The room, which is absolutely ginormous, is packed with Wasteland guards and what seems to be all of T-LOOT-D. Sasha's across the room, fending off three Wasteland guards while Vladimir slices his way through foe after foe. Blood is splattered across the ground, turning the room into a sea of red. Shouts echo off the walls as weapons clash in sharp rings. Sarah, the Click 2.0, and Rex stay close behind me. How has no one recognized me? I quickly recognize the Wasteland guard Jay is fighting as Blade. "Jay!" I cry, louder this time. He turns to me, and his jaw drops. Then he breaks into a run, forgetting his opponent. He's in front of me in an instant. I pull my brother in for a hug. My arms almost crush him as tears continue to leak from my eyes. "It's really you, Hawk. I-I can't believe it." Jay pulls back and smiles.

"Yeah, it is."

"I'm sorry I didn't get you sooner." He pulls me back in.

"It's alright."

"But I should've gotten here sooner. It was too long. I was so worried. I thought I'd lost you. Don't ever let this happen again."

"He's escaped! Hawk is on the loose!" A Wasteland guard bursts through the same door I'd gone through a few minutes before. I curse as I duck behind Jay. A dagger suddenly appears in my brother's hand. "Follow me, Hawk. We can't stay and fight- this was purely a rescue mission."

"Sounds good. Which way?"

"We're heading out... Who's behind you?"

"Oh, that's Sarah. The partially robotic dragon is one of Guthrie Harper's Click 2.0s. And that's Rex. He's my Blended form," I quickly add on to what I said when Jay gives me a quizzical look, "Long story- I'll tell you when we get back home."

"So are they coming with us?" His other question, one he didn't voice, is whether or not they could be trusted.

"Whaddaya think?" I turn to Sarah.

"Sure."

"You'll be kept under close watch, and we won't hesitate to terminate you." Jay fixes her with an icy glare. Terminate... Harsh, but I get it.

"Alright, then," Sarah says as she nods.

Jay slices through a Wasteland guard's throat, and pulls me into motion. Sarah and Rex run beside me as I chase after my brother. A hand wraps around my arm, yanking and whirling me around. It's followed by a punch to the side of my face. I stumble back, my head spinning as dizziness takes over. The next blow catches me in the stomach, causing me to hunch over and gasp for breath. The salty tang of rust fills my mouth when my opponent shoves me sprawling on my back. But then I wrap my foot around his leg, and send him falling to the ground. Before I can launch an attack of my own, Rex leaps onto the Wasteland guard and sinks his teeth into his throat. Blood flows freely from the wound, and he's gone. "Thanks, buddy." I run a hand through my hair as I sigh in relief.

We start off once more, sticking towards the side of the room. I can tell Jay wants to be going much faster, but I can't keep up- I'm just so tired. About half of the strength that was building up has been used up, and I'm not sure how much longer we have to go. Sarah and the Click 2.0 trail Rex, Jay, and I by a few feet. "Do you think she knows Raydowninese?" Jay asks.

"Sarah?"

"Yeah."

"Dunno." I look over my shoulder towards her.

"Googly eyes," Jay sings. I shoot him a death glare. Where'd he get that from?

"Not true. Googly eyes for Lily?" I smirk as Jay returns the death glare.

"Who's Lily?" Sarah asks as she quickens her pace to catch up. The Click 2.0 moves a little faster.

"She's a friend of ours," Jay replies slowly.

"So is she a member of The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils?"

"Not really the time to talk!" I duck under a swinging sword as I send another Wasteland guard to the ground. The Click 2.0 skitters back from the Wasteland guards, their breathing quickly getting faster and faster. A look of complete panic washes over them. There are so many of them. What if we can't escape? Hawk, listen to yourself- you're being unreasonable. Do you really think you won't get out of here? You've got Jay, who's your brother, Rex, Sarah, and the Click 2.0. What if Sarah isn't on our side, and the Click 2.0 goes back under the control of the Wasteland guards? You can only hope for the best then. I firmly believe you'll make it out of there- Rex and Jay are very determined. Yeah, but what if determination isn't enough? Just shut up, Hawk. You'll be fine, trust me.

Multiple times Wasteland guards surround us, and multiple times we fight them off. Rex's thick coat is matted with blood, dirt, and grime. The Click 2.0 sticks close by, jumping at every little thing. "Why is the Click 2.0 so jumpy?" Jay leans in close.

"Guthrie Harper. Aye, aye, aye!" I take a quick step back.

"How dare you speak his name!" A Wasteland guard has his sword pointed towards my heart.

"Who's? Guthrie Harpers?"

"Shut it."

"Lemme guess. You want to kill me, send me back into that cell, or what?"

"All of the above."

"How is that going to work?" Jay frowns. That's what you're focusing on, Jay? Jeez.

"You could put a body in a cell," I reply, taking the dagger Jay hands me.

"Why isn't he dead yet?" Sarah asks.

"Who? There are three of us," Jay asks as he turns around. I stay facing the Wasteland guard, who thankfully hasn't moved, but I wait for Sarah's reply.

"The Wasteland guard, of course! Who do you think I was talking about?"

After a quick fight against the Wasteland guard, we finally make it out of the room. It's obvious how relieved Jay is. "I can't believe it. You're really here, Hawk." I feel like he's said that a hundred times now.

"Yeah. I'm glad to be out of there."

"Where to now?" Sarah strolls up to us.

"Now, we're going to the Slash." Jay turns on his heel and almost stalks off. Why doesn't he like her? He's stressed and anxious and probably quite mad. Sarah's a nice person, though. What's her favourite color? Umm. You don't know her. For all you know she could be acting like a nice person. Fair point. You're right, I don't.

"Wait. This is the Slash?" Sarah exclaims once Jay leads us to the monstrous truck. The rust-colored paint is still peeling off in places.

"Hawk! You're here! It's so great to se- What the hell is that thing? Who are the others? Jay! Hawk! Turn around!" Vladimir leans out of the driver's window, and his voice raises to a shriek as he points to the Click 2.0. He begins to climb out the window, but stops when I hold up a hand.

"Calm down, Vladimir. It's alright. They won't hurt us," I shout back.

"You don't think they will?" Vladimir's voice is shrill.

"The dog is my Blended form. Long story. The dragon's a Click 2.0. Long story as well. That's Sarah. She's coming with us, but we're keeping an eye on her."

"Let's go. The Wasteland guards cannot be far behind." Jay pulls me towards the Slash. Rex climbs in behind me.

"So where's the Click 2.0 going to go? They can't exactly fit in here with us." Vladimir eyes the small back row of the truck.

"They can ride in the back?" I hadn't exactly thought this through.

"I'll help them," Sarah volunteers, and begins helping the Click 2.0 into the back of the Slash.

We start off, the Click 2.0 in the back, and the rest of us inside. A wake of sand sprays from the tires. Wasteland guards pour from Guthrie Harper's building, firing arrows. The Click 2.0. I curse. "The Click 2.0."

"What about them?" Jay frowns.

"Guthrie Harper made them, so he can take control of them!" Sarah answers for me, sitting forwards in her seat.

"That'll be an issue," Vladimir grumbles, tightening his grip on the wheel.

"Well, yeah it will! Why didn't you mention that to me earlier, Sarah?" Jay snarls as he turns around.

"I knew too. And sorry for not mentioning it. It wasn't as if I was trying to escape from a prison cell or anything. Maybe I had other things to think about." I glare at my brother, quickly losing my calm I had built so carefully.

"If the Click 2.0 gets taken over by Guthrie Harper, you know it'll go downhill from there."

"I know that. I'm not stupid," I growl. Rex echoes me from where he's sitting at my feet.

"Uh, guys. Minor issue," Sarah says, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

"Please don't tell me-." Jay is cut off.

"It's the-." Sarah is cut off by a bellowing roar. The Slash lurches, rocking violently from side to side as the Click 2.0 takes flight, only to land on the hood of the truck and force it to a skidding stop. The Click 2.0's eyes are that creepy blood orange. Their jaws part in another roar, but this time it's paired with them lashing out with a foreleg. Glass shatters in an explosion of light. I curl over to the window, protecting my face with my arms. Tiny shards cut painful lines across my skin. Jay recovers first, and he jumps into attack mode, drawing a dagger as he lunges towards the Click 2.0. I scramble to open the door and join in. "Stay in the car. We've got this," I tell Vladimir and Sarah. Rex races forwards, leaping up and latching onto the Click 2.0's foreleg before they can attack Jay. My brother claws his way up the partially robotic dragon's back. I let strength slowly flow into my muscles as I take several bounding steps before wrapping ahold of the Click 2.0's saddle. They strain against us, thrashing and crying out. "Watch out! The Wasteland guards are getting closer!" Vladimir cups his hands around his mouth as he leans partway out the window.

"Alright," I shout back, wrestling my way onto the Click 2.0's shoulders. Their head draws near with cracked teeth bared. I cough at their breath, and kick at their face. They snarl, snapping at my foot.

"Jay, hurry!" Vladimir yells.

"What about me and Rex?" I mumble as I climb onto their back, sitting perched on their saddle. Jay's a ways above me, hanging onto the Click 2.0's neck as he gets thrown around.

"Come on, Jay. Just a quick slice through the throat." I pause for a moment. Rex gets thrown to the ground with a blow to his shoulder. After laying stunned for a moment, he gets back to his paws and launches an attack on the Click 2.0, jumping from the dragon's bent hindquarter to their foreleg to their wing where he snaps his jaws shut, and bites through to the bone. The Click 2.0 howls in pain. For a split second, I feel a pain of guilt. We're going to kill them. They're going to kill us. It's kill or be killed. I still feel bad. They did nothing wrong- it's all Guthrie Harper's doing. The Click 2.0 lashes out, curling their head around to snap at Rex who's clawing his way towards their shoulder. "Jay..." My voice trails off when my brother nods. He takes a short, but deep, breath then drags his dagger across the Click 2.0's throat in a clean swipe. Blood immediately starts flowing from the wound, bubbling in a thick stream down their chest. The dragon stumbles back a few steps as they gasp for breath. Their legs give out, and they collapse. Rex and Jay come to a stop by my side as we watch their flank still and their eyes glaze over. They look relaxed and peaceful. That haunted look is gone. "Hawk. Let's go." Jay tugs on the sleeve of my shirt.

Less than a minute later, we're on our way once more. Vladimir floors the gas, and we speed off. I watch the Click 2.0's body. The Wasteland guards fire wave after wave of arrows at us, but most fall short, only a few make it within range of us. One embeds itself in the passenger door, nearly parallel with the Slash.  Sarah sticks her head out the window. "Get your head back inside unless you want to become decapitated," Jay snarls.

"Jeez, Jay. Ease up a bit, won't you? She's just looking outside." I clap my brother on the shoulder.

"Not my fault if she ends up headless," Jay mutters. Why is he acting so differently? He was so... So carefree and more laid back. I think he's been super stressed and worried since you, his brother, was gone, captured by Guthrie Harper. Wouldn't you be the same if he was captured? Yeah. I wouldn't've stopped until he was back.

Jay rolls down the window, reaches out his arm, and pulls the arrow out of the door. He rolls the window back up before examining the arrow. "Did Guthrie Harper do anything to it?" Vladimir keeps his gaze on the sandy, shifting landscape ahead of us, but spares a glance at the weapon.

"I don't think so." Jay squints at it.

"What are you looking at?" I lean forwards to get a better look at it.

"I'm trying to see if the arrow has anything on it. Guthrie Harper might've put something on it like a poison. Something that could give them an edge against us."

"Is there anything on it? It looks like just metal." I can't see anything on it.

"How many people are a part of The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils?" Sarah asks.

"What does that have to do with this arrow?" Jay grumbles, clearly annoyed with Sarah.

"You said that if there was something on the arrow, that it would give Guthrie Harper an edge against you."

"Some," Is all Jay says. He turns his attention back to the arrow. The truck falls silent.

"Was anyone else from T-LOOT-D here? Or was it just you two?" I ask after half an hour.

"No. We thought it would be better to have a smaller group. Fewer to draw attention." Vladimir glances at the rearview mirror.

"Alright." I lean my head against the window.

Raydowne slowly draws closer. "What town is that?"

"Raydowne," Jay replies without taking his gaze off the arrow.

"Raydowne... Huh. Is that where The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils is located?"

"Why else would we be headed there?" Jay snorts. Why is he being so rude to her? He doesn't trust her, and he's in a bit of a sour mood.

"So was that Guthrie Harper's little hideout I was in?" I change the subject.

"I'm not sure. I doubt he was really there." Sarah picks dirt out from under her nails.

"What's it called?"

"Capital City."

"It was one building."

"It's a stupid name."

"Couldn't agree more." Raydowne's a little bigger on the horizon, then, after another twenty or thirty minutes, it's only another quarter mile or so away.

"Ready to see home, Hawk?" Jay asks with a smile.

"You betcha."

Thank you for reading! Please vote and comment! I'd really appreciate it if you did! I hope you're enjoying Blend the Light! There are only a handful of chapters left, so this story is quickly drawing to an end.

How are things going to go now that Hawk has escaped Capital City?

What is Sarah up to? 

Is she working for Guthrie Harper, or is she on Hawk's side?

What are things like at T-LOOT-D?

Thank you again!

-Werewolf14-