Wildwing used Shield to deflect an acid spray from a large demonic centipede before Adam used saurian magic to sever it's head off it's shoulders. Duke and Clyde were having a ball with their sabers with a couple sword demons. Thrash and Mookie were obviously trying to record the whole thing, but the fighting kept them from doing so. Grin was fine as he used Freeze with Tanya using Nature to assist. Julia and Danielle were looking a bit scared, but they were fighting like there was no tomorrow. Phil however had fallen to a hiding spot and tried to hide out, but Klegghorn dragged him back out.
"Isn't this fun?!", Klegghorn shouted with pure joy, "I've never felt so alive!"
Phil gripped his blaster and after aiming at a demon, fired and knocked it's helmet off it's head. The demon looked back and hissed angrily before charging. Canard came by and used Aura to slice it in half before Nosedive scribbled something in Create and a huge burst of light overhead came piercing through the clouds making the dark forces flee back from whence they came. After that, the ducks stopped and caught their breath.
"Everyone okay?", Wildwing asked.
Most didn't answer, but they looked fine.
"Dude, we can't believe we didn't get this whole fight recorded.", Thrash said sounding bummed, "It felt like that one movie Dive watched with Mook and I once."
"The Lord of the Rings?", Mookie guessed.
"That's the one.", Nosedive answered proudly, "Really long, but the effects and landscape are beautiful to see."
Morpha came out shaking demon blood off itself like any dog would before coming over.
"So now what?", Mallory asked making Sword vanish, "Lucretia's back and clearly wants us dead."
"Indeed.", Adam said hovering nearby, "And she still holds a grudge against me for...you know."
Phil looked a bit miffed.
"Okay, if I don't get a payment in the next three seconds, I'm gonna-"
He was cut off cause the floor opened up underneath him and he fell in. Luckily Morpha made a lasso and pulled him back up.
"Good boy.", Wildwing said giving Morpha a pet and making the amoeba's color points turn orange as it looked away shyly and he turned back to his team, "We should keep moving. Lucretia's not going to wait to get a jump on us."
Julia looked thoughtful.
"Oh sure. The worst traitor in all of Puckworld who became saurian infused to wipe us out, almost obliterated our world out of spite and now is an afterlife abomination with an ax to grind which she wants to do so on our severed skulls is just going to give us a break while we come up with a way to defeat her. Sounds wonderful."
Nosedive chuckled.
"Nice one girly-girl."
/
They were about to set off when Morpha instantly stood straight up after sniffing the air for a bit and then he darted off towards a clump of corpses of demonic beings.
"Looks like Morpha found something.", Thrash said with awe.
Morpha paused at the pile's base and yapped a few times as the ducks came over.
"What is it boy?", Duke asked, "Something in the pile?"
The pile moved slightly and the ducks got into a battle pose. Grin cautiously came to the top and quickly lifted up the corpse and flung it away and the ducks came forward to see that on top of the demon's bodies was a humanoid looking being with flowing lights forming wings from the shoulders of it's tarnished gold armor and white clothes underneath. The helmet was tarnished as well, but the flowing design it had with the glowing halo around the top was a bit of a give away.
"Whoa, an angel still clinging to life.", Mookie said noticing a deep gash in the angel's side where glowing liquid was seen seeping out.
Canard looked a bit shocked as Mookie and Tanya removed the angel from the pile carefully so they could set him into a sitting position. Mookie quickly patched up the wound while the angel slightly stirred and the eye sockets of it's helmet lit up dimly.
"Who...are you?", he asked faintly.
"We're friends.", Adam answered, "Thought we'd help you out since you look a bit out of shape."
The angel said nothing, but as Mookie finished patching up the side, a huge ray of light pierced through the clouds above illuminating the area around the angel. The ducks backed off in time for about four more angels to fly down from above led by one who had the armor that signified high rank and it's halo looked like glowing metal. The three lesser angels took the wounded angel as the leader turned towards the ducks.
"Are you the ones who assisted us here?", it asked showing it was female and it's voice sounded like it was filled with hope and content.
"We are.", Wildwing said.
The angel nodded.
"On behalf of the Ascended and myself, I thank you for tending to our fallen brother."
The angel paused as she noticed the other ducks were a bit in awe.
"I am Absora, the angel of loyalty. I instill the strong will to remain together and never stray from your calling."
"Nice.", Clyde said.
Absora looked Wildwing in the eyes.
"Our forces were able to battle the forces of the Fallen to a standstill, but lately they've been growing stronger to overpower ours. You all showed potential to rival this edge Abyssal has. Will you help?"
Wildwing bowed.
"We'd be honored to help out."
Absora's wings shimmered brighter which the ducks guessed ment she was happy.
"Our next foot hold is over that ridge over there.", she said pointing further behind her, "If you find any wounded angels, we'll be waiting to bring them back to Highark. Good luck friends."
Absora and her angels flew back up into the light with the wounded angel taking the light with them.
"Okay ducks, you heard the lady.", Nosedive said quickly, "We got another foot hold to save."
/
Draco felt his arms strain as he pulled his oar into the water and propel the boat further. Laryx was seated comfortably at the head watching and giving directions as Draco continued to row with Gerazi, Harzep and Darcel helping.
"Okay guys, that'll be enough.", Laryx said casually.
The four pulled their oars up as the current continued to carry them along. Laryx got to his feet and with a wave of his hand, a plate of fish, vegetables, and a jar of pudding appeared before each of them and they began to eat. Draco however looked up and noticed a drawing of what looked like Laryx fighting a battle with Zeral while two armies below them fought. Laryx saw this and gave a smile.
"Not everyone gave in to Zeral's offer of domination.", he said calmly as he munched on an onion, "We put up quite a fight before driving him off from our frozen lands."
Draco looked Laryx's way.
"You were there weren't you? Before Zeral destroyed our home?"
Laryx stopped eating and Gerazi looked Draco's way with a bit of annoyance in her glance.
"Draco, let's not bring up that horrible part of our history in this time of peace.
"Oh it's quite alright.", Laryx assured her, "He deserves to know."
Draco chomped on a bit of lettuce, but didn't' take his eyes off Laryx.
"So were you?", he asked.
"No.", Laryx answered, "That saurian there, is my great-great-great grandfather who's name I carry to honor his legacy and family roots."
"Like my name to honor my ancestor?", Draco asked getting interested.
"That's right.", Laryx said smiling, "As is Gerazi's, Harzep's and Darcel's."
Darcel slurped his pudding and cleaned his face with his cloth napkin.
"So when do we arrive?", he asked.
Laryx looked ahead and his smile got bigger.
"We're here."
Draco turned to see a huge underground lake with large docks with large stairways leading up to the surface and many saurians were hurrying about with washing the ships, getting cargo unloaded, setting some ships sailing and even some performers were there to amuse and entertain the passing crews. The boat slowed as a couple others came close to theirs and helped guide it to a dock.
"Welcome back from the foot hold Laryx.", a member from one of the other boats called out, "We hardly see you nowadays."
/
Morpha made it's way over the ridge with the ducks holding on.
"Well I can say we used an effective mode of transportation.", Klegghorn said with amusement.
Phil however looked a bit unsure.
"Um Wildwing, just out of curiosity, I was wondering if-"
"No you're not going back to be with the others.", Wildwing said firmly without turning around, "Not unless you want that gold Canard mentioned."
Phil looked more focused right away.
"So how far is it to the next foot hold?", he asked more determined.
A large boulder fell nearby almost squashing Morpha, but that got the ducks' attention.
"I'd say we're close.", Adam said calmly.
And that was when they reached the top of the ridge and saw the foothold being overrun by demonic forces. As Morpha charged, the forces outside instantly took notice and turned their attention to the ducks.
"Time to slice and dice.", Clyde said with glee as he drew his saber.
Wildwing turned to Nosedive.
"Bro, we're gonna need some firepower."
Nosedive grinned as he conjured Create.
"I'm on it.", he said as he started scribbling, "One heavy duty firearm coming up."
A few seconds later, a small metal cube appeared which shifted and grew into a giant multi-barreled turret with a couple rocket launchers on the side. Nosedive took the control seat and the radar picked up the approaching demons.
"Fire in the hole!"
He pressed the large red button and the thing opened fire drawing the attention of demons from inside the foothold, but then a burst of light erupted blinding the ducks for a moment and then when it dimmed, the foothold and Nosedive's creation were gone along with the demonic forces around.
"Did we win?", Mookie asked.
"Let's check the place.", Wildwing said, "Look for survivors."
The ducks fanned out and checked around the area before meeting up back at the foothold's doors.
"Any luck?", Wildwing asked.
"Nothing but death as far as we can see.", Thrash reported.
"So who had this foothold anyway?", Julia asked.
As if to answer her, a squad of angels rose from the top led by another regal looking angel like Absora.
"Wonder who that is.", Danielle stated.
"I am Torak.", a voice in their heads came, "Angel of courage and your next foothold is in peril."
The angels vanished into the sky, but Nosedive looked annoyed.
"I thought this episode arc was about Lucretia and Adam's final combat.", he griped(breaking the fourth wall as usual), "Not us saving the angelic forces of Highark."
"Relax baby bro.", Wildwing assured him, "I'm sure we'll find lots of things along the way."
/
Lucretia observed the two now purified points on her little display of the field and wasn't looking pleased.
"A promising start Wildwing.", she said regaining her clam demeanor, "But you may prefer to leave once you see what will come to pass."
She turned and walked over to a freaky looking alter nearby with lots of morbid and gruesome things like eyeballs in jars, rotting hearts, and demonic looking weapons.
"An alter of the high ranks is known for being the most depriving.", she purred as she took a dagger from the alter, "And this will serve as a little amusement for myself."
She waved a hand over the dagger and the blade shimmered for a moment, but she knew the spell was active and her tool was ready to be used. She turned and two demonic bodyguards dragged in a wounded looking angel to her and held him as she approached.
"Enjoying your stay?", she asked.
The angel looked her way defiantly.
"Your evil will not prevail."
Lucretia raised an eyebrow, but her smirk didn't flinch.
"So Wildwing's band is working on your behalf. Too bad I have to sever it."
And before the angel could answer, she came up and jabbed the dagger into his side. As the angel screamed in agony, a black seeping mass slowly overcame his form. The bodyguards let go, but the angel remained in place until all that fell to the floor was a tarnished helm and a bundle of cloth.
"Shadows of death.", Lucretia said with her smirk broadening, "My personal favorite part of our arsenal.
"Don't get attached."
Lucretia turned to see a dark set of armor covering a demonic body with flaming eye sockets on the helmet appear nearby.
"Hello Fallen.", Lucretia said cheerfully, "Have our forces gotten bolder or did you just come to see me?"
Fallen was before her in a second.
"Do not mock me.", it sneered, "Why have our forces failed at the nearby foot holds?"
"It would seem that Highark has gained allies. Ones that live and seek to aid them.", Lucretia reported, "But I promise you I will not let them deter us from our goal."
The Fallen didn't look so sure.
"Brag if you please, but pride goes before the fall. Eliminate this change in the wind or I promise you that the torment you once endured will not compare to the one I have in mind."
And in less than a moment, the Fallen vanished away. Lucretia gripped the dagger's hilt harder. As much as she would like to kill the Fallen then and there, it would've been suicide and she knew it. Tempus had given her power enough to rival the Fallen, but not surpass him and the Fallen knew it as much as she, but she wasn't going to let the entity catch on without having a bit of fun herself.
"Enjoy your hallow victories ducks.", she purred eying the band through a magic mirror, "What I have in store will be something you may never recover from."
/
Draco tensed as Laryx led him and his guardians up the stairs and into the light. It was blinding for a minute, but their eyes adjusted as the cool air swept over them. Around them, other saurians of the area were going about their day among the simple looking huts and campsites littering the area.
"This is the main hub.", Laryx said with pride, "The best place to meet people."
Laryx continued on with the group following, though Draco took in the sights as they made their way through. Some saurians were in stands calling out sales.
"Freshly frozen fruit here. Rivaled only with food served to the queen now in your convenient dinner feast."
"May I offer you folks the massage oils of the century: freshly made from the glands of the fabled grastle frog? Cleans the scales in a matter of moments."
"Would the lovely couple like a bracelet? Made with flowers of the wild tundra for the wildest of hearts."
Draco also noticed children roaming around having snowball fights, making snow sculptures and even carving ice. Some were even getting some roast from a camp where a giant slab of meat was hanging over a fire and being cooked by a couple middle aged saurians while a third one carved pieces and served them. The aroma from the smoke and sizzling meat was enough to make Draco's mouth water. Harzep noticed this and gave a promising look.
"Don't fear, we're almost there.", Laryx said calmly.
Then a fanfare made everything pause. Everyone turned to see what looked like a large set of reptilian yaks walk into the place with royal looking guards mounted on them. Behind them a glorious golden sleigh was pulled where a female saurian dressed in fine silk and furs with a gold tiara on her head sat. She held her hand up and the riders halted. A young saurian page came out from the side and cleared his throat.
"Her royal majesty, Queen Rubyx."
The whole place applauded as Rubyx got up and gave a bow and a smile. A couple footmen came out and opened the door on the side of the sleigh and a set of stairs folded out allowing her to step on to the ground gracefully. The moment she noticed Draco, she paused.
"Well it appears we have some guests."
Laryx bowed as the group approached.
"Yes your majesty.", he reported, "Draco of the Annectia Sea has arrived to request an audience."
Harzep, Darcel and Gerazi gave a bow with Draco giving a curtsy.
"Your majesty, it's a great honor to be here.", Draco said trying to sound firm, but anyone could see he was nervous.
Rubyx smiled.
"No need to worry my friend. I was on my way to the sleigh rides so I won't be back for a while. Please enjoy yourselves while I'm gone."
As Rubyx got back in her sleigh and was pulled away, everyone got back into the festivities going on.
"Well you met the queen.", Laryx said smiling, "She may look a bit snippy, but she has a good heart and cares for her people."
Draco shivered a bit, but then he got over it.
"Well it looks like we're going to have that meeting a bit later.", Darcel said.
Harzep nodded.
"So, who wants to have some fun?"
To be continued...
