THE DRAGON MEDALLION
By Final Fantasy GX
Disclaimer: I do not own Cyberchase, nor any of its characters.
Summary: When Wicked summons Sardonyx, slave of the Medallion of Kaer'n, chaos breaks out between Hacker and the Cybersquad. What happens to one of them will change their lives forever…
Rating: PG
Author's Note/s: Well. Next chapter. I just hope things aren't happening too fast, but the real beginning hasn't even started yet, and I didn't want to linger.
Um… yeah. In case you hadn't noticed, the chapters aren't going to be that long, at first.
Chapter II: Dragon Scale
"Oh no…" Digit groaned, wringing his wings as he heard the report Dr Marbles had just received from the Cybersite of Poddleville. "I can't believe Hacker is attacking Poddleville again…"
"It's the truth," the Doctor responded, nodding seriously. "And he has a new creature with him. The Poddles say that it's twice as big as the Grim Wreaker, with bright red eyes, wings and black scales."
"Hmm…" the cybird pondered this for a moment. "Don't think I've heard of any Cyberspace creature like that…" He slapped his forehead as an unwelcome thought came to him. "Don't tell me he's been lookin' at other dimensions again…"
"Well, we won't know until we get a closer look," Dr Marbles replied tersely. He glanced over near Motherboard's control panel. "Ah. Here come the children."
With a couple of yelps, the kids were dumped out of the sparkling portal, which fizzled out as soon as they were all outside. Brushing off different appendages, the rest of the Cybersquad untangled themselves and stood up.
"Hi, Didge, Dr Marbles, Mother-B," Jackie greeted her Cyberspacian friends. Inez and Matt both said similar hellos, then came straight to the point, being concerned about what was transpiring in Cyberspace. "What's up, Dr Marbles?" Matt asked, worried. "You said something about Hacker attacking Poddleville again."
"Yes," Marbles nodded again. "He has a new creature; you will get to see it when you go there, however. I warn you: it sounds very dangerous. Don't do anything to aggravate either Hacker or it."
Inez sighed. "Right; I'll make sure we don't. Just let us recover from being dumped the first time…" Grimacing, she rubbed her side and glared half-playfully at Matt. "Someone dug his elbow in my ribs."
Matt glared back. "Nezzie," he began, then – upon glimpsing the steely glint in the girl's eyes – stuttered, "I mean… Inez… I couldn't help it! You know how bad our landings are…"
"It's okay, Matthew," the Hispanic laughed softly, patting his arm. "I was only joking."
"Oh…" Matt muttered, suddenly embarrassed. "Sorry…"
"You don't need to apologise either," Inez replied, smiling, then looked at Dr Marbles. "Now… about that portal…?"
-
"I don't see any sign of Hacker," muttered Jackie, as she scanned the uniform streets of Poddleville. The familiar figures of Poddles hurried up and down the pavements, some looking curiously at the Cybersquad.
"That's because you're not looking up," returned Digit, in a shaking voice.
Slowly, the Cybersquad turned their faces skyward. Every single one of them went utterly pale at the sight.
Hovering in the air above them was a huge black dragon. Its eyes burned with the fires of hell; iron-grey talons ripped at the air. Vast black wings fanned around the body, keeping the creature afloat. Spikes ran up and down the tail, protruded from the head. Sharp, blood-stained teeth gleamed wickedly in ivory rows. Fire billowed every now and then from its nostrils.
Standing just behind where the wings joined the body, was Hacker. He waved to them triumphantly, yelled defiant words from his elevated position.
"You can never stop me now, kiddies! This dragon responds to my every command, my every wish! Meet Sardonyx, slave of the Medallion of Kaer'n! And therefore meet your end!"
The Cybersquad glimpsed a flash of silver, accompanied by a glow of red; flying from Hacker's green-skinned hand was a silver medallion upon a thick silver chain.
"The Medallion of Kaer'n," murmured Digit in awe, but his words were not heard, as Matt ran to the front of the group and shouted back, "You'll never win, Hacker!"
Inez grabbed hold of the boy's arm and pulled him back, hissing, "Matt! Stop it! Remember what Dr Marbles said? Don't cause trouble!"
A small glare was his only answer to her; jerking his arm free, Matt directed his attention back to Hacker atop the dragon and added:
"We won't surrender to you – EVER!"
Hacker merely grinned - knowing that this had to happen anyway – and spoke a few words to the dragon. With a horrifying shriek, Sardonyx plunged downwards, heading for the kids at Hacker's command. Poddles ran about in confusion and fear. The terrifying jaws opened wide; with a snort of defiance, the dragon then expelled a fireball, which exploded near the Cybersquad, setting many of the buildings on the street aflame.
The very heat knocked the kids in different directions; screams of terror were heard from the Poddles that had been milling around. These screams sent shivers down Jackie's spine as she hid behind a sheet of metal – which burned her fingers but protected her all the same – and caused Digit to grit his teeth as he flew up, trying to escape from the smoke. Inez winced at the sound, but concentrated on finding her way to shelter; then she would try to find her friends and help the Poddles.
Getting up slowly, gasping and choking in the billowing smoke, the screams ringing in his head, Matt stumbled behind a still-standing house and glanced around for his companions. "Jackie! Digit! Inez!" he yelled, squinting and trying to see through the haze.
Another shriek of rage and pent-up hatred pounded in his ears; Matt ventured out from behind the house, only to see another fireball explode upon the street near him, knocking the boy backwards to the ground once more. He landed heavily, grazing his hands as he tried to catch himself, and lay breathless for a moment, winded.
The fireball was followed by the sound of screeching of talons on pavement; Matt glimpsed a small figure stagger past him, leapt up again - although his head hurt - and ran for the figure.
"Inez!" he yelled, knowing somehow that it was his companion. But the girl did not hear him through the screeching, only seeking somewhere to hide from the consuming flames; within a few seconds, she had disappeared into the billowing smoke.
Suddenly, and too late, Matt realised his vulnerable position out in the open, glancing up only to see a massive tail come hurtling down to smash into the pavement in front of him with phenomenal strength.
Debris came flying at him, cutting him; wind from the collision tore at him; flame sucked his breath away and licked at his flesh, causing the boy to drop to his knees. He let out a whimper of pain, but then firmly shook it off and staggered to his feet again.
Struggling to see, Matt squinted forwards through the debris and wind and flame, only to have an object come spinning out of the cloud of smoke at an incredible speed, burying itself in his chest.
It was more painful than he could have ever imagined. A scream of pain almost rendered him voiceless; Matt clutched at his chest and sank to the ground, blood beginning to well through his fingers, spattering onto the street.
Curled up and aching, bloodstained hands clenching spasmodically as waves of pain arced through his entire body, Matt dimly saw, through darkening vision, a figure run up to him, gagging on smoke, and felt it shake his shoulder.
He groaned and fended it off with a blood-splattered hand, hearing the sharp intake of breath as the person saw the terrible injury.
"Matt…" the person said urgently, and vaguely he recognised the voice to be Inez's. "Matt, get up..."
"Can't…" he managed to choke out, between gasps for breath. "Pain… too much…"
"Hold on…" he heard Inez mutter brokenly. "Please, Matt, you have to hold on…" A shaking hand gripped his shoulder again, but Matt shook his head, gritted his teeth against the pain.
"Get out of here… save yourself… dragon… too dangerous…" He gagged on his own blood, coughed weakly, felt the iron-tasting stuff begin to trickle out of his mouth.
"Don't talk like that… What hit you?" she asked, but finding that he could not answer – he was letting out small screams of pain as the blood continued to pour out of his mouth – Inez pulled his clenched bloodstained hand aside and saw what had caused the injury.
The thing that was now embedded firmly in his chest was hard, like armour. It was also shining black. Matt, glancing down and glimpsing the object, moaned at both the realisation and at the wound in his chest.
"Dragon scale…" he murmured in a pain-filled whisper, then laid his head down on the heated pavement and longed for rest…