Avi
As soon as the pale light of the morning sun touched her face, Avi's silver eyes immediately opened. Now, she was fully rested and ready to take on the dangers of the quest which awaited her below in the underbelly of the Gray Hills. After a quick breakfast, Avi and her companions trekked for the gap in the rocks where Throvor claimed was the entrance of the caves that led to the temple where Avi's next dragon awaited her.
For the occasion, Avi dressed in a sugary pink dress trimmed with white ruffles and sashes. It was going to be a new chapter in her life and she wanted to look her best for her new beast, for her husband-to-be, Stefan the King of Naralia said a powerful beast was said to rest there, so told by his Leviathan Dragon.
Underneath the dress, she started lacing up her hiking boots, a combination that let out a laugh from her companions.
"What?" she asked with a slight smirk at the corner of her mouth. "You don't expect me to climb those rocks in the slippers Stefan gave me, do you?"
"Forgive us," said Ser Arthur. "I find it strange seeing a beautiful dress mixed with hiking boots."
"I bet you're just raring to see him again, aren't you, Dove?" Fira asked, eating the last of her bacon.
"Well, I don't mean to see him urgently. I mean, this wedding was just so sudden."
"But you agreed nonetheless," said Constantine. "I beg your pardon, My Lady, but what did he do to convince you so quickly?"
Avi bit her bottom lip and innocently placed her finger on it. She curved her shoulders diffidently and said with a blush: "He kissed me lovingly in my forbidden parts and I liked it."
"Oh, Dove!" Fira cooed.
"Wow," said Aldara.
"Oh, is that all?" Ser Damien said, feeling his blood boil.
Constantine scoffed and walked away from the camp. He didn't want to hear anymore. Meanwhile, Robin was sniggering at his misery. Then he looked at Avi and thought: If that's all it takes to win your love, I would have done that ages ago.
Avi giggled with glee. "When we're in bed, he's so kind and gentle and he whispers all sorts of wonderful things into my ear as we make love. He makes me feel special."
"That is not love," said Ser Arthur. "He seduced you like a moth to fire. Seduction is never a good thing, My Lady, especially when it comes to politics. Surely you don't mean to go through with this."
"He did not want to marry for love, Ser Arthur," said Avi. "He means to bring peace between our people and the followers of the faith. He wants to unite the North with the rest of Termnnia. The both of us are great ambassadors to our cultures. If they see us unite, surely it will cause others to follow in our example. Peace with the north and the sex was a bonus."
"She speaks truth," said Fira. "Before we left Domino I saw the modern soldiers of the Dalton family shaking hands with the Templars. This marriage has put out many fires, which is more than Prince Yuri and his friends had ever accomplished. Avi singlehandedly ended the war with the north when she accepted Stefan's offer."
"Prince Yuri hasn't even come into the throne yet," barked Santiago. "Yet you bash the effort he and his friends did to cease the fighting with all the kingdoms, not just the North. If you ask me, I say Stefan married Avi for the sake of joining in on the club Master Yugi started with the Princes of Termnnia, and to save his skin from total war against all the armies of the continent. The Church and its prejudice were conjuring up a war he could not win. He was outnumbered a hundred to one and he knew it."
"He has a point," said Ser Damien, strapping on his armor.
"Whatever the reason, Avi wants to be with Stefan," said Fira. "I respect her decision, for it was a wise political choice. It brought peace, how long said peace will last? I cannot say, but the fighting has finally stopped. Besides, she's still too young to know about love, so don't chastise her for her decision."
"Thank you, Fira, I knew I could count on you."
A flash of bright light illuminated the morning. They were blasted by warm mist.
"Ah," said Aigami, clutching his staff as he came out of the mist. "I see I haven't missed anything yet."
"Where the bloody hell have you been?" asked Ser Arthur. "We thought we left you behind in Domino."
"You can't leave behind an Eyar," said Aigami. "We can be in many places at once."
"Warping, eh?" said Avi. "That's a powerful spell I'd like to learn."
"O' aye," said Ser Arthur. "It could save us all this walking."
"I fear mortals cannot learn such spell," said Aigami. "Even for someone as powerful as you Summoner of Dragons, it would be impossible. Besides, you can't just warp to places you haven't seen before. You could be stuck in the gap between dimensions forever. You need to know where you're going first and let's just say I've traveled Termnnia for a long time. I know each region like the cards in my deck. That feat alone took me hundreds of years."
"Damn," said Fira. "I wish I could look as good as you in a hundred years, Master Aigami."
"Well, what are you all waiting here for?" said Aigami. "Let's go search for that dragon. Where is your little companion, Baby Tiragon?"
"No one has told you?" said Avi. "Baby Tiragon went missing the day Tordo fell."
"Well, that is unfortunate," said Aigami. "He could have made my job a lot easier."
"But didn't you say you could sense her dragons too?" asked Robin.
"I did, but…"
"But what?" asked Ser Arthur.
"I feel…a power is down there, but…it feels cold and empty. Almost inexistent. Strange."
"You mean to say nothing's down there?" Trish asked. She suddenly paused. She heard...voices. "Hang on, I'll be right back." She got up and walked away. Little did Avi know, that was the last time she would ever see her.
"No, there is something down there alright," said Aigami. "But I can't get a clear picture of what it is. It feels distorted."
"Perhaps we should call off the quest," said Aldara. "Avi I don't like this. If an Eyar can't sense something, that must mean someone or something is preventing him from seeing it."
"We can't call it off now!" said Avi. "I will not be neglected by another dragon again. My heart could not bear the sorrow. I still ache from when the Stardust and Archfiend dragons said no to me."
"Well, we should have no reason to fear," said Fira. "Master Aigami knows what to do, right?"
"We shall see once we get there," said Aigami. "Come everyone. Let's go."
"Constantine, Bliar, and I will remain in the air and search for enemies," said Ser Damien.
After they left, Avi and her companions went into the depths of the earth. Along the walls they saw ancient carvings and altars that were used by people from a time long forgotten.
"Pilgrims used waystations like this to flee back to Baladorum after the Inquisition was toppled," Fira explained. "Many thought the Church was finished after losing the war. After the Battle of Flames and Tears, all Termnnia united in taking them down. The slaying of the True Dragons was unacceptable."
"Perhaps Lady Avi is the one who will convince Saafani to bring them back," said Aldara. "After their departure, that's when Anubis found his chance to conquer Termnnia and rule."
"And with no True Dragons guarding the land, the Orcs saw reason to set foot on our soil," said Avi. "Blasted creatures."
"Makes me wonder where the Divine Beasts were during all that," said Ser Arthur. "Why didn't the High King use his God Cards to fight them back?"
"Because Termnnia was in an interregnum at the time," said Aigami, "for the last of the Pendragon blood had died. Then the kingdoms went to war with one another to see who got to wear the crown. As they fought, the Divine Beasts returned to the Pillar of Termnnia the place where they were forged by the Celtra. But the kingdoms of Termnnia were so lost in their greed they failed to realize the true enemy was right outside their doorstep. It cost us one hundred years of freedom. Until Master Yu-Gi-Oh drove him out of power."
"But that was hundreds of years ago," said Fira. "Little Yugi looks like he's twenty."
"That boy is full of mysteries," said Avi, hitching up her dress and stepping over a small creek. "My mind aches trying to figure them out."
"Avi, you could solve a hundred mysteries about Yugi," said Aigami. "But then there are twice as many to take their places."
They traveled farther and farther into the earth for hours until night had fallen. They only knew this because of the phones Avi and Aldara carried.
The group made camp in front of a waterfall that fell into a lake in the canyon down below. From a stone-carved balcony, Avi could see the temple standing on a lonely island in the middle of an underground lake with a natural bridge connecting it to a pathway that was caved in a long time ago.
The climb down was perilous and the companions were too tired from their long adventure. Aigami used his fingers to start a fire with a spell. Ser Arthur was quick to start cooking.
Aigami told them he was going to do a bit of study with the carvings and the small temples along the road and that he would return soon.
Avi sat by the fire eating a cup of Raman noodles that Fira had just made her. She wanted to talk to her but Fira left the camp to pee. Then, Ser Arthur went into the dark to give Aigami a cup of noodles leaving Avi all alone in the camp. She could hear their voices echoing from the caves and felt a little relieved to know they didn't go too far.
After she was done with her noodles, she got on her knees and prayed for Ser Gerhalos' soul. She hoped that he had found peace in the Gardens and she told him not to worry, that she was going to be fine. She thanked him and blew a kiss to the heavens before laying down on her sleeping bag. She stared at the waterfall and listened to the soothing sound of the rushing water. She heard Aigami and Ser Arthur laughing from a chamber somewhere in the level above.
As she watched the falls she saw a thick shadow dropping with the water. At first, she thought it was some debris that was carried down by the river above them, but she saw more come down. Now she was growing concerned. Then, another shadow slid down. That was not debris it was man.
Someone clasped Avi's mouth. She gasped and looked up, to see Fira, pressing a finger to her lips and dragged her to a formation of rocks behind the camp.
Avi heard footsteps coming from the rocks in front of the falls. The silhouettes became clear. They were soldiers in gear as black as night. Green, red, and blue lasers shined from their rifles and quad night-vision goggles clipped to their helmets shined green over their eyes.
Avi's heart beat quickly when she saw them slipping in from the darkness as if born from it. They aimed down the sights of their rifles while creeping towards the campsite.
Radio chatter erupted from their vests.
"Lady Avi!" Ser Arthur called out. "Aigami didn't want his noodles do you…"
Avi's ears were blasted by the bangs of the soldiers' rifles. She sobbed wildly, her cries muffled by Fira's hand. The two girls watched helplessly while Ser Arthur and little Robin were gunned down before their eyes. Robin fell like a stone and he quivered as life escaped him. Ser Arthur let out a loud death rattle. His iron plate armor was no match for the armor-piercing rounds these monsters had given their weapons.
The leader walked to Arthur who was alive, but barely. He shined the flashlight of his weapon at his body and fired three rounds into the knight's chest, ending him.
From the waterfall emerged a squad of knights in heavy purple armor. Instead of swords, they had Adaptive Combat Rifles and pouches of ammunition on their chestplates and greaves. They were Templars, and they were being led by a man in tactical gear like the soldiers in black.
Avi recognized the man at once, even though his face was covered in green and black paint. She could make out the beastly look and the reddish hair of Guy de la Tierra Sainte. He hunted her in Naralia since the day she discovered she was the Summoner of Dragons after acquiring Arvas the Ancient Dragon. His weapon was a Termnnian manufactured light machine gun called a Grendel. He had it colored bright red and the bullets were glowing orange indicating they were enchanted with fire. His scope was hi-tech with multiple visions from night, thermal, and even sonar.
He looked around the caves. His eyes widened with fury. He let out a stern growl as he sniffed the air.
"I smell her sweet perfume," he said primitively. "She was here, gentlemen. Search the place."
"My Lord!" the Templars said and they scurried in different directions.
"Recon Noble this is Citadel give me a status report!" A man said on the radios of the soldiers in the earthly gear.
"Citadel this is Recon Noble. We found a campsite and eliminated a companion, but the Summoner of Dragons is not here. She must have gone farther into the caves. We're going to perform a sweep of the temple and mow down any more companions she's got, how copy, over?"
"Roger, Recon Noble, solid copy. Make sure to set up patrols in each level of the caves. We have the entrance sealed up. If the Summoner is down there, she will not escape. Kill the others if you have to, but the client wants Lady Avellana alive."
"Uh, Citadel, this is Warrior 2," said another unit of soldiers who were deeper inside the caves. "The dragon riders are not here. They must still be in the air performing recon for the Summoner. We do not have the firepower to deal with dragons, how copy?"
"Warrior 2, Citadel, solid copy. Ser Carlyle is on the way to intercept the dragon riders. E-T-A ten minutes. If he's true to his reputation, those dragons stand no chance."
"Solid copy, Citadel. Continuing our search for the Summoner."
A squad of soldiers, engineers by all the computers and other tech on their backpacks, launched drones into the air which gave off blue waves of energy as they buzzed around the caves.
"Shit!" said Fira. She tried to cast a basic fire spell. It didn't come out. "Those drones are giving off anti-magic fields! Now you can't summon your dragons, Dove."
"Who are they?" Avi whispered, tears slid down her cheeks. "I know the men in purple, they're Templars from the Church. But those men in that strange armor. Who are they?"
"Shadow Company," Fira answered coldly. "The most feared and desired mercenary organization in the East. Sellswords and hired guns from all parts of the continent would give their firstborn to join them. Hell, I almost did, had Prince Michael not assigned me to guard you."
"You wanted to join these awful men?" Avi asked.
"The money is good," said Fira. "And I have the skill set to join them. Come on, these are not your average mead-drinking witch hunters. These men are well-trained and they will find you if we linger here."
"My dragon!" said Avi. "I must get my dragon."
"Dove, no! Now is not the time to finish your pilgrimage."
"I must find it!" said Avi. "If I can summon it down there, perhaps we have a chance."
"I fear not," said Fira. "There are Shadow Company soldiers all over this place. And even if we do find the dragon, how are you going to summon it? Those anti-magic drones are everywhere."
Avi held out her hand. Her staff tried to materialize itself, but to no avail.
"Damn it!" said Avi. "Oh, Fira, what are we going to do?"
"Just stay behind me, Dove," said Fira. "Oh, this is not what I signed up for. Not Shadow Company."
"What are you talking about, Fira, did you know about this?"
"Come, Dove, we cannot linger here."
"Okay, but I want an explanation once we're out of the caves."
"Oh, you'll get your explanation, Dove," said Fira. "I owe you that much for all we've been through. Hah, if we expose Shadow Company and the Templars, and bring Guy de la Tierra Sainte, the most wanted man in Termnnia, to justice, you'll be greatly rewarded, Dove."
"I have you for a friend, Fira, that's all the reward I'll ever need."
Fira paused. She started feeling guilty.
She reached into her holster and took out a pistol.
"You ever use these before?" Fira asked.
"No, I hate guns."
"Well, you're going to have to set aside your hate, because without your dragons this is the best weapon you've got. This little thing here is the trigger. Squeeze it gently, use the red dot on the reflex sight aim for the head, understood?"
Avi nodded and took the pistol from Fira. Fira screwed a silencer to her rifle and took point. Avi trailed behind.
"Oh, once Stefan gets wind of this, the Church will be in serious trouble."
"Stefan is the Church, Dove," said Fira. "Haven't you ever considered that he may be the one who sent these men here?"
"That can't be!" said Avi. "If he had any part of this, then what would have been the point of calling for that peace conference? And he'd be a complete fool to betray a united Termnnia. The alliance outnumbers him a hundred to one. If he is behind this, he will have an army of millions at the border in days."
"Do you continue to believe it's not him?" Fira asked.
"One way or another I'm going to find out."
"I know you will, Dove. You're always so resourceful. That's why I love you so much."
The two of them crept through the caves dodging patrols and even killing a great number of them on the way down.
Avi and Fira took down four men who were filling their canteens by a spring. Fira looted a rifle from one of the soldiers and tossed it at Avi.
"Same thing," said Fira. "Squeeze and shoot. Use the scope to aim, okay?"
Avi nodded.
The radios of the fallen soldiers began to buzz with activity.
"Knight Seven, Citadel, status report, over? Knight Seven, Citadel do you copy? Knight Seven come in!"
"Oh shit!" said Avi.
"Hey, I'm not getting anything from Knight Seven on level six."
"Paladin Eight, Citadel, we've lost contact with Knight Seven."
"Bandit Six, Citadel, we're getting nothing from Knight Seven."
"Uh, Citadel, this is Archer One, no contact with Knight Seven. How should we respond, over?"
"It's probably bad transmission from the caves," said Citadel. "It's getting harder and harder maintaining contact as you go lower. Send a team to check on Knight Seven, over."
"Roger that, Citadel, sending Seamus and McKnight, Paladin Eight out."
Avi and Fira had to quicken their pace. There were more and more soldiers as they got closer to the temple below. They had no choice but to engage them.
With so many units taken down, Shadow Company and the Templars were beginning to suspect foul play when most of their units were not responding to the coms.
"It's the Summoner!" a voice shouted on the radios of the dead soldiers Avi and Fira recently killed. "She eliminated Stalker Team. They were patrolling the tenth level. She's nearing the temple! All units report to the tenth level now. Cut off her escape. Make sure she does not get that dragon!"
"Well, well," said Fira. "Commander Knox is here."
"What?"
"The leader of Shadow Company," Fira answered. "And official lapdog of Paradius's military division. Looks like he's come to oversee the operation."
"Military division?" gasped Avi. "I thought they were a gaming company."
"There is nothing Paradius can't be, Dove," said Fira.
"Citadel, Archer actual, we're starting a patrol on the canyon above the temple. If we see her she's going down, over!"
"Snipers," said Fira. "They've got all eyes on the temple now, Dove, we are not going to get through without them seeing us."
"Negative, Archer actual!" said a woman's voice. "Avi is needed alive."
"Citadel, to all units, disregard that order from Special Adviser Lions."
"That is a direct order, Citadel!" said Lions. "Avellana is wanted alive…"
"Ignore that noise, gentlemen," said Citadel. "We take our orders from Commander Knox. The Summoner killed our men. She's going down."
"Can we sneak through?" Avi asked. "They don't have a heavy presence of anti-magic drones around the canyon. Perhaps I can get a dragon out to fight the soldiers."
"We're going to have to swim to get across," said Fira. "That means you're going to have to ruin your new dress."
"There are more important matters now." Avi said, jumping into the underground lake without a thought.
"Show off," said Fira. She, too, jumped in after her.
When they finally swam across the frigid water, Avi and Fira climbed out and laid themselves to rest on the rocks of the island where the temple stood.
It looked like the ancient people who built it carved the building out of the very rocks. An orange glow flickered from the windows of the tower-like structure.
"I think it's safe," Avi said.
"On your go, Dove, wait!"
She grabbed Avi by the hem of her dress.
The doors of the temple burst open as a man in a digital camouflaged battle dress uniform and his team walked out. A woman in a black jacket, a white blouse, and black skirt and socks followed him holding onto a black FN SCAR, another weapon possibly smuggled from Earth.
"You are losing your mind, Knox!" the woman said. Her hair was dark brown and tied into a boring bun.
"You are the one who has lost her mind, Lions!" said Commander Knox. "The Summoner is going down. She just massacred a dozen of my men and she's going to pay dearly for it!"
"With all due respect, Commander, we are under orders from the client himself to hand over the girl."
Commander Knox stopped and turned to look at her. He was a bald man with pale green eyes shielded by metal, ruby-lensed sunglasses.
"He said he wants her staff, and he will get her staff."
"Commander if any harm comes to her…"
"I don't care what you say, Lions! You take your orders from the clientele if you want. I take my orders from the Paradius corporation. They want her eliminated. Now say no more on the matter, Lions, this discussion is over. Okay, men, perform a sweep of the canyon. If Avi's here we'll find her!"
"Quite the colorful character, isn't he?" asked Avi, watching him walk away across the stone bridge that led to the temple. "Let's see if I can't wipe that smirk off his face with my new dragon."
"Hurry, darling, I've got your rear." She smacked Avi's bottom playfully.
Avi climbed up the rocks doing her best to stay hidden in the shadows.
"Don't go too fast," said Fira. "Those soldiers are wearing multi-vision combat goggles. They can see in the dark with night vision, and our body heat with thermals."
"Ah, that means some good loot for us when this is all over," said Avi.
"I like the way you think," Fira smirked.
Ser Damien
"Oh, man," said Blair. "This is not good. There are so many of them."
"We can handle the men at the entrance," said Ser Damien. "But there was a good score of them heading into the caves. Without my Luster Dragon, we won't be able to fight them all. And I lack the skill and equipment to be fighting men trained in modern warfare."
"Oh, Avi!" Blair groaned. "Damn, the Church set us up. I knew that Stefan could not be trusted."
Ser Damien looked at Constantine and Blair. "Listen. I know who these men are. I know who works for them. If you value your lives and the lives of your dragons, you will do well to fly away. Get as far away from here as you possibly can!"
Blair shook her head. Santiago peered over her shoulder. "Son, what are you saying?" he asked.
"Just go!" shouted Damine. "He's coming. I don't want you guys to lose your dragons."
"What about Avi?" yelled Constantine.
"I'll take care of her!" shouted Ser Damien. "Do as I say and get out of here! Go to the Wyvernback Mountains. Wait for me there. If I do not return, make for Domino City and inform Master Yugi of the situation!"
"Good luck, bro," said Constantine.
"Yeah," said Blair. "If I don't see you in the Wyvenbacks, I'm going to kick your ass for all eternity in the afterlife, got it!"
"Yes, ma'am!" said Ser Damien. "Go! Go, now!"
The dragon riders split up. Luster Dragon then swatted a squad of soldiers into the air with his tail. He stomped them down with his feet, slashed them with his claws and used his flame breath on the oncoming Humvees as a last resort.
"Retreat!" shouted the soldiers.
The Templars shot fireballs from their hands. It missed Damien by a few feet. It was so close he could feel the heat burn his skin. "Well, well, well," a voice shouted from an intercom echoing throughout the night. "The Knight of Kisses. We meet again. The last time we met, we battled to a draw."
It was Ser Carlyle the Dragon Hunter. "I have learned a lot since then, old friend. But we shall duel differently than we did last time. I have a special surprise for you, Ser. One both you and your dragon will enjoy."
Ser Carlyle, ordered his pretty female pilot to hover the airship.
He opened the door of the craft and slid down the cable holding the crate. He opened a hatch and went inside, slithering like a snake. Inside the crate, Ser Carlyle jumped into some sort of machine. He dabbled with computer screens, pressed buttons, and flicked switches until his weapon was ready. The doors to the crate hissed open. A mech flew out if, colored in a dull shade of pink with silver filigree engravings on the arms and legs. It had a royal purple cape swinging behind it.
On one hand, it carried a gigantic golden sword and on the other, a large battle rifle also painted in gold with floral engravings.
Ser Carlyle wasted no time in battling; for he fired his gun tearing holes into Luster Dragon's right wing.
"No!" shouted Ser Damien. "Luster Dragon, move!"
The dragon quickly took flight amongst the jeers and taunts of the Templars and the Shadow Company troops.
"Ah, ah, ah," taunted Ser Carlyle. "No running away now."
Ser Carlyle's mech took off into the sky after them. They played a dangerous game of cat and mouse in the clouds. The mech the Knight of the Church was flying made elegant contrails in the infinite blue as it trailed after Ser Damien and his dragon.
He fired his massive battle rifle at the dragon. Ser Damien made his dragon spin and twirl and loop-de-loop into the clouds to lose visual of the mech's advanced targeting systems.
Luster Dragon flew from the clouds and based the mech on the back with a powerful lash from his tail.
Ser Carlyle screamed in shock as his mech lost control. He flew back and started to chase the dragon again over Lake Leogun, the largest lake in Termnnia, so called for its head was in the shape of a lion.
"You're good, Ser Damien. But not good enough." He fired rounds from the chaingun mounted on his mech's shoulders. A bullet ripped through Ser Damien's flesh.
"Accck!" he howled and he fell off the saddle, plummeting to his doom in the waters below. Luster Dragon saw this and cried out in despair seeing his best friend fall into the water. Ser Carlyle flew down from the heavens with his mighty golden sword and cut the dragon's head off with a powerful swipe.
Avi
With the entrance to the temple so heavily guarded, Avi and Fira had to climb up the rocky walls to a window on the third floor. By the time they had reached it, Avi's nails were chipped and the tips of her fingers were scrapped.
"We made it," Avi panted.
"If this works," said Fira. "They're going to sing songs about this day, Dove."
"Now, I wonder what kind of dragon sleeps here, if any."
"Why do you say that?"
"It feels…empty in here. Just like Aigami said. I hope he and Aldara are alright."
"Aigami's an Eyar, and Aldara is a capable fighter. I'm sure they made it out alive. Poor Ser Arthur. He wasn't with us for long. I was just starting to get to know him."
"We'll make sure to avenge his death," said Avi.
She walked out of the stone, candle-lit chamber and proceeded to the top floor of the temple where the dragon was said to sleep. There were no Shadow Company guards here which made her feel both relived and nervous. One would think they would have secured the entire temple, but they left it unguarded and empty.
She could hear them outside on the top of the canyon overlooking the temple barking orders. Their muffled voices on the radios buzzed and echoed across the underbelly of the Gray Hills.
The temple smelled very musty and water dripped from the rocky walls. Candles that have been burning for ages eerily flickered on their alters on the way up the stairs. Old clay pots and assortments of tools littered the altars as if waiting for their masters to return.
Avi's wet dress was weighing her down and chilled her to the bone. But she had a strong determination to find the dragon up top. She knew her friends, and her High King, were counting on her to complete this quest.
"After this," she said, looking back at her friend, "we're going to find the next town and I'm going straight for the inn to get a warm bath and some hot soup."
"I'd settle for just the bath," said Fira.
"No soup?" asked Avi. "Not even some bread or meat."
"I'd go for some meat pie," said Fira. "And a massage for my aching back."
"I'll see to it we get a pampering at the spa once we're done with this adventure, Fira, it's on me."
Fira's guilt was eating away at her chest like acid melting metal.
"You'd do that for me, Dove?"
"What are friends for?" Avi said cheerfully.
"You sure that dragon's up here, Dove?" Fira asked, aiming down her sights to check if no one pursued them.
"I know it is," said Avi. "Stefan wouldn't send me here for nothing."
"You trust him very much, don't you?"
"More than anyone," said Avi, creeping up the spiral stairs.
"Oh, Dove, you are so naïve," Fira muttered. "Come on, let's just get out of here. We'll regroup and…"
"You don't mean to give up now, do you?" Avi asked, stopping. "We're almost there for Saafani's sake."
"Dove, please, I don't want anything bad to happen to you. You don't deserve the pain these men will put you through if they find you. You're too good a person, even for me. I don't deserve to be in your company. I don't deserve to be your friend."
"Why do you say that?" Avi asked.
"Dove…Avellana, please, just trust me. Let's get out of here. Don't make me regret this."
"Fira, don't worry so much," said Avi.
"Don't do it, Dove, please."
"You'll see," Avi said going up the stairs.
Avi and Fira made it to the topmost chamber of the temple. The roof was supported by columns shaped like a water dragon and old pews carved from the stones stood in neat rows of five before a stone podium where the priests of ancient times would give their sermons to Saafani.
"There it is!" said Avi. "The dragon!"
She sprinted down the aisle and up the steps to the pedestal where the totem of the dragon rested. Avi touched the stone, and felt it was cold.
"Strange," said Avi. "They'd usually be bursting with activity by now."
She felt the stone with her delicate hands and could feel no power coming from within.
"This doesn't make any sense, Fira."
"Why?"
"There's nothing here! Aigami was right! But…but why?"
Avi turned to look at Fira. A tear rolled down her cheek as she lifted her weapon. "I gave you a chance to save yourself, Dove, but you left me no choice."
"Fira?"
"I'm sorry, Dove," she said and knocked her out with the butt of her rifle.
When Avi was coming through, she found herself surrounded by Shadow Company soldiers and Templars. Fira was nowhere in sight.
Special Advisor Lions ripped her necklace off and put it in a metal container which she screwed the top on tightly. She handed it to a scientist who walked away.
"Ah, she's waking," said Lions. "Commander Knox put that weapon down!"
"This is for my men, bitch!" Commander Knox growled pointing his Desert Eagle at Avi's head.
"She is needed alive, Commander," Guy said, slowly putting Knox's weapon down. "She will get what's coming to her, sir. You will get your pay and your revenge once we get out of this awful place."
"Wait," said a Shadow Company soldier, "The wizard and the half-elf are still M.I.A somewhere in the caves."
"That doesn't matter now," said Commander Knox. "We got who we came for. All right boys, let's pack it up and get the hell out of here."
Avi began to panic. She was alone. No friends. No dragons. She was at the mercy of Shadow Company now.
"Don't try anything foolish," Lions said, looking down at Avi. "Let's move!" she shouted at the soldiers.
Commander Knox knelt over Avi, brandishing a customized Termnnian rifle in his hands. He bared his beer-stained teeth and removed his sunglasses so his eyes could look into hers and break her soul.
"Listen, Summoner," he growled. "You better not give us any trouble. Our anti-magic drones are everywhere, so there will be no dragons comin' to save you. Now, I'm going to have this weapon jammed to your backside the whole way. You slow down or start shit, I'm going to blow your pretty little head off. Now GET up!"
Avi sobbed and did her best to get to her feet.
"Got you now, Summoner," sneered a soldier from Shadow Company.
Avi's face burned from Fira's powerful strike. She walked slowly towards the stairs after Advisor Lions.
"I said MOVE!" Commander Knox shouted, kicking her in the butt and knocking her forward.
"Don't do too much damage, son," said Guy. "We're going to need her later.
It was like that the whole way up towards the surface. The soldiers from Shadow Company laughed at Avi and fist-bumped one another, congratulating themselves for a job well done.
When she reached the entrance of the caves, her eyes were blinded by the rising sun over the hills. Helicopters and airships soared over a campsite full of soldiers. When they saw Avi they raised their weapons and fired at the air triumphantly.
A scientist, possibly from Paradius, slapped anti-magic cuffs on Avi's wrists before she was herded by Knox to a caged wagon pulled by seven black horses.
Avi broke into a sob when she saw the headless carcass of Ser Damien's Luster Dragon laying at the feet of Ser Carlyle's mech. He spotted Avi, and raised a glass of champagne which he held elegantly in his fingers.
Glasses of congratulatory drinks were being passed all-around at the capture of the Summoner of Dragons.
Ser Arthur and Robin lay on the grass beside the Luster Dragon. Arthur was naked, completely stripped of his armor as he was inspected by Paradius scientists who seemed to be interested in using the corpse for their medical experiments.
Then, from a tent, the woman who Avi thought was her friend emerged. Fira. Fira looked at Avi as she was being carried away. There was no emotion on her face. Avellana didn't say anything to her and shed tears, her heart was broken by the betrayal.
"MOVE!" Knox shouted, kicking Avi hard on her bottom, causing her to fall in the mud. "Get up!"
Knox grabbed her by the scruff of her dress. Avi sobbed fearfully as she struggled to stay on her feet. Knox commanded a soldier to open the door of the wagon and tossed her inside. He slammed the door and patted the wooden wall, signaling Guy to take her away.
She wondered what they were going to do to Luster Dragon. Perhaps they were going to use his scales and bone as armor. There was no sign of Ser Damien anywhere as the wagon took her farther away from the camp until it was out of sight.
She spent days sitting on the back of that wagon, devoid of food and water. She heard Guy on top of the coach laughing and singing crude songs while shielded by the elements in a tarp.
He had sandwiches to eat. Avi could smell the lettuce, ham, tomatoes, and mayonnaise drifting inside the wagon.
Her tummy rumbled awfully at the thought of food. She looked out the window and saw the setting sun looming behind the ocean. There was a castle, ominous looking with spiked towers and blackened stone perched on a small island.
Avi trembled and started to cry, not wanting to experience the torture she might have to endure inside those ominous walls.
Guy traversed through a town to get to his stronghold ahead. Avi heard the bell of a chapel ringing for the evening prayer. She saw a sign that read: Welcome to White Tree.
This must have been a very Yeyunist town. A priest from the Church walked out of the chapel and held out his hand before shouting: "Behold, The Summoner of Dragons!"
That drew the people of the town into a frenzy. They crowded around the streets to get a glimpse of her. The mob of angry cultists then shouted obscenities at her and tossed rotten food. A moldy tomato smashed Avi in the face.
"WITCH!" a farmer shouted.
"Burn the witch!" shouted the baker.
The wooden draw bridge of the castle slowly dropped to let the wagon drive through. Helicopters flew overhead and Shadow Company soldiers guarded the place alongside western soldiers in iron armor and surcoats in the colors of Guy de la Tierra Sainte's House. They looked so out of place with the modern soldiers of Shadow Company.
Once inside the dungeons, Avi had her pictures taken by Guy.
"Search her," he commanded.
Special Advisor Lions forcefully turned Avi around and patted her down. She took her cards and her jewelry and tossed them into a plastic bin.
"No, those are mine!" Avi cried.
"Not anymore, they're not," laughed Guy, wasting no time in searching through her belongings.
Meanwhile, Lions was examining her dossier, what little she had, for Avi was The Girl from Nowhere.
Guy was examining her looted jewelry and Duel Monster cards. "Well, I'll be," he said. "Chaos Emperor Dragon-Envoy of the End. You can't find this card just anywhere! How did you get it?"
Avi was silent for a moment. She gathered her strength and said, "It was given to me by Lord Huron of the Citrus Islands. Before I went to Domino to begin my journey."
"This card could make a man richer than half the lords in Thara!" Guy said, pocketing the card. He then marveled at the magic ring Yuri and Yugi gave her. He held it up for her to see and slipped it on his fat index finger.
"Ah," he said. "A perfect fit."
Avi looked away in shame.
"Special endorsement from Master Yu-Gi-Oh," Lions said, flipping through Avi's files. "That's something you and I have in common, Lady Avellana. You know, he taught me once. I was the winner of the spring tournament in my village three years straight because of him."
"Wasted talent," Avi groaned, standing in front of the dungeon wall with a light shining bright on her face making her tears sparkle. "If he saw you working with these men, he'd be so ashamed."
"Yeah, well, I'm not a duelist anymore, sweetheart, so I wouldn't give a fuck what he would have to say."
"What do you want from me?" Avi asked.
"That's an interesting question," said Ser Godfrey, entering the dungeon as if on que.
"You!" Avi gasped.
"Well don't that beat all?" Ser Godfrey asked with joy. "She remembers me."
"Why am I here? Why are you doing this to me?"
Lions punched Avi hard in the stomach to shut her up. She fell to her knees, doing as best she could to grasp and massage her belly, but the thick anti-magic cuffs restrained her from making the slightest movement with her arms. For good measure, Ser Godfrey joined in and got a kick at her ribs.
Avi sobbed for air and groaned from the pain.
"Easy, easy," said Lions.
"Can you blame me?" spat Ser Godfrey. "It's because of her that I became a hedge knight. No one would take me anymore, not after she spread all those stories about me."
"You abused me in Normandia," Avi coughed, getting back on her feet. "I wasn't about to let you continue to soil the honorable title of knight."
"Hit her again and there's going to be trouble," Lions said, when she saw Ser Godfrey getting ready to strike Avi again. "Remove her cuffs after you put the anti-magic collar, please."
Ser Godfrey backed off as a soldier from Shadow Company slapped a metal collar around Avi's neck. He then used his keys to undo her cuffs.
Avi groaned and massaged her wrists once they came off.
"You may begin, Ser Godfrey," Guy said with a nasty grin on his face.
The old, grizzled knight nodded. He grabbed Avi's dress and ripped it off her body, tearing it to shreds down to her underwear. He then shoved her over the table where someone familiar grabbed her wrists.
"FIRA!" Avi shouted.
"Don't make things hard on yourself, Dove. You're only going to make it worse." She kissed the top of Avi's forehead to calm her down. "If you don't behave, you'll wind up like your lion knight, Ser Gerhalos."
"You…killed him?" Avi sobbed.
Fira chuckled. "Technically the men I hired killed him."
"You…you…YOU TRAITOR!" Avi screamed so loud her voice went scratchy and high-pitched. She flailed her arms up and down, still being held in Fira's firm grip. "YOU BITCH! YOU WHORE! YOU SLUT! YOU HEARTLESS WENCH! WHEN I GET OUT THIS…"
"You won't be getting out of this, Dove." Fira placed shackles on her wrists and then Guy turned a pully from his haunt in the back of the dungeon that stretched Avi over the table.
Avi gasped when she felt Ser Godfrey come up from behind and started squeezing her rump. "Ah, looks like we forgot something," he said with a jeer. He got on one knee and removed her gold chain anklet with a diamond the shape of a teardrop.
"NO!" Avi cried helplessly, watching Ser Godfrey hand it to Guy. "Please, don't take that. It was a gift. Seto Kaiba gave it to me!"
"This will sell nicely," said Guy, examining the craftsmanship with a magnifying eyepiece. "Just one of these pieces will make me richer than the Tharan King."
Avi let out a scream when Ser Godfrey ripped her panties off with a powerful tug. She then heard something that made her tremble with anxiety. The snap of a rubber glove which came before a sinister chuckle.
"What are you doing?" she cried looking back at him. "Don't you dare! Do you know who I am? I am the Summoner of Dragons! I was chosen by the goddess, Saafani to find her children and fight for the High King! Stop it! Stop it! You can't do this! I have powerful friends! You all are going to regret this!"
"As far as anyone is concerned, Summoner," said Ser Godfrey. "All your friends are dead. Yuri and the others don't even know you're here. In fact, Yuri won't know anything at all pretty soon."
"What do you mean by that?" Avi cried.
Guy slid his finger across his throat. "Ccccckkk!" he said.
"No!"
"I'm afraid it is so," said Fira. "Soon, Yuri will not be High King, and you," she pet Avi like a little puppy on the side of her head, "will no longer Summoner of Dragons. Now…open wide, Dove."
Avi's eyes enlarged and she let out a loud gasp feeling Ser Godfrey reach deep inside her.
She let out a loud scream that echoed into the night.
