Here it is, the revealing of Lili's secret(s) and what happens when they go
to the abandoned Ranch.spooky.read on and find out.MAWHAHAHAHA!!!! By the
way, last time the last chapter loaded wrong the last time the there were a
tome of spelling mistakes because of it, sorry!!! Thank you, Melodi Hare
for pointing that out, I think it's all fixed now!!! And this chapter's
REALLY long so let me know if you like that or the shorter chapters better,
k??????
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A few days passed, and finally one morning they could see a large Ranch in the distance. It looked gloomy and deserted, and sent shivers up the Searcher's spines as they got closer to it.
"If this place is empty, why are we checking it out?" asked Slip as it loomed in the distance.
"It might hold clues to what we're facing if it's the one that that 'General' fellow used before," replied Lili.
"And what makes you so sure this is the one?" Hare asked quizzically.
"Call it a gut instinct, I guess."
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The Searchers had split up into four smaller groups to go over the larger grounds of the Ranch. Ojo, Golem, and Genki had taken the stables and they were going through each one carefully to make sure they didn't miss anything.
"This place gives me the creeps," muttered Ojo as they went into another one, checking the stalls one by one.
"Me too," admitted Genki as they finished that row.
"Something's not right here," said Golem darkly, unusually tense and nervous.
"If the other's need any help they'll call for us, ok?" Genki reassured him.
"Something still isn't right."
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Tiger and his family picked their way through the rooms as they went over the humungous mansion.
"I'm scared, mom," said Temi as she huddled by Storm's leg in fear. "I want to get out of here." They were going to meet up with her father and brother who had taken the first floor while they had looked through the second.
"Hush, Temi," said Storm gently. "You're safe with me and you're father and brother are right up ahead, see?" Temi nodded somberly and ran up to be with her brother.
"Find anything?" asked Tiger as she got closer to them.
"No, other than some furniture and a few cob webs, the second floor is completely empty," she replied.
"First floor's the same. The kitchen had some food in it, but it was old and rotten so we left it alone," said Tiger, letting the pups crouch under him nervously.
"Let's go see if the others are having any better luck."
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"Hullo!" called Allen into the dark room. "Anybody home??" His voice echoed eerily through the walls, giving it a transparent, ghost-like feel. The worker's quarters were as musty and damp as they looked and had an abandoned sense to them.
Mayfleur shiver involuntarily. "Please stop that, Mr. Allen," she asked barely above a whisper. "You're scaring me."
"He's not scaring me!" Slip said bravely. He searched the drawers of the desk and peeked his head under the bed. "Nothing here!" he announced, straightening up briskly.
"Did you find anything in there, Hare?" asked Allen as he stuck his head into the other room.
"Nope. They really cleaned everything out of here, who ever they were, when they left. The kitchen's as bare as can be and out side there's nothing but over grown grass and some weeds!" called Hare, bounding into the room.
"There's nothing here!" said Slip in frustration, "Each one's been the same, let's just go meet up with the others and see if they want our help."
"Yeah," agreed Mayfleur as another wave of uneasiness swept over her, "There's safety in numbers."
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Lili sighed in exasperation. "There must be something here," she murmured angrily to herself as the trio looked at the vacant practice rings. Holly nodded in agreement as she tried to shake the feeling that they were being watched.
Zephyr sniffed the winds apprehensively and turned quickly to Lili. 'We need to get back to the others, now!" he said to her telepathically.
'Why?' asked Lili back, her voice full of concern in his mind.
'I smell trouble.'
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Tiger, Storm, Temi and Ici sat near a cliff at the appointed meeting spot. Tiger had gone and looked over the edge of the cliff earlier, and what he had seen had made him dizzy with fear. The cliff dropped straight off for a good 2-3 miles before dropping even lower into a ravine another mile or two. No creature without wings could survive a fall from that height.
Allen, Hare, Mayfleur and Slip sat near by speculating what they others night have found. They were discussing the odds of finding anything at all when Lili, Holly, and Zephyr walked up.
"Did you guys find anything?" Lili asked. Everyone shook their heads quietly, their searches leaving them tired and disheartened.
"Oh, are the poor searchers going to go home with their tales between their legs?" taunted a voice above them.
Lili drew her sword and cried, "Show yourself, Magic Shadow!"
A pixie/Monol/Magic Bajaral appeared in a branch above them. He laughed cruelly as other Magic Bajaral/Monol tri-breeds appeared and surrounded them in the air.
Lili whistled piercingly to signal Genki and his group that they needed help. Zephyr protected those unable to defend them selves as Lili threw herself at the tri-breeds, angrily kicking herself for bringing them here in the first place.
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Genki's head snapped up as he heard a sharp whistle. "That's Lili!" he cried, "They need our help!"
Golem and Ojo followed as he ran out of the barn, only to fall into a trap! The cage dropped neatly over them, quickly stopping the trio in their tracks. "This is easily solved," said Ojo, "Teleport!" He glowed white and disappeared, only to reappear at the edge of the cage half-unconscious.
"Oh, we couldn't have escaping, now could we?" asked a tri-breed as they dragged the cage over to where the others could see. "Those bars are completely impervious to any attack to teleport move."
Genki cursed loudly as he tried to hit the bars and they shocked him back. The tri-breeds laughed jeeringly at the trio's vain attempts to get free of their accursed cage.
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Tiger and Storm were soon in the fray as well, doing their best to keep the tri-breeds back, and helping their friends as they needed to. Those defense less stayed back, Mayfleur holding onto the young Slip tightly so he wouldn't try to rush into battle.
Hare and Allen where back to back, doing what they could but the two were soon over come by the waves of tri-breeds that never seemed to stop coming.
"Help!" yelled Hare as he and Allen were caught in a net that was thrown over them. Tiger tried to help them, but only succeeded in getting himself entangled in the net as well.
"Dad!" screamed Temi, running after Tiger carelessly. Ici ran after his sister, not about to let her go it alone.
"Oh, how touching," sneered Magic Shadow, flying over the pups. "The little tykes are going to rescue their father."
"No!" screamed Storm as Magic Shadow made the pups float towards him. She was caught from behind and struggled uselessly against the net.
Lili saw the twins, and super jumped at them. She was almost there.practically touching them!!.Zap!!. a blast from one of the tri-breeds hit her away from the pups.
"Lili!" cried Allen as she flew towards the cliff, only landing a few feet from the edge. Holly ran to her side, Zephyr right behind her. Slip was able to wriggle free of Mayfleur and ran at one of the attackers.
"Arm whip!" he cried, trying to get close enough to free his trapped friends, but he was too weak to do much good. Mayfleur went after him, yelling his name. Neither saw the net until it was too late, and they were soon caught much in the same way as their friends were.
"Give it up, traitor!" taunted Magic Shadow. "Your friends are all captured and your options gone!" He held the pups in his hand, stroking them almost lovingly.
"Never!" cried Lili as she struggled to her feet.
"Then I'll have to disobey Master Raymond and kill you," sighed Magic Shadow in a bored voice. Pointing a finger at her, he said calmly, "Black telekinetic beam!"
"No!" screamed the searchers as the blast that was meant to kill Lili instead flung the trio off the cliff into the sky.
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"Should we go check for survivors?" asked one of the troops a few minutes after they heard a resounding crash from the bottom of the cliff.
"No one could survive a fall from that height," replied Magic Shadow calmly. "Not even the powerful traitors."
Genki was beside himself with grief and cried openly as his friends tired to comfort him. They were now all in a cage, and were waiting to see what would happen to them next.
Allen was unusually quite, and just sat there staring at the sky while the rest expressed their sorrow. Temi looked at him from her father's side and noticed this. "Aren't you sad about losing Miss Holly, Miss Lili, and Mr. Zephyr?" she sniffed as she walked over to him.
"Cheer up, young one," said Allen gently, scratching her behind the ear. "Those three are as tough as they come. And Zephyr has wings, remember? He can fly."
The pups face brightened slightly with hope until her father broke in angrily. "Stop filling her head with false hope, Allen," he growled. "You know as well as I do that no one could carry that much weight falling at that speed. Why do you disillusion yourself and others?"
"Call it a gut instinct."
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(Lili's p.o.v.)
Time seemed to slow down as the ground began to come towards us. I grabbed onto the already unconscious Holly and Zephyr was able to come up under us and slow our fall with his wings. My bag and weapons I throw away from myself to get rid of their weight, and Holly's bag I throw away as well.
Wait, the grounds still coming to fast, his wings can't take our weight! I can see the flesh in between his wings begin to stretch out, almost snapping. "Get out, Zephyr!" I yell. "Go before you break your wings!"
"NO!" he yells back, "I can make it!" He's struggling to keep his wings from completely giving out now.
"Our weight's too much for you!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "You're going to have to trust me and go, now!"
He sighs, and obeys, as the servant must always bow to the master. I close my eyes and begin to concentrate once more on the familiar change that comes when I will them to.
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(Zephyr's p.o.v.)
She told me to let her and Holly fall, and I have to obey her. She's my master and protector, and she knows best. I watch as she grows fangs, fur, horns, and at the last second, wings that burst out from her jacket, shredding the back of it (not for the first time) into bits.
They're still falling. no now she's catching the wind.but pull up!!. Pull up!!. I stop my radar that let's me know what they're doing and hope for the best.
Now it's back on, and they're gliding for a clearing Lili and I know about with a small pool. That was a close call, one I never hope to have to go through again. I'm too young to be getting heart attacks!
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(normal p.o.v.)
Lili glided twice around the forest, dodging trees at the rapid speed she was going, before she could slow down enough o stop.
"You certainly took your time with that one!" cried Zephyr as he landed beside her.
"If you'd moved when I told you to, I would've had more time," said Lili breathlessly. "Besides, it's not easy to concentrate in midair with a dead weight human you're trying to hang onto. You try it some time!"
"Still" murmured Zephyr. "You should've used your wings during the fight. It could've made the difference there."
"The other's can't know," said Lili stubbornly.
"You'll have to shrink your wings before she wakes up, then." Lili sat down and tried to shrink them, but couldn't concentrate enough.
"Grrrrr!" roared Lili. "All this stupid power and I can't even shrink my wings!"
"You haven't been using them enough," said Zephyr calmly. "You won't be able to shrink them until you've stretched them out by flying for awhile and you won't be able to fly until they're recovered from that very exhausting trick you just pulled."
"Do you have any idea how much I hate it when you're right?" Lili grumbled as she moodily removed her tattered jacket.
"Yeah, I know."
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Mayfleur lay huddled on the floor, sobbing into Storm's coat as she and Tiger tried to comfort her. The group had been divided up into a couple of different cells, but could partially see each other through the bars.
Tiger watched as Genki paced the length of his cell, trying hard not to cry again. Allen stood against the wall, lost in thought, his face hidden by his long silvery-white hair.
Ojo and Golem shared a larger cell with Hare, who was trying to come up with a plan to escape, but was failing miserably. He pounded his head against a wall as Ojo napped wearily in the corner, the stress of the last several hours finally taking its toll on the old eyeball.
Temi, Ici and Slip had a cell all their own, with the bars closer together so they couldn't slip through them, and a few down from the rest so they could hear but not see them. Slip, having lost all his previous bravado, was wailing mournfully as the twins did their best to console the young jell.
Genki stopped pacing long enough to punch the wall a few times with his fists, shaking them out painfully as he began to pace again. "If you're going to hit something, punch me," said Allen quietly, "You'll break your hand if you keep doing that."
"What the heck would it matter?!" Genki yelled angrily, "Our only hope out of here is dead, and there's no way to escape." He leaned his head against the wall, kicking it hopelessly. He fell to his knees, still facing the wall, and began to cry.
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(Holly's p.o.v.)
The last thing I remember is falling, falling over the edge into the expansive blur behind us. Then everything went black, from what I don't know, but I welcomed it gladly. It seemed like an eternity before the darkness faded, and I was able to regain my senses.
I could tell we weren't falling anymore. Either I am safe, badly hurt, or dead and where ever it is the dead go. But this felt too real to be dead, it seemed. I am very warm, wherever I am, wait, I feel fur. Tiger? No, he didn't fall with us.
I open my eyes slightly, and see brown tipped gold fur. Zephyr. Then we made it, but how? I look around our camp. It's getting dark out, and the fire before us is burning brightly. I let my eye roam for a minute. Who's that strange pixie over there?
Waist length brown tipped gold hair, tank top, jeans and boots mending a torn jacket, if it weren't for the wings and horns I'd swear that's.
The monster turns her head towards me; seeing I'm awake she turns back around quickly. "Lili.?" I ask in amazement. What could've happened to her while I was out?
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(Lili's p.o.v.)
I've been sitting here awhile now. Zephyr's asleep, and Holly's still out leaning on him. I wait, and watch, hoping to finish with my jacket soon so I can stretch out my wings.
Turning to check on Zephyr, I notice Holly's awake. Great. More questions I'll have to answer. I have nothing against the girl, she's very sweet and I hope she gets with Genki, but I just don't like talking about my wings and horns. Of course, it could me worse; I could be trying to explain this to Genki and why I never told him before.
"Lili.?" asks Holly. Poor girl, she must think I'm a monster or something. I nod once, hoping I don't have to speak. She just sits there for a while, and I wonder if she's fallen asleep again. But of course, no such luck.
"Did you get your wings the same way Zephyr did?" she asks me quietly. I nod again. So far so good.
"Now can you tell me how he and you got them?"
Darn. "I guess so," I rasp. My voice changes as well, and I can see her eyes get wide and she just stares at me for a minute. "Oh, come on, Holly," I say lightly, hoping to put her at ease. "It doesn't sound that bad, does it?"
"Depends on how one would define the word bad," says Zephyr as he wakes up, placing his paws over his ears.
"I don't mind," says Holly, but I can tell she's lying.
"Hang on and I'll see if I can change back," I say.
"You won't be able to," says Zephyr, but I'll show him. Closing my eyes tight and concentrating, I can feel everything shrinking away until the only sign of my additives are a set of petite wings on my back.
"So that's how you hid them," says Holly, trying horribly to hide her surprise.
"Now," I say, voice back to normal. "For our story. It starts when I left off the other night in my valley. The Janne I met was called Janel, and she helped me get a job at the Ranch because she trained there for fights. I worked training the younger pixies, tigers and dragons there, for that's what the ranch specialized in with only a few other breeds present. They let me live there in the quarters for trainers and shared a bunk with a few others who had similar jobs as myself.
"A month after I arrived, Janel disappeared over night. She and I had been good friends and of course this upset me. The other trainers said she had run away again, but I didn't entirely trust the way they told me this. Something about them made me think they were lying. I started to get uneasy at work, and began to watch my back more closely than ever.
"Two weeks later the head boss, Raymond (I can see Holly flinch as I say that name), asked me to come and speak with him. I was suspicious, but it's not like I could refuse to talk with him, I still hadn't saved up enough to leave and I needed the job so I went.
"He made small talk with me when I came it, the usual 'How are you?' 'Keeping up with work?' etc. I answered all his questions politely, and so on. Them he started talking about this research they were doing at the Ranch. About the combing of monsters with some old equipment he had inherited from his grandfather a few years before and how he had figured it all out. Apparently it was when they made the most progress but needed some help. He had me hook, line, and sinker.
"He asked if I would help, and I agreed, thinking I would be with the monsters they were testing. Stupid me. Something hit me from behind, and my world went black. I woke up strapped to a chair with all sorts of tubes coming in and out of me. Raymond was near by, and he calmly explained what they were going to do to me as if it were only pulling a tooth or getting a shot.
"I won't tell you exactly what they did to me, but as a short summary they mutated my cell's DNA with different monster's DNA. Quite interesting, really, if it hadn't been me in the hot seat at the time. The procedure they used was completely untested to they were flying blind when they did this to me. The guy in charge of the DNA sample threw in some Pixie, Dragon, Tiger, Suezo and Hare samples and watched what happened.
"I'll tell you what happened. I gained a pixie's bat-like wings, horns, and healing ability, which I have tons of. Which, in contrast, I have now all this power to heal and no special attacks to go with it. From the dragon DNA, I've gained their massive strength and scales, which are hidden at the moment, with out the bulky muscles. The tiger sample gave me their senses and speed on foot. I have now a Hare's curiosity and coloring of fur as well, which is also hidden. The Suezo DNA gives me telepathic abilities, which means I can create shields and speak with others telepathically."
I stopped talking and said to Holly in her mind, 'See?' Holly's face went into shock for a moment, and I laughed quietly before returning to my story. "The fools didn't put in me the evil device that control their minions, and once they taught me how to roughly control all these new abilities, I escaped and ran away. They chased after me, and at the moment there's probably a bounty on my head in the ranks at their fortress.
"I ran into Allen, literally as in I didn't see him and we went tumbling with those tiger breeds on my heals, after taking some hard hits from the cabaloses chasing me. He was able to chase them off, and the next thing I remember is waking up at his house surrounded by his family. They helped me get better and further control my abilities. Something else my Suezo part allows me to do is to shrink and hide my physical changes, except my wings, completely.
"Allen's grandfather had raised pixies at the farm they live on now and they used the knowledge he left behind when he died in a book to help me learn how to use my wings and healing abilities. I am grateful for their help and it's the main reason why I tolerate Allen being around me all the time. His family has practically adopted me, and if I hadn't felt like I needed to leave I'd still be there.
"About two weeks later, Allen came upon Zephyr in a ditch near the Ranch, just a few days old, blind, and starving. Raymond has this twisted philosophy that if a monster appears to be weak, it must be gotten rid of. But if the monster is able to survive on it's own, and returns later on to the Ranch he'll welcome it with open arms and declare he was wrong. It sounds nice, but the fact that none of the monsters that he's turned out has returned yet might be a clue to how twisted it really is."
"It might help if Allen didn't rescue them and bring them to you to show them how evil he is and why they must learn to fight against not for him," broke in Zephyr. I stick out my tongue at him and continue on.
"Ever since Allen brought him to me and I saved him with my healing ability we've been inseparable partners. How ever, he has a twin sister that isn't blind and is a general for Raymond. She is very evil, though I have little doubt that if her device was removed, she would become very much like him."
"What about the monsters in your valley who are like you and Zephyr?" asks Holly.
"They'll return to their master some day," I say innocently. "To kill him and crush his armies." I think I'm scaring Holly slightly.
"Why didn't you tell the others?" asks Holly as soon as she could speak again.
"Have you ever met a 5-part monster the dresses like a human, carries a sword, and has no special attacks? I go with my monster parts hidden because people think I'm a freak. How do you tell your cousin that you're part not-human and you can fly after not seeing him for several years?"
Holly just sat there for a while, staring into my eyes sadly, not responding, and I didn't expect her to.
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The moonlight streamed into the cell through a small, barred window just low enough for Allen to see through. The others had long since fallen asleep, and he looked at the stars sadly, for the first time showing any sign of emotion.
May hadn't stopped wailing for hours, and he could still hear the long mournful sound of her and Slip wailing together in the back of his mind. Slip had quickly lost his voice, but still continued on hoarsely. He and May had lost their friends and parents, and now the one person he trusted the most in the world was gone.
Allen sighed, looking over at Genki. The young had had turned into a young boy over night. Not that any could blame him, his cousin and best friend both gone. "Lili, where are you?" asked Allen to the wind. "I was so sure you'd be able to make it." He knew her secret, and had hoped it had saved them. But if they were saved, where were they and why hadn't they tried to make contact with the trapped searchers yet? He sighed again and did his best to fight the dreading doubt that creeped into his soul.
"Shoot, Lili," he muttered to the moon, " If you die on me I swear I'll kill you."
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Holly and Lili had been silent for a while, both staring at each other. Holly suddenly furrowed her brow. "You know," she said, tilting her head slightly, "Your eyes are as clear as Genki's, besides being two different colors."
"Have you been staring into Genki's eyes lately?" asked Lili, raising an eyebrow. She jumped at the chance to bring the attention away from herself. Holly didn't reply, and she took it as a 'yes' or a 'to embarrassed to make a reply.' "But in all seriousness, I feel like I already know half of the group from the stories he told me."
"Really?"
"Yep. Especially some brown-eyed brunet with a magic stone.think you might know who that is?"
"I might." Holly blushed slightly as Lili continued to tease her, burring her head in Zephyr's fur to hide the red the creeped across her face.
"Yeah, Genki did talk about you a lot, through he was only 11 or 12 at the time. I teased the poor kid horribly about you, being his older cousin I really just couldn't resist. However there was that one time."
"What happened?" asked Holly casually, trying to sound indifferent. Lili could see right through it.
"I was teasing him, once again, and some guy I knew at the park we were at over heard. He, not being the nicest of people, came over and said some rather rude comments of his own about the two of you." Lili paused slightly, turning red as she remembered it. "You can ask Genki what it was but I refuse to repeat it. Anyways, I was about to retort rather nastily when the kid jumped on the guy and pounded the living snot out of him.
"I have never been more surprised in my life, and neither have I ever seen Genki as mad as he was then. I had to drag him off the guy and Genki still made him take it back. Genki's not usually the violent type, but he got steamed over what that guy said. I thought it was hilarious, but now I see why he did what he did."
Lili watched as she left Holly hanging, hoping to get some sort of a reaction. She leaned forward and waited. Silence rang for a few minutes before Holly said, "And that would be.?"
"If you need me to tell you you're more blind than Z is," was all Lili said, getting up as she did.
Zephyr woke up again, yawning expansively. "What was that about me?" he asked as Lili stretched her legs out. Zephyr started to get up, causing Holly to get off him quickly.
"Sorry about that."
"Stay put, Holly," said Lili as she pushed Zephyr back down. "I'm going to go find my bag and some food out here."
"Besides, you're keeping me warm," added Zephyr as he lay back down.
"But I'm taking your spot Lili," argued Holly.
"There's a perfectly good spot on his other side that I'll occupy later," said Lili lightly, "Now stay with him while I'm gone."
"Be back before it gets too much later," said Zephyr as Lili began to change.
"I will," she rasped, her voice already changed.
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Lili glided low through the trees, wind whipping through her hair and feeling free for the first time in a long while. She searched along the base of the cliff and finally located their things, all stuck in the top of a large oak tree that she had dodged around earlier. Some berries were near by, and she grabbed some to eat before she went to sleep.
Holly and Zephyr were already out by the time she got back, the fire dying slowly. Lili ate some food from her bag, secured their stuff, changed back and snuggled into Zephyr's warm side before quickly drifting asleep.
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A guard who kicked him savagely in the side rudely awakened Genki. "Up and at 'em!" sneered the half- Naga human.
"Yeah," said his partner smugly, "Boss wants to see you and the silver haired guy, pronto!" Allen glanced tiredly at Genki before following the first guard out of the cell. Genki scrambled to his feet and went after Allen, the guard behind him holding a spear at his back to make sure he didn't try to escape.
Tiger was the only one awake and Genki waved to him reassuringly before being shoved down the hall. They were taken to a richly furnished room with a desk and two chairs set before it. Magic Shadow sat behind the desk languidly, motioning for Genki and Allen to be strapped to their chairs.
"So tell me, Phoenix boy," he hissed eerily, "What do you know of the one called 'Lilianne'?"
""That you killed her, my only family left and I vow to kill you for it," snarled Genki struggling against his bonds.
"Oh how touching," mocked Magic Shadow as he tested a knife's blade on his thumb. "But you, my boy are in no position to be making threats."
"He knows nothing, Magic Shadow," said Allen, hoping Genki would keep his mouth shut.
"Oh, and of course you do, friend of the traitor," said Magic Shadow. "Now why don't you be a good captive and tell me where to find Lilianne's valley?"
"Never." Allen leaned back lazily in his chair, crossing his legs in front of him. "Lili's wrath is worse than death it's self, so you'll never make me talk."
"You're being difficult, boy," said an irritated Magic Shadow, "We've fought before and you know I'll win in the end."
"Until Lili comes and bails my sorry butt once more," replied Allen carelessly. "So in reality, you'll lose in the end."
"Send the Phoenix boy back to his cell!" yelled Magic Shadow angrily. "I want time with this one by himself."
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Zephyr flew slowly up the face of the cliff as Lili used her wings to propel her and Holly, who hung precariously on her back, upwards as well. The found a ledge about half way up and stopped there for a short rest. Lili lay sprawled out on her back, panting slightly as she tried to regain her strength.
"Holly," she raspily wheezed, "You weren't that heavy the first several hundred feet, but that last stretch."
"I'll take her the next half," said Zephyr, getting up and shedding the packs he had carried. "You can take our stuff."
"If you're sure."
"Do you think they're ok?" Holly asked suddenly, catching Lili completely off guard.
"Yeah," replied Lili slowly, "They're all valuable for information and DNA samples for future experiments. Raymond hasn't figured out how to replicate it yet, and the samples aren't any good if the monster or human is dead."
"But you don't know how much longer that safety will last?"
"No." Lili stood back up and shouldered that packs Zephyr had dropped. "Get on Zephyr, Holly," she rasped shortly, spreading her wings, "We need to get going."
She leapt off the ledge and soared over that, quickly rising in the air. Zephyr went after her, Holly latched on tightly to his back. 'You can loosen up a little,' said Zephyr in her mind. 'I won't drop you.' Holly laughed nervously, and tried to relax her taunt muscles and white knuckles slightly.
"I really, really don't like heights," Holly whispered to herself. It took another hour of flying straight up, battling the winds and falling rocks, before they reached the top.
Holly put on her blades as Zephyr picked up the scent of their friends and their captors and Lili shrunk her wings, hiding them with her jacket. Zephyr did the same, shielding his from sight with his telepathic powers.
"You do know that everything you now know is strictly confidential, right?" Lili asked Holly.
"If that is the way you want it."
"It is." Turning back to Zephyr, she asked, "Did you figure out which way they went?"
"They headed to the north," he replied. "Probably took 'em to Jovast, that town Magic Shadow took over recently."
"Then to Jovast we go," said Lili coldly, pulling in her blades and tearing down the path before her companions could reply. She had an enemy to visit, and she wasn't going to take her time getting there.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki stopped pacing only when the guards dragged a half-unconscious Allen back to their cell. "Well?" asked Genki when the guards had left.
"I told that nothing, kid," said Allen wearily, "They can threaten, mock, and beat me all they like, I'll never tell 'em anything."
" Lili's wrath is the best secret keeper, hm?" asked Genki as he helped Allen sit up.
"That cousin of your could scare a full grown tiger with that temper of hers," said Allen fervently.
"She could, could she?" asked Tiger from his cell. "How are you feeling, Allen?"
"Better than when I was in Magic's torture chamber, that's for sure," Allen replied lightly, trying to take the attention off of himself. He shakily tried to stand as Genki supported him on one side.
"Easy, Allen, easy," he said with concern, keeping the older fellow from falling.
"They'll never hurt me bad enough to keep me down," boasted Allen as they hobbled around the inside of their cell. "Never."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Lili perched quietly on the branch of a tree, looking at the scene below her. A small village with a tall, ominous looking fort in the far back completely ruining the picturesque look of it all.
"So," said Zephyr below her. "What do we do now?"
"We sneak in and free our friends," said Lili quietly.
"How do you propose we do that?" asked Holly from the ground as Lili slid down beside them.
"I'll be making that up as we go."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Allen had finally stretched out all his previous 'soreness' and was now wrestling out of pure boredom with Genki. They had to keep their minds on something, and it was all they could think of.
"C'mon," Allen taunted him as they circled each other. "Afraid to fight like a man?"
"That's never been a problem for me," said Genki sarcastically. "Unlike some." He ducked as Allen swung at him, letting it pass harmlessly over his head. The circled each other some more, trying to get the other on the defensive.
'Quit acting like young boys and knock it off!' said Lili's voice in Allen's head.
"What?" Allen stopped and stood up, not noticing Genki lunging at him until he was on the floor.
"Pinned ya!" said Genki as he sat on top of Allen. "Gee, Allen, I really thought you'd see that coming."
"Lili?" asked Allen, ignoring Genki and looking around as best he could. "Where are you?"
'Shut up, you fool,' she hissed in his head. 'They can't hear me. Tell the others to get up and get ready to move. Fast. That you have a feeling helps on the way.'
Allen smiled, Genki watching him uneasily. "Are you ok, Allen?" he asked, offering a hand to help him up.
"Never been better." He got to his feet by himself and dusted off his pants. "Go wake the rest, and tell them to be ready to move. Helps on the way, though I can't tell you how I know."
"Are you sure?" asked Genki teasingly. "Are you sure that what ever it is that told you that is not just being hit hard one too many times?"
"Positive. Now go and tell them, they won't listen to me."
Genki shrugged and left Allen to calculate how much longer it would be before Lili would reach them.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
'We'll be there sooner than you think, Allen,' thought Lili to herself. They had managed to slip in a back gate that was left unattended, and were now dodging and ducking their way down the corridors, being shielded from view and detection other than tangibility by Zephyr.
'Their close,' said Zephyr telepathically, 'I can smell them.'
'Me too,' replied Lili, 'They aught to be right around the next corner.' She stopped suddenly, pulling the other two against the wall with her.
A troop of Naga/Jell/Golem tri-brids marched past, completely oblivious to them as they trudged by in perfect step down the hall.
"That was close," sighed Holly as they went down another hall.
Lili nodded slightly. "You can say that again."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Slip stretched his head around the corner again. Nope, no sign of anyone. He pulled his head back into the cell and looked at the pups. Temi was restless, and paced the length of their small cell over and over until Slip thought there should be a groove in the floor from it.
Ice, and he preferred to be called now, was on the verge of a mental collapse. Holly, the human that was acceptable, was gone. Zephyr, the blind tiger with wings, was gone, His parents might as well be gone because he couldn't see them, and the guards wouldn't let them talk since they had to shout to hear each other.
"Smile, Ice," said Slip, throwing an arm around the desolate pup's shoulders. "Genki says that helps on the way!"
"From who?" asked Ice sarcastically, "The tooth fairy?"
"Well, I wouldn't exactly call myself the tooth fairy, but if you insist," said Lili quietly as she rounded the corner.
"Lili?!" cried Genki when he heard her voice.
"Shut up, Genki!" she whispered fiercely. "Y'all have to keep quite or they'll hear us. Now give me half a sec and I'll have you all free." Taking the small dart knife from her belt buckle, she deftly picked the locks as quickly as she could.
Genki enveloped her in a hug as soon as his door was open. "Get off me, kid," she growled teasingly, "I'm sure you missed Miss Holly more than me."
He smiled, and punched her lightly on the arm before going over to Holly and giving her a hug too. "How did you manage to survive?" asked Tiger in amazement as Lili worked on his lock. May lay asleep on his back, blissfully ignorant to the chaos around her. The pups played with Slip happily around Zephyr's paws as she answered.
"I honestly can't tell you 'cuz I'm not sure myself," said Lili truthfully. "But I always keep an extra trick up my sleeve for emergencies." 'That's not a total lie,' she thought to herself, 'Because I still can't figure out how we did survive at the last second.'
Storm ran to her children as soon as soon as she was free, smothering them in wet kisses. "Cut it out, Mom," giggled Temi, "That tickles."
"Yeah," said Ice, wiping off his face with his paws.
"In to the bags pups," whispered Lili, loading the twins and Slip onto Zephyr's back before picking the final lock.
"Listen up everyone," said Zephyr quickly. "Tiger, Storm, and May are with me, the rest with Lili. If you see someone, get against the wall and don't make a sound, I'm shielding you from sight and detection, but I can't mange tangibility with this large of a group. Got it? Good, let's go."
He turned and walked back the way he, Lili and Holly had come, those he had called trailing behind him. "We'll give them a few minutes to get ahead of us before we go," Lili explained quietly as the last lock unlatched for her.
"It does my old heart good to see you three again," said Ojo, hopping slowly out of his cell.
"Thank you, Ojo," said Holly, patting him on the head. Lili just smiled, glad that they were all safe, for the moment any ways.
I told they'd survive," said Allen, winking at Lili.
"Speaking of which," said Genki from Holly's side, "How did you live through that fall?"
"Another story for another time," said Lili, checking the sun outside the cells. "It's time for us to go."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Zephyr peeked around the corner, sending his radar in every direction, the coast was clear. Beckoning to the rest in his group, they slipped like an unseen shadow out the back gate and into the woods beyond a long stretch of cleared ground to await their friends there.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
"Gee, I wish you weren't so big, Golem," Lili said quietly as they neared the gate, the woods and their safety in sight.
"Sorry," rumbled Golem, turning red. They hadn't run into any of the patrols yet, maybe they'd get lucky getting out.
"THE PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPED!!!" screamed a voice in the direction they had come. "SOUND THE ALARM!" Then again maybe not.
"Run!" yelled Lili, heading for the gate as fast as she could. Some monsters came out a room in front of them, but she slashed right through them, the group still being invisible to them. She tossed Allen a sword, having taken it from one of the fallen attackers.
Lili stopped a few feet after the gate, making sure the rest made it out after her. "Get everyone out of here!" she yelled at Genki. "Me and Z will hold them off long enough for the rest of you to get away!"
"I'm staying with you," said Allen defiantly. "I got a score to settle with Magic Shadow."
"Go with the other's Allen," ordered Lili, whistling for Zephyr to come to her. She ran towards the fort, cutting down those in her way as she battled for all she was worth. Allen ran to her side, fighting like a madman.
"You fool," whispered Lili as they were pressed back to back.
"A fool, yes," replied Allen, "But a happy fool, none the less."
Zephyr soon joined them, having left the young ones and his bags with the others and knocked most of those who were close to the deadly duo.
"Thanks, Z," panted Lili, quickly changing back to her winged form, "Now what say we take care of the rest of these ingrates?"
"Sounds good to me," he replied. The trio was able to drive their attacked back to the fort, leaving many lost disks in their path.
"Come on," said Lili when all were running back to the safety of the fort or were dead. "Let's get out of here."
"Not so fast!" cried Magic Shadow as he floated towards them. "You've stolen my prisoners and I will have some sort of payment for that!"
Lili flew high above them, Zephyr and Allen waiting to see what she would do. "I challenge you to a duel to the death, Magic Shadow!" she spat in contempt, determined to get rid of the creep once and for all.
"Your life means little to me," said Magic Shadow in a bored voice, "I have to desire to fight with you." He smiled wickedly, adding, "There is another life that shall pay, though." He pointed at Allen, yelling, "Black Needles!" A million needles, sharp enough to pierce thin metal, appeared out of nowhere, flying straight at Allen!
"Noooooooo!!!!!!!!!...."
*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*
Hehehehehehe evil laughter. A bit of a cliffy.will Allen live? Die? Or will another take his place???? I need another five reviews before you fine out, so be nice and give any comments you have, even if they aren't that nice, comments are good.
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A few days passed, and finally one morning they could see a large Ranch in the distance. It looked gloomy and deserted, and sent shivers up the Searcher's spines as they got closer to it.
"If this place is empty, why are we checking it out?" asked Slip as it loomed in the distance.
"It might hold clues to what we're facing if it's the one that that 'General' fellow used before," replied Lili.
"And what makes you so sure this is the one?" Hare asked quizzically.
"Call it a gut instinct, I guess."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The Searchers had split up into four smaller groups to go over the larger grounds of the Ranch. Ojo, Golem, and Genki had taken the stables and they were going through each one carefully to make sure they didn't miss anything.
"This place gives me the creeps," muttered Ojo as they went into another one, checking the stalls one by one.
"Me too," admitted Genki as they finished that row.
"Something's not right here," said Golem darkly, unusually tense and nervous.
"If the other's need any help they'll call for us, ok?" Genki reassured him.
"Something still isn't right."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Tiger and his family picked their way through the rooms as they went over the humungous mansion.
"I'm scared, mom," said Temi as she huddled by Storm's leg in fear. "I want to get out of here." They were going to meet up with her father and brother who had taken the first floor while they had looked through the second.
"Hush, Temi," said Storm gently. "You're safe with me and you're father and brother are right up ahead, see?" Temi nodded somberly and ran up to be with her brother.
"Find anything?" asked Tiger as she got closer to them.
"No, other than some furniture and a few cob webs, the second floor is completely empty," she replied.
"First floor's the same. The kitchen had some food in it, but it was old and rotten so we left it alone," said Tiger, letting the pups crouch under him nervously.
"Let's go see if the others are having any better luck."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
"Hullo!" called Allen into the dark room. "Anybody home??" His voice echoed eerily through the walls, giving it a transparent, ghost-like feel. The worker's quarters were as musty and damp as they looked and had an abandoned sense to them.
Mayfleur shiver involuntarily. "Please stop that, Mr. Allen," she asked barely above a whisper. "You're scaring me."
"He's not scaring me!" Slip said bravely. He searched the drawers of the desk and peeked his head under the bed. "Nothing here!" he announced, straightening up briskly.
"Did you find anything in there, Hare?" asked Allen as he stuck his head into the other room.
"Nope. They really cleaned everything out of here, who ever they were, when they left. The kitchen's as bare as can be and out side there's nothing but over grown grass and some weeds!" called Hare, bounding into the room.
"There's nothing here!" said Slip in frustration, "Each one's been the same, let's just go meet up with the others and see if they want our help."
"Yeah," agreed Mayfleur as another wave of uneasiness swept over her, "There's safety in numbers."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Lili sighed in exasperation. "There must be something here," she murmured angrily to herself as the trio looked at the vacant practice rings. Holly nodded in agreement as she tried to shake the feeling that they were being watched.
Zephyr sniffed the winds apprehensively and turned quickly to Lili. 'We need to get back to the others, now!" he said to her telepathically.
'Why?' asked Lili back, her voice full of concern in his mind.
'I smell trouble.'
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Tiger, Storm, Temi and Ici sat near a cliff at the appointed meeting spot. Tiger had gone and looked over the edge of the cliff earlier, and what he had seen had made him dizzy with fear. The cliff dropped straight off for a good 2-3 miles before dropping even lower into a ravine another mile or two. No creature without wings could survive a fall from that height.
Allen, Hare, Mayfleur and Slip sat near by speculating what they others night have found. They were discussing the odds of finding anything at all when Lili, Holly, and Zephyr walked up.
"Did you guys find anything?" Lili asked. Everyone shook their heads quietly, their searches leaving them tired and disheartened.
"Oh, are the poor searchers going to go home with their tales between their legs?" taunted a voice above them.
Lili drew her sword and cried, "Show yourself, Magic Shadow!"
A pixie/Monol/Magic Bajaral appeared in a branch above them. He laughed cruelly as other Magic Bajaral/Monol tri-breeds appeared and surrounded them in the air.
Lili whistled piercingly to signal Genki and his group that they needed help. Zephyr protected those unable to defend them selves as Lili threw herself at the tri-breeds, angrily kicking herself for bringing them here in the first place.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki's head snapped up as he heard a sharp whistle. "That's Lili!" he cried, "They need our help!"
Golem and Ojo followed as he ran out of the barn, only to fall into a trap! The cage dropped neatly over them, quickly stopping the trio in their tracks. "This is easily solved," said Ojo, "Teleport!" He glowed white and disappeared, only to reappear at the edge of the cage half-unconscious.
"Oh, we couldn't have escaping, now could we?" asked a tri-breed as they dragged the cage over to where the others could see. "Those bars are completely impervious to any attack to teleport move."
Genki cursed loudly as he tried to hit the bars and they shocked him back. The tri-breeds laughed jeeringly at the trio's vain attempts to get free of their accursed cage.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Tiger and Storm were soon in the fray as well, doing their best to keep the tri-breeds back, and helping their friends as they needed to. Those defense less stayed back, Mayfleur holding onto the young Slip tightly so he wouldn't try to rush into battle.
Hare and Allen where back to back, doing what they could but the two were soon over come by the waves of tri-breeds that never seemed to stop coming.
"Help!" yelled Hare as he and Allen were caught in a net that was thrown over them. Tiger tried to help them, but only succeeded in getting himself entangled in the net as well.
"Dad!" screamed Temi, running after Tiger carelessly. Ici ran after his sister, not about to let her go it alone.
"Oh, how touching," sneered Magic Shadow, flying over the pups. "The little tykes are going to rescue their father."
"No!" screamed Storm as Magic Shadow made the pups float towards him. She was caught from behind and struggled uselessly against the net.
Lili saw the twins, and super jumped at them. She was almost there.practically touching them!!.Zap!!. a blast from one of the tri-breeds hit her away from the pups.
"Lili!" cried Allen as she flew towards the cliff, only landing a few feet from the edge. Holly ran to her side, Zephyr right behind her. Slip was able to wriggle free of Mayfleur and ran at one of the attackers.
"Arm whip!" he cried, trying to get close enough to free his trapped friends, but he was too weak to do much good. Mayfleur went after him, yelling his name. Neither saw the net until it was too late, and they were soon caught much in the same way as their friends were.
"Give it up, traitor!" taunted Magic Shadow. "Your friends are all captured and your options gone!" He held the pups in his hand, stroking them almost lovingly.
"Never!" cried Lili as she struggled to her feet.
"Then I'll have to disobey Master Raymond and kill you," sighed Magic Shadow in a bored voice. Pointing a finger at her, he said calmly, "Black telekinetic beam!"
"No!" screamed the searchers as the blast that was meant to kill Lili instead flung the trio off the cliff into the sky.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
"Should we go check for survivors?" asked one of the troops a few minutes after they heard a resounding crash from the bottom of the cliff.
"No one could survive a fall from that height," replied Magic Shadow calmly. "Not even the powerful traitors."
Genki was beside himself with grief and cried openly as his friends tired to comfort him. They were now all in a cage, and were waiting to see what would happen to them next.
Allen was unusually quite, and just sat there staring at the sky while the rest expressed their sorrow. Temi looked at him from her father's side and noticed this. "Aren't you sad about losing Miss Holly, Miss Lili, and Mr. Zephyr?" she sniffed as she walked over to him.
"Cheer up, young one," said Allen gently, scratching her behind the ear. "Those three are as tough as they come. And Zephyr has wings, remember? He can fly."
The pups face brightened slightly with hope until her father broke in angrily. "Stop filling her head with false hope, Allen," he growled. "You know as well as I do that no one could carry that much weight falling at that speed. Why do you disillusion yourself and others?"
"Call it a gut instinct."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
(Lili's p.o.v.)
Time seemed to slow down as the ground began to come towards us. I grabbed onto the already unconscious Holly and Zephyr was able to come up under us and slow our fall with his wings. My bag and weapons I throw away from myself to get rid of their weight, and Holly's bag I throw away as well.
Wait, the grounds still coming to fast, his wings can't take our weight! I can see the flesh in between his wings begin to stretch out, almost snapping. "Get out, Zephyr!" I yell. "Go before you break your wings!"
"NO!" he yells back, "I can make it!" He's struggling to keep his wings from completely giving out now.
"Our weight's too much for you!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "You're going to have to trust me and go, now!"
He sighs, and obeys, as the servant must always bow to the master. I close my eyes and begin to concentrate once more on the familiar change that comes when I will them to.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
(Zephyr's p.o.v.)
She told me to let her and Holly fall, and I have to obey her. She's my master and protector, and she knows best. I watch as she grows fangs, fur, horns, and at the last second, wings that burst out from her jacket, shredding the back of it (not for the first time) into bits.
They're still falling. no now she's catching the wind.but pull up!!. Pull up!!. I stop my radar that let's me know what they're doing and hope for the best.
Now it's back on, and they're gliding for a clearing Lili and I know about with a small pool. That was a close call, one I never hope to have to go through again. I'm too young to be getting heart attacks!
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
(normal p.o.v.)
Lili glided twice around the forest, dodging trees at the rapid speed she was going, before she could slow down enough o stop.
"You certainly took your time with that one!" cried Zephyr as he landed beside her.
"If you'd moved when I told you to, I would've had more time," said Lili breathlessly. "Besides, it's not easy to concentrate in midair with a dead weight human you're trying to hang onto. You try it some time!"
"Still" murmured Zephyr. "You should've used your wings during the fight. It could've made the difference there."
"The other's can't know," said Lili stubbornly.
"You'll have to shrink your wings before she wakes up, then." Lili sat down and tried to shrink them, but couldn't concentrate enough.
"Grrrrr!" roared Lili. "All this stupid power and I can't even shrink my wings!"
"You haven't been using them enough," said Zephyr calmly. "You won't be able to shrink them until you've stretched them out by flying for awhile and you won't be able to fly until they're recovered from that very exhausting trick you just pulled."
"Do you have any idea how much I hate it when you're right?" Lili grumbled as she moodily removed her tattered jacket.
"Yeah, I know."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Mayfleur lay huddled on the floor, sobbing into Storm's coat as she and Tiger tried to comfort her. The group had been divided up into a couple of different cells, but could partially see each other through the bars.
Tiger watched as Genki paced the length of his cell, trying hard not to cry again. Allen stood against the wall, lost in thought, his face hidden by his long silvery-white hair.
Ojo and Golem shared a larger cell with Hare, who was trying to come up with a plan to escape, but was failing miserably. He pounded his head against a wall as Ojo napped wearily in the corner, the stress of the last several hours finally taking its toll on the old eyeball.
Temi, Ici and Slip had a cell all their own, with the bars closer together so they couldn't slip through them, and a few down from the rest so they could hear but not see them. Slip, having lost all his previous bravado, was wailing mournfully as the twins did their best to console the young jell.
Genki stopped pacing long enough to punch the wall a few times with his fists, shaking them out painfully as he began to pace again. "If you're going to hit something, punch me," said Allen quietly, "You'll break your hand if you keep doing that."
"What the heck would it matter?!" Genki yelled angrily, "Our only hope out of here is dead, and there's no way to escape." He leaned his head against the wall, kicking it hopelessly. He fell to his knees, still facing the wall, and began to cry.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
(Holly's p.o.v.)
The last thing I remember is falling, falling over the edge into the expansive blur behind us. Then everything went black, from what I don't know, but I welcomed it gladly. It seemed like an eternity before the darkness faded, and I was able to regain my senses.
I could tell we weren't falling anymore. Either I am safe, badly hurt, or dead and where ever it is the dead go. But this felt too real to be dead, it seemed. I am very warm, wherever I am, wait, I feel fur. Tiger? No, he didn't fall with us.
I open my eyes slightly, and see brown tipped gold fur. Zephyr. Then we made it, but how? I look around our camp. It's getting dark out, and the fire before us is burning brightly. I let my eye roam for a minute. Who's that strange pixie over there?
Waist length brown tipped gold hair, tank top, jeans and boots mending a torn jacket, if it weren't for the wings and horns I'd swear that's.
The monster turns her head towards me; seeing I'm awake she turns back around quickly. "Lili.?" I ask in amazement. What could've happened to her while I was out?
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
(Lili's p.o.v.)
I've been sitting here awhile now. Zephyr's asleep, and Holly's still out leaning on him. I wait, and watch, hoping to finish with my jacket soon so I can stretch out my wings.
Turning to check on Zephyr, I notice Holly's awake. Great. More questions I'll have to answer. I have nothing against the girl, she's very sweet and I hope she gets with Genki, but I just don't like talking about my wings and horns. Of course, it could me worse; I could be trying to explain this to Genki and why I never told him before.
"Lili.?" asks Holly. Poor girl, she must think I'm a monster or something. I nod once, hoping I don't have to speak. She just sits there for a while, and I wonder if she's fallen asleep again. But of course, no such luck.
"Did you get your wings the same way Zephyr did?" she asks me quietly. I nod again. So far so good.
"Now can you tell me how he and you got them?"
Darn. "I guess so," I rasp. My voice changes as well, and I can see her eyes get wide and she just stares at me for a minute. "Oh, come on, Holly," I say lightly, hoping to put her at ease. "It doesn't sound that bad, does it?"
"Depends on how one would define the word bad," says Zephyr as he wakes up, placing his paws over his ears.
"I don't mind," says Holly, but I can tell she's lying.
"Hang on and I'll see if I can change back," I say.
"You won't be able to," says Zephyr, but I'll show him. Closing my eyes tight and concentrating, I can feel everything shrinking away until the only sign of my additives are a set of petite wings on my back.
"So that's how you hid them," says Holly, trying horribly to hide her surprise.
"Now," I say, voice back to normal. "For our story. It starts when I left off the other night in my valley. The Janne I met was called Janel, and she helped me get a job at the Ranch because she trained there for fights. I worked training the younger pixies, tigers and dragons there, for that's what the ranch specialized in with only a few other breeds present. They let me live there in the quarters for trainers and shared a bunk with a few others who had similar jobs as myself.
"A month after I arrived, Janel disappeared over night. She and I had been good friends and of course this upset me. The other trainers said she had run away again, but I didn't entirely trust the way they told me this. Something about them made me think they were lying. I started to get uneasy at work, and began to watch my back more closely than ever.
"Two weeks later the head boss, Raymond (I can see Holly flinch as I say that name), asked me to come and speak with him. I was suspicious, but it's not like I could refuse to talk with him, I still hadn't saved up enough to leave and I needed the job so I went.
"He made small talk with me when I came it, the usual 'How are you?' 'Keeping up with work?' etc. I answered all his questions politely, and so on. Them he started talking about this research they were doing at the Ranch. About the combing of monsters with some old equipment he had inherited from his grandfather a few years before and how he had figured it all out. Apparently it was when they made the most progress but needed some help. He had me hook, line, and sinker.
"He asked if I would help, and I agreed, thinking I would be with the monsters they were testing. Stupid me. Something hit me from behind, and my world went black. I woke up strapped to a chair with all sorts of tubes coming in and out of me. Raymond was near by, and he calmly explained what they were going to do to me as if it were only pulling a tooth or getting a shot.
"I won't tell you exactly what they did to me, but as a short summary they mutated my cell's DNA with different monster's DNA. Quite interesting, really, if it hadn't been me in the hot seat at the time. The procedure they used was completely untested to they were flying blind when they did this to me. The guy in charge of the DNA sample threw in some Pixie, Dragon, Tiger, Suezo and Hare samples and watched what happened.
"I'll tell you what happened. I gained a pixie's bat-like wings, horns, and healing ability, which I have tons of. Which, in contrast, I have now all this power to heal and no special attacks to go with it. From the dragon DNA, I've gained their massive strength and scales, which are hidden at the moment, with out the bulky muscles. The tiger sample gave me their senses and speed on foot. I have now a Hare's curiosity and coloring of fur as well, which is also hidden. The Suezo DNA gives me telepathic abilities, which means I can create shields and speak with others telepathically."
I stopped talking and said to Holly in her mind, 'See?' Holly's face went into shock for a moment, and I laughed quietly before returning to my story. "The fools didn't put in me the evil device that control their minions, and once they taught me how to roughly control all these new abilities, I escaped and ran away. They chased after me, and at the moment there's probably a bounty on my head in the ranks at their fortress.
"I ran into Allen, literally as in I didn't see him and we went tumbling with those tiger breeds on my heals, after taking some hard hits from the cabaloses chasing me. He was able to chase them off, and the next thing I remember is waking up at his house surrounded by his family. They helped me get better and further control my abilities. Something else my Suezo part allows me to do is to shrink and hide my physical changes, except my wings, completely.
"Allen's grandfather had raised pixies at the farm they live on now and they used the knowledge he left behind when he died in a book to help me learn how to use my wings and healing abilities. I am grateful for their help and it's the main reason why I tolerate Allen being around me all the time. His family has practically adopted me, and if I hadn't felt like I needed to leave I'd still be there.
"About two weeks later, Allen came upon Zephyr in a ditch near the Ranch, just a few days old, blind, and starving. Raymond has this twisted philosophy that if a monster appears to be weak, it must be gotten rid of. But if the monster is able to survive on it's own, and returns later on to the Ranch he'll welcome it with open arms and declare he was wrong. It sounds nice, but the fact that none of the monsters that he's turned out has returned yet might be a clue to how twisted it really is."
"It might help if Allen didn't rescue them and bring them to you to show them how evil he is and why they must learn to fight against not for him," broke in Zephyr. I stick out my tongue at him and continue on.
"Ever since Allen brought him to me and I saved him with my healing ability we've been inseparable partners. How ever, he has a twin sister that isn't blind and is a general for Raymond. She is very evil, though I have little doubt that if her device was removed, she would become very much like him."
"What about the monsters in your valley who are like you and Zephyr?" asks Holly.
"They'll return to their master some day," I say innocently. "To kill him and crush his armies." I think I'm scaring Holly slightly.
"Why didn't you tell the others?" asks Holly as soon as she could speak again.
"Have you ever met a 5-part monster the dresses like a human, carries a sword, and has no special attacks? I go with my monster parts hidden because people think I'm a freak. How do you tell your cousin that you're part not-human and you can fly after not seeing him for several years?"
Holly just sat there for a while, staring into my eyes sadly, not responding, and I didn't expect her to.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
The moonlight streamed into the cell through a small, barred window just low enough for Allen to see through. The others had long since fallen asleep, and he looked at the stars sadly, for the first time showing any sign of emotion.
May hadn't stopped wailing for hours, and he could still hear the long mournful sound of her and Slip wailing together in the back of his mind. Slip had quickly lost his voice, but still continued on hoarsely. He and May had lost their friends and parents, and now the one person he trusted the most in the world was gone.
Allen sighed, looking over at Genki. The young had had turned into a young boy over night. Not that any could blame him, his cousin and best friend both gone. "Lili, where are you?" asked Allen to the wind. "I was so sure you'd be able to make it." He knew her secret, and had hoped it had saved them. But if they were saved, where were they and why hadn't they tried to make contact with the trapped searchers yet? He sighed again and did his best to fight the dreading doubt that creeped into his soul.
"Shoot, Lili," he muttered to the moon, " If you die on me I swear I'll kill you."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Holly and Lili had been silent for a while, both staring at each other. Holly suddenly furrowed her brow. "You know," she said, tilting her head slightly, "Your eyes are as clear as Genki's, besides being two different colors."
"Have you been staring into Genki's eyes lately?" asked Lili, raising an eyebrow. She jumped at the chance to bring the attention away from herself. Holly didn't reply, and she took it as a 'yes' or a 'to embarrassed to make a reply.' "But in all seriousness, I feel like I already know half of the group from the stories he told me."
"Really?"
"Yep. Especially some brown-eyed brunet with a magic stone.think you might know who that is?"
"I might." Holly blushed slightly as Lili continued to tease her, burring her head in Zephyr's fur to hide the red the creeped across her face.
"Yeah, Genki did talk about you a lot, through he was only 11 or 12 at the time. I teased the poor kid horribly about you, being his older cousin I really just couldn't resist. However there was that one time."
"What happened?" asked Holly casually, trying to sound indifferent. Lili could see right through it.
"I was teasing him, once again, and some guy I knew at the park we were at over heard. He, not being the nicest of people, came over and said some rather rude comments of his own about the two of you." Lili paused slightly, turning red as she remembered it. "You can ask Genki what it was but I refuse to repeat it. Anyways, I was about to retort rather nastily when the kid jumped on the guy and pounded the living snot out of him.
"I have never been more surprised in my life, and neither have I ever seen Genki as mad as he was then. I had to drag him off the guy and Genki still made him take it back. Genki's not usually the violent type, but he got steamed over what that guy said. I thought it was hilarious, but now I see why he did what he did."
Lili watched as she left Holly hanging, hoping to get some sort of a reaction. She leaned forward and waited. Silence rang for a few minutes before Holly said, "And that would be.?"
"If you need me to tell you you're more blind than Z is," was all Lili said, getting up as she did.
Zephyr woke up again, yawning expansively. "What was that about me?" he asked as Lili stretched her legs out. Zephyr started to get up, causing Holly to get off him quickly.
"Sorry about that."
"Stay put, Holly," said Lili as she pushed Zephyr back down. "I'm going to go find my bag and some food out here."
"Besides, you're keeping me warm," added Zephyr as he lay back down.
"But I'm taking your spot Lili," argued Holly.
"There's a perfectly good spot on his other side that I'll occupy later," said Lili lightly, "Now stay with him while I'm gone."
"Be back before it gets too much later," said Zephyr as Lili began to change.
"I will," she rasped, her voice already changed.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Lili glided low through the trees, wind whipping through her hair and feeling free for the first time in a long while. She searched along the base of the cliff and finally located their things, all stuck in the top of a large oak tree that she had dodged around earlier. Some berries were near by, and she grabbed some to eat before she went to sleep.
Holly and Zephyr were already out by the time she got back, the fire dying slowly. Lili ate some food from her bag, secured their stuff, changed back and snuggled into Zephyr's warm side before quickly drifting asleep.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
A guard who kicked him savagely in the side rudely awakened Genki. "Up and at 'em!" sneered the half- Naga human.
"Yeah," said his partner smugly, "Boss wants to see you and the silver haired guy, pronto!" Allen glanced tiredly at Genki before following the first guard out of the cell. Genki scrambled to his feet and went after Allen, the guard behind him holding a spear at his back to make sure he didn't try to escape.
Tiger was the only one awake and Genki waved to him reassuringly before being shoved down the hall. They were taken to a richly furnished room with a desk and two chairs set before it. Magic Shadow sat behind the desk languidly, motioning for Genki and Allen to be strapped to their chairs.
"So tell me, Phoenix boy," he hissed eerily, "What do you know of the one called 'Lilianne'?"
""That you killed her, my only family left and I vow to kill you for it," snarled Genki struggling against his bonds.
"Oh how touching," mocked Magic Shadow as he tested a knife's blade on his thumb. "But you, my boy are in no position to be making threats."
"He knows nothing, Magic Shadow," said Allen, hoping Genki would keep his mouth shut.
"Oh, and of course you do, friend of the traitor," said Magic Shadow. "Now why don't you be a good captive and tell me where to find Lilianne's valley?"
"Never." Allen leaned back lazily in his chair, crossing his legs in front of him. "Lili's wrath is worse than death it's self, so you'll never make me talk."
"You're being difficult, boy," said an irritated Magic Shadow, "We've fought before and you know I'll win in the end."
"Until Lili comes and bails my sorry butt once more," replied Allen carelessly. "So in reality, you'll lose in the end."
"Send the Phoenix boy back to his cell!" yelled Magic Shadow angrily. "I want time with this one by himself."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Zephyr flew slowly up the face of the cliff as Lili used her wings to propel her and Holly, who hung precariously on her back, upwards as well. The found a ledge about half way up and stopped there for a short rest. Lili lay sprawled out on her back, panting slightly as she tried to regain her strength.
"Holly," she raspily wheezed, "You weren't that heavy the first several hundred feet, but that last stretch."
"I'll take her the next half," said Zephyr, getting up and shedding the packs he had carried. "You can take our stuff."
"If you're sure."
"Do you think they're ok?" Holly asked suddenly, catching Lili completely off guard.
"Yeah," replied Lili slowly, "They're all valuable for information and DNA samples for future experiments. Raymond hasn't figured out how to replicate it yet, and the samples aren't any good if the monster or human is dead."
"But you don't know how much longer that safety will last?"
"No." Lili stood back up and shouldered that packs Zephyr had dropped. "Get on Zephyr, Holly," she rasped shortly, spreading her wings, "We need to get going."
She leapt off the ledge and soared over that, quickly rising in the air. Zephyr went after her, Holly latched on tightly to his back. 'You can loosen up a little,' said Zephyr in her mind. 'I won't drop you.' Holly laughed nervously, and tried to relax her taunt muscles and white knuckles slightly.
"I really, really don't like heights," Holly whispered to herself. It took another hour of flying straight up, battling the winds and falling rocks, before they reached the top.
Holly put on her blades as Zephyr picked up the scent of their friends and their captors and Lili shrunk her wings, hiding them with her jacket. Zephyr did the same, shielding his from sight with his telepathic powers.
"You do know that everything you now know is strictly confidential, right?" Lili asked Holly.
"If that is the way you want it."
"It is." Turning back to Zephyr, she asked, "Did you figure out which way they went?"
"They headed to the north," he replied. "Probably took 'em to Jovast, that town Magic Shadow took over recently."
"Then to Jovast we go," said Lili coldly, pulling in her blades and tearing down the path before her companions could reply. She had an enemy to visit, and she wasn't going to take her time getting there.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Genki stopped pacing only when the guards dragged a half-unconscious Allen back to their cell. "Well?" asked Genki when the guards had left.
"I told that nothing, kid," said Allen wearily, "They can threaten, mock, and beat me all they like, I'll never tell 'em anything."
" Lili's wrath is the best secret keeper, hm?" asked Genki as he helped Allen sit up.
"That cousin of your could scare a full grown tiger with that temper of hers," said Allen fervently.
"She could, could she?" asked Tiger from his cell. "How are you feeling, Allen?"
"Better than when I was in Magic's torture chamber, that's for sure," Allen replied lightly, trying to take the attention off of himself. He shakily tried to stand as Genki supported him on one side.
"Easy, Allen, easy," he said with concern, keeping the older fellow from falling.
"They'll never hurt me bad enough to keep me down," boasted Allen as they hobbled around the inside of their cell. "Never."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Lili perched quietly on the branch of a tree, looking at the scene below her. A small village with a tall, ominous looking fort in the far back completely ruining the picturesque look of it all.
"So," said Zephyr below her. "What do we do now?"
"We sneak in and free our friends," said Lili quietly.
"How do you propose we do that?" asked Holly from the ground as Lili slid down beside them.
"I'll be making that up as we go."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Allen had finally stretched out all his previous 'soreness' and was now wrestling out of pure boredom with Genki. They had to keep their minds on something, and it was all they could think of.
"C'mon," Allen taunted him as they circled each other. "Afraid to fight like a man?"
"That's never been a problem for me," said Genki sarcastically. "Unlike some." He ducked as Allen swung at him, letting it pass harmlessly over his head. The circled each other some more, trying to get the other on the defensive.
'Quit acting like young boys and knock it off!' said Lili's voice in Allen's head.
"What?" Allen stopped and stood up, not noticing Genki lunging at him until he was on the floor.
"Pinned ya!" said Genki as he sat on top of Allen. "Gee, Allen, I really thought you'd see that coming."
"Lili?" asked Allen, ignoring Genki and looking around as best he could. "Where are you?"
'Shut up, you fool,' she hissed in his head. 'They can't hear me. Tell the others to get up and get ready to move. Fast. That you have a feeling helps on the way.'
Allen smiled, Genki watching him uneasily. "Are you ok, Allen?" he asked, offering a hand to help him up.
"Never been better." He got to his feet by himself and dusted off his pants. "Go wake the rest, and tell them to be ready to move. Helps on the way, though I can't tell you how I know."
"Are you sure?" asked Genki teasingly. "Are you sure that what ever it is that told you that is not just being hit hard one too many times?"
"Positive. Now go and tell them, they won't listen to me."
Genki shrugged and left Allen to calculate how much longer it would be before Lili would reach them.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
'We'll be there sooner than you think, Allen,' thought Lili to herself. They had managed to slip in a back gate that was left unattended, and were now dodging and ducking their way down the corridors, being shielded from view and detection other than tangibility by Zephyr.
'Their close,' said Zephyr telepathically, 'I can smell them.'
'Me too,' replied Lili, 'They aught to be right around the next corner.' She stopped suddenly, pulling the other two against the wall with her.
A troop of Naga/Jell/Golem tri-brids marched past, completely oblivious to them as they trudged by in perfect step down the hall.
"That was close," sighed Holly as they went down another hall.
Lili nodded slightly. "You can say that again."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Slip stretched his head around the corner again. Nope, no sign of anyone. He pulled his head back into the cell and looked at the pups. Temi was restless, and paced the length of their small cell over and over until Slip thought there should be a groove in the floor from it.
Ice, and he preferred to be called now, was on the verge of a mental collapse. Holly, the human that was acceptable, was gone. Zephyr, the blind tiger with wings, was gone, His parents might as well be gone because he couldn't see them, and the guards wouldn't let them talk since they had to shout to hear each other.
"Smile, Ice," said Slip, throwing an arm around the desolate pup's shoulders. "Genki says that helps on the way!"
"From who?" asked Ice sarcastically, "The tooth fairy?"
"Well, I wouldn't exactly call myself the tooth fairy, but if you insist," said Lili quietly as she rounded the corner.
"Lili?!" cried Genki when he heard her voice.
"Shut up, Genki!" she whispered fiercely. "Y'all have to keep quite or they'll hear us. Now give me half a sec and I'll have you all free." Taking the small dart knife from her belt buckle, she deftly picked the locks as quickly as she could.
Genki enveloped her in a hug as soon as his door was open. "Get off me, kid," she growled teasingly, "I'm sure you missed Miss Holly more than me."
He smiled, and punched her lightly on the arm before going over to Holly and giving her a hug too. "How did you manage to survive?" asked Tiger in amazement as Lili worked on his lock. May lay asleep on his back, blissfully ignorant to the chaos around her. The pups played with Slip happily around Zephyr's paws as she answered.
"I honestly can't tell you 'cuz I'm not sure myself," said Lili truthfully. "But I always keep an extra trick up my sleeve for emergencies." 'That's not a total lie,' she thought to herself, 'Because I still can't figure out how we did survive at the last second.'
Storm ran to her children as soon as soon as she was free, smothering them in wet kisses. "Cut it out, Mom," giggled Temi, "That tickles."
"Yeah," said Ice, wiping off his face with his paws.
"In to the bags pups," whispered Lili, loading the twins and Slip onto Zephyr's back before picking the final lock.
"Listen up everyone," said Zephyr quickly. "Tiger, Storm, and May are with me, the rest with Lili. If you see someone, get against the wall and don't make a sound, I'm shielding you from sight and detection, but I can't mange tangibility with this large of a group. Got it? Good, let's go."
He turned and walked back the way he, Lili and Holly had come, those he had called trailing behind him. "We'll give them a few minutes to get ahead of us before we go," Lili explained quietly as the last lock unlatched for her.
"It does my old heart good to see you three again," said Ojo, hopping slowly out of his cell.
"Thank you, Ojo," said Holly, patting him on the head. Lili just smiled, glad that they were all safe, for the moment any ways.
I told they'd survive," said Allen, winking at Lili.
"Speaking of which," said Genki from Holly's side, "How did you live through that fall?"
"Another story for another time," said Lili, checking the sun outside the cells. "It's time for us to go."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Zephyr peeked around the corner, sending his radar in every direction, the coast was clear. Beckoning to the rest in his group, they slipped like an unseen shadow out the back gate and into the woods beyond a long stretch of cleared ground to await their friends there.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
"Gee, I wish you weren't so big, Golem," Lili said quietly as they neared the gate, the woods and their safety in sight.
"Sorry," rumbled Golem, turning red. They hadn't run into any of the patrols yet, maybe they'd get lucky getting out.
"THE PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPED!!!" screamed a voice in the direction they had come. "SOUND THE ALARM!" Then again maybe not.
"Run!" yelled Lili, heading for the gate as fast as she could. Some monsters came out a room in front of them, but she slashed right through them, the group still being invisible to them. She tossed Allen a sword, having taken it from one of the fallen attackers.
Lili stopped a few feet after the gate, making sure the rest made it out after her. "Get everyone out of here!" she yelled at Genki. "Me and Z will hold them off long enough for the rest of you to get away!"
"I'm staying with you," said Allen defiantly. "I got a score to settle with Magic Shadow."
"Go with the other's Allen," ordered Lili, whistling for Zephyr to come to her. She ran towards the fort, cutting down those in her way as she battled for all she was worth. Allen ran to her side, fighting like a madman.
"You fool," whispered Lili as they were pressed back to back.
"A fool, yes," replied Allen, "But a happy fool, none the less."
Zephyr soon joined them, having left the young ones and his bags with the others and knocked most of those who were close to the deadly duo.
"Thanks, Z," panted Lili, quickly changing back to her winged form, "Now what say we take care of the rest of these ingrates?"
"Sounds good to me," he replied. The trio was able to drive their attacked back to the fort, leaving many lost disks in their path.
"Come on," said Lili when all were running back to the safety of the fort or were dead. "Let's get out of here."
"Not so fast!" cried Magic Shadow as he floated towards them. "You've stolen my prisoners and I will have some sort of payment for that!"
Lili flew high above them, Zephyr and Allen waiting to see what she would do. "I challenge you to a duel to the death, Magic Shadow!" she spat in contempt, determined to get rid of the creep once and for all.
"Your life means little to me," said Magic Shadow in a bored voice, "I have to desire to fight with you." He smiled wickedly, adding, "There is another life that shall pay, though." He pointed at Allen, yelling, "Black Needles!" A million needles, sharp enough to pierce thin metal, appeared out of nowhere, flying straight at Allen!
"Noooooooo!!!!!!!!!...."
*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*
Hehehehehehe evil laughter. A bit of a cliffy.will Allen live? Die? Or will another take his place???? I need another five reviews before you fine out, so be nice and give any comments you have, even if they aren't that nice, comments are good.