Hello everyone!

I am extremely sorry about the long wait! I've been busy writing other parts of this story, and avoiding this chapter. I've also been extremely busy of late, so please bear with me.


There is a bit of action in this chapter, and it just "happens". It is pretty disappointing, especially to those who enjoy my action bits.

I just want to let you know that it's very…un-detailed…if that's even a word. I didn't put much time into writing this chapter. The next chapter is another explanation chapter, and then it will really get into the whole plot of the story.

I haven't been in the "action" mood lately. But I will be when the battles get bigger later on, I promise!

I am sorry for taking a long time to update; only to update with…this….hopefully everyone won't be disappointed to death…

Oh, and I decided to name the chapter what I did because that phrase is repeated very frequently through this update…but don't worry. I will explain what the heck is going on in later chapters.

You'll get it eventually…I promise!

Enjoy if possible….

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Chapter V: What the Heck is Going On!

"My name is Kobold. You must come with me…you are in great danger out here." He took a few steps for her, his hand extended.

"Hey! Just one second here! What the heck are you! Why should I come with you? And what about my friends!"

There was a loud crack from somewhere deep inside the forest.

Kobold muttered a strange word that sounded suspiciously like a curse. "There is no time! I will explain everything once we are safe."

With that, he jumped for her, scooping the girl up in his arms and leaping into the air. His brown wings flapped a few times before holding him steady in the air, soaring through the midnight sky at an incredibly fast rate.

Hilary let out a loud scream. "Put me down! Help! Tyson! Rei! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" She fidgeted around in Kobold's arms.

"Stay still! You'll fall!"

The last word he spoke seemed to bring Hilary into the realization that she was no longer on the ground. She peered timidly over the creature's muscular arm, watching as the lush green trees flew under them in a blur. With another scream, she reached back and dug her nails into Kobold's shirt.

"How….what?" Millions of questions flooded Hilary's mind as she glanced quickly at all of the stranger's features.

Suddenly, a streak of light shot out over Kobold's shoulder, and he swerved hard to the left to avoid the attack.

The brunette poked her head over the winged man's shoulder to catch a glimpse of what was attacking them.

In the darkening sky, two pairs of glowing red eyes glared directly at her. She heard them shout to each other, and one fired up another attack.

"Keep your head down!" Kobold pushed her head against his chest as he dove straight down toward the jungle.

"They attacked our ship! What the hell are you people!" Hilary demanded.

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"Hilary!" The BladeBreakers had heard their friend scream

Rei and Tyson met Max and Kenny back at their makeshift camp. They had all heard Hilary's scream, and rushed back to help.

"What's going on!"

A beam of light shot through the dark sky overhead, causing the teens to look up for their answer.

The brunette's scream rang again, but this time they were able to see her.

"What the heck?" All the boys exclaimed at once, watching as a winged creature flew across the sky, their friend wrapped tightly in his arms.

"Come on!" Rei called, already running after the creature.

The other boys nodded and followed closely behind.

"What the heck was that thing!" Tyson shouted, sneaking glances up through the trees in hopes of seeing it again.

"We'll ask it later! Hilary's in danger!"

The team got to another clearing just as the creature dodged another series of attacks. They looked around, trying to find who or what was attacking them, but the encroaching darkness obscured their vision.

"Hilary!"

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"Hilary!" The brunette heard her friends' voices from the trees below.

"Tyson! Rei!" She screamed, seeing two of her friends run out from the trees into a clearing.

"What the heck is going on!" Max appeared with Kenny, looking all around.

Suddenly, Hilary gasped. "Watch out!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Just as the words left her mouth, a beam of light shot out and contacted with the ground right in front of the BladeBreakers.

"NO!" The blast had landed directly in front of Rei, knocking all the boys off their feet. "Rei! Tyson! Max! Kenny!" Hilary squirmed as if trying to reach her friends.

Fire quickly grew across the lush forest, the smoke obscuring the brunette's view. She managed to catch site of a body, lying face down near a burning tree.

"NO!" She felt tears escape her eyes. Hilary suddenly wanted to jump out into the open sky to get to her friends, whether the fall killed her or not.

"Do not worry! They survived!" Kobold's booming voice sounded. He circled around the blast zone where a tower of smoke rose into the night sky. On the opposite side, Hilary was able to make out some movement. "They are retreating into the forest. They will be safe for now!"

"Guys…" She murmured to herself, blinking away the tears forming in her eyes. What the heck was going on! Why was she soaring through the air in the arms of this angelic being!

"Alright!" She finally yelled, her ruby eyes glaring into Kobold's green ones. "I deserve some answers here! What the hell are you, and why are those things chasing us!"

"I am a member of the Phoenix tribe, and our pursuers are members of the Black Phoenix tribe….and they are not chasing after us…they want to kill you!" He dodged another magical attack, only to be grazed lightly across his bicep.

"Phoenix!" Hilary shrieked as Kobold increased his speed, weaving in and out of the island's forest.

"Why don't you fight them! You must have magic…or whatever they're using to shoot at us!"

"I would, if I could use my hands!"

"You mean you came alone!"

Suddenly as if on cue, a reddish blur shot out in front of the two, causing the rusty-winged phoenix to slam on the brakes. With two flaps of his wings, the phoenix came to a stop and hovered in the night air.

"Lord Kai!" The relief in Kobold's voice was apparent as the crimson blur soared overhead. "I was beginning to worry!"

"The way to the palace is clear now…" The new phoenix was breathing heavily, Hilary noticed. He must have been fighting this whole time! "Are these two all that remain?"

"But Master! You can not be serious about fighting them? You're…."

"Silence, Kobold."

Hilary felt very faint as Kai turned his gaze in her direction. "He…" She started, staring directly into the glowing crimson eyes of the new creature. "He's the one that saved me on the ship…" She remembered those eyes so vividly, even in her dreams!

"You fly faster, and I have yet to use any magic!"

Suddenly, one of the black phoenixes took advantage of the bickering between the two and fired off a spell. "Give us the girl!"

"Barrier!" Kobold extended a hand. An emerald light appeared and encircled both himself and Kai just as the attack was to hit.

Sparks flew in all directions as the two lights collided. The green barrier flicked under the sheer power of the blast, but the phoenix held it at bay.

"Reflection!" He cried out after a moment. As if following a direct command, the dark blast bent and flew in the opposite direction toward the one who fired it.

The Black Phoenix cursed, diving for the forest to avoid the blast.

"Take her!" Kobold pulled the brunette off of him and tossed her into the open air.

Kai growled. "Damn you, Kobold!"

Hilary couldn't believe her eyes as she watched the brown-winged creature turn around in mid air and rush as their attackers. Soon enough, she started to feel gravity pulling on her, and the wind rushing by her.

She gasped and looked all around, realization hitting her that she was now alone in the sky…and falling.

Too shocked to scream, all she could do was let gravity take her down, but suddenly, she felt her back collide with something solid.

She groaned and opened her eyes part way, not realizing they were closed to begin with. Looking up, she was greeted with slate wisps of hair blowing furiously across a handsome face. Blue triangles etched his skin under his eyes, which glowed a familiar crimson.

"You…" The girl's voice was barely a whisper.

"Rest easy…we will not allow you to fall."

His deep voice, combined with the abnormal warmth radiating out of his body, lured Hilary toward a blissful sleep. She fought against it at first, wanting to get a better glimpse at this familiar creature, but her body had different plans.

All the events that had just occurred had exhausted the brunette to the limit, and with a soft sigh, she slipped into unconsciousness.

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Yeah…I apologize for this being a short chapter. The next one will be longer, and less rushed.

I also just want to say that I know the "action" in this chapter was close to lame, if not worse…but it wasn't a major battle, and therefore I didn't want to have to explain a lot and go into detail. That will all be done later. So just call it a "preview" of what's to come…I guess…

Oh, and don't worry...all you Kai fans...there will be more of him later. He wasn't actually supposed to appear until the next chapter anyway...

So yeah. I know the flaws of this chapter…so please keep that in mind when you flame me…