Ch 3: Useless

As the spells "Roola." and "Gahar." were ringing out into the night, John found himself unable to come to terms with what he was witnessing before him. As John looked on in horror at a giant ball of blistering fire rocketing out of Arltos's mouth, he taught he had entered Hell. The heat was so intense he felt as though his eyes would melt off his body at any moment. Simultaneously a third eye appeared on Laaid's head (above his regular two eyes) which gave birth to a brilliant yet deadly beam of light. Although these two attacks took mere milliseconds to reach each other, it felt as though an eternity had passed before the attacks finally collided canceling each other out in a tremendous thud. The back lash of the impact was so great that the wind it generated swept everybody off their feet, flooding them in a sea of smoke.

As John opened his eyes all he could see was the grey smoke hovering all around him. Nor could he hear for his ears had temporarily been popped. Lying on his back John was, at the moment, no longer able to think clearly let along comprehend what had just happened. As John had been reading Arltos's spell he could feel the spell book absorbing his own strength—his own energy. This coupled with the fact that he was dizzy with fear had left him on brink of fainting. He was frozen stiff, unable to stand or even move.

For a time there was silence. Being late at night not a lot of people were initially around, but soon lights from nearby buildings started coming on as bystanders slowly started to surround the park entrance to see what was happening. Hurriedly Arltos ran over to John forcing him to his feet as the smoke began to fade away.

"Coun!" said Drew, reading his spell as John came into his line of sight. The circle in Ungrewe's chest quickly opened up and, before John could bring himself to make even the smallest of movements, a giant cannon ball was flying towards him. Arltos alert was quick to jump towards John to push him out of the way saving him and, more importantly to Arltos, his book. The cannon ball continued on and slammed into a nearby tree causing it to collapse to the ground in a dramatic fashion. Nobody was hurt but the bystanders watching all took a step back away from the park.

"Get a hold of yourself!" Arltos screamed to John. "I need you to read the book again." He continued before staring at the bullies clinching his teeth. Now it was Sal's turn to give his spell a try.

"Heem." Sal said with the voice of an excited child as the head of Kihe turned into metal, and in a instant was flying towards John and Arltos by means of Kihe's spring like neck. Arltos again had to push John to safety. Kihe's head harmlessly drifted by before flinging back onto Kihe's body.

"Again!" Sal yelled angry at the miss, but again the attack bore the same result.

"What are you doing read the spell stupid!" demanded Arltos.

But John's only response was "what are you things?" his face a pale white as he began to breath heavy.

"We should all hit them at the same time Stan." Sal began becoming more and more excited "Then they'll be done for sure".

"Oh no." thought Arltos, as John still in shock over what was happening was reduced to a helpless body.

"No." Stan said abruptly. "Let's have some more fun first, there totally defenseless."

"Gahar!" John surprisingly was able to blurt out but only half heartedly causing nothing to happened.

"Ha!" Stan laughed. "He can't even get his spell to work." He said in a rush to shake off his brief initial fear that Arltos was about to attack.

"What?" John mumbled as he looked puzzled towards Arltos.

"You have to say it with feeling!" Arltos yelled at him now seeming very annoyed "Otherwise it doesn't work. Why did I have to get stuck with you for a partner? Why did you go and touch my book!"

"Here take it back." John said with a depressed look on his face.

"Too late!" Arltos said pushing John's extended arm away.

"Forget about us?" Stan said interrupting. But suddenly he himself was interrupted by the sound of approaching police sirens. "Damn, someone had to go and call the cops."

Seizing on the three bullies being momentarily distracted, knowing that his partner was practically useless, Arltos picked up John and began dashing with him on his back through the park at a pace which took Stan and the others by surprise.

"Hey get back here!" He demanded. Being the quickest to react Stan yelled out his spell "Roola!" but in his hurry to cast the spell he didn't allow Laaid to properly aim and the attack missed slamming harmlessly into the ground.

"You missed stupid!" Stan remarked looking at Laaid who replied:

"It was your fault."

As Stan and Laaid were arguing Sal could only watch unsure of what to do for Kihe's attack didn't have the range to reach the swiftly retreating Arltos and John; a fact that he awkwardly tried to inform the distracted Stan about.

Drew and Ungrewe were another story though as they had the retreating Arltos and John square in their sites.

"Coun" said Drew loudly as the hole in Ungrewe's chest opened up once more spitting out another cannon ball. As Arltos looked back he could see it barreling towards them, but with him carrying John on his back he found himself knowing he was unable to move out of the way. Knowing that he only had one hope he turned his body around so that he and John were facing the cannon ball. Arltos's hope was that with the treat of serious injury or even death John would fine the strength to read his spell. As Arltos held his breath, thanks to the fear of God which suddenly flowed through John's body, he was finally able to scream out the spell once more.

"Gahar!"

And with this came the second explosion of the night. When the dust had finally settled John and Arltos were nowhere to be found. With the sound of sirens as loud as ever (for the cops had finally arrived), the park was empty. The bullies were gone too, leaving only the curious and frightened bystanders behind.

The police listened to what the witnesses had to say, and what they had to say almost sounded believable with the case about the young women and a little girl who possessed magical abilities robbing stores having been being all over the news in recent weeks. As well as the strange attack on a local man that had occurred only two hours early.

Not too long thereafter, a highly frustrated and tired Arltos was walking home a badly shaken John who seemed unable to even walk straight on his own. Both their cloths and bodies were covered with ash, as Arltos tried to force John's address out of him (John at this point was reduced to inaudible mumbling).

After wondering aimlessly for an hour, Arltos filled with anguish and fear that someone might be following them, somehow managed to get John to cough up an address. By 2:00 AM they were able to get back to John's apartment.

"What are you?" John asked once more when they were safely inside before sitting down on the floor too tired to stand.

"I'm a Momodo." Arltos responded still annoyed with John.

"Momodo?" John repeated.

"Yes I'm a Momodo, I'm from another world here to fight in a battle against other Momodo like me to decide who gets to be our next king."

"King?"

"Yes King. But it's not like that's ever going to happen." Arltos whispered.

"What did you say?" asked John.

"I'm never going to become king with a guy like you as my partner…as if my odds of winning weren't already impossible!"

"Well then take back your stupid book you Mondo or whatever you said you were."

"I'm a Momodo and it's too late for that now, I can't change partners once I've found one. You're the only one who can read my book. Without you I can't use any spells."

"Well then I guess you're not going to be king."

"You're useless!" Arltos said with anguish before mumbling softly to himself "Now what am I going to do…can't go back a failure…what would I say to them".

"Say to who?" John said sounding interested all of a sudden.

"Nobody!" Mind you own business." Arltos said suddenly acting assertive again. "I don't know why I had to get stuck with such a useless human like you!" After this Arltos began walking towards the bedroom.

"Where are you going?" asked John.

"To sleep. You can sleep on the couch tonight. Tomorrow I'll try to figure out what to do with you." Arltos slammed the door behind him as John simply stared towards the bedroom now alone with his thoughts. Unable to even muster the strength to stand up John laid down on the carpeted floor.

"Please let this all be one big nightmare." John pleaded to the ceiling of his apartment before drowsing off to sleep.

What will John make of all this tommorow...will he decide help Arltos to become king...or are Arltos's claims even true?