Chapter 6 - Hunters

Tara kept running, and didn't glance back. She wiped tears away with one hand, and held up her skirts with the other. The girl came to the entrance doors of the Opera Populair, and ran through them into the cool night air. She stood at the top of the front steps, panting and calming herself down. How would he toy with me like that? She thought to herself, Why would he think that I would believe such nonsense… Her thoughts were interrupted by a silent figure grabbing her arms from behind. At first, she thought it might be George, but the figure wrenched her arms painfully back, and whispered in a raspy voice,
"Hello there, missy!" She gasped, eyes widening. The man kneed her in the back, and she cried out in pain. He then kicked her forward, and she tumbled down the stairs, skirts twirling. With a grunt, she landed hard and rolled a few times. Every inch of her body hurt, and she painfully moved onto her side, facing the stairs. Tara propped herself up with one elbow, and fearfully looked up. There were three men, silhouetted by the light of the opera house behind them. The one in the middle, who Tara guessed to be to one who pushed her, started slowly down the stairs toward her. Terror gripped her heart like an icy claw as the man flashed out a dagger. The frightened girl was frozen, unable to move.
"Aww, too bad the poor little Trekkers will lose a precious little immortal! They'll have to wait another 500 long years!" the man with the knife jeered. Suddenly, Tara saw a streak of orange from the opera house window, and another figure rushed outside. The two men flanking the one with the knife both rushed the new arrival. The man kept running, and without losing speed, he leaped, planted his feet on one man's chest, and kicked, launching himself toward the other man. Without losing momentum, the air-born man landed on his hands and kicked up, both feet connecting with the other man's jaw. Both of his attackers were down. The man with the knife, who had been previously watching in horror, sprang quickly down the stairs toward Tara, weapon raised. She sat there, eyes wide and frozen to her spot, wondering if this was the end. The other man at the top of the stairs launched himself down with a roar, and a blinding light flashed. Tara dropped into a huddle, and covered her head with both arms. She heard something fly by her head and thud into the ground. The sound of bodies slamming together was heard, then a man grunted, and she heard a body hit the ground. The light dimmed away, and the girl laid there, eyes clenched tightly shut, trembling. A shadow was cast over her as a man kneeled down beside her. A gentle hand was placed on her shaking back.
"Are you alright, Tara?" the girl looked up. George's single green eye shone warmly down at her. The light from the Opera House behind him made his hair cast a radiant orange glow. His right eye was shut tight, and a deep thin slice sparkled crimson from his eyebrow to his cheek. Blood flowed steadily from the wound.
"George!" she cried, and flung herself on him. She grasped the front of his trenchcoat, and buried her head into his chest. Her body shook as her breath came out in raged sobs. George placed a gentle arm around her, and put his hand on her head.
"Shhhh, everything's okay now. I got you," he said, his voice soft and caring.
"I…I was so scared!" she sobbed into his chest, "I thought I was going to die! I couldn't move, or do anything to save myself! I feel…so weak…" Tears streamed down her face, and her brows furrowed into an angry scowl. "I…I'll always be weak! But I want to be strong…strong like you! B…but I believe you now, George, and I'm sorry for not believing you. None of this would've happened. Your eye…it's all my fault!" He rocked the sobbing girl back and forth.
"You don't have to apologize. It's a lot to take in all at once. And I didn't expect you to be a fighting warrior right off the bat," he told her reassuringly.
"But I don't want to be weak! I want to be strong!"
"You will be. But for right now, I'll protect you. I won't let anything hurt you." The red head slid his arm under her knees, and lifted her up. He carried her to the top of the stairs, and carefully set her down. George sat there with her. She still held onto him, and her sobs had died down. There was a grunt from behind them, and one of the fallen men got up. George held Tara closer to him. The man staggered, then launched toward them. He was abruptly stopped by a noose around his neck. He was jerked backward, then lifted up, gurgling. The man hung there twitching as a figure in black leaped from the roof, cape flowing. The person came over to George and Tara, and kneeled down by them.
"Is she alright?" the deep voice of the phantom asked. George nodded as Tara lifted her head from his chest.
"Eric!" she exclaimed. His deep blue eyes shone with concern. He ran his hand over her head, smoothing her hair down. He rested his hand on her cheek, and wiped away her tears. She reached up and held his warm gloved hand to her face, closing her eyes.
"What happened here?" the phantom asked, looking to George.
"Hunters tried to kill her. It was a… traumatizing experience for her." Eric nodded.
"I'm guessing you told her?"
"Yes," George said, then turned to Tara, "Which means you'll be leaving with me soon. I don't want to sound forceful, but we kinda need you." Tara nodded
"It's okay, I want to go. You have to show me all those worlds, right?" she said with a small smile. George gave a nod.
"Yeah," he said with a smile, then he looked at the phantom. "Hey, do either of you know of a back door of some kind that I can use? I don't want to alarm people with this injury."
"Yes," the phantom and Tara answered in unison. "Come with me. I'll show you a way in. and we'll get that cleaned up," Eric said. George nodded, and helped Tara up.
"Go inside and gather your things. Then find Bartholomew. He's coming with us," the trekker said. Tara nodded. The phantom led George around the Opera House, and Tara went inside. On the way to her room, she met up with Bartholomew.
"Hey! Where's George?" he asked, walking up to her.
"He's with the phantom. Some… hunters attacked us," she told him.
"Oh, so I'm guessing he told you?"
"Geez, that's the second time I've heard that. How many people are in on this?" Tara muttered. Bartholomew chuckled.
"Eh, just us. So are we leaving?" he asked.
"Yes. George told me to find you. Oh, wait! I believe there are a few Hunter bodies right outside the Opera House…"
"I got it covered," he said, and bounded off. Tara reached her room, and found a brown bag to put things in. she packed her possessions, which weren’t many. She slowly finished tucking in her blue performance dress, and took a last look around the room she had stayed in all her life. The girl slowly walked around the room, trailing her fingers across her vanity, the pale blue walls. She sighed, and her gaze rested on the picture that was on her vanity mirror. Tara walked over to it, and pulled it off. It was a picture of the phantom that she had taken of him a couple years ago. He looked about 15 in the photograph, and he had just looked up from his work when she snapped the picture. Tara smiled, remembering how he had flipped out after she took it. She tucked the picture inside her bag. She became alert as a single knock sounded on the door. The phantom slid inside, and Tara relaxed.
"Hey, Eric," she said. He nodded to her.
"So… you're leaving," Eric stated. Tara gave a nod.
"Yeah. They NEED me. I'm sorry. I'm really going to miss you," she told him. He sighed.
"I'll miss you, too." The phantom stepped forward, and pulled his friend into a hug. She went rigid for a second, not expecting it, but relaxed and returned the embrace. She started to let go, but Eric held her tighter.
"Hey now, Opera Ghost, don't get all teary-eyed on me," she said. He pulled back.
"What?! I'm not-" He stopped when he noticed she was chuckling. Eric rolled his eyes and smirked.
"Alright, George is waiting in the labyrinth. And don't forget your dagger," he said, pointing to her bed, where the silver weapon lay. Tara picked up the bag, and placed the dagger inside. She followed the phantom down the halls, and into a secret passageway. The pair traveled down winding stairs and damp halls, arriving by boat to the phantom's home. George stood with Bartholomew among the lit candles, his orange hair hanging loosely in front of his single sparkling green eye. A white bandage covered the other. The captain trekker stepped down to meet them as the phantom docked the boat.
"Are we ready?" George asked as he helped Tara out of the gondola. She gave a nod. The red head led them to Bartholomew, and nodded to him. The blonde pulled a scarf off of the object he was holding, to reveal a cream colored orb.
"Eric?" he said, holding the orb out to the phantom. He took it in his gloved hands, and held it out carefully. George placed his hand on the orb, and Bartholomew followed. They all closed their eyes, and the creamy orb started to glow. It seemed to emit a wind, tousling the hair and robes of the people standing around it. The orb started to rise out of their hands, and a bright light flashed from it. Tara shielded her eyes with her arm. The light went away. Lowering her arm, Tara gazed at an intricately carved wooden archway. The cream-colored orb rested in the center of the top of the arch, giving off a faint, creamy glow.
"Tara," George said softly, "This is a portal back to Dimension's Home."
"It's the place where all the other portals are, to all the other dimensions," Bartholomew added, "Past this gateway is our headquarters."
"And our home," George told her. Tara stared at the swirling lights of the portal.
"Home?" she said softly. Both Trekkers nodded.
"Are you ready?" George asked her. The girl looked back at the labyrinth, then to George.
"Yes," she told him. He gave a warm smile, his single eye sparkling.
"Great! Shall we?" he asked, holding out his hand. Tara nodded, and placed her hand in his. The Captain Trekker led her to the portal. He paused, and turned back toward the phantom.
"Thank you, Eric. You have helped us so much. You are now and ally of the Trekkers, and the guardian of this dimension. After we pass through this portal, the archway will fade and the orb will drop. Keep it safe. And if you ever need our help, hold the orb and call 'Trekada Dimenso', and we'll come as soon as possible." The phantom nodded, and George turned back toward the portal. "Farewell."
"Wait!" Tara pulled away from George and ran to the phantom. He looked at her, alarmed.
"What are you doing? You have to go with them!" he said.
"I know, but I almost forgot!" she reached behind her neck and unclasped a chain. She pulled her necklace off and clasped it back around the phantom's neck. It was a long silver chain with a small sapphire pendant.
"It was my mother's. Keep it safe for me!" The girl stood up on her toes and placed a kiss on the unmasked side of his face. She went back to the portal with George and Bartholomew, then turned and waved to her friend.
"See ya, Opera Ghost!" The phantom smiled, and raised his gloved hand in farewell.
"See ya, Dimension Trekker." The three Trekkers turned to the portal. Bartholomew went through first, and George took Tara's hand and followed after. As the girl passed through, she turned her head and watched the Phantom and the labyrinth fade into swirling lights.

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