Jake looked at Rose confused, trying to figure out why she currently had her Huntstaff aimed at his face. Call him crazy, but he considered that behavior abnormal for her, as was attacking him from behind and throwing him to the ground. He stared into her eyes. Something about them seemed strange.
"Rose," Jake said.
Rose didn't move at first, then she pulled the staff back over her head. Jake saw the approaching danger, and quickly rolled out of the way, just as Rose thrust the staff where his head had been a mere few seconds ago, the only sound she gave was another "Ay-ya!"
Jake quickly rolled to his feet, "Rose! What are you doing?"
His question fell on deaf ears as she quickly charged and flung a couple of swipes with her staff that Jake avoided with ease, while making no attempt at a counter attack. As she went in for another swipe, Jake caught the staff, and then twisted his body around, causing Rose to swing a quarter of a circle before she lost her grip and went sliding across the room. She came to halt in a 3 point stance, facing Jake. She raised her head and looked at Jake with a scowl. Jake returned the look as he tossed her staff aside. Rose sprang out of the stance and went running towards Jake at speed quicker than most professional football players.
She started to bombard Jake with a series of kicks and punches. It reminded Jake of a couple years ago, before Rose knew Jake's true identity. If there was anything Jake missed about that time, the Kung Fu fights were not one of them. Although he had a little difficulty doing it, Jake managed to block all of the attacks. He still had not made a major attempt to go on the offensive.
As soon as Rose stopped, Jake took the opportunity to re-catch his breath. He'd forgotten how evenly matched they were.
"Rose, it's me." Jake pleaded.
"You're wasting your time, Jake." Danika said, "Mind control spells can be really hard to break."
"So that's what's going on." Jake replied.
"I warned you the story of the dragon and the dragon slayer wouldn't have a happy ending." Danika taunted, "It's not too late to pick me."
"You know, I think I'll pass." Jake said.
"Such a poor choice. Finish him!" Danika shouted.
In a silent obedience, Rose began to rush Jake again, who began to prepare himself for the approaching attack. Just as Rose started to near Jake, she leaped into the air and flew over Jake. He quickly turned around, expecting another attack from behind, but instead saw Rose do a somersault just as she hit the ground and rolled to where her huntstaff lay. She picked it up and turned to face Jake.
"Rose, I know you can hear me." Jake pleaded, "You have to fight her."
Rose stood still, never breaking eye contact with Jake.
"What are you waiting for?" Danika shouted, with anger in her voice, "Slay him!"
"Come on, Rose." Jake continued, "I know you're stronger than this. You can break her control."
"Do as I say!" Danika insisted.
"Fight it, Rose, fight it!" Jake encouraged, "You're stronger than she is."
"Obey me!" Danika screamed.
"You can do it, Rose, I believe in you!" Jake said.
"Slay him! Slay the dragon! It's your destiny!" Danika yelled.
"We decide our own destinies, Rose. No one can tell you who you are, or what you will do. Just because you have a mark on your hand does not mean you are destined to slay dragons." Jake said.
"You're nothing!" Danika shouted.
"Rose," Jake pleaded, "You're smart, pretty, and the most wonderful person I've ever met. You're better than her. Fight it!"
Rose began to clutch her head and grunt, her eyes clenched shut in pain. She'd developed a major headache due to the conflict in her mind, as she tried to break Danika's influence. Suddenly it seemed as if there was pop inside her mind, and she stared blankly off into the distance. For a moment, there was nothing, and then, life.
"Jake?" Rose said softly. Her eyes scanned the environment, trying to figure out how she'd gotten there, "Where..."
"Rose!" Jake said with excitement, "You did it!"
Danika was shocked. "No!" She shouted in disbelief, "Impossible! How could she have..."
"Sometimes," Jake interrupted, "Magic isn't as strong as you think it is."
Before Danika could reply, a portal opened at the other end of the room, and out stepped Gramps, Fu, Sun, Haley, and Nigel.
"So this is where you'd gotten off to." Nigel said, "I thought we would spend forever teleporting from room to room trying to find you. Hope you didn't have too much trouble while you were away."
Jake turned to Danika, who was now sitting on floor. "Nothing I couldn't handle." He replied.
The group began to circle around her.
"You don't understand, Jake," Danika begged, "We were perfect for each other! We could've ruled together. We could've..."
Rose hit Danika in the head with her staff, knocking her unconscious. "She was done."