Legacy 203: Dragon Tale

Part 6

Xxx

Payton screamed as her premonition seemed to come true before her eyes. Just as a furious Rhys was about to stab her to avenge his daughter, Julian appeared in between them through flames and was stabbed with the Dragon Blade. The ancient weapon began to glow in green light as his soul was being absorbed into the metal. Payton struggled to get free, but the warlock still had his hand around her throat and it was getting more difficult to breathe. She was forced to watch helplessly as the life was being drained from her brother.

"You will pay for killing my Shula." Rhys hissed. "I will feed all your souls to them."

Julian gasped as his soul was being transferred into the blade, though before the process could be completed, Mei Ling and Sheng Li appeared on either side of the warlock. Mei Ling grabbed the arm that was holding Payton and twisted it, finally releasing her. At the same time, Sheng Li kicked the warlock in the back of the leg and forced him to his knees. He pulled the blade free from Julian and tossed it into the grass. The blade stopped glowing shortly after while Julian collapsed.

Rhys quickly regained control of the situation and threw the disciples off him. He searched for the blade and started running toward it. Before he could reach it, Penny grabbed it and threw it at Mei Ling, who caught it easily. As the three circled him, Rhys flew into the air and breathed fire down upon them. As her sister and friends avoided the flames, Payton crawled over to Julian. He was unconscious but still breathing, so she placed her hand on his wound to stop the bleeding.

"Julian needs help!" Payton called out.

"We're doing our best." Penny replied.

"We need to attack together, knock him out of the sky." Sheng Li said.

"I just need an opening." Mei Ling added.

"Alright, let's go." Penny said.

All three of them ran in opposite directions and leaped up against a tree, using their levitation powers to gain altitude. Penny leaped at the warlock first, though he easily avoided her and she tumbled down, using levitation to soften her landing. Sheng Li charged at the warlock from behind and kicked him in the back, though the warlock grabbed his leg and threw him against a tree. Mei Ling then went in with the blade in her hand. She managed to graze his shoulder, though it wasn't enough. She landed on a tree branch and saw the warlock charge her at, so she threw the blade to Sheng Li, who leaped up and stabbed Rhys in the leg.

The warlock screamed and breathed fire as the blade began to absorb his essence, though he was able to pull out the blade before it could. As he looked at the blade in his hand, his rage seemed to lessen and the look in his eyes became more determined.

"You fools." Rhys called out. "Did you really think that the three of you could overpower me?"

"Let's find out." Penny said. "Come down and face us."

"Why on earth would I do that when you have given me exactly what I need?" Rhys replied.

"Come on." Penny said mockingly. "Don't you want to avenge your daughter?"

"Oh, I will." Rhys noted. "But not here. I have another purpose to fulfill."

Rhys smirked as he stored the blade inside his coat and disappeared up into the skies. They had failed, but Payton couldn't think about that as her brother was dying. She called out for Noah, who appeared in a column of orbs.

"What happened?" Noah asked.

"We'll tell you later." Payton said quickly. "Heal Julian."

"Of course." Noah said.

Noah kneeled down next to Julian and his hand started to glow. The healing went slowly and Noah seemed to have some difficulty, but eventually the wound started to shrink. However, he wasn't able to close the wound completely, leaving a small incision behind.

"What's happening?" Payton asked.

"How are you able to heal him in the first place?" Penny asked. "I thought Whitelighters were prohibited from healing demons."

"The Elders made me his Whitelighter for a reason." Noah said. "That means they have also given me the ability to heal him, but something's wrong."

"He was stabbed with the blade." Payton said.

"That would explain why he feels empty." Noah replied. "His soul has been taken by the Dragon Blade."

"So how is he still alive?" Penny asked. "Shula was vanquished instantly."

"We interrupted the ritual." Sheng Li noted. "The blade wasn't finished when I pulled it out."

"Julian is half demon." Noah reasoned. "I think the blade only had enough time to take his human soul, which means his demonic side has been left behind. That's what's keeping his body alive."

"So there's still a chance to save him." Payton said. "Mei Ling, if we get the blade back, can you put his soul back into his body?"

"I think so." Mei Ling replied. "But we have no idea where Rhys went."

"Actually, we do." Sheng Li admitted. "I think it's time you all learn the truth about what the warlocks are after. The blade is only one half of their plan. The other is…"

"The weird stones." Payton said, remembering them from her premonition.

"They're not stones." Sheng Li replied. "They're fossilized eggs. We have been guarding them at the monastery for centuries, keeping them hidden."

"Eggs?" Penny asked with a frown.

"Dragon eggs." Noah concluded. "Of course, that makes sense. The warlock wants to use the blade to resurrect the dragon race."

"Sounds like they've been watching too much Jurassic Park movies." Penny remarked.

"If Rhys manages to resurrect the dragons, it could mean the end of life as we know it." Noah said. "Humans would become prey, nobody would be safe."

"The entire world would burn." Sheng Li added.

"We can't let him use Julian's soul for that." Payton said. "We need to bring him back."

"Rhys will be heading straight for the monastery." Sheng Li replied. "We shouldn't waste time."

"Sheng Li is right, Dragon Warlocks are fast flyers." Noah said. "We must do whatever we can to get the blade back. Once we have it, Mei Ling can restore Julian's soul and we can vanquish Rhys."

"How?" Mei Ling asked. "We already tried and failed. He is much stronger than his daughter."

"We were able to injure him." Penny said. "He's hurt and will probably be tired from the flight, which makes him more likely to lose control of his rage."

"Do you really think so?" Payton asked.

"It's the only chance we have." Penny admitted. "And I'm not ready to lose Julian yet, I still have stuff I want to yell at him for."

Payton smiled, Penny could act tough all she wanted, but she was just as afraid of losing him. Julian might not have been in their lives for long, but he was family. He made a huge sacrifice to help them against the Morrigan and he had just risked his life for Payton again. He was a good person, so it was ironic that his demonic half was keeping him alive. She took his hand and felt a static shock. For a split second, his eyes shot open and they were pure black. It happened so fast that Payton hoped she had imagined it, as the evil she saw sent a chill down her spine.

Xxx

As she materialized through a column of orbs, Penny was in awe of the view in front of her. She and the others were standing in a beautiful valley surrounded by snowy mountains, untouched by mankind. Noah and Sheng Li were carrying Julian, while Mei Ling and Payton stood next to her. After taking in the view, Penny turned around and saw an ancient looking monastery. It resembled the garden temple in San Francisco, though much grander and impressive. It was as if she had literally stepped back in time.

"It is beautiful." Mei Ling said. "Just as I always dreamt it would."

"Yes, is it a great place to call home." Sheng Li noted. "I would love to show you around, but we don't have time to spare."

"Right." Noah said. "The warlock could arrive any moment. We need to warn the Zen Master and get Julian somewhere safe."

"There is no need to warn me." An elderly voice stated.

Penny looked ahead and saw an elderly man in a robe. His long beard almost hit the ground due to his small size, which was a funny sight to behold. However, it was clear that this old man was the Zen Master as Penny could practically sense his wisdom.

"Master." Sheng Li said. "Rhys is coming. I failed you, he has the blade."

"All is not lost yet, my disciple." The master replied. "You cannot know the end of the path until you have walked it."

"It is an honor to meet you, master." Mei Ling said as she took a bow.

"Ah, Mei Ling." The master said with a kind voice. "I am sorry about your master. Although his journey is now over, I am sure you will meet again in the next life."

"I wish those words would give me comfort." Mei Ling admitted tearfully. "He was my last family."

"You still have family here, child." The master replied. "You are the descendant of Daiyu. You will always have a home here."

"Thank you, master." Mei Ling said.

"How did you know about her master?" Penny asked.

"I could sense it the moment it happened." The master replied. "We are all connected through the path."

"We should get ready for an attack, master." Sheng Li said.

"Indeed." The master said. "There isn't much time. We will prepare for Rhys in the courtyard."

"Can my brother really be saved?" Payton asked.

"If you return the Dragon Blade before Rhys can use it, his soul can be transferred back into his body." The master noted. "If Julian can be saved is up to him."

The group followed the old Zen Master to the monastery, where Penny noticed many disciples were getting ready to defend themselves and their guarded treasure. As she looked at Payton, she noticed that her sister had a troubled look in her eyes. Penny held her arm and stopped to get some distance from the group, so they could talk in private.

"We'll get him back." Penny said. "Don't worry."

"I know." Payton replied. "That's not what I'm worried about. Something happened earlier when I held his hand."

"What?" Penny asked.

"I don't know, maybe I was just imagining it." Payton said. "But for a moment he seemed awake and I saw this evil in his eyes. It scared me."

"He's not awake, Payton." Penny said. "His soul was taken."

"I guess you're right." Payton replied. "It's probably nothing."

Penny nodded and they kept walking and looked at Julian being carried into the courtyard. He had jumped in front of Payton to save her. As much as she resented him for leaving, Penny was more concerned about him not waking up. Noah and Sheng Li placed Julian on the grass in the courtyard. Meanwhile, the Zen Master went to inform the other disciples that Rhys was coming, which caused some concern and fear to spread among them.

At that moment, an explosion sounded from the back of the monastery and a fire erupted in the building. Rhys appeared through the flames and hovered over the building, staring down at the Zen Master as he held up the blade.

"Hand over the eggs and I shall let your disciples live." Rhys said.

"We have sworn to protect the blade." The master replied. "We shall not stand aside."

"Then burn." Rhys growled.

Rhys breathed fire down upon the Zen Master, though he was pulled aside by his disciples and escorted to safety. Mei Ling and Sheng Li levitated up onto the roof to fight the warlock as Penny turned to Noah and Payton.

"Noah, look after Julian." Penny said. "Payton, find the eggs and keep them safe."

"Got it." Payton replied.

"Be careful." Noah said. "Rhys will stop at nothing to get what he wants."

"Neither will we." Penny replied.

Penny levitated up onto the roof, while Payton turned invisible. As Penny landed, she saw that Mei Ling and Sheng Li had already begun fighting the warlock. She looked around and noticed a rack of weapons on one of the balconies. She leaped down and grabbed two battle staffs before levitating back to the roof.

"Guys, catch!" Penny called out.

Penny tossed the staffs and they were caught by the two disciples. As they engaged Rhys in combat, Penny did her best to sneak around them. If she could get close enough, perhaps she could hypnotize him into giving up the blade. Mei Ling noticed her and nodded, providing a distraction. Now close enough, Penny threw her arm around Rhys's neck and whispered into his ear.

"Stop fighting." Penny said in a hypnotic tone. "Give me the blade and surrender."

"I spent centuries training to contain my rage." Rhys hissed. "Your parlor tricks are useless against me, witch."

Rhys threw Penny over his shoulder, grabbing her by the throat as she landed on the roof. His face came close to hers and she could feel the scorching heat of his breath. Mei Ling attacked, though she was forced to leap back to avoid a stream of fire. Sheng Li attacked from the other side and struck Rhys in the stomach with his staff. The warlock growled and snapped the staff in half, after which he used it to impale Sheng Li through the shoulder. The disciple lost his balance, after which he fell off the roof.

"No!" Mei Ling called out.

Mei Ling jumped after Sheng Li and managed to catch him before he hit the ground. Rhys smiled as he turned his attention back to Penny.

"All alone now, witch." Rhys said. "Time to make Shula happy and fry you."

Using her levitation power, Penny kicked Rhys in the chest and managed to break free, which caused them both to roll to the edge of the roof. Rhys quickly flew up, while Penny slowed down her fall to land safely on the grass. At that moment, several disciples emerged from the monastery and began shooting the warlock with bows and arrows. During the distraction, Penny ran over to Noah.

"We can't beat him." Penny said.

"What else can we do?" Noah asked.

"We need to get the eggs to safety." Penny said. "Where is Payton?"

"Here." A voice said.

There was a ripple in the air next to them as Payton became visible, holding a small and ornate wooden box. Rhys spotted the box from the sky instantly and realized the eggs were in it. He breathed fire at the archers and swooped down to attack Payton with the Dragon Blade in his hand.

For a moment, Penny thought they were done for, but then an inhuman roar sounded in the courtyard. Penny looked to her side and saw Julian was awake. His eyes were pitch black and his body was twisting and turning. He rose to his feet and started to transform. His skin turned a dark shade of red with black lines covering it. He grew in size, causing his shirt to be ripped apart while his head turned bald and more demonic. He let out another roar that terrified Penny. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't Julian anymore.

"What the hell?" Rhys called as he stopped mid-flight.

"Noah, what's happening?" Penny asked.

"I don't know." Noah said. "It seems like his demonic side has awakened. Without Julian's soul to contain it, it has taken control over his body."

"Those eyes." Payton said. "That's what I saw earlier."

"I thought I killed you already." Rhys said. "Guess I have to do it again."

Rhys unleashed a stream of fire at the demon, though it raised a clawed hand and caught the flames. The demon compressed the flames into a massive fireball, which he threw back at Rhys. The warlock avoided it and charged at the demon with the Dragon Blade. As he tried to stab the demon, it grabbed him by the arm and snapped it, causing the bones to break and the blade to drop into the grass. Rhys cried out as the demon lifted him up by his broken arm and formed a sinister smile. Electricity sparked in its claw, which it plunged into the warlock's chest. Rhys screamed as he was electrocuted and eventually combusted into flames.

"He did it." Payton said. "Julian stopped the warlock."

"That's not Julian." Penny noted. "I don't think we're out of danger yet."

Having heard them, the demon turned to the sisters with a dangerous look in its eyes. It growled as it came for them. Noah jumped in front of it, but was easily knocked aside. Penny kicked the demon in the chest, though it had little effect. It grabbed her and pulled her toward it, staring at her menacingly. In a desperate move, Penny placed her hands on the demon's head and tried to telepathically calm it. It was like trying to reason with a feral animal. As she pushed through, she suddenly saw glimpses of a city. She saw a party, music and dancing of a rooftop. She saw Julian with a woman. Everything went black for a moment and suddenly the music was gone. The people at the party were lying dead on the floor. She saw a reflection in a mirror, Julian covered in blood.

"No, it can't be." Penny whispered.

At that moment, Mei Ling and Payton appeared behind the demon. Together, they plunged the Dragon Blade into its back and green energy started flowing back into the demon. It released Penny and transformed back into Julian, who instantly collapsed.

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