Warriors of the Flame

Ch 3

Lai- san cackled as he entered the swamp.

He wanted the power of the Shadow Dragon but knew that Carley wouldn't give it to him.

"That's why I want your friend.

You'd do anything for her." He thought as he entered Leah and Carley's room.

Leah woke up. She felt a dark force in the room.

"Who's there?

Show yourself!" she yelled.

Lai-san appeared. He was a muscle bound demon.

"You're the… demon Jables told us about!" she said.

"Yes I am.

He thought he and his friends got rid of me, they failed!

All I want is the Shadow Dragon power but it's in your weak little friend." He replied as he sank his claws into her arm.

"Carley help!

Lai-san's here.

Can't you hear me?" she said as the Oni demon entered her like goo.

"It's no use.

She's asleep thanks to the spiked Universe Juice I gave her.

Jables was unaware I'd tampered with his recipe by putting Nightmare Berries in it." He told her in her head.

"I won't help you, no matter what you say!" Leah protested.

"I think you will or… your friend will suffer." He replied to her.

Tears welled in her eyes at that.

"Fine I'll help but just to keep Carley safe from you." She replied to him.

Her eyes then glowed with red light…

Jables then ran into Carley and Leah's room. He'd a very bad feeling as he saw Leah wasn't there.

"He spiked Carley and the other's Universe Juice so they're too asleep to hear me or Leah!

I hope Lai-san hasn't hurt her." he thought as he saw Carley wake up after performing an ancient spell to wake her up.

"Where's Leah? I... heard her calling for help and I couldn't do anything.

I'm just a loser. I don't deserve to have the Shadow Dragon's power." she replied softly.

"No way are you a loser.

You deserve the Shadow Dragon's power because you care about others and you have a big heart.

Love and friendship is your true powers.

I saw what you did taking care of Una like that." Jables reassured her.

A smile crossed her face at that.

"What's going on in here?" someone asked them.

It was Shrek.

"You're awake! I thought the Universe Juice knocked you out." Carley said to him.

"No way!

Lai-san captured Leah, didn't he?" he replied after hugging her.

"Yes he took over her like in my vision." she answered.

Anger pulsated through him at that and his eyes glowed with green light.

He saw his friends stare at him.

"What? What's happened to me?" he said but it sounded like growling.

"You assumed dragon form.

I was hoping he and the others would do this." Jables told him.

His green skin had became scales, long green whiskers ran from his nose, his eyes had become brown eye slits.

He was slender in dragon form.

"H-How did I become this?" Shrek asked worried.

"It's the second form of a Dragon Warrior. The first form is normal body in Dragon Warrior battle gear but this is the second and most powerful form.

The others will be able to do this too in time when they believe in themselves.

The Shadow Dragon Warrior is the leader." Jables explained to them.

Carley was nervous at that.

Shrek saw fear in her eyes.

"I-I'm not the leader type." she told them.

"I know but in time you will be and a great one leading the others into battle against Lai-san.

The other Dragon Warriors and I believe in you." Jables replied.

A sad smile crossed her face at that.

Leah watched them from the shadows. She was hiding in China.

"I'm sorry about this but there's no choice.

I did it to save you." she told herself as Lai-san slept within her...

Artie and the others woke up hearing sounds of battle as the sun rose in the sky.

"What's going on? Is it Lai-san?

Where's Leah?" Snowgre asked them as he walked out of his room.

"I don't know but we're gonna find out!" Fiona answered as they went out there.

Jables, Carley and Shrek were training.

They were fighting, trying to summon the strength within.

"Morning guys what's up?" Shrek asked as they sat on the ground.

"We were worried. We thought we were under attack.

Where's Leah?" Fiona told them.

"We'll talk about Leah later.

We were training since we couldn't sleep.

I'm teaching them to find the strength within to use their Dragon Warrior powers." Jables told her.

Snowgre didn't understand what he meant about Leah...