Zann flinched as he heard the splash of Venna hitting the water.
But he didn't dare move, not even to look over the edge of the cliff. Morb was still nearby.
"Good riddance," Morb muttered. He snapped his fingers and zapped out of sight.
"Come on." Perda rushed to the edge. "Maybe there's time to save Venna!"
Zann ran over and looked down at the dark water.
Then he noticed Wyssa rubbing her fingers together.
He guessed she was about to zap away to find Morb.
"Wait!" He ran to her and grabbed her arm. "Please. You have to help Venna."
"You help her if you like," Wyssa said harshly. "I have more pressing business."
"But she was Morb's prisoner, right?" Darb put in.
"Maybe she can tell us more about his plans."
Now Wyssa looked much more interested. "Hmm," she said.
Suddenly everyone heard a splash from below.
Venna had popped to the surface of the water. She was slimy and breathless.
"Help!" she cried as she desperately treaded water.
"Hold on!" Perda called down to Venna.
She turned to Wyssa. "Hurry—before the gulper changes its mind."
Wyssa waved a hand. Venna levitated out of the gorge and landed beside the group, shaking and coughing.
"How did she escape from the gulper?" Gliss asked.
"Venna must still be under the Dousing spell," said Darb.
"Maybe the gulper spit her out when it realized she didn't have any magic."
"Are you under a Dousing spell, Venna?" Wyssa waved her hand again.
A buzz of magic energy surrounded Venna for a moment.
"Oh!" said Venna. "Did you . . . ?" She rubbed her hands together.
Instantly her clothes and hair were dry. "Thank you!" she cried.
"It feels so good to have magic again."
"I can't believe you're here!" Perda said. "How did you end up with Morb?"
Venna shuddered. "Morb," she spat, already seeming more like her old self.
"Where did he go? We must stop his evil plans!"
Zann stepped forward. "Do you know if he found my parents?
We heard he was looking for them."
"Nax and Asta?" Venna looked surprised. "No, as far as I know I was his only Magician prisoner.
Besides, I thought your parents disappeared years ago."
Zann's shoulders slumped. Had he reached another dead end in the search for his parents?
Wyssa leaned toward Venna. "You mentioned Morb's plans—did he tell you what he's trying to do?"
Venna nodded. "For the past couple of days, Morb has been searching for the Horn of the Otherworld."
"Huh?" Zann traded a look with his friends.
The Horn of the Otherworld was the relic Teplo had been holding right before the Cave of the Unknown collapsed.
"The Horn of the Otherworld?" Gliss frowned. "Why does Morb want that?"
Venna shrugged. "He wouldn't tell me. All I know is that the Horn wasn't where he expected to find it.
So he traced its magical essence, which led him to me."
"You?" Wyssa raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because I'd touched it recently." Venna grimaced.
"And because I was in a Doused state—that made it much easier for Morb to control me than someone like Tok or Teplo."
"I see," Zann said. "So Morb found you in the vortex?"
"Yes. I suppose I should be grateful." Venna grimaced again.
"If Morb hadn't grabbed me, I wouldn't have survived the vortex much longer without magic."
"I bet Morb wants to try to take over Magica again," Perda said.
"Maybe with another crazy contraption from the Old Times."
"I'm sure you're right." Venna sounded worried.
"I only wish I had access to the ancient texts so I could try to figure out what he has in mind."
"Did Morb feed you to the gulper because you wouldn't tell him where the Horn is?" Darb asked.
"Not exactly. I did resist for some time.
But Morb finally got impatient." Venna shuddered.
"He forced me to tell by using a Possession spell."
"That spell uses a lot of energy," Wyssa said.
"I know," Venna said. "I suppose that's why he didn't use it as soon as he grabbed me."
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "If we could find Morb now, he might be in a weakened state."
"It could be our best chance," Wyssa agreed.
"Where is the relic? We must reach it before he does."
Venna opened her mouth to answer. But at that moment, Perda let out a sharp cry.
Then she crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
"Perda!" Zann exclaimed, kneeling by her side.
"What's wrong with her?" Gliss sounded scared.
"Let me through." Wyssa pushed past the kids.
She touched Perda's face and then murmured a few words. "Awaken," she added, snapping her fingers.
Perda blinked and sat up. "Whoa," she mumbled. "That was weird!"
"What happened?" Zann asked.
Perda stared at him. "I saw them," she said.
"Your parents. I recognized them from the hologram we saw in the Cave."
"What?" Zann exclaimed. "What do you mean, you saw my parents?"
Perda shrugged. "It was a super strong vision—like a really vivid dream."
"But what caused it?" Gliss wondered. "None of the rest of us saw anything."
"I don't know." Then Perda's eyes widened.
"Wait, yes I do! I put my hand in my pocket and touched Zann's message stone.
See?" She pointed. "It fell there, on the ground. It must have caused the vision!"
"Let me try!" Zann grabbed the stone and was almost knocked off his feet by a strong vision of his parents.
He could see them more clearly than ever before.
They were standing in a dimly lit room.
A tiny Roodian woman was with them. All three of them looked terrified!