Chapter 24
The Twilight Shard
-switches to temple-
When the others arrive back at the temple, they lay Dusk on a blanket and then report to the guardians what happened. The guardians gasp in shock. "That Dante!! He will pay for this dearly." muttered Ignitus under his breath. Terrador, Amber and Luna start to walk out to the temple courtyard. "Ignitus, we are going to perform another sealing spell on as many portals as we can." Said Terrador. "Alright!! See you in a couple of hours." Said Ignitus, going over to examine Dusk. "So, this is Draco's mother?" Asked Ignitus. "Yeah." Said Daire. "Where are Aaron and Sabra?" Asked Cyril as he walked over to the group. "They went with Draco to the Twil mountains to find a twilight shard to revive dusk! They should be back by tomorrow Afternoon." Explained Daire. "I hope they are safe…" Said Ignitus softly.
-switch back to Draco-
Draco walks up to the nearest Wyvern. "Are you alright?"asked Draco Mentally. The Wyvern responded with a rainbow of colors. "Alright, but I want you and your group to leave to the Dragon Temple in the other Dimension. The portal is at the former Twilight village. You'll be safe at the temple. This place is about to become a battlefield. When you reach the Temple, look for a dragon that looks like me." Explained Draco as plainly as he could. The Wyvern responded with dark blues and reds. He let out a whistle to his group and they followed him to the village. Draco and Aaron fly back to the shield, where Sabra and Sky were just getting up. The moon was high in the sky. Aaron absorbed the shield and landed next to the girls. "Ready to go, Girls?" Asked Aaron. They both nodded. "Sky, you'll have to fight w/out poison. Everything in this mountain is immune to any form of poison." Said Draco. Sky nodded and covered herself in crystal armor. With that, they fly up to the entrance to the inside of the mountains.
When they get inside however, it is pitch black darkness. "Here!! Give me your hands." Said Aaron. Everyone stuck out their left hand and Aaron touched each of them. After he touched all of them, they were able to see as if it was plain day. "there! Now you can see like me!! let's get this shard and get back to the temple." Exclaimed Aaron. Draco led the group through a maze of catacombs for what seemed like hours. "Draco, do you know where you are going?" Asked Sabra. "Yes!! The cave of twilight shards is about another 2 miles to the south. Be prepared, though! The last time I came here, I was attacked by a tribe of trolls that guard the shards. That is why one of my wings was damaged." Explained Draco. Aaron put on his Dark Armor and Sabra created an ice blade on her tail.
-story switches back to the temple-
Terrador, Amber and Luna walked back into the temple. Ignitus walked up to them. "We managed to strengthen the temple portal some more. We have another week or 2 before they can get through. But that is all I can do. We'll have to face the Dark master in 2-3 weeks." Said Terrador. "good!! That gives us a little more time to train and get ready. Nice work, you 3." Said Ignitus. "Hey have you Seen Flare or Icelyn? I don't see them anywhere!" Asked Luna. "Now that you mention it, I think they said they were going to the training field." Said Ignitus. Luna sighs and flies out to the training field to tell them.
-back to Draco's group-
Draco leads them down one more long tunnel and they can see something sparkling in the distance. When they reach it, it is a cave full of crystals. "Wow!! I've never seen so many crystals. These had to have been here centuries ago!!" Said Sky in amazement. "Keep focus! The shard is at the end of this cave, but the Giara trolls are guarding the Shard." Said Draco, activating his crystal fists. Aaron activates his crystal fists. "How many of these trolls are there?" Asked Sabra. "Around 10!!" Said Draco, remaining ever vigilant. "How are 4 of us gonna fight 10 giant trolls? We'll be clobbered in no time." Said Sabra. Draco grinned and created a crystal clone. "Oh, I see!! Your clone can blend in with the cave wall, so while we are battling the trolls, your clone will snatch the shard and then we flee with the shard." Exclaimed Sky. "Exactly!" Said Draco.
When they reach the back of the cavern, the 10 trolls are standing around the shard. "Ok, here's the plan. Sabra and Sky, you take the 3 trolls on the left, Aaron will take the 3 in the middle and I'll take the 4 on the right. Remember, when my clone snatches the shard, follow him. He will lead us to the surface." Explained Draco. They all gave a thumbs up. They all follow Draco in a half-circle position. One of the trolls held up a big, bony hand. "Halt!! Who goes there?" asked the troll in a gruntly, booming voice. "It is I, Draco Guard of the Twilight. This is Aaron, Sabra and Sky. We wish to obtain the twilight shard, peacefully if possible." Said Draco. "Hahahaha!! You think you'll get this shard? Think again!!" Cried the Troll, raising his giant club. The others raised their clubs.
"Go! Now!!" Cried Draco. Draco rushed the nearest troll and smashed his club with his fists and slammed him against one of the walls and manipulated enough of the crystal to hold him to the wall. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn't break free. Draco left him pinned and rushed the other 3 trolls. Aaron drew as much energy as he dared into his fists and slammed one of the trolls in the gut so hard, it knocked him out. He rushed the other 2 trolls. Sabra flung a trolls club from his hand and cried: Ice prison!!" The troll was frozen in a block of ice as hard as 3-4 feet of steel. Sky manipulated the crystal in the ground around her troll to act like quicksand. The troll sunk until he couldn't move his arms or legs.
Draco motioned for his clone to go after the shard. When the clone grabbed the shard, the troll's eyes started to glow red. Sky's troll freed himself and leaped up onto stable ground. "No one must take that shard!! No one!!" screamed the Troll, running towards the shard. "Clone, Run!! Go!!" yelled Aaron, blocking the the trolls club. Aaron's trolls eyes were glowing red. The troll dropped his club and swung his fist at Aaron's armor, going right through it and nailed Aaron in the stomach. That sent Aaron flying into the opposite wall. "Aaron, Are you alright?" cried Sabra, running to him. Aaron slowly got up, holding his stomach.
"Yeah!! Where did they get a power boost all of a sudden?" inquired Aaron, glancing at the troll's open mouth and red eyes. "It seems that taking the shard has made them angry. Their strength has gone up 10X the amount it used to be." Said Draco. All the trolls except one had sorrounded the clone. The clone had the crystal clutched in his palms. "How are we going to free the clone?" Asked Sky. "Leave that to me and Sabra! Sky, you and Draco get the shard back to our campsite. Draco, reabsorb your clone! That will make it meld into the wall. After you get the shard, run back." Explained Aaron. Draco reabsorbed the clone and the shard appeared in his hands. The trolls were furious. "That Shard Must not leave the mountain!!" Cried the trolls in unison. "Now, Draco! Go!!" Cried Aaron. Draco ran behind the trolls and down the corridor.
The trolls tried to chase them but were trapped in by Sabra's Ice wall. Aaron cries: Crand norta Zeliial!! A Dark fog sorrounded the trolls. Sabra leaped into the air and flew around the Fog, launching ice spikes into the fog. After 5 min, the fog cleared, but the trolls were still standing. "Is that all you got, puny Dragons?"Cried a Troll, shattering the ice wall. Sabra and Aaron take off down the tunnel, the trolls in Hot Pursuit.