Chapter 21
They were back in the dark woods again. Night had fallen. A large moon hung in the sky, stars glistening down upon them. Everything was quiet as the warriors steadily and tiredly made their way through the dark woods, angered and upset that the Damsels had not been found yet.
From the shadows ahead, a figure appeared.
"Now who is it?" Hotohori asked aloud, tired. "Are you yet another Wolf Warrior?"
"Indeed I am," came a female voice. Suddenly, the trees around them faded, and they found themselves in a desert, with nothing around them but sand and the strange female figure standing before them, cast in shadow.
"Who are you?!" Hotohori asked, taking out his sword.
Nakago growled, and his symbol lit up. Tomo touched him gently on the arm, saying, "No . . . can't you see? It's all just an illusion. Let me take care of this one."
Tomo walked passed Hotohori, who put down his sword.
"Very funny," Tomo said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I can see through your little illusion rather easily. Your power is weak." And with a snap of his fingers, they were back in the woods again.
The female figure growled and stepped forward, the moonlight hitting her features. She was tall and slender with long, dark hair and a strange crown atop her head. Why, she looked like Lady Kale from Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. (Well, at least Kristin knows what I'm talking about with that one.)
"I am Kale Wolf Warrior," the illusionist said, "and none may go forward unless through me. You have seen the works of my brothers, and you have seen how horribly weak and frail they were. I, on the other hand, am a master at what I do, and I shall see to it that you do not pass my defenses, but rather, DIE."
"We shall see about that," Tomo said, rather boredly. "Try your worst."
Vines shot up from the ground and strangled all the warriors. Tomo gave a simple, "Hm," and closing his eyes, concentrating, made the vines disappear.
Growling with anger, Kale Wolf sent daggers at each of the warriors, piercing them through. They all screamed in anguish and pain, except for Tomo, who stood his ground, snapped his fingers, and the daggers faded, and the warriors felt nothing.
"Step aside," Tomo said, "unless you want me to kill you."
"You would never kill a woman," Kale Wolf cried. "Just try!"
Suddenly, there were a million Tomo's standing around Kale Wolf, cackling loudly. She put her hands to her ears.
"Augh!" she cried in agony, dropping to her knees. "That sound . . . stop it! That's the most horrid laugh I've ever heard!"
Even the other warriors were down on their knees, their hands over their ears. But they didn't ask Tomo to stop. He was on a roll.
All the Tomos got tighter around Kale, cackling all the while. Then, their feathers rang out, and Kale Wolf was stabbed through many, many times. She cried in pain, and fell over. The Tomos stopped, cackling still, and one of them walked up to her.
"You see?" he said. "You are weak. You are no illusionist. Let us go and I'll spare your life."
"Kill me first!" Kale Wolf roared, jumping to her feet. "I shall not let any pass unless I die!"
"Very well," Tomo said, bowing his head, "Hotohori?"
Hotohori looked stunned. "I . . . I can't kill a woman! Why do you ask me?"
"You have a sword!"
Hotohori tossed his sword at Tomo. "Do it yourself, then. I hate to spill blood."
Tomo put the sword next to Kale Wolf's throat. She breathed heavily.
"Go ahead," she growled, smiling. "Just try and do it."
He started moving the blade across her throat, blood appearing, thick and dark. Kale Wolf winced in pain, then jumped up, grabbing him by the wrist.
Tomo toppled back onto the ground, with Kale Wolf on top of him. She tried to get the sword out of his grip. He kicked her off of him, holding the sword tightly. Then, he ran forward, sword poised for killing, but she jumped out of the way . . . and disappeared.
Tomo looked stunned. Then, he laughed out, "Ha! That's weak! Hiding, aren't you?"
Suddenly, Tomo found himself being strangled. He could not see where Kale Wolf was, and suddenly, the sword was wrenched form his grip and the point of it was at his throat.
Kale Wolf appeared, holding him with the sword at his throat.
"If any of you make a move," she hissed, "then the illusionist gets it."
Nakago's symbol began to glow, but Hotohori stopped him.
"Don't," he said, "you'll end up blasting Tomo out, too. There must be another way."
"Ha!" Kale Wolf laughed. "There is no other way! Ha ha ha!"
"Over my dead body there isn't!" Tasuki shouted, and sent fire over at Kale Wolf. He scorched Tomo as well, who didn't look too happy.
"Idiot!" Mitsukake said. "You're just gonna kill Tomo that way, too."
"And when did you start caring whether Tomo dies or not, huh?" Tasuki asked. "And when did you come back?"
"Got here just in time," Mitsukake said. They could see he looked rather worn out. "Don't know how I escaped them wolves. I just did, I guess."
"We can't move a finger," Miboshi groaned. "We'll just kill Tomo if we do."
"Will anybody really miss him?" Nakago said.
"NAKAGO!!"
"Sorry!"
"Ha, you're all pathetic!" Kale Wolf laughed. "Your precious Tomo will die, and you will not have the power to come past me and save those damn Damsels of yours! Finally, the Wolfdom will be complete! The Lone Wolf Warrior will take the throne and all will bow to him and love him. All will see the magnificent power of the Wolf Warriors! None shall be able to come against us, as we will be all-powerful, the best of the best of the best! What ever you do will not stop us for carrying out our plans! Whatever you do will not stop the destiny that was meant to be for our world! Whatever you do -"
But whatever else they did they never found out, for Tomo stabbed Kale Wolf with his feathers then, causing her to loose her train of thought, and scream and howl in sudden pain. He grabbed the sword from her hand, swooshed around, and quickly, cut off her head.
Everyone was in shock.
Hotohori sighed. "Though a woman, she was evil, and I congradulate you, Tomo, for doing something that was very hard for me to do."
"Nothing to it," Tomo said. He looked down at the headless corpse. "I've had . . . a rather terrible childhood, truly. I've killed people before. I'm . . . I'm not too proud of it, but . . . when it has to be done, it has to be done. It was either her or the Damsels, you know? And if you do it fast enough . . . without thinking . . ."
"It's alright," Chichiri said, noticing that Tomo was about to cry. He put an arm around his shoulder, and lead him away.
"Let's go," Hotohori said. "We must reach the Damsels as soon as we can!"
"Night has fallen," Miboshi whined. "Can't we at least stop to rest?"
Hotohori sighed. "We should, I guess. But we must be on guard."
"I can stay up," Nakago spoke up. Everyone turned and looked with bewilderment at Nakago.
"You're actually going to do something nice for us?" Tasuki asked, surprised.
Nakago grunted.
The Lone Wolf Warrior was in shock and rage. He was nearly tearing his hair out. How did they manage to pass Kale Wolf Warrior? She was one of the best of the best of the best of the Best of the BEST of the best! They shouldn't have been able to kill a woman, afterall. The Lone Wolf growled.
"That's it," he said. "No more fun and games. It's time to settle this once and for all. You Warriors of the Damsels in Distress . . . be prepared. Be warned. You are not going to wake up tomorrow morning, I will see to that . . ."
DUN DUN DUN!!
So, what's going to happen to the Warriors of the Damsels in Distress? I don't know . . . I always just sit down and start writing without really thinking about what I'm doing.
Meanwhile the Damsels slept, woke up, ate, slept some more, and played a never ending game of war between themselves. (Kailein had illusioned up some cards.)
They were back in the dark woods again. Night had fallen. A large moon hung in the sky, stars glistening down upon them. Everything was quiet as the warriors steadily and tiredly made their way through the dark woods, angered and upset that the Damsels had not been found yet.
From the shadows ahead, a figure appeared.
"Now who is it?" Hotohori asked aloud, tired. "Are you yet another Wolf Warrior?"
"Indeed I am," came a female voice. Suddenly, the trees around them faded, and they found themselves in a desert, with nothing around them but sand and the strange female figure standing before them, cast in shadow.
"Who are you?!" Hotohori asked, taking out his sword.
Nakago growled, and his symbol lit up. Tomo touched him gently on the arm, saying, "No . . . can't you see? It's all just an illusion. Let me take care of this one."
Tomo walked passed Hotohori, who put down his sword.
"Very funny," Tomo said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I can see through your little illusion rather easily. Your power is weak." And with a snap of his fingers, they were back in the woods again.
The female figure growled and stepped forward, the moonlight hitting her features. She was tall and slender with long, dark hair and a strange crown atop her head. Why, she looked like Lady Kale from Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. (Well, at least Kristin knows what I'm talking about with that one.)
"I am Kale Wolf Warrior," the illusionist said, "and none may go forward unless through me. You have seen the works of my brothers, and you have seen how horribly weak and frail they were. I, on the other hand, am a master at what I do, and I shall see to it that you do not pass my defenses, but rather, DIE."
"We shall see about that," Tomo said, rather boredly. "Try your worst."
Vines shot up from the ground and strangled all the warriors. Tomo gave a simple, "Hm," and closing his eyes, concentrating, made the vines disappear.
Growling with anger, Kale Wolf sent daggers at each of the warriors, piercing them through. They all screamed in anguish and pain, except for Tomo, who stood his ground, snapped his fingers, and the daggers faded, and the warriors felt nothing.
"Step aside," Tomo said, "unless you want me to kill you."
"You would never kill a woman," Kale Wolf cried. "Just try!"
Suddenly, there were a million Tomo's standing around Kale Wolf, cackling loudly. She put her hands to her ears.
"Augh!" she cried in agony, dropping to her knees. "That sound . . . stop it! That's the most horrid laugh I've ever heard!"
Even the other warriors were down on their knees, their hands over their ears. But they didn't ask Tomo to stop. He was on a roll.
All the Tomos got tighter around Kale, cackling all the while. Then, their feathers rang out, and Kale Wolf was stabbed through many, many times. She cried in pain, and fell over. The Tomos stopped, cackling still, and one of them walked up to her.
"You see?" he said. "You are weak. You are no illusionist. Let us go and I'll spare your life."
"Kill me first!" Kale Wolf roared, jumping to her feet. "I shall not let any pass unless I die!"
"Very well," Tomo said, bowing his head, "Hotohori?"
Hotohori looked stunned. "I . . . I can't kill a woman! Why do you ask me?"
"You have a sword!"
Hotohori tossed his sword at Tomo. "Do it yourself, then. I hate to spill blood."
Tomo put the sword next to Kale Wolf's throat. She breathed heavily.
"Go ahead," she growled, smiling. "Just try and do it."
He started moving the blade across her throat, blood appearing, thick and dark. Kale Wolf winced in pain, then jumped up, grabbing him by the wrist.
Tomo toppled back onto the ground, with Kale Wolf on top of him. She tried to get the sword out of his grip. He kicked her off of him, holding the sword tightly. Then, he ran forward, sword poised for killing, but she jumped out of the way . . . and disappeared.
Tomo looked stunned. Then, he laughed out, "Ha! That's weak! Hiding, aren't you?"
Suddenly, Tomo found himself being strangled. He could not see where Kale Wolf was, and suddenly, the sword was wrenched form his grip and the point of it was at his throat.
Kale Wolf appeared, holding him with the sword at his throat.
"If any of you make a move," she hissed, "then the illusionist gets it."
Nakago's symbol began to glow, but Hotohori stopped him.
"Don't," he said, "you'll end up blasting Tomo out, too. There must be another way."
"Ha!" Kale Wolf laughed. "There is no other way! Ha ha ha!"
"Over my dead body there isn't!" Tasuki shouted, and sent fire over at Kale Wolf. He scorched Tomo as well, who didn't look too happy.
"Idiot!" Mitsukake said. "You're just gonna kill Tomo that way, too."
"And when did you start caring whether Tomo dies or not, huh?" Tasuki asked. "And when did you come back?"
"Got here just in time," Mitsukake said. They could see he looked rather worn out. "Don't know how I escaped them wolves. I just did, I guess."
"We can't move a finger," Miboshi groaned. "We'll just kill Tomo if we do."
"Will anybody really miss him?" Nakago said.
"NAKAGO!!"
"Sorry!"
"Ha, you're all pathetic!" Kale Wolf laughed. "Your precious Tomo will die, and you will not have the power to come past me and save those damn Damsels of yours! Finally, the Wolfdom will be complete! The Lone Wolf Warrior will take the throne and all will bow to him and love him. All will see the magnificent power of the Wolf Warriors! None shall be able to come against us, as we will be all-powerful, the best of the best of the best! What ever you do will not stop us for carrying out our plans! Whatever you do will not stop the destiny that was meant to be for our world! Whatever you do -"
But whatever else they did they never found out, for Tomo stabbed Kale Wolf with his feathers then, causing her to loose her train of thought, and scream and howl in sudden pain. He grabbed the sword from her hand, swooshed around, and quickly, cut off her head.
Everyone was in shock.
Hotohori sighed. "Though a woman, she was evil, and I congradulate you, Tomo, for doing something that was very hard for me to do."
"Nothing to it," Tomo said. He looked down at the headless corpse. "I've had . . . a rather terrible childhood, truly. I've killed people before. I'm . . . I'm not too proud of it, but . . . when it has to be done, it has to be done. It was either her or the Damsels, you know? And if you do it fast enough . . . without thinking . . ."
"It's alright," Chichiri said, noticing that Tomo was about to cry. He put an arm around his shoulder, and lead him away.
"Let's go," Hotohori said. "We must reach the Damsels as soon as we can!"
"Night has fallen," Miboshi whined. "Can't we at least stop to rest?"
Hotohori sighed. "We should, I guess. But we must be on guard."
"I can stay up," Nakago spoke up. Everyone turned and looked with bewilderment at Nakago.
"You're actually going to do something nice for us?" Tasuki asked, surprised.
Nakago grunted.
The Lone Wolf Warrior was in shock and rage. He was nearly tearing his hair out. How did they manage to pass Kale Wolf Warrior? She was one of the best of the best of the best of the Best of the BEST of the best! They shouldn't have been able to kill a woman, afterall. The Lone Wolf growled.
"That's it," he said. "No more fun and games. It's time to settle this once and for all. You Warriors of the Damsels in Distress . . . be prepared. Be warned. You are not going to wake up tomorrow morning, I will see to that . . ."
DUN DUN DUN!!
So, what's going to happen to the Warriors of the Damsels in Distress? I don't know . . . I always just sit down and start writing without really thinking about what I'm doing.
Meanwhile the Damsels slept, woke up, ate, slept some more, and played a never ending game of war between themselves. (Kailein had illusioned up some cards.)