Jet and the Black Knight
Chapter Two: Magic of the Mist
The scene opens to a hazy land where even the most substantial object as shrouded in a thick mist. Beneath the endless fog lies a cavernous forest that stretched to the farthest reaches of the map with barely a hint of civilization. It was here where we find Jet resting in a state of unconsciousness upon the dew-covered grass. Kneeling beside him, Merlina the Sorceress waved a glowing hand over his forehead until the hawk finally returned to his rightful state. With an audible moan, Jet pushed himself to sit up and pressed his palm over his eyes.
"Ugh, that's the last time I drink hot sauce before a job." Jet said dazed.
"Are you ok, brave warrior?" Merlina said softly; her voice was weak and tired.
"I've had better days." Jet said nonchalantly, jumping to his feet. "But you would know about that, wouldn't ya, Shahra?"
"Shahra?" Merlina repeated confused.
"But what I don't get is why you had to drag me away." Jet questioned disappointedly. "Yeah, I know he was a strong guy and he caught me off guard. But with a little magic and some elbow grease, I could have taken him, no problem."
"You do not understand." Merlina said despairingly. "The Black Knight cannot be wounded, not can he be slain."
"Ok, now you lost me." Jet said cluelessly.
"He is protected by powerful magic." Merlina explained. "This making comes from the scabbard that holds Excalibur."
"Excalibur?" Jet repeated interestingly. "Wait a minute...I know that name from somewhere."
"Excalibur is the name of the sword that rightfully belongs to King Arthur." Merlina stated.
"King Arthur!" Jet nodded knowledgably. "Now him I have definitely heard of. But if that was the scabbard of Excalibur, then that means this place is..."
"I am sorry for my forced summons, but it was necessary." Merlina said apologetically. "I have drawn you into the land ruled by King Arthur, which was recorded in the pages of my grandfather's journal."
"Your grandfather?" Jet repeated amazingly. "Then your grandfather was Merlin the Wizard."
"Yes." Merlina nodded.
"But if this is King Arthur's world," Jet said thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "Then was that the king who knocked me out a moment ago? I know I don't read many books since the Arabian Knights, but I always thought Arthur was the hero of the story."
"We can't stay in one place for too long." Merlina said suddenly as she pulled up her hood. "But before we go, I think a proper introduction is in order. I can't have you going around confusing me for another person. My name is Merlina, Royal Sorceress of Camelot."
"Sorry about the mix up." Jet grinned politely. "You just look like a good friend of mine. The name's Jet the Hawk, prince of Babylon and the Legendary Wind Hawk."
"You carry such prominent titles." Merlina smiled. "I knew I made the right choice in summoning you."
"You're not the first to say that." Jet boasted momentarily. "Actually, you are, but feel free to spread it around."
Merlina giggled. Raising herself to full height, the undaunted sorceress leaned against her scepter for a moment reprieve before trudging forward. As the emerald hawk stood beside her, Jet couldn't help but notice how pale her skin was compared to when he had first seen her. Shahra had taught him that magic can drain humans more effectively since they are not originally magical beings like genies and fairies. He hoped Merlina would be able to survive the trip. As they prowled deeper into the mist, Jet began to take in the features of the forest once the mist slowly began to lift around them. The trees that surrounded the area were full of life and were the greenest shade Jet had ever seen in plant life back home. And in the center of the forest rested an enormous lake with a single tree planted in the center. With a trained eye, the emerald hawk discovered that the mist was actually being produced from the lake itself.
"What's up with all this weird mist?" Jet asked.
"The Lady of Lake is very protective of this forest." Merlina answered. "She guards the beauty of nature and tries to preserve it against those who threaten it. This mist is one of her many wards. Anyone who travels into the mist without knowledge of where they are going will be lost forever. She is very strict about keeping away outsiders."
"Well, I'd say she's doing a very good job." Jet commented.
"Yes, she is." Merlina nodded. "Not even King Arthur dares to travel into this forest. Only the Sea Knight, Dame Lamerok, has been gifted enough to actually meet the Lady of the Lake at her hidden home. That is why King Arthur brought her into the Knights of the Round Table."
"Whatever happened with the king, anyway?" Jet questioned.
"And there lies the tragedy of this world." Merlina sighed hopelessly. "King Arthur was once a wise and just ruler. He was blessed with five noble knights, each from different land, and was praised by all as the savior of our world. However..."
"Let me guess," Jet interjected. "He got a little sidetracked?"
"Precisely." Merlina nodded. "Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, granted Arthur the power of Excalibur. But he was bewitched by the power of immortality the scabbard bestowed upon him. He became immortal, summoning legions of dark knights fro m the underworld. He is now plunging his kingdom into a world of horror and chaos."
"Sounds like Storm's chili back home." Jet joked, laughing lightly. Merlina seemed stoic. "But this Arthur guy is nothing compared to what Nazo did. If you want to see horror and chaos, you should have seen what he did on Angel Island. It just sounds like the King's making a giant haunted house for Halloween."
"It may appear so to you, but not to others." Merlina sighed. "If this continues, all the innocent lives will be lost and this world will become a pit for demons and spirits. That is why I have summoned you in this desperate time."
"You mean you want me to take out King Arthur?" Jet questioned; he stared at her like she was insane. "You mean THE King Arthur. The guys who defeated the mighty dragon and led the knights against the Dark Army."
"I thought you didn't read books." Merlina said pointedly.
"I skim through the pages." Jet muttered embarrassingly. "Besides, what about the whole immortality thing?"
"Beyond the mystic lake and hidden within the forest sleeps a Sacred Sword." Merlina explained, holding her scepter to point in the direction. "It is one of the Six Sacred Swords that has the power to kill King Arthur."
"A sword..." Jet said uneasily.
"Is there a problem?" Merlina asked surprisingly.
"Yeah, there is one problem." Jet said lowly. "You see, the Babylonians don't believe in using lethal force. Well, there was Rodrigo, but he was nuttier than a barrel of acorns. Either way, I can't use a sword. It goes against everything I stand for."
"But how will you defeat King Arthur?!" Merlina exclaimed frighteningly.
"I'll do what I do best." Jet smirked, flaunting his bansho fans. "The power of the wind and the strength of the Ark of the Cosmo, there is no way this Black Knight stands a chance against me."
"A fan cannot defeat King Arthur!" Merlina yelled impatiently. "You need the Sacred Sword!"
"I don't need a sword!" Jet screeched belligerently. "I can take on any competition without it!"
"You thing so, huh?" Merlina glared coldly. "Then you won't mind proving your skill against Nimue's ultimate protection against invaders. The Mist Dragon."
"The what now?" Jet said quickly.
Barely a moment after their spat, the ground trembled with a thunderous boom echoing through the mist. The lake quivered as if by fear of the unknown prowler. Acting from instincts and experience, Jet waved his fans in preparation for anything that might occur while trapped in this hazardous fog. A branch snapped. Quick on the reaction, Jet waved his fans in the direction of the sound and brushed away the mist that veiled them. Now he wished he hadn't. With the cloud gone, the emerald hawk found himself faced with a massive dragon with hardened blue scales and a horn made from pure sapphire.
"Uh...Merlina." Jet called cowardly. "You wouldn't mind lend a hand out here, would ya?"
"This is your challenge." Merlina smirked victoriously "If you can defeat the dragon without the use of a sword, then I will direct you to King Arthur so that you may defeat him."
"I was afraid you were going to say that." Jet moaned.
The dragon roared to its challenger, releasing a steady stream of blue flames. Jet was grateful for his inherited speed as he rolled to the side to avoid the cindering flames. Kicking off the ground, Jet flipped over the dragon's head and landed on its back, nearly penetrating himself on one of its jagged spikes. The emerald hawk raised his fans and swiftly swiped them across the dragon's spine at a rate that would normally scar a person. But the dragon's scaly hide remained unscathed and glinted in the morning mist lights. With a thunderous snarl, the dragon raised its tail and snapped across Jet's face, sending him flying into one of the surrounding trees. Merlina raised her hand, which stopped the dragon from continuing its rampage.
"Man, this is just not my day." Jet groaned.
"Are you ready to concede yet?" Merlina asked happily.
"Oh no, you're not going to get me with that." Jet said pointedly. "I actually know what concede means and I am not going to quit anytime soon."
"You certainly are a stubborn bird." Merlina grimaced.
"Yeah, like I don't hear that often." Jet muttered sarcastically.
Shaking her head in annoyance, Merlina threw down her hand, commanding the dragon to continue its work. Overhear the dragons stampeding footsteps, the emerald hawk thrusted his palms into the ground and spun to the right. While the dragon crashed head forward into the trees, Jet skidded backwards as he shifted to his feet once more. This was one of the few occasions where Jet actually had to think to survive. The dragon's scales were too hard for Jet's fans, which normally could crack stone. Jet had heard on few occasions that a dragon's weak point was its eye, but he wasn't fond of getting up-close and personal with the monster. But then his eyes were drawn to the crystallized horn at the tip of its nose. It looked very important.
"Ok, I'm only going to get one shot at this." Jet thought nervously. "I knew I should have signed my will when I had the chance."
The dragon snorted and looked to Merlina for answers. The sorceress smacked her forehead and irritantly point to Jet. Once confirming its target, the blue beast raced forward, clawing at the ground with each step. As the dragon opened its mouth to release another wave of flames, Jet swiftly acted upon his plan and jumped to grab the beast by the horn. Feeling violated, the mammoth monster swaggered its head left and right, but the emerald hawk would not give in. Maintaining a firm grip on the monster, Jet pressed his left palm into the crystal horn; his Ark glowed diligently.
"GRAVITY FORCE!!" Jet cried.
Jet released a tremendous amount of pressure from his pal, which shattered the dragon's horn into several pieces. The dragon screeched in bloody agony, flailing its head into the trees, which effectively knocked its attacker away. With an audible whimper, the dragon billowed it wings and took over the horizon; the mist returned suddenly.
"That was amazing." Merlina commented astoundingly. "Very few have survived the wrath of a dragon without the use of a sword. Your feat will be legendary."
"Yeah, but this isn't the best moment." Jet said sadly. Answering to Merlina's confusion, Jet held his fans into view. The feathers were torn and bent to the point where they were ready to be throw to pieces. "The dragon's scales tore up my fans. Now I can't fight King Arthur."
"There is still the Sacred Sword." Merlina suggested hopefully.
"At this point, I don't think I have a choice." Jet stated as he jumped down from the tree. All right, I'll go find this "Sacred Sword" and hunt down King Arthur. But that doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Before you go, take this as a gift." Merlina requested. Before the Babylonian knew what happened, Merlina slipped a metallic gauntlet over his left arm, which covered his ring and Ark. (If you haven't figured it out by now, Jet is left-handed) "Take this as proof of your knighthood. Good luck."
"Heh! Who needs luck when you've got skills like mine?!" Jet boasted eagerly.
Merlina nodded at his speech, but sincerely doubted his efforts were worth much. With a final nod, Jet turned to the edge of the lake and disappeared into the foaming mist that surrounded him. But unknown to either of them, a malevolent shadow was watching them from afar. Though the eyes of an airborne raven, the Black Knight studied Jet's progress from the safety of his island fortress. His scowl was truly a fearful sight and the black smog eroding from his breath only added to his dark effect.
"That bird has grown stronger since I have last seen him." The Black Knight stated. "Though I had never expected him to fail, it is unnerving that he managed to defeat a dragon with his bare hands. And now he hunts the Sacred Sword hidden deep within the mist under the eyes of the Lady of Lake. A place where I dare not travel."
"Isn't that why you called me, your pointyness?" A young female asked playfully.
"Lamerok! Show the king your respect!"
The Black Knight turned to face his surroundings, which was set on the sandy shores near the ocean waves. Looking down, the dark king faced two separate knights kneeling before him. The one known as Lamerok was a young female barely more than a child. The only visible feature of this child was the twin strands pointing from the back of her helmet. Similar to the previous female knight, she wore a full-body set of armor that was shaded with the brightest green. Orange stripes laced over the side of her arms and chassis and wore a bright emerald helmet with an orange visor, which revealed the girls ocean-blue eyes.
The second knight was far more fearsome. This creature was a complete enigma to the king as the knight had no visible signs, nor has he ever removed his armor. His main armor seemed to consist of a rare black crystal substance that proved nearly invulnerable to any sword. His gauntlets and shoes seemed to be made of the same substance, only white. His helmet was formed from the deepest black and concealed any chances of identifying him. As the Black Knight turned to them, he found the second knight raising his fist over Lamerok.
"Calm yourself, Galahad." The Black Knight warned. "She is still needed."
"Why have you called for us, your majesty?" The knight known as Galahad questioned.
"When we were hunting down Merlina, I thought I would only need three of my knights." The Black Knight explained spitefully. "But that witch summoned a devilish enemy into my kingdom. I thought my strength would be enough to defeat him, but he has grown more powerful."
"Is that why you sent the others to hunt him?" Lamerok asked curiously.
"Yes." The Black Knight nodded. "But I fear they will not be enough. I wish for you to join them and slay the hawk on sight." His shifted his glance directly to Lamerok. "But I have a more important mission for you. I want you to travel to the Misty Lake and stop that hawk from obtaining the Sacred Sword."
"You can count on me, boss!" Lamerok saluted eagerly.
The Black Knight scowled, but reluctantly nodded and marched back to the castle. Galahad watched his superior trudge back to his sanctuary with a calculative look on his mind. If Lancelot or Gawain wasn't powerful enough to defeat this enemy, then did these mean the king was threatened? Was he afraid that this newcomer would usurp him? But with these thoughts traveled through his mind, a sudden splash sounded from his left. He looked over and spotted Lamerok splashing in the water; she forgot that she couldn't swim.
"How she became a Knight of the Round Table, I will never know." Galahad groaned.
A journey to the sword leads to a new challenge. Will Jet be able to retrieve the Sacred Sword to defeat King Arthur? Will Lamerok prove to be too much for the hawk to handle? And what has become of the other knights? Find out on the next chapter of Jet and the Black Knight!
Please, read and review.
