Crimson Red, Cerulean Blue
Chapter 43

(Violet)

Orangedidn’t waste a second. “RUN!!!”

Nobody bothered to stick around after that one. We all tookoff as fast as our legs could carry us.

“Yo, RT!” Red shouted, in the rear because after all, he waskinda low on blood at the moment. “What kind of bomb is it?! I might be able todefuse it!”

“It’s not a bomb!” Orangeyelled back. “Didn’t you hear them taking?! Thiswhole place is a gigantic volcano, and they’ve rigged it so they can set it offwhenever they want!”

“What?!”

Lucas was next to me, and I could see his eyes widen. “It’snot going to work!” he shouted. “We can’t replace our way around this place! It’sa freaking maze!”

“Oh, please,” Red scoffed right back. “You’d be surprised atwhat we can do.”

I didn’t doubt that. When I was inside his mind, I foundtraces that someone else had been there, someone good. They’d actually helpedme wake him up, showing me what to do and where to do it. I didn’t know whothey were, though. When I asked them, they only responded, “The Protector.”

I decided to ask. “E-Excuse me? Red?”

“Yeah?”

“Um, who exactly is the voice inside your head?”

He almost skidded to a stop in surprise, but resumed hispace. “Oh! Well… I dunno. They just showed up when we arrived here. You read mymind?”

I gave a timid nod, not knowing if this was a bad thing. Henodded right back in understanding.

“Ah, I see. Well, next time, give me a little warning, ‘kay?It’s a little surprising when you do that. Really cool, but surprising.”

“O-Oh… Okay!”

“Um, I hate to break up this extremely interestingconversation,” Green cut in, “but is that lava?”

I really shouldn’t have done it, but I did anyway. I lookedback.

Runny lava was spilling into the tunnel, a lot faster thanI’d have expected lava to be able to move. My eyes widened, and without asingle word, everyone began running faster.

“This way!” Orangeswerved, and we found ourselves in a bigger corridor. But there was lavaspilling into the other end, too, and I heard him curse under his breath.

He reached the stream of lava and bounded right over it. Theothers followed, but when it was my turn, I slipped on the edge. My eyes shotwide as I tumbled face first toward the searing hot liquid.

And then I was flying over it, Lucas having grabbed my cloakand yanked me over. “Th-Thanks!” I gasped, heart racing from the near-miss. Hegave a sharp nod.

We flew around another corner, and I slammed face-first intoRed’s back when he skidded to a stop. A second later, I found out why – theentire other end of the corridor was filled with lava that was pouring towardus.

Without a word, we all spun around and ran the other way,barely making it out before the lava blocked off the exit. Orange’s voice was tight with worry when hecalled out, “Almost there!”

And then he was gone.

“What?!” I gasped, before Red jumped, vanishing into a holeI hadn’t seen before. Blue followed immediately afterward, Green after her,then Lucas. I swallowed, shut my eyes, and did the same, letting out a shriekas my body went into free-fall. The hole was pitch-black, the only source oflight one of Red’s flames.

Air swirled around me once I got closer to the ground,Blue’s magic slowing my descent. I wanted to stop and catch my breath at theend, but everyone was already running ahead, so I put all my thoughts on tryingto keep up.

A strange glow appeared from ahead, and it took me a fewseconds to realize it was more lava. Needless to say, we all avoided thatcorridor and swerved in another direction.

A few minutes later, Orangestopped short, and so did everyone else. I was glad for the rest; there was astitch in my side, and I was completely out of breath. A month in a prison celldoesn’t do wonders for your athletic ability.

But any trace of relief I felt melted away the instant hesaid, “There’s no way out.”

“What?” Green demanded. “What do you mean, there’s no wayout?”

“I’m telling you, there’s no way out. All the exits areblocked.”

“That can’t be right,” Blue interjected worriedly. “There’sno way all the exits are blocked. If we just keep going…”

“They’re blocked. And once that lava hardens, it’ll becomerock. There’s no way out.” Orange’s voice grew quiet. “They’ve sealed us in todie.”

“No way!” Lucas insisted. “There’s gotta be some kind ofother exit. How the heck do you even know this, anyway? We haven’t explored theentire place yet!”

“We don’t have to. We’re trapped. No way out. Dead.”

“Orange,you – ” Green began, but then Red cut her off.

“No, we aren’t.”

Orangeshot him a look. “What? I would have expected you of all people to – ”

“There is a wayout,” Red insisted, sounding as if he were in a trance. “This way.”

And, without another word, he took off.

Orange’sbrow furrowed, but he followed anyway. Blue gave a hesitant shrug and did thesame.

“What’s he on about now?” Green muttered. “C’mon, you two.Let’s see what Ash Brains has in mind.”

I ran after her, wondering what Red was doing. Maybe theperson in his head was giving him hints on what to do.

Red took a complicated series of twists and turns, runningfaster and faster as if something were calling to him. My side ached, and I wasgasping like an audience at a motorcycle stunt show. I hoped he’d stopsoon. I didn’t think I could take muchmore of this.

And then, suddenly, he did.

Right in front of a dead end.

“What the… There’s nothing here!” Green snapped. “What’reyou doing?!”

But Red didn’t reply. He was too busy staring at the walllike it was the most beautiful thing in the world, a strange smile making itsway across his face.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” he breathed. “Princess.”

Green opened her mouth, probably to ask him if he werecrazy, but she didn’t get the chance to. Because suddenly, there was a womanstanding there in front of the wall.

One who definitely hadn’t been there before.

“Hello,” she sighed, and her voice was amazing, soft andmusical and relaxing. I felt my exhaustion seeping away, my breathing slowingas she smiled the most brilliant smile in the world.

“The newest Protector of my city. I never thought we’d beable to meet face to face like this.”

“Neither did I,” Red responded, grinning. “You’re real?”

She laughed, the sound full of bells and sunshine. “As realas one can be. I’m glad to replace you know the story. I’ve watched many pass bywho did not.”

“Yeah, I had a great friend who told it to me. Thanks forhelping us, by the way. I really appreciate it.”

“But of course,” she replied simply. “It is my role toprotect my city, as its Princess. And you are one of its people.”

She turned, resting a hand on the wall. “Now, I suppose youneed a route out of here?”

“It’d be greatly appreciated.”

The Princess smiled again. “It is my duty. No need forappreciation. Now, you must be cautious. There will be a few more obstaclesafter this, and I cannot help you any more than I already have. My time isrunning low, so I bid you good luck, Protector, and farewell.”

Red nodded. “Thanks. I hope… I hope you’re happy.”

She beamed, then vanished. And a second later… the wallexploded.

“Ah!”

I dived for the ground just like everyone else, but therewas really no need – the wall had burst outward. I lifted my face and feltsudden heat, realizing with a jolt that the lava was right behind us.

“Hurry!” Red leaped through the opening first, and I ranafter him. We were suddenly in a wide corridor, and a cold wind swept across myface. Fresh air!

“That way!” Blue shouted, probably sensing the air. To theright was an opening, leading out to freedom. My heart fluttered inanticipation.

Finally, I’m going tobe free!

No one spoke – we all just sprinted for the exit like ourlives depended on it. (Which they did.)

A gigantic smile tugged back the corners of my mouth. Only a little bit more now. “We’realmost there!”

But of course, I’d spoken too soon.

A gigantic section of the floor caved in with a BOOM thatshook the entire cavern, bringing a scream to my lips and revealing a gigantichole in the ground that Lucas and I almost toppled into.

I stumbled back, coughing from the dust. Shock filled everycorner of my brain, before horror and disappointment sank in.

No.

But we were so close…!

No, no, no, no…

“Lucas!” I shouted, hoping he was okay. “Lucas?”

“Right here,” he answered gruffly, then muttered somethingcrude under his breath. “Did the others make it?”

“Lucas?! Violet!”

Blue waved from the other side of the gap, looking worried.“Are you okay?!”

“Y-Yeah! But…” I bit my lip, staring at the chasm. Thegigantic chasm we couldn’t possibly cross without dying. “The ground…”

Lucas appeared next to me. He took a long look at the gap,then up at the ceiling. Something in his face changed, and suddenly, my heartwas in my mouth.

“L-Lucas?”

He looked at me, biting his lip. “Hey, Vi?”

“What?” I managed to get out through the dread. “Lucas, y-you’renot going to…”

Suddenly, his arms were under me, and he was lifting me up.I stared at him, eyes wide, suddenly realizing what he was going to do.

“B-But… What about… What about…”

“You’re a member of the Seven, Violet. You’re powerfulbeyond anything Mask could ever throw at you.” He smiled, a rare Lucas smile.“Promise me you won’t forget that.”

“Lucas, you’re not going to… What about… You can’t…”

“Promise me, Vi.”

My voice cracked. “You’re not going to leave me, are you?Don’t leave me, Lucas. Please…”

His smile grew wider, but it was sad, now, too. “Promise me.”

I couldn’t understand this. “Lucas… Why…”

He didn’t respond, and I knew what was going to happen next,no matter how much I wanted to stop it. My heart clenched, wanting to fightagainst everything, but there was noother way.

I swallowed, eyes filling with tears. “I promise.”

He nodded once, eyes warm, then leaned back. “You’re a greatkid, Vi. Give ‘em what for. Destroy every last baddie you see for me, okay?”

And, before I could respond, he hurled me across the chasmwith every last bit of strength he had.

I slammed into Red, who yelped, but I was already scramblingto my feet, suddenly desperate to drag Lucasover here any way I could. But by the time I shoved my hair and cloak out of myface and shouted his name…

He was gone.