The Dream Warriors
The next dawn brought warm rays as the summer took over the spring, but it also brought thoughts and worries to the Archmages and wolves alike.
"So, first things first, who creates best illusion of sleeping, we mut practise on something." asked Fannaeras.
"Well, I guess I will be able to." said Mithrandir raising his hand.
"Alright, let's try. Sure this will be safe?" asked Lara, clutching her sword.
"Yep. Krueger can't get into MY illusions." smiled the wizard. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded. He put his hand upon her face and the ring shined brigthly. Lara fell into a deep sleep very quickly, on the ground. The wolves that were present, Lilly, Humphrey and Eve, were awestruck to say the least. The golden rays were shining in her face, but she wouldn't wake up. In the real world, Mithrandir's eyes shone brightly. He was standingwhere he was, though, he didn't fall asleep.
Lara found herself standing on some hills. Nobody else was there, just her. Mithrandir appeared beside her. She noticed she still had Zirael.
"Well, at least I have my sword." she said, looking at it. "Do you think this is gonna work on Krueger too?" she asked the wizard.
"It should, I tried to replicate what he does." he replied thoughtfully.
"Well, I can't use magic, so I think you did well." she smiled.
"Try to somehow call the other Archmages." he told her. She nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating upon pulling, teleporting. She felt nothing. She focused then her thoughts hard on Shalidor. She could see him in front of her, standing there. The she-elf felt heavy and slow. Lara managed grasped his arm and tried to pull him towards her. The mage was reluctant at first, but then he closed his eyes, and let himself be pulled in. She then felt very light and opened her eyes again, to find herself on the hills, clutching Shalidor's arm!
"Wow, that worked!" he shouted.
"I know, we actually stand a chance!" she screamed.
"I tried to stop you, Lara, but couldn't." beamed Mithrandir. "I don't think Krueger can be any stronger than that!"
"I certainly hope not." she replied, smiling. "Shalidor, what can you do?"
"Can't use conjuration, I tried summoning a sword..." He let out waves of fire, ice, bolts of lightning, and a bit of light. "I can use basic destruction and restoration magic, no conjuration, alteration or more complex things." he said glumly.
"Well, I can only use Zirael, no magic at all, so you're fine." smiled Lara. "Try to pull someone in here, psychomagic did the trick for me. Shalidor nodded, and managed to pull Fannaeras, though after several seconds."
"Ho-ho!" shouted the blood-elf.
"It took you quite a bit, Shalidor." said Mithrandir.
"Yeah, I saw." the mage replied.
"Well, I still have my daggers..." said Fannaeras, checking. "No soulstones though... I can deal with this." He tested his magic. "Well, basic damage dealing, I can still make bounds, and a bit of life-stelaing. Works for me."
Shalidor then managed to pull Ithilden in, but with a lot less effort, and Fannaeras Kharazim, with not much effort. Ithilden had basic moon and sun magic, which meant healing and damage. Kharazim couldn't dash as fast, but still could fight almost at the speed in the real world.
"So, how do we get out?" asked Ithilden.
"Well, I can dispell the illusion, but that wouldn't work for Krueger, I think. Try concentrating on the real world maybe, like you did to summon each other." They all did this, managing to get out, but with great difficulty they passed Mithrandir's barriers. They then practiced one by one, pulling, making weapons, fighting, and so on. After a while, Mithrandir destroyed the illusion and they all woke up. The wolves, eager to hear what happened, immediately questioned them. The Archmages explained the best they could, which they did once again to the Leaders, and Kate's family.
"Great!" shouted Claudette. "It means that you can fight back next time! This guy has no chance!"
"Yep. But we still need to be careful, don't think we've seen the best of him yet. The worst mistake to make is to underestimate your opponent." replied Kharazim.
"Yeah, you're right. I know that only too well, seeing I made that mistake myself in the Wolf Games..." chuckled Fleet.
"We taught you a fine elsson, then." laughed Runt.
"How does lunch sound? It's almost midday." said Garth, looking up.
"We had quite a good hunt, it'll keep us well-fed for a few days." beamed Kate.
"Where's Stinky? Haven't seen hm all morning." asked Claudette.
"He said he'll come a little later, Leader stuff." smiled Winston.
"So, how was your first hunt, Claudette?" asked Shalidor, getting up.
"Great! We caught lots of carribou!" she replied.
"You're good, but not best yet, don't get over-excited." laughed Garth, shoving her playfully.
"Oh yeah? I can take you on anytime!" she grinned smugly.
"Alright then, we'll settle that after lunch." he chuckled. They all went towards the feeding grounds.
Meanwhile, east of the den
Two wolves were playing in the emerald-green grass, just like pups. The small birds cheered them on with endless chirps, almost in rhythm with their game. The golden sun-rays were enveloping them with warmth. They tumbled into the pond nearby.
"Stinky! I understand you need a bath, but did you have to drag me in too?" the she-wolf shouted with laughter.
"Who said you don't need one too, Ann?" laughed Stinky, splashing her.
"Oh, you say I'm smelly?" she said, acting hurt.
"You know I'd never say that." said Stinky kissing her deeply, making her giggle.
"I know, I know. Let's stay in the water a little more, feels quite nice..." she said.
They cuddled more in the water, kissed, what lovers do.
"Maybe I should go join my family for lunch, they'll be getting all worried, knowing Mom..." he finished with a chuckle.
"Did you tell them about us yet?" she asked.
"Not yet... troubled times right now for the Pack... Grandpa knows anyway, he saw us..." he trailed off. She gave him a peck on the cheek.
"I understand. At the next Moonlight Howl, when we go together would be a good time." she smiled.
"It doesn't really affect me anyways... See you, love."
They kissed passionately once more.
"See you later, my eternal love..."
And they parted ways.
After lunch
When lunch was finished and everyone was satisfied, Claudette decided to take on her uncle.
"Rules: no drawing blood, but fight ends when one gives up." said Kate.
"Don't go easy on me!" Claudette said excitedly, bending down in an offensive position.
"It's not in my nature." he said, cracking his neck and bending down also.
"Three, two, one, en guarde!" shouted Kharazim.
The two wolves jumped at each other, but Garth, with a well known move, managed to evade her paw but he still striked, but with his claws retracted. She fell to the ground, not bleeding. She jumped up and managed to tackle Garth, but he quickly rolled over and pushed her off. Claudette launched a sereiis of very quick hits, but she landed only two, her uncle agilely dodging the rest. Unexpectedely, he headbutted her, and pushed her on the ground. He then caught her in a bear hug, leaving the young Alpha unable to move.
"Alright, alright, I give up!" she squealed. He let her go.
"Not so smug anymore are we?" he laughed.
"Well... you are... a more experienced Alpha..." she said panting.
"Should think twice next time before challenging an Alpha like my mate..." laughed Lilly rolling her eyes.
"This is an important lesson, Claudette. Don't just jump into fighting an opponent which you might not have a chance to defeat." added Kate.
"But Alphas are brave!" she said, confusedly.
"Brave, but not stupid." chuckled Fannaeras. "There's a thin line between those two. I won't take a god head-on, I can't win that fight. Gotta be smarter, slicker."
"What Fannaeras says is true." said Garth, seeing Claudette rolling her eyes. "You don't get into a fight you won't win."
"Well, we shall ead back now. Think we should practice a little more." said Ithilden, looking at the sun.
"I can teach you a bit of hand-to-hand combat, might come in handy." shrugged Kharazim.
They went back to the den, practicing more dream fighting, and even some unarmed combat. The rest of the day was uneventful. They finally went to sleep.
That night
The soft moonlight was stealthily coming through the main entrance of the cave, gently stroking the Archmages and wolves. All Archmages had weapons tied to their hands, just in case. Only past midnight the fight began. Lara woke once again in the boiler room, but this time she was ready. She unsheathed her sword and looked around. She tried to pull Shalidor into her dream but stopped when she heard steps behind her. She was barely in time to deflect the strike of Krueger's bladed glove. Only then she got a good look at him.
But it was short, as she headbutted him and quickly ran away, hiding from the dazed Krueger. She managed to pull Shalidor, who shot Krueger into his shoulder with a quick arrow. Lara tried to slash him, but he parried her sword and punched her in the mouth. She fell back, and Fannaeras hit him with a mace, being called by Shalidor. Freddy's talisman shined brightly and Krueger reformed behind the blood-elf and managed to get through his block, slashing his arm.
Lara stabbed him with her sword, but he turned abnormally fast and started choking her, pulling her sword out of him with his gloved hand. He then was hit by two arrows and a wave of ice from Shalidor, but once again used his wisp form and managed to ram Shalidor into the wall opposite.
Fannaeras then bound him with stamina draining bonds, but Freddy broke out and tried to slash him, but the elf managed to keep dodging them, until other waves of ice form Shalidor slowed him down, allowing Fannaeras to hit him with the mace right into his face, throwing him back.
Lara, meanwhile, managed the rest of the mages into the dream. The room started to fade away, and the Archmages desperately tried to pull him out of the dream world, to finish him, but he managed to escape their grasp. They all woke up sweating, with all the wolves around them.
"You're awake!" shouted Lilly.
"Thank Fenrir you're alright!" said Stinky, shocked.
"You're injured! Humphrey, call Mom, now!" cried Kate.
"No, no, we'll manage." replied Ithilden calmly, and imeeditely started to heal Lara, while Fannaeras and Shalidor healed themselves.
"What happened?!" shouted Runt.
"Well, we hurt him pretty good, but no more than that. He managed to damn escape." said Shalidor angrily. They explained the nightmare to the wolves.
"He cancelled the dream. Next time we MUST pull him out before he can do that." said Mithrandir.
Next day, in the evening
"WINSTON! EVE! ANYONE!" screamed a wolf, running to the Leader's den.
"Calm down, Jack! What happened?!" asked Tony, bewildered.
"MY MATE! NANCY! I LEFT HER TO TAKE A NAP NEXT TO THE LAKE, NOW SHE'S BURNED COMPLETELY!" he hollered. He then fell to the ground and started crying. Tony went pale. He ran to Kate and Humphrey's den, and found the six friends discussing strategies to pull Krueger out.
"Archmages! There's been another attack! A she-wolf took a nap, now she's dead! Burned!" The Archmages, shocked hurried to the lake, Kharazim getting there first through his smoke form, and already examining the body.
"The boiler... He must've..." he began, pale.
"Shoved her in." finished Fannaeras. "Fuck. This must be his way to heal or something, killing."
"What happened to her?!" shouted Runt, as his family was right behind him and the she-wolf's mate. They explained the situation, and the Jack ran away without a word.
"I'll try to comfort him a little." said Lilly, and started running after him.
Eve examined the she-wolf.
"She was pregnant." she said aghast.
"Well shit, that makes Jack's situation even worse." said Shalidor.
"Yeah... we're implementing the plan, tonight." said Fannaeras. "We must stop this motherfucker." The Archmages all nodded.
"What's the plan?!" asked Kate.
"You must sleep somewhere else tonight, anywhere. We're trying to get Krueger in this world."
"We want to help!" said Claudette hotly.
"No way, you're risking your fucking lives!" said Kharazim, louder than Claudette. "It's our job, ours alone."
"Fine. But we're still gonna be in stand-by." said Humphrey. "We're not leaving you entirely alone." he added as Ithilden opened his mouth.
They all went back to the dens, the Archmages preparing it for fighting, blocking off all Krueger's escapes.
Meanwhile, further north
Lilly finally managed to catch up with Jack. He was standing at the edge of a cliff.
"There you are!" she panted.
"Go away, you have no business here." he replied roughly.
"I do. I know she was pregnant, and I'm extremely sorry! I knew her too, believe me. Please, don't do anything stupid, she wouldn't want you to."
"We would've had pups soon! We would've had a family! We could've lived happily, but now she's gone!" cried Jack, breaking down into tears once again. "SHE'S GONE, AND NOT COMING BACK!"
"I understand, please-" started Lilly extending a paw towards him, and approaching.
"NO YOU DON'T!" he screamed, pushing her away. "There's no point in living now. Just leave, now."
"No, you musn't-" she began again, but Jack pushed her roughly backwards and she fell, not being able to stop the wolf from...
Jumping.
She only saw him tumble down, and landing on a spike, being impaled in the chest. Lilly ran back to the Leader's den, only stopping when she arrived.
Back at the den
"I really hope their plan will work, it would be great to get rid of him-" Eve was saying to Kate, Humphrey, Garth, and the other two Leaders, but was interrupted by Lilly coming to a screeching halt in the den and breaking down crying. Garth immediately hugged her tightly.
"What happened, sis?!" asked Kate, bewildered.
"Jack... killed himself... at the Northern Cliffs..." she sniffed between tears.
"He jumped?!" asked Humphrey. Lilly nodded.
"I tried... to stop him... but couldn't..." sobbed Lilly.
"It's alright, love, you did all you could, it was his choice." said Garth nuzzling her gently.
"Dammit. Humphrey, go tell the mages, they might wanna know. You can sleep here tonight with your family, Kate, it's spacious enough."
"Thanks, Tony!" called Kate, hurrying out of the den. The Archmages listened, and were not that shocked.
"I kind of thought he would do that... he seemed really fucking down... But it's still a shame..." said Fannaeras.
"Well, it's tragic. But it would be better if you manage tonight." she replied.
"We blocked it all off. Kharaizm's gonna stand guard if he tries to escape through his smoke form."
"Well, it's getting late." said Kate, looking at the magnificent colours of gold and red of the setting sun. "Good luck."
"Thank you. Sleep well." replied Ithilden, and they went into the den, sealing it, leaving the monk outside. Kate went back to the Leader's den to her family.
That night
Lara woke once again in the boiler room and quickly hid, hearing the killer approach, starting to execute their plan. She quickly managed to pull Mithrandir into her dream, and the wizard at once striked Krueger with quick slashes of Glamdring, forcing him to keep parrying. Lara also pulled the other three into the dream, and they all ganged up on Krueger.
Fannaeras started showering him with hellish flames, Mithrandir and Lara striked him with their swords, Ithilden impaling him with a spear in his leg, Shalidor showered him with ice and lightning. Krueger tried to resist, but finally tried to cancel the dream, but Mithrandir was ready.
He put his right hand on the maniac's face, the ring shining brightly. Krueger yelled, and everything went black. Mithrandir then woke up to see smoke getting out of the cave. He started waking up the other mages, while Kharazim also went in his own smoke form, chasing Krueger. Ithilden got up first and broke the boulder, turning into a falcon an quickly going after Freddy, the other Archmages trying to keep up.
He found Krueger dashing around Kharazim, slashing him, and managed to slam him into some trees, bringing them down. Ithilden switched back to his elf form and pointed his staff at the moon, taking power from it. Before Krueger could do hurt the druid, he was hit in the stomach, and thrown down. He only saw Ithilden, covered in fur, in a huge bear form, shining blindingly with blue light.
The druid slammed his staff into the ground. Then sunlight burned the killer intensely. He screamed and writhed, but couldn't even use his talisman, as he felt himself disintegrating. He felt his own blood gushing from all his wounds, and only could holler in pain.
The other Archmages arrived and Fannaeras wasted no time in reciting a complex incantation, dark fire burning his hand, which held a stone, carved in runes. Krueger gave one last tortured howl, and looked like he was sucked into the stone.
"I captured him into a soulstone. This way, he's sure not to escape. That's what you do with this kind of demons." Ithilden then transformed into his normal form and collapsed. Lara quickly dashed to heal Kharazim, and Mithrandir and Shalidor held up the druid.
"Well... at least our plan worked. Krueger's finished."
"Yep. All we gotta do is to wait for the next asshole." said Lara, who finished healing the monk and was helping him stand up.
"That guy really knows how to dash... Anyways, I've been hurt worse." said Kharazim quietly.
The wolves arrived running, their expressions begging for reassuring.
"He's finished" said Fannaeras, showing the now encased soulstone. All of them cheered madly.
"Now, you should get some rest. You deserve it." said Eve.
"That we do." laughed Fannaeras, opening a portal, and teleporting all of the Archmages to their treehouse, now their sleep being safe.
The night was now peacefully reigning over the Park, as though it was also relieved that the killer was brought to an end. The next ones to come seemed now far, as the wolves and mages slept happy, knowing that they're safe for the moment.
A/N: Well, here goes chapter 7, folks! Freddy Krueger has been brought to an end! A certain tall fellow shall be our protagonists next enemy, suggested by one of the reviews, the one made by DananX, thank you! Hope you enjoy the story so far, leave a review, tell me what you think! :D