasn't this perfection as he then thought,

[These two are fighting in unison!? when the last time they met they weren't even this used to fighting with each other!?]

Sanity leaps towards the walls around them like a rubber ball being thrown as Arthur and Tazer stood by side by side waiting for their opponent to strike.

[They're even protecting each other's backs!? What the hell is this!? how could this two act differently after one experience!?]

Tazer was getting impatient and rash on his decisions he tried to aim for Arthur but as soon as he was about to land a hit, Arthur simply ducked and Tazer managed to land a scratch on Sanity's chest, because of this he backs away confused.

[These two.. aren't the same as they were back then.. they've become smarter, tougher... and stronger]

Tazer seemed fine but for Arthur who has still yet to recover his full strength was now catching his breath as he was exhausted from that round.

Fifty seconds remaining until the portal activates, Sanity was buying Touch and Taste enough time for them to make their escape.

"Tchh we need to end this fast!." Tazer utters.

"I agree with you on that one.." Arthur replies.

They both give their opponent in front a stare as the next few seconds these three clashed with other without taking or getting damaged, they simply evaded or parried their attacks.

Sanity leaps above them and disarms Arthur's weapon, now defenseless Tazer swipes in to protect Arthur from his lance while the two clashed it out Arthur went to retrieve his sword.

"They're right over.. maybe I ca---hmm!?."

Thinking maybe he can go while Sanity was distracted with Tazer backfired as the moment the idea went into his head Sanity was already behind him, he grabbed Arthur's shirt throwing him towards Tazer, away from Dorothy and the others.

The portal activates and both Touch and Taste enter it as if they were simply walking towards a room, as soon as Sanity notices of the portal's activation he simply dealt with both of them quickly.

He rushed towards Tazer and tripped his leg making him loose his balance, Sanity then used his lance to knock out Tazer cold as he aimed for his head, then he went towards Arthur who was running towards the portal hoping to catch up to them.

But he was then stopped by Sanity as he simply did the same for Arthur knocking him out in the process once he was done, he threw his lance towards the three containers powering the portal and once they were destroyed he managed to grab back his lance and enter the portal at the last second.

Meanwhile Merlin and the others just arrived at the room just after Sanity escaped.

"We were too late!!." Alex uttered.

"Contact the others please.." Merlin said.

"I will.." Gwyn replied.

Jazmyn rushed over towards Arthur trying to wake him up saying,

"Hey kid, hang in there! hey!."

As Merlin was thinking on their next move he then thought of the current situation they're in.

[Looks like we had been had.. Sanity and the Five Pillars eh? no matter what we're going to put an end to their plans.]

End of Chapter 98: Final hours