SWORD OF DARKNESS-RESCUE FIRST RETREAT LATER PART 1
(800HRS/Barking-burg city)
Claw flies on sparks back through the air on a direct line toward the castle and Ryder asked through Claws pup tag radio as they roll through the streets of the city toward the castle "What is the plan here Claw?" Claw explains his logic in choosing for them to return through the tight city streets and he is to return to the castle first, alone. "Simply put, the duke is heavily wounded and is not likely to be thinking about security at this moment, he probably believes the castle and dragon together will be able to handle any threat. After securing the castle of Barking-burg he will rest first, then impose his rule later, after he deals with his wounds. He likely threatened the earl and princess with the dragon Acheros and made them step down with force in that manor. So IF we are lucky and Princess Catherine and Earl Richard are still alive, they are likely in the dungeon. If we can get them out alive, we will leave for Adventure bay-I believe it was what you call it Ryder-there we regain our strength; Then return to take Duke William by surprise to take the sword and prevent the final battle of good and evil if we are able, even if we must Kill him; But I don't want it to come to that, but thanks for repairing my pup pack Rocky, it's working better than it ever did. That pesky pincer set was driving me crazy, going haywire all the time." The castle was in sight as the rest of the knights rounded the next street he saw them leave the edge of the city, Claw was far ahead, scanning the sky like a soldier looking for an ambush as he thinks to himself 'No sign of Acheros, that's a good thing, we may have the surprise yet.' Claw lands sparks in the center courtyard and goes on his own with the plan in his head as Sparks takes off again and the rest roll up to the castle gate, Which to no one's surprise the drawbridge was up, and there is no way inside except from above what a mere hour ago was-to a point-their castle, under the protection of Princess Catherine and Earl Richard. Claw barked out his sword and moved through the castle, which was as far as he could see was devoid of life. Not a soul moved within the halls that were-when Claw was younger-full of lively maids and butlers and other staff going about their jobs. The halls hold memories for Claw, as he makes each twist and turn with full knowledge of the castle interior committed to memory. As he passes the nursery, he stops and looks into it for a moment, then he decides to put his plan on hold for a minute as he relives a vivid memory. Claw then walks into the room with tears brimming in his eyes. He beholds the crib that once held the princess as a baby. Rearing up on his hind legs, he was unable to restrain the tears in his eyes and he rubs the armor covering the right front arm where his scar is, as a phantom pain seizes him. He remembers the time when the king and queen was nearly killed by a hired assassin, Claw was a young pup when this happened. In a whisper he says to the empty nursery room "This room is where it all started for me."
(BEGIN FLASHBACK/9 YEARS AGO)
It was late night, Claw was playing in the nursery with the princess when she was just a baby and Claw the puppy kept her too excited to sleep even at the age of 1 year old at late night. When Claw heard a light set of footsteps going past the door he was curious and left the princess, pushed the door open to the darkened hall and chased after the footsteps. His senses were active and tingling with the new information as he goes into fight or flight mode, chasing the footfalls through the halls to the royal bedroom, Claw sees a dark figure dressed in a black gym suit and mask. The assassin opens the bedroom door and removes a silenced pistol from his pocket and takes aim at the king when Claw lunges at the assassin and locks on the assassins arm with his teeth while growling. This awakens the king and queen who see the assassin throw Claw through the nearby dresser mirror at an angle. The young pup throwing up his forearms to protect his face as he crashed through the mirror, his arm was the first to hit as the mirror shattered, slicing long and deep that would leave the scar that Claw now has. Claw landed behind the dresser amid broken chunks of mirror, bleeding and in pain for the rest of the incident. Claw hears crashes, thuds then a massive scuffle, after a loud battle that lasted several minutes, there was a 'pop', then moments later, Claw hears the broken mirror holder being moved away and a hand picks him up by the scruff of his neck. Pain like Claw had never known before today roars through his body and arm, causing him to yelp loudly and repeatedly as he was hoisted from behind the dresser by the queen. The assassin is shot dead, the king is panting and holding the pistol. The Queen said to the bleeding pup as she pressed a torn chunk of her night robe to Claws bleeding arm "If you had not acted as you had, we would be dead by now." The King was in agreement "Yes, we shall make him a knight to protect the kingdom and he will still be our daughters pet. What do you say?." Claw is in awe of the offer. "I-I-I accept."
(END FLASHBACK)
Claw wipes his eyes with his forearm then lowers himself back to all fours and walks back out of the room into the hallway and closes the door with a loud 'clack' behind him with his pincers. Claw continues his rescue plan, simple as it was. Claw sneaks around the corner to the throne room on his belly, where he finds the duke sitting on the throne and looking at the sword, the dark magic was surrounding him, probing all his wounds, healing them as only the magic could do. Claw is awestruck by this as he whispered, "I may have been wrong in my plans, we may have to move now instead of waiting-but we don't have the ability to take the duke yet, we need all the strength we can get; We must wait for Chase to heal then return." Just as Claw turns around to crawl off on his belly he hears William sheath the sword and then stand as he turns his attention to Claw and he says "You could have been a knight of my court by now if you had just stayed loyal to me. But none the less I am impressed with your fighting prowess and knowledge I will give you one last chance to join me; Do so now or you will die where you stand." Claws eyes twitch downward for a moment at the offer as he considers it he then politely declines "The offer has merit, I will grant you that Duke William. But I am loyal to Princess Catherine and Earl Richard, and will be so until my death." The duke smiled darkly and says "So be it then. ACHEROS KILL THEM ALL AT ANY COST! LET NONE ESCAPE THE CITY ALIVE!" Claw realizes the trap as soon as the order leaves the dukes mouth, Acheros was nowhere around the castle because he was on the nearby mountain. Claw screamed through his pup-tag radio "KNIGHTS LOOK TO THE MOUNTAIN! AND GET OUT OF HERE NOW! THE PLAN IS UNDONE!"
(BACK OUTSIDE)
Just as the last of the words echoed through their speakers Skye took off and looked to the north. Behind the castle was a white mountain as she saw the black dragon perched atop the mountain and she looked on in fear as Acheros open his wings to their full spread and with a fierce roar he took off at full speed toward the castle. Skye turns around and shouts through her radio "Everyone, get out of there now!" The pups do as Skye says and using their vehicles they flee for the mounted golden knight statue that marks their base secret entrance. Acheros, who is unable to navigate the tight city streets uses his intelligence for he is aware of his masters permissions and makes a plan to deal with the rescue knights once and for all by filling the city with his deadly smog. He has the plan worked out then knows that he can only use the smog in small bursts in the air, he must land to use the smog in the large amount necessary to enact his plan. Having worked out the details, Acheros knows he must land and then he sees a clear landing space to fill the city with his deadly smog and makes a straight line for the town square; where there is an open space for landing. Unfortunately this is also the place where the statue and the secret entrance is. Everyone stops and Ryder says the one thing on everyone's minds "We are in so much trouble."
(INSIDE WITH CLAW AND THE DUKE)
Claw barks out his sword and says "I will give you one chance to return the sword of Caliburn, release princess and earl then surrender." The Duke grits his teeth and then says "Never! Do you know how long I've waited to rule? I have 6 siblings. 3 of which are older than me, I will never be able to rule my kingdom, so I am taking over this one." The duke then unsheathes the sword and says "Caliburn, break his mind." Claw only has time for one thought to echo through his head 'No matter how much you may bleed and even if your tears run dry, you stick to it. That's what a knight stands for!' Dark magic flows from the sword and surrounds Claw and then goes into his head, filling his mind with his own worst fears. Claw gasps as the magic takes effect and he collapses to the floor in slow panting breaths with visions filling his brain.
(SAME TIME/CITY SQUARE)
Ryder says "We have to get the dragon to take off again." The dark dragon tears the statue off the slab and tosses it to the side with one arm as his purple eyes move around the group carefully taking in all and assessing threat levels. The dragon Acheros growls in instinct and stalks toward the bunched group knowing the one who is immune to his death breath is not near, nor is the true knight who is a threat. None of these knights who are in the group are trained to deal with dragons, they know this, the only ones who can deal with Acheros is in the castle or badly wounded and inside the base already being treated.
(END SWORD OF DARKNESS-RESCUE FIRST RETREAT LATER PART 1)