32
Phos had only been gone half an hour or so when Cole woke, sneezing. He shook his head, trying to clear it as his sinuses burned. All this passing out and waking up was making him nauseous… and angry.
He looked around but there was no sign of the Healer. There was a chance he was in the back room, of course, so Cole kept quiet as he worked at the ropes around his wrists and arms. His twisting and wrenching had left his arms raw and sore, and he became angrier as the bindings refused to yield. Without the ring he could have snapped them no problem…but with the stubborn vengestone accessory his straining did nothing. He exhaled in defeat after five fruitless minutes. After a moment he decided to work towards freeing the immovable ring instead. As he worked, he thought about what Phos had talked about. This Alchemist guy sounded like bad news…and it sounded like he was going to be free soon. Not to mention that he was apparently after him…Cole shook his head. If this really was such a big deal, Phos really should have been more open about it.
He remembered Phos's threat and a spike of adrenaline rushed through him. Would the old Healer really kill him? He had been unsure of Phos at first…but after months of getting to know him he had sort of just listed the Healer under the "rude, cryptic, and possibly senile but overall harmless old guy" type of person. Now he wasn't so sure. He tried to decide what he would do once he finally got this stupid ring off. Phos had made it seem like this whole situation was life and death…so should he just stay here? But no doubt Keyda would wonder…
His stomach lurched. Keyda. If she found out he was missing, especially with how their last conversation had ended...He renewed his efforts to get the ring off. She would think that he left to avoid talking about the binding…not that he really wanted to talk about it, but he didn't want her thinking he had just left…
He had gotten the ring up to his knuckle, but it refused to budge over it. His brows were furrowed in concentration and his neck was sore from his attempts to try and see what he was doing. How had Phos even…
There were footsteps outside the front of the tent, and Cole turned to the doorway, heart pounding. He had run out of time; the old Healer had returned. But to his surprise, the figure that pushed the door flap open was not Phos, but Dorhn. The hulking bodyguard's eyes found Cole in the tent, and he raised an eyebrow in surprise. Cole sagged in relief, and Dorhn picked his way across the room as the Master of Earth addressed him.
"You know, this is probably the first time I've been really happy to see…"
Cole's sentiment was cut short as the massive Oni struck him, hard. Pain erupted where the bodyguard's fist connected with his cheekbone, and adrenaline spiked as Cole tried to process what was happening. He could hear Dorhn chuckling darkly as the stars cleared from his vision.
"You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that…"
Cole looked back at him, wary and unsure. Dorhn shook his head, amused, as he examined how Cole was tied up.
"Looks like I'm not the only one who's had enough of you …even the Healer's got it out for you, Outsider."
"Dorhn…what are you doing?..."
"Come to collect you, haven't I? Your girlfriend needs a bit of motivation…"
Cole suddenly noticed the burns across Dorhn's arms and hands and stiffened with rage.
"If you've hurt her…"
"Little viper did more to me than I did to her…but you really should be more worried about yourself."
Cole grunted in pain and anger as Dorhn grabbed him by the hair, yanking him forward as he unsheathed a long knife. The large Oni scanned Phos's work and deftly severed the ropes connecting Cole to the fireplace. Cole strained again, but the bindings around his arms and wrists were as tight as ever.
"Thought I'd have to convince you to come with me…but this makes everything that much easier, doesn't it?" Dorhn muttered softly as he dragged the Master of Earth towards the exit.
"Stop!" Cole yelled, but Dorhn just chuckled as they reached the door to the outside. Suddenly, Dorhn sensed someone behind him and whipped around with his knife. It connected with the blade held in Syn's s grip, knocking it out of the way. The bodyguard looked surprised to see the small child, but then he shook his head in dark amusement as she strained to raise the sword again. Cole twisted to see what was going on, grimacing at the added strain that put on Dorhn's grip on his hair. He caught sight of the curly headed child, her expression determined.
"Syn…get out of here…"
"Let him go." she said quietly, angling the blade back towards Dorhn. He scoffed in reply.
"Put that down kid, before you get hurt…"
She swung it again, and Dohrn once again deflected her blow with ease. He shook his head, and Cole was flung to the ground. He hit the dusty floor hard, unable to break his fall with his hands behind him. He twisted in time to see Dorhn lunge out and grab Syn.
"Leave her alone!" he yelled, trying to get up off the ground. Dorhn ripped the sword out of the child's hand, pulling her close.
"The question is: do I return you back to the fortress where you belong…or do I end your pitiful life once and for all?"
Syn's stoic expression crumpled as she fought against the burly Oni's grip, but Dorhn held fast.
"STOP!" Cole yelled again, heart pounding as he struggled to get back to his feet. The ropes cut into his wrists, which had been rubbed to the point of bleeding. Dorhn glanced over at him, unimpressed. He addressed the trembling child again, voice low.
"Seems like I'm going to have my hands full with that filth….so I should probably just get rid of you…" he murmured menacingly, and Syn began to cry as she fought to get free.
"SYN!"
Dorhn looked up and caught sight of a gangly youth in the doorway. Hershel had heard the commotion and came running in through the back, but now he seemed frozen in horror. Syn had basically gone limp in the large Oni's grip, sobbing, and the guard narrowed his eyes at the skinny boy looking at him with clenched fists. Cole's heart pounded…this whole situation had gone from bad to worse…
"So this is where you've been hiding, you little weasel…" Dorhn muttered, shaking his head. "Should have known…"
"Let her go now!"
"Or what?" The bodyguard sneered, twisting Syn's arm. She yelped in pain amid her sobs.
The boy's fists clenched tighter and his eyes began blazing. Dorhn stumbled back a step, taken by surprise, as Cole shook his head.
"Hersh!"
Hershel yelled out as fireballs erupted around his fists, and he lifted a hand to launch them at Dorhn's hulking frame. The bodyguard, however, looked more awed than intimidated as he grabbed Syn's other arm, pulling her small form in front of him like a shield.
"You've unlocked the power…" he murmured. He glanced over at Cole, who had managed to get to his feet. The bodyguard smirked slightly. "This is why you smuggled him out of the fortress…"
"Let her go!" Hershel yelled again, the fireball growing in size. Cole wanted to intervene, but his mind struggled to catch up. Besides, he was afraid that Dorhn would hurt Syn if provoked enough. The Bodyguard shook his head at the teen.
"You don't want to make me angry, kid…if you really want to keep your sister safe, you're gonna come back to the fortress with me, nice and quiet…"
Hershel trembled with anger and restraint, but Dorhn shook the child in his grasp for emphasis and the teen lowered his hands at his sister's whimper.
"Dorhn…don't do this,"
Cole's voice was low and angry, and Dorhn glanced over at him.
"Do what? Fix all the problems you've created in this realm? Put someone in charge who will finally bring us back to power?" He chuckled darkly. "We've got your girlfriend in a bottle, but this kid is more fragile than Keyda and I'd bet he's more easily led…a much better source of power…"
Hershel's eyes flashed, but Dorhn's grip on Syn tightened again and the teen stood down. The Bodyguard looked over at Cole again as a sudden realization hit home.
"Guess that means we don't need Keyda anymore, do we? I suppose we can always hold on to her as long as she proves useful…but we'd be free to get rid of her anytime…"
The vengestone ring budged a bit, finally beginning to move over Cole's knuckle. He glared daggers at Dorhn, shaking in rage. The Bodyguard met his gaze evenly.
"But we really don't need you. I'd take this opportunity to gut you myself…but my hands are a little full…" he glanced over at Hershel and smirked. "Should we see how good this kid is at listening?"
Dorhn angled his blade so that the point was pressed on Syn's ribcage. She had continued to fight as she cried, but now she froze, the tears running down her face silently.
The ring moved again ever so slightly, and Cole desperately willed it to go faster.
"Show me what you can do, kid…" Dorhn ordered, gesturing to where Cole was standing bound. "Kill the Outsider or I'll give your sister a few more scars…"
Hershel's eyes widened with sudden understanding and his eyes flicked between Cole and Syn. He looked sick, rooted to the ground in shock and uncertainty. Dorhn increased the pressure on his long knife, and Syn cried out. Hershel clenched his jaw, the flames reappearing around his fists. Cole didn't say anything as the teen turned towards him with a tortured expression; the Master of Earth's fingers trembled as he continued to work at the stubborn vengestone ring.
"I'm sorry…" Hershel managed before launching the attack. Cole was able to dodge it by rolling and the blast hit the back of the tent, where it crackled but didn't burn through the material. Hershel launched a few more attacks while Dorhn looked on, intrigued. There wasn't much room to run, and Dorhn and Syn were blocking the entrance…it wasn't long before one of Hershel's attacks hit home. Cole grunted as it threw him backwards, and he landed hard. He was aware of Dorhn's amused chuckling… and he realized with a rush of relief that the jolt had finally knocked the ring loose. He rushed to rip it off the rest of the way as Hershel powered up again. The teen nearly sent the shot…but then his hands faded and he turned towards Dorhn, eyes pleading.
"I can't….I can't do it. But I'll go with you… Please don't hurt her…"
Dorhn looked irritated as he scoffed, and Syn cried out again as the pressure on the blade increased more. Having finally ripped the vengestone ring off, Cole activated his earth punch and broke through the rope binding them. His arms felt like they were on fire, but he ignored the feeling as he pushed himself up and tried to make it to the bodyguard in time.
"NO!" Hershel yelled, powering up again at the sight of Syn's pained expression. Cole had nearly reached them…
Something slammed into Dorhn's back, and he stumbled. His grip on Syn slackened and she ripped out of his grasp. She darted over to Hershel, who pulled her into a trembling embrace. Dorhn blinked, as if confused, and he suddenly staggered forward as he was struck from behind a second time. Cole shook his head, unsure of what was happening, and the bodyguard's eyes glazed over as he fell forward. It was then the Master of Earth caught sight of the two crossbow bolts embedded in the massive dragon master's back. Heart thudding, Cole looked up at the entrance as Phos whipped the doorway flap open, eyes flashing as he looked down at the dead Oni and then up at where Hershel was holding a shaking and sobbing Syn. He exhaled, relieved, but then he caught sight of Cole and his eyes hardened at the sight of his unbound arms. He slowly raised the crossbow he was holding and pointed it at the ninja.
"Stay right there, Outsider…and put your vengestone back on…"
Cole breathed slowly, eyes flicking between the crossbow and Phos's stony expression.
"Crossbow? Woulda thought you'd just use magic…"
"Fool Behemoth was trying to steal my property, wasn't he? No use using "magic" when a crossbow will do the same job just as fast with a fraction of the effort…"
"I have to go." Cole interrupted, and Phos shook his head.
"Don't make all my hard work go to waste, kid…I spent months getting you in here as much as possible to block your aura from unfriendly notice, not to mention this spell I've put together."
"They've got Keyda…Phos, I have to…"
"Use your BRAIN, Idiot! They aren't gonna harm her…in their minds she's the only source of power they have. She'll be fine for another hour or two…which is all the longer you have to stay. Now sit down before you make me kill you…"
The Dragon roar that ripped through the night distracted Phos for half a second, which was enough time for Cole to begin his Spinjitzu. The Healer cursed and shot the crossbow bolt, but the earthen tornado deflected it and Phos was forced to move as the swirling rocks bore down on him. Cole launched out of the spinjitzu and out the door, and Phos dove after him, crossbow raised and ready. However, by the time the Elderly Healer had made it out of his tent the Master of Earth was already flying away into the night in the claws of the Guardian of Earth. Phos fired a few shots, but they were deflected by the dragon's scaly armor. The Oni's eyes flashed angrily, and he cursed before whipping back into the tent. He threw his crossbow in frustration, and it hit the fireplace with a resounding clang. Syn and Hershel both jumped and looked over at Phos warily as the Master Healer scratched at his scruff with a shaky hand, muttering to himself and shaking his head as if trying to come to a decision. Finally he stopped, jaw clenching in resolution as he glanced up at Hershel.
"Grab the spell ingredients off the table and put them in a bag for me…I have to go now if I'm to stop what is to come…"
Hershel blinked, hesitating only a moment before standing and going to the table. Phos joined him there as they collected the various ingredients, stuffing them into a small satchel. Phos yanked the ivory dagger out of the table last, his gaze lingering on it for a moment before turning to Syn and Hershel. He frowned at the red stains that had appeared on the side of the curly-headed child's dress.
"Bandage her up…and wait for me here. Do not leave this tent…do you understand?"
They both nodded solemnly and Phos glanced down at the dagger one last time before grabbing the bag and disappearing out into the night.
Rasher tapped on the container of concentrated Hatred, frowning.
"Oi, I don't suppose you could speed up production?" he called, and Keyda glared at him. He ignored the look, continuing.
"Not that we need it to take the fortress…I mean, there are enough dragon masters that hate you. That shouldn't be difficult at all. But that Dragon Leader friend of yours is gonna hear about this at some point, and we're gonna need some power on our side once the war begins again…"
"Begins again!? Are you insane?! The dragons will crush you if the war starts again…" she spat, eyes flashing. He shook his head.
"Maybe with you leading…but with Adalaide in charge we're finally gonna get this realm back to the way it's supposed to be…"
"How?! By wishing hard enough!?"
It was Rasher's turn to glare and he shook his head at her.
"Just like an ignorant slave…"
She narrowed her eyes. Did any of them actually have common sense, or a real plan for what to do with this realm…or were they just chasing random ideals?! No way would this idiot, for instance, lead any better than she had…
The cell door banged open and Adalaide came strolling back in looking peeved. She glanced over at the cylinder that Rasher was holding and her expression darkened.
"Leave that alone!" she snapped. Rasher was quick to put the container back and Adalaide fixed Keyda with a deadly glare. Keyda returned the look unabashed.
"How'd it go with the Cap'n?" Rasher asked. Adalaide shook her head.
"He's chosen death…foolish man…"
Keyda's stomach twisted at that, and a bit more aura slipped out. Adaliade had turned away from her and didn't seem to notice.
"Yanz is up there now with the dragon masters….can't you hear the running and clanging up there? The battle's begun."
"Lemme grab my sword…" Rasher muttered, heading over to where he had left his weapon. The short-haired woman shook her head and he paused.
"I'm going up…it shouldn't take us long to subdue anyone foolish enough to fight against our resistance…"
"Subdue? Ya mean kill?"
"No…I'm not killing any of the dragon masters today if I don't have to. I want any sympathizers of this foolish regime executed in front of the nation tomorrow. That will send the message better than just killing them will." She pulled out her sword and headed towards the exit.
"Oi! What am I supposed to do, then?"
She whirled on him, eyes hard as flints.
"Just watch her, Rasher! And when Dorhn returns with that Outsider I want you both to use him to get her to fill that whole container…"
Rasher chuckled in a darkly excited way.
"Free reign?"
"Make it last awhile…" Adalaide suggested. "You kill him too quick and she'll never produce as much as if you were to milk it…" The Oni usurper was pleased to note the renewed flow of aura pouring off Keyda as she glared at Adalaide. The resistance leader continued, voice hard. "I don't want her to be able to recognize him when you're done."
Hatred gushed out around Keyda as she shook with rage and adrenaline. Rasher bowed in a mocking way to Adalaide and the slender woman rolled her eyes.
"You're wish is my command…" he purred, and Adalaide disappeared out the door to go join in the battle.
Rasher turned to Keyda and wiggled his eyebrows, and she closed her eyes to block him out. She tried to still her emotions, but all she could feel was rage and Hatred. Where was Cole!? Why had he left?! If he was with Phos then Dorhn would be getting there soon…but Cole and Phos would be able to beat the mammoth bodyguard, wouldn't they? Surely Cole wouldn't get caught…surely…
She opened her eyes as more aura poured off of her. She was trying so hard to stop it to keep them from gaining more power…but why? Why not just break out of this hateful prison now that nearly everyone was busy?
She looked up at the top of the extraction chamber, clenching her jaw. It was now or never.
Rasher had gone back to watch the tiny droplets of hatred drip from the concentration tube at the end of the mechanism. He frowned as the drips once again stopped—time to say something to ruffle the slave's feathers, then. He turned with his mouth open, but his insult died in his throat as he realized that the clear prison was empty.
"What…."
He heard a clang and caught sight of the viper in the neck of the prison, punching her way through the metal tube at the top. He yelled out and started running for the ladder…how the heck had she gotten up there? He hadn't quite reached it when the metal cover over the top of the chamber came flying off, and the slave pulled herself out of her prison, her eyes blazing. His mouth and throat went dry; he tried to grab the ladder so she at least wouldn't have a way to climb down, but a blast of Hatred knocked him off his feet. He pushed himself up to see Keyda racing down the ladder. Rasher glanced over at his sword by the wall and got to his feet, making a beeline for it. He didn't make it.
A blast hit him dead in the back and he hit the ground hard. In the next second she had caught up with him, and before he could lift his hands in defense she had decked him across the temple, knocking him out.
Keyda breathed heavily for a few moments before turning away from the ratty man. She could tie him up….but she didn't even feel like he was worth that much effort. She walked over to the wall and picked up his sword. She left the cell with a quick darting glance down the hall to make sure that Adalaide or Dorhn hadn't returned.
"Heavy Metal?" she called. There was no answer and she raised her voice. "Heavy Metal?"
"Turn at the end of the hall, it's the last cell on the right."
She sagged in relief at his voice; Adalaide hadn't killed him, then. She must be saving him for those executions she had mentioned. Keyda bristled as she followed Heavy Metal's instructions to the cell at the end of the specified hallway. Who did that woman think she was?!
She blasted through the cell's lock and it swung open to reveal the familiar scarred form of her second in command. A pair of shackles laid abandoned on the cell floor, and he was rubbing his wrists ruefully as he addressed her.
"You got out."
Keyda noticed a touch of relief in his voice and shrugged.
"Not that hard….just had to wait for that insane woman to get out of there…." she muttered. "You ok?"
"Definitely survived worse," he replied.
"Do you know where Cole is?" she blurted out. Heavy Metal exhaled out his nose and slowly shook his head.
"No idea. You sure they don't have…"
"They don't. They sent Dorhn to go track him down…" she pressed a hand to her head. "I'm glad you're ok. I'm going to go look for him and hopefully I'll find him before that hulking traitor does…"
She turned to go but Heavy Metal grabbed her arm.
"Keyda…"
She turned to him quizzically and he sighed.
"The truth is…things aren't looking so good at the moment. I know that upstairs there are masters who will be loyal to you to the death. But they're heavily outnumbered and are never going to be able to hold this fortress without your help…."
"What are you talking about?" Her voice was guarded, and he made direct eye contact.
"If you leave to go find Cole, the fortress will fall to Adalaide and her forces. Given how outnumbered we are, that's still a possibility even if you stay…but the second you leave it's a given." He paused a moment before continuing. "I know you care about Cole…but you and I both saw what he did to that gorge all those months ago. I seriously doubt Dorhn would be able to do anything to him…"
Keyda didn't say anything. She knew deep down that Heavy Metal was right….if she left, the fortress would fall in her absence.
The Captain of the Guard had fallen silent, waiting for her reply. Her heart pounded as her mind began to rationalize leaving. She had never wanted this gig anyways; she was sick of everyone pushing her and telling her what to do. She was sick of having to worry about Cole and what people would do to him...No one could say she hadn't tried, right? She had tried…really really hard…but at the end of the day if this Adalaide chick wanted to control this realm full of ungrateful Oni and lead them all to destruction by restarting the war, then maybe she and Cole could just head back to Ninjago and finally feel safe and secure….
Hershel and Syn came unbidden to her mind…as well as villagers and children she had met over the last few months. What would happen to them if this nation fell? And even if it didn't fall by a renewed Dragon-Oni war, there was no doubt that the new regime would come down as Iron fisted as ever. Any progress that she and Cole had made would dissolve like weak morning dew…
"Keyda?"
She looked up and realized that Heavy Metal was still waiting. She allowed herself to consider running away for a moment longer…to just being alone with Cole, and leaving all this mess behind them. But deep down she knew that she was the only chance for all those people being abused and mistreated to get justice…and a real life. She exhaled, resigned.
"Well….what are we waiting for?" She shifted her position with the heavy sword in her hand. "Let's go teach that skinny witch a lesson."
Heavy Metal's stoic expression broke, exposing a full grin.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
33
As the dragon raced towards the fortress, Cole finally looked down at his arms and grimaced. They were shiny and raw, and there was a line right along his wrists that had been stripped to the point of bleeding.
What happened? Why didn't you call sooner?
"Couldn't…Phos had me tied up with vengestone on. I tried…but apparently our connection was severed."
The Dragon fell silent and Cole bit his lip, looking at the fortress looming in the distance. In the light of the full moon, the landscape was pretty well lit and his stomach twisted as he wondered what he would find. Dorhn said they had Keyda locked up somewhere…but where? How would he find her? Had the people Dorhn was working with taken the whole of the fortress already, or was it in the midst of battle?
If you need me to fight…
Cole blinked at the offer. He supposed there was no longer the prophecy stipulation…the only thing keeping Dragons from ripping the fortresses apart now was the union. Cole finally shook his head.
"No…only as a last resort. Let's see if we can make it through this thing with the union still intact…"
As the two grew closer to the fortress, they didn't notice the strange swirling mist to the south of them, drawing closer as well.
The battle had started in the barracks…but it had slowly moved its way out the south exit and into the training courtyard. There were fewer dragon masters loyal to Keyda…but there still were some. However, most of them were intimidated by the sheer number of the opposing side and chose not to fight against the rebels, thinking the battle would be over before it began. In the end the traitors had managed to subdue seven loyal dragon masters, binding them and lining them up on their knees. Their expressions ranged from fear to distain as Adalaide shook her head, looking down at them with her hands on her hips.
"It's a pity really…seven talented and healthy dragon masters who picked the wrong side. I could have used you…but now you will all die tomorrow with the whole nation acting as witness." She turned to those left unbound around her, some of which didn't meet her eye.
"But they will not die by beheading. Such a weak custom…no, by this time tomorrow they will be executed in the way of our ancestors: through the power of Hatred!"
Some of the dragon masters cheered, though she could see many that were still hesitant. She was willing to bet that in their heart of hearts they sided with the slave girl…but they were too cowardly to fight for her and in her name. At least these seven would die loyal to something, she mused. She smiled briefly at the cheers that echoed around her, but she couldn't help but wonder if Dorhn had made it back with the outsider yet. They needed to get that slave wench to boost the amount of…
"And how exactly are you planning on doing that, Adalaide?"
The short-haired woman whirled and caught sight of the wench herself, standing in the doorway with what appeared to be Rasher's sword. Adalaide narrowed her eyes as Keyda continued.
"From what I can tell, you yourself are powerless…guess that's why you needed me, huh?"
"Well well…the little slave imposter made it out of her cage…" Adalaide muttered poisonously. Keyda just shrugged.
"Wasn't even that hard..."
"Get her!"
Dragon masters came pouring at Keyda and she clenched her jaw as purple power exploded up her sword. She spun to avoid the attacks, blocking and firing. Adalaide herself came running with her sword, but another blade collided with hers and she suddenly found herself face-to-face with Heavy Metal. He had a large sword of his own, and was fixing her with a deadly glare. She pulled back, furious.
"You fool…you cannot hope to win, you are outnumbered!"
"Maybe…but at least I can die knowing I tried."
Their swords collided again as the battle around them began anew. One of the fence-sitting Oni moved to free the seven loyal dragon masters, who renewed their fight with vigor. The appearance of Keyda and her obvious show of power had helped more of the unsure guards choose their place.
But it still wasn't enough. The Aura storm swirled around Keyda as she blocked and blasted, but she was battling three to four guards at a time and she knew she wasn't going to be able to keep it up. She dodged a blow but the tip of the sword sliced a shallow wound across her back and she yelled out. She turned, eyes blazing, and blasted the man backwards. He hit a wall and then lay on the ground, not moving. But for every guard she seemed to defeat, there were two more that took their place.
Heavy Metal was a more skilled fighter than Adalaide, and if it had truly been one on one he would have defeated her quickly. However, like Keyda he was surrounded by opposing dragon masters, and even he struggled to keep them all at bay.
"You should have sided with me, old man….with your support we could have avoided all of this!" Adalaide hissed. He narrowed his eyes.
"I already served one who lusted for power…and I swore to myself I never would again. You have the passion, the desire…but you do not care about this nation. You do not care what happens to the people under you…"
"And you do?!" she spat, whipping her sword towards his neck. He blocked it soundly and lunged to grab her, but another guard got in the way and he kicked the fool away as Adalaide continued. "You, the Baron's puppet, who would do anything he told you, no matter how gruesome or cruel…"
"That was who I was once…" the scarred Captain admitted. "But…"
"But what?! You had a 'change of heart'?!" Adalaide spat acidly. She nearly landed a blow, her sword nicking his shoulder before he managed to block it as he fought two more guards. "People don't change…that's why I can't understand why you would support her…a weak child!"
"I've known that 'child' for the majority of her life." Heavy Metal countered, backhanding one of the opposing guards with the hilt of his sword. He dropped to the ground and Adaliade held up her sword as he turned to her. "Keyda may be emotional and unstable, and her timing is not always the greatest…but she has never been weak."
Keyda blasted another guard away. Panting, she turned to the next opposer, arms trembling with the weight of the sword. She really needed to start carrying her own sword around…one that wasn't quite so heavy and unbalanced…
Someone managed to grab her hair and pulled her backwards and she yelled out and blasted blindly trying to hit them. They yelled out in pain and released her hair as another dragon master grabbed her sword arm and forced the blade from her grasp, despite the power that burned him. She tried to blast them with her other hand, but someone had grabbed that arm as well and she screamed out in frustration, eyes flashing as the aura storm grew faster. Adalaide dodged away from Heavy Metal's attack, and he was soon swamped with more guards. The slender woman made it to Keyda as one of the guards lifted a sword for the final blow.
"Don't kill her!" she yelled angrily, and the guard turned and lowered her sword. Adalaide fixed Keyda with a superior stare and the younger girl glared back as she continued to fight those holding her.
"We need her alive…but I suppose we don't need her unharmed…" a cruel smile played at Adalaide's lips. "It'll be harder for you to escape again with two broken legs…won't it? Or perhaps we could blind you…or cut off your hands. Yes, there are ways to make you a little more submissive…"
The Aura storm increased as Keyda continued to fight, but more opposing guards had grabbed her, and she couldn't get away as Adalaide raised her sword.
The taller woman heard something behind her and whipped around right before Heavy Metal's strike came down on her. He wasn't expecting her to turn, and her sword sliced across his middle.
"NO!"
Keyda's scream echoed in the courtyard as Heavy Metal grunted in pain and staggered backwards, his sword dropping as he put pressure on his middle to try to stave the bleeding. Adalaide smirked at him and was about to go for the final killing blow when the storm that had been whipping around Keyda exploded.
Cole ran through the hallways, trying to figure out where everyone was. He was headed towards the dungeons when he heard what sounded like an explosion echo down the halls. He turned towards the sound, his heart pounding.
"Keyds…"
He took off running towards the barracks.
Adalaide and those who had been holding Keyda were blasted yards away from her. She dropped to her knees; the outblast of Hatred had drained a lot of her energy, but she grit her teeth and struggled to her feet as she made her way over to where her Captain of the Guard had fallen to the ground. The scars on his face showed up even darker as his skin took on an ashen look. He was still conscious…but his breathing was shallow and it looked like he was losing a lot of blood.
"Hey…Hey!" she said, eyes wide with panic and determination as she reached him. "Don't you dare die…"
He tried to chuckle, but it was lost as he coughed, and her heart pounded in fear as she saw the trickle of blood out of the corner of his mouth.
"S'was a pleasure to serve ya…" he slurred, and she shook her head, moving his hands away from the wound. Her hands shook as she looked at it. She had seen worse…surely she could fix this…
She needed to stop the bleeding, but she wasn't sure she could just cauterize a stomach wound. Heavy Metal coughed again and she exhaled shakily. She didn't have many other options.
Her hands lit up with flames and she pressed both down on the wound on his stomach. He lurched and yelled out in pain, his eyes beginning to take on a glazed look. She pulled her hands away from the wound, but it was still seeping a little and she shook her head, unsure of how to fix it. She felt lost and sick and tears of frustration began to fall. She put her hands back on the wound, gritting her teeth as she ushered a more powerful flame source. He screamed again and this time when she pulled away the wound looked like it had stopped bleeding. She had no idea what the internal damage was, and her hands shook with adrenaline as she tried to think of what else she could do.
"Keyda…I've done things…I'm not proud of…" he muttered before coughing again. She clenched her jaw. She had known Heavy Metal as long as she had known the Baron; he had always been there, on the edges of the tyrant's command, carrying out his every wish and threat…
"Dying is something else you won't be proud of." She snapped, not sure what else to say. "Just…just hang on…"
She looked up to see Adalaide approaching and her eyes flashed again. The other woman shook her head scornfully, holding her arm with one hand while the other firmly clutched her sword. Her arm had been burned pretty badly in the blast, and her eyebrow had a gash across it from the landing.
"He had his chance to avoid this fate…" she pointed out, and Keyda's eyes darted around as Adalaide was joined by other dragon masters. Those loyal to her tried to reach her, but opposing guards fought with them, keeping them at bay. Adalaide sneered at Keyda, who was trying to decide if she had enough energy to fight these final opposers off herself.
"You're weak from that outburst…no use pretending you aren't. You're on your own…so now you get to choose whether you're going to come quietly or whether you're going to…"
"Stay away from her!"
Keyda felt a jolt of relief and she turned at the sound of Cole's voice. He came barreling out of the barracks and into the field, his arms flashing threateningly. She turned back to Adalaide and slowly stood, her hands flaming once again.
"I've never been one to come quietly," she murmured and the dragon masters launched their attack. Cole reached her as she blasted a few guards back, and she looked over at him with worry and relief.
"Where have you been!? And what happened to your eye…"
"I'll explain later…" Cole said, using his earth punch to knock two other villains out of his way. He realized that he must be sporting a black eye from Dorhn's punch. "Are you ok?!"
"Fine…but Cole, I need you to get Heavy Metal out of here…"
He looked over as she pointed to the figure on the battlefield. Cole clenched his jaw; the guy did not look like he was in good shape.
"I can't leave you…"
"Just get him to the barracks at least!" Keyda asked angrily, dodging the swing of a mace. "He's going to get trampled!"
Cole finally sighed and ran over to the guard. Heavy Metal was unconscious and Cole grunted as he wrapped his arms under the Oni's and began dragging him quickly to the barracks door. He made it through and managed to get Heavy Metal on one of the dragon master's sleeping mats, and then headed back out of the door to the fray. He ducked as a sword flashed at him, narrowly missing his neck.
"Well if it isn't the slave's little outsider pet…" Adalaide hissed, and Cole glared at her as he powered his arms back up. It was painful using his earth punch with how raw his arms were…but there was little he could do about it given the situation. He threw a punch and the slender woman jumped back out of the way.
"So glad you finally showed up…it will make everything so much smoother once we get her back in her little cage…"
"Funny…Dorhn told me the exact same thing. Right before he died."
Adalaide's eyes widened and Cole's attack finally hit home, throwing her backwards. He raced back over to Keyda, who was struggling to keep three dragon masters at bay. He grabbed one of them and spun once, using the added momentum to launch the guy into another guard that was running towards them.
"What happened? Why are all the dragon masters…"
"There was a rebellion. Heavy Metal and I got locked up and the ring leader came here to nab the sympathizers….but they weren't expecting us to escape."
"Did they hurt you?"
Keyda paused at the concern in Cole's voice, and she turned to see him looking her up and down, as if searching for some injury. She finally shook her head.
"No…but they got Heavy Metal pretty badly…"
Cole knocked out another guard. "Yeah, I noticed…." he muttered regretfully and his arms powered down as he looked for his next target. It was then Keyda had a good view of his raw, bleeding arms, and her eyebrows shot up.
"Oh my gosh…." she looked up at him as he clenched his jaw, not making eye contact. "What on earth happened to you, Cole?!"
"I was at Phos's…and we…" he trailed off as Keyda sent a blast that skimmed past his face on its way to hit a guard behind him. "Well, we had a bit of a disagreement."
"Disagreement how?"
"Disagreement like he knocked me out and tied me up and was gonna keep me there the rest of the night." Cole explained bitterly. "Oh yeah…and he threatened to kill me on several occasions and actually attempted to do so as I escaped…"
"What!?" Her heart plummeted. They couldn't even trust Phos?! Who on earth could they turn to for help in this crazy, messed up realm?!
"It's ok, Keyds…I'm fine…"
"Did Dorhn…"
"Come to get me? Yeah…" Cole shook his head at the memory as they continued fighting. "He's dead now…Phos killed him…"
"He did?"
Keyda had no love for the hulking dragon master….especially not now that all this rebellion stuff had gone down. But hearing that Phos had actually killed someone…
"Look out!" Cole said suddenly, and Keyda ducked without hesitation as Cole launched a blast of earth at the dragon master. The guard grunted as the heavy material sent her backwards and Cole shook his head.
"We need to get out of here…there's too many of them…"
Keyda's eyes flashed as she shook her head.
"Then the fortress will fall, Cole…I can't let that happen."
Cole frowned, but he whipped into a spinjitzu tornado and used it to mow down three more dragon masters. But even though they blasted people backwards or out of the way, the rebellious guards just got back up and charged them again.
A mist was rolling into the courtyard, the fine particles lit up by the light of the full moon. Cole frowned…he had never seen anything like that in this realm. He realized with a start that it was hard to see Keyda.
"Keyds?!" he yelled and he saw a flash of purple to his left. He reached her side and she looked over at him, concerned.
"I can't see much…" she pointed out. "This is really…"
Her thoughts were cut off as screams echoed in the night. They whirled around, trying to figure out what was happening. More terrified and pained yells rang out, and they could see flashes of purple in the mist. Cole grasped Keyda's hand tightly in one of his, and her other hand gripped her sword.
"What…"
They saw a violet bolt of what looked like horizontal lightning strike a dragon master to their right, and he yelled before crashing to the ground. Then the bolt was suddenly coming towards them.
It hit Keyda before either of them could think to react. She screamed and Cole grabbed her, trying to protect her from whatever the strange power was.
"Keyda!"
She went limp, and would have fallen to the ground if he wasn't there holding her. The bolt of lightning darted off, not bothering with Cole at all. His heart pounded as he watched it disappear back into the mist, and he looked back down at the Oni in his arms. She was unconscious, and he slowly lowered them both to the ground so he could check her pulse. He did so with a trembling hand, and his eyes closed in relief when he felt it. She was alive…but what the heck was going on?
The courtyard had fallen silent and the mist was slowly fading. Cole held Keyda as he looked around in vain. He needed to get them both to safety…he had started calling out to his dragon when he heard someone approaching. He clenched his jaw, peering into the swirling mist.
"…Phos?"
It was the only person that it could be…right?
"I suppose I could be…do you know the language of ancient Oni, then?"
Cole's mouth went dry; he had never heard this voice before. In the mist he could finally make out a figure; it was tall, with what appeared to be one horn on their head. The other horn was broken at the base, the jagged edge visible.
The woman came closer, and inhaled deeply.
"The power of Pure Hatred…it's been awhile since I have experienced it on the outside…"
Cole's grip around Keyda tightened and his arms powered up as he glared, wary and protective. In response the woman laughed in a lighthearted way that was almost charming. The sound chilled him to the bone.
"How cute…you think I'm here for her. No…I have access to Pure Hatred already…I've come for something far rarer…"
The mist had finally faded enough that he could make out what the woman looked like. Her one horn gleamed like ivory in the moonlight, carved with intricate designs. She wore loose robes and her black hair was long and straight, with a thin braid going down one side of her face. There was some kind of metallic strands woven in the braid that matched the woman's flashing gold eyes.
"Who are you?"
She laughed once again.
"Don't you know that it's rude to ask someone's name before you've offered up your own?"
He called for the Guardian more urgently, and she tilted her head, amused.
"So there is a connection...I thought there might be. At any rate I took precautions…not that the beast would necessarily come anyways. We have a complicated past, he and I…"
The realization hit hard, and Cole swallowed.
"You're…you're the Alchemist, aren't you?"
Something flickered across her face.
"I haven't been called that in a long time…" she admitted, voice low. Cole was struggling to process everything that was going on. He called for his guardian again, but nothing seemed to be working…how was he going to get them out of here?
She was coming closer, and he tried to decide whether it would be better to fight or to take Keyda and flee. She shook her head, inhaling once again.
"Oh…such fear…" she smiled sadly. "I'm not going to harm you. Now, stand up so I can get a good look at you."
He sat frozen in place, Keyda still in his arms, his mind screaming that he needed to do something, but he didn't know what. Should he attack? Would he even stand a chance against whatever mysterious magical arsenal she might have? But what chance did he have of escaping her on foot, especially after seeing the spell that had taken out Keyda and the rest? He glanced around as the mist disappeared entirely and he could see all the other Oni strewn around the practice grounds.
"What did you do to them?"
His voice was angry and guarded, and the Alchemist grinned as if she was happy that he noticed.
"A complex spell…took me a while to get the right emotional sources in the right balance, but it's quite effective at stilling a crowd, is it not?"
He glared at her and she tutted at his expression.
"They'll be fine…I'm no pleasure killer." Her countenance suddenly sobered as her eyes flashed. "Now get up…it'll be time for us to be going soon enough…"
His shook his head, arms powering up once again.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
Her fists began glowing, and he realized he needed to move. He jumped to his feet, leaving Keyda on the ground; he hoped that if he was the Alchemist's true target she would leave Keyda alone. He tried to decide how to best defeat the tall woman; at this point doing so was probably his only chance.
The Alchemist suddenly relaxed, grasping her necklace with her eyes closed. He clenched his jaw; no doubt she was preparing some magical attack. He launched a large elemental attack, but as the earth raced towards her the Alchemist's eyes flew open, glowing purple. She blasted the attack into dust and suddenly the hand on the necklace drew back, pulling a kind of green magic from the ornament before she sent it blasting towards him. He dove out of the way, and had barely managed to make it back to his feet, preparing to do spinjitzu, as something hit him from behind. The strange green power had doubled back on him and he realized with panic that he was frozen in place. His heart pounded in his ears as the Alchemist drew nearer, a smile playing at her lips.
"Generally this spell is impossible to complete without constant attention and crystalline vessels…but I stumbled upon a replica that achieves the same outcome using the power of Fear. Isn't it just incredible what can be accomplished with a little research and experimentation?"
He tried in vain to pull away as she reached out a hand to touch his face. He swallowed uncomfortably as she closed her eyes, finding his pulse on his neck.
"It's amazing…" she finally breathed, and Cole willed his body to move, to get away. She didn't seem to notice his discomfort as she continued. "To have an element tied with every fiber within you, so perfectly meshed. It leads to so many questions… Can elements be held by any person…or is there something unique about your makeup that leads it to be so bound to you? How did you become the chosen vessel in the first place?…"
It felt like his whole body was buzzing with adrenaline and the need to escape…but Cole remained fixed to the spot. He had a flash back to Keyda on Phos's table…
"I wish you wouldn't be so afraid…." the Alchemist murmured, brushing his hair out of his face to get a better look at his glowing scar. "I would never hurt you…you're too rare. I've certainly learned my lesson with being careless with prize subjects…" Her brow furrowed slightly as her fingers feathered across the dark bruise along his cheekbone. "Such heathens…how could they bruise such a perfect specimen…."
He kept his eyes closed as he continued to strain against the spell. She shook her head at his vain struggle.
"An elemental master is hard to come by…I couldn't just pass up the opportunity," she leaned in to whisper. "Do you realize what happened last time someone mixed the full golden power with Oni magic? A Godling was born. The possibilities are endless…and a pure element in such a convenient package…"
She trailed off as he continued to fight the spell, face contorted with concentration and desperation. She sighed in a pitying way.
"It's hard for you to picture it…I know. But together we are going to discover great things..."
"NO."
He screamed out for his guardian in his mind, wishing that Phos or Wu or someone would show up and do something…
"You'll be defiant at first…they always are," she mused aloud. "But all that will be solved once your memories are removed…you can't pine for what you don't remember, can you?"
The threat hit home. He finally looked at her, eyes wide with terror. She smiled comfortingly.
"I know it sounds cruel…but it's more merciful in the long run. You won't be coming back from where we're going, and I'd hate for you to have to remember everything you left behind…"
She glanced up suddenly, looking at the moon.
"Almost time," she said with a grin. "And then we can get started…"