Super long final battle climax chapter!
Making their way down the stairs, Corey and the Newman girls walked down the long, winding staircase that led to the power room. It was dark and Kim was using her cellphone as a flashlight. "It's weird that the power room is the only room with no lighting in it." Konnie commented, her boots creaked on the steps as she... well, stepped on them.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, the group looked around. Kim shined her phone light as she inspected the area "So this is where Kin opened that box." she felt her phone buzz and read the text that had just come in "I said I was sorry-Kin"
Carrie felt around the walls for anything. All she felt was levers and switches for the school. Noticing a giant lever, she pulled it curiously. Nothing happened. "Well, that was stupid." Unaware that somewhere in the school, a toilet blew up and sent a kid flying through the roof.
Corey paced around the room, touching everything in sight "There has to be something in here!" Carrie rolled her eyes at him, leaning against the brick wall. She felt her head falling back and moved away to see one brick retracting into the wall. The sound of stone moving alerted the others who joined Carrie in watching a doorway appear where she had leaned against "What the what?" Konnie asked, "Hey, this kind of reminds me of that hidden room we found." Corey mentioned to his female counterpart.
Kim inspected the entrance "What was the architectural plan for this school?" She went inside first, leading the way with her makeshift flashlight. The hidden path led towards an old wood and steel door. Corey felt a chill down his spine and clutched his guitar closer "That's where Lanes is." It wasn't a guess. He knew that's where she was.
LET'S CHECK IN ON THE OTHERS
In a bid to stall the rehearsal, Kin and Kon were juggling in their costumes and Nick Mallory was breaking out in a passionate disco number. Trina and Larry just watched the whole thing in confusion "This escalated quickly." Trina commented.
OK LETS GO BACK TO THE PLOT
Corey gripped the handle of the old door. It was cold and felt like it would crumble to dust. He carefully pulled the door open. On the other side was pitch black darkness. The kids slowly walked in, but as Konnie came in, the door shut behind them. The darkness didn't last long though. Candles began to light around the chamber and revealed only one thing in the room. Laney lying on a stone slab counter in the back of the room.
"Laney!" Corey rushed forward to her. A burst of glowing green smoke exploded in front of him and knocked him over. The girls came to his side and helped him up as he glared at the monster standing before them. Hex molded his form into a pair of giant hands, so he could applaud them sarcastically "Bravo, you actually found me."
Konnie perked up "Does this mean we can have Laney back?"
"Ha ha ha-NO!" His smoke shouted out angrily. Hex grew in size and a mix of dark purple, red and green coursed through his black substance. "You've come all this way but time is nearly up, and your friend isn't looking too good at the moment." Corey and the Newman's looked around Hex. Upon closer inspection Laney's skin looked paler and her overall state seemed weaker.
"Dudes, is she going to sleep forever or is she actually going to die?" Konnie whispered to her twin, who honestly wasn't able to give a clear answer.
Taking a step forward, Corey angrily called out to the ghostly smoke, "Give her back right now!" "You know that's not how I work. But I tell you what, if you can defeat me. Then you can have her." Hex bargained. "I don't like the sound of this." Carrie hesitated. "Of course, if you lose...you'll all be dead too." "I really don't like the sound of this!"
The candles all blew out simultaneously and the room was swallowed by darkness. A single purple light illuminated the area as Hex's form changed dramatically into a solid shape, forming horns and deep ebony skin. Bright purple light continuously shone through his body like veins. He had now taken the shape of a dragon. "Oh, come on, you can't have a sleeping beauty story without a dragon in it."
The teens got in fighting stances. Corey made the first move as he plucked the strings of his guitar. The sound waves passed through the dragon effortlessly "Looks like music just won't cut it." Kim observed. "So, we use our instruments another way." Carrie suggested. She sprinted forward and swung her guitar around her body and struck Hex, causing some of his body to vanish, only for it to reappear moments later "He's smoke, right, forgot about that." the blue-haired girl cringed.
Hex chuckled maniacally as he breathed purple flames down onto the group, who scattered before they were fried to ash.
Corey somersaulted to the left and launched himself at Hex. He slashed his guitar down Hex like a sword, but only for the same thing to happen when Carrie tried. The dragon turned to the boy and spewed more flames in his direction. Konnie was quick and rolled him out of the way. They tumbled away and the drummer snuffed out a small flame on her skirt. Corey got up and tried again. He kept swinging his guitar at him, but it never hit.
"Give up already. You can't hurt me, your friend's a goner, you cannot win! Accept your fate and perish!" Hex breathed flames as he spoke. Corey continued trying to hit him. A flame burned his shoulder, and he gripped it in pain. The guitarist barely had time to move before he had to jump out of the way of another fire breath. He hit the ground hard. Ignoring the pain, Corey still stood up with pure determination. Carrie and the girls ran to him and tried to hold him back, but Corey just pushed himself out of their grasp and went at Hex once more. Hex swung with his tail and it flung Corey against the wall.
The Newman girls just watched Corey in disbelief. No matter how many times he was hit, he still kept going. Hex moved forward and brought his dragonfied face to Corey, preparing a fiery blast at point blank. The boy held his head down and was quiet. The only sound was the crackling of the flames.
A gentle melody escaped Corey's lips. Hex tilted his head in confusion as he watched the frontman get up and wordlessly sing out loud. Corey's song didn't need lyrics, his voice was clear and strong as it echoed through the room. "What the..." Hex had no idea what the boy was planning.
The girls watched in awe. "Girls, he needs our help!" Carrie commanded the twins. The Kagami twinned nodded, and each brought out their instrument and played. Their musical backup filled Corey's voice with more strength as it resonated through the air.
Corey focused on his voice and his thoughts 'I can't give up. I have to save Laney. I won't fail her!' a blue spark flashed across his closed eyelids, which opened to reveal a solid blue glow as his singing peaked and blue electric sparks engulfed his guitar. Music notes materialized in the air and were collected inside of his instrument. One by one they were absorbed into the guitar and it shone with a brilliant light and changed shape.
The light faded to reveal the guitar's new appearance; The bottom still kept the same shape and color as the guitar but now was a keyblade like guard with a handle and hilt, an emblem with Corey's skull was right where the neck of the guitar started, and the neck itself became a sword blade.
The Newman's couldn't believe their eyes "Kim? What just happened?" Konnie looked to her sister for an answer "I-I have no idea! I've never seen anything like this!"
Hex just scoffed "So your instrument got pointy. Doesn't make a difference." Corey calmly swung the sword through Hex's leg, the sword making a guitar riff as it swished in the air, and Hex cried out in pain, "That hurt!?" He exclaimed in shock. Corey pointed his guitar-sword at Hex and smiled smugly. Hex growled and fire snuck out from the sides of his mouth.
He breathed purple fire down on Corey, but he deflected it away with his new weapon. The Newman girls smiled and gave Corey some battle music with their instruments. The guitarist and the smoke dragon clashed ferociously, Hex struck first with his flames. A guitar sounded as Corey knocked it away and lunged at Hex, slashing the sword into his smokey substance. Hex screeched a dragon-like sound in pain as Corey landed several blows on him.
The evil spirit breathed heavily as he sustained damage from the Guitar-sword "No... I won't lose...TO A CHILD!" Hex let out a huge beam of purple energy and it engulfed Corey. Hex smiled with mad glee, but his face soon fell as Corey emerged unharmed from the blast.
"This is for Laney." Corey held his sword high above him and closed his eyes. Focusing on the power, the sword glowed like before. Hex watched in terror "What… what are you?!"
The light illuminated everything around it, beams shone around the room, and filled it with light. A beam hit Hex's tail, and it glowed white, slowly infecting the rest of him little by little "NO!" Hex felt his power fading. His form turned to light as Hex screamed in pain. Corey said nothing as he focused on this power, his pure blue eyes conveying his absolute hatred for the beast as the light fully engulfed Hex. The evil being let out a final scream as the light compressed for a moment before exploding into tiny bits.
The sword's glow dimmed as the guitar returned to its original form. Corey let it fall to the ground, and he soon followed. "Corey!" The girls ran over to him. Corey was on his knees and looked up to them "I'm fine." he reassured them. "Hurry, there isn't much time left to save Laney!" Kim reminded the boy. Corey looked at her in understanding and got up.
He walked over to where Laney laid, her delicate figure laying on the podium like it was a bed. Corey came up beside her and gazed at her sadly. He brought his hand to her cheek and brushed some hairs away from her face. A single tear escaped from Corey's eye. "Lanes... please wake up... I'm sorry about what I said... I never meant it... I can't lose you... please come back to me Lanes..." He begged her softly and desperately. His voice shook, threatening to release the tears he was holding back. "... I love you..."
Corey leaned down and gently kissed her lips. His warm lips contrasted against her own cold ones. He could feel his heart racing inside his chest, hoping with all his heart for her to be alright. Hoping his love would get through to her.
The kiss lasted for a few moments. Corey hesitantly pulled away from her lips, but kept his face close to hers. His breath was caught in his throat, waiting to know her fate. He worried it didn't work… until he saw her move.
Corey moved his head away to give her some room, staring at her with his mouth agape. Laney's eyelids fluttered open, and the color returned to her skin. She slowly moved her head to the side and looked at Corey with those emerald eyes he loved so much. "Corey..." She smiled softly.
Corey's face lit up and broke into a huge smile "Laney!" He hugged her happily, letting some tears of happiness run down his cheek. He held her tightly in his arms and nuzzled his cheek into her hair. Laney gave him an equally happy look and returned his embrace "I love you too Core." She confessed, having heard the whole thing… somehow.
Neither needed any more words to express their feelings right now. They loved each other, and they both knew it.