#16: The Prophecy

With the Army gathered, we set off for the Siberian Plateau to start the epic battle for the end. Though before we could exit our base, a giant bear went barreling through the door and began rampaging around the base.

“Whoa!” I shouted as it overtook Hannah, possibly killing her — though not really.

The sound of my voice attracted the bears attention. It’s large had snapped toward me and I realized with shock that the bear was wearing large round glasses, magnifying its eyes and a bug-like way. Suddenly, it stopped its rampage, sat down, and continued to stare at me inquisitively.

“Link — turn into a wolf and talk to it,” I commanded.

Link did so and Midna quickly reported that the bear had a prophecy for us.

Apollo was highly offended. “I’m the one that gives prophecies! She is no Oracle of Delphi!”

“All right, whatever,” I said. Slowly, I approached the bear.

Suddenly, the bear's eyes turned green and it started spewing green smoke. A hoarse, raspy voice spoke:

“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord Praying Mantis Baby approaches… Born as the ninth month dies… And the Dark Lord Praying Mantis Baby will mark her as his equal, but she will have power the Dark Lord Praying Mantis Baby knows not… And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…”

With that, the smoke dissipated and the bear collapsed.

The room had suddenly gone cold — and not just because Global Cooling hit. Everyone was staring at me, their expressions a mixture of revulsion, awe, and confusion.

Fed up, I threw my hands up in the air. “We don’t have time for this. The bear said what it was going to say. Let’s just go. The longer we wait, the less likely Brandon is still alive.”

The ticking clock forced everyone to agree.

And so, the Anti-Praying Mantis Baby Squad, Team Avatar one and two, the Assassin Brotherhood, the Jedi’s, Thunder Orca, Link, the Fire Nation, and the Olympian gods set off for the Siberian Plateau. This time there’d be no traps, no gimmicks, no pranks, and no escape. Only fighting and an end.

Although there were only 300 of us in all, we took up a large amount of space. We marched into a large gorge in the landscape where there only two entries. We set up her barracks and barriers, and began calling the praying mantis babies to us. They could smell the opportunity for a fight and were eager for blood and gore. From the other entrance of the gorge swarmed thousands upon thousands of praying mantis babies, the sound of their scuffling pincer-like legs filled our ears like the droning of cicadas in the summer. Once our armies were about thirty yards apart, they stopped. Gizmo, The Praying Mantis Baby, Mrs. Stone, and a newcomer stood out in front.

“Who are you?” Hannah demanded of the newcomer.

“I am Anne of the Brotherhood,” spoke a voice insider heads. From what I could tell, her lips had not moved.

“Telepathy,” Mitch hissed. “She’s a mutant.”

“Correct, Jedi.”

“All right — so they got a new team member. Woop-de-doo,” I grumbled impatiently. Thoughts of the poison and the prophecy echoed through my mind. “Let’s end this quickly!”

My fellow Squad members nodded.

Yelling our battle cries, our armies rushed forward like two great tsunami waves crashing against each other. A resounding din range through the gorge as weapons met exoskeletons and pincers met flesh.

I saw Gizmo trying to slip away in the chaos.

“Gizmo is mine!” I called to my fellow Squad members fighting beside me.

None of them argued.

I broke free from the mass of praying mantis babies and sprinted after Gizmo, burning away any baby in my way. Within a few seconds, I caught up to her, grabbed her arm, and judo-flipped her flat on the ground. I pressed my knee on her chest.

“Where’s the antidote!” I demanded.

“I — I had it!” She stammered as she struggled for breath. “I don’t have it with me!”

“What!” I growled in outrage.

“You have to let me live if you ever want it!”

I ground my teeth together, apoplectic with rage. “Fine!” I roared. I grabbed a fistful of her shirt and heaved her toward my army. “I’m taking you as a prisoner of war!”