Pain was everywhere, mostly in his chest area. It felt like ripples of fire were getting more intense with each breath he desperately kept taking in. Was he going to die? Here? No. He was too strong to die this easily. He would never be defeated so quickly or so easily like this! He had so much planed for his life! He will survive! He Will! Breathing in deep, he forced his body to move.
The pain surged like a thousand bolts of lightning. But he didn't care, he had to get up! Arms felt like twigs ready to snap, possibly could fall off at any given moment as well. Slowly, his face was off the ground. Glares of ice were shot at his opponent. He will never give up! Shifting his leg under him, groaning at the intense pain as weight came down on them. He will win this fight! Getting off the floor, panting like he ran 5 marathons, slouching from all the pain, but still able to stand, still able to fight, and he would fight. Many were counting on him. Raising his bright red boxing gloves to his face, he got ready to fight.
He wouldn't let this…this…MONSTER live anymore! It had already destroyed so much. So many lives lost. So many. And he would stop this. He had to! For everyone.
For her.
His opponent got into his fight stance, waiting from him to strike. He wouldn't keep him waiting. Pulling back his arm, ignoring the pain that shot through it, he swung, and…
"AND THE WINNER IS NIGHT SHIFT!"
Applauds erupted from the stands. Many started chanting the undead vampire's name. He humped, not exactly enjoying the attention, but waved back to the crowds to not seem rude. They roared even loader with excitement, waving back at their hero.
"Owwwwww. That's gonna hurt in the morning."
Night Shift turned his focus to the Seadog lying on the ground. He was a much bigger Seadog, bigger than a normal one. And his fur was black. Pretty tough too. It took many hard punches and dodging to take down this big dog. He had to admit, this Seadog had real potential.
"Ba! Get over it." Night Shift remarked, speaking in his Russian accent. "Man. I gotta say. You sure know how to hit!" The Seadog complied, getting up off the ground. "Where'd ya learn how to hit like that?"
"Constant practice." He crossed his arms, or what could be arms since all that there was was mist and fog. "But, I admit you did good." The Seadog smiled, holding out a boxing gloved hand. "The names Jar." "…Jar?" "Yeah, I know. Not anything special but my parents thought it okay."
"…then, uh, nice to meet you…Jar." He grabbed the hand in his own boxing glove and shook it, still giving Jar a wired look and unsure smile, which the Seadog didn't seem bothered by.
"Night Shift! Night Shift! Hey! Night Shift!"
Night Shift's ears perked up. Even with all the noise from the crowds, his ears could still pick up the sound of a familiar teammate calling him. Turning away from the Seadog, his eyes landed on the Meresquid heading to the ring, waving his arms in attempt to gain his attention.
Wash Buckler attempted to get to the ring without much trouble, but it was proving to be a hassle for him. Sighing in irritation, Night Shift teleported in front of the squid, startling him.
"You, have GOT to stop doing that!" Wash Buckler patted his chest, slowing his heart rate down.
Night Shift only rolled his eyes. Wash Buckler was so easy to spook. Even without trying, he would jump and sometimes even shriek, which he would always claim that it was a small yelp than a shriek, though no one believed him. As a result, he would always be a perfect target for pranks, namely most by a certain ice cat.
"Well what do you expect? A big warning sign?" Night Shift waved his gloves side to side, clearly not caring if Wash Buckler had a heart attack.
"No, I suppose not. Anyway, I called for a meeting on the Cloudbreak Islands defenses." Wash Buckler looked around the arena. "Is Freeze Blade with you?"
"No. I haven't seen him today."
Wash Buckler's eyes widen, staring at the vampire like he was crazy. Freeze Blade not seen by Night Shift? That couldn't be right! Freeze Blade could always be found if you found Night Shift. The ice cat always seemed to hang with the vampire, finding him fun, much to Night Shift's irritation. Whenever there was Night Shift, Freeze Blade was sure to be nearby. But for Night Shift to not see the cat a whole day? Something was defiantly wrong with this picture.
"What? What is with the look?"
"You haven't seen Freeze Blade at all?!"
Night Shift only shook his head, sighing as he pinched his nose, if he had one instead of a skeletal outlook of where the nose should be.
"Oh please. He's probably ice skating somewhere. You know he's all about the speed."
"But you haven't seen him all day!"
The vampire groaned as the Meresquid went into a full-blown panic attack. What did he ever do to deserve such an undead life as this?
Fortunately, Night Shift was right. Freeze Blade was indeed ice skating in the ice zone of the Cloudbreak Islands. Skating on the smooth ice surface, gaining speed, doing flips with years of skilled practice, making sharp turns without falling over. Skills like these would have taken years to perfect, but Freeze Blade had easily mastered everything. Snow and ice, cold, everything with the thrill of the rush. This is what he looked forward to each time each day. Nothing could take this away from him.
He whooped as his skies hit a snow mound, propelling him in the air a few feet before landing back down on the ground, laughing like a little kid. It felt great to be doing what he does best, ice skating with no worries. That and driving everyone over the edge. Eon, did he love to do that! It was just so fun to just push their buttons and see what made them tick. Especially giving Wash Buckler a good scare now and then. That little squeak he made when he got scared was hilarious!
His legs moved to an unheard rhythm, guiding them to the direction he wished, pushing them harder to go faster. Being an element of water had advantages in the freezing terrain. Crouching down for momentum, he jumped over a fallen log with ease. Too easy. He wanted a challenge. Something to really test his skills.
Then his eyes spotted it. A frozen mound of ice curving inward like a wave. Perfect! Thrusting his skies to the full limit, he raced to the mound, skating at the base before slowly moving upwards till he was skating right along the inside the frozen wave.
Speeding up, confident in what he was doing, spinning around, doing jumps and flips on tilted surface. Now this is what the doctor ordered! But he wasn't done yet! Freeze Blade could already see the end of the mound culling up with only a too small to squeeze through hole. Icicles were hanging and probing out, making it impossible to dodge even with the best of skills. But the ice cat smirked, forming an ice chakram in one hand, twisting his body to spin, and throw it at top speed.
It spun in the air, cutting through the icicles like it was metal, bursting through to the other side. Freeze Blade followed soon after, jumping in the air, twisting around with his arms close to his body. The thrill, the speed, the excitement, the awesomeness of the stunt. All thing he wanted in ice skating. All things he looked forward to.
The skies landed back down on the ground, spinning around and sending snow everywhere. Freeze Blade laughed, feeling more alive than ever.
Slowly, he came to a stop, still holding his sides laughing from the adrenaline rush and the thrill in the stunt.
"See? What I'd tell you. He's fine."
The laughing came to a stop, but the smile on his face grew.
"Night Shift!" The ice cat whirled around, spotting the vampire there with the SWAP Force leader who was sighing in relief. "Hey! Did you guys see that awesome move back there? Huh? Did ga? Did ga?" Freeze Blade kept asking as he skated over to them. Night Shift only sighed in complete irritation.
"Yes, yes. That move was fine Freeze Blade." Wash Buckler complied, relieved that the youngest member hadn't gotten himself into any trouble.
Yet.
"Fine? Fine?! It was more than fine! It was awesome!"
"Yes, yes, we get it! It was awesome."
Wash Buckler shot Night Shift a quick glare, but Freeze Blade didn't seemed fazed by his rude comment.
"I know! Hey who wants to beat I can do the whole thing again blind folded?"
"I do!"
"NO!" The squid garbed Freeze Blade, stopping him from taking off to do who knows what kind of damage. "There's a meeting, and you are a Skylander, so you have to be there mister!" Freeze Blade whined and complained, but it all fell deaf in the Meresquid's ears as he dragged, really dragged him along with Night Shift following after them, only to stop short and look back.
Nothing was there, only a frost covered land.
But Night Shift wasn't looking at the snow, his focus was more on the forest far back. Even without irises or pupils, his eyes did glow a tone brighter, narrowing. Something was watching them.
"Hey Night Shift come on! I'm already dragging Freeze Blade's rear here and I don't want to be dragging yours! …well, if you have a…Never mind! Just come on already!"
Night Shift lingered a bit longer. Whatever was watching them couldn't be any threat. If it was, it would have tried to attack them by now. Huffing, he followed after his teammates, with the feeling of being watched still lingering.