Disclaimer: I own nothing.
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Chapter Two (Lunpa):
The party of seven burst into the gates of Lunpa, meeting a lot of resistance.
"Searing Beam!" Jenna conjured at the small army. One fourth of their number perished, but the numbers were quickly growing.
"Megiddo!" Felix leaped with his glowing Sol Blade.
"Judgment!" Isaac summoned the angel of death upon the army.
"Spark Plasma!" Ivan rained a barrage of lightning bolts upon the men. They didn't know what hit them. Suddenly, more of Dodonpa's men flooded from the caves. They also flooded from tunnels and trenches. The seven wondered how their forces could stand against so many, but if anyone could do it, they could. After all, who stood against four of the most powerful adepts, then faced off against the Wise One's three-headed Meteor Dragon atop Mars Lighthouse?
"Go!" Piers called as he slashed forward, tearing a small gap through the ever-increasing crowd. Felix pushed through, followed closely by Jenna.
"Revive." Isaac cast on Ivan.
"Don't worry about it Isaac!" Piers insisted, "Ivan, Mia, Garet, and I will handle them." An arrow pierced his arm. Piers screamed. "Ply!" He added, then, "Boreas!" A gigantic shadow loomed over the crowd. As their determined eyes scanned it, they gaped. What should be standing over them, seemingly having flown down from the sky was none other than a giant snow cone machine. But since giant snow cone machines weren't invented then, they didn't suspect this. They didn't suspect the delicious frozen goodness could be conceived from the machine that would literally freeze every one of their fibers. The ones that could screamed in peril as the ice engulfed them. The ones that couldn't… well… they won't be saying anything for a while… or moving for that matter. Still others flooded out of the caves, replacing their incapacitated numbers. Pretty soon, the army that stood before the seven doubled.
Mia healed Ivan and Garet as they launched a full head on assault. "Come on, Isaac!" Felix pulled his comrade forcefully to the gates of Dodonpa's lair. Isaac continued to struggle.
"I'm not leaving them! They'll die!"
"Come on!" Felix insisted.
"No!" Isaac pleaded. "I can't leave them!"
"They're stronger than this, Isaac! They'll live! Just as they did atop Mars Lighthouse! Kraden, for that matter, won't if we wait any longer!" Felix yelled as he dragged Isaac inside. He finally stopped struggling as he remembered the wise scholar.
"You're right." Isaac whispered.
"Lead the way!" Felix called to Jenna, still holding on the Isaac's sleeve. Felix nudged Isaac in front of him.
They spent several minutes, weaving through the corridors of Dodonpa's lair. All was silent with Jenna in the lead, Isaac in the middle, and Felix at the rear. No conversation was made as everyone's attention was on their thoughts. How had the others fared? Was it possible that Dodonpa's forces could overwhelm the Chosen Ones? Had everything been a waste? They had survived for so long, despite so many obstacles, that it would seem a waste to die on the hands of Dodonpa the evil thief. No, Isaac told himself, I have to trust them.
Finally they came upon the final chamber where Isaac, Garet, Ivan, and Mia had once battled Toadonpa. It was still damp and filthy. No doubt it hadn't been used since Dodonpa had been locked up. Donpa, of course, was too sickly and probably didn't know what was going on. That or Dodonpa had already killed his own father.
"So…" Dodonpa spoke, almost bored. But there was resentment in his voice, "You've finally come. The blue-haired adept said you would." He paused to examine their angered faces as he mentioned the mysterious Adept. "I suppose you're here to kill me… or perhaps… something else?"
"Where's Alex?" Felix demanded. Isaac was too angry for words, while Jenna slinked to the side, ready for action.
"Ah… so the little ingrate has a name…" Dodonpa commented wryly. "He's not here. Trust me, if he were, I'd have killed him."
"What?" Isaac asked incredulously. "You two are obviously on the same side!"
"Hardly." Dodonpa smirked. "Seems he ran off after we revived him and found one of the rocks that fell from the sky. Took the old man and ran north through the mountains. Didn't stop there, though, did he? He infiltrated my private dock and stole one of my ships."
"When did this happen?" Jenna asked incredulously. Clearly she didn't believe the little snake.
"Not long before your arrival. Of course I had the men stationed at the caves, as I didn't think you'd be so rude as to knock down my front door and all."
Jenna's face blushed. "Ah… yes… the wooden door, now was it? The… rotten… flammable one?"
"Flammable? Yes… Rotten? Hardly." Dodonpa walked up to her. "I will allow you passage to the mountain tunnels and into the docks, in exchange for Alex."
"What do you mean?" asked Isaac.
"Alex owed us, but in return he stole from Lunpa. My father is long dead, but he's taught me the value of nobility. Although I would like to puncture his chest until I can feel his very heart beat rapidly… I cannot. Instead, I would like him contained in prison. The best prison in Angara besides the one down at Vault." Dodonpa offered.
"What makes you think we trust you?" Asked Jenna incredulously again. She raised her staff ready to attack, to prove Dodonpa's treachery with a misstep from his web of lies.
"You've got no choice." Dodonpa reasoned. "You go now, you can catch him. You don't… well… you lose him forever."
"Why don't you go and get him." Jenna snarled. "Or is this another one of your pathetic traps? Your underhanded maneuver to kill us while our backs are turned like trusting little—"
"Jenna…" Felix warned.
Dodonpa smiled weakly. "Yes, I suppose I deserve that. No, I do not plan any tricks, for my bag of them has been thrown aside. I, although as hard to believe as it is, want nothing more than justice for Lunpa. I cannot pursue him, for what happens when I catch him? Truth be told, I don't do my own fighting and Toadonpa has long died."
"I understand." Felix sighed. "Lead the way."
Dodonpa smiled weakly as he inserted a jewel into the head of a Minotaur on the wall. Rocks slid aside to reveal a doorway. They stepped inside and walked down the stairs and followed the corridors at a full sprint.
"Jenna." Felix breathed as Dodonpa ran in front unaware. "Go back to the others and tell them we will be pursuing Alex. Meet us at Gondowan Passage."
"You and Isaac will go alone?" Jenna asked hotly. "I get to miss the action?"
"It can't be helped, Jenna. Isaac and I have to do without you for now, but we'll meet up with you—for heavens' sake, Jenna, I have no time for this right now. Get help and we'll meet up with you at Gondowan Passage. Here's the Hover Jade." Felix thrust the jade into Jenna's hands and watched her disappear back fuming. I'll apologize to her later, Felix told himself, when I can.
They finally came upon a staircase leading up and out of the cave. "Hey, where's Jenna?" Isaac asked as he noticed the missing member.
"I sent her to get help." Felix explained. "Dodonpa, you have two ships remaining, I see… may we borrow one to pursue Alex with?"
"Of course," Dodonpa said, "What else did you have in mind? Alex stole an old ship given to me by my father called the Starsearcher. It's very old and creaky. My grandfather used it frequently back in his day, so the ship to the right, Lunara, should be able to catch up to it without a problem."
"Thank you, Dodonpa." Felix said. "We appreciate your help."
"Just get the man who stole my father's ship." Dodonpa waved. As the ship sailed down closer to the horizon, he smiled. "Okay, Alex." He said to himself, "I did my part of the bargain… now it's your turn."
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A/N:
Midiot: How was that? I had the second chapter done already after I read your review, so I sorta added a bit more to it. Tell me what you think.
