Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the trademarks....
Chapter 1: Valleys Virtue
We continued as we finally, at two o'clock, reached the clearing of the trees that would lead us to the Golems. "Katerina, I have a question for you. I thought the Phoenix that Ganki released never saved anyone? Wasn't that in the history book?" Joey asked, for once talking to me. "Yeah, but I don't think it was real. I believe that Ganki found a replica that thought it could revive the lost disks... I bet my mom saw the replica in that cave and didn't journey far enough to actually retrieve the real disk." I concluded, now talking to Mac. And the we saw Golem's Valley in the distance.
"The Golems are such a great guardian to our town that they named the forest and this valley after them." Lance said smartly, and I gazed at the phenomenal distant mountains that came after the valley. "The mountains ahead contain pieces of the Hengar doll... It's said that if you complete the doll you'll make a really strong monster." Joey responded, obviously trying to show off his knowledge too. "Hey, through that clearing! It's the Valley where my brothers are!" Smasher cried, and he ran forward. The ground trembled as we followed behind him in hope we would find the Golems in time.
But when we reached it, it was barren. And I'm not just talking about the land. "Titan? Earthquake? Smasher called, but all he heard was silence. "Haha, too late! I knew Lance would be a day late out of schedule and now the Golems of the Valley are mine! Attack fellow Naga's break and bend them to their will!" Nichiro smiled evilly, and behind his cat eyes came many more. "No backing away now! This is our destiny now, we're here to stop you Nichiro!" I cheered, and Smasher came first. "Brow Hit!" He roared, knocking some of them back. "WhirlBlow!" a Naga cried, and spun in the air against Mac! But he was turning the opposite way and he was to young to take that good of an attack! "Mac, watch out!" I crowed, and dived in front of him.
It stung, the full impact of the attack does that to you. Especially on your side, and that great of an attack on top of it all. Of course, being weak and clumsy I fell down onto the hard dirt. Even as my face scraped the ground I didn't stay there long. "Katerina!" Joey called, but I already stood up to see Mac okay. "You saved me?" Mac asked, and smiled. "I think it's time that I fight back though." Mac sighed, and I didn't stop him. "Eye Beam!" Suezo called, and knocked back an unaware Naga. "Thunder!" Pixie cried, and lit up the night... Or should I say early morning. "Here's for my Master, Punch!" Mac roared, angered that I was harmed. It barely hurt the nearest Naga and it turned to face him. "I'll use my special attack! Kick!" I smiled, and there went another lost disk. I gave Mac a high five and the struggle continued.
"Cyclone! Stay low friends, get back!" Smasher insisted, and he departed himself to create the awesome Golem attack. I curled myself down into a small ball to avoid possible uprooted dirt. "Aaah, Katerina it's too strong I can't stay in one place!" Mac called, and I had to expose my eyes to see him. It really did look like a tornado... Nothing less then one. I grabbed Mac and held onto him, the little dino cowered back with me and I once again closed my eyes.
After Golem's attack was finished we opened our eyes to see nothing. Nothing but sadness... Lost disks were everywhere like the rein of Moo. And Nichiro was gone with the Golems of the Valley. "We, we didn't win?" Golem asked, seeing only the turned dirt and the night sky. "No, Nichiro the rat got away with the Golems and left his friends here to die." Clarice concluded, and we all sighed. "I guess we'll sleep on it for now." Lance concluded, and I felt the tremble of my starving stomach. "What about food?" I asked, and pulled out a huge can of vegetable soup. "Great, what about a pan or bowls or anything?" Abe insisted, and that's what I had forgotten. "Um, not really. I think that's what I forgot for the trip..." I sighed, and was about to put it back.. "I brought spoons...For all of us and some bowls." Lance insisted, and opened up his pack. We smiled for a little but then it faded. "Pan or anything to cook it in?" Clarice asked, but he shook his head. "Why not, we're stuck out here with a limited amount of food and the Sherlocks here can't even cook it. Are we going to die?" I asked, sarcastically. "Yeah, either that or starve." Joey answered, and Lance handed out bowls. "Let's just put it this way... We're not the best at last minute packing to stop an evil Naga from ruling the world." Abe laughed, and I slightly chuckled. "Abe, that will become funny only when we're home safe and the Naga doesn't end up on every school uniform." Joey sneered, and we actually at the cold nasty soup.
"Why for some reason does this taste like tofu?" Clarice gagged, and I choked on mine too. "Op, I forgot, my mom put her tofu in the soup can... Sorry!" I insisted, and everyone turned to me. "Can I strangle her now?" Lance asked. "No that would be to nice..." Pixie growled, and stood up. "Okay settle down... Katerina had good intentions by bringing all that stuff. Or would you have preferred nothing at all and starving?" Joey questioned, and everyone calmed down. "Saved my neck again..." I whispered, to Joey when everyone was getting ready for bed. "Hey. I'm there for you Katerina... Though it seems your fully capable of taking care of yourself." He sighed, and I rubbed the scratch on my cheek from falling. "You never know Joey." I admitted, and got out my coat to go to bed. "Night Joey, I hope you feel the same way I do about you." I added, and fell right to sleep. "Don't worry, I do." I had no idea though what he said or how long this once short journey would prolong.
In the morning there came a relief from an ever growing fear of power. The birds chirping merrily in a forest tree was one of those tension releasers. I smiled up at them. "Even as the enemy grows greater we cannot for get the wonders and beauty that we are here to preserve... So many soldiers have forgotten their places, that only leads to hate and spite... Never forget the reason for this endless fight Katerina. We are fighting for the everlasting flame of the True Phoenix." Smasher smiled down at me, and I swore I saw a tear drop from his stone eyes. "You-you think tha-" I started, beginning to believe my theory was correct. "Don't put hopes in that head like Ganki did... It only lead to silence. If the legend isn't true after we found the real Phoenix then we will fight the evil with our own power... Love, never forget what we truly had all along." He sighed and Lance broke Smasher's wise silence. "Alright everyone we're going to pick up the pace so we won't be behind anymore... We have to stop him!" He cheered, and we all sighed heavily.
"Back to the living treadmill people." Clarice said, and we nodded. "No joke." Pixie said seriously. "From here on the sun will begin to get more intense but we won't back down... Ganki and Holly never did so we won't either." Lance panted, lonely. "What about teamwork? Huh, what about the bond with the team you forgot that! If your a real leader then you should at least give us a pep talk!? Or did you not even consider that? Was only glory on your mind Lance?" I griped, and he flinched. "Okay, miss leader know it all. You lead the group! I'm sure you'll be able to find the way through this entire valley by your knowledge... Wait your mommy would never let you journey this far past the woods huh?" Lance stormed, getting meaner. "Your mother wouldn't let you either your just a delinquent that feels he should begin his own legend... Well reality check! You just set free the new Moo! Congrats should we make a card for your graduation of stupidity?" I roared back, and he shut up.
"Okay, from here on we need to assign jobs for each of us so we can be organized... I'm the cook, when or if we reach a town we will get some more equipment for food and water bottles." I noted, and Lance snipped, "Oh, if? You sound the bearer of bad news not a leader? And what money have you stowed away to buy equipment?" "Well, for one thing the first part of being a leader is telling the truth and when we reach a town they're more then likely to have a stadium for battling..." I said smartly. "Oh, and stadiums help?" He fought back. "We can win money!" Joey insisted, standing up for me. "Of course the way you were living you probably stole it so you never realized that huh?" I snapped, and I heard that wonderful silence again where he's out numbered.
"Okay, as I was saying... Abe and Clarice are the scouts who go out and see what's ahead if something looks dangerous. Joey and I, when we get money that is will collect firewood." I concluded, and Lance once again stepped in. "And what am I?" He asked, impatiently. "Um, you'll be...The guy who refills our water bottles if we run into any springs and stuff.. Congratulations!" I laughed, and he sneered at me hatefully. Good, now I got one guy off my back... I just can't get one of them off my mind... Joey. Sigh. "There you go again girl... Dreaming of that boy, ask him already!" The angel conscience insisted, and I slightly smiled. "Nah, don't listen to that bozo, go for that Lance guy... He looks like a real-" The demon conscience started. "AS-Oops... BUTT! G rated books...Yeesh." The angel said, and they both disappeared. "How was that suppose to help me?" I crowed aloud, and everyone stared at me again. "Haha, your so called leaders a nutcase." Lance cackled, he was getting on my nerves....
Three hours later we were forced to sing row, row, row your boat thanks to the impatient Orion. "Oh, come on it's fun! Row, row-" He started, but Joey zipped him up by putting his hand on his mouth. "You know, if you weren't so annoying people might like you better Orion." Mac insisted, and I smiled. "What's for lunch?" Pixie asked, and we turned to her to respond all the same thing. "It's 10:30!" We crowed, and she backed up. "Okay, yeesh I was just hungry." Pixie whined, and we started to see the mountains still in the distance. "How about chess?" Orion asked, after Joey had gotten tired of holding his mouth shut. "Hah, with what board do you have?" Clarice laughed, and there was silence. "Someone remind me to buy masking tape to zip Orion up permanently." Joey chuckled, and he came up with me.
"I must admit your a pretty good leader for us..." Joey smiled and I looked over at him happily. "Really?" I asked, and he nodded. "Boo, make this stop! Mushy stuff stinks!" Lance booed, and Clarice smacked him for the group. "Your probably better then me at being a leader." I admitted, but he was persistent. "No, your really great I-" He started, but something told him in my eyes something no one else say. Our lips got close... "Watch out!" Abe cried, and shoved everyone down. "Sorry to ruin the moment but we have an attacker!" He apologized, and I looked up to see a huge dragon. "Whoa! I thought this was the Valley of the Golem! Not the dragon?!" I insisted, and looked up and then back at Joey now that all of us were sprawled against the ground. "My nails!" Pixie cried. "She just doesn't get it..." Abe sighed, and in came another dragon, this time black in comparison to green.
"We're doomed!" Orion yelped. "Thanks for supporting the team Orion." I sneered, and I got up. "Get down Katerina! Your a sitting duck out there!" Joey cried, but I stayed standing. "No I'm not! I'm not going to stand still!" I yelled, as another one swooped after me. I ran from it and when it came close I dived down on the dirt and it did a circle to come back as another came from the other direction. "Okay, maybe it won't work as I planned!" I whined, and Joey tried to come after me. "Katerina!" He cried, but a red dragon grabbed me in it's talons and there I went... Not sure whether I would live or not.