Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or the assassin known as Chaos/Kyle.
Here we go, the extended version. I'm really hoping I get more reviews for this one than the other one. No offense to Chaos, I was just hoping for, you know, more. Just remember to visit United Cutlery's web site, and read the story of the Swords of the Ancients.
*~*~* flashback
*~* dreamscape
The Assassin: Nemesis
Chapter 8
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Kim couldn't get her head around this situation, nor could she get away from Esadis. Somehow with his massive muscles and heavy weapon, he was stronger than her, obviously, and insanely fast. She continued to dodge, but was losing ground fast. He raised the axe over his head and was about to cleave her in two, when she rolled between his legs. Before she could even get to her feet she had to roll to the side to avoid the axe.
"Stay still, I'll be sure to make it quick," he said shifting the axe from one hand to the other.
"Sorry, but I can't do that," she got to her feet and was about to run.
Suddenly she felt an intense pain in her back. Esadis had thrown his weapon, and had hit her with the blunt of the head, between the two blades. Holding out his hand, a cord shot out of his palm, wrapping around the handle and pulling it back to his hand. He advanced on the fallen heroine, muscles in his arms rippling as he raised the axe.
"Get away from her!" Shego yelled and threw one of her shotels, a chain attached the pommel extending as if by magic.
Esadis' arm became a metal plate, which deflected the shotel. But once he moved it aside to say something to Shego, another shotel caught him in his exposed chest. He looked down at it and wrenched it from his ribcage, which healed almost instantly. He then yanked on the chain, almost pulling Shego off her feet, but she held tight, bracing her feet against the stone.
Though he didn't have eyes in the back of his head, Esadis could sense Bonnie and Ron coming up behind him. He blocked both attacks with his axe, throwing the two teens to the ground. Luciender flew from Bonnie's hand, skidding across the pyramid to stop right in front of Quetzalcoatl. He was about to pick it up when it up and disappeared.
He turned and saw Nox holding the sword and smiling, her demon eye open. Then, just as quickly as she was there, she was gone. Quetzalcoatl wasn't sure if it was of her own power, or Luciender's power. He knew of the swords that the Ancients had commissioned the Dark Elves to forge. Luciender revealed what was hidden, while hiding the wielder. Morthoseth was its opposite.
"I wonder, is Anathar (sword of Power) here as well?" he wondered.
The sound of a gunshot rang out over the petrified trees, and Esadis' face exploded outward. The hole where his face had once been was a complete contrast to the small hole in the back of his head. Everyone turned to see Chaos standing there with his gun drawn and still aimed at the fallen body of the shape-shifter.
"That takes care of him," he holstered his gun and looked at the others.
*****
Nate looked down at Molotoch, the sword of the Slayer, contrast to Cinthorc. He had forgotten, in his years since receiving the ten swords from the Mithrodin (© Kit Rae). He had forgotten that there was a price to gaining such power. A price of equal value to what the sword was used for. This was bad, he had used Cinthorc to save Kyle, something that used a great deal of the sword's power. The wielder was never told what the price was, but he had a fairly good idea.
"You wanted to preserve order in the world of mortals, see what you've done?" he asked no one; he knew the ancients were gone from this place called Ammon (Ammon is © Kit Rae).
Then it his him, he had given Luciender to Bonnie, what had she used it for, what price would she pay. A prince had once used Luciender to save his kingdom, and lost his life in the process. He had been thinking of using Molotoch to defeat Quetzalcoatl, but that would most likely cost him one of two things, his own life or Bonnie, he didn't want to think of either one.
"I'll have to use it, though, they did lock it away for good reason," he said as he pulled out Ulmethar (© Kit Rae), the Key. "But there is no other choice, that is the only sword that requires no price."
He slashed at the air with Ulmethar, opening an instant doorway to his destination.
*****
A bright flash blinded the others atop the pyramid as Nate stepped through. He quickly surveyed the scene before him: Quetzalcoatl was looking somewhat irritable, Ron looked weary but alive, Shego was seeing to Kim, and healing her injuries, Bonnie stood next to Nox, taking Luciender back, and Aeris was just walking up the stairs with Tara.
'Good, they're all safe and sound,' he thought and then looked towards the glowing center square. "I'll need Luciender."
He walked over to Bonnie and she gave him the sword, not even needing to be asked. They shared a silent embrace before he asked her something.
"Bonnie, what did you do with Luciender?"
"I cut off Raven's arm," she said then saw his look of urgency. "Why?"
"No reason, forget it," he said and walked to the center square.
After placing his hand over the center, that seemed to be pulsing, but he didn't feel the presence of the sword. He didn't understand, this was where Salek told him it would be. Salek being one of the Mithrodin who had known where Anathar was hidden. Unless he had lied, just in case he had been speaking to Quetzalcoatl.
'Well, I don't blame him,' he thought as he stood up.
He grabbed the shoulder of his cloak and threw it off him, revealing himself to be wearing a harness around his chest, that held the sheathed Molotoch and Cinthorc. Around his waist was a belt that held Morthoseth and Luciender. Strapped to his left boot was a dagger, the Shadowslayer (© Kit Rae). He unsheathed Molotoch, and unhooked the harness, throwing Cinthorc behind him, to be caught by Shego. He left the other two at his waist, they would get in the way much. Reaching down, he removed the dagger from around his ankle and tossed that to Shego as well.
About to take a step forward, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Kyle was holding him back, an unreadable look on his face. His eyes were closed, so there was no point in reading those, and his thoughts were racing a mile a minute. Despair was clenched in his right hand, the blade's point just and inch above the floor.
"Nate, let me have the first shot," he said in a deathly calm voice. "You may have saved me from that life, but that doesn't mean I'm not guilty. I have to atone for my sins."
"Yes, dying an honorable death will do that," Nate replied. "You'll be with Lisa soon, Kyle."
"Thank you," he stepped around Nate and held his sword at ready.
"Oh, you want to try your luck," Quetzalcoatl said with a smirk from ear to ear. "Well come on then."
A second later Despair clashed with the pike, causing sparks and lightening to fly in all directions. Nate had no need to shield himself, and left Shego to shield herself and the others. The two combatants continued to do battle. Kyle slashed again and again, but the god he was fighting never even moved, except to block with the pike. After a few minutes Despair wasn't fairing too well; the edge has nicks and dents in it, and a hairline fracture had started to form. It wouldn't be long now.
Finally Quetzalcoatl was tired of playing, and went on the offensive. He struck Kyle's sword with the pike at full power, causing the crack to spread. With the next attack Despair shattered, the pieces falling to the ground. After ditching the sword, Kyle punched Quetzalcoatl, not even phasing him. The next strike of the pike was straight through the center of Kyle's chest. The blood-soaked blade punched through its victim's back, dripping the blood to the floor. He yanked the pike out and kicked Kyle in the face, sending him sprawled at Nate's feet.
"Well, I...guess...(cough)...this is...(cough)...goodbye," he said in a broken voice, coughing up blood as he spoke.
"Goodbye," Nate said as Kyle's body simply faded away. 'Like dust in the wind.'
He stooped down and picked up the only thing remaining, a small locket on a golden chain. The inscription on the back read 'Kyle and Lisa', and opening it he saw Kyle, with his arms around Lisa from behind, with his head on her shoulder. He closed the locket and slipped it into his pocket, later he would put it on Lisa's grave, if he could find it. Looking up he decided to try a little something.
"Ah, the brilliant lights of the sky, how they flicker," he said in a low voice.
"What?"
"When was the last time you looked at the stars, Quetzalcoatl?" Nate asked looking his brother in the face.
"The day you put me in that god-forsaken abyss," he said while shifting to pike to a better position.
"That was the same day I last looked. Kinda funny."
"How is that funny?"
"I'm not talking about the stars, I was just thinking about how our colors are reversed. Me with the dark colors of green and black, while you've been giving the colors of good, white and gold. It's kinda funny really."
"Hm, I guess it is a little funny when you think about it."
Together they laughed, but not a fake laugh, a real laugh. But, even though they were smiling and laughing, their eyes never lost the burning hatred for each other. The others looked on, confused, except Aeris, who couldn't help but smile. The reason they were confused was because the two gods, without thinking, had reverted to speaking their own language.
All of sudden the laughter stopped, and the two were simply gone. They couldn't be seen until a loud sound of metal on metal filled the air. In the air they had connected, Molotoch and the pike, Molotoch's blade being blocked between the two blades of the pike. Both had their wings out, tails whipping all over, trying to grab and trap the other. Nate finally broke the stalemate by kicking Quetzalcoatl in the stomach, hard, causing him to lurch and lose his position.
Sparks flew as the two blades slid passed each other, and Nate, taking advantage of his position, swung full around in mid-air and was about to deliver the finishing blow. He was thwarted, though, when Quetzalcoatl smacked his arms with his tail, causing Molotoch to shift and only hit him with the blade turned sideways, making it more like a paddle. It may saved his life, but that doesn't mean that no damage was done.
The next moment they were gone again, and every few seconds the sounds out metal on metal, or scales on scales would be heard. In a brilliant flash of white lightening, Nate was thrown back and into the forest again, taking out a few of the trees on his way. Quetzalcoatl leveled the pike and was ready to fire after him. In a flash of light, his target was gone, having used Ulmethar to escape. The white-scaled god whipped around and the two weapons clashed as Nate appeared.
"Told you I've improved," Quetzalcoatl growled.
"Not from what I can see," Nate said as he pulled himself fully from the portal he created.
Nate's tail whipped out and finally hit its mark, Quetzalcoatl's tail, the forked tip wrapping around it. He held it there, keeping his brother from going anywhere. He then took one hand off of Molotoch, invoking its power to allow him enough strength to hold him off with one hand, and grabbed the pike. White and green lightening flashed out all around them as he tried to pull it away. So long as he had his hand on the pike, and being the pike's true owner, he would be able to stop its power from flowing.
'I hate to do this, but it must be done,' he brought Molotoch up and slashed down, through the pike.
The energy released was enough to throw them apart, Nate losing grip on Quetzalcoatl's tail and being thrown down to the pyramid, while his brother was thrown up into the sky. When he landed he impacted the stones hard enough that they cracked and the stones that were forced out of the way curled up and fell on him.
Bonnie was about to run over when she felt a clawed hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Aeris, her aloof expression gone, replaced with one of fear. Ron and Kim held Shego back from helping, and Nox had a bit of a confused expression.
"We have to get down from here," Aeris commanded while pulling Bonnie with her towards the edge. "NOW!"
That got everyone moving towards the stairs, and they were soon making their way to the ground. Before the pile of rocks were out of sight, a light was shining through the cracks. From the sky a shaft of pure white lanced down and bathed the rocks in light. All at once the sides exploded outward as great, black, feathered expanses burst forth and continued to extend, longer and longer. Finally the rocks on top were demolished and Nate stood up, the wings continuing to grow from his back. His head was bowed, eyes closed, in his hand was Molotoch, which he threw away, landing in Aeris' hands.
It was impossible to tell just how large the wings were when another pair began to grow from just below the first pair. These grew till they were slightly smaller than the two upper wings, meaning they were just as immeasurable. They were much much larger than any of the others could remember them being, except Aeris, she had seen this before. There was nothing now that could stop what was about to happen. And what was about to happen, she didn't want to think about.
"Aeris, what's going on?!" Nox asked over the howl of the wind that had just whipped around them, caused by the slight twitch of a wing.
"The pike's been broken, so now there's nothing to keep his power in check!" she yelled back. "Either he has to expel all the excess energy, or it'll destroy him from the inside out."
"I'm guessing neither one has better consequences?"
"Not really."
Meanwhile, up in the sky, Quetzalcoatl was holding the two halves of the pike, its power completely gone. He desperately tried to put it back together, even spitting on both ends and placing it together, that didn't work too well. Now he was mad, and with that anger came a transformation. His body began to lengthen, his face bulging into a snout, tendrils whipping out on either side of his nose. As his hands grew he let the two halves fall down into the forest.
Within a few seconds he was in his natural state, a massive, white dragon. I have come up with an easy way of describing these dragons without going into a boring paragraph of details. Imagine Shenron (the Eternal Dragon) from DBZ/GT, with large wings on either shoulder, and white of course. And instead of the fur on the sides of his face, there would be feathers.
With his enhanced sight, the pyramid glowed with an unnatural light, a light he couldn't understand. But that light, which was so welcoming to him, was quickly being blotted out. It wasn't just the pyramid, but a shadow was quickly spreading over the forest as well. He looked deeper, and saw feathers on the shadow, and those feathers were connected to wings, and those wings were connected to...Kul.
'This isn't right, how can he have that much power?' he thought to himself. 'Where is it coming from?'
He didn't know what Aeris knew, he didn't know of Kul's connection to the pike. He had wondered exactly why they were the only two left, well, he knew why he was here, but didn't know why Kul hadn't died with the others. It was beginning to make sense to him though; he was beginning to understand why they died. Their weapons had been lost and broken, while the pike had been hidden away, and Kul descended to the ethereal plane, seeing as how humans had no need of gods to protect them.
'I understand now,' he thought turning in a circle. 'Their own power destroyed them, but I...I am above that. I never had weapon, therefore it cannot destroy me.'
He quickly began to descend, mouth opening in preparation to swallow his brother.
-----
Nate, on the other hand, wasn't fairing as well as his brother. The pain inside of him was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He had been stabbed, sliced, cut (yes, there is a difference), burned, shot, tortured, and even killed, but none of those even held a candle the pain he felt. But there was something odd about this pain, it was far off, like he was feeling a slight soreness from an old wound that had hurt.
'So, this is what it's like,' he thought not daring to open his eyes, he didn't know what would happen. 'But maybe this was supposed to happen.'
Slowly his body began to ripple and bulge, lengthening, becoming scaly and feathered. Blade/feathers tore through his back, his clothing long having been absorbed. His wings had stopped growing, now his body was growing to match them. As he grew he could feel the pain draining away, becoming more distant. His body stopped growing, twice as large as it had been before. Making him now over a thousand feet long, and his upper wings almost a mile wide on either side, the lower about three-quarters of that.
Finally he opened his eyes, his vision, if possible, even clearer than it was before. He saw everything, including the white dragon who was diving at him. This was to be expected of someone like Quetzalcoatl, headstrong.
'Like someone else I once knew,' Nate thought to himself with a slight chuckle. 'Now to blow off some steam.'
He was easily twice as large as his brother, and ten times more powerful, but that didn't mean he would win. It just mean he had a better chance of winning. His mouth opened and from it fired a stream of green lightening, headed straight for Quetzalcoatl. His brother easily dodged and continued to dive.
'We end this now Kul.'
'Yes,' he fired again, multiple shots this time.
One of them grazed his brother's side, causing a burn that went right down to the skin. It quickly healed as he got closer. At the last second Quetzalcoatl veered off course, upon seeing just how large Kul was. He had figured it to simply be a trick of the light. What he hadn't seen, though, was Kul's tail lashing out and striking him across the face, sending him down into the forest.
-----
The others watched from below, in awe of the sheer size of the two dragons, Bonnie and Nox most of all. Neither of them had ever seen Nate like this, and weren't even blinking, trying to catch every moment. It was hard to keep their eyes open, because of the wind still being produced by the four large wings above them. Even though the wings were monstrous in proportion to the body, it didn't hinder his speed at all. Instead, the wings stretched and pulled when he moved, always staying at the same altitude, which was much higher than the two dragons.
"Think he'll win?" Tara asked.
"Of course he will," Bonnie said quickly.
"If the energy inside doesn't destroy him first," Aeris said leaning against a tree. 'He has to find something to replace the pike, soon.'
"Aeris, is there any way that he can stop what's happening?"
"He has to transfer his power to a weapon that is compatible with it."
'I think I know just the weapon,' Shego thought.
"Aeris, how do you know all this?" Nox asked, even though she had gotten to know the demoness, she had neglected to find out how she knew so much about Kukulkan.
"Shego, Nate brought the scythe, right?" Kim asked in a whisper.
"Yeah, he did."
"Can't that be used?"
"Let's hope so."
-----
Nate opened his mouth and fired a large bolt of lightening right at Quetzalcoatl, who was starting the burrow under ground. The bolt struck just as he disappeared beneath the petrified trees and grass. He was about to follow when someone's thoughts butted into his own.
'Nate, can't you transfer the power to the scythe?' it was Shego.
'Yes, I could, but I'm busy right now,' he said. 'Oh, and you might want to get back on the pyramid, he's coming up beneath you.'
'Right.'
He turned around and saw them about halfway up the steps, just as Quetzalcoatl burst through the ground. Taking this opportunity, he dove forward, opening his jaws wide, and clamping them down on his brother's neck. There were two howls of pain as Quetzalcoatl circled around and sank his teeth into Nate's neck as well.
'There has to be a way to get it here,' he thought then it hit him.
The shadow vanished from the sky, and the massive dragon disappeared. Quetzalcoatl's teeth closed on air as Nate, now human, leapt away. He had Ulmethar in his hand as he ran through the trees, making sure there was enough distance between himself and Quetzalcoatl to have time.
When he felt he was far enough away, he slashed the air with Ulmethar, and reached through, grasping the pole of his scythe. The sound of crashing trees made him jump slightly, as he pulled the scythe through. Another slash of Ulmethar and he was atop the pyramid, with all four swords, floating above him. The swords dropped from the air and slid into the four keyholes that I mentioned last chapter. The lines of the shape around him began to glow a bright green.
"Kal rani shimot gre," he said raising the scythe over his head.
The runes on the blade, which usually shown an almost unseen shade of red, were now green, and dancing along the blade. New patterns were formed upon the blade as the lines came to rest in their proper places. He brought the blade down and slammed it into the stone, causing a great pain to shoot through his chest, but it quickly passed as a column of green light engulfed him, lancing upwards, into the sky. Clouds began to gather, soon the two moons were overcast, and the land was bathed in shadow, the only light coming from the pillar of energy.
-----
'No,' Quetzalcoatl yelled in thought as he saw the light. 'I've seen this before.'
-----
"Do it Kul," Aeris said quietly.
'Nate, please be okay,' Bonnie thought.
-----
The light receded down into a pillar little more than four feet in diameter, and even that began to recede. Little by little, Nate was exposed, the blade of the scythe appeared first, cutting its way through the curtain of green, then hands clutching the pole, then a long, green braid appeared, held down by a thick metal ring, then his chest, legs, shoulders, and finally his head, tilted back. His head slowly moved to look forward, eyes opening, the white part was black, while the iris remained green, though there was no pupil.
Small sparks of lightening jumped all over his body, like a super Sayan (or Seijin, depends on if you prefer the English or actual spelling). The parts of his hair that were too short for the braid were standing out like blades from his head. When he lifted his foot to step forward, little bolts of lightening snapped between his shoe and the stone. Tendons and muscles rippled as he continued forward, approaching the edge. Once he reached it, green feathered wings sprung from his back and small snaps of green electricity flashed from the tips of the now blade-like feathers and the ground. No longer were the feathers like those of a soaring bird, these looked more like curved swords stuck to his wings, they even gleamed with a metallic sheen.
The others all looked up him, looks of amazement mixed with fear and admiration were on their faces, even Aeris. She had never expected him to actually take the swords into himself. He now had eight swords within himself, Elexorin and Kilgorin (Swords of War and Darkness), Anathros and Valermos (Swords of Earth and Fire), Luciender and Morthoseth (Swords of Light and Shadow), and Cinthorc and Molotoch (Swords of Justice and the Slayer). The only swords unaccounted for were Anathar (Sword of Power) and the other, which may be forever lost to the sands of time.
"Tu, oki weh asx (translation: Now, to end this)," he said softly and whipped his tail down the pyramid and into a surprised Aeris' top, emerging with the other half of the key.
"That tickled," Aeris couldn't help but giggle, while receiving a glare from both Bonnie and Nox.
Not to be left out, Quetzalcoatl took to the air, launching balls of lightening at Nate, who simply sent them away with a flick of his wrist. He then lifted the scythe up over his head and with one swing, sent a dozen small blades flying at his brother. The blades moving with an obvious flight plan as the severed quets wings from his shoulders, momentarily dropping him to the ground. Reaching into his pocket he took out the other half of the key. And, finally speaking in English, he said:
"GO BACK WHERE YOU BELONG!" and he slammed the two halves together.
Winds the likes of which would usually signal a massive hurricane kicked up, and grew in strength, actually swaying the petrified trees. In the sky, behind Quetzalcoatl, was what looked like a distortion in the very fabric of reality, which was technically what it was. It finally exploded outward, becoming something like the portal from the Hot Wheels: Highway 35 thing (don't get me wrong, I saw it on CN, it was pretty cool). Long tentacles whipped out and wrapped around Quetzalcoatl's arm, legs, tail, and his wings, pulling him towards it.
"WHAT?! NO!" he struggled, of course, but absolutely no ground was gained, the abyss' grip is inescapable, without help (I believe I explained that).
Once Quetzalcoatl was fully inside the vortex, more tentacles came out and headed for Aeris, seeing as how her sentence wasn't finished. But Nate wasn't going to have this, Aeris had proved herself to be fully reformed, besides, Sashna had complained how it got lonely at the temple. He pulled the two halves apart and the portal closed, severing the tentacles, which dissipated.
The key fell to the ground and Nate's body soon followed, shrinking down to his full human form. The wounds he'd suffered from the battle didn't automatically heal themselves. This is what Bonnie, who had run up to him with tears streaking her face, was wondering now. Slowly she lifted his body and turned him over, cradling his upper body on her lap, not even caring about the blood. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled it away from his face.
"Those wounds were inflicted to him by his own weapon," Aeris said crouching next to her. "They'll take awhile to heal, but the scars will remain."
"I don't care about that, I just want to know if he's going to live?" Bonnie snapped holding Nate tighter to her, almost possessively.
"Bonnie, uy bok myu," he said softly.
"He said he'll be fine," the jet black demoness translated.
Shego came over and placed a hand on Bonnie's shoulder, causing the girl to shiver slightly. She struggled to her feet, trying to drag Nate up with her; Shego had to step in to help her. Nate may not have looked like he weighed anything over 150 pounds, when he actually weighed about 190. Right now, with them all very worn out, he felt like he weighed a ton. Bonnie was able to support him with Nox's help, seeing as how Shego went to tend to Kim. Ron followed with Tara, and Aeris stood by the center of the pyramid, waiting.
They gathered around her, realizing that with Nate near unconscious, she was the only one who could take them home.
'Well, I guess the swords are safer within him than without him,' was Aeris' last thought before concentrating on taking them home.
*****
A month later, Bonnie's eyes opened to the sound of the door closing. When her eyes focused, she could see that Nate, who she had her arm curled around, was gone. Getting up, she saw that the gauze and bandages were in heap next to the bed. She pulled the sheets off the bed and wrapped them around herself, stepping out into the hallway. The sound of another door closing alerted her to his leaving the house. Making her way down the stairs, she one hand on the sheet, and the other on the rail.
When she entered the kitchen, she could see him through the windows, standing with his arms slightly spread, and palms up, head facing the morning sun. His hair had returned to its original five foot long braid, with the silver ring at the end. As she watched, long slits opened in his back, and his wings unfolded, no longer the blads, stretching from fence to fence, almost seventy feet. The wings then shrunk down till each was just ten feet.
Slowly he turned around, the wings folding around his shoulders. His now permanently scarred body was mostly exposed, since he was only wearing a pair of mesh shorts. He noticed Bonnie watching him through the window, and smiled a little, pulling the wings fully into his back. Walking in he saw that she had the comforter from his bed wrapped around herself.
"Did I wake you?" he asked.
"Yeah, but I was about to get up anyway," she said then remembered the other thing she had wanted to say. "I guess you're finished healing?"
"Told you all I needed was a month," he said flexing a bicep. "Good as new."
The moment though was spoiled when Shego came into the kitchen, blurry eyed and just in a bra and panties. Nate averted his eyes respectfully, but she didn't even seem to notice the two as she got a cup of coffee and walked back upstairs. Nate's hair had covered his face, but through the strands Bonnie could see just a hint of a blush on his cheek. There was a question she wanted to ask him, but wasn't sure if the answer was one she wanted to here.
"Nate, is there any way that I can be...like you?" she asked somewhat unsure how to phrase the question.
"How do you mean?" he asked confused.
"You know...the dragon thing," she said with her eyes on her bare feet.
"Well, I suppose it is possible, it could be done with the scythe, but with it not being the original weapon, I'm not sure how it will react. But I have one question, why do you want this?"
"I can't explain it, since I've known who and what you are, I've wanted nothing more than to be like you. I don't fully understand this feeling inside me, but it keeps driving me to become more than I am. Does that make any sense?"
"Not really, but most things in life don't."
He watched her for a few minutes, waiting to see what she would do, if anything. She just stayed where she was, leaning against the sink with the comforter pulled tightly to her. His eyebrow cocked slightly as he could see every detail of her body. He was stuck, to say the least; the power of the gods was meant for the gods, not for mortals. A human with that kind of power was never meant to be, but, well, there he was standing there.
Bonnie's eyes continued to be on her feet, but could see his in her peripheral vision, and they hadn't moved a millimeter. She wanted an answer, but had changed enough to respectful, and not be an obnoxious bitch. She could wait, and would wait as long as she had to for an answer. Finally, she moved, stepping by him and going back upstairs.
"I'm going to get dressed."
"Alright."
Once she was gone, he slumped into a chair, thinking back to simpler times. The time he had spent with Natsumi, no matter how short it had been, had been one of the best times of his life. She had known he was an assassin, in fact it was her father who had hired him for the job, him being the head of a sect of the Yakuza. From the moment he walked into his office and saw her, he had been in love. He couldn't help but wonder, had she known he was immortal, would she still be of the living? More importantly, would she have still been with him?
"It can be done, but I'm not sure if she's far enough advanced to be able to control it," he though aloud while moving to the couch in the living room. "Will her body even accept it?"
That was the main question at this point, would her body accept that kind of change? He had been thirteen, barely into puberty, when his body was changed. Seeing as how he was still growing the transition came much easier than it would have had he been at the age he was at now. Bonnie was a fully-grown young woman, so two things could happen, it could either make her, or break her.
The sound of feet on the stairs alerted him to someone's approach; turning he saw it was Kim. She was fully dressed in her usual green tank and blue short pants. She yawned as she collapsed into the chair next to the couch, and picked up the remote.
"Long night?"
"Well, I'll say one thing for Shego, she is insatiable," Kim smiled as her thoughts turned to the previous night (and that's where I'm ending this train of thought).
"I really didn't need to hear that."
"Hey, you asked the question," she said coyly.
"Touché," he said narrowing his eyes.
They sat in silence amidst the mass of weapons that lined the walls of the living room. Having been asleep for most of a month, Nate hadn't had time to return them, and even now he was reluctant. He just had a feeling that there was something else out there that would require him to keep these weapons. The council was not that something, it was them who were keeping the balance of good and evil, without them the world would be doomed to destruction.
'At least the scales are balanced,' he though looking over at the scales on the mantle. 'But, if anything should happen to change that, I'll be ready with my scythe.'
At the thought specific runes on the scythe began to glow in the pattern of a dragon.
TBC
There, that's the extended version, I hope you like this one. I'm leaving the original version up, just in case people want to read that instead. Oh, before I forget, Elexorin, Kilgorin, Anathros, Valermos, Luciender, Morthoseth, Cinthorc and Molotoch are all © Kit Rae. I have to say this for legal purposes, as should anyone else who decides to use the names of such amazing weapon.
Here we go, the extended version. I'm really hoping I get more reviews for this one than the other one. No offense to Chaos, I was just hoping for, you know, more. Just remember to visit United Cutlery's web site, and read the story of the Swords of the Ancients.
*~*~* flashback
*~* dreamscape
The Assassin: Nemesis
Chapter 8
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kim couldn't get her head around this situation, nor could she get away from Esadis. Somehow with his massive muscles and heavy weapon, he was stronger than her, obviously, and insanely fast. She continued to dodge, but was losing ground fast. He raised the axe over his head and was about to cleave her in two, when she rolled between his legs. Before she could even get to her feet she had to roll to the side to avoid the axe.
"Stay still, I'll be sure to make it quick," he said shifting the axe from one hand to the other.
"Sorry, but I can't do that," she got to her feet and was about to run.
Suddenly she felt an intense pain in her back. Esadis had thrown his weapon, and had hit her with the blunt of the head, between the two blades. Holding out his hand, a cord shot out of his palm, wrapping around the handle and pulling it back to his hand. He advanced on the fallen heroine, muscles in his arms rippling as he raised the axe.
"Get away from her!" Shego yelled and threw one of her shotels, a chain attached the pommel extending as if by magic.
Esadis' arm became a metal plate, which deflected the shotel. But once he moved it aside to say something to Shego, another shotel caught him in his exposed chest. He looked down at it and wrenched it from his ribcage, which healed almost instantly. He then yanked on the chain, almost pulling Shego off her feet, but she held tight, bracing her feet against the stone.
Though he didn't have eyes in the back of his head, Esadis could sense Bonnie and Ron coming up behind him. He blocked both attacks with his axe, throwing the two teens to the ground. Luciender flew from Bonnie's hand, skidding across the pyramid to stop right in front of Quetzalcoatl. He was about to pick it up when it up and disappeared.
He turned and saw Nox holding the sword and smiling, her demon eye open. Then, just as quickly as she was there, she was gone. Quetzalcoatl wasn't sure if it was of her own power, or Luciender's power. He knew of the swords that the Ancients had commissioned the Dark Elves to forge. Luciender revealed what was hidden, while hiding the wielder. Morthoseth was its opposite.
"I wonder, is Anathar (sword of Power) here as well?" he wondered.
The sound of a gunshot rang out over the petrified trees, and Esadis' face exploded outward. The hole where his face had once been was a complete contrast to the small hole in the back of his head. Everyone turned to see Chaos standing there with his gun drawn and still aimed at the fallen body of the shape-shifter.
"That takes care of him," he holstered his gun and looked at the others.
*****
Nate looked down at Molotoch, the sword of the Slayer, contrast to Cinthorc. He had forgotten, in his years since receiving the ten swords from the Mithrodin (© Kit Rae). He had forgotten that there was a price to gaining such power. A price of equal value to what the sword was used for. This was bad, he had used Cinthorc to save Kyle, something that used a great deal of the sword's power. The wielder was never told what the price was, but he had a fairly good idea.
"You wanted to preserve order in the world of mortals, see what you've done?" he asked no one; he knew the ancients were gone from this place called Ammon (Ammon is © Kit Rae).
Then it his him, he had given Luciender to Bonnie, what had she used it for, what price would she pay. A prince had once used Luciender to save his kingdom, and lost his life in the process. He had been thinking of using Molotoch to defeat Quetzalcoatl, but that would most likely cost him one of two things, his own life or Bonnie, he didn't want to think of either one.
"I'll have to use it, though, they did lock it away for good reason," he said as he pulled out Ulmethar (© Kit Rae), the Key. "But there is no other choice, that is the only sword that requires no price."
He slashed at the air with Ulmethar, opening an instant doorway to his destination.
*****
A bright flash blinded the others atop the pyramid as Nate stepped through. He quickly surveyed the scene before him: Quetzalcoatl was looking somewhat irritable, Ron looked weary but alive, Shego was seeing to Kim, and healing her injuries, Bonnie stood next to Nox, taking Luciender back, and Aeris was just walking up the stairs with Tara.
'Good, they're all safe and sound,' he thought and then looked towards the glowing center square. "I'll need Luciender."
He walked over to Bonnie and she gave him the sword, not even needing to be asked. They shared a silent embrace before he asked her something.
"Bonnie, what did you do with Luciender?"
"I cut off Raven's arm," she said then saw his look of urgency. "Why?"
"No reason, forget it," he said and walked to the center square.
After placing his hand over the center, that seemed to be pulsing, but he didn't feel the presence of the sword. He didn't understand, this was where Salek told him it would be. Salek being one of the Mithrodin who had known where Anathar was hidden. Unless he had lied, just in case he had been speaking to Quetzalcoatl.
'Well, I don't blame him,' he thought as he stood up.
He grabbed the shoulder of his cloak and threw it off him, revealing himself to be wearing a harness around his chest, that held the sheathed Molotoch and Cinthorc. Around his waist was a belt that held Morthoseth and Luciender. Strapped to his left boot was a dagger, the Shadowslayer (© Kit Rae). He unsheathed Molotoch, and unhooked the harness, throwing Cinthorc behind him, to be caught by Shego. He left the other two at his waist, they would get in the way much. Reaching down, he removed the dagger from around his ankle and tossed that to Shego as well.
About to take a step forward, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Kyle was holding him back, an unreadable look on his face. His eyes were closed, so there was no point in reading those, and his thoughts were racing a mile a minute. Despair was clenched in his right hand, the blade's point just and inch above the floor.
"Nate, let me have the first shot," he said in a deathly calm voice. "You may have saved me from that life, but that doesn't mean I'm not guilty. I have to atone for my sins."
"Yes, dying an honorable death will do that," Nate replied. "You'll be with Lisa soon, Kyle."
"Thank you," he stepped around Nate and held his sword at ready.
"Oh, you want to try your luck," Quetzalcoatl said with a smirk from ear to ear. "Well come on then."
A second later Despair clashed with the pike, causing sparks and lightening to fly in all directions. Nate had no need to shield himself, and left Shego to shield herself and the others. The two combatants continued to do battle. Kyle slashed again and again, but the god he was fighting never even moved, except to block with the pike. After a few minutes Despair wasn't fairing too well; the edge has nicks and dents in it, and a hairline fracture had started to form. It wouldn't be long now.
Finally Quetzalcoatl was tired of playing, and went on the offensive. He struck Kyle's sword with the pike at full power, causing the crack to spread. With the next attack Despair shattered, the pieces falling to the ground. After ditching the sword, Kyle punched Quetzalcoatl, not even phasing him. The next strike of the pike was straight through the center of Kyle's chest. The blood-soaked blade punched through its victim's back, dripping the blood to the floor. He yanked the pike out and kicked Kyle in the face, sending him sprawled at Nate's feet.
"Well, I...guess...(cough)...this is...(cough)...goodbye," he said in a broken voice, coughing up blood as he spoke.
"Goodbye," Nate said as Kyle's body simply faded away. 'Like dust in the wind.'
He stooped down and picked up the only thing remaining, a small locket on a golden chain. The inscription on the back read 'Kyle and Lisa', and opening it he saw Kyle, with his arms around Lisa from behind, with his head on her shoulder. He closed the locket and slipped it into his pocket, later he would put it on Lisa's grave, if he could find it. Looking up he decided to try a little something.
"Ah, the brilliant lights of the sky, how they flicker," he said in a low voice.
"What?"
"When was the last time you looked at the stars, Quetzalcoatl?" Nate asked looking his brother in the face.
"The day you put me in that god-forsaken abyss," he said while shifting to pike to a better position.
"That was the same day I last looked. Kinda funny."
"How is that funny?"
"I'm not talking about the stars, I was just thinking about how our colors are reversed. Me with the dark colors of green and black, while you've been giving the colors of good, white and gold. It's kinda funny really."
"Hm, I guess it is a little funny when you think about it."
Together they laughed, but not a fake laugh, a real laugh. But, even though they were smiling and laughing, their eyes never lost the burning hatred for each other. The others looked on, confused, except Aeris, who couldn't help but smile. The reason they were confused was because the two gods, without thinking, had reverted to speaking their own language.
All of sudden the laughter stopped, and the two were simply gone. They couldn't be seen until a loud sound of metal on metal filled the air. In the air they had connected, Molotoch and the pike, Molotoch's blade being blocked between the two blades of the pike. Both had their wings out, tails whipping all over, trying to grab and trap the other. Nate finally broke the stalemate by kicking Quetzalcoatl in the stomach, hard, causing him to lurch and lose his position.
Sparks flew as the two blades slid passed each other, and Nate, taking advantage of his position, swung full around in mid-air and was about to deliver the finishing blow. He was thwarted, though, when Quetzalcoatl smacked his arms with his tail, causing Molotoch to shift and only hit him with the blade turned sideways, making it more like a paddle. It may saved his life, but that doesn't mean that no damage was done.
The next moment they were gone again, and every few seconds the sounds out metal on metal, or scales on scales would be heard. In a brilliant flash of white lightening, Nate was thrown back and into the forest again, taking out a few of the trees on his way. Quetzalcoatl leveled the pike and was ready to fire after him. In a flash of light, his target was gone, having used Ulmethar to escape. The white-scaled god whipped around and the two weapons clashed as Nate appeared.
"Told you I've improved," Quetzalcoatl growled.
"Not from what I can see," Nate said as he pulled himself fully from the portal he created.
Nate's tail whipped out and finally hit its mark, Quetzalcoatl's tail, the forked tip wrapping around it. He held it there, keeping his brother from going anywhere. He then took one hand off of Molotoch, invoking its power to allow him enough strength to hold him off with one hand, and grabbed the pike. White and green lightening flashed out all around them as he tried to pull it away. So long as he had his hand on the pike, and being the pike's true owner, he would be able to stop its power from flowing.
'I hate to do this, but it must be done,' he brought Molotoch up and slashed down, through the pike.
The energy released was enough to throw them apart, Nate losing grip on Quetzalcoatl's tail and being thrown down to the pyramid, while his brother was thrown up into the sky. When he landed he impacted the stones hard enough that they cracked and the stones that were forced out of the way curled up and fell on him.
Bonnie was about to run over when she felt a clawed hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Aeris, her aloof expression gone, replaced with one of fear. Ron and Kim held Shego back from helping, and Nox had a bit of a confused expression.
"We have to get down from here," Aeris commanded while pulling Bonnie with her towards the edge. "NOW!"
That got everyone moving towards the stairs, and they were soon making their way to the ground. Before the pile of rocks were out of sight, a light was shining through the cracks. From the sky a shaft of pure white lanced down and bathed the rocks in light. All at once the sides exploded outward as great, black, feathered expanses burst forth and continued to extend, longer and longer. Finally the rocks on top were demolished and Nate stood up, the wings continuing to grow from his back. His head was bowed, eyes closed, in his hand was Molotoch, which he threw away, landing in Aeris' hands.
It was impossible to tell just how large the wings were when another pair began to grow from just below the first pair. These grew till they were slightly smaller than the two upper wings, meaning they were just as immeasurable. They were much much larger than any of the others could remember them being, except Aeris, she had seen this before. There was nothing now that could stop what was about to happen. And what was about to happen, she didn't want to think about.
"Aeris, what's going on?!" Nox asked over the howl of the wind that had just whipped around them, caused by the slight twitch of a wing.
"The pike's been broken, so now there's nothing to keep his power in check!" she yelled back. "Either he has to expel all the excess energy, or it'll destroy him from the inside out."
"I'm guessing neither one has better consequences?"
"Not really."
Meanwhile, up in the sky, Quetzalcoatl was holding the two halves of the pike, its power completely gone. He desperately tried to put it back together, even spitting on both ends and placing it together, that didn't work too well. Now he was mad, and with that anger came a transformation. His body began to lengthen, his face bulging into a snout, tendrils whipping out on either side of his nose. As his hands grew he let the two halves fall down into the forest.
Within a few seconds he was in his natural state, a massive, white dragon. I have come up with an easy way of describing these dragons without going into a boring paragraph of details. Imagine Shenron (the Eternal Dragon) from DBZ/GT, with large wings on either shoulder, and white of course. And instead of the fur on the sides of his face, there would be feathers.
With his enhanced sight, the pyramid glowed with an unnatural light, a light he couldn't understand. But that light, which was so welcoming to him, was quickly being blotted out. It wasn't just the pyramid, but a shadow was quickly spreading over the forest as well. He looked deeper, and saw feathers on the shadow, and those feathers were connected to wings, and those wings were connected to...Kul.
'This isn't right, how can he have that much power?' he thought to himself. 'Where is it coming from?'
He didn't know what Aeris knew, he didn't know of Kul's connection to the pike. He had wondered exactly why they were the only two left, well, he knew why he was here, but didn't know why Kul hadn't died with the others. It was beginning to make sense to him though; he was beginning to understand why they died. Their weapons had been lost and broken, while the pike had been hidden away, and Kul descended to the ethereal plane, seeing as how humans had no need of gods to protect them.
'I understand now,' he thought turning in a circle. 'Their own power destroyed them, but I...I am above that. I never had weapon, therefore it cannot destroy me.'
He quickly began to descend, mouth opening in preparation to swallow his brother.
-----
Nate, on the other hand, wasn't fairing as well as his brother. The pain inside of him was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He had been stabbed, sliced, cut (yes, there is a difference), burned, shot, tortured, and even killed, but none of those even held a candle the pain he felt. But there was something odd about this pain, it was far off, like he was feeling a slight soreness from an old wound that had hurt.
'So, this is what it's like,' he thought not daring to open his eyes, he didn't know what would happen. 'But maybe this was supposed to happen.'
Slowly his body began to ripple and bulge, lengthening, becoming scaly and feathered. Blade/feathers tore through his back, his clothing long having been absorbed. His wings had stopped growing, now his body was growing to match them. As he grew he could feel the pain draining away, becoming more distant. His body stopped growing, twice as large as it had been before. Making him now over a thousand feet long, and his upper wings almost a mile wide on either side, the lower about three-quarters of that.
Finally he opened his eyes, his vision, if possible, even clearer than it was before. He saw everything, including the white dragon who was diving at him. This was to be expected of someone like Quetzalcoatl, headstrong.
'Like someone else I once knew,' Nate thought to himself with a slight chuckle. 'Now to blow off some steam.'
He was easily twice as large as his brother, and ten times more powerful, but that didn't mean he would win. It just mean he had a better chance of winning. His mouth opened and from it fired a stream of green lightening, headed straight for Quetzalcoatl. His brother easily dodged and continued to dive.
'We end this now Kul.'
'Yes,' he fired again, multiple shots this time.
One of them grazed his brother's side, causing a burn that went right down to the skin. It quickly healed as he got closer. At the last second Quetzalcoatl veered off course, upon seeing just how large Kul was. He had figured it to simply be a trick of the light. What he hadn't seen, though, was Kul's tail lashing out and striking him across the face, sending him down into the forest.
-----
The others watched from below, in awe of the sheer size of the two dragons, Bonnie and Nox most of all. Neither of them had ever seen Nate like this, and weren't even blinking, trying to catch every moment. It was hard to keep their eyes open, because of the wind still being produced by the four large wings above them. Even though the wings were monstrous in proportion to the body, it didn't hinder his speed at all. Instead, the wings stretched and pulled when he moved, always staying at the same altitude, which was much higher than the two dragons.
"Think he'll win?" Tara asked.
"Of course he will," Bonnie said quickly.
"If the energy inside doesn't destroy him first," Aeris said leaning against a tree. 'He has to find something to replace the pike, soon.'
"Aeris, is there any way that he can stop what's happening?"
"He has to transfer his power to a weapon that is compatible with it."
'I think I know just the weapon,' Shego thought.
"Aeris, how do you know all this?" Nox asked, even though she had gotten to know the demoness, she had neglected to find out how she knew so much about Kukulkan.
"Shego, Nate brought the scythe, right?" Kim asked in a whisper.
"Yeah, he did."
"Can't that be used?"
"Let's hope so."
-----
Nate opened his mouth and fired a large bolt of lightening right at Quetzalcoatl, who was starting the burrow under ground. The bolt struck just as he disappeared beneath the petrified trees and grass. He was about to follow when someone's thoughts butted into his own.
'Nate, can't you transfer the power to the scythe?' it was Shego.
'Yes, I could, but I'm busy right now,' he said. 'Oh, and you might want to get back on the pyramid, he's coming up beneath you.'
'Right.'
He turned around and saw them about halfway up the steps, just as Quetzalcoatl burst through the ground. Taking this opportunity, he dove forward, opening his jaws wide, and clamping them down on his brother's neck. There were two howls of pain as Quetzalcoatl circled around and sank his teeth into Nate's neck as well.
'There has to be a way to get it here,' he thought then it hit him.
The shadow vanished from the sky, and the massive dragon disappeared. Quetzalcoatl's teeth closed on air as Nate, now human, leapt away. He had Ulmethar in his hand as he ran through the trees, making sure there was enough distance between himself and Quetzalcoatl to have time.
When he felt he was far enough away, he slashed the air with Ulmethar, and reached through, grasping the pole of his scythe. The sound of crashing trees made him jump slightly, as he pulled the scythe through. Another slash of Ulmethar and he was atop the pyramid, with all four swords, floating above him. The swords dropped from the air and slid into the four keyholes that I mentioned last chapter. The lines of the shape around him began to glow a bright green.
"Kal rani shimot gre," he said raising the scythe over his head.
The runes on the blade, which usually shown an almost unseen shade of red, were now green, and dancing along the blade. New patterns were formed upon the blade as the lines came to rest in their proper places. He brought the blade down and slammed it into the stone, causing a great pain to shoot through his chest, but it quickly passed as a column of green light engulfed him, lancing upwards, into the sky. Clouds began to gather, soon the two moons were overcast, and the land was bathed in shadow, the only light coming from the pillar of energy.
-----
'No,' Quetzalcoatl yelled in thought as he saw the light. 'I've seen this before.'
-----
"Do it Kul," Aeris said quietly.
'Nate, please be okay,' Bonnie thought.
-----
The light receded down into a pillar little more than four feet in diameter, and even that began to recede. Little by little, Nate was exposed, the blade of the scythe appeared first, cutting its way through the curtain of green, then hands clutching the pole, then a long, green braid appeared, held down by a thick metal ring, then his chest, legs, shoulders, and finally his head, tilted back. His head slowly moved to look forward, eyes opening, the white part was black, while the iris remained green, though there was no pupil.
Small sparks of lightening jumped all over his body, like a super Sayan (or Seijin, depends on if you prefer the English or actual spelling). The parts of his hair that were too short for the braid were standing out like blades from his head. When he lifted his foot to step forward, little bolts of lightening snapped between his shoe and the stone. Tendons and muscles rippled as he continued forward, approaching the edge. Once he reached it, green feathered wings sprung from his back and small snaps of green electricity flashed from the tips of the now blade-like feathers and the ground. No longer were the feathers like those of a soaring bird, these looked more like curved swords stuck to his wings, they even gleamed with a metallic sheen.
The others all looked up him, looks of amazement mixed with fear and admiration were on their faces, even Aeris. She had never expected him to actually take the swords into himself. He now had eight swords within himself, Elexorin and Kilgorin (Swords of War and Darkness), Anathros and Valermos (Swords of Earth and Fire), Luciender and Morthoseth (Swords of Light and Shadow), and Cinthorc and Molotoch (Swords of Justice and the Slayer). The only swords unaccounted for were Anathar (Sword of Power) and the other, which may be forever lost to the sands of time.
"Tu, oki weh asx (translation: Now, to end this)," he said softly and whipped his tail down the pyramid and into a surprised Aeris' top, emerging with the other half of the key.
"That tickled," Aeris couldn't help but giggle, while receiving a glare from both Bonnie and Nox.
Not to be left out, Quetzalcoatl took to the air, launching balls of lightening at Nate, who simply sent them away with a flick of his wrist. He then lifted the scythe up over his head and with one swing, sent a dozen small blades flying at his brother. The blades moving with an obvious flight plan as the severed quets wings from his shoulders, momentarily dropping him to the ground. Reaching into his pocket he took out the other half of the key. And, finally speaking in English, he said:
"GO BACK WHERE YOU BELONG!" and he slammed the two halves together.
Winds the likes of which would usually signal a massive hurricane kicked up, and grew in strength, actually swaying the petrified trees. In the sky, behind Quetzalcoatl, was what looked like a distortion in the very fabric of reality, which was technically what it was. It finally exploded outward, becoming something like the portal from the Hot Wheels: Highway 35 thing (don't get me wrong, I saw it on CN, it was pretty cool). Long tentacles whipped out and wrapped around Quetzalcoatl's arm, legs, tail, and his wings, pulling him towards it.
"WHAT?! NO!" he struggled, of course, but absolutely no ground was gained, the abyss' grip is inescapable, without help (I believe I explained that).
Once Quetzalcoatl was fully inside the vortex, more tentacles came out and headed for Aeris, seeing as how her sentence wasn't finished. But Nate wasn't going to have this, Aeris had proved herself to be fully reformed, besides, Sashna had complained how it got lonely at the temple. He pulled the two halves apart and the portal closed, severing the tentacles, which dissipated.
The key fell to the ground and Nate's body soon followed, shrinking down to his full human form. The wounds he'd suffered from the battle didn't automatically heal themselves. This is what Bonnie, who had run up to him with tears streaking her face, was wondering now. Slowly she lifted his body and turned him over, cradling his upper body on her lap, not even caring about the blood. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled it away from his face.
"Those wounds were inflicted to him by his own weapon," Aeris said crouching next to her. "They'll take awhile to heal, but the scars will remain."
"I don't care about that, I just want to know if he's going to live?" Bonnie snapped holding Nate tighter to her, almost possessively.
"Bonnie, uy bok myu," he said softly.
"He said he'll be fine," the jet black demoness translated.
Shego came over and placed a hand on Bonnie's shoulder, causing the girl to shiver slightly. She struggled to her feet, trying to drag Nate up with her; Shego had to step in to help her. Nate may not have looked like he weighed anything over 150 pounds, when he actually weighed about 190. Right now, with them all very worn out, he felt like he weighed a ton. Bonnie was able to support him with Nox's help, seeing as how Shego went to tend to Kim. Ron followed with Tara, and Aeris stood by the center of the pyramid, waiting.
They gathered around her, realizing that with Nate near unconscious, she was the only one who could take them home.
'Well, I guess the swords are safer within him than without him,' was Aeris' last thought before concentrating on taking them home.
*****
A month later, Bonnie's eyes opened to the sound of the door closing. When her eyes focused, she could see that Nate, who she had her arm curled around, was gone. Getting up, she saw that the gauze and bandages were in heap next to the bed. She pulled the sheets off the bed and wrapped them around herself, stepping out into the hallway. The sound of another door closing alerted her to his leaving the house. Making her way down the stairs, she one hand on the sheet, and the other on the rail.
When she entered the kitchen, she could see him through the windows, standing with his arms slightly spread, and palms up, head facing the morning sun. His hair had returned to its original five foot long braid, with the silver ring at the end. As she watched, long slits opened in his back, and his wings unfolded, no longer the blads, stretching from fence to fence, almost seventy feet. The wings then shrunk down till each was just ten feet.
Slowly he turned around, the wings folding around his shoulders. His now permanently scarred body was mostly exposed, since he was only wearing a pair of mesh shorts. He noticed Bonnie watching him through the window, and smiled a little, pulling the wings fully into his back. Walking in he saw that she had the comforter from his bed wrapped around herself.
"Did I wake you?" he asked.
"Yeah, but I was about to get up anyway," she said then remembered the other thing she had wanted to say. "I guess you're finished healing?"
"Told you all I needed was a month," he said flexing a bicep. "Good as new."
The moment though was spoiled when Shego came into the kitchen, blurry eyed and just in a bra and panties. Nate averted his eyes respectfully, but she didn't even seem to notice the two as she got a cup of coffee and walked back upstairs. Nate's hair had covered his face, but through the strands Bonnie could see just a hint of a blush on his cheek. There was a question she wanted to ask him, but wasn't sure if the answer was one she wanted to here.
"Nate, is there any way that I can be...like you?" she asked somewhat unsure how to phrase the question.
"How do you mean?" he asked confused.
"You know...the dragon thing," she said with her eyes on her bare feet.
"Well, I suppose it is possible, it could be done with the scythe, but with it not being the original weapon, I'm not sure how it will react. But I have one question, why do you want this?"
"I can't explain it, since I've known who and what you are, I've wanted nothing more than to be like you. I don't fully understand this feeling inside me, but it keeps driving me to become more than I am. Does that make any sense?"
"Not really, but most things in life don't."
He watched her for a few minutes, waiting to see what she would do, if anything. She just stayed where she was, leaning against the sink with the comforter pulled tightly to her. His eyebrow cocked slightly as he could see every detail of her body. He was stuck, to say the least; the power of the gods was meant for the gods, not for mortals. A human with that kind of power was never meant to be, but, well, there he was standing there.
Bonnie's eyes continued to be on her feet, but could see his in her peripheral vision, and they hadn't moved a millimeter. She wanted an answer, but had changed enough to respectful, and not be an obnoxious bitch. She could wait, and would wait as long as she had to for an answer. Finally, she moved, stepping by him and going back upstairs.
"I'm going to get dressed."
"Alright."
Once she was gone, he slumped into a chair, thinking back to simpler times. The time he had spent with Natsumi, no matter how short it had been, had been one of the best times of his life. She had known he was an assassin, in fact it was her father who had hired him for the job, him being the head of a sect of the Yakuza. From the moment he walked into his office and saw her, he had been in love. He couldn't help but wonder, had she known he was immortal, would she still be of the living? More importantly, would she have still been with him?
"It can be done, but I'm not sure if she's far enough advanced to be able to control it," he though aloud while moving to the couch in the living room. "Will her body even accept it?"
That was the main question at this point, would her body accept that kind of change? He had been thirteen, barely into puberty, when his body was changed. Seeing as how he was still growing the transition came much easier than it would have had he been at the age he was at now. Bonnie was a fully-grown young woman, so two things could happen, it could either make her, or break her.
The sound of feet on the stairs alerted him to someone's approach; turning he saw it was Kim. She was fully dressed in her usual green tank and blue short pants. She yawned as she collapsed into the chair next to the couch, and picked up the remote.
"Long night?"
"Well, I'll say one thing for Shego, she is insatiable," Kim smiled as her thoughts turned to the previous night (and that's where I'm ending this train of thought).
"I really didn't need to hear that."
"Hey, you asked the question," she said coyly.
"Touché," he said narrowing his eyes.
They sat in silence amidst the mass of weapons that lined the walls of the living room. Having been asleep for most of a month, Nate hadn't had time to return them, and even now he was reluctant. He just had a feeling that there was something else out there that would require him to keep these weapons. The council was not that something, it was them who were keeping the balance of good and evil, without them the world would be doomed to destruction.
'At least the scales are balanced,' he though looking over at the scales on the mantle. 'But, if anything should happen to change that, I'll be ready with my scythe.'
At the thought specific runes on the scythe began to glow in the pattern of a dragon.
TBC
There, that's the extended version, I hope you like this one. I'm leaving the original version up, just in case people want to read that instead. Oh, before I forget, Elexorin, Kilgorin, Anathros, Valermos, Luciender, Morthoseth, Cinthorc and Molotoch are all © Kit Rae. I have to say this for legal purposes, as should anyone else who decides to use the names of such amazing weapon.