@Evergreen, no prob! Leafpool, you live!

Kate, Joy, Leafpool, Joey, Zoey, and September were running full speed down the mountain, chasing the Griffin, who was getting smaller and smaller in the sky. It was hard as they could, tripping and stumbling through the woods.

"Come on guys, try to keep up with it as far as we can!" Kate shouted at the others.

"We can't keep up with it much longer, it's almost out of sight and I can barely keep track of it through the trees!" Shouted Leafpool in frustration.

"Okay,everyone stop, now!" Zoey called out. Everyone halted where they were. "Joy, you run back to the hotel and alert everyone of what's happening. The rest of them kept going, now only able to use the rapidly fading black speck that was the griffin.

"Whoa guys, hold on, look at the griffin!" Said Kate in shock. Everyone paused to look back up at the tiny griffin. It flew in circles for a few seconds, then it started gaining altitude. It soon disappeared behind some mountains. "Okay, it went behind that mountain with the strange, bent looking peak. Remember what it looks like."

"Okay, now let's go!" Said Zoey. Everyone started running in the direction of the peak.

Finally after what seemed ages, weak, out of breath, and gasping, the girls reached the base of the mountain the griffin had disappeared on. Carefully, they began the difficult climb up the steep, tree covered slopes. It felt like they were on a different planet. There was no civilization to be seen, only miles upon miles of multicolored forests.

"Okay, let's strategize. What on earth are we going to do once we get up there? It's a small group of people against a griffin." Said Kate, stopping at the base.

"We,re Americans!" We don't plan, we do! CHAAARR-" September got ready to run up the slope, but Leafpool pulled her back.

"How about this, I will cause a distraction, while you guys get Evergreen...or whatever's left of her." Said Kate.

After a bit of discussion, the plan was agreed to. But instead of Kate going alone as bait, Kate would be accompanied by September, while Leafpool liberated Evergreen. Hopefully the reinforcements from the hotel would arrive before the griffin realized its snack had been stolen, or worse yet, it found the rescue party. So September and Kate were off. Once her two friends were out of sight, Leafpool began to make her way up the slope towards where she hoped the griffin had stached away Evergreen.

Making it to the top of the small mountain, she realized that the oddly shaped peak that they had seen earlier, was in fact, not simply an eroded section of the peak, but a cave. Leafpool hid behind a tree and watched the cave. Now she just had to wait for the diversion. Leafpool took a moment and looked up into the setting sun. Halloween night is finally here. Leafpool thought to hersel. As she gazed into the multicolored sky, all of a sudden, Leafpool heard a loud screeching sound from the forest. After a short pause, it came again. Leafpool recognized it as Kate.

Just then, another screech sounded off, except this time from the sound came from inside the cave. The griffin walked out of the entrance, looked around at its surroundings, then lifted off the ground and took off into the air to search for the source of the sound. She watched the griffin fly around a minute, until it flew out of sight around a nearby mountain. Leafpool was about to dash for the cave entrance, but it was flying. And while Leafpool couldn't make out what it looked like it was sitting on something. It then struck Leafpool. The object the figure was riding was a broom. It was a witch. What on earth? Leafpool leaned a little farther out from her tree, and as she watched, the witch flew closer and closer. Finally Leafpool realized that she was headed for the same mountain that they were on.

The witch, face obscured by a hood, landed right next to the cave. She climbed off, then carrying her broom, walked inside the cave. Leafpool hesitated a moment, then came out of her hiding spot and walked inside the cave. Leafpool hesitated a moment, then came out of her hiding spot and walked inside the cave after the witch. She walked through the dark entrance, walked ten feet, and then the passage turned. Leafpool cautiously poked her head around the corner. She gasped, quickly clapping her hand over her mouth to keep herself quiet. The cave widened out, making a twenty foot ceiling above, a good one hundred square feet of walking room. Torches were set to the side of the walls, lining the rim of the cavern and giving off plenty of light. There was a table, a few chairs, and what looked like a cauldron and some shelves of ingredients sitting around on make shift shelves.

"I quite like your outfit. Looks most becoming. But i didn't think dark majic and that stuff was your kind of thing, Jarnen.

Jarnen laughed darkly. "I didn't either. But the more I spend time at this place the more I like it. Funny thing. First night at the hotel, I'm wondering around looking for something to read among the ten thousand books in the library. Low and behold, one of the books was one of the phantom's spellbooks. There was one particular spell that was meant to be used by a non-magical person, like myself, and grants me the powers of a full-blooded witch. So I thought to myself, what an opportunity! But that wasn't all. There was a story written on the page after the spell. A fascinating tale it was too. It told all about a temple. A temple that created so much magic that oneeven of petty majic could weave magnificant spells. The same temple that the phantom told us about this morning. But, what he didn't tell you is that many years ago, a great sorcerer named Gregory Tillandal battled four other mighty wizards at this very sight. He was once allied with them, together, they were going to use the temple to summon an army, and together they would conquer and rule the earth together. But Tillandal's conscience wouldn't allow him to go through with his plan, so he tricked his former comrades into conveaning inside the temple. When they were all there, Tillandal cast a spell. Having it amplified by the temple's majic on the night of Hallow's Eve, he managed to trap all four of them in an outer dimensional prison. The only way they can be released is to send four others in their place. If that is done, they are majically bound to you forever until death."

"So you faked the deaths of four other guests. You're trying to free the four wizards."

"Yes indeed I am, and before us now lies the doorway. Here is Tillandal's crest." Jarnen gestured to the tree looking symbol carved into the wall. "The oak tree."

"So how do you get to the temple? We're on the top of a small mountain. There isn't any temple around here."

Jarnen laughed. "You fool, the mountain IS the temple. The civilization that built this temple died off ages ago and has long since been forgotten to the rest of society. But it was rediscovered by Tillandal and his comrades, that was, until Tallandal imprisoned them. He then wrote the same riddle that you used to find this place in the first place. He then placed powereful enchantments over the temple, shrouding it from all eyes but to the most powerful enchanter.He made it appear to be a mountain. However, I managed to work my way around the enchantments. But then, unfortunately, you managed to follow my griffin back to this place. No matter. You can witness my rise to power. I will deal with you shortly." She raised one hand into the air, palm facing the carved oak symbol on the wall. She muttered a few words under her breath, and all at once, the wall crumbled away, revealing a flight of steps, going upwards into the mountain. Jarnen walked through the hole and onto the staircase.Leafpool took in her breath. Jarnen smirked. "As the mountain is an illusion, as is the height of the temple. The temple continues upwards, far higher than it appears, but one is only able to access it through this way." Jarnen snapped her fingers, and suddenly, ropes appeared out of thin air, binding her hands. "That will hopefully stop any ideas of disturbing my plans. Now come along, and don't try anything." She then waved her hand over her shoulder, and the four bound, unconscious girls on the floor magically rose into the air and drifted after Jarnen as she and Leafpool began to walk up the stairs.

Leafpool glanced over her shoulder nervously. Hoping her friends would come soon. Where are you guys? She thought to herself. Now all she could do was hope that her friends brought reinforcements in time.

I'm sorry this has taken me so long guys, I was in DC all week and i was having computer problems XD I'm done with hte story but it ,istakenly got deleted, now I'm having to rewrite it from Word. I'll post it tomorrow.

TOP

Part 2, almost there guys!

The staircase went up for what seemed like a hundred steps through a pitch-black tunnel surrounded on both sides of her by solid rock. Finally, they came to an arch that came out onto the very top of the temple. She gasped. They were no longer standing on a tree covered mountain, but on the very top of a gigantic pyramid, like the ones the Aztecs might have built. They were twice as high as the illusion of the mountain had appeared. They were standing on the flat part of the pyramid, at the top. It was about forty feet in size, allowing for a good bit of walking room. But what sat in the center of the top was the true crowning glory. There was a huge stone vase, at least four feet tall, ornately painted and sculpted. Even though being completely exposed to the weather and elements, the urn looked like it had just been completed.

"The wizard's prison." Said Jarnen, gesturing towards the vase. "Now, my quest will be as good as complete when I release the wizards. Watch carefully Leafpool, you shall be the only one to witness my rise to power."

Leafpool's mind was racing. She had to stop Jarnen, but how? She couldn't overpower her. But...she might could outsmart her. Jarnen raised her hands into the air over the vase, beginning to talk in a strange, Welsh sounding language. To Leafpool's horror, the vase started glowing. Thinking fast, Leafpool ran at Jarnen kicking her in the crook of her knees. Jarnen gave a shout of anger as she went down. Having stopped Jarnen from completing her spell, but unsure of what else to do, she ran over to the vase, intending to kick it over and hopefully break it, (although she wasn't sure what would happen, she was out of ideas) but when she thrust her leg out at the vase, she felt a hard shock run through her body, and some invisible force field blew her backwards off her feet. Jaranen cackled. 

"Clever Leafpool, clever. But Tillandal put a protection spell over the vase so nothing can even touch it." She snapped her fingers again, and more ropes appeared and tied themselves around Leafpool's legs, pinning her down. Leafpool angrily struggled against the cords, trying to get free as Jarnen casually walked towards the vase. She raised her hands again, speaking the same words that she had before. Once again the vase started glowing. Leafpool coudn't watch. She turned her face away, but almost the instant after she had done so, Jarnen let out a roar.

"SERIOUSLY? WHAT NOW?" She shouted angrily. Leafpool looked up and let out a whoop of joy Right next to the temple, just above the trees were at least twenty five dragons. Each held two or three hotel guests, some held goblins or ghosts, and the dragon in the lead held the Phantom. His dragon's mouth was just shutting, and smoke drifted out of his nostrils. Leafpool looked over at Jarnen, who was laying on her back, a large black, charred circle right near her. It was obvious that she had just had to jump out of the way of a fireball thrown by the Phantom's dragon.

Leafpool started shouting with excitement, Jarnen was clearly outnumbered. But before anyone could react, she jumped back to her feet, and shouted a short, incoherent spell. Suddenly, the forest below was alive with all screeches, howls, and roars imaginable. Suddenly, all the trees within a hundred yard radius erupted into purple flame, Leafpool shut her eyes from the unexpected light. When the light dimmed, Leafpool opened her eyes and looked. The trees had completely vanished, leaving only small, circular charred spaces where the tree had formerly been. Out of the forests surrounding the treeless ring, very strange creatures were emerging from the woods. Werewolves, vampires, ghouls, a few wood sprites, and one or two trolls came lumbering out.

"ATTACK MY MINIONS!" Jarnen screamed. The vampires, which looked like huge, demon-like bats spread there wings and flew into the air with a screech. The Phantom shouted something too, but Leafpool couldn't hear above the ruckus made by the vampires. Ten dragons, excluding the Phantom, flew to intercept the vampires. The rest though quickly flew to the ground. The Phantom though, flew straight at the top of the temple. Jarnen growled, winding up like a pitcher. She then did a throwing motion and a fireball burst out of her hand. Just then, the Phantom stood up on his dragon and jumped off, the dragon flew at a sharp angle downwards, dodging the fireball, and the Phantom landed right near Jarnen and Leafpool on the temple. Jarnen grinned at the Phantom.

"Got you." She said. Suddenly, magical ropes like the ones holding Leafpool appeared and bound the Phantom. Except they kept wrapping around and around him until he looked like a mummy. With a muffled complaint, the Phantom fell over. Jarnen raised her hands over the vase for a third time, this time speaking very rapidly. Leafpool heard the Phantom give one last, muffled shout, then suddenly the ropes binding him burst into purple flame. When it died down, the ropes were gone and the Phantom was standing on his feet.

"You're too late Phantom! You have lost!" Jarnen shouted gleefully. The vase, now glowing brighter than ever, all of a sudden gave a loud pop and the lid on the vase opened. Leafpool gasped at what she saw. Willow, Evergreen, Tahki, and Starseeker, who had previously been laying unconcious next to Leafpool were gone, and the vase was once again shut tightly. Before her stood four, tall bearded men in long flowing robes. The wizards had been freed. The Phantom snapped his fingers, and the ropes fell off of Leafpool. She stood shakily to her feet, staring at the four wizards standing before her.

"Who had released us from our prison?" One of the wizards growle in a low voice.

"I have, I am the one who freed you!" Jarnen spoke up. "Now bow to your new master!"

"Foolish child, we bow to no one." Snarled one of the other wizards. He raised his hand and gave it a flick. With a yelp, Jarnen was hurled backwards by an invisible force. The wizard turned to Leafpool and the Phantom.

"And who are you two? Are you the young wizards servants? Did you aid in freeing us?" He asked looking at Leafpool and the Phantom up and down.

"Nooot exactly." Said the Phantom. Before the wizards could react, the Phantom made a pushing motion with his arms. "Giglantris!" He shouted. A force field of green energy fired out of the Phantom's hands, blasting the wizards backwards. "Leafpool, go and help your friends. Here..." He reached into his cloak and produced a small, carved stick.

"A wand?" Leafpool breathed.

"Yes, your friends have similar ones. They're meant for non-magical humans. Do you happen to know any spells, by chance?"

"Um...abra kadabra?" 

The Phantom beamed. "The animal morphing spell! Very good! That's a most useful combat spell. Okay, take this." The Phantom went over to the vase that now held Willow, Tahki, Evergreen, and Starseeker. The Phantom spoke a short spell, then there was a blue glow around the vase. Then it stopped. The Phantom picked the vase up. "I just removed the protection spell. Take the vase down off of here and onto the battlefield beneath us. That will coax the wizards to follow. You and I alone cannot defeat them, but if we have all of our other friends helping, we may stand a better chance. So I'll keep them occupied until you have made it to the bottom. Then on my signal, which will be bird sounds, I want everyone to begin concentrating their spells on the wizards. Spread the word. Ready?" 

"Ready." 

Oh my... it's quite awkward when the boy you're kinda sorta dating fakes your death and locks you up in a jar.

Wait... so Tahki, you're NOT a ghost anymore?

No... we're both alive-ish! How wonderful it is! I can feel the breeze on my face!

You're in a jar, Evergreen.

Maybe the jar doesn't have a lid? And EEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I love this story!

Oh my... it's quite awkward when the boy you're kinda sorta dating fakes your death and locks you up in a jar.

Wait... so Tahki, you're NOT a ghost anymore?

No... we're both alive-ish! How wonderful it is! I can feel the breeze on my face!

You're in a jar, Evergreen.

Maybe the jar doesn't have a lid? And EEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I love this story!

"Ready." Leafpool ran back to the stair case and began to descend. She heard the shouts of the wizards and the Phantom as they went again into combat with each other. Finally she made it back to the cave where the adventure had begun, but she stopped dead in her tracks. A werewolf was blocking the entrance to the exit. He had obviously waited on her. The brute began to walk towards her, his eyes crazed and mouth foaming. Before she knew what she was doing, Leafpool raised her wand and shouted, "Abra Kadabra!" The wolf's eyes widened, then all at once, there was a loud pop, and there where the beast was a moment before, was a small gray rabbit. It looked up at her with big, scared eyes, then it turned and ran as fast as its legs would carry it through the tunnel and out of the cave.

"YES!" Leafpool shouted with excitement. Before long, she had made it out of the cave and into the treeless circle beneath. It was a war zone. Spells cast by the guests flew every which way, and monsters and ghosts on both sides were locked in combat. Leafpool joined the fray, and fighting her way through the crowd, found Elementgirl. She quickly told her the Phantom's plan.

"Okay, let's spread the word! Good to see you alive, by the way! Elementgirl said. Leafpool laughed.

"Same here!" She responded. She began running through the crowd, finding other guests, and along the way turning the occasional unlucky moster into a rabbit. She saw Cilantro cast a spell, turning a huge troll into a very ugly looking flower; she saw Zoey cast one, setting a hobgoblin's pants on fire. Cockleburr somehow had cast a spell at a vampire, and the poor creature couldn't stop slapping itself. She saw Mudge riding on top of a werewolf, whacking the thing in the head with her wand. Every time she passed someone, she would relay the instructions. Finally, everyone had been informed. Suddenly, she felt something grab her shoulder. She let out a scream, spun around, and was about to turn whatever it was into a rabbit, when she saw the terrified face of Bookworm looking at her.

"Oops! I'm so sorry!" Bookworm relaxed.

"No prob." Bookworm casually flicked her want over her shoulder and a tree sprite that had been about to sneak up behind her was all of a sudden attacked out of nowhere by a swarm of bees. "The monsters ae starting to retreat. Should we pursue or wait?"

"Wait. The Phantom should give us the signal any min-"

"OH MY GOSH, LOOK!" Bookworm yelled, pointing behind Leafpool, towards the temple. Leafpool spun around to see. The Phantom was runnig as fast as his legs would carry him away out of the entrance of the cave to the temple and down the mountain, bright flashes of energy flying over his head. Suddenly, the four wizards appeared from the cave, chasing him.

"BIRD SOUNDS, BIRD SOUNDS! Oh for crying out loud, BIIRD SOOOUNDS!!!" The Phantom was screaming at the top of his lungs, charging down the slope of the mountain to where Leafpool and the others were.

"All right guys, fire your spells NOW!" Bookworm hollered. All of the guests raised their wands and spoke spells simultaneuosly. Bright flashes of light flew through the air. The wizards blocked the first volley of cast spells, and the three did the second volley too, but one of them was hit. Leafpool saw him as his arms and legs snapped together and stayed stiff as though he had been paralyzed. He fell from the air and smashed onto the ground The other three scattered and blasted their way into the crowd of monsters and guests. Leafpool selected one of the wizards and ran at him along with Kitten, Sopranotwo, Kate-the-great, Mudge, Elementgirl, and Lilycat.

The wizard stood to his feet and let loose a blast of blue energy from his hand. Lilycat waved her wand, creating a force field, blocking the spell. Mudge let loose a bolt of red energy, but the wizard blocked it. Next, Elementgirl and Sopranotwo both cast spells simultaneously. Elementgirl fired off another bolt of red energy, which was wizard blocked, but was caught off guard, while Sopranotwo's spell was a powerful energy shockwave like the one The Phantom had used. This one knocked the wizard off his feet. Kate gave her wand a wave, causing the same magic ropes that had bound Willow, Tahki, and the others sprung around the wizard's hands and feet. The wizard fell to the ground. Finally, Kitten waved her wand and shouted "ikant moovikus!" and the wizard's body was paralyzed like his friend's had been. For the final touch, Leafpool waved her wand over his pathetically helpless form and said, "Abra Kadabra!" Lilycat bent down and picked up the confused looking rabbit that took the wizard's place.

They looked around, the battle was over everywhere else. Suddenly, there was a collective explosion of clapping and cheering. Lilycat walked over to where the other three wizards now lay tied and disabled. She gave the rabbit a good shake, making it disoriented, then hurled it over next to the other three wizards.

Leafpool took the vase, which she was still holding onto tightly, over and set it on the ground in front of the wizards. The Phantom walked over, laughing. Behind him, two goblins were walking, dragging a dazed, tied up Jarnen between them. They dropped Jarnen onto the ground.

He turned to face the crowd of guests. "MY FRIENDS, WE HAVE WON!" He shouted. A roar went up from the guests and staff. "Now, let's free our dear friends from their imprisonment, shall we?" The Phantom held his hands up and began to speak. For the last time, the vase glowed brighter and brighter, until there was a loud pop. The four wizards were nowhere to be seen, back in the vase where they belonged. In their place, Willow, Starseeder, Tahki, and Evergreen lay. They sat up and rubbed their eyes, as if they had been asleep.

"Oh, am I awake? Darn, I as having a lovely dream about lasagna..." Said Willow. Everyone burst into laughter and applause. Cocleburr and Joy walked over and helped Willow stand up.

"Now I think we should all go back to the castle and celebrate Halloween night, can I get a second on that? Our friends are safe and unharmed, as are we! AND WE WON!" He was answered by the loudest roar yet heard.

************

The Phantom stood on the lawn in front of the castle, watching the last taxicab holding the last guests fly away into the night. The party had been amazing, everyone had a good time, and they even managed to get one last dragon race in. This time, no huge mutant dragon interrupted them. This time, it was Elementgirl that managed to pull off the win. All in all, it was a great slam bang wrap up. The Phantom stood next to one of his ghost staff members, watching the taxi disappear into the darkness.

"Well, that was one of the most successful Halloween stays we've ever had. I mean, aside from the whole take over the world thing." The ghost said with a chuckle.

"I couldn't agree more. I was able to wipe Jarnen's memory of the events though, so she can go back to living her normal life. She had become enchanted by the book's magic a bit too much." Said The Phantom. "I for one am sad to see everyone leave. It was most fun."

"I second that one. Tell you what, why don't we go back inside. For some reason, I want myself some more of those good frog fritters crazy old Jimmy is always ranting about. They ran out of them at the party."

"You know, I've been craving those myself. You go on inside, I'll be there lickitty split."

"Okay boss." Said the ghost, floating back into the castle.

The Phantom looked up at the big, full moon and remembered all that had happened. Reaching up to his hood and pulling it off, Will chuckled to himself. "Happy Halloween." He said.

I had fun with this guys! Thanks so much for joining!       

Ack, sorry! Forgot to check this! And wow! It was amazing!

I'm ALIVEEEEE! And AWAKE! Woo-hoo!

I never died, or was stuffed in a jar!

Ditto to Cilantro!

Anyway, great Ski Lodge, Phantom! :)