The Nova Dragon blasted a stream of fire at Mizrah and Thunderchild but Thunderchild was able to create a energy shield which dispersed most of the attack.
Instantly the attack began he felt himself begin to go into Trance…he felt the Dragon spirit within him stir and threaten to emerge, he suppressed that for use against Jara when they got to the Crystal Palace.
Mizrah turned as there was a bright flash of light from Thunderchild and she saw that he had undergone a transformation…his armour glowed platinum gold and his hair was a bright white and reached down his back.
"What the hell's happened to you!" she asked
"Don't worry…it's trance." He replied as he ran at the Nova Dragon and fired wave after wave of firaga at it with little effect.
"Dammit…it seems to be immune to Firaga." He noted as he ran back to Mizrah
"Lets try something more conventional." She said as she somersaulted forward and slashed at the Nova Dragon with her sword, the Nova Dragon roared in pain and smashed at her with its wing as she retreated.
"Well…that had some affect." She said
Thunderchild nodded and knelt down with his hand on his head, Mizrah turned and frowned
"What are you doing?"
Thunderchild didn't reply but she could almost swear that the light around him was getting stronger.
The Nova Dragon reared up and flapped its wings furiously creating a whirlwind of electricity which ripped through Thunderchild and Mizrah causing Mizrah to be knocked over for a moment, as she got up bleeding from a slashed arm she saw Thunderchild stand and hold his sword high in the air.
"ULLLAAAAAAAA!" he shouted.
A surge of lightning leapt out from around him and struck the Nova Dragon and remained on it, arcing constantly as the Nova Dragon roared in fury and pain.
Mizrahs eyes widened as Thunderchild seemed to begin to talk the dragon in a guttural roaring noise.
The Nova Dragon roared in response and crossing its wings in front of him reflected the lightning back to Thunderchild.
"Oh crap." He said, just briefly before the lightning hit him.
It blew him backwards off his feet into the side of the Tower of Art…sliding along the floor he came to a halt just inches from the edge, Ignoring Mizrah the Nova Dragon paced forward until it came to a halt just in front of Thunderchild.
Again Thunderchild spoke like the Dragon…he seemed to be pleading with the Dragon but his requests were ignored and the Dragon smashed him off the side of the Tower of Art.
Mizrah screamed in rage and charged at the Nova Dragon slicing her sword deep into its chest, the dragon turned and swiped at her but it was too slow and she dodged its attack easily. She ran over to the edge to where Thunderchild had fallen but she couldn't see the bottom of the Tower in the dark…it was nearly a thirty storey drop, he was dead for sure.
She ducked instinctively as the Nova Dragons flame attack leapt for her. Jumping sideways she was able to circle around the Nova Dragon and slice her sword in for another attack but this time the Nova Dragon swept its whole body around and smashed itself into her knocking her off her feet and onto her front.
She turned back around again to see the Dragon lunge at her jaws open, ready for the kill, she closed her eyes expecting to die but death never came…instead there was a strange noise and the Dragon roared in agony…opening her eyes she saw Thunderchild standing on a Magic Carpet along with Beowolf, Nagy and Proeliator as he fired a strange energy weapon at the Nova Dragon.
Seeing the Dragon distracted Mizrah snatched up her sword from where it lay next to her and attacked the Nova Dragon from the other side.
Unprepared for this assault from both direction the Nova Dragon attempted to meet both attacks and failed. Thunderchild fired another particle blast into it which tore open its sides and caused it to stagger with pain. Mizrah then moved around and while the Dragon had its head turned the other way to her she drove the sword deep into its skull.
The Nova Dragon reared up as Mizrah pulled her sword back out, and then it tried to take off again but a particle blast from Thunderchild removed one of its wings and it spiralled down into the darkness, hitting the ground with a crash which echoed through the city.
Nagy directed the Magic Carpet to land on the top of the Tower of Art where Mizrah was waiting for them.
"Thanks for that guys," said Thunderchild "I thought I was a dead man there."
"No probs," said Nagy "I always told you to feel free to drop in at some time!"
Thunderchild laughed and grinned at Mizrah who returned the smile
"I thought you were dead." She said
"Not yet…not yet." He replied, aware of his own mortality.
Thunderchild turned to Proeliator
"Is the uprising underway?"
Proeliator nodded
"I saw people heading out into the streets on the way here."
Thunderchild nodded in satisfaction
"Right…we're almost ready," he turned to Mizrah "Mizrah…I'd be grateful if you could organise the attack on the ground."
Mizrah nodded
"Sure…If you think I can be of some help."
Thunderchild nodded too
"Yeah…the last thing we need is for this thing to fall apart because there's no co-ordination!"
"So…where now?" asked Nagy as the Crystal Palace fired its energy cannon at something towards the Brass Bridge which exploded in a large fireball.
Thunderchild looked out over the city
"Hmm…Plaza of Broken Moons first…then…Crystal Palace."
Nagy nodded and as Mizrah stepped on the carpet, squeezing into a spot between Nagy and Proeliator at the front, he lifted the carpet up off the roof of the Tower of Art…seconds later the energy cannon from the Crystal Palace smashed into the roof and blew apart the first two storeys in a shower of masonry.
"Jara's made our position!" shouted Proeliator
As the remains of the top of the Tower of Art burned, the Crystal Palace powered up for another shot.
"Ok folks…this is gonna get interesting…HOLD ON TIGHT!" said Nagy as he pushed the carpets edge down.
The Magic Carpet plunged out of the sky like a stone, the second energy blast from the Crystal Palace streaking through the air where they had just been.
"Where are we going!" asked Thunderchild as they flew down Peach Pie street at the fastest speed Thunderchild had ever travelled by Magic Carpet.
"We're gonna have to come into the Plaza from the south!" said Nagy as they turned right onto Turnwise Broadway and then onto Peasant Parade.
"Street of Small Gods?" asked Beowolf
Nagy nodded
"Yep…gonna take the back alleys…it should lose Jaras track on us."
Another energy blast smashed into the cobbles of Peasant Parade behind them, scattering the people gathered there.
Thunderchild thought he saw some movement out of the corner of his eye, he turned around to look at what it was but didn't see anything, shrugging he turned back around as the carpet entered Filligree Street.
Snikity ran down Filligree street as the people of Ankh-Morpork gathered to her cry of:
"Destroy the Crystal Palace!"
More and more people came flooding out of their homes and shops as she ran down the street her sword raised high in the air and her long brown hair waving behind her.
She saw something flying very low directly towards her down the centre of the street, she dived out of the way as a Magic Carpet with five people sitting or standing on it passed and banked steeply to the left before flying down Baker Street. A large energy blast seared across Snikitys vision and temporarily blinded her, the blast landed near by and shook the ground underfoot, as her vision returned she saw a smoking hole where the general shop had once stood on Filligree Street.
Undeterred by this turn of events she raised her sword again and shouted:
"Onwards!"
As the crowd of people gathered themselves together and followed her a shadow flitted across the crowd as something passed overhead and turned left down Baker Street in pursuit of the Magic Carpet.
Snikity shook her head and carried on leading the march to the Crystal Palace.
As the walls of Baker street closed in, threatening to crush the Magic Carpet, Thunderchild felt the presence of something behind them, turning he saw a battered but defiant Black Waltz three.
"Nagy! I thought you killed this thing!" he shouted
"What the hell! I shot the bloody thing!" said Nagy as he turned and saw the Black Waltz.
"Destroy…Yissan Gojenta!" shouted the Waltz
As it reached striking range of the Magic Carpet, Thunderchild and Proeliator stood up and drew their swords to defend the carpet.
"Just like old times ay Thunderchild!" remarked Proeliator
"Yeah…Black Waltz's, Crystal Palaces, genomes…just like old times." He replied
The Waltz clawed at Thunderchild with one outstretched hand but Thunderchild chopped at it with Draconus and beat the hand back.
A fireball generated by the Black Waltz passed between Proeliator and Thunderchild, barely missing Nagys head.
Proeliator jabbed at the Waltz with his sword as it came back for another attack.
"Archway!" shouted Nagy causing Proeliator and Thunderchild to crouch down as they flew underneath a brick archway which the Black Waltz collided with and smashed its way through, demonstrating its power and strength.
Thunderchild and Proeliator stood up again as the Black Waltz once again came within attacking range, Proeliator switched weapons from his sword to his crossbow while Thunderchild provided close range defence with Draconus. Proeliator fired bolt after bolt at the Black Waltz, most of which hit and Thunderchild jabbed at it whenever it came close.
The intersection with God street flashed by, Thunderchild could see people running through the streets carrying anything they could find that could be used as a weapon, he even thought he saw a Troll carrying a Dwarf who was holding a mining axe.
Co-operation between Trolls and Dwarves? Unusual thought Thunderchild
Normally Trolls and Dwarves avoided each other like the plague and refused to have anything to do with either race, but now to protect the city they lived and worked in they were prepared to fight alongside each other.
By now the Black Waltz was beginning to tire under the amount of damage it had received from Proeliators crossbow bolts and Thunderchilds sword attacks. Thunderchild saw his opportunity and tapped Nagy on the shoulder.
"My Particle gun! Quick!" he said
Nagy passed back the weapon as the Black Waltz closed for one final attack.
"Yissan Gojenta….must….die!" it gasped
Thunderchild held the Particle gun in both his hands and aimed at the Black Waltz
"Not today buddy!" he said and pulled the trigger
The particle blast nailed the Black Waltz right between its glowing eyes and blew its head off in an impressive explosion.
Nagy turned and looked at the remains of the Waltz hit the street…and the street walls
"Hah…come back from that one!" he said before turning back around and seeing a house wall rapidly approaching.
"Sharp left!" he shouted in warning.
Thunderchild and Proeliator quickly sat back down and held on to the edges of the carpet as Nagy banked the carpet to the left as they entered the Street of Small Gods.
"Good shooting…both of you." Said Mizrah as they sat back down.
Thunderchild nodded and Proeliator replied
"Thank you."
Thunderchild stood up and peered in front of them.
"Don't forget the Temple of Small Gods has fallen across the street up here." He reminded Nagy
Nagy nodded and added
"I think we've lost Jara…there hasn't been an energy bolt directed at us since we entered Baker Street."
Thunderchild nodded as he sat back down.
"We can hope." Said Beowolf
Nagy brought the carpet up a few extra feet to clear the pile of rubble which the Temple of Small Gods had created in its collapse.
Looking behind them Thunderchild saw people climbing over the rubble on their way to attack the Crystal Palace…nearly everywhere he looked there was someone armed and ready to defend their city.
"Good thing we never did get to Ankh-Morpork." He thought out loud
"Hmm?" asked Mizrah
"I was thinking…it was a good thing the Klatchian army never got to Ankh-Morpork…if the Morporkians had fought as fiercely as this…we'd have got nowhere."
Mizrah shook her head
"Normally the people of Ankh-Morpork don't get involved…but this time is different…you stirred something in them," she turned to the rest of the team on the Magic Carpet "You all did! By the time this night is over…each one of you are going to be heroes."
"Or dead." Said Proeliator
Thunderchild laughed and nodded in a grim agreement.
"Well…you know what they say Pro." He said
"What's that?"
"Fortune favours the bold."
Proeliator raised an eyebrow
"Really? I've found fortune favours the rich and well armed."
Thunderchild shrugged
"Well…clichés don't always work, but hey! We're not going to go down without a fight…right!" he asked the team
There were nods and murmurs of 'yes' as each one of them prepared themselves for what was to come.
As the intersection of the Street of Small Gods and Upper Broadway flashed by, the Crystal Palace began to loom over the rooftops of the passing houses.
"No energy beams yet," said Nagy "That's gotta be a good sign."
Thunderchild turned to Mizrah and patted her on her shoulder.
"Ok Mizrah…once you're on the ground organise the crowds to try and break down the main doors…I don't care how you do it but make sure you do, because in Sator Square you'll be sitting ducks to whatever Jara can throw at you."
Mizrah nodded and drew her sword in preparation.
"Plaza of Broken Moons coming up!" warned Nagy as the turning for Market Street passed them by.
Thunderchild looked up at the ever growing Crystal Palace, a sense of dread gathering in his heart as he felt the final confrontation drawing closer.
Jara stormed around her throne room.
"Damn that insolent Terran and his Disc friends…Damn them all!" he shouted
Domino and Zidane had been summoned in front of Jara as the crowds began to gather around the base of the Crystal Palace.
Mikoto entered
"You majesty…Black Waltz Three has been lost." She reported
"NO! Dammit…everything I throw at him he repels! Are you indestructible? She shouted at the night sky.
"There is more your majesty…a large crowd gathers outside…it gets larger by the minute."
"Do you think I am blind Mikoto! I can see this with my own eyes…why hasn't our energy cannon dealt with them!"
"The Tower is too tall your majesty…the energy cannon cannot get a target lock."
"WHAT? I don't want to hear excuses you half-witted tool! I want results…and if I don't get them I will personally kill you!" shouted Jara at the poor genome.
Domino stood before Jara, no change in her expression but deep inside her, Zidane and Mikoto they rejoiced at Jaras anger and frustration.
Jara turned back to look at them.
"And for you…I have a plan…a plan to destroy Yissan forever!"
Domino shuddered as she saw Jara look straight at her.
The Magic Carpet set down in the Plaza of Broken Moons and Mizrah jumped off.
"Good luck Mizrah…and remember, don't kill the genomes or mages!" said Thunderchild as Nagy flew the carpet back up into the air.
Mizrah nodded and waved back to Thunderchild before turning around and grabbing the nearest person to her who happened to be Snikity.
"You…right, you're now my second in command, help me get these people organised!" she said
Snikity nodded and began shouting at nearby people in an attempt to organise the large crowds that had gathered.
Above them Thunderchild watched the movement of the crowd as it pressed towards the doors of Jaras crystal palace.
Then he looked back as the top of the Crystal Palace approached.
"We're too close to the palace for them to get a lock on us!" shouted Nagy in triumph
"Good flying Nagy!" congratulated Beowolf
Although the Crystal Palace was nearly sixty storeys high the Magic Carpet made it to the top in very short time, circling around the outside to gather height without losing speed.
Then they reached the roof and landed the carpet before jumping off it quickly, and Thunderchild launched a fireball at the energy cannon destroying it before it could fire on them.
"Right…let's get inside before she notices we're up here!" said Thunderchild
The roof was bare aside from the smoking wreckage of the energy cannon and a small raised platform in the centre of the circular roof.
"Erm…and how do we do that?" asked Nagy
Thunderchild walked over to the raised platform.
"Stand on this." He commanded
"Why?" asked Proeliator as he walked over to the platform
"I dunno…I think it does something."
Proeliator, wary of traps, was the last onto the platform…as he stood on it he felt a strange sensation surround him, closely followed by a blinding flash of white light, when the light cleared he was aware of a change of surroundings. They were now standing on a similar raised platform in a dark blue marbled room with red carpeted flooring.
"Oh hello…" muttered Nagy
"Is this…?" asked Beowolf
"Yes…this is the inside of Jara's Crystal Palace." Confirmed Thunderchild.