Legend of the Guardians: Kludd's Son

Chapter 11: The Clash of Rivals

New chapter and the confrontation begins!

Carlos was running out of time, he had to reach the Great Tree of Ga'Hoole before it's too late! It was shortly after the revelation of how his family and friends truly felt about him, courtesy of the scroom of a snowy owl named Samuel, that Carlos was able to realize that hatred was not the answer, and that he was still loved...but even so...he prayed to Glaux that he can save his family in time and bring them home before they go and do something they will regret.

Ever since he hatched under the Lunar Eclipse, he was blessed with something so powerful...love. After hatching 16 years ago, everyone he knew seemed to loath him for what he was...for being a weakling and a freak. Because of this, he was constantly bullied by Alvin, and looked down upon by his peers...but the most awful part of his life ought to been not been truly loved by his own parents, namely his father. He was hurt so much, that he decided to run away and never return. That was when he met the Guardians, and beginning his life anew. Those three weeks had been the greatest time of his life, despite all the lies he told, as he was able to live in peace...and it got better when he met Thana, the daughter of noble king Boron and benevolent queen Barran. The two had become the best of friends...which soon developed into a special bond...turning into love. But that love was short-lived when a hireclaw by the name of Nyriss, who was hired by his mother to find him and bring him back...but what she didn't know that Nyriss had no intention of letting him live, as she tried to kill him. It was then that Nyriss lied and said that his mother sent her to kill him, causing him to believe that his mother only saw him as a weapon, meant to wreak vengeance upon the Guardians and taking over all the owl kingdoms, and had never truly loved him.

It was after narrowly surviving the hireclaw's wrath that Nyriss revealed his true identity...and when she did, everyone he had met in the tree, including Thana, turned their backs on him, all because of something that was beyond his control. He was exiled, and was left alone in the world with a broken heart, and soon, he found himself in the depths of the Shadow Forest, wallowing in his own despair and painful agony. He thought he was going to die alone in this forest...until Samuel, a snowy owl, came and showed him that he was always loved...and thanks to this revelation, Carlos was brought back to his old self, remembering who he truly was. Now, he was returning to Ga'Hoole, to save Private, Joe, Thana, and his parents, before it was too late...and before he loses his chance to say sorry to his own father. He now knew that there was still good inside the king's cold heart, and that he still cared about him, and only tried to be a good father for him.

As soon as Carlos was in the vicnity of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree...his heart sank as he saw the tree, devastated by war, as smoke climbed up into the clouds, parts of the tree engulfed in flames, and corpses of owls plagued the grounds, some of them Pure Ones, some of them Guardians. Tears began to strike his eyes...but he choked it down, knowing that he has to remain strong. Remembering everything that his teachers, from both Guardian and Pure One, had taught him, he flew down into the battlefield...

Meanwhile, Thana was trying to fend off some of the Pure Ones soldiers, and managed to kill three of them, but then she was surrounded by more of them, as she is pinned by Joe. Private only watched on with pity, seeing the snowy owl struggled as three other owls, which happened to be Kyle, Jaden, and Rosh, were trying to get free, but they were pinned down hard by Jatt and Jutt.

"Grr...get your talons off me, you filthy Pure One!" Thana snarled. Joe only gripped her tighter as Thana began struggling harder.

"Ow, that really hurted..." Joe mocked, with bitterness in his voice, "But you...and everyone else must pay the price for murdering our prince, Carlos!" Thana's eyes widens in shock...Carlos was dead? No...that can't be right!

"No! You got it all wrong!" Thana tried to explain, as she felt her windpipes getting crushed, "Carlos is not dead! He was exiled! He's still alive!" Private only gasped, if what this snowy owl saying is true...that means...that means Carlos is...before he could finish that thought Joe only growled.[

"SHUT UP, YOU PIECE OF FILTH!" Joe snarled angrily. "I will not be deterred by your lies! Carlos was a good kid...and I swear, I will avenge him! This is for you, Carlos Nyroc Alba!" Joe declared as he raised his talon. Thana, the three captured owls, and Private's eyes widened in shock as Rosh, Jaden, and Kyle tried to break free.

"Wait, Joe, NO!" Private screamed, trying to stop him, but Joe wouldn't listen. Thana only closed her eyes to embrace the searing pain that would follow...

But then, a loud battle cry echoed, as a brown blur ran into Joe, knocking him off her, and pinning him to the ground. Thana quickly opened her eyes, only to have her heart fill with joy, while Private, Jatt, Jutt, and their prisoners only gaped in shock. Joe himself winced in pain, as he intended to kick the sprink out of whoever rammed him...but when he opened his eyes, that rage dissipated, as he saw none other than...Carlos?!

"Carlos? Lad, is-is that you?" The old great horned owl asked. Carlos let him up, as Joe looked at him closely before his eyes began welling up with joy, "My Glaux…it really is you." He cried as he tightly hugged him, with Carlos returning the embrace. "I thought…I thought we lost you, lad." Joe whimpered, as Carlos only smiled.

"I thought so too…but I'm here…" Carlos explained as he finished hugging him. He then glared at the two Long Eared Owls with a glare that would make his mother proud, "You two, release my friends at once!"

Jatt and Jutt looked at him in shock, and was about to protest…but that glare pierced into their soul, like Nyra's did, so they immediately obeyed, letting the trio of owls go as they joined Carlos and the others.

Private was flabbergasted at the sight of the one he thought to be dead. He slowly approached Carlos…and suddenly, they started to do a old talon shake they made when they were younger and embraced each other. "Carlos…you have no idea how glad I am to see you."

"I know…I'm sorry that I left you behind." Carlos apologized sadly.

"Don't be…I'm just glad that you are okay." Private smiled.

As soon as the two owls parted, Thana went up to Carlos and hugged him, as she then placed her beak on his, shocking Joe, Private, and the two cousins, Soon, the kiss ended, as Thana placed her head on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry that I hurt you, Carlos." Thana frowned, nuzzling his chest feathers.

"No, I deserved it. I am sorry that I lied to you all…and I am sorry that I hurt you." Carlos whispered, as tears stream down his cheeks. Thana gave her own teary smile as the two nuzzled each other's beak, and was about to kiss again…when…

"Ahem!" Joe cleared his throat, causing Carlos and Thana to look at him and the other Pure Ones, who were now more confused than ever, "I'm sorry to interrupt a sweet moment here…but did we miss something here?"

"Oh, right, you guys haven't met my friends." Carlos said, cheeks flushing in embarrassment, "This lovely owl here is Thana, the daughter of the king and queen of Ga'Hoole," He gestured to Thana, who blushed, and then he turned to the trio of owls, who were still shaken by what happened, "These three are Rosh, Jaden, and Kyle."

"Hold up…did you say, daughter of the king and queen of Ga'Hoole?" Joe exclaimed.

"Look, Joe, I will explain later, but right now I need to find my father. Where is he?!" Carlos demaned.

Private immediately answered, "He is somewhere in the higher branches, fighting someone!"

"Who?" He asked, getting a bad feeling.

"I'm not sure, but I think Kludd called him…Soren…" Joe answered for Private. Carlos immediately gaped in shock.

"Oh no…we must stop them before it's too late!" He shouted.

"I'm afraid I cannot let you do that…weakling…" Carlos felt his blood froze. There was only one owl he knew that said that one scathing word…he turned around, along with everyone else, and Carlos stifled a gasp as he saw none other than Alvin, his rival, landing in front of the group, soon followed by his two barn owl lackeys Biggs and Wedge.

"Al-Alvin?" Carlos whispered, as Alvin gave a sinister grin.

"So, the cowardly prince returns…I should have known deep down in my gizzard that you were still alive and kicking, but honestly, I was better off knowing that you would no longer be in our feathers." Alvin growled. Thana was feeling uneasy as she never saw this owl before…but he seemed to have a grudge with Carlos.

"What are you talking about? Isn't he is your prince?!" Thana angrily remarked. Alvin quickly shifted towards the beautiful female of his kind…only to snarl at Carlos with a vicious glare.

"How…dare you…" Alvin seethed, "You think you can simply mate with one of my kind?!" Carlos only gulped in fear, "Of all the things you have done, this has to be the worst!"

"Worst? Alvin, I don't know what are you talking about!" Carlos defended, "Me and Thana love each other, what is there so wrong about us being together?!" Carlos had a bad feeling that things between him and Alvin is about to get more serious than it ever had back at St. Aggies.

"What is wrong?!" Alvin repeated, before laughing insanely, "You worthless good-for-nothing…do you have any idea of what you are doing being with her?! You are having relations with a owl of another kind! She is a prime example of an Bubo Scandiacus while you are a worthless Tyto Alba! When you two mate and have an egg, that hatchling will be a mixed breed, otherwise known as a hybrid! Hybrids are nothing more than filthy freaks that scourges our world…abominations that must be put down!" He roared with anger. Carlos only gasped silently in horror…he had never thought that being with Thana could have an effect on their future child…they would be put through loads of ridicule…but on the other talon…there were no female barn owls that had made him feel the way he did when he was with Thana, the girl of his dreams…the one who saved him from certain death, and it was her he fell in love with…

"HEY!" Private screeched, standing up for Carlos, "Who the prince is with is none of your concern! Besides, we have no time for your pathetic squabbling! We have to stop the king before he screws us all over!"

"No can do, you whelp." Alvin sneered at Private, "For too long had that weakling been a thorn in my side, muddying up my world with his presence. I am going to make sure the prince stays dead!" Everyone gasped in horror

Carlos began shaking his head in horror, "No…no, Alvin, you can't! You have no idea how much is at stake at here! Killing me will bring upon disastrous consequences!" He pleaded, but Alvin only chuckled fiendishly, shocking everyone (mostly Thana).

"Disastrous consequences?" Alvin repeated, "Don't you give me that, you worthless piece of racdrop!" Joe and Private gasped at the insult, "You sicken me, Carlos…I have dreamt of the night I would finally be rid of you and we could finally have this war that was years in the making…and now you want to end it just as it is beginning?! You pathetic fool…I knew from the first time I laid eyes on you that you were weak…and you would go on some tirade about peace…but your parents doesn't want peace…they want VENGEANCE! VENGEANCE FOR DRIVING US INTO THE GROUND! You are nothing but a weakling, you were born a weakling, and you will die as a weakling…and only the filthy rats like the one you made friends with will mourn for you!" Carlos felt himself grew limp…he knew that Alvin was right…he was weak…Alvin could easily defeat him…maybe he should…

"You're wrong!"

Carlos looked up in shock, as he saw Thana step up in front of him, and Alvin, his eyes now twitching, surprised by this owl's outburst, to ask

"What…did you say…to me?" Alvin asked angrily.

"You heard me…" Thana hissed, "You. Are. Wrong. Carlos is not weak! He is stronger than anyone will ever know…in fact he's ten times the owl you will ever be!"

"WHAT?!" Alvin screamed in utter outrage.

"That's right!" The female continued, "You are nothing more than a good-for-nothing owl, a pathetic bird that makes others miserable so that he will feel good about himself. A big feather-brained bully who had made this wonderful owl suffer for being himself!" Carlos, Rosh, Kyle, Jaden, as well as Joe, Private, and the two cousins watched on in shock as Thana unleashed her fury, "And you know what, I feel sorry for you…sorry that an owl as cruel as you is going to die alone! But as long as I'm still breathing, you will not hurt Carlos anymore!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, as she started gasping for air. Alvin however, only began to shake in fury…

"A pathetic bird, am I? A feather-brained bully, am I?" Alvin repeated, his voice growing in anger, "FOOLS! YOU ARE ALL FOOLS! Fools to side with a Tyto that brings shame to the Pure Ones and unworthy of their crown!" He then pointed his wing at Carlos, "You may fool them, Carlos, but you are not fooling me…you are a freak…a mama's boy who needs his mother to fight his battles!" He spat angrily, "And I will smite you off the face of the Earth!"

Carlos still felt uncertainty in his heart, never being this frightened since he first saw him…but Thana's words gave him strength…she truly cared about him, despite all the lies he told, and he knew deep down that he need to stay strong…this was one fight he had to win, if he was ever going to stop this war and save his parents...

"No…Alvin…" Carlos said with absolution, stepping past Thana.

" Excuse me?" He asked in anger.

"You heard me, Alvin…" Carlos growled, "I am done with all the abuse! I had enough of your bullying! You call me a freak…but I am not…we are all the same, and there is nothing you can say that will change that!" Alvin only looked on, scowling deeper, "My mother…she always took care of me like no one else had…she was all that I had for 9 years…she had promised to protect me from harm…and now…it is my turn to protect her…and father…and everyone else. Because my family is what makes me strong, Alvin!" He declared, "Now…as prince of the Pure Ones, and your superior, I order you to stand down and stand aside!"

"What?" He asked, shocked by what he just said.

"What, did I stutter?" Carlos sarcastically said, "I said, stand down and stand aside…and I might forget that petty death threat you made!" Thana was impressed by Carlos's bravery, never knowing that he could be this fierce. She only glared at Alvin, alongside her friends, Joe, Private, the cousins, and all the other soldiers.

At first, Alvin's expression was blank, as if he was actually shocked by what Carlos just said…but then, he gave a smug smile, "Yes…of course." He walked towards Carlos, as he cast a sideways glance to his pals, "As you wish…" He then viciously glared at a pile of charcoals, "YOUR MAJESTY!" He kics them into Carlos's face as he let out a growl. During that moment of distraction, Alvin charges at him.

Thana only gasps in horror as she was about to assist Carlos, but was immediately stopped by Biggs and Wedge. Alvin and Carlos began to wrestle around as they then fell off the side of the tree. The two crash lands, breaking through a roof, into what of left of the Parliament Chamber, as the two quickly got to their feet and engage in a vicious claw fight, their battle claws dancing and clashing as Carlos dodges Alvin's strongest attacks. Eventually, the prince began to fight back, actually overwhelming Alvin and forcing him to go on the defensive. But Alvin gave Carlos a strong kick to the face, sending him back a few feet, as the two began circling each other. As they did so, Carlos tried to think of a way to fight him, before he and Alvin noticed that the fire within the chamber was beginning to spread around them, trapping them in a ring of fire.

"Alvin…Alvin, we must stop this…this entire place is coming down!" Carlos pleaded, trying to knock some sense into his rival.

"Not till you are dead!" Alvin screamed in insanity, as his eyes went red. Carlos gasped as Alvin pounded him hard in the gizzard, pushing him towards the edge of the fiery ring. Carlos winced in pain, only to gasp in horror as Alvin let out a battle cry, ready to finish him off once and for all, charging at him. Thinking quickly, Carlos catches Alvin by his legs (much to his horror) and using all his strength, the prince throws him over head through the wall of fire and against the wall of the chamber.

Alvin only groaned in pain, as a few of his feathers were singed from being thrown through fire…but his blood froze when he heard cracking wood. He looks up, and look in horror as he saw the ceiling begin to crumble upon him. All Alvin could do was scream one last time as he is crushed by the burning rubble. Carlos watched the scene unfold before his eyes…and closed them in solemn respect for the unfortunate owl, as he escaped the chamber.

Thana and the others watched on in horror, trying to see if they could find him. The snowy owl herself was worried sick, fearing that the worst had befallen her beloved…but then she heard the flapping of wings, as she saw Carlos landing in front of them.

"CARLOS!" Everyone (except Biggs and Wedge) screamed, as Thana hugged the prince tightly.

"Where's Alvin?" Joe asked, not seeing the snowy owl. Carlos did not answer…but that was all Joe needed, as he gave a sad nod.

Carlos gave a sad smile to Thana, who was on the brink of tears having almost lost him…and would have kissed her then…had not he heard something…sounds…that seemed to be coming from…his father!

"Thana, I had to stop my father…" He told her, her eyes going wide.

"Are you yoicks, Carlos?!" She asked him in terror. "You're going to get yourself killed! I can't lose you!"

Carlos looked deeply into his love's eyes…and let out a sigh, "I know, Thana, but I have to do this…to save my family…" He said as he took a few step back… "Good bye,Thana." Carlos said sadly, noting the horrified looks of his friends and comrades, and the teary face of his lover, as he took flight, to stop his father, ignoring the cry of Thana…he needed to find his father, and make him see reason…before it was too late.

Amazing isn't? I'll plan to get chapter 12 ready soon and also, thanks for reading and review.