10 A Dark Spell

CHAPTER 10 A DARK SPELL Thorn's laugh echoed around the wood. "Nothing can stop me now that I have Blaze by my side! Perodia will soon be mine." Tag couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Is Blaze one of Thorn's spies now?" he asked. Skyla shook her head. She was speechless. Blaze stood still, in the center of Valor Wood.

"Give me the Ember Stone," Thorn ordered Blaze. Blaze pointed at Tag. "The small owl has it," she said. "SPIES! Get the stone!" Thorn yelled. Thorn's spies moved in: crag beetles, prickle ants, wolves, and ice leopards. Tiger bats circled above. The Owls of Valor flew forward to fight to protect Tag and the stone. Hundreds of creatures appeared from Valor Wood and beyond.

Grey led his army into battle. "Attack!" King Nidus shouted as the nixies joined the fight. Tag turned to Skyla. "Blaze is under Thorn's dark spell," he said. "We have to help her." "But Blaze works for Thorn now," Skyla said. "She might hurt us." "Blaze would never hurt us. She is our friend," Tag replied. He stepped forward. "Blaze!"

The orange-eyed firehawk looked at Tag. Her face was blank. Thorn put a wing around Blaze. "Show that little owl and squirrel how powerful you really are," he said. Blaze's feathers began to glow Brighter and brighter until... WHAM! A fire bolt shot toward Tag and Skyla. They dived out of the way. Suddenly, Grey landed between Blaze and Thorn. Thorn threw a bolt of lightning at Grey.

The lightning zoomed through the air, but Grey knocked it away with his sword. The sound cracked through the forest like thunder. Thorn snarled. But before he could attack again, Grey shot his own magic at Thorn. The vulture was knocked to the ground. Both powerful creatures were fighting with all their strength, using magic Tag had never seen before. They moved quickly as they fought, deeper into the forest.

Blaze stood alone, watching the fight. "We need to break Thorn's spell," Tag said. "We need to somehow remind Blaze she is good." Skyla pulled out her slingshot. "We need to get closer to her," she said. "We'll have to fight our way past Thorn's spies," Tag replied. Skyla grinned. "Follow me." Skyla climbed up a tree and leaped from branch to branch. Tag followed, swooping through the trees until they were above Blaze. "Blaze!" Skyla called. Blaze seemed to be in some sort of trance. Skyla tossed one of her acorns. It hit Blaze on the head, and she looked up angrily.