Chapter Seven: Nerissa and Phobos
Angelo looked around to see that he was in total darkness, not knowing where he was.
"Where am I?!", Angelo asked himself as he was walking through the darkness. "Am I dreaming or what?!"
"Help!", a female voice yelled from behind him.
"Who was that?!", Angelo questioned as he turned around to see who was yelling. "Is that a girl?!"
Sure enough, a girl around his age, was running in his direction. From what Angelo could see, she was wearing blue jeans, and a purple shirt, with brown shoes. She had long black hair, and a look of fear on her face.
"What's she running from?", Angelo asked himself as he ran towards her.
"Please help me!", she said as they caught up with each other. "It's after me!"
"What's after you?!", Angelo asked as he looked around the area. "I don't see anything."
Suddenly, the girl screamed as she was being pulled by something away by something Angelo couldn't see.
"Help me!", the girl screamed.
"I got you!", Angelo yelled as he grabbed her hand, and began to pull her towards him.
Angelo looked at her to see her green eyes, filled with terror, as the unseen force was pulling her away. Then from out of nowhere, something struck Angelo making him loose his grip on the girl's hand. When he got to his feet, Angelo noticed that his shirt was torn in the middle.
"She's mine, boy!", a dark voice yelled.
"Help me!", the girl yelled as she was being taken away.
"I'll find you!", Angelo proclaimed. "I promise you! I'll find you!"
Suddenly, a bright light came at Angelo.
Meanwhile in Kandrakar................
"What do you mean I'm the Water Dragon Knight?!", Cassidy questioned.
"The Star Trident choose you to weild it's power.", Halinor said as she walked towards the Star Trident's holding case. "I'm just as surprised as you are."
Halinor then opened the case holding the Star Trident. It then floated towards Cassidy.
"I guess I don't have a choice, huh?", Cassidy asked as she grabbed the weapon.
"Take this Dragon Pendant, Cassidy.", Oracle said handing her a silver dragon shaped pendant. "Place it over your belt buckle, and let the transformation begin."
Cassidy did as she was told and place the Dragon Pendant over her belt buckle. Then, in a flash of blue light, Cassidy was in blue armour that looked almost like the boys' armour except that she had a white shirt instead of a black one, and instead of pants, she had a white skirt with black shorts underneath it. Her boots, that had short heels, went up to her knees.
"Cassidy,you wear the blue armour of the Water Dragon Knight.", Oracle proclaimed. "With it along with your Star Trident, you shall have the power to wash away your enemies."
"This could work.", Cassidy said looking herself over in a nearby mirror. "So, how do I change back?"
"Remove your Dragon Pendant, and your armour, as well as your weapon will vanish into yor pendant.", Halinor explained.
Once she did this the armour and weapon vanished just as Halinor said. Oracle then handed Cassidy a yellow gem.
"When you are near the Quintessence Dragon Knight, this gem will glow.", Oracle said opening a fold back to Earth. "When you find her, bring her here to receive her armour and weapon."
"No problem, Oracle.",Cassidy said heading through the fold along with Kadma.
"Safe journy to you all.", Oracle said as the fold closed.
"Be safe my friends.", Halinor said as she and Oracle walked out of the weapons chamber.
Back on Earth in the Vanders residents.............
"No!", Angelo yelled sitting up in his bed.
Angelo looked around to see he was in his room.
"It was only a dream.", Angelo said as he got up and went to the bathroom.
Once in the bathroom, he ran some water and splashed some in his face. He then turned the water off and dried his face. He then looked into the mirror and saw something that shocked him. His shirt was torn in the same place it was in his dream.
"No way!", Angelo said to himself. "It was only a dream! Wasn't it?!"
Angelo then headed downstairs, to show the others. Once downstairs, Angleo saw Cassidy and Kadma walking out of a fold.
"Welcome back.", Grandpa Joe said hugging his wife.
"I missed you too, dear.", Kadma said smiling.
"Good to see you, Kadma.", Yan Lin said.
"Likewise, old friend.", Kadma said hugging her friend.
"How's it going Joe?", Cassidy grinned hugging Grandpa Joe.
"It's just like old times, Cass.", Grandpa Joe replied as they broke their embrace. "Only instead of me out there doing the saving, it's my grandson and his friends out there doing it."
"If ain't one Vanders, it's another.", Cassidy joked.
"Always with the sense of humor, Cassidy.", Yan Lin grinned.
"Yanni!", Cassidy said hugging her friend. "Good to see you!"
Angelo then walked up to his grandmother. Kadma noticed him and smiled seeing her grandson.
"Hey Grandma.", Angelo said hugging his grandmother.
"How's my grandson doing?", Kadma asked returning the hug.
"Well, I'm kicking Shadow Minion butt, and doing it well.", Angelo said as they pulled apart from each other. "So, you were a Guardian, huh?"
"So, you final know?", Kadma asked with a grin.
"I also know about a certain red-head who's older than she looks.", Angelo said looking at Cassidy. "You look good for you age, Cass."
"Thank you.", she said with a wink. "Hey, what happened to your shirt?"
"Oh yeah.", Angelo said remembering why he came down there in the first place. "Believe it or not, it happened in a dream."
"What do you mean a dream?", Grandpa Joe asked.
"Start from the beginning.", Kadma said taking a seat with Grandpa Joe on the couch.
"Well, in my dream, I was surrounded by darkness, not knowing where I was.", Angelo began to explain. "I suddenly, heard this girl screaming for help."
"A girl, huh?", Uncle John questioned with a smirk.
"Yes a girl, Uncle John.", Angelo replied. "Anyway, once I got to the girl, something grabbed her. I tried to pull her away from what ever it was that grabbed her, but something struck me. My shirt was torn when that something hit me. I couldn't do anything to save her as it pulled her away."
"And when you woke up, you shirt was torn just like it is now.", Grandpa Joe concluded.
"Yep.", Angelo said sadly. "I'll never forget her face. She was so scared. She.........."
Angelo stopped when he saw one of the pictures his grandparents had hanging on the wall. He walked up to the picture that caught his attention. He then took it off the wall.
"What's wrong Angelo?", Grandpa Joe asked hid grandson.
Angelo then saw the same girl that was in his dream.
"This is the girl!", Angelo said handing the picture to Grandpa Joe. "The one with the black hair!"
Both Grandpa Joe and Kadma looked at the girl Angelo pointed out in the group picture. Both were shocked at who he pointed out.
"It can't be!", Kadma said.
"Are you sure it's her, Angelo?", Grandpa Joe asked.
"Positive.", Angelo said. "Who is she?"
"It's........... Nerissa.", Grandpa Joe said with a stunned look on his face.
"Nerissa?!", Cornelia said. "Why would Angelo dream of Nerissa?!"
"Who's Nerissa?", Angelo asked.
"We'll explain on the way to Meridian.", Grandpa Joe said getting to his feet. "Angelo, Cassidy, Cornelia you're with me. The rest of you stay here."
"What's going on Joe?", Kadma asked her husband as he walked over to a small chest that was sitting in a shelf.
"If I'm right, Kadma, Nerissa wasn't the one who attacked Cassidy forty years ago.", Joe said as he opened the chest and took out a key-shaped crystal and two small blue gems. "Nor was she being corrupted by the Hearts power."
"What's that?", Hay Lin asked.
"It's a Fold Key.", Grandpa Joe said as he opened a fold to Meridian. "Let's go you three."
"Just like old times.", Cassidy said walking through the fold.
"So what's Meridain like?", Angelo asked as he and Cornelia walked through the fold.
"Think medieval times.", Cornelia said as the fold began to close.
"Really?", Angelo questioned as it closed. "Cool!"
Once through the fold they were in the Infinite City's prison area. Angelo was amazed at the whole area they were in. Angelo then noticed all the prisoners in the cells.
"There she is.", Joe said as he walked towards the cells.
"Halt!", a loud gruff voice ordered. "You goes there?!"
Angelo looked to see a big blue man with bone points sticking out of his left eyebrow. He was dressed in brown clothing with a chain mace in his hand.
"That's a big fella.", Angelo said.
"Let me handle this.", Cornelia said walking ahead. "Hey, Vathek."
"Lady Cornelia?!", Vathek asked in shock. "Queen Elyon was told that you were captured by the Shadow Horde and that Caleb and two of the Regents of Earth were in Kandrakar healing!"
"I was captured, but was reacued by my friends.", Cornelia said. "Listen, I need to speak with Elyon."
"Cornelia?!"
Cornelia turn around to see Elyon running up to her. With her was a man with green skin dressed in warrior clothing.
"I though I'd never see you again!", Elyon cried as he hugged her best friend.
"I'm okay, Elyon.", Cornelia said returning the hug.
"I take it that's the Queen.", Angelo said.
"That's Queen Elyon.", Cassidy said. "The guy with her is Raythor. He's her loyal guard."
"Elyon listen, I need a favor.", Cornelia said as they broke their embrace.
"What kind of favor?", Elyon asked her best friend.
"I need you to let us see Nerissa.", Cornelia requested.
"What?!", Elyon questioned in shock.
"After all she's done?!", Raythor exclaimed.
"The request is for me, your majesty.", Joe said walking up to her.
"And you are?", Elyon asked.
"Joesph Vanders. Dragon Knight from Earth.", Joe said bowing before Elyon. "We need to see Nerissa to check something out."
"And what would that be?", Elyon asked.
"Thanks to my grandson here,", Joe explained as Angelo walked passed them. "I think that she may have been taken over by a Shadow Specter."
"A Shadow Specter?!", Elyon questioned. "What's that?"
"I heard of those from my father's stories of his days as a solider.", Raythor said. "They're dark beings that can take over any living being, and use them for whatever purpose they want. The victim sees what's going on, but can do nothing to stop it."
"How will you know if she was taken over by one?", Cassidy asked.
"With a new skill that we Dragon Knights developed a few years ago.", Joe said. "The Eye of the Dragon."
"And that does..........?", Cornelia asked.
"It let's us see if a Shadow Specter, or any dark force, has taking over any beings.", Joe explained. "And from what Angelo told us of his dream........"
"A Shadow Specter took over Nerissa forty years ago!", Cornelia concluded.
"Poor Nerissa.", Cassidy said sadly.
"Are you sure about this?", Elyon asked. "The last thing we need is for her to be loose."
Angelo was looking at the cells, when he saw a black aura coming out of one of the cells.
"I see it.", Angelo said getting everyone's attention.
"Are you sure, Angelo?", Joe asked his grandson.
"Oh yeah!", Angelo said pointing to a cell. "I see it right there.", Angelo said.
"That's Nerissa's cell.", Elyon said.
Angelo then saw another black aura coming from another cell.
"And I see one over there.", Angelo said pointing to another cell. "The other one with five stars above it."
"But that's Phobos' cell!", Vathek exclaimed.
"My brother.", Elyon said softly.
"Are you sure about him too, Angelo?", Joe asked.
"I'm sure, Gramps.", Angelo said turning to face them.
Everyone, except Grandpa Joe, gasped as they saw his eyes glowing yellow.
"What?", Angelo asked. "Something on my face?"
"Your using the Eye of the Dragon skill.", Joe said.
"Cool.", Angelo said as the glow slowly faded.
"And now it's gone.", Cassidy said.
"Well, it did it's job.", Angelo said. "So what do we do now?"
"We trap each one in these.", Grandpa Joe said as he pulled out the two blue crystal gems in his pockets. "I brought two just in case if the one broke. But now we need them both."
"How do we do that?", Angelo asked.
"Just yank him out with your Star Weapons, and suck him into the gem.", Joe replied.
"It's never easy, is it?", Angelo asked.
"Not in our line of work.", Cassidy said.
"So, who do we free first?", Cornelia asked.
"My brother.", Elyon instead. "Please."
"Are you sure, your majesty?", Vathek asked his queen.
"Yes, Vathek.", Elyon said. "I'm sure."
"Well, I say let's go for it.", Angelo said.
"First Angelo and Cassidy, call forth your Star Weapons.", Joe instructed.
"Okay.", Angelo said as he and Cassdiy grabbed they Dragon Pendant. "Star Blade!"
"Star Trident!", Cassidy said summoning her weapon.
"Once Phobos is released, point your weapons at him and focus your power to hold him in place.", Joe said taking his position. "I'll do the rest."
"Gotcha.", Angelo said.
"If you'd release you brother, please.", Joe said to Elyon.
"Okay.", Elyon said as she released the energy bars from Phobos' cell.
Once the energy bars vanished, a man in dark robes flew out from the cell.
A/N: Just when you think you know who the bad guys are! Will Phobos and Nerissa become our heroes newest allies?
Please review.