Hey guys! Thanks for reading!
I meant to bring this up in the last chapter, but the way to spell Keara's master's name is "Deorc". And the "eor" is pronounced like "air". It's Old English for "dark", hence the weird spelling and pronunciation. My way of saying it may not be the most accurate, but that was my language geek brother's best guess.
Doesn't matter much now I guess, since he's dead, but I thought I'd bring it up.
Over the next few weeks after the Old Master's death, Aaron watched Allie closely, but also with mild frustration. He wanted to be there for her in her time of grief, but the thing was - she didn't appear to be grieving. The old man was buried, a funeral was held, Allie lived in the dojo alone, but she showed nothing. She was quieter, but easily spoke when spoken to. She wasn't angry, crying, or denying anything.
Aaron was sitting in the living room with her, checking on her again, the beginning of a scowl on his face. He'd heard of the different stages of grief, but which one was this? He hardly knew the man, but seemed more affected by the Old Master's death than she was.
Finally, she noticed him. "What's wrong, Aaron? Is the tea too bitter? I've never used this herbal blend before -"
"No, no, the tea's fine, Allie. It's just that... With everything that has happened... You know, with your sensei...You don't seem upset. Are you just hiding it? It's not like you."
"Well, first of all, I'd like to note that we've only known each other for about a month, therefore you can't really say what's like me and what's not. But, yes, I can understand how I'm confusing you.
"Of course, I miss my sensei. I've cried almost every night for him. But otherwise... I'm at peace about his death. Just because he was at peace about it."
"What will you do now? We may have stopped Deorc once, but he's far from defeated... Or at least Keara is. They might even try to capture you again."
"If we hit him as hard as it looked like we did, he won't be in action for a while. And somehow... Even after Master... I don't think Keara could do that to me. After all, I'm -"
They were cut off by a loud noise outside. "What was that?" Allie got up and headed for the door.
"Wait! Don't -" but she had already opened it and stepped out. Almost immediately , it was as Aaron had feared - Someone grabbed her. "So tripping over that stool turned out to be a good thing, Gorkel." A deep voice said. "Never thought it would lure her right out, defenseless to boot."
"But not completely!" Aaron leaped out to confront Raxxon, who held Allie in a firm grasp.
"Heh, that's a little better than the last one, from what I heard." He slipped vengestone handcuffs onto Allie's wrists and threw her to the twins. "Hold on to her, while I deal with him."
Norkel and her brother wondered how they'd ever manage to keep a ninja, but Allie wasn't resisting. She was looking at the sky, wondering how it was so dark. Was Keara creating a cover for this mission?
Free of his captive, Raxxon faced the lightning ninja, sword drawn. Aaron leapt forward, and he calmly knocked him back. Almost immediately he had to do it again. Raxxon knew he would not be able to keep up with this speed, and switched from his usual defensive style to attack mode. He could never outpace him, but could easily outmuscle him...
The two met with a clash of blades. Aaron wasn't as quick to analyze his opponent, but he knew his own weaknesses, and did his best to stay out of reach. One punch, or a good swipe of the blade, and the ninja would be sent flying back, but if he managed to outsmart him and use his speed-
Aaron got in the perfect hit to Raxxon's lower half, but it may have well have struck two trees. He stumbled back, shocked. How do you take a strike to the legs like that without falling?
Raxxon looked at his dumbfounded opponent and smirked. Then he swung a punch to Aaron's head, making him crumple to the ground. "Come on, you two!" He called to Norkel and Gorkel, grabbing Allie from them and slinging her over his shoulder.
Aaron was only mostly unconscious, and rose in a few seconds. However, they were already getting away. "Allie!" He cried, running after them.
she lifted her head and looked at him. "Don't worry about me! I know this is for the best. But I need you here, to defend our home. Goodbye!"
He stopped, listening to her words. Had Allie really just said that? She wanted them to take her. Then two things struck him: getting captured was a ticket straight to Keara, and Allie was probably the one thing standing in her way!
He watched them disappear into the woods. There was only one thing he could do now: he had to get everyone ready.
It was actually pretty easy. You have to remember, he knew a whole school of young, capable fighters.
"How do you know he is coming?" His sensei asked .
"I'll admit, I don't know for sure. But they've taken my friend, the Master of Light, and as Deorc's assistant is a Master of Shadow, I would bet anything that she's the main thing in their way right now."
"What do we do?" Millie piped up.
"We have to be ready to fight his Darkthings."
"That will be difficult without your friend, I am afraid," Min-Li shook her head. "Those minions of his are best destroyed by light. And it cannot just be any faint glow, it has to be a bright beam."
"We'll make do. After all, we can make some light," he held a blue spark in his hand. Lewis, standing in the back, responded with a flaming thumbs-up.
"Well, what now?" Millie said.
"We'll make more plans as we figure out what Deorc is doing. So for now... We wait. And be ready."
How literally Raxxon threw Allie to the twins is up to your discretion. This is Raxxon after all. :P
See you Wednesday, possibly sooner if I have a new part for Breeze: Short Story Collection!