09 The Underland

CHAPTER 9 THE UNDERLAND Tag walked down the stairs. He shivered. The air around him was damp and cold. Up ahead he could see the green glow of Grey's magical lantern. He followed the light until he found his friends and took the last step.

The new ground beneath his feet was wet and sticky. It felt like mud mixed with tiny stones. "Let's find Talia and get out of here," Skyla said with a shudder. The glow from the lantern was bright, but it was hard to see much around them. Blaze ruffled her feathers and they lit up, helping to light the way.

Tag was thankful for Blaze's magic. The flames from her wings were bright and warm, and he stayed close to her as they walked.

All around them, tree roots reached out of the ground, as if the trees were planted upside down. The roots looked like twisty, spiky claws trying to grab them. Strings of dead moss hung from the roots and dripped with oozing black liquid.

Tag shuddered. It reminded him of how the Shadowlands used to be. But the Underland was colder, darker, and much scarier. It's too quiet here, Tag thought. There didn't seem to be any signs of life. No birds, no animals, no bugs. Skyla moved closer to Tag on one side. Bod moved so close to him on the other side that they bumped wings. Tag could feel Bod's feathers shaking and hear his beak chattering. "It's okay to be scared," Tag told Bod. "I'm scared, too." Bod gave Tag a small smile. "I'm glad Blaze is with us," he said. "She is amazing."

Tag smiled. "She is," he said. "You and Skyla are, too," Bod admitted. "You saved Perodia when you defeated The Shadow." "We did it together, as a team," Tag said. "That's what being an Owl of Valor is all about." Suddenly, Blaze stopped walking. "I think we've been this way already," she said. Skyla groaned. "How can you tell? Everything looks the same here!" Tag sighed. How were they ever going to find Talia? "We should take a break," he told them.