Chapter Two

It would seem that Cyrus either read her mind, or saw the plum of light, because he and Galanoth were all ready waiting near the entrance to a cave. Several other people Maria recognized were there. Leeroy, Amani and Grodd were hiked up, ready for action, and Warlic was preparing some of his famous Heal-All potions. (Guaranteed to heal all non-life threatening wounds in under 45 minutes.) Galanoth was pacing anxiously around, wearing a hole in the ground.

"Hey guys! What's wrong?" Maria spoke. Cyrus reacted faster then anyone.

"Maria! Good. Great! We were just waiting for you to arrive before we storm Drakkonnan's little hiding place. Hope you brought plenty of pain for our old nemesis."

"Nemesis? Wow, Cyrus. That's a strong word for you. And yes, I did. In the form of my Guardian Blade. Just hope it doesn't break. It's getting kinda flimsy recently, ya know?"

"It's called use, Maria. Things wear down as you use them. Take them to Yulgar. Never a finer blacksmith in Lore." Grodd told her, spinning his oversized axe impossibly on one finger.

"You're gonna have to teach me that, Grodd." Leeroy said envyingly.

"Right. Now that the entire party is here, can we go? I smell Dragon in that cave." Galanoth said with a sniff. Everyone started smelling the air, trying to smell what Dragon smelt like. No one could smell anything. Leeroy took one good huff.

"Uh, Gal? I think that's Cyrus you smell."

"First off, Cyrus smells like good Dragon. This smells like Bad Dragon. A 1234 model." He droned. He then added. "And don't call me 'Gal'."

"Yea, that's just stupid, Leeroy."

"I didn't know Dragons had vintages. That's pretty cool." Maria smiled.

"I know." Galanoth replied.

"Apparently they also have Magical Alignments, too. Huh?" Warlic muttered.

"Can we just go?" Amani shouted, frustrated.

"YES! Let's. Lee…" Leeroy began.

"DON'T! Last time you freaking did that, we almost died, REMEMBER, LEEROY?" Grodd stopped the happy-go-lucky Paladin.

"Oh, yea. Forgot." Leeroy chuckled. "Right then. All together? One…" Leeroy started.

"Twothree!" Maria said in haste. She charged head long into the cave, blade out.

"That was so not me." Leeroy said. The rest of the party followed.

Maria executed a perfect flying kick right into the large oaken double doors, splitting them clean in half. They fell to the ground. Drakkonnan had his back turned to the Guardian when she entered.

"Greetings, Maria Despair. So…good of you to barge in on such…short notice."

"We're here to defeat you once and for all, Drakkonnan!" Maria shouted heroicly, sounding menacing.

"'We?' Who is this 'we' you speak of? I see no others?"

"Oh, yea. Well…I kinda got a head of them. They're coming though. They'll be here." She smiled, rubbing the back of her neck embarrassed.

"Hummm…" Drakkonnan hummed slightly, lowering his head. "I think…not." Before Maria could ask him what he meant, an obnoxiously loud thud echoed thought the cave. The Guardian turned around to see Leeroy laying on the floor with Grodd, Amani, Cyrus and Galanoth stacked on top of him, in that order.

"Who's on my wing? Ow! OW! Oh-Dubya! OW!" Cyrus called.

"I'm so glad I'm wearing this armor. Sucks to be you guys." Galanoth said dreamingly.

"I'm seeing stars." Leeroy said in a daze.

"I hurt all over…" Amani droned.

"Quiet, Amani, you're sister wants to say something. Wow. I didn't know you two dressed in matching Mage Robes! That's cute!"

"I don't have a twin, stupid! You're seeing double!"

"Hey! You can even co-ordinate your speech! Awww…I wanna do that…"

"Yea, co-ordinate you speech with me. Then I might make some sense outta you." Grodd replied trying to squeeze out from under Amani. "By the way, Amani. You're butt's in my face." The mage let out a squeak as Grodd tried to worm his way out.

"Once Cyrus gets off of me. You are going to become exactly like Leeroy: A brain-dead Fighter."

"But I'm a Paladin." Leeroy corrected her.

"Shut up! No one asked you!" She snapped.