Chapter Twenty-Two: Sacrifice
The Guardians, to weak to move, were shocked at what just happened. The Dragon Knights, their friends, had just surrendered to Shadon. The most hurt of all were Taranee, Hay Lin, and Will. Taranee and Hay Lin, because their boyfriends Nigel and Eric, were two of the Dragon Knights. And Will because Angelo was one of her best friends, since they were kids. But, she wasn't about to give up that easily.
"You can't give up like this!", Will cried. "You guys have to stop him!"
"Silence fools!", Shadon snapped as he fired a beam of energy at th Guardians, pinning them against the wall.
"I can't move!", Cornelia yelled as she tried to pull herself from the wall.
"That's the point, Blondie.", Shadon said as he turned towards the Dragon Knights. "Now let me get this right. You five are just going to let me take these Aurameres here, a let me leave with them?"
"That's the plan.", Cassidy replied.
"We'll even walk you out of here.", Eric replied.
"Eric.......... don't.", Hay Lin cried softly, as tears began to pour down hear face.
Shadon then be began to laugh. For him, he hasn't laughed like this in a very long time.
"I can't believe this!", Shadon laughed. "The mighty Oracle screwed up, when he picked you five! After all this time, you five just hand me the tools to my victory! As you would say, this is rich!"
"Traitors!", Irma yelled. "You five are a bunch of backstabbing traitors!"
Cassidy then threw one of her daggers at Irma, which landed near her head.
"I'd watch that big mouth, of yours, if I were you!", Cassidy said as she glared at Irma.
"When I get down from here...............", Will began to say.
"You won't do squat!", Angelo snapped as he walked up to Will. "So let me tell you, personally, what's going to happen if you do get down from here!"
Angelo then leaned forward and began to whisper sometime on Will's ear. What ever it was, it scared Will big time, as he walked away from her. Shadon noticed the shocked look on Hay Lin's face as well. He then remembered, that the Air Guardian had very sharp hearing.
"What ever you told the Keeper, scared the Air Guardian as well.", Shadon grinned.
"What can I say.", Angelo said. "I have a way with words."
"I guess so.", Shadon said as he turned towards the Aruameres. "And now to claim my prize."
Shadon, savoring the moment, slowly reach for one of the Aurameres, not paying one bit of attention to anything else in the room. Once he grabbed one of them, he picked it up, and held it up in victory.
"After all this time,", Shadon shouted in victory. "I've finally...... what the?!"
Shadon was cut off when the Auramere shattered in his hand!
"What the heck?!", Taranee questioned.
"What is the meaning of this?!", Shadon snapped.
Just then Shadon felt himself being tied up. He looked down to see Nerissa's Star Whip-Blade wrapped around him, holding his arms to his body! He then looked to see Nerissa and Nigel pulling on the Star Whip-Blade, keeping him at bay. He then saw that, Angelo had his Star Blade, and Cassidy had her Star Trident pointed at his head, with Eric at a distance with his Star Shield, ready to strike.
"Okay, I'm confused.", Irma said. "What's going on here?!"
"Did you really think you won?", Angelo asked Shadon.
"But you said you couldn't beat me!", Shadon replied trying to get free.
"Not here, we couldn't.", Nigel said as he and Nerissa kept him at bay. "We didn't want to mess the place up."
"And as for the Aurameres, ", Cassidy stated with a smirk. "we didn't say if they were the real ones or not."
"And the whole giving up thing?", Shadon questioned.
"Oh that was true.", Angelo said. "We gave up round one of our little fight."
"Round two's coming up.", Eric said. "But it won't be here."
"Then where will it be?", Shadon asked.
After hearing that questioned, Taranee noticed that Will and Hay Lin lowered their heads sadly.
'What's going on guys?', Taranee asked them mentally. 'What did Angelo whisper to you.
Will then looked at Taranee sadly, and opened her mind to her. Taranee then knew what Will knew. Will could see the look of fear and panic on her face as she looked towards the Nigel and the other Dragon Knights.
"Nigel, don't do this!", Taranee cried. "It's to dangerous!"
"Sorry Taranee, but it has to be done.", Nigel said.
"You guys ready?!", Angelo asked of his fellow Dragon Knights.
"Ready!", Nerissa said.
"Ready!", Eric said as he took one last look at Hay Lin who was trying to put on a brave face for him.
Eric just smiled back at her, to calm her a bit.
"Ready!", Cassidy said.
"Ready!", Nigel said as he looked towards Taranee who was scared for him. "I'll be okay, Taranee!"
"Nigel.", Taranee said softly as some tears poured down her face.
"Then let's do this!", Angelo said. "Ready when ever you are, Oracle!"
From out of no where, the Oracle, with the rest of the Grand Council appeared, surprising everybody, except the Dragon Knights. The Grand Council then opened a fold to the Shadow World. Shadon then felt the Star Whip-Blade unwrap from around him, as Cassidy and Angelo jumped away from him.
"You fools will pay for this!", Shadon growled.
"I don't think so!", Angelo snapped. "Now guys!"
"Body check time!", Nigel said as they all charged at Shadon.
Not seeing this attack coming, was hit by them as they forced him through the fold. Angelo took on last look at Will, who was scared not just for him, but the others as well. Angelo just winked at Will as they all went through with Shadon.
"Close it now!", the Grand Council heard Angelo yell.
And, with a heavy heart, they did just that. Tibor and Alfor then freed the Guardians from the wall. Irma and Cornelia were still shocked at what just happened.
"What just happened?!", Cornelia asked.
"Open your minds, and I'll show you all what the Dragon Knights plan was.", Halinor said.
Doing as Halinor told them, she began to show them what the Dragon Knights had planned.
(Flashback)
"So, here's the plan!", Angelo said to the other four Dragon Knights. "First, the five of us know that, Shadon's going to get into the chamber, no matter what. So I say, we let him.
"What?!", Nerissa asked.
"You heard me.", Angelo said. "But, we make it look like we're putting up some kind of fight. Once he gets into the chamber, we let Will and the others nail him with everything they got."
"Won't that drain them?", Nigel asked.
"That's what I'm hoping for.", Angelo replied.
"I don't like how this is sounding.", Eric said.
"Me too.", Cassidy agreed.
"Let me finish.", Angelo said. "Once the others are to weak to do anything, we make like we're giving up, but we won't be."
"Ooookay.", Nigel said. "What happens next?"
"Shadon will grab what he thinks is an Aruamere, but is really a fake, that the Oracle has set up by now.", Angelo said. "Once the fake Aruamere shatters, Nerissa you use you Star Whip-Blade to tie Shadon up. Nigel, you help Nerissa keep Shadon at bay. Eric, I want you at a safe enough distance with your Star Shield ready, to attack, while me and Cassidy will have our Star Weapons up close and personal with Shadon."
"Then we throw him in some kind of mystic-like prison?", Eric asked.
"No.", Angelo said. "The Grand Council will then open a fold to the Shadow World, so we can body check, Shadon through it!"
"With us going with him, huh?", Nigel said.
"That's the plan.", Angelo said. "Once through the fold, we let Shadon have it! We kick his but, and use the Fold Key to get back to Kandrakar, or Earth. Which ever is easier to get to."
Needless to say they were shocked at what he wanted them to do.
"And that's my plan.", Angelo said. "So, I need to know if you guys are willing to go through with this, no matter what."
The four of them looked at each other, then back at Angelo who had his right hand held out, in a fist. Then the four of them smiled.
"I'm in.", Nerissa said as she placed her right hand over his fist.
"Me too!", Eric said placing his right hand over Nerissa's hand.
"Count me in.", Cassidy said placing her right hand over Eric's.
"We started this together, so let's end it together!", Nigel said as he put his right hand over Cassidy's
"Then let's do this.", Angelo said. "And no matter what, we don't go back on this."
(End Flashback)
"Why would they do something like that?!", Irma asked.
"Because they know Shadon used up the extra power from his shadow orbs to open a fold from the Shadow World to Kandrakar.", the Oracle informed. "With that power used up, Shadon does not have the power to come here."
"But what about the others?!", Hay Lin asked. "They're trapped there with Shadon!"
"Wait!", Cornelia said. "They have that Fold Key thingy! They can use it to come back!"
"Let us hope they are successful.", Halinor said.
Meanwhile, in another part of the fortress, Malcom, Marcus, and Phobos were still fighting, Necro.
"Axe Wave!", Malcom yelled as he swung his axe horizantialy, sending a wave of energy at Necro.
Necro dodge the attack letting it hit a pillar, knocking it down. Necro then raised his broadsword in the air, as a large ball of dark energy formed.
"Dark Fury!", Necro yelled as he launched his attack at the boys.
Phobos formed a force field, to protect him, Marcus, and Malcom. Once the ball of dark energy hit the force field, it exploded, destroying the force field, and sending the boys flying back against the wall.
"It seems your little force field took most of the impact!", Necro said. "Let's see if you have the power to do that again!"
Necro then slowly formed another ball of dark energy, ready to launch it at the boys.
"Think you got enough power for another force field?", Marcus asked Phobos.
"I don't think so.", Phobos said. "I only have enough for a full power energy blast."
"Then let's fight back!", Malcom suggested.
"Say what?!", Marcus asked his brother.
"We combine our strongest attacks, against Necro's Dark Fury attack, and try ad send it back at him.", Malcom said.
"That just may work.", Phobos said.
"Anything's better than standing around getting our butts kicked!", Marcus said. "Let's do it!"
The boys then began charging up their energy, ready to attack. Each was ready to give it their all, to stop them.
"Dark Fury!", Necro yelled as he launched his attack at the boys. "Goodbye fools!"
"Get ready guys!", Malcom said as the attack got closer. "Now! Axe Wave!"
"Dragon Hammer Blast!", Marcus yelled as he struck the floor with his hammer, sending a large beam of energy at the Necro's Dark Fury attack.
"Energy Burst!", Phobos yelled firing a powerful beam of energy at the Dark Fury attack.
All three attacks combined as they hit Necro's attack. Both attacls pushed against each other, fighting to get the upper hand.
"So you want to have a face off, do you?!", Necro questioned. "So be it!"
Necro then used his power to push his attack futher.
"We can do this guys!", Phobos said. "We just have to give it all we got!"
"Let's do it!", Malcom said.
"Let's end this!", Marcus yelled as the three of them gave it all they had.
Once they did that, their power combined with Necro's Dark Fury attack, changing it from dark energy to light energy, sending it back at Necro!
"Noooo!", Necro yelled as the attack hit him.
Once it hit him it exploded, sending Necro flying against the doors, that led to the next room hard. Upon impact, the doors were forced open. Necro went flying into the Chamber of the Aurameres. Once he landed, he was out cold, as the boys came running into the chamber.
"What that heck happened to him?!", Irma asked as she along with the other Guardians and the Council looked down at Necro, who was out cold.
"He got a taste of the triple beat down!", Marcus bragged.
"And now to put him somewhere safe, from others.", Luba said as she raised her right hand, making him vanish.
"What did you do to him?", Hay Lin asked.
"He's in one of our cells, along with others that have done serious crimes to other worlds.", Alfor answered.
"Where's Angelo and the others?", Malcom asked.
"They forced Shadon into a fold to the Shadow World.", Will said to Malcom and Marcus. "They planned to do it from the start, of the battle."
"Those idiots!", Malcom yelled. "That place is full of Shadow Minions!"
"They'll be lucky to get out of there alive!", Marcus said.
"Can a fold be opened there again?", Phobos asked the Oracle.
"I'm afraid not.", Oracle said sadly. "We had to use a great amount of energy to open the one they pushed Shadon through."
"Why is that?", Cornelia asked.
"You see, there is a powerful veil surrounding the Shadow World.", Luba said. "The only way Shadon was able to open a fold to Heatherfield to first time you saw him, was because he gathered large amounts of energy to do so."
"And as the Dragon Knights, defeated each of the Shadow Generals, their power went into each of those shadow orbs, that were on his armour.", Tibor said.
"So with that power gone, he's stuck in the Shadow World.", Taranee realised.
"Yes.", Alfor said. "Now we wait for the Dragon Knights to return."
Suddenly, there came some groaning from the other room. Everyone turned to see, Caleb, Matt, and Mr. Huggles, in their normal forms waking up. Cornelia ran to Caleb, while Will ran to Matt, Irma then walked up to Mr. Huggles and picked him up.
"That's for the save little guy.", Irma said as she scratched behind Mr. Huggles' ear.
"Are you okay?", Cornelia asked Caleb as he and Matt got to their feet.
"I'm okay.", Caleb said rubbing the back of his head. "The armour took most of the hits."
"How about you?", Will asked Matt.
"I've been better.", Matt said. "So, what we missed?"
So, Will told them what happened.
"Aw man!", Matt said. "And there's nothing we can do to help them?!"
"I'm afraid not.", Taranee said. "All we can do is wait and pray they return."
As they waited, they all said a silent prayer for their friends to return safely.
A/N: Necro is defeated and behind bars, while the Dragon Knights are in the Shadow World with Shadon. How will their battle end?
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