Book 1 of the Knight's title series.
Written By Adam Beauparlant.
CHAPTER 1
AnOffering.
A dark and foreboding castle looms over a mountain village of decrepit and death. Tragic Kingdom was a bleak and sinister fortress where there is murder, blackmail, and a ruler most diabolical. Inside this castle sits a man with very long lightning-blue hair, a white billowing garb, and yellow and blue eyes that would pierce your soul. He sat in his chair that was engraved with carvings of snakes in his shrine room. A star-like pendant he hung from his neck. Suddenly, the man heard a tap, tap, tap on his door.
"Ah, so you decided to come, Princess Azula."
A woman stepped from out of the shadows and into the room.
"You were not followed, I presume?" Said the man with a calm air in his tone. His voice was forceful, and yet rather charming at the same time. The woman named Azula nodded. She was in a red, warrior princess uniform. Her long, black hair was tied in a plait and was held in a gold clip with the fire nation insignia. She had a beautiful face, her lips were a ruby red, and her eyes a seething scarlet, just like her tempered ambition.
"What do you want?" Said Azula curtly.
"I have a proposition for you." Said the man, keeping his calm tone.
"I'm listening."
"You are the great princess Azula, daughter to the fire lord. I know you can inflict severe pain to your enemies without killing them. It has come to my attention that one of our enemy's powers is growing. We CANNOT allow this to occur. Bring the child to me, and I shall deal with the child personally."
"Why should I help you?"
"Because you wouldn't want to disappoint me, would you?"
The man's eyes shined. His pendant glowed. Azula's eyes turned an eerie red. And the star-shaped symbol burned on her forehead.
"Yes, master Dartz."Said Azula in a zombie-like tone.
"Good," said Dartz. He laughed a menacing laugh.
"Muhuhuhuhahahahaha! Then I believe it's time to reveal who your target is!!"
CHAPTER 2
Neji Hyuuga.
Neji Hyuuga lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was a fourteen year old boy who had a mysterious gift. Neji had the power of the Byakugan, or the power to see beyond the human eye. Well, that's no surprise because all Hyuga members had that power. Neji had long, brown hair, and he always wore this hat that had thin dog ends that billowed in front of him. He had bandaged tape on his entire right side of his body, his chest, his are, his leg, but not his face. He wore a beige, fighters Hyuuga battle jacket with whit stripes. He had blue sandals that always silenced his footsteps. And on his forehead, was a ninja's headband. It was a blue strip of fabric he tied to his forehead. And on the fabric was a thin slab of lightweight steel with a symbol of the village from where he came from, the leaf village. Neji's pure white eyes stared blankly into space. You would think he was blind, but he could see much better than most people.
His room was pretty normal. His bookshelves were cluttered with books, scrolls, kunais, and other papers a ninja would need for a mission. His walls were a brownish tan. His bureau was filled with shorts, pants, shirts, undergarments, and jackets. On his desk were pictures of his friends, Hermione, Kellach, Jake, Amy, Shadow, Aang, Sasuke, and Knuckles. There was a book light, (which he always used) a stack of brainteasers, (for he had a very high IQ for his age) and a journal which he now wrote seldom in. Neji was part of and born in the Hyuga Clan, a skillful family with white eyes and use the technique called Juken, or the gentle fist, where they inflict internal damage instead of external. However, he was upset. He walked to the mirror, starred blankly at his reflection, and removed his headband. Where the headband once stood had now shown a mark, a curse. On his head was the mark of the second branch. For you see, the Hyuuga clan had 2 different branches, the main branch, and the second branch that supports it. Neji, unfortunately, was in the second branch, the lower class. The mark on his forehead looked like an X with 2 lines on each of its left and right sides in the color of bright green.
He was ashamed of his mark. Even though he was the most powerful Byakugan holder, he would never have the liberty to aspire or be appreciated, just because his father was born seconds after his uncle, who was the clan leader. His father… …
"Ungh!" Neji punched his wall, he was a failure to become a somebody at birth; his destiny was already decided. He sighed.
"NEJI! BREAKFAST!!" It was Hermione. Neji took one more look in the mirror, put on his headband, sighed, and headed for the kitchen.
CHAPTER 3
Dragon Pox.
Neji walked into the kitchen, grumbled, and poured himself a bowl of "Cinnamon toast crunch". Hermione was in her pink pjs and slippers, her long, curly, amber brown hair was a mess. She was sipping orange juice and munching on a "toaster's strudel". Neji pulled up a chair next to Hermione, and began eating.
"Morning, Hermione." He said.
"Morning Neji," said Hermione in a sleepy tone,
"Did you sleep well?"
"Actually, I slept quite well thank you, oh good morning Aang." Aang slumped over to a chair across from them, and indulged himself in the morning suduko puzzle.
"Oh hey guys!" said Aang, keeping his head stuck in the suduko paper. Aang was 12 years old. He was bald and had a blue arrow tattooed to his head. He was an Airbender.
"So, how's Jake doing?" asked Neji as he was munching his cereal. Aang and Hermione both looked at each other for a moment, then said to Neji, in unison,
"Not good." Jake was a 13 year old teen with green and black hair with bright blue eyes, thick black eyebrows, oh, and he could turn into a dragon. A couple of days ago, Jake came down with a case of dragon pox, a nasty little illness. Hermione looked it up on the internet when Jake began to feel sick. She had been looking for the cure to the sickness for days.
"So no luck then." sighed Neji, sipping hot cocoa.
"No, he looks awful!" replied Aang with a turn of the suduko page. A tall, lanky boy then walked in the kitchen, he was wearing a purple robe. His long, blond hair was trailing behind him. He had a big grin on his face.
"Ah, Kellach, I see you're awake." said Hermione in a soft voice. The boy named Kellach then grabbed a green apple from the pantry and said, "Boy guys, Jake looks-"
"Awful, yeah." Said Hermione, grimacing.
"I just checked up on him, he's asleep now." said Kellach.
"Oh, let's go see him-"
I really would advise you not to, WAIT!" shouted Kellach. Kellach blocked the door.
"We should let him rest." said Kellach. The other 3 moved in on him. Aang and the gang came to Jake's door.
"NO, DON'T!!" Aang opened the door, and gasped! Aang and the others crowded into the room. The room was typical to any teen. There were Blue walls, closets full of skate gear and music, a computer on a desk, cell phones and Ipods, the usual. That, except what was in the bed. Aang peered at the bed, and he saw . . . . . nothing.
"Oh dear," said Hermione.
"Ohhhhh, Aang, is that you?" a muffled voice came from below the covers. The covers were pulled off the bed. Hermione shrieked.
"Oh, come on, is it really that bad?" Jake was under the covers, and he was a wreck. He was wearing his red pajamas. Jake had red, little bumps all over his body. His skin was also a tint of gray. Jake touched his face. His skin sagged where he touched it.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!" Jake screamed.
"Look in a mirror, Jake," said Neji meekly. Jake stared at his bedroom mirror, and he shrieked like a girl.
"I look terri . . . . Terri . . . . Terri . . . . Ih, ih, Ah, Ah, Ah"
"HIT THE DECK!!" yelped Aang.
"HE'S GONNA BLOW!"
"Ah, Ah, Ah Ahchoo!" A plume of fire erupted from Jake's mouth, hit a "Get well soon!" card, and incinerated it.
"Augh, I feel like I was hit by a truck," moaned Jake.
"You look like it too!" smirked Kellach.
"Oh, shut up, Kellach," scolded Hermione. All of a sudden, they heard a crash from the front door. Sasuke, a 13 year old boy with black hair and a blue shirt with the Uchiha symbol (which looks like a fishing bobber) ran in the room. His body, covered in sweat, he looked exhausted. He took a deep breath, then said,
"We got company."
CHAPTER 4
Fire, Ice, and Lightning Strike.
All of the kids ran to the main room of the building. What they saw made them all tense up.
"Hello, Knights," Azula was standing in the living room, along with 2 other girls. Pansy Parkinson was a girl with long black hair that was tied in 4 downward ponytails. She had a dark green garb with little tassels hanging from the cuffs. The tassels looked like plant vines. On Azula's right, was Tai Lee. She was a girl in her 15s with dark brown, long pony tailed hair. She had short, skinny fire nation clothes on.
"We've come for someone." said Azula in a fierce rage.
"Well, your luck's ran out, you aren't getting em'." said Kellach confidently.
"Fine then," said Azula calmly, and then she shouted,
"Girls, Plan B!" The 3 girls ran for the kids in a rage, a frightening frenzy in their eyes.
"RUN!!" shouted Kellach.
Sasuke ran up the stairwell, and into the game room. He ran to the closet, and waited for someone to appear so he could strike. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his left arm.
"Hey, Handsome!!" said Tai Lee jubilantly. She kicked Sasuke right in the chest.
"How did she, Argg!" Sasuke toppled out of the closet and was sprawled on the floor. Sasuke tried to get up, but Tai Lee did a back flip and jabbed him in the back.
"Ugh!" Sasuke went down. His arm and now his back were numb.
"How can you fight me without your jutsu?" giggled Tai Lee. Sasuke crawled off the floor, and Tai Lee went to jab him again. Sasuke moved his head in front of her. She jabbed his skull bone, and cracked her fingers.
"Ow! Ow, Ow, Ow, OW!!" Tai lee bent over, clutching her fingers.
"How can you fight me without your fingers?" grinned Sasuke. He took 4 kunai knives from his pocket, and threw them at Tai Lee. They pinned her clothes to the wall.
"You thought you could beat the power of the Uchiha!?" Sasuke's eyes turned red. Black dots formed on them.
"Sharingan!" shouted Sasuke, as he brought his mobile left arm to his mouth.
"Now to finish this!" Sasuke took a deep breath.
"Fire style, Phoenix flower jutsu!!"
Hermione ran to the kitchen, gasping for breath. She took out her wand and flicked it at the pots and pans in the cupboard. The pots and pans smashed together and made a living, breathing steel wall. She commanded the wall to move in front of the door of the kitchen.
"Phew!" she said. She then put her wand tip in the air and whispered, "Muffliato." An invisible sound barrier spread against the room.
"Good," she thought, "She can't get to me."
"Oh no?" Seriously, Hermione, if that's the best you've got, then that's just pitiful." Pansy was in the room; she held her wand right at Hermione and shouted,
"SECTUMSEMPERA!!" Invisible knives slashed at Hermione's body. Her robes were shredded; she had some deep cuts in her arms. Blood dripped from her wounds. Her cheek was cut. Pansy's arm shot out forward; her skin on it began to turn green and thorny. Hermione had then realized that she was fighting a plant being. Pansy's grip got tighter as she wrapped the thorn arm tighter against Hermione's body. Hermione coughed blood; she was being strangled to death. She then came up with a plan. She struggled for her wand; she had dropped it when she was grabbed. She lunged for her wand as the thorns cut deeper into her skin. She grabbed her wand, pointed it at Pansy and gasped out,
"GLACIUS!!" A huge burst of Icy wind flew out of Hermione's wand. Pansy began to freeze. Hermione easily broke out of the deadly grip. She was gasping for breath. Pansy was frozen solid. She was like a statue.
Neji stood his ground.
"So," said Azula as she got into battle position,
"It's just you and me." There was a long silence. Neji got into Gentle Fist formation. It happened in an instant; Azula shot blue fire out of her fingertips at Neji. He ducked, but the end of his hair got slightly singed. Neji then closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, and put his index finger to his forehead. And he opened his eyes.
"BYAKUGAN!" Shouted Neji as he opened his eyes. His veins along his eyes swelled.
"Now, beware the Gentle Fist!" Neji ran to Azula so fast, she took a step back in shock. Neji slammed his fingertips into Azula's arm. A burst of blue chakra was thrust into Azula's arm.
"Argh! I see, you fight like Ti lee, destroy the enemy from the inside out."
Azula's arm was throbbing in pain. She tried to shoot fire out, but she couldn't, Neji stopped the fire control in Azula's left arm. Neji struck at Azula's chest, aiming for the heart.
"Not so fast!" Azula took her fingertips in her right hand and dug them into Neji's arm. She blocked his attack, he couldn't move away!
"Ungh" Neji groaned, he was paralyzed, she had punctured a nerve. Azula stepped back. She removed her fingertip from his arm, he was standing, but he was immobile. Azula took her middle and index finger and stuck them together. Neji saw that she was gathering power for an attack. "Now, DIE!" Her fingers cracked with blue electricity.
"FEEL THE WRATH OF THE FIRE NATION!! She blasted her fingers at Neji, and a bolt of lightning struck him. Pointblank. In his left Eye. Neji's eyes instantly returned to normal; he didn't have time to feel the excruciating pain, for the shock make him loose consciousness, he was a bloody mess. He fell to the ground. His breathing stopped. Neji was dead.
CHAPTER 5
Aftermath.
Neji was floating. Floating. He felt like he was made of thin air. He was so peaceful.
"So", he thought, "This must be what death feels like, it's not so bad. Maybe even a little comforting."
"Disappointed in you… … . . Disappoint….ed." Neji heard a soft voice from beyond. Suddenly, all was white.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Azula." Neji awoke in a dank cell. He was lying in a moldy old bed. There were bars in front of him. He felt sick; his head felt like it would burst.
"Byakuga- AGH!" White-hot agony shot through his head like a bullet. He heaved over the side of the bed. Neji shivered in fear. Where was he?
"I'm very disappointed in you, Azula." Neji heard a sharp, but forceful voice.
"You dull twit; I wanted you to kidnap him, not nearly KILL him." Said Dartz in a cold, snide hiss.
"I'm sorry, master Dartz, he nearly killed me." Azula's right arm was in a splint.
"I don't care if he tore you apart, I WANTED HIM ALIVE!" Bellowed Dartz, his blue and yellow eyes were flaring in anger. Dartz took a deep breath to regain his composure.
"You greatly anger me, now pay the price." Dartz pendant glowed, a star shaped symbol burned onto Azula's forehead. The second he touched her, a red and blue flash hit Azula. She shrieked in agony. She shook as if she were having some sort of horrific seizure. Dartz took his index finger and pressed it on Azula's forehead. Neji could see that Dartz's whole hand was glowing an eerie red. Azula screamed even louder. Neji saw Dartz sucking the very energy from her. Dartz had a malevolent smile on his face. The nightmare lasted for about a minute.
"That'll teach you to do as you're told!" seethed Dartz, blue energy was crackling in the air; Neji could feel the energy in the air. Azula's body went limp. Neji didn't know if she was alive or dead. Dartz snapped his fingers. 3 servants dressed in all white suits appeared in a flash of light.
"You two," barked Dartz, "Take this filth to her room. Two servants picked up the limp Azula, and took her out of the prison block hallway.
"And you." Dartz was staring at the smallest of the servants. Neji felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He knew what was coming, and so did the servant.
"Oh please, I'm begging you master Dartz! Have Mercy!" The young boy cried and sobbed; Neji felt so sorry for the poor child. Dartz took his middle and Index finger and pointed it at the boy. What happened next would haunt Neji's nightmares forever. A blue lightning bolt just like Azula's shot out of Dartz's fingers. It hit the boy pointblank in the face. He was dead before he hit the ground. But before the corpse hit the floor, Dartz picked up the boy by the neck and tossed him out the window. Neji heard the body hit the ground seconds later with a grisly thud. Dartz flicked his hair and laughed.
Neji was terrified. He was trying to calm himself. But how could he calm down after THAT? Dartz then turned around and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Sweet dreams, Neji." said Dartz in a soft, sinister tone. Dartz began to walk out of the prison hold, the opened the door.
"YOU'RE NEXT!" spat Dartz, and he slammed the door, leaving Neji in fear.
CHAPTER 6
Interrogation
Pansy woke in a chair. She was bound to it by rubber and steel bands. She looked to Ti Lee, who was in the same position as she was.
"Arg, ngh, let me go!" snarled Pansy as she tried to claw at the bindings. 3 characters then emerged from the shadows. They all wore black sunglasses and suits, except for the one in the middle. She wore a black and light brown dress shirt with a matching skirt. She was wearing a pink tie. She had pink fur all over her body; which shocked Pansy.
"So Amy, where were they found again?" Said the man on the girl named Amy's left.
"Well, Knuckles, Pansy was in the kitchen, and Ti Lee over there was in the game room." Said the man on the right to Knuckles. Knuckles had red fur all over his body.
"Shadow, what happened to Ti's clothes?" Snickered Knuckles.
"Ah," said Shadow with a grin, "Sasuke charred them a bit when he performed his Phoenix flower jutsu."
"Quit it you two!!" Whispered Amy loudly, whipping off her sunglasses. Amy then slapped Pansy's face, hard.
"Argh!" Groaned Pansy. Shadow then stepped in front of Pansy.
"Where is Azula?" Shadow said sternly.
"Oooooo, pick me, pick me!!"
"Yes, Ti Lee." Sighed Amy.
"OMG!! Where did U get that cute outfit?!" Gushed Ti Lee.
"Oh, they had a sale at Aeropostale!" Giggled Amy.
"OMG!! U just HAVE 2 let me borrow it!"
"K! O so totally!" The two girls screamed a high pitch yell of excitement.
"HEY, WE'RE TRYING TO INTERROGATE THEM, NOT INVITE THEM TO A SLUMBER PARTY!!" Knuckles fumed.
"Fine," Amy said, looking disappointed, "Back to business."
"Now I will ask you 2 again, where is Azula?" said shadow, loosing his patience.
"Why should we tell you?" Scoffed Pansy. Amy took out a huge, pink hammer from her case on her back. She slammed the cartoon-like hammer on Pansy's feet.
"YEOWCH!" Pansy shrieked, "Alright, ALRIGHT! She went back to Dartz, to Tragic Kingdom, YEOW!" Amy slammed her feet again.
"What was that for?" she said.
"That was for fun." Smirked Amy. Shadow went up to Ti Lee.
"Where's Neji?" Ti Lee didn't answer. Shadow slapped her across the face.
"WHERE IS NEJI?!" Bellowed Shadow, spit streaming from his mouth.
"Azula kidnapped him, and took him to Tragic Kingdom." Sighed Ti Lee, defeated. Shadow went to slug Ti Lee.
"SHADOW! She told us what we wanted." Knuckles said.
"Oh yeah, right." Said Shadow sheepishly.
"Well, you got your stupid information," Pansy said, sounding irritated, "Now let us G-"
"AHHHHHHCHOOOOOOOO!" The 5 of them heard a LOUD earsplitting sneeze from a couple floors above them. Knuckles, Shadow, and Amy stared at each other for a second, the 3 sighed then all said,
"Jake."
CHAPTER 7.
To Cure a Dragon.
A couple of floors above, Kellach, Hermione, Sasuke, and Aang had just dodged a fireball from Jake. They were in his room, and the fireball hit the wall and left a big, gaping hole. Kellach saw this and ran to the shattered wall and waved his hands in complex and intricate patterns on the wall. Almost instantly, wood and nails came flying out of nowhere and began to rebuild the wall on itself. Hammers began nailing planks of wood to the walls. Then a paintbrush whizzed past Hermione and Sasuke, with a paint bucket followed the brush as the 2 tools began to repaint the wall. The entire spell took about 30 seconds.
"There," said Kellach, "Much better." The wall was rebuilt.
"Oh! Wait! One more thing." Kellach chanted words in an unknown tongue and blew out onto the wall. Shelves reappeared on the wall, and all the photos that were charred, restored.
"Whew, finished!" said Kellach and he flicked his thumb as the shelves dusted themselves.
"Ok. . . . That was real Snow White like, except there were no creepy animals." Said Sasuke, looking calm and bored. Knuckles then ran into the room in frenzy.
"We know where Neji is!" shouted Knuckles triumphantly.
"Well, where is he?" asked Sasuke.
Knuckles' face fell a little. He took a deep breath, and then said with a grimace, "Tragic Kingdom." Kellach's jaw dropped. Hermione turned pale. Sasuke swore. Aang gasped. Jake launched into a fit of coughing.
"Argh!" Kellach swore. "He's there? Guys, Neji is in grave danger. None of you understand that better than I do," said Kellach shakily, "I was once captured by Dartz, I nearly died. We have to; no we MUST save him, NOW!"
"But Kellach," said Hermione, "To get to Tragic Kingdom, we need to fly."
"And Jake is needed for the transportation." Added Knuckles.
"Then that settles it," said Kellach, "We cure Jake" He took out a small bottle from his spell component pouch on his belt. There was a light blue potion floating in the small vial. He uncorked the bottle with his teeth.
"Wish me luck." Said Kellach, and he drank the potion in one gulp. Nothing happened.
"What's supposed to happen?" said Sasuke, looking doubtful.
"Just hang on!" shot Kellach and Hermione together. Minutes passed.
Kellach said, "Well, I guess the potion didn't wor." Suddenly, Kellach began to cough and sputter. His legs became wobbly and weak. He began to fall over. Kellach felt weak. He fell forward to the floor.
"Kellach!" Hermione cried, and caught him as he fell. Kellach was unconscious in her arms.
"Ugh, oh." Kellach's eyes opened, and a light blue aura surrounded him.
"Whoa." Knuckles stammered. Kellach got to his feet, and walked over to Jake, who was lying in bed, looking sickly. Kellach took out a pink powder from his spell component pouch, and sprinkled it over Jake. Jake was about to sneeze from the powder, Kellach cringed and backed away; but Jake yawned instead and fell into a deep sleep.
"The potion I drank was a mind stimulant; it will raise my magic abilities tenfold," said Kellach making a face, "However, it does taste terrible!" Kellach took a very deep breath, and put his hands over Jake's body. A blue Aura cloaked Kellach's arms, and he firmly placed his hands over Jake's chest. The light blue aura fell upon Jake. Jake was still fast asleep from Kellach's spell. Kellach began to chant in an Unknown language. All of a sudden, a bright light illuminated from Kellach's hands. Kellach's hands began to shake, Jake levitated above his bed. Beads of sweat dripped from Kellach's face.
"Help…. Me." Groaned Kellach. Sasuke ran to help Kellach in any way he could. He pushed Kellach by the back and flowed some of his chakra to Kellach. Sasuke began to go weak.
"No!" shouted Hermione. She quickly whipped out her wand and shouted, "APISKI!" A white light erupted from her wand and enveloped the 3 boys. All three collapsed. Jake landed back on the bed, still asleep. Sasuke was down on one knee, breathing heavily. Kellach was unconscious on the floor, the blue aura was gone. Hermione ran to is side.
"Kellach, oh Kellach!" sobbed Hermione. The room went silent. Everyone was tense. Hermione knelt beside him, and then kissed him. On the cheek.
Kellach's eyes fluttered, and then opened. He looked up at Hermione.
"That's why I'm the leader of the Knight's Title." And he kissed her back, long, on the lips. They hugged each other, Hermione cried. Kellach smiled and hugged her tight to his chest.
"Hey I know you 2 are having a lovey dovey moment right now, but We Have a Friend to save!" Everyone looked around to see who spoke. Jake was out of bed and ready to go.
"Alright," said Kellach, getting up and straightening himself. "Let's go save Neji!"
CHAPTER 8
The Caged Bird.
Neji was tossing and turning in his moldy old bed in the cell block. He was feverish, muttering in his sleep.
Neji was in a small, kind of eerie room. He was 5 years old. He was sitting next to his father, Hizashi Hyuuga. Neji then realized where he was, He was in the Hyuga battle temple. His cousin, Hinata Hyuga was sparring with her father, Hiyashi Hyuuga. Neji was watching the battle in awe.
"Wow," young Neji said, "Father, do you think this as inspiring as I do?" Hizashi put his arm around his son, laughed, and said, "Neji, my son, I am amazed at how joyful you are. That is what puts a smile on my face." His pale eyes beamed at Neji.
"Oh!" Hinata got her father, Hiyashi in the chest. He fell over and swore. He coughed a bit of blood. He looked furious. He glared at Hizashi and closed his eyes. All of a sudden, Neji's father began to howl in pain, clutching his forehead.
"AHHHHHAAAHHHGGGG!" growled Hizashi as he clawed at the cloth wrapped around his forehead. Behind the cloth was a mark, an X shaped symbol with 4 lines was etched onto his forehead. The mark looked inflamed; the veins around his forehead were bulged.
"Neji. . ." groaned Hizashi as he began to foam at the mouth.
"Neji!" Barked Hiyashi, opening his eyes. Hizashi's body went limp. "Go to your room, forget what you just saw." Neji walked to his lifeless father's corpse.
"Father? Father?" Neji's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Father! Father!" Neji was crying in hysteria.
"FATHER! FATHER!!"… … … … . .
"Father, Father," groaned Neji in his sleep. His eyes fluttered, but then he went back to sleep. . . . . . . . .
Neji was in Kellach's bedroom. There was a huge bookcase all around the room. There were jars with spell components on shelves. Neji was sitting on Kellach's bed. Kellach was sitting in a chair in front of him; he was sitting backwards. Kellach stared back at him.
"So Neji, what is The Caged Bird thing you keep mumbling about in your sleep?"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Shouted Neji, he was glaring at him.
"Don't lie, I know you have been hiding it, show me." Neji removed his headband and Kellach saw the mark. Neji cleared his throat, took a deep breath and said,
"I got this Caged Bird mark branded on me when I was 3 years old." Said Neji, "it's a curse that the main branch put on the second branch to do their bidding. The mark represents the sad reality of never being able to have your own destiny. They can torture us with the mark as well. They just need to concentrate and just like that the mark eats at our brain. My father was tortured to death by my uncle, Hiyashi Hyuuga. There is more," said Neji before Kellach could speak, "There is another reason why the second branch gets branded. It is because we protect the Secret of the Hyuuga; the Byakugan. When we would die, enemies would pry into our heads and extract the power of the Byakugan from us, they would use it for evil. But with the curse mark, our minds are impenetrable. The clan is safe. There Kellach, that is all I can tell you." Neji finished his story. Kellach looked solemn.
"OK, Neji. I promise not to tell anyone about your secret." Kellach smiled. Neji nodded his head,
"Thank you Kellach . . . . . . . . .
"I Knew. . . I could . . . count . . . on . . . you. . ." Neji woke up. He yawned. Pale moonlight shone through the grimy window in the cell. He yawned. The mark on his forehead greeted him from his sleep. Neji rubbed his eyes. His sight in his left eye was back, but he doubted he could use Byakugan. Neji then saw something he hadn't seen before, on the wall. The bricks they were all the same grey color, except for one on the bottom middle. The brick was blue. Neji leapt out of bed, and pushed at the blue brick. It moved aside. And Neji saw a small tunnel. He saw a window of opportunity, and squeezed his body inside. The tunnel was cramped, dark, and dusty. He began to crawl forward, working his way through on his knees. The place looked very old. He took a left, a right, and down a small hill. The tunnel was even smaller here. So small, Neji had to slide on his stomach to even get through the tunnel. A few minutes later, Neji came to a dead end. He was stuck in the dark. Neji felt around the walls of the tunnel for a brick to push out, and he found one. Using most of his strength, he pushed the brick out, crawled out of the dank tunnel, and gasped!
CHAPTER 9
The Power of the Orechalcos.
Neji was in a small shrine/altar room. There were candles lit everywhere. And the walls were covered from bottom to top with tiles and ruins of people on them. He looked around. There was a shrine-like throne in the room. Behind the throne was an altar. There were 3 small chambers that snaked up to the ceiling. On the altar in front him was a star shaped symbol painted on the wall. In the middle of the altar was a podium pillar. On the pillar was a beaten up book. Neji walked over to the pillar. The book had the same star shaped symbol etched on the cover, yet around the star was an array of odd symbols and characters he had never seen before.
"Byakugan," whispered Neji, making signs with his hands. A small flash of pain shot through his head.
"Arg!" growled Neji. His eyes instantly went back to normal as he removed the Byakugan. Neji then opened up the musty old book. A huge cloud of dust and ash flew off the pages and enveloped Neji in a thick fog. Neji began to sneeze. He covered his mouth and nose to prevent breathing in the toxic air. He flipped through the book. On many of the pages was the same symbol, but this time it was branded on someone's forehead. He began to read the passages.
"The power of the Orechalcos is an evil and demonic power to control. It is said that orechalcum stones have the power to test the evil in any living person's soul. If you pass, you are granted a power beyond mere mortals. However, if you fail,"
Neji read on with more interest, "-if you fail, the Orechalcum will overpower you; corrupt you. I myself have taken the test and passed with full marks. Some other filth, though can't handle the power, they are too weak, they are brainwashed, consumed by their own evil,"
Neji turned the page,
"February 26, 2008. . . . . BC! This book is old!" Neji gasped, then kept on reading,
"I am now 5,000 years old! The orechalcum keeps me alive, immortal. But to stay alive I must devote my life to capturing souls of the living. Recently, I have been testing people with the orechalcum, many have lost their souls to its divine power, and it has strengthened me greatly!"
"Wait a minute," said Neji, coming to the dawn, "Brainwashing? Evil? Orechalcos? This must be Dartz journal. But that must mean . . . . . he's over 10,000 years old!"
"AND WHAT A 10,000 YEARS IT HAS BEEN!" Neji's blood went cold. "What are you doing with my private journal?!" seethed Dartz. Neji was speechless. Neji got into fighting position.
"Oh please. Do you really wish to fight me?" said Dartz, "you'd die in seconds!"
"You, you vile, old, demonic man!" said Neji through clenched teeth.
"But what about the POWER!" Cackled Dartz, "power you couldn't dream about! Look around you. See all these tiles? They all contain people's souls lost to the Orechalcos! Hundreds! Thousands! Millions! And they all benefit to my strength! The Orechalcos chose me to be its ruler. I am evil itself!" Dartz's body crackled with blue electricity, "Now, I'll ask you again. Do you really wish to fight me?"
CHAPTER 10
The storm
Kellach, Jake, Shadow, and Hermione burst out of Jake's room at a break neck pace.
"How ya feeling Jake?" asked Kellach opened the door to the courtyard.
"Eh, still a little sick, but I'm bete, bete, ehh, ah, Ahchoo!!" Jake sneezed, but the usual flames did not come out.
"Sorry I couldn't snuff out the whole cold completely," said Kellach sheepishly, scratching his head, "at least I removed the coughing, itching, red dots, ugly skin, and fever. Couldn't remove that sneeze of yours, they were a doozy. But I cured the large fireballs!" Chuckled Kellach as if he just told a really funny joke only he understood.
"OK, we know where Neji is, we just need to get there, now." Said Shadow, speeding through the court yard. The courtyard was breathtaking; many different flowers and fruits grew plentifully along the pathway. There were many trees with pure green leaves. The air outside was warm and calming. The foursome then came to a fountain in the middle of the courtyard. In the middle of the fountain was a statue of a dragon; a sword clutched in its hand. There were 4 silver bowls placed around the statue.
"You all know what to do," said Kellach. "I hope Neji's caged bird mark protects him from Dartz' power. . ." Thought Kellach.
"NOW!" he shouted.
Kellach and Hermione chanted words out loud. Jake spit fire into the 4 bowls. Shadow took a chaos emerald and placed it in the dragon's mouth. The 4 put a hand onto the statue. Kellach and Hermione stopped chanting.
Silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . then, the statue was set afire! The 4 bowls of fire turned into 4 snaking roots of fire that curled around it. Ancient characters appeared on the fire. The chaos emerald glowed painfully bright. The sword in the dragon's hand fell, and plunged into the ground. The ground began to rumble. Then, miraculously, 4 silver dragons erupted from the earth. They were shiny, majestic, and strong. Kellach and the others each hopped onto a dragon and flew off into the bright air.
It had been three hours flying in the air. The foursome was irritable, freezing, miserable, and overall exhausted. It was raining. There was a slight breeze in the air.
"Kellach… any...any grub left?" said Jake weakly as he sighed loudly, "Kellach? Kellach? Keeeeeeelaaach? Aw man!" Kellach was conked out on his dragon; he was snoring like a whale, a drop of spittle hanging out of the corner of his mouth.
"Augh, how the hell can he sleep through this? Groaned Hermione as she waved her wand. She conjured 2 earplugs and stuffed them deep into her ears. Shadow was trying to read the map to Tragic Kingdom. He yawned. The clouds in the sky began to grow dark. A thunder clap woke up Kellach.
"Wah, huh?" Kellach got upright, and wiped the spit off his robes and face, "Where are we now?"
"About 3 hours away from home, I think we are about half-an-hour away from Tragic Kingdom." Said Shadow half asleep.
"I, Ahchoo, think we are. . . Ahchoo, getting closer then…. Ahchoo, Ahchoo, ATCHOO!!" said Jake between fits of sneezing. Hermione then noticed Jake's horrible condition and took out a small glass vial with a green substance floating in it from her robes.
"Here," said Hermione sleepily, "drink." She handed the bottle to Jake. His chest was huffing and heaving. He couldn't stop sneezing.
"DRINK THE DAMN BOTTLE!" Hermione yelled, irritated. Jake then managed to swallow the contents. The concoction was thick. Then Jake's color retuned to his face, he stopped shivering, his sickness ceased. A look of joy spread across his face.
"I can breathe again!" Shouted Jake with utter delight. His face then instantly scrunched up in disgust, "BLECH!! This is nasty!" He stuck out his dragon tongue, "I'm una throw uhp!" He took out a toothbrush and vigorously began to scrub his tongue. The other three friends laughed for the first time it felt like in weeks. "Ugh, u guys are harribul, u alh su-"Jake was interrupted by an earsplitting crash of lightning.
"Man that lightning crash wasn't too far from here." Said Shadow, suspiciously. The wind then picked up, and the rain fell on them like thousands of tiny little needles.
"Ack! This wind and rain is murder! Everyone hold on to your dragon, you never know what might happen during a storm." Shouted Kellach over the howling wind and crashing thunder.
"Yaaa!!" Screamed Jake as a bolt of lightning nearly missed his head.
"Now guys calm down," said Shadow, "Like Kellach said, you never know what will happen during a-"A white streak of lightning struck right through shadow and his dragon. The dragon did a nosedive, and then began to fall, with Shadow plummeting to the ground, unconscious.
"Whoa, Kellach, you were right."
CHAPTER11
The Chasm
"SHADOW!!" shouted Hermione. The three remaining dragons went berserk.
"What's going on?!" Gasped Jake.
"The dragons are scared of the lightning after they saw one of their own kin get killed." Answered Kellach. The 3 struggled to hold on to their dragons, but then, Jake lost his grip and began to fall. He smashed into Kellach and sent him downward to the earth with him. Hermione then jumped off her dragon and freefell, her hair whipping about her. She then realized that the ground was very close.
"Holy… Spongify!" she shouted as she pointed her wand to the ground. Nothing.
"Spongify!!" she shouted again. Nothing.
"SPONGIFY!!" Nothing happened. She braced herself for landing. Shadow, Jake, Kellach and Hermione crashed into the trees and fell down through the branches, and made a slightly bumpy land on the dirt. The 4 were dazed and confused. Surprisingly, Shadow was the first to speak.
"Oh my aching head. . . ." said Shadow, "Well at least we're alive." He panted.
"Well hoorah for that," groaned Kellach sarcastically, rubbing his sore behind.
"Um. . . . where exactly are we guys?" Asked Hermione, her voice faltering. They landed into some sort of dark forest. The trees completely covered them in darkness. The rain fell on them like a wave. There was a hill that led up to a mountain and a slope like area that leads downward next to the mountain. Jake then pointed up to the mountain.
"From the looks of it, about an hours walk from Tragic Kingdom." He was pointing at the castle. It loomed over them like a shadow. They were so close, and yet so far.
"That will take forever!" groaned Shadow.
"Not if we fly," answered Jake, "Dragon up! Dragon up! Dragon up?"
"I was afraid of this. . . ." sighed Hermione, "Guys, it appears that our powers are gone, my spell for a soft ground didn't work, Jake can't turn into a dragon, and I'm guessing you can't cast spells Kellach. And Shadow, your dark energy is completely sapped away. I'm guessing that the storm was what did it. But you know what? We can still do this! We don't need powers to survive this mountain! We can get through this! If we just put our minds to it, and keep calm, we are unstoppable!!" Hermione finished her little speech. Shadow stared at her for a good 5 seconds, then breathed out,
"Yeah. . . . . we're all gonna die." Hermione glared at him.
"Oh yeah Shadow?" Snarled Hermione.
"Yeah! You couldn't last 5 minutes out here without here without your little magic stick."
"MAGIC STICK!?" Exploded Hermione.
"Yeah, and Jake, you can't go one day without TV or food!"
"WHAT!?"
"ENOUGH!!" Shouted Kellach, his voice raised high, "OK, we need to get a grip and calm down before we kill each other. Now we need to find a way out of this forest. Jake, Shadow. You two go left downward to the slope and find a way into the castle. Maybe there is a secret tunnel or something. Hermione and I will hike up right the mountain to the castle. Ok. Let's go."
"You heard him Jake, let's go." Said Shadow starting downward to the bottom of the hill.
"Alright Hermione, you ready?" Said Kellach.
"Yes, let's go." She replied. So the two groups parted ways to find an entrance to the castle.
Kellach and Hermione began the trek upward to the castle. They the forest was thick; they had to be careful to not fall over the hill. This was hard because it was very hard to sense the direction in the dark forest. The rain had died down.
"I wonder where that lightning came from. I mean, one minute it was clear, and then a second later, we are fighting for our lives in a gale." Said Kellach, "It was so sudden."
"I know, it's kind of creepy." Answered Hermione.
"Yeah, who knew that our powers could be taken away so easil-"Kellach suddenly lurched forward, and vomited over the edge of the cliff. He clutched at his head. He fell to one knee. He was breaking out in a cold sweat.
"MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Kellach, you'd better hurry, time's running out!" Kellach was hearing laughter from all around him.
"Please. . . . . stop. . . ." Moaned Kellach.
"Kellach? What's going on? Are you ok?" asked Hermione, sounding worried. Kellach began to scream. Kellach heard nothing but Dartz rising voice, laughing and taunting him.
"Your dear friend is about to meet his end. MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! JUST TRY TO STOP ME!!"
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!" Kellach couldn't take the torture, "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!" Kellach was wailing in agony. Hermione acted fast, she took out her wand, pointed it at Kellach's head and said,
"Oclumense!" Nothing happened. "Damn!" she thought, "Our powers are still gone." Kellach's mouth began to foam, he was shaking, then. The screaming stopped, he stopped shaking. He went limp, and he fell. Hermione quickly picked him up before he hit the ground.
"We need to get to the tower," Said Hermione as she lifted Kellach, "Up we go now." She carried him up the mountain for another 10 minutes until. . . . . .
"The castle, Tragic Kingdom," breathed Hermione. She was standing in front of a huge colossal black castle with huge towers, and the sides were covered in iron spikes. There was one balcony on the top of the tower. The large Iron Gate was in front of her. The only thing stopping her now was. . . . A deep chasm. She looked down. The chasm seemed to have no bottom.
"Now all we do is cross the chasm, not too difficult." She said. Kellach was coming to.
"Put me down Hermione, I can walk." Said Kellach. He was breathing heavily, he was still pretty weak. He then swiveled, lost conscious and fell forward. Right for the chasm.
"Oh no!!" Hermione gasped as she tried to grab him before he fell, she failed. Kellach was now heading to the bottom of nowhere.
CHAPTER 12
The cursed army
Shadow and Jake were running down the long hill, they already saw the castle looming over them. They came to the slope, and turned upward; there WAS a secret path to the castle. The 2 began to walk up the hill.
"Shadow, I feel a lot better."
"Good to hear that, now let's get to this castle!" The friends were coming closer to the tower. They reached the top of the hill. They were then on a flat plateau, the castle was straight ahead. They began to walk through the plateau.
"You know," said Shadow minutes later. They were in the middle of the plateau, "This seems easy, too easy." As if on command, about a hundred forms were emerging from the earth. They were lizard-like; a shade of purple. They had steel armor all over the joints of their bodies. They also had gruesome blades jutting out of their arms. They were big, bad, and scaly. The army of lizards formed a wall in front of Jake and Shadow.
"Damn, these lizards are blocking our way." Said shadow.
"Yeah; if we had our powers we could plow right through these guys."
"We can still fight."
"They're taller than us and we would be ripped in half like a couple of phonebooks if we just charged at them."
"I know, but we have to do something." Said Shadow. Jake looked around, and spotted a crack in the plateau.
"I think I know how we can bypass the scary lizard freaks"
Shadow and Jake found a small crack in the plateau to crawl into.
"This small tunnel might lead somewhere!" Jake said exuberantly, "all we need to do is keep following this path; it must lead into the castle or something!" They kept crawling deeper, the tunnel sunk deeper, and Jake and Shadow had to crouch lower to the ground. Soon, the path was so narrow, they couldn't move any further.
"Hey Jake, why'd you stop moving?" Said Shadow, who was behind Jake.
"Uh, I think I'm stuck." Said Jake quietly.
"Well, try to get unstuck, because my back is killing me, Groaned Shadow, "Not such a good idea, huh?"
"Yeah, did not think that one through," Replied Jake as he grunted and groaned; trying to push himself forward, "come on; let me-"All of a sudden, Jake felt a swell of energy from within. Their powers were back! Shadow got the same feeling as well.
"Heh, looks like the effects last only an hour." Jake then froze.
"What did you just say Shadow?" asked Jake, his voice cracking.
"I said that the effects only lasted an hour." Shadow repeated. Jake then had a bad feeling. He then remembered what Hermione said an hour ago to him when she gave him the medicine.
"Here, drink. You'll feel better. But be careful, the potion only works for an hour." Jake realized, and then began to feel sick. His nose itched. He breathed deeply. Jake itched at his nose. It was still itchy. He sniffed, BAD IDEA. Jake's body began to contract; he held his hand to his nose.
"What are you doing?" asked Shadow.
"I. . . . I. . . . I'm gonna sneeze." Said Jake, his voice wavering and shaking.
"Are you crazy? You'll roast us alive!! Try to hold it in!" Yelped Shadow.
"I . . . ah, I'll try." Shadow pushed at Jake's feet to get him free, but it was no use; Jake was going nowhere. Minutes passed, the only sound that could be heard was Jake's wild breathing, trying to keep his mouth shut. Shadow was still trying to free Jake by pushing as hard as he could. Jake was struggling not to sneeze, his chest hurt, his eyes watered, his lungs ached; he just had to sneeze!
"Ah. . . ah. . . Bra. . . .Brah. . . Brace yourself Shah. . .Dow," Wavered Jake, "I can't hold it in any longeh. . .Ah, ah, ah," Shadow closed his eyes. They were going to die. If they weren't engulfed in the flames, the fire would eat up the oxygen and they would suffocate. All of a sudden as Shadow was saying his prayers, they heard a cracking sound.
"Uh oh." The ground fell beneath them.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!" The 2 fell through the floor. Shadow hit ground first; hard. Then Jake fell on top of him.
"OW!"
"So, ah,ah, ah, sorry Shadow." Sniffled Jake.
"That's ok." Replied Shadow. The 2 seemed to have landed into some sort of prayer room. There were stained glass windows of gods all around them.
"Good news! We're in the castle!" cheered Shadow. At this, a group of sorcerers in black and white robes circled the 2. They were chanting a spell. Then around THAT circle were a group of the scary lizard beasts. They were surrounded.
"Bad news. We're in the castle."
CHAPETR 13
THE GATE
Kellach was falling fast. Hermione and Kellach had gotten their powers back, she could feel it. But Kellach was unconscious therefore useless. Hermione acted fast and jumped in the chasm after him.
"Carpe retractum!" She pointed her wand at Kellach. A rope came out of her wand, and wrapped around Kellach, she was flung like a slingshot towards him. She quickly grabbed him, and then realized that now she was closer to death than before. The bottom of the chasm was coming fast. They were gonna crash!!
The army of evil surrounded Jake and Shadow. The Orechalcos symbol was burned on each of the monsters. The chanting grew louder; the sorcerers appeared to be in the middle of some sort of ritual. Jake's nose was still itching like crazy; he lost concentration, and could not hold it any longer.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ATCHOO!!!" It was like the gates of hell opened up. Out of Jake's mouth came a huge, white-hot ring of fire, which grew and grew until it filled the whole room, Shadow and the army was set on fire. A huge crack in the ceiling formed, and the fire escaped upwards in the direction. Shadow was Alive; he was protected with his dark barrier created at the last minute. It ended. Jake was on the floor laughing.
"Did you see that?! Aw, I feel sooooooo much better! It all whooshed out of me!" laughed Jake.
"If there was a time I could thank your cold, this would have been the time," grinned Shadow. All of a sudden the 2 heard sounds of screaming from above. They looked up, wondering what it was.
Kellach came out of his daze. The second he knew where he was, he screamed and held onto Hermione. The chasm's floor then glowed a bright red.
"YAAA!!" Kellach then clasped his hands together and formed a protective shield around him and Hermione. The ground below cracked, and a colossal column of fire enveloped them. They were flying through the fire at a breakneck speed. They fell through the crack, and landed on 2 people. The 4 people were sprawled on top of each other. The protective shield protected the 4 from harm during the collision.
"Ow, my aching. . . . . KELLACH!!" Shouted Jake.
"SHADOW!" Exclaimed Hermione. The 4 kids hugged each other. They had made it into Tragic Kingdom alive.
"Alright guys," said Kellach, "Do you 2 know how to get out of this room?" Jake grabbed Kellach's head, and turned him towards the opposite wall. On the opposite wall, was an enormous door. The door had a gold trim. It was made of pure sapphires. There were 2 large golden door knockers with emerald snakes curling around them. Kellach laughed then said,
"Well I guess that answers our question."
"Dartz must have a lot of bucks to drop for this grand gate." Said Shadow. The foursome ran for the door.
"WAIT!" It was Hermione. She ran up to the gate with them, and pulled out a bottle with a blue potion in it. She uncorked the bottle.
"It's Essence of Dittany, drink up!" The 4 drank deep from the concoction. The second it ran down their throats, they felt a warm sensation. Kellach's sprains healed. Jake and Shadow's skin recovered, and Hermione's cuts were sewed together. It tasted refreshing, like lime and watermelon.
"Ah, now that we're all healed," said Kellach, "let's go find Neji!" The 4 pushed on the door, and entered into the beyond, unknowing for what horrors awaited them behind the door.
CHAPTER 14
Monkey see, monkey Doom!!
Kellach, Jake, Hermione and Shadow ran into the room. The result was imminent.
"This is the same room we've been in!" Jake groaned in annoyance. It was. The windows, the statues, even the door! The room however, was empty.
"Ugh, we are getting nowhere," said Shadow.
"Maybe it's a trick room, you know, it turns into whatever you saw last I guess." Said Hermione, completely befuddled. Jake walked to the middle of the room.
"Well, I guess we should, AHHHHHH!!" Jake had fallen through the floor, he was clawing onto the edge of whatever he had fallen into.
"Help!" Jake was gonna fall if not helped. He was slipping fast. Kellach was the first one there; he grabbed Jake's arms and pulled. Kellach could an unknown force tugging him downward. Kellach then lost his balance, and began to fall through the floor with Jake.
"We're coming!!" Hermione and Shadow yelled as they each grabbed Kellach's legs, and pulled. The 4 kids rose from the floor, and collapsed on the ground, panting.
"This is a Hell House!" shrieked Jake. Suddenly the walls changed. The many windows turned into mirrors, the stone walls became black marble. The temperature began to rise. Finally, the floor magically changed into a huge cage like ground. Lava could be seen bubbling below them. Jake turned a shade of white.
"HEE HEH HEH HEE HEEEEE HEH HAHAHAHAHAHA!! WHO DO I GET TO PLAY WITH FIRST?!" Shadow froze; he had heard this voice before. He went rigid.
"Everyone!" Shadow warned, "Close your eyes and don't open them! Get out of here now!" Shadow sounded worried. Kellach, Hermione, and Jake than ran blindingly for the doors, and went onward to go find Neji. Shadow then stepped in the middle of the room and braced himself. He knew he would be here any minute. Every mirror in the room then went black. A hand, a black hand emerged from every mirror. Then another arm. Soon, about 200 arms were flailing out of the mirrors. Then, the arms then merged all together, and a black mass was in front of him. It was like an egg. The egg then exploded, and out stepped a fiend. He had no hair, black skin, blood-red eyes, and razor sharp teeth. He wasn't very tall, but shadow knew that didn't make him any less dangerous. He stepped in front of Shadow.
"Mimic." Said Shadow angrily.
"Shadow, long time no see." Said Mimic in an eerie voice, it was like a growl with a higher tone to it.
"Shut up!" shouted Shadow, "Why are you with Dartz? I thought you liked to work alone."
"I do," started Mimic, "But I just couldn't let his bargain pass me by. I mean, complete power of darkness AND a roof over my head? Come on! Anyone would take that offer!" Cackled Mimic.
"You psychopath!" shouted Shadow, "Look what you've done!" Shadow ran at Mimic and punched at him. Mimic swatted the attack away like a fly.
"Pathetic," he said, "Now look at some real power!" and he landed a punch into Shadow's chest so hard, it knocked the wind out of him. Shadow went smashing into a mirror.
"See that? This is true power Shadow, power only the evil can give you," Said Mimic, "which is why you'll never have it!!" shouted Mimic, and he transformed, molecule by molecule, into an iron bar. The bar went whizzing at Shadow. Shadow tried to dodge, but the smashed mirror seemed to have some sort of hold on him. He was forced onto his back. The iron bar hit contact at shadow's back.
"AHG!!" Shadow yelled. He crumpled over. The iron bar smacked him relentlessly all over. The bar transformed back into Mimic.
"Had enough?" cackled Mimic. He was enjoying himself. Shadow got up, he was sore all over. His muscles were screaming at him to just lie down. But he had a job to do.
"I'll let you know when I've had enough!" growled Shadow and he began to run in a circle around Mimic. Faster and faster he went, so fast, it looked as if there were many copies of him. The wind picked up. Some of the mirrors began to crack from the pressure. Shadow then had enough speed. The 7 Shadow copies then each took out an emerald.
"Not a chaos emerald!" Mimic said, a bit worried. The shadow copies then raised the 7 different colored emeralds in the air. The real Shadow was charged form the 7 emeralds. His body glowed. The 7 emeralds began to circle around the 8 Shadows. The 8 Shadows then changed color. Mimic was then baffled; staring at Shadow Red, Shadow Silver, Shadow Purple, Shadow Yellow, Shadow Blue, Shadow Green, and Shadow Indigo. The chaos emeralds had fused with the copies! In the middle, the real Shadow had transformed as well. His fur had changed to the color of pure silverish gold. He still had the red stripe on his head, and the entire room crackled with energy. Shadow had become Hyper Shadow.
"How. . . . how did you collect the 7 legendary chaos emeralds?!" sputtered Mimic.
"I was lucky," responded Hyper Shadow with a grin. The 8 shadows then charged at Mimic like a rainbow beam. Mimic was clobbered by 8 elementla punches that sent him flying in a colorful sky dance. He was sent right up against a mirror. Hyper Shadow then flew up to Mimic, and released a blast of energy from his hands right through Mimic's heart. He was sent right into the mirror.
"YAAAAAAAAA!!" Mimic was set on fire, his screaming was echoing through the room. He was gone. Shadow had won. He stopped glowing, the clones disappeared. The heat from the room was getting to him. He fell over. He was panting.
"That seemed a bit too easy." Said Shadow quietly. Shadow walked towards the door to follow his friends.
"Shadow?" Shadow stopped. He couldn't believe who he was hearing.
"Shadow? Is that you?" Shadow turned around, and gasped. It was the love of his life, Maria. Shadow was completely surprised. The thing is, Shadow's girlfriend died about 8 years ago in a freak raid up in space. Maria's grandfather was a renowned researcher in space; He did his research in a large base called the space colony ARK. So Maria helped him out with his research. Shadow lived on the ARK as well. One day, the government got suspicious of extraterrestrial life on the ARK, so they completely slaughtered everyone on the ARK. . . . . including Maria. Maria helped Shadow escape back to Earth with an emergency escape pod, but it was too late for Maria. The pod only fit one person. Shadow saw her get shot 8 times by the soldiers before he was shot down to Earth. It was the darkest day of his life. And yet, here Maria was, right in front of him. Shadow's eyes grew teary.
"Oh Shadow, I thought we would never be together again. I have missed you. . . . . I know you have too. I just want us to live in piece again." Said Maria, her blue eyes glistening. Shadow was hypnotized from her beauty and kind heart. He slowly began to walk to her.
"That's right Shadow," said Maria, "Give me a hug." She was smiling heavenly. Shadow wrapped his arms around her. He felt so joyful.
"I love you Maria."
"I love you to Shadow." Shadow buried his face into her dress. He didn't see Maria pull a knife from behind. He didn't see her malicious smile. Maria then took her hand, and plunged the knife into Shadow's Back.
"AAAHHH!!" growled Shadow, backing away from Maria. He wedged the knife out of his back. The tip was stained with his own crimson blood. Maria laughed, but it wasn't her own sweet kind voice, it was the satanic voice of mimic. The seal of Orechalcos was on Maria's forehead.
"You are so predictable Shadow. You may have though you have beaten me but that was a mistake; a mistake you will pay for with your blood!!" Maria then changed back into Mimic. He then slinked right through the ground, turning into sand and fell into the lava below. Shadow attempted to clean his wound. It wasn't fatal, but it was still a wound.
"I was so stupid!!" Thought Shadow, "I let my emotions get the best of me, I showed him my weakness." He wondered where Mimic would show up next. He kept alert, looking everywhere. The lava below bubbled furiously. It seemed to grow in Shadow's opinion. Then the lava began to shoot upward. Shadow panicked and jumped at a mirror. The lava rose even faster. Shadow jumped higher from mirror to mirror, but as hard as he tried, the lava would catch up to him. Shadow looked back, and saw the seal and red eyes burned into the fiery mass. Mimic had become the lava itself! Shadow then leapt at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling. He rested on the handing crystals. The lava was now so close to him, it was singing his fur.
"GIVE UP SHADOW!" bubbled the lava, "I'M INVINCIBLE!" Shadow then faced the lava.
"You may be right about that, but no one can survive this!" shouted Shadow.
"I'm sorry guys, find Neji. Good luck." Thought Shadow. He balled his hands in to fists. He clenched his teeth. His body gave off a red glow that shone all around the room.
"Arg! This ends now Mimic!" Shouted Shadow. He took a deep breath, and with a great yell he said,
"CHAOS BLAST!!"Shadow released all the strength within him in a huge catastrophic blast of pure energy. The room literally exploded. The heat in the room became unbearable; everything was sent ablaze, the mirrors all shattered in different directions. Mimic was forced to change back, and was slashed apart from the flying glass. The sky rained with Shadow's and Mimic's blood, staining the shattered mirrors and walls. Shadow fell from the destroyed chandelier. He heard Mimic's voice.
"You may have won now, but I will be. . . . . AHHHHHH!! No master Dartz! Please!! I tried my best. . . . . I AHHHHHHHHHH!!" A blue flash of light filled the room. Shadow didn't hear Mimic anymore. NOW Shadow had really won. Shadow was falling through nothing; the lava was gone, and replaced with a bottomless floor. Glass was embedded all over him. He felt like his entire being was on fire. He continued to fall through the dark abyss, wondering if he would ever see his friends again. . . . . . . .
CHAPTER 15
Black Rose
Kellach, Jake, and Hermione ran up a long spiral staircase, hoping the next door would lead them to Neji.
"How . . . . . long do. . . . . . These stupid. . . . Staircases . . . . . go?" Panted Jake exhausted.
"Shut up," groaned Kellach, out of breath. He was clutching his side. "Damn stitch in my chest!" The group passed gruesome paintings of demonic looking people in eerie settings. Cobwebs and dust were everywhere. This staircase looked like it had never been used. Kellach bumped into an old tapestry, and a cloud of debris and dust puffed out and fell on him. Kellach went into a sneezing fit.
"Ugh, this castle is so old!" said Kellach, rubbing his itchy nose.
"Who even uses this place?" groaned Hermione, "looks like we'll just have to keep trekking." The 3 then came to a mysterious painting of a pair of green eyes looking over a single black rose.
"AW! We've already passed by this stupid painting!" groaned Jake.
"That's impossible Jake, we're in a staircase, and you can't go in the same direction." Said Kellach.
"I don't know Kellach, for all we know, this entire castle could be under some sort of enchantment. They were expecting us here. They knew we would come for Neji. This could all be a trap." Said Hermione as she the walls, looking for a clue.
"Oh please, nothing is wrong. . . . ." Kellach stepped onto a stone on the steps, and it sunk in the ground.
"That's bad, isn't it?" Kellach said. They were waiting for the trap Kellach had sprung. Hermione was still studying the painting of the rose. She then gasped and shouted,
"The painting! The trap is the painting! We have to. . ." Out of the painting's eyes shot a thick blue powder. It engulfed the 3 in a hazy cloud.
"H-hey, what is this . . . . . cough! Cough!" But Kellach's sentence was cut off from his coughing. The 3 were coughing and sputtering. Hermione began to feel very sleepy.
"It's sleeping powder!" shouted Hermione. She was struggling to stay awake. Jake and Kellach were swaying back and forth.
"Stay awake." She kept telling herself.
"Stay awake." Her eyelids felt heavy as lead.
"Stay . . . . . stay awake." She yawned.
"S. . . . . Stay. . . . . . awake. . . . ." Kellach and Jake were sitting on the staircase, they were both asleep. Kellach was snoring loudly.
"Stay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . awake. . . . . . . . .
She was sitting on a sandy beach in a fold out chair. She was in her periwinkle bikini. The sun beat down upon her. It was a warm sunny day. Very warm. She decided to take a dip in the water. She started to get up, but she couldn't move. She was stuck at the chair. She tried to move, and her wrists began to bleed slightly. Her ankles stung. She then Saw Kellach and Jake on either side. In the same position wearing swim trunks. They were struggling too. Hermione then closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes.
"What?!" She was no longer on the beach. She was strapped to the wall of a large room by rope-like roots with thorny barbs. Her wrists, waist, and ankles were bleeding slightly from struggling. She then got a look of her surroundings. The walls were a light sky blue stone. But the ground was covered in emerald grass. Flowers and plants of many colors, shapes, and sizes grew plentifully around the room. And in the center of the room grew an enormous oak tree, its leaves a healthy green. Kellach and Jake were tied to the wall beside here. Escape looked impossible.
"So," said Jake matter-of-factly, "we either hand up hire like flies trapped on a web, or slit our wrists apart trying to get out."
"JAKE! Stop struggling, or you will slice yourself in half!" shouted Hermione.
"It's like that SAW movie, isn't is guys." Said Kellach, trying to lighten the mood.
"This is no time for jokes, Kel," said Hermione coolly, "now think, how do we get out of this mess?"
"You don't." Hermione's heart sank.
"Oh no. Oh no no no no no no no."
"What's the matter Granger? Don't you enjoy the sight of me?" Coming out of the ground, was Pansy. She was in a black dress that showed a slight image of cleavage. She was wearing a diamond necklace. Her long black hair flowed behind her.
"How did you escape?" asked Hermione.
"Oh please; with your weak defenses, an infant could have done it." Hermione thought of Amy and Knuckles, did she kill them? They were the ones keeping Pansy in her cell. She hoped the 2 were alright. Pansy waved her hand in an odd swishing gesture. The vines around Hermione loosened, and she fell on a bed of lilies.
"As for you two. . ." said Pansy with a snarl. She snapped her fingers. The space where Kellach and Jake hung on the wall flipped around like a revolving door. Hermione heard the boys' yelps and screams.
"Jake! Kellach!" Hermione shouted and she looked at the now bare wall.
"Jake! Kellach! Oh boo hoo!" Mocked Pansy, enjoying Hermione's pain. Hermione then turned to face Pansy, hate seared in her eyes.
"That's it Pansy, I've had it with you. So now, I'm going to KILL YOU!!" Hermione whipped out her wand, pointed it at Pansy's heart, and hissed, "CRUCIO!"
"Enrago!" shouted Pansy. The 2 spells crashed against each other and sent the girls flying. Hermione crashed against the wall, Pansy against the oak tree. Both of their wands had snapped in half from the impact.
"You filthy mudblood!" shouted Pansy, "Look what you've done!"
"Mine's broken too." Growled Hermione.
"No matter," said Pansy while sinking into the oak tree, "I don't need my wand to kill you."
"Neither do I." said Hermione calmly. Pansy had completely dissolved into the tree.
"Where are you?" asked Hermione. A thick vine from the ground suddenly grabbed Hermione's ankle and yanked her to the ground.
"Yaaaaaaa!!" She was being pulled towards a thorny needle bush. She would be killed for sure! She struggled with the ropy vine. It moved up her ankle to around her feet; then her waist. Hermione's hands then glowed blue, then she slashed at the vine, and it snapped in half.
"Argh!" growled Pansy, as if she had been cut as well.
"I control the plants Hermione, EVERYTHING in this room is at my control!!" Razor-sharp leaves shot out of the tree, and flew right at Hermione. They were so fast she didn't see what had hit her. Cuts appeared on her face, arms, and legs. The leaves slashed at her robes.
"I CAN BE ANYWHERE!" echoed Pansy's voice. A branch from the oak tree flew out and slapped Hermione in the stomach. The wind was knocked out of her, she felt sick.
"I have no limit to my powers in this room!!" The petals fell off of the pink lily beds. They began to spin and spin. There was a large increase in air velocity in the room. Hermione was completely swept off her feet and was blown into the whirlwind of killer petals. The petals were as sharp as knives. They cut Hermione even further; her robes were shredded, she was left in a white tee and blue jeans. The petals had no mercy on her.
"AHHHHHH!!" she screamed in agony. She was being helplessly tossed about in the tornado. She finally was tossed out and was hurled right at the oak tree.
"Ooff!" The branches curled around Hermione. She was at the full mercy of Pansy now.
"Let me go!" struggled Hermione. She was being strangled by the tree.
"I said. . . . Let. . . . Me . . . . GO!!" A frigid, white blast of light burst out of Hermione's eyes and mouth.
"What the. . . . . Aaaaahhhhhhhg!" Pansy was pushed out of the oak tree as it snapped to the ground with a loud thud. The tree was destroyed. It disappeared in a flash. Pansy got up and stared at Hermione. Hermione looked at her, and gasped! Pansy had the Seal of Orechalcos on her chest. Her eyes were bright red. Her voice was still hers however; she had complete control of her actions in this state!
"You will pay for that Granger!!" Pansy lunged at Hermione, and tackled her to the ground. It was an all out catfight. Hermione pulled at Pansy's long black hair. Pansy bit Hermione's arm. They rolled and clawed at each other while in the flower beds. They shouted insults at each other as they fought.
"You stuck up, thick headed brat!!" Shouted Hermione.
"You filthy little mudblood!!" roared Pansy. The 2 punched each other in the face. They were both sent in opposite directions from the blow.
"ARGH!" shouted the 2 girls. Pansy then snapped her fingers, and the flowers around Hermione puffed out different colored powders. Hermione breathed them in, and began to cough and gasp. She knelt over, and vomited at her side. It was blood. She was loosing vision. What was this powder?!
"Ah hahahahahahahah! Like it? It's my special poison! It'll kill you very quickly. Be careful!!" laughed Pansy. Hermione was choking and rubbing her eyes, she was loosing consciousness. Hermione then felt 2 jabs in her legs, she was sent downward, but before she hit the ground, she kicked outward, and kicked Pansy in the shin, she tripped to the ground.
"Give up already!" hissed Hermione, she was regaining sight.
"NEVER!" shouted Pansy as she kicked Hermione in the face. Hermione spat out blood. The poison was taking its toll. Her energy was nearly depleted.
"I have only 1 option left," thought Hermione, "or I'm going to die right here. . . ." Hermione coughed up more blood. Her lips and hands were dripping of scarlet life. Pansy walked to Hermione; she had a thorn the size of a knife, it had a sharp edge, this was it.
"TIME TO DIE!!" shouted Pansy as she swung the thorn downward. Hermione then closed her eyes, and concentrated on the blood on her hands. The dagger swung at her chest. Hermione then screamed,
"FRIORA MARVANO!!" Hermione's bloody hands turned lightning blue. The air became ice cold. The plants around the room began to wither.
"Do you know what happens to plants in the winter?"
"You wouldn't. . . ." stammered Pansy.
"THEY DIE!!" A sheer cold beam of pure ice shot out of Hermione's hands and struck Pansy full in the chest. The beam engulfed her in an icy blue glow.
"AHHHHHHH!!" screeched Pansy in pure agony. The beam ended. Pansy was glowing blue. Her eyes were green again. Then Pansy let out a blood curdling scream.
"NO MASTER DARTS!! I obeyed your commands! Don't do it! Don't do. . . . AHHHHHHHHHHAHHHHHHAHHAHHAHAHAHHHHHHAHHHHHH!!" The Orechalcos burned sickeningly on her chest. The mark was encircling around her feet. Her soul was being destroyed.
"YOU!" screamed Pansy. She clenched her hand into a fist. Vines then shot out of the ground, and rooted her to the spot. They began to pull her under the earth. The ropy vines were around her legs, arms, chest, even neck. She was too weak to struggle. All she heard were Pansy's agonizing screams as she was pulled down, down, down into her earthy grave.
Kellach and Jake were sliding down a steep slide. The 2 boys were hugging each other for dear life. Pansy had sent them down a grim ride to their deaths.
"I hate this castle!" screamed Jake.
"Join the club!" Replied Kellach. It had seemed like hours since they had been falling. Finally, a chute opened up and the boys were whooshed into a dark, tall room.
"OW!" The 2 had landed on something hard.
"What is this?" asked Jake.
"I don't know," groaned Kellach in reply, picking up what he fell on, "But I think we're O. . . . . . . . . . Oh my, god!!" Kellach quickly dropped the object.
"What's the matter?" asked Jake. Kellach was babbling. "B-bbbo-Bon-Bb-oo-Bon-bbbbs!!"
"Snap out of it Kellach! What are you babbling about?" He was shaking Kellach by the shoulders. Kellach gulped loudly, took out a lightning bug, then chanted; his voice very shaky.
"B-b-billeous L-l-Lilleum." The bug gave off a bright glow across the room. Then Jake saw it.
"Bones." They were in a wide, deep catacomb. There were bones everywhere. The floor was completely covered by them. They were probably stepping on centuries of dead carcasses. Skulls, limbs, knuckles, every kind of bone were in this pit. Every step the boys took, they heard a sickening crunch.
"This is just gross," said Kellach while nearly gagging, "is there even a way out?" The ceiling above them was too high, so they couldn't climb out; the whole wall was made of smooth sold cement. They could dig through the bones, but that would take forever.
"Now what do we do?" asked Jake. It happened in a second. A light purple blur free fell from the chute that Kellach and Jake had fell through and gracefully landed behind the 2.
"Now what do you do?" It was a cold man's voice. Instantly, 2 swords were pressed against Kellach and Jake's throats, "Now, you die."
CHAPTER 16
The Bone Master
Kellach and Jake were deep in a catacomb. They had 2 swords pressed at their necks. And a mysterious man was behind them. Who was he?
"Turn around and I'll kill you where you stand." Said the man curtly. The boys stood stock still. They even held their breath for fear of decapitation.
"Put your hands behind your head," The man said. They did so, "what is your purpose for trespassing in our castle?" He sneered. The 2 were flabbergasted.
"We, uh, we were just . . . . . . . taking a stroll?" guessed Jake.
"Wrong answer," he said coldly. He kicked the 2 boys into a nearby pile of remains, "you two are pathetic." He growled. The boys got up and straightened themselves. They got a better look of the man. He had silver white hair. He wore a purple garb. He had a red bead clipped to a strand of his silvery long locks. He looked to be about in his 15's. He had red and green eyeshadow and 2 red dots on his forehead. In the middle of the dots shone the Orechalcos on his head. He was tall, yet calm and collected. But now the boys saw what was clasped in the man's hands. They were bones. The ends were as sharp as knives. Jake gulped.
"I'll teach you fools a lesson," The man said.
"WAIT!" spat Kellach, "who are you?" The man laughed and flicked his hair.
"I am Kimimaro Kaguya, of the Kaguya clan."
"Wait a second," stammered Kellach, "I heard that the Kaguya clan was wiped out years ago." Kimimaro then glared at Kellach.
"Yes, they were eradicated from their own genocide; they foolishly went to war with the mist village. They were slaughtered in an instant. They were no match for an actual army. I was the only survivor of the onslaught. I was alone. Life had no meaning to me anymore. Then . . . . . . . he came."
"Dartz," Interrupted Kellach. Kimimaro continued.
"He came, and gave me a life again. Now I protect him with every fiber in my body. And for your trespassing, I must dispose of you," he raised his bone swords in the air, and pointed them at Kellach and Jake, "En Guarde!" he shouted, and then ran at them at breakneck speed. Jake crept to Kellach and whispered in his ear.
"Kellach, at the count of three, jump on my back. One, two, three!" Kellach hopped onto Jake's back.
"Dragon up!" Jake's hands and feet turned into claws. He grew a red tail, green wings, and his body became taller and very scaly. His head looked mythical with sharp teeth. His black and green hair was still on his head. He was now a mythical dragon. Jake flew upward just as Kimimaro slashed at his chest. He just barely missed him. Jake and Kellach were then heading to the chute.
"You dolts think it's that easy?!" growled Kimimaro. He held out his fingers.
"Shatter shrapnel!" Out of Kimimaro's fingers shot his 10 knuckle bones like a gun. They struck Jake right in the chest, and wings.
"Agh!" The boys fell like rocks. They crash landed in the bone pile across from Kimimaro. Kellach was reeling from the fall, but Jake was out cold, blood seeping slowly out of the bullet-like wound in his chest.
"One down, one to go." Said Kimimaro, but suddenly his body jerked, and he coughed into his hand. Kellach could see blood seep slowly from Kimimaro's hand. Kellach shot upward and began to chant, running at Kimimaro. He waved his hands into intricate patterns. Then Kellach roared,
"Hamon, Morea, Morte!!" Lightning filled the air and struck right into Kimimaro. Kellach laughed, "Bull's-eye!" Kimimaro was sent rocketing to the ground.
"Ooofhh!" He flipped right upward. "You little brat," sneered Kimimaro, "You got lucky that time." Kellach then ran at Kimimaro again, and sent a punch into Kimimaro's chest. Suddenly, the bones in Kimimaro's chest squeezed out, and completely blocked the punch. His ribs had blocked the blow.
"What. . . . . . are you?" stammered Kellach. His fist was stuck in Kimimaro's rib cage, his hand slightly bleeding. Kimimaro then sent a roundhouse kick to Kellach's head and made contact at the face, and Kellach was air born. He landed in the bone yard.
"His strength is unfathomable!" Thought Kellach as he dodged a lightning-fast punch to the stomach. Kimimaro then disappeared. Kellach caught his breath.
"TOO SLOW!" Kimimaro appeared behind Kellach and slashed a deep wound into Kellach's back.
"Aghhh!" screamed Kellach in pain. Kellach had had enough of this; he ran at Kimimaro and began to punch every inch of him. But he dodged Kellach's moves so easily; he might as well have been trying to punch at a leaf.
"Damn, he's fast too, and graceful!" Thought Kellach. Kimimaro then without warning spun in the air and slashed Kellach with his pointy shoulder bone.
"Ugh!" Kellach crumpled to the floor, bleeding. The bones around him were soaked in blood. Kimimaro flicked his hair and stood before Kellach,
"You're just pitiful. I thought that you would have been more of a challenge. Well then, I have 5 dances in my arsenal; each one stronger than the last. I will willingly show them to you. The first one," Kimimaro held his sword in the air,"
"Camellia dance!" Kellach got up, clutching his side. But then Kimimaro began to stab at Kellach so fast, he could barely keep up. Kellach grabbed a leg bone from the ground and struggled to parry some of the blows, but Kimimaro shattered the defense in an instant.
"I bet you're wondering how I did that. I can make extra bones in my body by combining proteins and calcium to great densities. In short, my bones can be stronger than steel." Kellach was panting on the ground. Never in all his life had he ever faced such an unorthodox, disturbing, and overall powerful foe. He had wounds all over his body. And Kimimaro didn't even have a scratch on his body. Kellach had to think fast.
"AHA!" Kellach cleared his throat, and picked up a rather large skull.
"What are you doing?" asked Kimimaro lazily. Kellach concentrated hard on the bones in the room. Kellach moved his hands in weird patterns around the skull. He chanted,
"Daix, anistor, monera comon, instorgia, dinosin, xeniox, yorasta . . . . . . . . FALDON!" The ground began to shake; Kimimaro had to put a hand to the ground to stay level. Some of the bones began to connect together. Kellach was concentrating very hard now, beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. The bones were all connected and grew flesh and blood. The creature standing in front of Kimimaro was a dinosaur; a Tyrannosaurus Rex to be exact. Kimimaro was open mouthed.
"Fetch rexie," grinned Kellach. The hulking dinosaur then ran at Kimimaro. It opened its mouth and swallowed Kimimaro whole.
"Heh heh, it's over." Sighed Kellach. The dinosaur was grinning. Then it literally fell apart, sliced to ribbons.
"That may have worked on an imbecile, but it won't work on me," Kimimaro was standing in a pile of dinosaur remains. His shirt was torn clean off. Kellach noticed a pinwheel shaped tattoo on Kimimaro's chest, "but you are tougher than I thought." The tattoo on his chest glowed red and began to spread across his body. Now he had black intersecting lines all over his body,
"No more games, I'm taking you dow- urk!" Kimimaro stopped speaking. He lurched forward and launched into a tremendous coughing fit. Kimimaro covered his mouth with his hands and fell to his knees. He was crumpled on the ground, coughing away, his hands stained with his scarlet blood. He was retching on the floor. Kellach took this chance to run to the unconscious Jake. He tried to heal the dragon. It was very hard, but he managed to stop the bleeding. Kimimaro then got back up. He had blood dripping from his hands and mouth.
"I'm taking you down," Panted Kimimaro. Kellach turned to him, "Willow dance!" Kimimaro then began to spin. He spun round and round.
"Willow!" Nearly every part of his body shot out a sharp bone. He was a living saw. He smashed up against Kellach. Kellach's hip was hacked at gruesomely. Blood poured from his open wound. Chunks of skin fell off his side. Kellach shakily took out his last bottle of Essence of Dittany. HE quickly downed the bottle. His wound began to magically heal and sew itself together.
"Damn you." Spat Kimimaro. He looked a bit tired. Kellach took this advantage and kicked Kimimaro in the face, this time it hit; he was flung into the concrete. Kellach ran at Kimimaro while chanting,
"Ine Shuk, Binal, Remor!" The concrete then stuck to Kimimaro, he could no longer move.
"Perfect." Said Kellach smugly. He then took out a jagged piece of metal from his spell component pouch.
"Metnal, Pretencia, Onal!" He slapped the metal through his arm, and his hands. His hands then turned into the qualities of iron. He began to punch Kimimaro everywhere he could. After about 5 punches, something didn't feel right. Kellach saw Kimimaro. He had a blank look on his face. The lines on his face turned red. The red lines then disappeared. His skin turned beet red. His pants ripped slightly. He got clawed feet. His teeth turned into fangs. HE grew a long spiked tail. Kimimaro had the traits of a dinosaur. He easily broke through Kellach's concrete spell. He flicked his tail at Kellach and he was sent flying into Jake.
"Ooff!" Kimimaro then stood upward. He looked monstrous.
"Vine Dance."
Chapter 17
Dragons Released!
Kimimaro crouched downward. He put a hand to the back of his neck. Then, with a gross sucking sound, he pulled out a long spiky bone from his back. Kellach felt sick and he held back the bile rising up in his throat.
"Did he just rip out his spine?!" Kimimaro had a cruel, sinister look upon his face. He held his spine like a spear.
"Vine bind!" The sine became loose, lightweight. The spine then lashed at Kellach and wrapped around him like a viper.
"Ouch!" The spikes on the spine cut him like knives. His hands were binded, his spells were useless!
"Now I've got you right where I want you." Kimimaro laughed. He then held out his hand.
"Flower dance!!" Kimimaro's hand grew a spike. Then that spiked bone grew larger, and larger. And sharper. Soon, his left hand was no more, and a huge drill-like bone was in its place. Kimimaro charged at Kellach.
"You're mine!!" He bellowed. Kimimaro stopped. He began to cough again. Blood gushed from his mouth. He fell back to the ground again.
"I don't have much time," thought Kimimaro as he continued to cough blood, "I need to finish this brat off now, or it's over for me. . . ." The vine constricting Kellach released its grip. Kellach instantly ripped out his spell book from his component pouch. He quickly flipped to the last page of the book. He had to do this quickly while Kimimaro was detained. He took out a pin shaped like a dragon. He smeared it with his own blood. He drew a pentagram on the only bare space on the floor with Kimimaro's coughed up blood. He sat in the pentagram and held out the bloodied pin. He began to chant the complex spell.
"Aman, Befon, Cadin, Demic, Enrago, Fetid, Gralt, Hiis, Illistor, Jinsti, Kadako, Lindil, Malcasta," Kellach was beet-red with concentration. The last page of his spell book was set on fire. The pin and pentagram then glowed a dark red. Kimimaro had stopped coughing. He was righting himself up,
"Ninnin, Orak, Plekaz, Queccartz, Riixit," Kimimaro was furious, He charged at Kellach with bloodlust,
"Sinerts, Talcin, Uunal, Viniciano," Kellach was now glowing blue. The air was crackling with pure power. Kimimaro held out his spear-like arm,
"Wistanvior, Xionaltinca," Kimimaro stood before Kellach,
"Yamanato," Kimimaro arced his hand back, preparing to impale Kellach.
"ZEN!! 26 DRAGON GATES RELEASE!! AHHHHHHHHH!!" Kellach had finished the spell, but Kimimaro had speared straight through him. However, the spell had granted him temporary immortality. Though Kellach had been speared through, there was no wound. Kellach still felt the shocking, fatal pain from the blow. Kimimaro removed his hand from Kellach's body. The entire room was shaking from magical energy. A hole appeared from the air. Then 26 different colored dragons flew from the heavens and encircled Kimimaro. Kellach was barely conscious to speak.
"The 26 ancient dragons of Knight's Title. Aman, Befon, Cadin, Demic, Enrago, Fetid, Gralt, Hiis, Illistor, Jinsti, Kadako, Lindil, Malcasta, Ninnin, Orak, Plekaz, Queccartz, Riixit, Sinerts, Talcin, Uunal, Viniciano, Wistanvior, Xionaltinca, Yamanato, and Zen. This will be the last thing you will ever see. Goodbye Kimimaro Kaguya. DIVINE FIRE!" The dragons opened their mouths, and 26 different colored flames swirled around Kimimaro in a fiery white hot vortex.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" The flames were so strong; it melted his bones and blood. After the blaze, there was nothing left of him. The dragons winked at Kellach, and disappeared in a boom, leaving behind a beautiful cloud of sparkles. Kellach felt dizzy. He saw Jake, unconscious. Before he knew it, he was falling. The bones were gone. He was falling away, what would he become?
Chapter 18
Orechalcos Deuteros
"Now I'll ask you again, do you really wish to fight me?" asked Dartz. Neji stood his ground. All of a sudden, the 2 heard screaming. A hole opened up in the ceiling. Glass and blood rained down from the hole, and a black furry blur fell on Dartz.
"Shadow?!" gasped Neji. Then through the same hole came a lot of dirt, and a very cut op girl with ginger hair and torn robes.
"Hermione?!" And finally, a huge pile of bones, and 2 unconscious boys.
"Jake. . . . . . Kellach?!" Neji was flabbergasted by the friend's arrival.
"What is this madness?!" Roared Dartz. Kellach, Jake, Shadow, and Hermione all came to and got up and stood beside Neji. They were cut, beaten, bruised, slashed, and bleeding.
"You . . . . . you guys, came to save me?" stammered Neji.
"Well we couldn't have let you rot in here, now could we?" Grinned Kellach.
"We had to come." Added Hermione.
"You're part of the team after all." Continued Shadow.
"Yeah, so we've come to bust you out!" Finished Jake.
"ENOUGH!" Dartz pushed the rubble out of the way. He put his hand to the altar floor.
"THE SEAL OF ORECHALCOS!!" The lightning-blue star shaped seal appeared on the floor. The mark then glowed on his forehead. The floor gave off an eerie blue glow. Neji and Dartz were caught in the seal. The other 4 were physically pushed right out of the seal by an unseen force. They ran back into the seal, but they were stopped.
"It's hopeless," Dartz said, "the seal is unbreakable. It prevents those from coming in, or running out. The seal. . . . . . needs a body. The only way to break the seal is a death within it."
"So it's a fight to the death." Answered Neji.
"Precisely." Dartz then shot blue fire out of his fingertips. A ring of fire snaked around the seal.
"No way out now," Cackled Dartz. "Fight!" Dartz leapt into the air and shot a vine from the ground at Neji. It latched to his legs and he was pulled to the ground.
"You see knights; I have absorbed the powers of Azula, Mimic, Pansy, Ti Lee, and Kimimaro. I'm invincible!" Dartz then made about 10 copies of himself. They all began to charge for a lightning strike.
"Byakuga-ahh!" The pain in Neji's eyes was excruciating.
"Byakuga-Ahhh!" He had to use his power, or he was a goner!
"BYAKUGAN!!" It worked, the veins swelled, his eyes bulged, and he had done it. The lightning was then fired, but Neji was ready this time.
"Rotation!" The lightning backfired and ricocheted around the seal. The lightning hit all ten copies.
"AAAAA!!" Growled Dartz. Neji then leapt at the real Dartz.
"8 trigrams 4 palms," He jabbed Dartz 4 times, "8 palms," 8 more jabs, "16 palms, 32 palms, 64 palms, 128 palms, 256 palms, 512 palms, 1024 PALMS!! 2048 PALMS!! 4096 PALMS!! 9192 PALMS!! Hyuga's 12 gates explosion!!"
He had slammed Dartz 90192 times at the speed of light. The air was filled with debris from the explosion. Dartz was sent flying. He had done it! He had killed Dartz! No one ever survived that devastating attack! But something wasn't right. The seal was still on the ground. That meant. . . . . .
"I'm impressed Neji," His heart sank, "I mean, If I hadn't used Kimimaro's bone armor, I don't think I would be standing."
"No. . . . . . . . ." Neji was confused.
"You can't kill me that easily boy." Dartz laughed. Neji's blood boiled.
"Aaaarg!!" Neji charged at Dartz and tried to strike at him.
"Fear the gentle fist!" Neji's speed was unfathomable, but Dartz looked as if he wasn't even trying. Then, without warning Dartz threw a punch that sent Neji crashing against the seal's invisible wall.
"He's so strong. . . . ." Thought Neji as he got up.
"If you thought I was strong then, wait till I show you my true strength!" Dartz put his had to the sky and yelled,
"ORECHALCOS DEUTEROS!" A second ring formed around the seal on the ground.
"No way!" Gasped Hermione.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the second level of evil. Orechalcos Deuteros! This second, stronger layer of darkness gives me even more strength. And oh, as an added little bonus. . ." Dartz pointed to Neji's friends with a bony finger. All of a sudden Jake, Shadow, Hermione, and Kellach began to cough. They were clutching at their throats, gasping for breath. They were coughing in fits; they were on their knees on the ground struggling to breath.
"What's going (Wheeze, cough, cough) on?" The 4 bodies began to convulse, and they went limp one by one.
"And the seal drains them!" laughed Dartz.
"You monster," said Neji, choking back tears, "you've gone too far now. I will kill you and end your reign of hell."
"You will try to, but your anger will blind you." Said Dartz, his voice was calm, and it was more chilling then anything. Neji ran at Dartz with pounding bloodlust. He began to use the gentle fist. Dartz grabbed Neji's hand in an instant.
"Like I said, your rage and anger will blind you"." And he bent Neji's hand backward with a gross graphic crunch.
"AHHHHHH!!" His right hand was broken. Neji then blocked a kick to the stomach, and then dodged another. He could see everything with his eyes.
"Why-can't-I-kill-you?!" Dartz seethed.
"I'm focused now, concentrating on his moves," Thought Neji, "I can see his every move!" Neji's movements became sharper now. Neji then aimed a blow to Dartz's forehead. It struck.
"That's it?" asked Dartz, "That's your ace in the hole?" He had a look of malice on his face.
"That's all I need." Answered Neji. Suddenly, Dartz clutched at his head and coughed up blood. Dartz looked horrified.
"My attacks don't physically wound my foes," began Neji, taking off his headband, "It punctuates them internally, like a scalpel." Neji's curse mark shone on his head. Dartz's eyes went wide. He goggled at Neji's curse mark.
"Finally, the eyes of the Hyuuga! The secret kept from others for centuries, I will finally have it!! The ritual is all set!!" Dartz ripped the pendant off from around his neck.
"ORECALCOS TRITEROS!!"
Chapter 19
The Secret of the Hyuuga
"ORECHALCOS TRITOS!!" Dartz threw his pendant to the ground, and it shattered in a million pieces. A blue plume of smoke came out of the pendant and entered Dartz's nose and mouth. A third ring spun around the seal. Neji could feel a dangerous level of spirit pressure in the air. Dartz's body began to transform.
"GIVE," 4 large thorny vines shot out of his back. His shirt tore right off. He was surprisingly extremely muscular for a 10,000 year old man.
"ME," bone like spikes erupted onto his body.
"YOUR," He grew a pair of red dragon wings.
"EYES!!" His long blue hair tuned into blue fire. His hands and feet had blue rings of fire circling around each leg and hand. His entire body gave off a purplish black glow. He was now a monster. Neji backed away in fear against the invisible walls of the seal. Dartz's eyes were still an eerie blue and yellow, but they had a tint of red evil in them now. Dartz had the essence to kill. He would kill Neji if he could. This is what frightened Neji the most of all.
"The vines of Pansy, the bones of Kimimaro, the fire of Azula, the wings of Jake, the chaos energy of Mimic and Shadow, and the divine magical energy of Kellach and Hermione!" Laughed Dartz, his voice sounded like a mix of many that were not his. A vine then smacked Neji and sent him soaring into the ceiling. A fire ring flew off of Dartz's arm and encircled around Neji. The ring began to spin, burning Neji in the process. Then he blasted bones out of his chest like torpedoes, two of them flew right into Neji's back.
"Ahhhhgggg!" Neji cried in pain.
"Yes, feel the pain!" cackled Dartz like a maniac. Neji then fell from where he was on the ceiling. He was going to make a belly flop onto the hard ground.
"And now that you are weak enough," Right before Neji hit the ground, Dartz stuck his finger out, and Neji landed on Dartz's fingertip. The curse mark was under dart's thumb. Neji's head nearly split open.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!" Dartz was attempting to take away Neji's powers, just like what he saw him doing to Azula. Neji was in pure agony.
"For too long I have waited for this moment!! The secret of the Hyuuga is mine!!" Neji's eyesight became a little fuzzy. He got dizzy with nausea; this was going to be the death of him. The Orechalcos was already invading his mind.
"He'll have my power, and I'll be corrupted by darkness. . . . ." His curse mark burned, the seal of Orechalcos was already being etched onto his head.
"Kellach. . . . . . Hermione. . . .Jake. . . . . Shadow. . . . . . . everyone. . . . ." He saw nothing but white. All was silent.
"I'm sorry. . ."
All of a sudden, Dartz was magically pushed away from Neji. He was slammed against the seal, and he crumpled to the ground. Neji fell to the floor. He was regaining his sight.
"You can NEVER put the seal on me," said Neji, "Because this caged bird protects my mind from being probed by power hungry psychos like you. You will NEVER find the secret of the Hyuuga!!" Dartz got up. He looked menacing.
"Well, if I can't have the secret," barked Dartz, his blue and yellow eyes in frenzy, "NO ONE CAN!!" Dartz sent out a black aura sphere at Neji, thousands of them. The balls then flew at him.
"Protective 8 trigrams!" Neji then bashed the balls with his hands with great speed. More and more balls were rocketing towards him. A purple mist sprayed out of the spheres whenever Neji broke one. They were making him cough, which slowed him down.
"Don't stop now! Muhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!" Dartz was enjoying Neji squirm, "The aura spheres contain a little special poison of my own creation. It is mixed with orechalcum and pansy's special poison."
Neji's eyes were watering like crazy from the acrid mist, he was slowing in movements. Some of the balls attached to his body. The balls then grew 1 eye and little spikes around their body. They prickled Neji.
"Ouch!" Yipped Neji. Soon, about 50 spiked balls were on Neji's body. He was breathing heavily; the toxic was beginning to take its effect.
"Kutoras, An ancient race of little monsters that are loyal to the Orechalcos. Don't let them attach to you though; their personality will go off with a bang." Suddenly, the Kutoras on Neji's body began to glow white.
"ORECHALCOS BLAST!" About 50 Kutoras then exploded right on Neji.
"Ahh!" howled Neji. He had burn marks all over his body. Everything was happening so fast.
"I'm not finished yet!" Dartz ran at Neji,
"ROSE DANCE!" Thousands of rose petals then blasted out of Dartz's mouth like a faucet. They all flew into the air. There they just drifted; floating down to the earth. Then, without warning, they all shot at Neji like bullets in different directions and cut him apart like knives.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Neji fell to the ground, doubled over in pain. He wanted to die. The pain was unbearable. He was crying in fear. Everywhere he bled, he was a bleeding mess. He was shaking with terror and from the loss of blood. He leaned over and vomited blood onto the stone floor. He broke into a cold sweat. He was loosing his sanity.
"I knew it. . . . ." Dartz spat at Neji, "You are just a sniveling little kid. Get up and fight me boy!!" Neji was still shuddering, struggling to hold on to life. "You aren't in little ninja school anymore; you are in the real world. People will kill you without a thought. If you don't fight back, your death will be all for naught, but does it matter to me? No!" Dartz stood over the half living Neji. He picked him up by the front of his collar. "Now to finish you off." Dartz held out his free hand. 7 colors circled around his clawed hand till it was beautifully multicolored.
"THE HAND OF JUDGEMENT!" Dartz's hand was swirling with many beautiful colors.
"This will be the end of you Neji. And why stop there? There are other Hyuugas out there that share the same secret as you do. It won't end here, oh no. I'll kill every Hyuuga alive!!"
"I'm nearly out of chakra . . . . . even my own life," Thought Neji. "I only have the strength for 1 more attack." Neji then slowly raised his hand; it took all the strength in his body to just do that.
"Good boy, facing death like a man." The two were standing face to face.
"Any last words?" Asked Dartz. Neji nodded. He opened his mouth.
"8 trigrams, Hyuuga's ultimate secret resort." Neji then slammed Dartz's chest area where his heart would have been with his palm. Dartz then plunged his hand through Neji's chest.
"I WIN!! Your- urk!" Dartz then vomited nearly a gallon of blood. Each time Dartz's heart beat; he vomited blood like a gushing fountain.
"You rotten bas- (gak, kof!)" Neji's breath shortened, all was white, and then he heard a loud piercing sound like shattering glass. Dartz's coughing, and shouting. He felt the blood draining quickly out of his body. He saw nothing but a flashing blue light. . . . . . . . Then nothing.
Chapter 20
Lost thoughts
Beep. . . . . . . Beep. . . . . . . .Beep . . . . . . . . Beep. That's all he was hearing. There was a blinding white light. He couldn't move. He tasted cotton. Neji tried to speak, but no sound was coming out. He was in a daze. He just lay in his spot, days, weeks, it felt like years he was there. Then one day, a black shadow appeared against the white light. Neji managed to squeak out,
"Am I dead?" The figure threw back its head and laughed a very familiar laugh.
"Would you be breathing in the infirmary if you were?" The shadow disappeared to reveal a lanky 14 year old boy in purple robes. His straw blonde hair went down to his shoulders. On of the locks near his forehead was braided. He had a big smirk on his face, like he always did.
"Kellach?" Asked Neji.
"Yours truly." The boys hugged. They were both grinning at each other.
"AHHHH!!" Neji's whole body felt inflamed.
"What did he do to me?!" Kellach picked up the clipboard from the foot of Neji's bed and read it.
"Oh boy! Did he put a number on you!" Grinned Kellach, "we got fractured ribs, internal bleeding, hematoma of the lungs, poisoning of a very high level, spinal fractures, and a complete severing of the right arm. You are very lucky to even be alive Neji." Kellach was now very serious.
"How are the others?" Neji blurted, "Hermione, shadow Jake?"
"All fine; our wounds have been healing up rather nicely. . . ." Kellach then gave a loud cough.
"Are you ok?" asked Neji. Kellach cleared his throat.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just a minor cold. Don't worry about it." Neji was suspicious of Kellach's answer, but ignored it.
"How did I even survive?"
"Well, you have me to thank for that. . . . ."
Well Neji, remember when Dartz used the second ring?
"SILENCE!!"
And he knocked out you and the others? Yeah I remember that.
Well, I was safe.
How?!
I had a piece of the Orechalcos around my neck, remember? I took it from Azula when she broke into the tower.
Yeah, so that stone protected you Kellach?
Uh huh. I just pretended to pass out.
But that doesn't answer my question!
Hold your horses! I'm getting to it.
Sorry, please continue.
Thank you Neji, where was I? Oh yes, how you lived. Well, when Dartz stabbed you clean through the chest, I knew it was now or never for you. So. . . . . . .
"WITH THIS SHARD OF THE ORECHALCOS I BREAK THE SEAL!!"
That was you shouting Kellach? Kellach nodded.
You were about to die, so I broke the seal. Wasn't easy mate, it nearly corrupted me when I attempted to break it. The second the seal broke, I ran straight to you. I had to get you out of there. You were barely clinging to life then. When I went to check on the others, they were all near death. I almost lost her Neji. . . . . . . .
Kellach's eyes watered a bit. Neji understood. Kellach's sad face then brightened.
"But luckily, no one died!"
Neji was very happy to hear that. He was glad to be back home. It is very lucky that no one had died in his friend's mission to save him. And then it dawned on him. No one died? No one? The shocking, cold slap of reality hit him like a ton of bricks. Neji felt dizzy, he lay back in bed.
"Kellach?"
"Yeah?" He was just about to leave the room.
"Was our true mission a success?" Kellach took one solemn look at Neji.
"No." said Kellach flatly, and he strode out of the room.
No one had died. No one. Not him, not Kellach, not Hermione, not Jake, or Shadow. . . . . . . . . Not Azula, not Ti Lee, not Pansy, not Mimic, not Kimimaro.
Not Dartz.
Their mission was a complete failure. Yes, he was saved, but at what cost? They were all nearly dead, but Dartz is still alive and well. They may have won the battle, but Dartz had won the war.
Kellach strode through the infirmary hallways. He turned a corner and began to walk up the spiral staircase. Halfway up the stairs he clutched at his chest and went into a fit of coughing. He had his hands over his mouth. He then got back up, and then examined his left hand. It was dripping with blood.
"So," Kellach thought, "It's just what I have feared. . . . . . ."
Chapter 21
After
Jake was in the lounge, playing super killer bunny with Shadow, Knuckles, and Aang. Sasuke was on the couch, reading a scroll. Amy was gossiping over her cell phone to her friend Arya. Hermione had her head stuck in a book. Neji was watching the boys play. It had been 2 months since Neji's capture.
"I'm winning! Yeah!!" Said Jake as the 4 boys pressed their faces towards the screen.
"You are going to go blind if you just stare at the TV like that." Sighed Hermione, not looking up from her book. Sasuke then rolled up the scroll, then walked up to Hermione and whispered something into her ear. Hermione yelped as if she was stung. She looked at Sasuke.
"Really?" she whispered. Sasuke nodded at her. Hermione dropped her book and ran down the hallways, and then she was gone.
"What was that all about?" asked Neji, bewildered.
"Oh nothing you need to know." Replied Sasuke smugly.
"YES!! I WON AGAIN!!" Aang shouted triumphantly as he pumped his hand into the air. He conjured up an air scooter and flew all over the room. The other three boys groaned.
"Hey where's Kellach?" asked Shadow.
"Where's Hermione?" asked Knuckles. Amy got off the phone.
"I bet I know where they are."
Hermione was staring at a door. She was completely elated. She knew what was behind this door, Sasuke had told her.
"He's waiting for you," Sasuke whispered to her. The door in front of her read,
BROOM CUPBOARD
She opened the door, and walked into a very small broom closet. It was pitch black inside. She saw a small drawstring hanging from the ceiling. She cautiously pulled the string. A small, dim light filled the room. There were tons of brooms and mops in the room. The ground was littered with sponges and dish rags. The room was extremely narrow. Dust was everywhere,
"Ahchoo!" Hermione sneezed.
"Bless you."
Hermione gasped and turned around to see. . . . . . .
"KELLACH!!"
"Were you expecting someone else?"
"No, actually I wasn't. I was hoping it was you."
"That's good," Kellach grabbed her waist, "I almost lost you."
"I thought you were dead."
"I'm so sorry."
"I'm very sorry."
"You don't have to be."
"Don't be so hard on yourself."
"But it was my fault." They said in unison.
"No it wasn't!" they said.
"Yes it was!" they said.
"I love you." They said. They both stopped.
"Really?" They said.
"Yes." Breathed Kellach.
"Of course." Said Hermione. And their lips touched each other. She put her arms around his neck. She could see a tear streak down his face. Hermione's knees buckled. She grew weary. She dreamily gave in to Kellach and fainted into his arms.
"Whoops! Looks like I turned on the charm a little too much." He cradled her in his arms. He climbed out of the closet and walked into the lounge. The others went open mouthed. Kellach had a very smug look on his face. He didn't need to utter a word for the others to know what happened. Kellach then walked through the hallways to the elevator, pressed the up button, and walked inside the elevator. It took them upwards. The entire room was in silence. Then Knuckles faced Shadow. He held out his hand.
"Pay up."
"Fine." Shadow took out a 50 from his pocket and gave it to Knuckles.
"Ugh, you win Knuckles, they made out." Shadow groaned. Amy was smiling dreamily. She sighed happily.
"I always knew that they would make a cute couple."
Neji was lying in his bed. It was very late at night. All the others were fast asleep. His headband was on his dresser drawer. One burning thought stung at him ever since his capture. He used to think that the Secret of the Hyuuga was a heavy burden to bear. But it apparently was also a blessing. Dartz will now never know the secret. No one ever will. People might come for him, but he had friends to help him on the rough road ahead. No one said that his life would be easy when he joined the team of Knight's Title. So in the end, he couldn't be happier. This was because he had support from his best friends, and overall, he had hope. After many years, he could sleep peacefully. He was safe. He was home.