Part 11: The Ultimate Challenge, staying alive!
I woke up on my stomach without armor and sub armor in a vast room, in front of me was chair with a lamp on each side of it, which emitted a blue flame.
"I feel like I got hit by a bus ugh." I rolled over, sprung on to my feet, running over to the window, and looked out. I was inside Folken's diamond shaped flying fortress high above the forest of a country called Auld, far away from Fanelia.
"Man talk about being a long way from home, I gotta get outta here." I backed up and charged slamming my shoulder into the glass. Thump!
"Ouch." Again! Thump!
"Oarr!" I extended my claws and started slicing into glass. After a while I retracted my claws and ran back a couple of feet.
"Aaaaaaaah!" I said shoulder charging towards the glass. CRACK!
"Roaarrr!" The window barely cracked as I backed away clutching my dislocated shoulder. Well that didn't work, I thought to myself as I searched for another exit. I felt around my shoulder and found where it was dislocated and walked towards the window brace.
"Okay 1..2..3!" I slammed my arm hard into the brace, popping my shoulder back in.
"Oweee!" I stretched my arm. Dofus! Use your armors! I thought smacking myself on the forehead. I activated my sub-armor and prepared to summon the strongest armor of all!
"Armor of Hardrock! DAO GI!" The sign of justice appeared in front of me and exploded into orange lotus flowers and created the Hardrock armor on top of my sub-armor, the Testsubo (a 3-section staff with a Naginata blade on one side) in 3 section nunchucks form connecting onto my back. I grabbed the helmet and put it on. I backed up farther than before and charged hard. Ccccchhhhsssshhhh! The horn on my shoulder shattered a hole in the glass. I backed up to jump kick it and I heard someone walk in.
"I've been waiting for you, Sage." Folken. I growled harshly and spat to him.
"Well sorry to disappoint you, but I'll be leaving now. Hyyah!" I ran towards the glass jumping into the air doing a jump kick.
"Fool." He shot a telekinetic attack that sounded like gun going off, and when it hit me it sent me flying.
"Aah!" Clank! I hit the ground, sliding landing on one knee my armor and sub-armor deactivating.
"What!" I roared snarling at Folken standing up.
"Your armor as been dispelled, Guardian." He spat at the word Guardian.
"Why are you doing this?" I roared at him.
"For power." He said as he unleashed another telekinetic attack that grabbed me at the throat and lifted me into the air choking me.
"Augg!" I struggled to free myself of it with no effect.
"You have no idea what powers lay dormant inside you. Have you heard of the Dragon Clan?"
"Yes, but they are all dead." I croaked.
"Wrong. I, my brother Van, and the head of the Dragon Slayers; Dilandau all have Dragon Clan blood running through our veins.."
"But isn't Dilandau of lower birth? Auc!"
"Yes, but when the last part of Rhinestone of Life activated at your touch and entered you.."
"More like pounded itself into me. AAK!" Note to self, don't try and talk whilst being choked, it doesn't work very well.
"It altered you pouring pure Dragon Clan blood into your veins, that blood grants you magical powers.1 telekinesis. 2 the ability to sense others who have that Blood or using magic and your wings."
"You seem to have forget something I learn by example and you just taught me how to use my telekinesis. HHYYYYAAAHHH!" I roared my telekinesis breaking his grip around my neck.
"Interesting."
"Eat this! RRROOOAAARRR!" I shot another telekinetic attack. Unfortunately he blocked easily with a shield and shot it back ten-fold which hit me in the chin before I had time to react. Blood flew following the shockwave and splattering the floor as my head flew back blood dripping from my mouth, I fell to the ground unconscious.
"Ouch!" I said like Robin William in Flubber when he fell out the window and landed on his back.
"Now take him down below and chain him up by his hands and feet." I heard Folken say while I lay unconscious.
"Let's hoist it into the air and torture it." Dilandau said and laughed his creepy laugh.
"No leave him on the ground and leave him unscathed."
"Fine. You're no fun. Bring a stretcher!" He yelled at the guards. "Bastard." he kicked me in the stomach I coughed out blood and released a telekinetic attack that knocked him off his feet. Folken chuckled softly as Dilandau stormed out. Man I wish I could have seen the look on his face. I woke up again, on a cold stone floor. I slowly climbed onto my feet I looked around, it was your basic prison cell: no sunlight, the only light was two torches on the far side of the room. I could see perfectly. GRUUURRGRUR! My stomach growled I rubbed it with my hand and felt cold steel on my belly.
"Wha..?" I looked at my wrists there were shackles 2 inches wide on them attached to a crane. I had 2 more 2 in shackles on my ankles they were also connected to the crane. My vest, pants, and all of my weighted bands had been removed and I could see it on the table by the torches where Dilandau and his group of Dragon Slayers were, sitting laughing, drinking, and eating. I quietly sniffed the air I don't care what they are eating, but it smells good! I licked my lips and started thinking on a way to get out of here sitting down on floor laying my back against the back wall. VAN! HITOMI! I roared in thought-speak going into a trance visualizing myself on a flat plane of water. Minutes passed and still nothing.
S…Sage? Hitomi said materializing onto the plain. Thank God.
Hitomi is Van there?
I am now. Van said materializing.
Oh. Were you sleeping?
We were. It's 5:30 in the morning. What's going on?
I've been taken captive by Folken. I'm in the prison now inside his diamond-shaped fortress.
They both sprung into action, running up to me.
Why I am not surprised? Where are you? Van.
Last I knew we were over Auld.
Are you okay? Hitomi.
I'm hungry, but I'll live.
Stay alive we're on way. Van said dematerializing from my mental field.
We'll stay touch. Hitomi said
Right.
Oh, ya Celena misses you. She said teasingly as she dematerialized smiling.
"Grrrr." Oops. I came out of the trance to see Dilandau turn around, grin, and say to the Dragon Slayers.
"Let's go have some fun." They all drunkenly agreed. Aw crap. They got up I sprung to my feet as they walked towards me I snarled and charged towards them, but I was yanked back by the chains my jaws snapping shut a inch in front of Dilandau's face.
"Bad kitty!" Dilandau said as he punched me in the face.
"Roar!" He just added fuel to the fire. My fire. I charged forward trying to tear him apart, the shackles starting to cut into my wrists and ankles, but I was too ticked off to feel the pain.
"Stupid cat! Hit 'em again Dilandau!" One of the drunk Dragon Slayers said. Unfortunately Dilandau responded by launching a telekinetic attack that threw me against the back wall. I roared in pain and shot one back at him sending him flying. All of the Dragon Slayers laughed.
"Shut up!" Dilandau screeched as he sprung up red-faced and P.Oed. "I'll show you to make a fool out of me!" He came at me. I charged at him claws, and teeth bared. He waited until I reached as far as the chains would let me go, and he yelled to his Dragon Slayers. "Attack!" and that they did. Dilandau knocked me to the ground and it was like a wrestling match when the good guy is down outside the ring while his opponent distracts the ref, whilst the opponent's buddies would kick and stomp on the fallen warrior. I lay on the ground growling and screeching in pain building up strength and waiting for one of them to drop their guard and Dilandau to turn his back, while they pounded on my back with their sharp heels, and kicked me in the ribs with their sharp-toed boots. I was bleeding from multiple places where they sliced me open with their boots, but I still lay there breathing heavily.
"Well I guess we showed him huh? Let's go." Dilandau said turning around, walking towards the exit. The Dragon Slayers followed except for one. "Stupid cat demon!" He muttered as started to walk away. I completely lost it and went totally primeval.
"RRROOOAAAR!" I roared a feral roar, sprung onto my feet, and sunk my curved tiger canines into the lower area of a Dragon Slayers' neck his blood gushing out into my mouth and everywhere.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The Dragon Slayer let out a blood-curdling scream the other Dragon Slayers and Dilandau spun around.
"Holy Shit!" One of them said as I released their ally snarling showing my bloody muzzle and jaws.
"My God!" Jajuka said quietly hidden in shadows. They cautiously crept up, picked up their fallen ally, and carried him out, me at the end of my leash roaring and snarling as loud as possible trying to slash and/or bite anyone who gets close enough. Dilandau looked up and I did the same and saw a small, scrawny creature with red eyes that looked down.
"Add one more chain, put it around his neck, muzzle 'em, and hoist him up!" Dilandau barked. The creature nodded and seconds later a chain and shackle fell and the little gremlin crawled down and fastened the shackle around my neck underneath my hair, shoved a tight muzzle over mine so couldn't roar or maybe even talk, and turned tailed and ran, my claws right behind him. I felt myself being lifted up I was raised up 1ft above the ground my arms and legs spread apart. The shackles sinking deeper into my wrists, ankles and now into my neck.
"There, now you shouldn't cause any more trouble." Dilandau said as he left. The echo of my roaring subsided and I spit out the Dragon Slayers blood and just hung there. I went to sleep with one eye open, focusing my energy on making my wounds scab over.
"Sage." Jajuka said walking out of his hiding spot.
"Oh great, more trouble." I mumbled could barely talk considering the shackle and muzzle.
"I don't bring trouble, I bring food." He said holding out a plate of well-cooked meat.
"Isn't that yours?" I said mouth watering.
"Yes, but they weren't going to feed you, but I guess they know now not to jack around with you." He said chuckling softly.
I chuckled roughly, "I guess so, but how am I going to eat like this?" I wheezed wiggling around rattling the chains.
"I'll fix that but when your finished you'll be put back in the same position your in now. Ok?"
"Fine with me. But why are you doing this?"
"Because what they have done to you is unjust and barbaric. Now you have to promise not to attack me." He set the plate down on the floor.
"You have my word." I said he lowered me down and when my feet hit the ground; I sat down and rubbed the areas where the shackles had dug in. I reached behind my head, unlocked, and took off the muzzle, stretching my jaw. He went and poured a glass of wine, came back, drew one of his two swords and dropped it onto the ground beside him, and sat down in front of me handing me the plate and glass. I accepted them generously bowing my head growling gently as a sign of respect, but not taking my eyes off him. He did the same his growl more wolf-like but still cool. I ate quickly enjoying the meal, as it might be my last. Afterwards, we talked about the "pure" human psyche, especially Dilandau's (PSYCHO!), since we were more animal than human, but mixture of both, laughing at each other's insights. When I was finished I handed him the plate and glass and thanked him.
"No problem. Now to erase my presence here."
"Right." I said putting on and locking my incredibly uncomfortable muzzle and cued him to hoist me back up. And I was left alone once again, but at least now I have a full stomach. I fell asleep how I don't know given my present situation, but sleep just came over me.
"Sage." A soft girls voice in my dream.
"WAKE UP!" WHAP! A sharp blow to the face shattered my dream.
"RRRROOOOAARRR!" I was furious.
"Folken. ggrrrrrrrr." I spat out some blood from the corner of my mouth.
"Who did this to you?" Folken asked.
"Who do you think?" I spat back.
"Dilandau, I'll deal with him later. Now you!" He said pointing at one of the guards who corrected his stance immediately.
"Yes sir."
"Remove his muzzle." I glared deep into his eyes and bared my teeth.
"Yes sir. Oh man this was not in job description." He said his voice shaking he hesitantly came up and started to unlock the muzzle, very carefully, with me growling in his ear. As soon as the muzzle was unlocked I roared the guard screamed in terror and ran.
"Coward." I growled shaking my head the muzzle flying off. Folken chuckled and whipped out a dark stone. The Rhinestone of Death I could sense it's dark energy, and held it in front of him. He stared at it and seemed to be concentrating. It began to glow and I started to felt pain in my back. I roared out in pain as the stone forcefully called out my wings. They exploded out of my back with a snap, leaving me crying in pain. Yes it hurt that bad. The pain faded away to a numbing sensation.
"Let me go this isn't worth it!" I roared.
"I can't do that, not until you cough up your part of the Stone, which holds immense power. Until I get what I want, you will not be released."
"I don't know how to get it out, and even if I did, I'm not going to let you have it!" I roared.
"Stubborn fool."
"Me? Stubborn? Right."
"That stone will be mine!" He held up the black stone and held it close to my face. The closer it got, the more pain I felt.
"This can pull that stone right out of you."
"Bring it." The stone began to glow and I felt my insides being ripped apart. Like someone stuck my guts in a blender and hit puree. The pain grew intense my stone moving to the surface. I gritted my teeth felt something weird going on in my body I looked at my hand saw the fur starting to disappear.
"Stop! If you do this I return to what I was before!" The stone stopped glowing.
"I will not stop until I get what I want!" He yelled blasting my with a telekinetic blast sending me into unconsciousness. I heard Folken storm off and say to the guard that I had scared.
"Put it muzzle back on and leave him." I felt rough hands shove my face into the muzzle and tighten it underneath my hair. I was left alone not even bothering to retract my wings they'll just be ripped out again. I woke up several hours later I groggily looked around and saw no one around I heaved sigh of relief.
"God I hope Van and Hitomi get here soon." Man I'm hungry. I tried to get more comfortable in my dangling contained position with little success, big surprise. I retreated into the depths of my mind to contemplate some kind of escape plan. Good luck. Folken came in a few minutes later.
"Well speak of the devil." I spat at him Shwac! I turned back my head blood trickling down my chin growling. And so it begins. I thought as he whipped out the Rhinestone of Death and as it started to glow I felt my stone start to move inside of me, towards the surface pushing against my ribs and my chest. My wings were being forcibly pulled through my back to come out with my stone. (AN: I believe the word your looking for is Aah:p)I looked at myself and saw my Tyger form was being torn out as well. Not good. The pain was unimaginable, so unbearable that it left me near tears. I stood fast. After what seemed like hours the dark stone stopped glowing Folken put it away, turned and left. My wrists, ankles, and neck were bleeding freely from my weight against the shackles from when his stone was pulling mine toward it. Panting I focused my eyes to see Jajuka enter who let me down, fed me, gave me strength to keep fighting, and to tell me he has been reassigned and will move out tonight.
"No! You can't!"
"Do not worry." He interrupted me calmly saying
"You will be fed, though it may too few and far between, but I give you my word you will not die." He hit his hand on his chest armor. I bowed my head, my energy restored I retracted my wings and summoned my sub-armor and my favorite armor, the Wildfire, and he hung me back up again leaving the muzzle off he walked over and grabbed my clothes.
"Hey where are you going with those?"
"I shall give them to your new caretakers."
"Oh." Folken's gonna to have nasty surprise tomorrow I thought and chuckled to myself as I fell asleep. Not knowing how far Folken would go. I woke to find a not so pleased Folken glaring at me.
"Ha-ah! Now what?" Uh-oh now I asked for it, I thought to myself. He took off my helmet, threw it down, took off the katanas from my back, and threw them down as well and calmly waved his hand.
"Well very impressive armor but that won't protect you forever." A group of 8 sorcerers approached carrying what looked like to be ingredients of spells and primitive welding equipment.
"Now first cast a spell on the entire ship so that he can't summon that armor again once it off, and second cut it off!"
"Yes my lord." The head sorcerer said bowing Folken stepped back. The sorcerers went straight to work first doing their voodoo then powering up their torches slicing through my armor pulling it off in chunks of melted scrap metal. They had a little trouble with the tail because I couldn't keep it still. I chuckled all of a sudden I felt cold steel at my throat.
"Stop moving that tail or I kill you and remove your stone from your corpse." Folken said very sincerely obviously not in very good mood. I swallowed hard and stopped my tail has best has I could. Folken removed his sword he obviously wanted me to suffer, drat. When they were finished I gave them all a nasty surprise.
"Armor of Halo! Dao Chi!" The Halo armor activated shielding me once more. Folken went livid and blasted me with a telekinetic attack. Strength and confidence restored I blocked it. He told the sorcerers.
"Repeat as many times as necessary until you've stripped him of all of his armor. Do not summon me until it is done." He stormed off.
"Yes lord." They did their spell and melted off my Halo armor. Then I just activated the next one getting them madder and madder. I thought it was funny. But when they had finished sealing and melting off all 9 of my armors they went to work on my sub-armor taking pleasure in hearing me scream as they strip off my last defense leaving me with 2 to 3 degree bleeding burns over most of my body and barely any of my fur was spared, my only defense against the cold of the night. They then lowered my upper body and head down and cut off most of jet-black hair making me look truly awful. They raised me back up to the way I was before, gathered up their equipment, and left not without taking the only source of light the two torches on the opposite side of room leaving me in total darkness. Worn out and tired from pain I slept. A searing pain to the back shot me awake blinded by the sudden I blinked and surveyed my surroundings, hmm… sand, a cheering crowd, hmm I wonder…a gladiator area! What? In this a ship this size I'm not surprised. I was facing Folken who was seated a throne whilst 2 gorgeous cat-girls danced around him that caught my attention for a couple of minutes. I shook my head and looked around.
"Okay Folken is front of me, now where is Dilandau?"
"Right here!" Whack! He screamed as he brought a whip down across my back. I roared in pain and saw the two cat-girls whip around to look at me.
"Oh did that hurt?" Dilandau said toying with me.
"No that sucked!" I taunted and roared as I was whipped in public for hours, everyday, feeling blood dripping from my back. Then it got even better! Yea right, I was get beaten up by the Dragon Slayers which unfortunately was the entire audience! After that then Folken did his stone extraction shit. After a couple days of thatI just said.
"Enough of this bull shit! HhhhhhhyyyyYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" pooling all of the energy I had my stone glowing brighter than I've ever seen or gotten it, releasing a domelike telekinetic blast sending everybody around me flying. Folken looked pretty impressed, panting I saw and heard all the soldiers get back up and charge again. I roared extending my wings.
" Unlock!" The shackles flung open releasing me. Freedom! Blessed freedom! I flew up and away; I then turned my sights on the army of Dragon Slayers. I dived down into them and roared.
" Vigarthagaia!" And slammed onto the ground landing on all fours.
"Ha that didn't do anything. Git 'em!" Dilandau said. I felt my hand sent out a pulse.
"Or did it?" The ground started to shake violently as a high-factor earthquake knocking everyone to the ground. I took to the sky and roared.
" Wind which blows across eternity, gather in my hand and become my strength! Bram gush!" I drew back and aimed at the largest group of Dragon Slayers and fired an arrow of wind at them. When it hit them, it burst, shredding them all to pieces and punching holes into the ground, a rather gruesome scene. All of the others took off including Dilandau.
"Come back and fight cowards!" I roared.
"You have bigger problems." A voice came from behind me. Folken!
"Uh-oh." I whipped around and roared.
" Bomb di wind!" Cupping my hands I felt the air pressure greatly increase and release. The resulting wind blew Folken away. I didn't give him a chance to react.
" Wind, crimson flame. Grant the power of thunder to my hand! Digu Volt!" A lightning blast shot out of the palm of my hand and flew towards him. He recovered quickly and dodged it. The lightning flew by him and blew a softball size hole in the wall behind him. He turned around and looked at the hole and he said.
"Damn that would of hurt." Panting I charged him claws extended roaring.
"And so will this!" I slashed he side stepped me drawing his sword and brought it down upon my wings.
"Ahhh!" I screamed in pain and as I fell, my severed wings, and tail falling around me.
"Oh this going to hurt!" Boom! I landed flat on my back, the back of my head connecting with the ground giving me one hell of a headache.
"I was right. Uhh." I fought unconsciousness and climbed slowly to my feet roaring as Folken landed, retracting his black wings, and approached me
"How dare you cut off my wings I'll make you pay for that!" I ran over, grabbed a sword, and charged. We fought ferociously and intensely each of us using our telekinesis and that's it. (Switching to 3rd P.O.V.) There was so much dust in the air that any onlookers could barely see. When the dust cleared Folken and Sage were locked in a sinister embrace they fought hard but were a damn near even match.
"Its that all you've got?" Sage taunted pressing harder upon his sword not showing any signs of fatigue though due to the lack of food and wounds, his endurance had decreased a lot.
"I will have that stone! Dilandau! Attack!" Folken responded.
"Oh shit!" Sage broke the hold and sprinted to get another sword diving to dodge a telekinetic attack from Folken, which blew the sword away from him, sliding across the ground, he dived after it only to nearly roll out of the way to avoid Dilandau's sword. He grabbed the other sword and charged them both. Well Sage has got big balls to say the least. He fought them both with a Zen-like calmness, his cat-like flexibility, and maneuverability shining through. Blocking and attacking on two different fronts is not easy. However, it was not to last after about 30 min Folken took out the Rhinestone of Death and said.
"Enough." Sage who was busy at the moment disarmed Dilandau and had his sword at his throat spun around.
"What?" Was the only thing he could say. Before he could say more Folken slammed his stone onto Sage's chest right where the symbol was. All you could here then was the ear piercing scream of Sage who dropped his swords and fell to his knees, the remnants of his wings and tail being sucked back into his body as he reverted back to his human form when Folken ripped the stone from Sage's chest taking his portion of the Rhinestone of Life with it, ripping a huge hole in his chest snapping his sternum and tearing through Sage's chest muscles. You could see his internal organs. Blood flew everywhere, as Sage fell to the ground face first barely alive his chest burst open his chest muscles dangling and bleeding heavily. Folken was left holding the two stones separated only by Sage's broken sternum and a jagged piece of flesh. He pulled the two stones apart letting the jagged skin and sternum fall to the ground beside Sage's near lifeless body. As Sage closed his eyes for the last time, the last thing he saw was the raindrop symbol glowing brightly, a single tear fell. Folken and Dilandau stared at Sage's now lifeless body and Folken said to Dilandau.
"Take him back to his cell and chain him up. I'll deal with him later." Dilandau nodded called for a stretcher threw Sage's lifeless body upon it and left with the coliseum.
"Now I finally have the power I need to take over the world!" Folken cackled and laughed evilly touching the two stones melding them together to a chaotic blood-looking color.
Meanwhile in Torushina….
Hitomi sat up quickly gasping, covered in a cold sweat, as one would waking up from a bad dream.
"Oh my god Sage!" She sprung up and ran out of the bedroom, and Van was nearly dressed he turned to her.
"So you felt that too, huh?"
"Yea, Sage is definitely in need of our help, if we leave now, it will take several months to get there if they stay on their present course." Getting out a bunch of maps. Seeing Hitomi's worried face he put his hand on her arm and looked her in eyes saying with pride and the utmost confidence.
"Sage will be there waiting for us, the legend will be fulfilled."
"But what if Sage is dead?" Tears filled in Hitomi's eyes.
"Then let us make haste." He said Hitomi nodded.