Chapter 7: Date

That night Jake had a rather scary dream, he was in Central Park…except it was all ablaze, he could hear fighting and screams of pain. Then he saw the bodies that littered the ground, they were members of both the Huntsclan and L'Épée Foncée. Just then a crimson cloaked figure in black armor made his way towards Jake, "Do you like looking at what will come to pass…what you shall bear witness too?" The figure asked in a booming voice.

Jake woke up in a terror sweat, he looked at his clock, it was 3 in the Morning. "Aww Man…" Jake moaned to himself.

That morning he met his grandfather for more training, "Uh Gramps…can I talk to you about something?"

"Ask away young one." Gramps answered.

"It's just…I had this really crazy dream and…I think something's going to go down between the Huntsclan and L'Épée Foncée."

"Eh believe me when I tell you this kid, the Huntsclan has always bared grudge towards L'Épée Foncée…so don't sweat it." Fu told him.

"Yeah, but I mean Central Park was literally on fire…bodies everywhere, I'm telling you I'm afraid Ro—someone I know may really get hurt if they get involved or in the way."

Gramps looked as if he was weighing something rather heavily in his mind, "Jake…I was hoping to hold this off until you were a bit older, but with the appearance of L'Épée Foncée in New York…I may have little other choice, starting tomorrow you will start learning how to use magic, many more advanced martial arts, and the ways of the Will…now I will give you warning that this training will be much harder than anything I've had you doing previously."

"I made it this far…and I've seen L'Épée Foncée fight…so I'm sure whatever you can teach me, I'll be ready for."

The training was the hardest, most tiring thing Jake had ever done. For the next few weeks the hard training was only getting harder. You'd think Jake would be tired and mad, but it was the complete opposite he was truly happy. He liked the way the training changed him, he was actually starting to develop muscles and had grown an extra inch or two, he was only a novice in magic but it was still totally awesome, and his grade were improving rapidly, school was no longer a hard dull boring place to him. And best of all it seemed he was getting closer to Christian.

"So…your grandfather has decided to teach you magic, Tem started doing the same thing with Michael a couple weeks ago…seems to be liking the perks of it as well."

"That's good to hear, so…could you say that he's as good as I am?" Jake asked.

"Well, let's just say it be a really close contest." Christian said.

As soon as they got to her place Christian looked back at him and said, "You know Jake…I've been wanting to ask…are you seeing anyone?"
"No…why?" Jake asked.

"Well I was wondering…how would you feel about going out on a date Saturday Night?" Christian asked.

"Have any idea where you want to go?" Jake asked.

"Maybe just for a walk in the park…you know, start with something small." Christian told him.

"Sounds good…see you then." Jake answered.

"See you…" Christian said closing the door.

Jake felt as if a weight had been lifted from his heart, "She wants to go out with me…I don't believe it!"

The week seemed to zoom by for Jake and before he knew it was Saturday. He got his homework done earlier that afternoon and got dressed into something a bit more formal, but still had a casual feel.

When he got to Christian's House he was met by Michael, "Well look whose cleaned himself up…Christian will be ready in a few minutes, come in and have a seat."

Jake sat on the couch while Michael sat himself on a chair, "So…you're going on a date with my sister…that's very nice of you, now Jake you know as the older of the two of us I have to lay down a few guide-lines…"

"Go right on ahead." Jake told him.

"You two can take as much time as you like…as long as you bring her back by 10:30…not a minute more."

"Okay."
Michael then handed him 30 dollars, "Here's some spending money for your date…in-case you need it."

"Thanks…"

Michael then leaned forward until he was right in Jake's face, "And finally…if you do anything to hurt Christian emotionally…I won't hesitate to break you in half, got it."

Jake nodded nervously, just then they heard footsteps coming down the stairs, they both looked to see Christian coming down, she was wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt falling about an inch short of her knee-caps.

"Well, well…look at you." Michael commented. "Well you two have a good time…and Jake…remember what I told you."

As soon as they were outside the house Christian asked, "What was that about?"

"Uh nothing…just gave me a few guide-lines…" Jake said, not wanting to tell her that her brother had threatened him.

"My brother said he'd fold you like a lawn-chair if you made me cry, didn't he?" Christian asked.

"Actually he said he'd break me in half…" Jake told her.

Once at the park they decided to fly instead of walk. It was a great night, the cool air blowing past Jakes face as he flew next to Christian. They landed on a bridge and stared up at the full moon and Jake remembered the last time he was here during a full moon, the unicorns and the fight with the Huntsclan. Then three beautiful unicorns came out from behind some bushes to get a drink from the creek.

"Beautiful creatures aren't they." Said Christian

"They are beautiful, but not as beautiful as you." Said Jake

Their eyes made contact, she stepped closer.

"It's so cold tonight." Said Christian as she leaned and rested her head on his shoulder.

Jake knew it was a lie, dragons could stand the cold, but he knew why she was doing it. He put his arm around her and held her. As they stood holding each other watching the sight before them, Jake thought "This girl is so great I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I truly love her."

But before he could say something, he noticed something out of place, the unicorns. They were gone.

"Come on Christian we have to go." Said Jake

She did not question, she could here the worriedness in his voice. They took flight as soon as they were off the ground a blast of green energy hit Jake square in the chest. It sent him flying a hundred feet crashing through three trees. The blast temporarily paralyzed him. He sat there looking for Christian and found her battling the Huntsclan. She was losing.

"Get up. Get up damn it. Move you idiot." Thought Jake couldn't make his body move and that's when Jake remembered magic. He started chanting a spell that would make him mobile. He could move again, he looked up and saw Christian lying on the ground (still in dragon form) not moving. Jake grabbed a fallen tree and was up and flying, but could he make it in time.

"Time to end this dragon." Said the Huntsmaster as he raised his staffed and aimed it directly at Christian's chest. But before he could do anything something struck the Huntsmasters' arm, a small jet of blood and ear-splitting scream from the Huntsmaster came next. He fell to his knees and looked at what was there, it was an arrow, it had gone through his forearm with such force that about 4 inches of it were sticking out the other side, "What in the—?" the Huntsmaster asked himself before another arrow nailed one of the other Huntsmen right between the eyes, which was followed by a unified cry of "Au nom de Jack!" as seven members of L'Épée Foncée came out of the surrounding trees, two of them had crossbows.

"Hunt what you wish, but the Ice Dragons are our quarry…and ours alone!" one of the members of L'Épée Foncée said.

"You dare interfere?" The Huntsmaster roared, "Huntsclan…change of plans, attack L'Épée Foncée!"

Jake just looked at what was transpiring before him, "Huntsclan…L'Épée Foncée, whoever the winner of this fight one thing is for sure, they'll get Christian."

Well with-in the first five minutes of the fight it appeared that the Huntsclan was losing, the Huntsmaster was looking for some hole in L'Épée Foncée's strategy, eventually finding it and with a staff blast and knocking out a couple of their members, but it seemed that though the Huntsclan had L'Épée Foncée out-numbered 3 to 1…L'Épée Foncée had them greatly out-skilled since they were using magic, just then a wave of magic energy hit him forcing him to fly backwards about 100 yards and on landing, the arrow to move about an inch, with forced him to growl in pain. He then looked around and noticed something was out of place, "Huntsgirl…where are you?"

He finally spotted her, surrounded by three L'Épée Foncée soldiers, "Huntsgirl NO!"

Jake was flying at speeds he only dreamed of, he was there in seconds. Jake let out a blood-curdling roar, "DON'T YOU DARE HARM HER!" and swung tree with amazing strength. It connected with the three L'Épée Foncée members and sent them flying over two hundred yards crashing through a couple of benches.

"Don't move dragon!" said a shaken voice below him.

He looked down and saw Rose aiming her staff at Jake. He quickly whacked the staff out of her hands with his hand, spun around and lifted her off her feet by the throat.

Ripping off her mask Jake said, "Such a pretty girl should not fight with such an evil group."

Tears appeared in her eyes, which seemed to dull Jakes anger.

"Please don't kill me." Begged Rose

"I'm not going to kill you." Said Jake as he sat her down "Run to your master and leave."

She grabbed her mask and ran like the wind.

"And take your staff with you." Said Jake as he threw her staff after her. She grabbed her staff and her uncle and teleported away. But not before he looked at the members of L'Épée Foncée and said, "This is not over…if it is a war you wish to start between us, then it war you shall have!"

When they were gone L'Épée Foncée sheathed their swords and bowed to Jake before disappearing in a cloud of smoke and leaving Jake and Christian alone.

Michael looked at the clock, it was 10:31 when he heard a knock on the door…he opened it to see Jake and Christian standing there. "Where have you been…I thought I made it clear when—!"

"And it would've been if the Huntsclan hadn't showed up…trying to kill us, to only have our hides saved by L'Épée Foncée!"

Jake then told him what had happened, "I had to use a little magic to patch us up…but besides that, we're both fine."

"L'Épée Foncée saved you!" Michael asked, still trying to swallow it.

"More like spared us their wrath…but that's what I said."

Michael looked down on the ground, hands balled-up into fists and tears burning up in his eyes, "Do you know where the Huntsclans' lair is?" Michael asked.

"No." lied Jake, as he had been there before.

"And the Huntsmaster declared war between the Huntsclan and L'Épée Foncée?" Tem asked.

"That's what I heard him say." Jake told them.

Christian then looked up at Jake, "Jake?"

"Christian…" He then looked away and said, "I'm sorry our date all went south."

Christian then put her hand in his and said, "It wasn't your fault…you couldn't have planned on the Huntsclan being there, and plus…it's not over yet."

"What do you mean?" Jake asked just before Christian gave him a kiss on the cheek, Tem just smiled, Michael looked away for a moment.

"Well…goodnight to you all." Jake said as he made his way out.

"Goodnight." Said Christian.