Chapter six: The Battle Begins

"Captain Oak, you there?" said Holly into her helmet mike.

"Yeah," John replied. "A couple of demons gave us a little trouble but now they're all tied and ready for jail."

"You have the warlocks?"

"Yes, safe and sound."

"Okay," Holly smiled. She knew John would never fail a mission. He was too good at his job. "I think we're all ready to tackle Koboi."

"Gotcha, Holly," John said. "What should we do if you're not there before us?"

"Just wait. We shouldn't take too long." Holly sent the order to her team and they descended the stairs.

Opal's office wasn't hard to find. Luckily for Holly, Butler was able to remember where it was. "Is Captain Oak or Corporal Kelp there?" Holly asked Butler who was the only one who could see the door from their location.

"No," said Butler. "Should we go in?"

"Yes. The sooner she's arrested the better."

The fifty fairies and one human crept stealthily to the door as if it could wake up and eat them all if they were too loud. Holly reached for the doorknob and opened the door. She held her Neutrino 3000 up and readied her finger on the trigger. "Time's up, Koboi," she said. "You're under arrest."

The shadowed figure in the swivel chair laughed an evil, cruel, but beautiful laugh. "You think you have any hope in defeating me?" Koboi chuckled. "Because of your interference, you will all die." She snapped her fingers and panels on the walls opened to reveal dozens of armed demons.

"Talk about cliché," Holly muttered.

The demons roared and charged at the smaller fairies. At least five officers were killed in the first attack. Only three demons were wounded. The LEP was out numbered. Holly fired her Neutrino 3000 into the back of a demon about to stab a Private with his spear. "Why do demons use such prehistoric weapons?" Holly wondered. "They obviously do no good."

Holly kept fighting, a demon lunched at her with his sword, but he was shot unconscious before he could get within three feet of her. She watched as elves, sprites, and demons alike died before her eyes. The floor beneath her feet was stained with blood. She kept right on fighting. Demon after demon collapsed to the floor, unconscious or dead. Even more fairies died.

A demon drew back his arm to stab Holly. "Oh no you don't," Holly muttered as she shot the demon. He collapsed to the floor.

"Here we are," John said as they reached Koboi's office. There were sounds like a scuffle going on inside. He knew it was more than a mere scuffle.

"Are you sure we should join in the fight?" Grub said.

"Will you stop preaching and do your job?" John snapped. "Our comrades, your own brother among them, need help. Are you just going to stand there like a coward and do nothing? Come on!" With that heroic speech both fairies entered. They knew that they probably wouldn't come out alive.

A large grey-skinned demon lunged at Holly. He missed her by inches. Gloating, she carelessly decided to leave the inaccurate demon on the floor and move onto other things. The demon kicked her in the back and she fell to the floor with an "uff!" The five foot tall, grey-skinned fairy jumped to his feet and Holly followed.

"Bring it on, ugly," Holly taunted. "I'm ready for you."

A minute ago

Grub and John entered Koboi's office to find themselves caught in the middle of a battle between the LEP and the demons. Immediately, John threw himself into the fight.

"Um…Captain?" Grub said. "Are you sure…?"

"Just start fighting, Corporal!" John shouted. "Start fighting for your life!"

John was currently facing an angry looking demon. The demon prepared to stab his sword into John's stomach but John easily brought him down with a few blasts of his Neutrino 3000. John smiled in success. Then something caught his eye.

"Bring it on, ugly," John heard Holly say. "I'm ready for you."

The demon drew his sword but before he could hurt her, she blasted him with her Neutrino 3000. She stood before the unconscious demon triumphantly. Too triumphantly. The brute behind her had just killed an officer and was bringing back his arm to stab Holly in the back. He was going to kill Holly! John reacted on instincts. He ran towards them. "Holly!" he cried, jumping between the demon and Holly. "Watch ou—" The sword lodged itself between his two bottom ribs. He felt the cold hard metal against bone. John made a soft groan as the demon pulled his sword out of him.

"Oh my god!" Holly cried. "John!" She knelt by her fallen comrade. Blood poured out of his wound. "Where's your magic?"

He wanted to tell her that he had used up the last of it while he healed his broken arm. "I…"

"No," she said. "Don't tell me." She tried conjuring up the last of her magic but once again, she had not refreshed her magic in too long. This time it might cost her her friend's life. She was able to send a spark or two but that wasn't nearly enough to heal such a serious wound. She tore a bit of cloth of a dead LEP officer's uniform and used it to wrap John's wound. "Don't worry," she said. "I'll get you help."

He tried to smile back but all he managed to do was slip into unconsciousness.

Sorry about the short chapter. I just HAD to end with that!!! I was desperate!!! Well…keep on reading and reviewing!