Here we are, Chapter 11! What do you think will happen this chapter?? Wait, don't tell me, just go read it for yourself. Thanks to those who reviewed, it is once again greatly appreciated. Now, on with the show!!!
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Ironfist watched as his men moved about silently, hidden from view by a fog his monsters had brought up to hide the men as they got into position. The moonless night was working to his advantage as well, no one could've seen anything more than a few feet in front of them if not for the small lights some of the mage-gentlemen had given his squads.
"Is everything in place as I showed you," he growled to his Second in Command, a Rubyknight taller than he.
"Of course," replied the Rubyknight in breathless whisper. "Everything is just as you have commanded, sir."
"Good," said Ironfist with a nod. "They've been getting soft duty for a week and a half now, they should be ready for a fight."
The Rubyknight smiled to himself, drawing his own blade as he did. "They are sir," he hissed with glee. "As am I."
"Excellent," said Ironfist, clapping the Rubyknight on the back. "Go get the other Captains and Leaders ready for my signal, for dawn is not far now and that is when things shall begin."
"As you command, sir."
Ironfist's eyes glittered in the dark as he clenched his one fist into a ball holding it in front of his face. "Prepare yourself, General Holly," he whispered crazily. "For the time of reckoning has come at last...."
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An Evil hare patrolled along the edges of Ironfist's Camp, going completely unseen. He noticed a lot of movement to the front and scuttled over in that direction, doing his best to stay completely out of sight. He gasped as he saw the entire hoard standing there in formation, waiting only for the signal that would sent them charging forward to the camp he could just barely see over the horizon.
"I have to go tell the others," he muttered to himself, slipping back into the fields that lay between the two and took off at a quick run, sprinting the rest of the way there was fast as he could.
"Where's the General?" he asked the moment he was within the camp walls, grabbing a Captain that was preparing some last minute details.
"In her tent, asleep I presume," said the Jell with a shrug.
"Get the army up and together immediately!" cried the scout, running off towards Holly's tent. "They're in formation and ready strike!"
"They're what?!"
"You heard me, go!!" The Scout rushed into the General's room, the guards long gone to bed themselves. "General!" he cried, hesitating going into the back room.
"What?" asked a voice behind him. He whirled around and saw her standing there, fully dressed with her sword out in front of her.
"Ironfist is preparing to attack!" he said quickly, lowering his voice some. "They're in formation and everything, all that's left is to attack."
"What's the formation?" asked Holly, going over and pulling out a sheet of paper and a charcoal stick.
"Like this," replied the Scout, sketching out a figure like this \\_// "A three sided box with the ends coming out some."
"How many ranks deep and wide?"
"Maybe forty across each one, at least four ranks for the side two, maybe more. The middle part looked a rank or two thinner."
"Have you alerted someone else?" she asked, going to her back room quickly. Hearing the bell being clanked in the middle of the camp, she added, "I guess so. Go make sure Commander Genki is up and when he is ready send him to me, I need to speak with him before anything else happens."
"Yes, ma'am."
Holly walked into the her bed room as the Scout ran off to do as she had asked him, quickly throwing off her tunic and putting a leather, metal-studded on in its place. Underneath it went a tightly woven silk shirt to help blunt the arrows, and over it when arm guards and gauntlets.
Kicking off her boots, she went and grabbed the ones she had specially made for battles, with extra thick leather siding and metal inlays. She loaded up on weapons and even grabbed the bow and quiver she normally didn't use for such things, figuring every little bit would help at this point.
"You said you wanted to see me?" came Genki's voice from the outside, the sound of things being buckled and buttoned up coming from his direction as well.
"Are you even decent?" she asked, going out the door with a small smile. "Knowing you, you just jumped out of bed and came here with just your sleep clothes on."
"I'm decent," he said, smiling back. "I was able to get dressed in a rush with some help from Tai. I forgot all my weapons, but he said he'd bring them with him in a little while."
"Amazing," murmured Holly, teasingly, "You were able to drag yourself out of bed in less time than Pixie."
"What is it you wanted to see me about again?" asked Genki, not wanting to get too sidetracked. "The Scout made it sound like it was pretty urgent..."
"Um, yeah, Ironfist is on the move again."
"Then the battle has begun."
"Not yet, but soon."
"And you want me to be there."
"As always, yes. You're needed to help lead this army too, Genki, it no longer entirely looks up to me anymore as I said."
Genki smiled. "Do you think I would get all dressed up in this stuff and *not* come help?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders.
"Then you've given up on the notion that this can be won any other way," she replied with a spark of hope.
"No," he replied, looking at her with a serious expression on his face. "But I understand that my duty to these people and monsters and my duty to you is to fight until I can find another option."
"Alright," she said, walking past him out into the dark of the early morning hours as others began to rush around the streets to their squads. "Let's go."
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Ironfist sneered as he realized someone had found out about his plan and the rebels were forming up against them with all the speed they could muster. "Should I have the men attack now, sir?" asked the Rubyknight, carefully inspecting his sword for any signs of rust or chips.
"No, Ruben," replied Ironfist, calling the Rubyknight by his first name. "Leave them be. We will still crush the Rebels, they only have an hour left before the battle begins, and Striker still needs to have that...visit from his dear brother."
"As you command, sir." The Rubyknight saluted and sauntered off to go relay the news to the other Captains and such.
"Why can't all these idiots be more like him," wondered Ironfist aloud, knowing full and well that if all his soldiers were like Ruben he'd have one to many leaders on his hands, but he could deal with such things and reliable soldiers were so hard to find these days that that probably wouldn't matter much any how.
"Have the rebels discovered what's going on?" asked one of his Advisors, walking up fully outfitted for the battle at hand.
"Yes, they did, Gritan," replied Ironfist, rolling his eyes. "I don't care what you say, late warning is better than full in the daylight warning, so shut up and leave me be."
"As you wish, General," said the Advisor with a smug grin, melding away into the shadows.
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Striker sat alone in his room, watching the sun rise as he donned the last of his armor for the battle to come. His squad was ready and waiting, he had made sure of that long before he had gone to take care of himself. He buckled his sword to his side and hesitated towards the door, feeling something wasn't quite right...
"I see you've gotten better at that," said a voice to his right as Striker dodged a dart aimed for his heart.
"I guess so," he replied slowly. "Here on a visiting basis or are you actually trying to kill me, Shadow Bringer?"
"I'm afraid to kill you this time, Shadow Striker," replied his little brother looking like a miniature copy of him in darker colors. "Ironfist has offered me quite a deal and you understand...."
"All is fair in love and war?"
"I guess that's what they say."
"You know I can't let you do that."
"Then I guess its a fight to the finish for us, eh?"
"It doesn't have to be this way."
"Yeah, it does. We always had our differences, and mum used to say we'd eventually end up on opposite sides of something. It just happened to be this." Shadow Bringer brought up his hands, holding them before him as he began to glow with a dark light.
"That's too bad," said Striker. "No hard feelings if one of us dies, right?" He copied his younger brother's movements, glowing even brighter than he.
"One of us will die," replied Shadow Bringer in an off hand way. "In the Shadow realm where no mortal has ever lived to see the light of day once they are trapped there for awhile."
The two brothers continued to glow until their eyes snapped at the same time, flaring into pillars of dark fire. "Shadow Realms!" they yelled at the same time, battling the other to throw them into the pit that had formed below them.
"I'm sorry," whispered Striker as he easily knocked his brother off of what little ground they had for footing. "But losing is something I cannot do."
"I understand," said Shadow Bringer from the bottom, watching calmly as the shadows slowly ate at his soul. "You always did have a bigger heart than me, though you rarely ever showed it. I'm not sorry to die, though."
"I'll see you later, then, when the disks are reborn, right?"
"Of course. Good bye, big brother. Shadow Striker"
"Good bye, little bro. Shadow Bringer."
Striker let himself leave the Shadow Realm that only those part or full Monol could visit and came back into his real body, watching the place where his brother had once stood. His image twisted and fizzed a minute before it blanked out completely, leaving him staring at the dirt floor in what little light he had.
"Hey, are you ready?" asked Pixie, sticking her head in the door. "You've only got a few more minutes, ok?" Her tone was entirely business like, and she disappeared as fast as she had come.
"I guess its time to go," he whispered to himself, taking one last look at where his brother had last stood before he walked out the door and into the rows of soldiers waiting for him, putting what little family he had behind him forever.
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Genki looked like he was struggling with the whole concept of massive slaughter once more as he waited with Holly above the army on a bit of a rise in the land.
"I still think this is not the only way," he said suddenly, pulling her out of the trance she had put herself into.
"What, should we just lie down and die because you ask us to?" she asked sarcastically, her temper getting shorter with the battle drawing nearer. Ironfist was advancing rapidly now, Holly's army waiting for her order to charge at them in the same fashion. Pixie stood below them on the ground, dressed for battle as well with Tori and Tai near by.
"No," he said slowly. "I had a dream last night."
"Oh, really scary, right?" Holly shot him a look that would've made most shut up on the spot, but Genki plowed ahead.
"No, it was from the Phoenix." Holly fell silent at this, seeing Ironfist stop his troops just a few hundred yards away.
"One last chance," came his voice mockingly over the distance. "I will kill you all quickly and painlessly unless I think that you will be useful to me if you surrender now."
"Never!" replied Holly in an angry yell, silence falling over all of them.
"Do you trust me?" asked Genki suddenly as the Ironfist's army began to shift around some.
Holly hesitated, surprised by his question. "Well, I..."
"Do you trust me?" asked Genki again, more persistent this time as he grabbed her shoulder and looked her in the eye.
"Yes," she replied quickly, looking at him right back. Ironfist gave the order to charge in a deafening roar as he reached over and grabbed her right hand, pressing their Phoenix prints together and once again began to glow a deep scarlet-red....
When brown becomes ice....
A heart cold as stone....
The boy shall be found....
And brought back to his own....
The foes shall collide....
A bloody massacre in sight....
That shall only be prevented....
If the two....
Of old....
Unite....
Unite....
Untie....
Unite!!
Their world exploded with color as Phoenix appeared in the air, immediately freezing time as everyone stopped in their tracks from what was happening around them.
"Took you long enough," grumbled the Phoenix, landing in front of Genki and Holly in what little space there was.
"You grew!" cried Genki, always one to speak the obvious. It was true, though, the Phoenix was now taller than he was and bigger than the two of them put together.
"Yes, I did," replied the Phoenix, nodding his head. "Now, let me explain to you what happened, and why I needed your help. After I revived the lost disks and returned Genki to his world, I went and tried to revived my ancient body, which you see here. But I became trapped within its confines and couldn't come to contact with your world, only ones like Genki's and the dream world where such boundaries don't exist. I had hoped that things wouldn't get so desperate with the war that I would need to call on Genki for assistance as things got worse and worse, but I did so at the same time I tried to arrange for you to set me free. Unfortunately with you, Holly, having become a cold-hearted General it complicated things quite a bit and so I couldn't get it through to Genki what I wanted done until right now."
"Why weren't you released the first time the prints were pressed together?" asked Genki.
"Holly had a certain purpose for that," said the Phoenix roughly. "Her connection to you was so strong that I could not break through it."
"What is to happen now?" asked Holly, changing the subject rather quickly. "I mean, they're a hundred feet from us and trying to slaughter us all!"
"Leave them to me," said the Phoenix. "Genki, take her right hand again so it will look like you had something to do with this."
"What about Ironfist?" asked Genki, looking at the army as he tried to spot him among the crowd.
"He's dead," said the Phoenix after a moment, "Murdered by one of his advisors. Oh well, his army will turn tail and run, you are not to chase after them. They will be gone of these lands in less than a week forever."
"One more thing," said Genki quietly. "Will I have to return home after this?"
Phoenix looked away guiltily. "Uh, you can't. The portal collapsed and, yeah, its impossible without getting yourself killed." Genki nodded.
"Fine," said Holly, closing her eyes, "Let's do it."
Time restarted and the Phoenix swooped overhead, chasing those from Ironfist's ranks to run back in horror to their camp.
"Don't chase after them!" called Genki in a clear voice that rang over the army as it started to go after them. "Leave them to run. They won't hurt us any longer."
"But sir!" protested one of the Captains.
"He said leave them alone!" said Holly sharply, turning to glare at the man, who shriveled up under her gaze.
"You did it," said Pixie happily as she rose up to look them at them face to face. "I don't know how you did, but you saved us all."
Holly smiled wryly, having already gotten a rebuking look from Genki for yelling at the Captain. "We'll....uh....tell you about it later."
"It's finished," said Genki as he let go of Holly's hand, the Phoenix vanishing in the distance still chasing the Ironfist army.
"We're victorious!" roared one of the Captains, thrusting his sword in the air.
"Victory!"
"We are the champions!"
"YEAH!!!"
The cheers and cries of joy continued as Genki, Holly and Pixie all stood their and looked at each other, wondering what to do next.
"I don't care if you kill later," said Genki, giving Holly a huge bear hug all of a sudden, causing Pixie, Tai, and Tori to start in surprise. "But I haven't gotten one of these since I left. Holly just laughed and hugged him back, all signs of ever being a General completely washed away from her face. She and him opened up on one side and let Pixie join the group, Tai and Tori coming in soon after.
"What say we go home," said Pixie quietly, looking at Holly with tears in her eyes.
"That," said Holly, looking back at her with the same look in her eyes. "Is the best idea I've heard since we moved here, let's go."
"Hang on," said Genki, letting go of them and putting his fingers to his lips, letting out a huge whistle. Everyone went quiet, looking at him expectantly. "Go home," he said brightly at them. "Gather your things, leave this place, and spread the word. We are free. We are safe. You can go home."
"Shouldn't some of us make sure that they don't return?" asked a soldier, a small tiger who looked to be barely more than a cub.
"No," replied Genki with a confident smile. "They won't be coming back. Ever. If you weren't watching, we made sure of that."
"Phoenix is gonna kill you later for saying that," said Pixie, giving him a small smirk.
"Oh well, small loss," replied Genki to her rolling his eyes. To everyone else, he said. "Just go home and set back up to the lives you had before. As for me, I'm going home today and I have to intentions of returning to this place unless I have cause to."
A cheer went up from the crowd as he, Holly, and the other three walked back to their tents. "We'll meet you guys up at the front in a little while," said Genki, going and getting his things from his tent with Tai. "From there, you guys can show us to your home."
"Alright," said Holly, giving him a short nod. "Come on girls, lets go."
He walked into his tent and pulled out the pack and outfit he had had from the beginning, changing into that, keeping the sword on and packing some of the clothes and things he had gotten while he was there in his bag.
Tai did the same; making sure he kept all his blades, having a great interest in weapons, and packed a few spare changes of clothes he had gotten while in this camp. A look around the room showed he had everything he needed except the staff which stood alone in the corner.
"Come on," he said, taking it from its spot. "It looks like you'll get some use after all.
Holly looked around her quarters as she packed, bringing only a few changes of regular clothes, all of their friends lost disks, her sword and dagger, and a few personal items she had brought with her in the first place. She was surprised when Tori walked in her door, carrying only a small bundle under her arm.
"Is that all you're bringing?" Holly asked, giving her an odd look.
Tori shrugged. "It's all I own," she admitted. "I didn't bring more than a few pairs of shirts and pants that I got from the camp and some food from the kitchen. The rest, for all I care, can stay here forever."
"Alright. Do me a favor and carry that bag over there." Tori took it and slung it over her back, surprised at its weight.
"What's in it?" she asked.
"Some old friend's belongings," she replied putting her own pack on her back and carrying it out the door. They met Pixie outside, who had with her only a cape and a bag for food.
"Ready to go?" she asked, wearing her usual pixie outfit.
"Yep," they both replied.
"Oh, did you want to borrow one of my old capes?" Holly asked Tori all of a sudden. "You don't have one and it might get cold..."
"Sure," said Tori. Holly disappeared back inside and came out moments later, one already on around her shoulders and one in her arms for Tori.
"Here," she said, handing the girl the brown cloak. "It's a bit worn down and could use a wash probably, but it still keeps you warm at night and dry in the rain."
"Thanks."
"My pleasure." They met the boys at the gate, Genki and Tai standing there as they walked towards them expectantly.
"What are you doing?" asked Pixie as Holly drew her sword and held it out in front of her, inspecting its keen blade.
"So many monsters and men's blood stain its blade," said Holly solemnly, ignoring her question for the moment. "It's tainted forever." She turned it point down and thrust it into the dirt, leaving it just inside the gate of the camp. "A warning," she said softly. "That war comes with a price even to the best of us."
They silently walked out of the camp and headed south, planning to never return again as the sun set to their right, leaving their shadows to point back to where they had just come from. A silent beacon that others followed. Followed home.
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**two months later**
Genki woke up bright and early, looking down from his loft room down into the kitchen where Holly was cooking them some breakfast. "Hey," he said, giving her a quick kiss as he came and settled down at the table with a plate of food.
"Hey," she replied, seeing Tai peer over the loft at them. "Don't worry, Tai. You can come down now, the worst is over."
"You're sure??" he called, obviously pulling some clothes on from the rustle of cloth.
"Yes," she replied. "Come on, Tori will be home in a minute, and you and Genki need to get to work."
"Alright." He came down in a flash and was sitting in his chair when Tori walked in the front door, smiling brightly as she carried an empty basket with her.
"They sold that well??" asked Holly in amazement, looking at the empty basket with big, round eyes. "I mean, I know vegetables aren't easy to find, but man..."
"Just lucky, I guess," replied Tori with a wink. She went and took her seat across from Tai, taking some food with her as well. "Where's Pixie?"
"She was up late arguing late with Striker," replied Holly, shrugging. "They're still having problems patching things up."
"You know, for two once ruthless killers, they have a lot in common," murmured Genki, finishing his food and taking his plate to the sink.
"Like the fact that they both tried to kill you?" asked Tai, missing the way Holly stiffened up for a moment as he laughed.
"Yeah," said Genki, giving Holly a quick hug and kiss. "Something like that. I'll see you guys tonight."
"Ok, bye."
"Bye, bro."
"Later, Genki."
"Morning, sunshine," teased Holly, seeing a baggy eyed Pixie stumble into the room.
"Hey," she mumbled, sitting at the table and putting her head on her arms.
"Coffee?" asked Holly.
"Black," replied Pixie, holding up her hand. Holly put a cup in her hands and watched in amusement as she lifted her head slightly to take a sip, then let it fall back down to the table none to gently.
"I'll see you later," said Tai, getting up and dashing out the door after Genki, he was late to work at the blacksmith who was teaching him the tools of the trade.
"Bye, Tai."
"Bye. Remind Genki to get home early tonight."
"I will."
"Feeling better?" asked Holly, sitting next to Pixie, who was still working on her cup of coffee.
"Somewhat," admitted Pixie. "Thanks."
"No problem." Striker walked in at that time, having followed them a few days after they left the camp and now sleeping in the loft of the barn outside the house. Holly had started to maintain the gardens out there after they had returned and were now somewhat looking like the garden she had left behind, not the tangle of mess and weeds she had found when she arrived.
"Morning," she said, seeing him sit beside Pixie on her other side. "I have to get gardening so we'll have something to eat tonight." Jerking her head at the door, she asked, "Tori, are you coming?"
"Yes, Holly," replied the girl, catching the hint right away. They crept away to the garden corner dedicated to the rows of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and squash they had grown.
"Do you think they'll ever get through all their problems?" asked Tori in a sad voice, hearing the two of them arguing already.
"Probably," replied Holly with a rueful smile. "It took me and Genki this long to come to terms with things, but it was a completely different ballgame at the time. I think they will get through it soon, though."
"Good," said Tori, trying to tune out the words as she started to weed the garden. "It reminds be too much of my father, and when I lived with him I never really had a home. To me, this is my home, here with you guys. And I don't want it to be tainted with something like bickering or fighting."
Holly smiled as she knelt down beside the girl, helping her pull up those pesky weeds by the roots. "I'm glad."
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So, there is the story All Alone, folks. This is one of my shortest fics, but it was beat by the Sorcerer Hunter on being my first completed fic by one chapter. I'll have the chapter with more of a conclusion to it later on, hopefully in the next few days for all you wonderful fans out there. Please, please review. I've worked ever so hard on this, and it would be nice to have some feedback from more than one person for once. Thanks.
~crosseyedbutterfly~