Chapter 18: Minions

Jake and Michael flew to the Bronx, "You know…out of all the neighborhoods in NY, this has to be my least favorite, let's just find out what the trouble is and get out of here." Michael told Jake as they landed. A bunch of people came running their direction screaming, "Well I guess follow the direction of the screams and you'll find the source." Michael commented.

Both headed in the direction the screams were coming from, and there stood about several lizard-like creatures. Six of them brandishing a double-bladed weapon, one of them was holding some sort of strange staff.

"Jake…remember those creatures you were telling me about?" Michael asked.

"Yeah?" Jake answered in response
"These wouldn't happen to be them would they?" Michael asked.

"They are." Jake told him.

"I was afraid you were going to say that…" Said Michael flatly, then he cracked his knuckles and said, "well, let's just take care of these things and then I'll get back to the library."

But it was going to be easier said than done, because Michael punched out of them…and yet all it did was recoil and then start attacking him. About 20 minutes into this Jake and Michael got back-to-back, "So Mike…any bright ideas?" Jake asked.

"I was about to ask you the same question." Michael told him as the creatures surrounded them both.

Suddenly a dark swirling cloud of smoke appeared and then there…levitating right in front of them, was none other than Jack de Lames himself.

"Jack…I should've known." Michael hissed.

"Well isn't it the two little heroes…and Michael, I'm so sorry to hear about your poor father…it must hurt knowing you couldn't help him." Jack said darkly.

"Bastard!" Michael roared, Jake had to grab hold of him so Michael wouldn't attack.

"Oh what's this now…are you going to fight his wars for him now Jake?" Jack asked.

"No…" Jake responded as he felt Mike starting to lose the fight in him and responded by letting him go.

"We know about the Sword, Jack…you'll never get at it." Michael told him.

"Oh, and who's going to stop me…your father couldn't stop me, neither could Jake's Grandfather, and very soon neither will the Council." Jack said before disappearing. His creatures now closing in around Jake and Michael, "Guess this is it…" Michael said the Jake.

But Jake never got a chance to answer, because just then a shower of icicles came down around them, a few of the creatures actually fell apart, both of them looked up to see Christian circling.

"Move it you two…I can't do this forever!" She ordered them. Jake and Michael nodded, before leaving though Michael picked up one of the pieces of the creatures that was on the ground, their helmets.

Back at Tem's place Michael told Tem and Christian about what they had seen, "And it seemed that no matter what we threw at them they just kept coming, what were those things anyway?"

"I spoke with the Council today…and they believe that Jack de Lames is gaining back some of the power he had before, enough to summon his Minions—the creatures you faced today."

"What are they?" Jake asked.

"They're an ancient form of magical being, they do not know fear…nor do they know pain, they have few weak points…but their main one is the symbol on their helmets, hit that and they'll self-destruct."

Tem told them.

"And what brings them too New York?" Michael asked.

"Oh, it's just not New York that's getting nailed…" Said Fu, appearing from around the corner, "this is a global thing, I mean there have been Minion attacks in New Delhi, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, London, Melbourne, Kiev, St. Petersburg…its global kids, global."

"And the dragons in those areas?" Michael asked.

"They're doing the best they can…but your guess is as good as mine they're just one person and the odds are really stacked against us. I mean Jack de Lames has some serious magic mojo going here." Fu told them.

"He must be stalling the other dragons while he prepares to get the Sword of Eons…it's the only explanation." Michael pointed out.

"So what do we do…I mean he's got these things all over the world, and I know we can't be everywhere at once." Jake pointed out.

"Well for now we'll just have to defend the home-front from any more of these attacks." Tem suggested.