Author's Note: Um… HI MUM!
Chapter 6: Random Virus and the Climbcrag Castle
Our heroes, the Lightning Knights, sent by the Lightning Council to the Carnival of Doom to retrieve the Amulet of Zoar, are in trouble. Big trouble.
Random Virus has gone missing, and Thunderfoot has been bitten by a spider and is slowly mutating into an arachnid himself, but he was just kidnapped and dragged to the medieval attraction of the carnival. Now Ace, Sparx and Shockwave are the only knights left, with only two pieces of the Amulet, while Lord Fear probably now has five!
Ace and his friends stood in the entrance to Climbcrag Castle, an ancient medieval castle, hidden in a large lava cave. Flames flickering in metal torches as the Lightning Knights tried to open the sealed portcullis of the castle. Ace was using his Lightning Lance to try and open the portcullis as if it was a normal door, the same with Sparx. Shockwave was using his strength to try and lift the portcullis upwards.
"Grrr…we need to get past this portcullis so we can save Thunderfoot!" growled Ace.
"Thankyou, Captain Obvious!" replied Sparx.
The portcullis then started to groan and Shockwave managed to get a quarter of the portcullis up. Ace and Sparx rolled under it and Shockwave quickly dived under it. The portcullis slammed back down. The Lightning Knights found themselves on a very long drawbridge, but it was made of stone. They peered over the side of the stone wall and saw they were at least 700 feet high, and a giant lake of molten lava lay at the bottom. Shockwave grimaced at the thought of plunging into that pool of fire.
"Okay, it looks like it is going to be a rough journey…" said Ace.
A cold cackle came from the cloudy beyond. Ace, Sparx and Shockwave turned around and saw Lord Fear emerge from the ashy pathway. He carried Staff Head in his left hand. Beside him were two knights in white armour. They looked pretty tough.
"Hahahahaha! Ace Lightning, what an unexpected pleasure…" said Lord Fear.
"Okay Fear, hand over Thunderfoot" ordered Ace.
"I do not have that friend of yours…but I do have another…" said Lord Fear.
"What?" cried Ace.
Another figure came out of the mist and stopped beside Lord Fear. It was a brownish-black haired male cyborg. He had a human arm and a large immense looking robotic claw for a right arm. He wore a blue jacket and had wheels instead of legs. He had a strange metal plate attached to his face. One of his eyes was brown, while the other was glowing red.
"Meet my new minion, Random Virus!" declared Lord Fear.
Random Virus left Lord Fear's side and slowly approached Ace, his metal claw clicked loudly.
"Random Virus… but how?" asked Ace coldly.
Random suddenly grabbed Ace by the throat with his claw, spun around and threw Ace against the portcullis. The Lightning Lance fell from Ace's back and fell to the ground.
"Whoa! Old friend, we're the good guys…remember?" said Ace, looking up at his friend.
"I remember nothing!" lashed out Random "I only destroy weakness, goodness and virtue. Therefore, if you are good, I must destroy you".
Random slowly backed off and then moved forward. Ace pitied his friend. During their first battle against Lord Fear, Random got caught in an explosion and half of his body was destroyed. Scientists at the Thunder Tower raced against time to save him and they replaced his ruined body parts with mechanical parts. Random became a cyborg, but during the process of the operation on his, a virus somehow managed to corrupt the programming in the computer which kept Random alive. Random now has difficulty controlling his dark side, and at the moment it was winning.
"You're a Lightning Knight." said Ace "There is evil inside of you, but also goodness".
"No! I despise my good side!" shouted Random furiously "Goodness is weak, kindness is soft! I am strong!".
Random charged at Ace, but he missed and was rammed into a wall. Ace stood up to face his friend. Random reversed and turned to face him.
"You leave me…no choice" said Ace and threw a lightning ball at Random, who instantly swung his claw and reflected it back at Ace. Ace was hit and he fell down.
"Bravo! Get him Virus!" cheered Lord Fear.
While Ace battled Random, Sparx and Shockwave attempted to make an attack on Lord Fear. Random spotted the duo and snatched Ace from the ground and threw him across the drawbridge and right on top of Sparx and Shockwave. They were in a large pile on the ground. Ace groaned and saw Random approaching them.
"Looks like Ace is not so lightning!" laughed Random evilly.
"Random, listen to me. You saved me once." said Ace.
Random raised his eyebrows and he suddenly acted as if he was wrestling with an invisible foe, before his red eye flashed into a bright green.
"Saved you? When? I'm trying to remember…" said Random, now in his good form.
"Lord Fear had drained most of my energy in an earlier battle and was about to shoot me with his staff…" began Ace.
"…And I diverted the energy flow so he shot himself! Yes! I remember!" said Random.
He then looked around the location he was in. He looked at his claw worryingly.
"But, what am I doing here?" asked Random, turning to Ace "I don't want to hurt you… I cannot stay!".
"Random! Wait!" called Ace, standing up.
"I have to leave my friend. Before my evil side returns and I do something I'll regret for all eternity…" said Random and he was gone.
"Wait…Random…" said Ace, but his friend was gone, looking for a hiding place.
Lord Fear watched the cyborg leave and knew his dark side would take control once again. He then wheeled around to face his enemies. He aimed his staff at Ace. Ace managed to spy Lord Fear and blasted him and the knights with lightning bolts. The knights died and Lord Fear walked backwards.
"We shall meet again Ace Lightning, when you are in pieces!" shouted Lord Fear and he threw a smoke bomb on the ground and he disappeared.
"Where'd he go?" asked Sparx.
"Who cares! We've got to find Random!" roared Shockwave and gripping his whip, he sprinted down the drawbridge.
Ace and Sparx followed. As they ran through the ashy smoke that came from the boiling lava, they noticed a large castle ahead with a tall tower that seemed to stretch up into the heavens. There were many flags with images of ferrets holding swords and wearing helmets. The bottom level of the castle had large haystacks and abandoned carts scattered about. The second and third levels were patrolled by knights in white armour and bearded wizards wearing glasses and blue robes. There were also several two-headed monks as well.
"This place looks a bit too crowded" said Ace as he entered the bottom level of the castle.
He noticed two peasants running towards him on pigs, both wielding lances. Ace fired lightning bolts at easily took them out. Shockwave looked about, in search for his cyborg cousin. His sight failed him.
High on top of the large tower named Tumbledown Tower, Random stood, his eye red. Behind him stood two other people. One was Thrasher, who was looking angrily at nothing. The other was a tall knight in silver amour. On the armour around his chest was an image of a black dragon with red eyes. He held a long golden lance in his right hand, and a shield in his other. It had an image of Staff Head on it.
"Hmmmm…The Lightning Knights will eventually get their way up to here and try and restore my good side…" said Random and took something out of a pocket in his jacket. It was the right piece of the Amulet.
"With this piece of the Amulet, I will destroy that coward, Ace Lightning, and then destroy Lord Fear!" snarled Random.
Thrasher did not dare to try and argue back. Random Virus was a deadly foe and could control machinery. Thrasher's only powers were too fly and rip enemies apart with his teeth and fangs. He watched Random wheel around to face him and the knight.
"Lancelot!" cried Random, looking at the knight.
"Yes sir!" replied Lancelot, saluting Random.
"Take your knights and dispose of the Lightning Knights and leave Lightning too me." said Random.
"As you wish sir, and then I will sweep my beloved Bearded Maiden off her feet and we will ride to victory on my noble steed!" sang Lancelot and he pranced to a door and disappeared into it.
Thrasher glared at Random and stalked away, following Lancelot. Random watched the fierce beast leave and looked back down at the Lightning Knight who were jumping up onto a large platform and were now on level two of Climbcrag Castle.
Sparx ran forward as some knights approached her and shot their lances forward. She sliced their knights in two with a swift chop from her sword.. Shockwave tripped up a wizard with his electric whip and threw the elderly magician over the castle wall. Ace was attacked by a two-headed monk, who clobbered him with a bible
"You bible basher!" shouted Ace and beheaded the monk twice with his Lightning Lance.
Sparx ran on a head and saw a silver-armoured knight leap off the wall above and land in front of her. In was Lancelot, looking smug as his lance pointed to the sky.
"I have found thee, vile Lightning Knight!" cried Lancelot "Prepare to taste the steel of my blade!".
"Not a chance knighty!" replied Sparx and pushed past Lancelot.
Lancelot was insulted by this and he realised Sparx was not taking him seriously. He slammed his visor shut and his icy blue eyes were visible in the darkness inside the helmet. He gripped the sword with both hands and held it up to the sky where the sunlight from a small hole in the cavern's roof shone on the edge of the blade. Sparx turned around to look back at Lancelot and saw him charging at her, his sword ready to strike. Lancelot swished his sword and made Sparx tumble to the floor. She attacked back with her sword and metal met metal. The two knights battled against eachother for some time. Sparx was getting tired of just fighting with swords, so she shocked Lancelot with a lightning bolt. He managed to block the attack with his shield.
"You know, you're really starting to bore me" said Sparx.
"So, you are saying you would like to see thy powers?" asked Lancelot.
"Yes!" said Sparx obviously.
"Very well!" shouted Lancelot, his deep voice echoing across the castle.
Lancelot closed his eyes and suddenly, his shoulderblades started changing shape and they developed into large metallic bat wings. A long, green, scaly lizard tail shot out of Lancelot's backside. His lance grew even longer and now looked extremely deadly. Lancelot flapped his metal wings and flew up into the air like a giant bat.
"Okay, we'll settle this in the sky!" laughed Sparx and whistled for the Lightning Flash.
The hovercraft flew in and Sparx leapt onto it and then flew up to face Lancelot. Their sky battle began.
As for Ace and Shockwave, they were at the door to the Tumbledown Tower. Ace looked up at the height of the tower with awe.
"Random must be up there" he said.
Ace moved for the doors, but he had to jump out of the way as Thrasher bounded out of the tower and sprang at Shockwave. Shockwave was too quick for the lion and jump aside and punched Thrasher in the side of the head. Thrasher leapt at Shockwave again and slashed his claws. It didn't do any damage to Shockwave, since most of his body was covered in armour. Shockwave pulled his Lightning Whip out and tripped Thrashed up with it. The giant cat went flying over the wall and onto the floor below. Shockwave turned to Ace and the two dashed inside the tower. Thrasher quickly regained consciousness and ran into the tower after them.
The tower was very tall and a simple spiral path led upwards, with several large platforms along the way. Ace and Shockwave quickly killed off some ferrets wielding swords, but they had to keep on moving because Thrasher was gaining on them. Ace and Shockwave leapt up some trampoline and shot some wizards who quickly faded out. Shockwave then noticed a large stone statue shaped like Random Virus, his claw and hand holding up the roof above. The two decided to rest beside the statue and also hide from Thrasher, who was stupid enough to think they were still moving, so he continued upwards. Ace looked at Shockwave who was fiddling with an odd looking medallion. It was gold in colour, a ring attached to a chain with a lightning bolt in its centre made up the necklace.
"What is that?" asked Ace.
"It's my family treasure" explained Shockwave "My great-grandfather created it and gave to my grandfather, who gave it to my father, who gave it to me".
"Oh, I see" said Ace.
Shockwave then took the medallion from his hand and gave it to Ace. Ace raised an eyebrow.
"Ace, promise me something…" said Shockwave.
"Okay" replied Ace.
"If I ever die, give my medallion to Random" ordered Shockwave.
"Very well" said Ace and placed the medallion in his jacket.
The duo was quickly off again and eventually reached the top of the tower and a large set of doors stood before them.
"Ready?" asked Shockwave to Ace, who nodded in agreement.
Ace slowly pushed against the doors and it revealed the roof of the tower. The tower's roof was round with a high wall surrounding the outside. Many shields were pressed into the wall. In the centre of the roof was a small pool of lava with a platform in the middle. Random Virus stood on the platform, watching Ace and Shockwave with disgust and hatred.
"Looking for me Lightning Knights!" shouted Random, pointing at them.
"Random, we can help you" said Shockwave.
"Hehehehe! Shockwave, my foolish cousin!" laughed Random "You think you can defeat me! I think not!".
"We're you're friends, Random!" said Ace.
"Friends? I have no friends!" shouted Random.
Thrasher suddenly appeared out of no where and tackled Shockwave to the ground. Shockwave quickly stood up and ripped out his Lightning Whip to take on Thrasher. Ace stared at Random who raised his claw and a red transparent shield appeared around him. Random then fired a combination of electricity and fire from his wrist cannon at Ace. Ace dived out of the way as the attack passed over him and hit the wall. Ace fired a lightning bolt, but Random deflected it with his claw.
"Hmmm… lightning bolts can't hit him… I'm going to have to hit him with a deflected shot!" thought Ace and he noticed the shield surrounding the two.
He fried a lightning bolt at a shield and it successfully managed to penetrate Random's defence and damage him.
Shockwave slashed his whip as Thrasher chased him, several times past Ace. Thrasher than flew up into the air and then zoomed back down, bringing a super gust of wind with him. The wind made all the shields spin around like crazy and almost sent Shockwave flying over the edge of the tower. Thrasher slammed into Shockwave and this time, the two went tumbling over the edge of the tower.
"Shockwave! No!" cried Ace, seeing his friend disappear.
The hero and the villain battled as they fell down the side of the tower. They hit a wall and continued to fall down; passing Sparx and Lancelot who were battling in the air. Sparx had already done serious damage to Lancelot and broke one of his wings in half. She watched helplessly as her friend fell down towards the ocean of lava below.
Shockwave and Thrasher hit the lava and they still fought, punching and kicking eachother. Thrasher eventually sank, lava destroying him body. Shockwave hated fire, but there was no point trying to swim back to the castle now, he'd done his duty. He lay back as he slowly sank into the lava. He looked up at Sparx who watched him from high above.
"Do right…and fear not" said Shockwave and he was gone.
Sparx bowed her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. Lancelot laughed triumphantly, and that got Sparx mad. She gripped onto her sword, and revved up the Lightning Flash. She then dashed forward and slammed her sword right through Lancelot's shield and into the noble knight's chest. Lancelot gulped and he fell down to the drawbridge below. He landed on the ground and he decided it was time to flee. He picked himself up and slowly ran away out of the castle, before fading out and returning to the haunted house.
Ace had seen Shockwave fall into the lava and perish, and held the medallion in his hand. Random growled angrily, getting impatient.
"Stop sobbing you coward, so I can destroy you!" shouted Random angrily.
Ace turned around, his face filled with anger. He raised his wrist cannons and used all his electrical energy and blasted a powerful explosion of lightning, thunder and electricity at Random. The bolts destroyed Random's shield and electrocuted him all over. Within moments, Random went limp and bent over, his head bowed and his arms hanging by his sides.
Ace flew over to Random and turned him back on. Random straightened up and looked at Ace, his eye green.
"Ace…Shockwave…he's…" said Random.
"Yes…" said Ace.
Random fell into tears and hung onto Ace. Ace hugged his friend and patted his back. Random cried desperately. Ace pushed his friend away and Random stared at Ace, who handed him Shockwave's medallion.
"I promised him I'd give it to you, if anything happened to him" explained Ace.
"Thankyou…" said Random and in return, he handed Ace his piece of the Amulet.
The tower started to crumbled away suddenly. Ace managed to lift Random off the ground and up onto the Lightning Flash where Sparx sat. The three watched as Tumbledown Tower really did tumble down. The remainders of the castle slowly crumbled away, until there was nothing left but a pile of bricks and flags.
Sparx flew the Lightning Flash back into the carnival midway and Random pointed out a small metal shack in a small area of trash. Sparx landed the Lightning Flash and Random stepped off.
"I'll stay here, just in case my dark side takes control again…" said Random.
"Very well Random, we'll be back for you" said Ace and he and Sparx walked away into the shadows.
Later, Ace and Sparx were walking toward the Haunted House, ready to battle against Lord Fear, when suddenly a bomb landed on the ground between them and it exploded, knocking them out cold. Lady Illusion appeared and scooped up the pieces of the Amulet they had.
"Forgive me Ace, but I have no choice…" said Lady Illusion and she morphed back to the Haunted House.
Ace and Sparx slowly then got up and they realised they were flickering.
"What's wrong Ace? Why are we all fuzzy?" asked Sparx angrily.
"Lord Fear…must have all the piece of the Amulet!" said Ace suddenly.
Sparx raised her eyebrows in alarm. A prophecy she once read said something about if evil got the Amulet, the Lightning Knights would perish!
"We cannot lose! We're unbeatable!" cried Sparx.
"Maybe not Sparx, Lord Fear has the whole Amulet" said Ace.
"That means that he has the power to destroy us…" said Sparx.
Now that Lord Fear has the Amulet he now has ultimate power! How will the Lightning Knights defend themselves against Fear? What will they do without Shockwave? Will Lady Illusion betray Lord Fear to help Ace? And will Random Virus help the Lightning Knights, or stay hidden? Find out next time in Ace Lightning and the Carnival of Doom, Chapter 7, Ace In Trouble!