Okay, so here's the next, more or less exciting chapter to the Storm Hawks Eight. Hope you likey! Please R&R!
Disclaimer: Storm Hawks belongs to Ace Fipke.
Claimer: Everything else. lol.
Chapter Ten: Unexpected Guests
"So it's true," Arra whispered, "the chosen one has finally revealed herself."
"About time too," Chase muttered half-jokingly, "Who knew she was with us the whole time?"
With closed eyes, Kara slowly walked on the Lake of Purity's surface and a pure white aura surrounded her. When she reached the centre, she stopped, putting her bare feet together and holding her staff to the side at an angle. Her eyes snapped open, and the light exploded, causing a huge ripple of the water. She began to dance, twirling her staff and her feet. Gracefully, she danced upon the lake, and white balls of light began to float from the lake.
"The souls trapped within the lake," Piper whispered, "they're free now, thanks to Kara."
"I don't know why, but at the same time this ritual is both happy and sad," Aerrow admitted.
"That's probably because you're thinking too much," Finn commented quietly.
"Well… I don't blame him," Piper said, "Kara's dance is setting those trapped souls free, so you feel happy. But then you realize that those souls will be leaving Atmos forever to move on to the next life, so you feel sad."
"She's right," Chase agreed, "A lot of the souls trapped are friends and family to the Forestians, so they may feel sadness inside. But they are happy that Kara is letting them go rest in peace."
Kara's dance eventually came to a close, ending with a thump of the staff against the water's surface in front of her. Then, the staff soon faded away with the wind.
All around her, people began to cheer. Kara had successfully performed the sacred ritual and released the souls within the Lake of Purity. The Storm Hawks, Arra and Chase also cheer with them, happiness and joy dancing in their eyes. Well, maybe except for Stork, who just seemed satisfied. But their happiness was short-lived.
All of a sudden, an arrow came flying out of nowhere and stuck Kara just below her ribcage. She began to fall backwards, the light fading from her eyes as they closed.
"Kara!" Adrian screamed.
Suddenly, an engine-less Cyclonian skimmer came flying from above them and landing in the lake, right on top of Kara, condemning them both into the cold water.
Immediately, Chase dived into the water after her. Adrian was about to do the same, but was stopped by Aerrow.
"Hold on!" he ordered, his leader instincts kicking in, "We need to know what we're up against. Chase is already going after her, so she'll be well taken care of."
Without warning, a familiar violin theme played, and the Storm Hawks instantly knew it was Ravess.
The dark pinky-red haired woman descended with a group of Talons of their Switchblades, a wicked grin on her face with her bow in hand.
"Ravess!" Aerrow yelled as Radarr growled.
"How could you?!" Junko cried, "You shot Kara! She was defenseless!"
Ravess grinned. "She was similar to all of you. She was a pesky Sky Knight that needed to be taught a lesson," she replied, "good riddance. Talons! Attack!" Then she and her Talons began their attack on the even more defenseless citizens.
"Storm Hawks!" Aerrow commanded, "Get those people to safety and try to take down Ravess and her Talons!"
Suddenly, Chase burst from the water's surface, empty-handed and coughing. "Adrian! Aerrow!" he yelled between coughs, "I need your help! Kara's trapped underneath the skimmer! She's drowning!"
Immediately, Aerrow and Adrian dived into the water as Chase submerged himself under again. They swam to the very bottom, where they saw that Kara's lower body was trapped underneath the broken skimmer, the arrow still in her body. Blood merged and disappeared with the water around it, and her body was motionless, her eyes closed.
Aerrow and Chase quickly swam to the opposite side of the skimmer and grabbed hold, and Adrian did the same on Kara's side. Aerrow and Chase pulled hard while Adrian pushed. After a few desperate moments of trying, the skimmer moved! When it had been pushed far enough, Adrian pulled Kara's body out and held her in his arms. They all swam to the surface and when they broke through, the Cyclonians had gone and the three boys gasped for sweet, fresh air.
"Kara!" Finn, Junko, Piper, and Arra cried.
Adrian towed her motionless body to shore, and as the guys pushed themselves up and out, Adrian lifted Kara out of the water and laid her down on the grass. He placed his ear first to her chest, then just above her mouth.
"She's not breathing!" Piper cried.
Adrian pumped down on her chest, trying to forced the water out, ignoring the arrow and her wound at the time. He could hear a few of her ribs crack.
Sorry Kara, I'll heal them after I save you, He thought.
He also gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and finally Kara choked out water. Her breathing became laboured because of the wound.
"Get the medics here!" Arra yelled.
Adrian pushed his hands up around the wound, trying to send as much of his healing power into her as possible.
"Heal," he whispered, choking back tears that stung his eyes.
Suddenly, the paramedics ran over and placed Kara's body on a stretcher, no longer allowing Adrian to heal her. Then they drove off towards the castle.
"We've gotta hurry!" Junko exclaimed.
"What happened to Ravess and her Talons?" Aerrow asked Piper.
"For some reason, after firing a few shots, they left," she replied.
Adrian looked worried. "We'll go after her later. Right now, Kara needs up. We've got to support her."
Arra's eyes were slightly sad. "She's being taken back to the castle, where the healers will deal with her," she explained.
Chase placed a reassuring hand on Adrian's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "She'll be okay in the end, I just know it," he reassured.
Adrian nodded wordlessly, eyes still dim.
Finn walked over to him, as did Piper.
"Dude, don't worry. Kara will be fine!" Finn agreed, forcing false hope into his voice.
"Yeah, she can take care of herself," Piper stated, "the arrow shouldn't be in her too deep."
With that said, they were hurriedly driven back to the castle.
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When they arrived, the castle seemed to be in chaos. Maids and servants were rushing hurriedly throughout the place. Arra took them to where Kara would be, in one of the infirmary rooms.
"What's her status report?" Chase demanded of a maid that went out of her room.
"She's weak, a fever is overcoming her, the arrow is too close to a major artery to remove without her bleeding to death, she's lost a large amount of blood, her breathing is laboured, and she's in critical condition," the maid listed quickly, "now excuse me, Milord, I must fetch some medicine."
"K-Kara…" Adrian choked.
Aerrow looked at Arra and Chase. "Isn't there anything we can do to help?" he begged for both his and his squadron's sake.
They shook their heads sadly.
Maids continually went in and out of the room, much to the Storm Hawks, Arra, and Chase's concern.
A few minutes later, which felt like hours, a doctor came out with blood on her gloved hands.
"I'm sorry," she told them, "but she's not going to make it."
Tears came to their eyes, and it took all of Piper's willpower to keep her knees from collapsing.
"Isn't there anything you can do?!" Finn pleaded.
The doctor shook her head. "There is no way to pull the arrow out without damaging her arteries. She could bleed to death in a matter of seconds," she explained sadly.
"I'll do it," Adrian stated boldly, "I'll heal her. I have to."
"B-But Adrian," Piper began.
"No," he retorted sternly," I have to save her. I love her with all my heart."
Aerrow looked at his fellow Sky Knight with conflicting, understanding eyes. "I'll help you in any way I can. Piper, you and the others will stay out here," he ordered, and Radarr moved over near Piper, his wide yellow eyes deeply concerned.
Arra looked at Adrian with pained eyes. "Are you sure about this?" she asked.
He answered without hesitation. " Yes." His dark eyes were determined and unflinching. "If I can stabilize her until 10 AM tomorrow morning, she'll make it."
"Her powers would return by then," Chase figured, "and so she could finish the healing herself."
"How did you know?" Stork implored suspiciously.
"Lorali told me," he answered.
Adrian took a deep breath then looked at his commanding officer. "Let's go," he said.
Then both he and Aerrow walked through that door, where they both suddenly wished they hadn't, for the sight in front of them deemed near impossible.
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