Chapter Eight: Shadow Specters
"Free!", Phobos yelled as he spun around in the air. "I'm free to spread my darkness over Meridian!"
"Now!", Joe said to Angelo and Cassidy.
"What?!", Phobos yelled as he looked down at Joe and the others. "Dragon Knights?!"
Angelo and Cassidy aimed their Star Weapons at Phobos and began to focus their power at him.
"No!", Phobos shouted as he began to fly upwards. "I can not fail Lord Shadon!"
Suddenly yellow beams of energy came from Angelo and Cassidy's weapons and caught Phobos in the air.
"I will not give up this body!", Phobos yelled.
"You have no choice!", Joe said holding up one of the blue gems. "Okay you two, pull away from each other!"
Angelo then pulled to the right, while Cassdiy pulled to the left. Phobos screamed in pain as the Shadow Specter was being pulled out. Elyon covered her ears to block out the screams. To her, he may of been evil, but he was still her brother.
"Make it stop!", Elyon sreamed. "Please make it stop!"
"It has to be done, Elyon.", Cornelia said comforting her friend.
"She's right your majesty.", Vathek agreed. "It's the only way the free Phobos from the specter hold."
"You must be strong for your brother.", Raythor said.
"You're right.", Elyon said putting on a brave face. "I have to be brave for my brother."
"Keep it up you two!", Joe said to Angelo and Cassidy. "You almost got it!"
Just then, a dark shadow-like creature was pulled form Phobos. It was all black with bat-shaped wings. It was doing it's best to pull away from Angelo's beam. Cassdiy, who had Phobos in her beam, lowered him down onto the floor of the platform they were on. Once on the floor, Elyon was the first one by Phobos' side. She then noticed that he looked different.
"Is it me, or does he look younger?", Elyon asked.
"You're right.", Cornelia agreed. "He looks about our age."
"So the rumors are true.", Raythor said looking Phobos over.
"What rumors?", Elyon asked.
"When a Shadow Specter is removed from it's host, the host reverts back to the age they were, when the specter took them over.", Raythor explained.
"Phobos took over the kingdom when he was sixteen.", Vathek replied. "The Shadow Specter must of got in him then."
"So, this whole time we were fighting Shadow Specters instead of Phobos and Nerissa?", Cornelia questioned. "Just when you think you know what's what!"
Meanwhile Angelo was holding the Shadow Specter when Cassdiy joined in.
"Can't let you have all the fun!", Cassdiy joked.
"You know me.", Angelo joked back. "Always willing to share!"
Grandpa Joe then held up the blue gem towards the Shadow Specter. The gem began to glow as the Shadow Specter was being sucked in.
"NOOOOOO!", it screamed as it was completely sucked into the gem.
The blue gem then turned dark purple. The beams of energy returned to Angelo and Cassidy's Star Weapons.
"That's one of them.", Joe said as he put the now purple gem in a case. "Now for the other one. Queen Elyon if you please."
"Right.", Elyon said preparing to release Nerrisa from her cell.
"Are you two going to be able to do this?", Angelo asked his grandfather, and Cassidy. "I know she's your friend."
"Nerissa's been one of my best friends for years.", Joe said. "I'll do what I hve to do to save her."
"Same goes for me.", Cassidy said. "So let's do it!"
"Ready when you are.", Angelo said.
"Here we go.", Elyon said as she lowered the bars from Nerissa's cell.
"Freedom!", Nerrisa yelled flying out of her cell. "Free to do what I planned from the......... YOU!"
Nerissa stopped in her tracks when she saw Angelo.
"You're here?! In this time?!", Nerissa yelled. "You and your friend stopped me from finishing Cassidy off the last time! So, I'll finish you all off here and now!"
"What's she talking about?!", Cassidy asked Angelo as she looked at him in confusion.
"Now idea.", Angelo replied just as confused.
"Focus your power now!", Joe ordered.
Angelo and Cassidy focus their power through their weapons and caught Nerissa. She screamed out in pain as they pulled her from the Shadow Specter. And like before, they were able to pull it from her. As Cassidy was holding the specter, Angelo lowered Nerissa next to Phobos, and went back to help Cassidy hold the specter. Joe then held up the other blue gem and sucked in the Shadow Specter. And just like before, the blue gem turned dark purple.
"And that's the second one.", Joe said as he put the gem in another case.
"I felt like a Ghost Buster.", Angelo joked.
Angelo, Cassidy, and Grandpa Joe walked up to where Nerissa and Phobos laid, and saw that they were younger than what they were moments ago.
"Why do they look our age, Gramps?", Angelo asked his grandfather.
"As Raythor said earlier, once a Shadow Specter leaves the host, the host reverts back to the age they were, when they were taken over.", Joe explained.
"So, she was fifteen when it happened?", Angelo asked.
"That's when she was corrupted by the Heart.", Cassidy replied as she and Angelo recalled their Star Weapons. "Only now, I think it was the Shadow Specter who wanted power."
Then from out of nowhere, the gem the Oracle gave Cassidy came out from her pocket and started to hover over Nerissa glowing.
"Well, we've found our Quintessence Drango Knight.", Cassidy said.
"You mean Nerissa?!", Angelo asked.
"That's what the gem here is for.", Cassidy explained. "It's suppose to locate the Dragon Knight of Quintessence."
"Well I'll be.", Joe said.
Suddenly, a fold appeared in front of them. Halinor then walked out through it.
"Please bring them through!", she said. "Much has to be done!"
"Raythor, please bring my brother.", Elyon said.
"Yes, your highness!", Rathor said picking up Phobos.
"Vathek, inform my other captains of where I'm going.", Elyon told Vathek. "I'll return soon."
"By your command.", Vathek said bowing to his queen.
Angelo then picked up Nerissa and followed behind the others. Vathek watched as the fold closed behind them.
"And I thought today was going to be boring.", he smiled as he walked out to informed the captains of what happened, so they could spread the word.
Moments later, in Kandrakar, Nerissa and Phobos were in the same room as Caleb, Matt, and Mr. Huggles recovering from being host to Shadow Specters. Cornelia was at Caleb's bedside, holding his hand, while Cassidy and Grandpa Joe were at Nerissa's bedside, as Elyon and Raythor were at Phobos' bedside. Angelo was leaning against the wall, waiting to see what happened next.
When they first got their, the Oracle, Tibor, Alfor and Halinor used their healing powers to heal them as best they could. Now it was just a matter of time.
"When will they wake up?", Cornelia asked.
"It'll take time, Cornelia.", Halinor said. "Caleb and the Regents were hit with some powerful dark energy. They could wake up in the next few seconds or hours."
"I wish it was the next few seconds.", she said holding Caleb's hand.
Suddenly, like clockwork, Caleb woke up slowly. Matt and Mr. Huggles soon followed. Happy to see him okay, Cornelia hugged Caleb, not wanting to let go.
"You're okay!", she cried. "I was so worried about you!"
"Cornelia?!", Caleb questioned hugging her. "I thought that Shadon guy took you and the girls!"
"He did.", Cornelia said as they broke their embrace. "But, I got rescued by Angelo, Nigel and Eric."
"But how?!", Caleb asked.
"It's a long story.", Cornelia grinned.
"It involves us kicking a lot of butt.", Angelo said getting Caleb and Matt's attention.
"Is Will with you guys?!", Matt asked.
"Sorry but, now.", Angelo said shaking his head. "So, far, we were only able the save Cornelia and Hay Lin."
"Where are the others?", Matt asked.
"We're working on that.", Angelo said. "We have to wait for the Shadow Generals to bring them out into the open. It's the only way we can locate them."
Caleb and Matt then looked to the left to see, Phobos and Nerissa laying in separate beds.
"Phobos!", Caleb yelled calling forth the armour Elyon gave him.
"Nerissa!", Matt yelled as he and Huggles changed into their Regent forms.
"Stop, both of you!", Halinor ordered standing in front of them. "Much has happened, that you do not know of!"
"What do you mean?!", Matt asked as he and Mr. Huggles changed back to normal.
"Open your minds and I'll show you telepathicly.", Halinor said.
Once they opened their minds, Halinor showed them what has happened in the last few days. From Angelo, Nigel, and Eric becoming Dragon Knights, to their first battle, to them saving, Cornelia, and Hay Lin, to Cassidy becoming a Dragon Knight, to Phobos and Nerissa being freed form the Shadow Specters. Once all was shown, they opened their eyes.
"Whoa!", Matt said. "A lot has happened."
"And in just about two days.", Caleb added. "So, what happens now?"
"We wait until Phobos and Nerissa wake up.", Angelo said. "That's all we can do."
Suddenly Phobos woke up.
"Where am I?", he asked looking around only to see Raythor as the only face he knew.
"Rathor?!", Phobos questioned. "Is that you?!"
"Yes, your Highness.", Raythor said dropping to one knee. "I must ask you Phobos, what is the last thing you remember, before waking up here?"
"I remember heading for bed, when I saw the door to my infant sister's bedroom cracked open.", Phobos began to explain. "I went in to see if anything was wrong. When I did, I saw this strange black creature in front of her crib! It was about to lunge at her! I then ran and jumped in front of it, to take the blow! Then everything went black! Once I came to, I was in this area of darkness. Then an area opened up where I could see people being hurt, by my hand. By my power!
It was like being trapped in my own body and not being able to stop myself. All I could hear every once and awhile was a voice saying that 'It was in control now'. And try as I might, I couldn't stop it! The only thing I could do was contain my own power so it couldn't use it to hurt others. But he soon found another way to gain power! It was like a living nightmare."
"It's over now kid.", Joe said. "The Shadow Specter that possessed you, is gone. Trapped in a capture gem."
"Shadow Specter?!", Phobos questioned. "What's that?"
"I'll explain it to you later, your Highness.", Raythor said. "But right now, I think someone wants to meet you."
Raythor then stepped aside as Elyon stepped forward.
"Hello......... brother.", Elyon said as a tear ran down her face.
"Hello, sister.", Phobos said.
"How do you know who I am?!", she asked in surprise.
"Remember, I could see every horrible thing the Shadow Specter did while in my body.", Phobos reminded his sister. "I'm glad you're doing well."
Elyon them hugged her brother, happy to meet the real him.
"I'm glad you safe now.", she said holding him tight.
"As am I, sister.", he said returning the hug. "It's good to be free to live my life."
Suddenly, Nerissa woke up screaming, startling everyone in the room.
A/N: With the Shadow Specters gone, both Phobos and Nerissa were returned back to the ages they were, when they were possessed. Freaky! And what a happy reunion between Phobos and Elyon. Now what will happen with Nerissa?
Please review.