Next chapter! And I've been waiting to write this chapter! Chapter five, that's a milestone. Okay, onward to chapter ten! But first... I OWN NOTHING! There? You happy? Was this your plan? To reduce a poor, defenceless author to tears? Was it? WAS IT?! Okay right, as I said (sob) I own nothing, except me! Yay! I do own something! Also, in reply to your reviews... EAST SECTOR GOD, if that is your real name, Daz has to become evil, as it is crucial to the (increasingly complicated) plot. I think... Or was that just me being evil again? Well that was all the questions, I think. One question? God, I need more reviewers... Okay, onward to chapter five! He he, I'm gonna enjoy writing this chapter!

Chapter 5

Two Heads Are Better Than One

Free Magic. Z took a deep breath. He was not mistaken, no one could mistake the metallic tang of Free Magic. "Lirael? I want you to stay behind me. No sudden moves." "What is it?" Asked Lirael, a deep frown creasing her brow. She did not trust this intruder. "Free Magic." Lirael gasped. She knew a little Charter magic, but not enough to repel such power. She just had to hope Z could handle it. If he couldn't, they were both done for.
Z spun his pistols. Tightly clutching the cold metal, brushing his thumbs gently against it. Free Magic was not good. He didn't know if his pistols would be any use against it. Failing that he could always use the three Concusser Grenades strapped to his belt. The only problem with that being the corridor was very narrow and he would probably end up blowing himself to kingdom come.
The Free Magic was getting closer. Z drew a knife from his belt and handed it carefully to Lirael. "Take it." He said, his voice struggling to remain calm. "Take it. Defend yourself if need be, but don't try anything. You're of no use to me. I will kill you if I have to." His voice remained stern and cold and he put particular emphasis into the word 'kill' but truthfully he had not intention to actually kill the girl. Well, not unless he had to anyway.
Lirael handled the knife carefully, sliding it into her belt. Z stepped forward. A shadow was appearing on the wall, a woman like shape with large hooks for hands...
Oh God! A stilken, why'd it have to be a Stilken? A large bulk began to round the corner, Z stood rigid, his hand out straight, trigger finger at the ready. Then it appeared. A huge creature, a least three feet taller than Z himself, the figure of a woman, but with arms as long as its legs and menacing hooks on the end.
It barely had time to screech out a battle cry before Z put twenty shots into it. Lirael stood back slowly drawing her knife. The Stilken fell back, shocked, but not badly harmed, although Z noticed pieces of some sort of white substance sinking to the floor.
It lurched forwards, hooks ready. It swiped at Z, again and again, making for his throat. Z skipped nimbly backwards, putting shot after shot into the Stilken's head. The Stilken swept forward, slicing its hook at Z's torso. Quickly and accurately Z put a couple of rounds into the Stilken's hooks, battering them backwards.
The tang of Free Magic made him want to throw up, but he was lost in battle now, fighting for his life.
The Duel X lasers were beginning to burn through the magic now, the Stilken slicing faster, putting the full power of its body into the hooks. The Stilken screeched, a terrible long drawn out screech. Z wondered why, loosing concentration for a vital second. The Stilken struck.
It brought down its full power into the hook, urging it on. Z realised what was happening a moment to late. He managed to skip away, but not quite quick enough. The hook came down on his shoulder, just catching its edge. It left no more than a graze, but the force of the blow was enough to knock Z to the ground. Not good.
The Stilken raised its hook, in a triumphant pose, ready to strike the finishing blow. He wasn't quick enough. Z twisted round onto his back and, raising his pistols, he blasted the Stilken's hook backwards.
Lirael was looking on with her hands to her mouth. She had to do something. She couldn't just let an innocent life be lost.
But Z was no innocent life. And he was not going to just stand back and lose it. The Stilken, its hook blown backwards, screamed an awful scream. It did not have the desired affect. Z took the chance and charged his guns to full power, then, scampering to his feet, blew the Stilken's head from its shoulders in a massive explosion of white.
Z was just about to holster his pistols when he noticed that the Free Magic seemed to be regenerating itself. "Lirael!" He screamed. "Get down! Back down the corridor! Go, GO!" Lirael went. Quickly.
Z plucked a Concusser Grenade from his belt and, removing the pin with his teeth, hurled it down the corridor. Then he ran for it. Crouching low he grabbed Lirael, who was waiting near the remains of the blasted door, and hurled her to the stone floor.
The grenade bounced against the walls of the corridor, stopping at the Stilken's feet. "3, 2, 1." Counted Z.
'KAKA-KAKA- BOOM!' The grenade went of, the explosion growing and growing, until Z thought it would reach them. It didn't. Just. The corridor, however, was not so lucky, massive chunks of stone had dented the floor and half the ceiling had caved in. Z began to clear the rubble with his pistols, blasting it into pebbles. "Right. Now, the porthole, where is it?" "I don't know exactly, but I read somewhere there was a garden here. I think there's a porthole somewhere." "There better be." Truthfully, Lirael didn't know what was down in the garden, though she hoped it was a porthole now. She'd just seen what this boy could do with those pistols. She didn't want the same thing to happen to her.
"You lead." Said Z gesturing towards the tunnel ahead and bowing low. The gesture was to menacing to be polite.
Lirael stepped forward, handling the knife carefully. She walked ahead, Z following her closely.

The little garden was beautiful. The grass was long and lush and the flowers heads were all bent in the direction of the tree and pool in the middle, its waters sparkling like a crystal stream. Z stepped forward, crushing the untouched grass of the garden. Something was not right. There was no wind, the grass did not sway the way it should, the tree did not rustle and all was silent. No creatures or wildlife. Eerily silent, as if death was not close by.
"This is it?" Z asked, nodding towards the garden. "Yes, this is it." "Good. Oh and you know, I can't let you go back." "What?" Lirael was shocked, she hadn't thought of that. She'd assumed he'd let her go. Stupid, she thought, stupid! "I'm sorry, but if you go back and tell someone... well, you don't know who's around. Listening." Z looked around the garden absently, as if someone could be listening right there and then. "But, you have to let me go! I won't tell anyone, I swear, I hardly speak anyway, please!"
Z thought about it. He knew from the book that she didn't speak often. But could he take the chance? It could be the difference between life and death. "No. You're coming with me." "NO!" Screamed Lirael, tears springing into her eyes. "I will not!" "You will! Because I say so!" Z shouted back, more forcefully.
"NO! I'll never leave the Clayr!" Lirael raised the knife. Z skipped forward, raising a gun, but before he could do anything, Lirael was upon him, the knife glittering in the garden's artificial sun.

Kiz and Ruby were not doing well. Along with Goofy and Donald they'd first travelled to Disney Creek, where the first Great Battle had taken place. All they'd found were the ruins of the once great city of Treeus Margon, plenty of corpses and the few soldiers that were left.
Among them were the legendary Jak and Daxter (you know them! There the main characters in the games Jak and Daxter and Jak II for the PS2. Jak is like a humanoid creature with guns and Daxter is a little ferret thing with a bad attitude) who were protecting a fallen soldier.
Kiz ran up to them. "What happened? Why is Treeus Margon destroyed?" Jak turned to answer. "They came from the hills. Awful creatures, the ruins are crawling with them. They're everywhere. They defeated the soldiers and overrun the city. There are only a few of us left."
Ruby, Goofy and Donald caught up with Kiz. "Yes, but what are these creatures?" Asked Ruby. "Metalheads." Jak spat into the mud, his face contorted with an awful grimace. (Metalheads are the evil monster creatures from Jak II for the PS2; there are different types of them, ranging from cat like ones, to ones that can turn invisible and even scorpion ones.)
"There are thousands of them." Jak continued. "Hundreds of thousands." "Part of the Mulldack's army no doubt." Said Kiz. "Brrrrrrr! Metalheads!" Donald shivered and clutched his staff/sword. "Who's this soldier?" Asked Goofy. "I found him just outside Treeus Margon, badly injured by a Metalhead, so I was protecting him."
There was a sudden and terrible roar from the hills above, which echoed ominously through the creek. "Metalheads!" Screamed Daxter. "Everybody! Stand to attention! Do something!"
Goofy and Donald equipped their staff/swords, while Kiz drew her Star Blades and Ruby unsheathed her own sword. Jak reloaded his gun and crouched down. Everything was silent.
The wind billowed through the creek. Stones creaked underfoot. Then they attacked. The Metalheads came charging over the hill, about a dozen of them, cat like in appearance. Jak fired his gun, quickly reloading, before firing again at the approaching Metalheads.
Kiz through her Star Blades, catching three of the Metalheads of guard, their corpses disappearing in a flash of purple light. Jak fired another shot, hitting a Metalhead on the shoulder and sending him spiralling into the Creek below.
More Metalheads poured out from holes in the hills above. Then they attacked Jak. About six of them, all together.
The first one leapt at his face, only to be blasted away by Jak's gun. The other Metalheads decided that wasn't the best plan, and quickly began to circle Jak. Ruby rushed forwards, slashing a Metalhead to the ground with one tremendous blow.
The Metalheads leapt. But not at Jak, nor Ruby, they leapt at the dying soldier. A Metalhead raised a claw and before anyone could do anything it sliced the soldiers throat out.
Jak blasted one of the Metalheads before it could get away, the other two carrying the soldier's corpse back to their lair in the hills. "Well." Began Jak, "There's no need to stay around here anymore. Come on, let's go before they decide to attack again." "I'm with Jak!" Said Daxter quickly, scurrying up onto Jak's shoulder. "Let's get out of here before those monsters regroup!"
"Okay," agreed Kiz. "But where should we go? The hills are swarming with Metalheads and they broke the bridge across the creek in their attack." "We could go back through the porthole?" Goofy suggested. "I know another porthole, we won't have to risk going across the creek." Said Jak.
"Ok. Where is it?" Asked Ruby. "Well, that's the bad news. We'll have to travel through the ruins of Treeus Margon and climb the cliff at the other side." "But that's more dangerous than going across the creek!" Argued Donald. "Well, if you want to chance it, we'll go across the creek. Anyone got any rope?" Jak gestured down, to the three hundred feet drop into the giant centre of the creek, where the first Great Battle had once taken place.
"Er, on second thoughts, maybe we should go through the city." Said Donald. "After all, how bad can it be?"
It was bad. Very bad. The six of them soon arrived at the ruins of Treeus Margon. A once great city, its huge, protective stonewalls, which had been broken down by the Metalheads, were now just a heap of rubble. The great centre tower had been set alight, the flag at the top of its remains still burning in the setting sun.
The houses, shops and market places had either been demolished or set alight, citizens were mostly hiding, others ignored the roaming Metalheads in their desperation to flee the blaze and others still tried desperately to put the fire out. Most of the fleeing citizens and soldiers had been hunted and killed by the Metalheads; the remaining ones were hiding behind useless pieces of wood and cloth, shivering too much not to be noticed.
The city was still a danger zone; the place was crawling with Metalheads, buildings were crumbling, trees were falling and fire was spreading. "Okay." Said Jak, trying not to breath in too much smoke. "If we can make it to the cliff on the other side of the city we should be fine, Metalheads won't come after us there, to much effort, all that climbing."
"Ok, everyone, each of us needs a piece of cloth. Everyone got one? Good. Now, soak it." "What?" Asked Ruby. "Soak it." Said Kiz. "You know, get it wet?" "Oh, right." Everyone proceeded by taking out their water bottles and pouring water over their cloth. "Now," continued Jak, "everyone hold the cloth over their mouths. It'll help repel the smoke." The group hesitated slightly. "Trust me. It'll really help with the smoke." "Okay, lets go." Kiz sounded determined, but the city ahead looked pretty threatening.
The Metalheads didn't bother them at first, the little ones stayed around the outside of the city. The big ones were further in. They made their way through the ruins, careful not to attract attention to themselves. Nothing happened for a while. A burning tree fell in front of them, but luckily there were no casualties.
It was when they got further in the problems started. Again the cat like Metalheads began to attack in groups, but this time they were accompanied by smaller scorpion like Metalheads. Not only were these new Metalheads lightening fast, they also had deadly stings on their tails and could jump like hell. Also, their armour was extremely thick and only Jak's gun could bring them down. Another disadvantage.
"Okay! Move into a circle, they're attacking again!" Jak reloaded his gun and backed towards the four fighters, who were trying desperately to fend of a ferocious group of cat Metalheads. "Stay together! We'll be all right as long as we stay together!" Jak shot another scorpion like Metalhead and backed away further. The group were doing well, particularly when one of Donald's tail feathers had been plucked out and he'd gone on a mad fighting rampage.
"Okay, we're doing well. Keep going." Famous last words. Just seconds later the six valiant fighters were hit by a onslaught of lasers.
"Lasers!" Screamed Kiz. "Where did they come..." But her sentence was cut short as Jak grabbed her by the arm, swinging her down behind a large piece of metal. There they lay. All six of them, seeking shelter behind the huge chunk. The lasers kept on coming, hundreds of them each second. And then they stopped. Just like that.
Kiz poked her head up. There was nothing there. Except a kind of haze, like an air vent or something... "Invisible Metalheads!" Jak exclaimed. "Get down!" He pulled Kiz down and not a second to soon, as a hail of lasers hit the rubble behind them. "They have a natural ability to fire lasers. The only way to tell they're there is to look for the haze in the air." Explained Jak.
"What do we do?" Asked Ruby. "We keep low and continue through the city. If we wait here they'll call for help." "Okay." Said Goofy. "Then lets go."
The six of them crawled quickly, through the dust and smoke, away from the Metalheads. Then Kiz realised something. The smoke was getting thicker and they didn't actually know where they were going. "Uh, Jak I..." She never did finish her sentence because at that very same second Jak crawled onto a large (but loose) piece of sheet metal. The metal tumbled over, sending all six of them falling down a huge metal slide.
Finally the slide came to an end, shooting them out of the other side into a small pit that had once been the foundations of a house. "Hey!" Screeched Ruby. "Where are we..." She did not say any more, but pointed frantically to the edges of the pit, which was lined with at least sixty bloodthirsty Metalheads.
"I can't believe it! They set a trap! They actually set a trap!" Jak shook his head in wonder. "I didn't think it was within their cranial capacities!" "Shut up about their brains and worry about what ours are going to look like when they get their hands on us!" Shouted Kiz above the roar of the cat Metalheads.
Jak reloaded his gun and slowly everyone stood up, cautiously drawing their weapons. "I don't think we have a choice. We've got to fight." Whispered Donald. "You don't say?" Smirked Goofy. "Shut up you two, this is no time for arguing!" Said Ruby. "We weren't arguing!" Retorted Donald. "We were just..." But he quickly shut his beak, as the line of Metalheads began to advance.
"Er, can't we just talk this over?" Offered Jak. "No? Okay then. CHARGE!"

Lirael leapt at Z with such force she knocked him to the ground, his pistols spinning out of his hands. "Let me go!" Screeched Lirael, as Z grabbed her arm in an iron grip, stopping the knife in her hand only centimetres from his chest. Lirael fought courageously, even though she knew she was no match for the boy. Though she did have the advantage, she had a knife and Charter magic.
Lirael began to whisper something and Z instinctively knew she was summoning Charter magic, probably something terrible. Z lashed out, violently kicking Lirael in the stomach, she bent over, gasping for breath, all thoughts of Charter magic gone. Then he struck her with a quick, but effective punch to the ribs. But not to hard, after all she was only a girl and a full-blown punch would have smashed her rib cage no problem.
Lirael bent again, this time summoning a quick knockout spell. She sent it whizzing at Z's head and it struck with force. But not enough to actually knock him out. Lirael was disappointed. "Bitch! Your gonna pay for that! I don't take knock out attempts lightly." Z spun around and in one quick movement he grabbed his pistols, turned and fired. The shot wasn't meant to kill Lirael, it only grazed her shoulder, but it was more enough to knock her to the floor. "Give me the knife!" Z commanded. "No!" "Then I'll just have to take it." Z fired a single shot, which hit the knife just above the hilt, spinning it from Lirael's hand.
"Give it back! You don't fight fair!" "Ha Ha! What do you want me to do? Give you a gun? I doubt you'd even be able to hit yourself with it, let alone me!" He fired another shot, which passed over Lirael's head with a mere inch to spare.
"Now get up and don't even think about trying anything." Lirael stood shakily, a deep look of hatred etched into her face. Her hand reached for her pocket and she threw down the Emergency Clockwork Mouse onto the floor, uttering the word to bring it to life.
"I said don't try anything!" Screamed Z, in a blast of anger, he struck the mouse with seven shots, breaking it down into microscopic pieces. Lirael went for her whistle. She didn't care if it cost her her life, she would see to it that the other Clayr were warned of this intruder. She pressed it to her lips and was about to sound it when there was load thud from behind her. Z quickly snatched the whistle, looking around cautiously for the source of the noise.
"What have you done?" He spat at Lirael. "Nothing. I swear." The thud grew louder, a large shadow appearing on the wall. "The Stilken! Its back, it must have regenerated itself from its remains!" Lirael grimaced, the awful taint of Free Magic filling the air.
"Quickly! Through the porthole!" Said Z and to his surprise he realised that a huge porthole had appeared behind them, where the garden had been. "No! I'll never come with you! I'd rather die fighting the Stilken!" Screamed Lirael. The Free Magic was getting closer, they didn't have much time. "Have you any idea what those hooks will do to you?" Screamed Z. Lirael breathed deeply. "Okay, I'll come with you, but only because I haven't got a choice!"
"Good. Now get through that porthole!" Lirael obliged and was gone in seconds. Z checked his pistols were still there. Yep. Then he picked up the knife from the floor and slid it back into his belt, before jumping through the porthole after Lirael.

"CHARGE!" Screamed Jak, blasting the nearest Metalhead. Kiz let fly a handful of Star Blades, slicing the Metalheads to pieces, as Ruby, Goofy and Donald got up close and personal. "We're out numbered ten to one!" Screeched Donald at the Metalheads. "That means we're ten times more likely to hit one of you, and who knows who it'll be?"
The Metalheads didn't seem so keen on their plan after that remark. "You show them who's boss, Jak!" Said Daxter, nimbly rushing between a Metalhead's legs and tripping him up with a quick bite.
Ruby dashed forward, slashing and slicing in every direction, like an extremely sharp and dangerous windmill. Goofy and Donald fought in a boring, but effective tic-toc manner and Kiz liked to find a nice high place, like atop a heap of rubble, to attack with her Star Blades.
The group fought the Metalheads for what felt like an eternity, but was actually only twenty minutes, before they retreated back into the ruins. "YAY! We won!" Shouted Ruby in a triumphant voice. "Er, no we haven't." Said Jak sombrely. "I hate to break it to you, but the Metalheads aren't retreating. They're regrouping!"
It was true. The Metalheads were coming back now, this time over a hundred of them. "Then lets fight them again!" Said Daxter. "Those metal-headed freaks aren't so tough!" "No." Said Jak. "If we do they'll just keep coming." "So what are you suggesting?" Asked Kiz. "I'm suggesting we make a run for the cliff. They won't follow us up it and if we go now I think we can make it." "Okay. Everyone? RUN!" Screamed Kiz and with that the six of the made a break for it. They scampered out of pit, running as fast as they could without tripping up, the Metalheads in hot pursuit.
They ran through the ruins, jumping the odd falling tree and heap of rubble, finally making it to the cliff, the Metalheads not far behind. "What do we do? How do we climb it? It's a sheer wall!" Said Ruby in panic.

"Okay." Said Kiz. "Everyone put away your weapons, hang on and get a foot hold!" They did as they were told and everyone managed to get climbing in seconds. And not a moment to soon, as the Metalheads were all ready at the foot of the cliff, snarling up at them.
"They won't follow us now." Said Jak. "But they will wait below, so make sure you hang on tight, cause if you fall down there the Metalheads will have an early breakfast."

The climb lasted until about midnight, when the group found a small cave in the side of the cliff. Kiz started a fire and Goofy got some food ready. Below them they could still hear the awful roar of the Metalheads.
"Foods ready." Said Goofy, scooping the soup like mixture into some bowls. Everyone ate hungrily, for it had been a long tiring day. After the food, when everyone was about to settle down and go to sleep, Jak spotted something on the horizon.
"It looks like a bird." He explained. The creature got closer each second and eventually Jak knew what it was. "Its an Eagle! A Giant Eagle! I didn't even think they existed!" The Giant Eagle seemed to be approaching their cave and, even stranger than that, it seemed to be carrying something in its claws.
The Eagle landed on the cliff side, about a metre from their cave, a small piece of parchment in its claws. "This is for you." Said the Eagle and with that it flew away, dropping the parchment into Kiz's hands. "It's a note!" She said. "A message to us! Look, it says:
To Kiz and Ruby. The Mulldack has gathered more forces than we thought and we cannot find the Crystal Element. We fear he has already obtained it.
In spite of this we must continue to search, but we need more help. So now you must journey to the secret meeting place (which for official reasons has been re-established as Abhorsen's House) to get help.
You must be there within three days. Make sure you are not followed. We wish you a safe and swift journey.
Best wishes,
Mickey Mouse."
"So." Said Jak. "We travel to Abhorsen's house tomorrow." "Yes." Agreed Kiz. "To the secret meeting place." And with that the six tired warriors lay down to sleep.
Yay! An extremely long chapter finally finished! So, now they must journey to Abhorsen's house, but who will be there waiting for them? What has become of Z and Lirael? And where the heck is Daz? Hopefully, these questions (or at least some of them) shall be answered in chapter 6! But for now, I must go through the long and laborious task of getting the blooming computer to load properly so I can actually put this chapter up! So, Seeya and keep reviewing!
Z