AN: I have checked multiple sources (including the credits to the show) and each source confirms that Domiwick is spelt with an 'i' instead of an 'o'. There was some debate about that, but now I can say with confidence that that is definitely the right way to spell it. Anywhos, thanks to all who reviewed. Finally, a chapter with some action! And some of you will just love the ending. *wink wink*. That's all I'll say, although if you've seen the trailer, I'm sure you know who I mean.
Chapter 3: Ghosts
If he wasn't seeing it, he wouldn't have believed it. Domiwick – he was really here.
They were on the bridge, Aerrow's squad gathered around their 'guest', keeping a careful eye on him. Piper had her staff drawn and ready, remembering perfectly well what happened the last time she encountered Domiwick. A scowl reached across her face, and it looked like if she were the kind of person to give way to poorer judgement, she would have punched him in the face. Truthfully, Aerrow wouldn't blame her if she did.
"Aerrow!" Junko greeted the Knight happily as he emerged onto the bridge. Aerrow waved back with a smile.
"Dude!" Finn addressed Aerrow. "Did you find anything?"
Aerrow turned to face Domiwick. "Later. For now, does anyone want to tell me how this happened?" Aerrow pointed at Domiwick as he spoke, and the adventurer scowled at being addressed in such a way.
"You should know, of all people, Aerrow." Domiwick sneered. "After all, you saw the endless caverns for yourself."
"You mean," Stork said, the possibility of what he was thinking almost equal to that of certain doom. "You actually made it though?"
"I'm right here, aren't I?"
Stork frowned. Same snobby personality.
"How did you avoid those water beasts?" Aerrow asked.
"Excuse me!" Domiwick corrected, appalled at Aerrow's manner. "Domiwick beasts! …and I found that they actually aren't all that vicious – merely territorial. In fact, after coming here I realized that many of the creatures here which seem harmful at first, actually have the potential to be tamed. The flying ones, especially. They possess an intelligence almost equal to that of humans!"
Domiwick spoke with the enthusiasm of a great explorer; however, the Storm Hawks merely stared at him, waiting for his ridiculous ranting to come to an end. His notions were completely reckless, much like his previous ventures in the past.
"Is that what you were doing with them?" Piper asked, appalled. "Trying to train them?"
"Wait… what?" Aerrow interrupted, not up to date with recent events.
"We saved him from those flying beasts," Piper explained, although sounding scandalized at their own actions. "They had emerged from wherever they were hiding, and we noticed that they were distracted. No doubt by his actions. They were about to attack when we pulled him on board."
"They came out because I called them out!" Domiwick explained. "I'm telling you, they have great potential!"
"Potential for what?" Aerrow accused. "Taking over Atmos?" Domiwick scowled, waiting for Aerrow to make his point. "Ravess told us what you were up to, Domiwick! You don't learn very well, do you? Betrayed by Cyclonis once, yet you still went back to work for her! Leading her expedition?"
"She made me an offer I couldn't refuse!" Domiwick retorted, not being very convincing with his horrible cliché. "It`s every explorer`s dream to find this place, and she promised all the resources I would need."
"So you betrayed Atmos twice now?" Piper stated coldly. "You're not making things any easier for yourself, Domiwick."
"Look," Domiwick reasoned, now realizing more clearly the type of position he was in. "I'm through with Cyclonis. After coming here, I realize that if she were to arrive, it would be the end of this place! She doesn't have the proper respect for ancient history like I do."
"If she were to arrive?" Aerrow said, raising an eyebrow. "You're a little late on the uptake, aren't you, Domiwick? She's already here."
"What?" Domiwick asked, completely taken by surprise. He turned on each Storm Hawk, at a loss for words. "Why didn't you say anything before?"
"No offense, but why do you need to know?" The tone in Piper's voice implied offense all too much.
Domiwick scowled, but stayed silent. "Fine!" he conceded. "But how did she get here? The endless caverns are impossible to pass through now that they've been sealed. Besides, I don't feel up to invading the Domiwick beast's nest again."
Aerrow exchanged a silent, knowledgeable glance with Piper. Another route blocked…
Time to think on that later. "It doesn't matter how," Aerrow said, turning back to Domiwick.
"Fine!" Domiwick spat. "I can see you're not going to trust me, but if Cyclonis is here, then it can only mean that she's planning to gather power and find another way back to Atmos."
"Again, you're a little too late, Domiwick," Aerrow informed him.
Piper turned, realizing the hidden meaning within the Sky Knight's words. "What do you mean, Aerrow?"
Aerrow crossed his arms and considered the situation for a moment. He didn't feel like speaking in front of Domiwick, but he supposed it couldn't do any harm now. "I found out what she is up to," he informed his team. "Master Cyclonis has the Night Crawlers."
"What?" Piper asked, shocked at the news. "How?"
"She must have been planning a back-up scheme ever since she got her hands on the door. She probably ferried them into the Far Side far in advance of the war."
"Them?" asked Junko, realizing the plural. "Don't tell me she has… an army of them?"
The look in Aerrow's eyes confirmed their fears.
"So what do we do now?" Finn asked. "We can't take them all on ourselves! Even with Radarr's ah… assistance."
Radarr winced painfully at the memory. He still had some bald spots from the last battle…
"If she's planning an invasion, we have to retreat and beat into the Atmos!" reasoned Piper. "Atmos has to be warned!"
"We won't leave until we've shut this place down!" argued Aerrow. "I don't know how. But I do know we have no route back. Cyclonis could have the ability to leave at any second. We can't beat her if we take that approach. We have to delay her for as long as possible until we can find our own way back. I'm not running away, especially if we have nowhere to run to."
Piper remained silent and realized Aerrow was right. They didn't really have a choice. "Alright," she agreed. "The way I see it, we have three objectives: distract Cyclonis, find a way out of the Far Side, and…"
She turned back to Domiwick, who was almost forgotten in the excitement. "What do we do with him?"
"I guess we take him – " But Aerrow was unable to finish his sentence, for at that moment, the ship gave a great lurch, and the sound or a collision resonated throughout the bridge.
"Stork!" Aerrow called. "What's going on?"
"Oh man, this is seriously not good…"
"What is it, Stork?" Piper cried out as another impact thrust the ship sideways.
"They're back…" Stork moaned in his unique, creepy way. "The beasts."
The Storm Hawks were preparing their rides in the hanger bay before anyone could blink an eye. "So, Piper," Aerrow asked as he climbed onto his skimmer. "How exactly did you guys fight these things off the first time?"
"We just kind of blasted them…" Piper said rather lamely. "They scared off and flew away."
"Right," Aerrow said, not daunted in the slightest. "Well this time, we'll just have to hit them harder."
He and his team were just about to pull out when Domiwick rushed into the bay. "Wait!" he yelled. "Let me out there! I'm telling you, I know I can manage with these things!"
"You're crazy if you think you're going anywhere," Aerrow retorted. "Don't try to pull anything, or so help me, Domiwick, jail will be the least of your worries if we ever get out of this mess."
Domiwick scowled, yet said nothing, watching as Aerrow and his team flew away.
As the skimmers departed and gained some distance from the Condor, it became possible to see the beasts in full view. They certainly were huge, and they bore a similar appearance to the Domiwick beasts – only more bird-like in appearance. They possessed large talons underneath their wings, and their mouths ended in thick, curved beaks. However, they lacked a single feather and instead grew bluish grey scales.
"Man, those things really are beasts," Aerrow commented as he took in their bizarre appearance.
"Never mind that! Let's just worry about getting them away from the Condor!" Piper yelled back.
Aerrow nodded back and mentally reprimanded himself for being distracted. Without any hesitation, he began to lead the open-fire. However, it seemed to have little effect. The beasts had obviously gained a tolerance for these new pests, and while they turned and screeched back as the energy blasts found their target, they continued to remain where they were, attacking the Condor all the while.
"This isn't working!" Piper called to Aerrow desperately. She didn't need to tell him twice. Things weren't looking good. At this rate they…
Aerrow's attention was immediately diverted as he noticed another skimmer in the sky. It… it was the Stork-mobile. But that wasn't right; Stork was flying the Condor. Aerrow pulled out a pair of binoculars and zoomed in. What he saw made his stomach turn.
It was Domiwick. He had commandeered the Stork-mobile and was flying directly at the beasts.
"What is he doing?" Aerrow asked at no one in particular. "Idiot!"
He immediately chased him down, but by then Domiwick was right in the midst of the beasts. "Domiwick!" Aerrow yelled over. "Get out of there!"
"You don't understand this place as I do!" Domiwick yelled back. "This is a priceless opportunity! I won't be held back!" And without another word of explanation, he simply flew into the path of the beasts, capturing their attention. He shot two well-placed blasts and flew off, the beasts hot on his trail.
"Domiwick!" Yet Aerrow couldn't pursue. To do so would be suicide. "Domiwick!"
But he vanished in the green mist, the wails of the pursuing beasts fading dreamily into the distance.
Cyclonis knew that timing was everything. She must maintain her advantage as long as possible. As soon as she had the last missing piece, she could begin.
"Master Cyclonis?" It was a Night Crawler, returning from his patrol. "Everything reported clear."
"Fine," Cyclonis said coldly. "Although I know they're here, even if they're too cowardly to show their faces. Continue the patrol."
The Night Crawler bowed yet did not leave. "Forgive me, Master, if I speak out of line, but why not act now? We've underestimated our opponents' strength once…" he paused briefly to make sure he hadn't gone too far. Cyclonis remained silent. He wasn't sure of that was good or bad. "…all I'm saying is we can't be too cautious. With the Dark Ace finished, perhaps we – "
"I'm not finished."
The voice came from nowhere. The Night Crawler turned around to see who had the audacity to interrupt him, yet was left speechless at what he saw.
The man stepped from the shadows. At first the Night Crawler thought it was a ghost, but he knew better. This was no ghost.
It was the Dark Ace.
"You can leave now." Cyclonis directed the order at the Night Crawler, who was temporarily paralyzed at the sight before him.
"Master…"
"Leave!" The Night Crawler didn't have to be told more than twice. Cyclonis spoke with that horrible beastly undertone, and all of her underlings knew what that meant. It had become worse since arriving here. Cyclonis was much more prone to her temper, and her minions were suffering for it.
As he exited the room – stumbling as he passed the formerly dead Talon – he mumbled to himself in half-insane rantings.
Cyclonis rolled her eyes at his closed-mindedness and turned to the window, aiming her back at the Dark Ace. "I suppose you have a few questions."
"You have a heck of a lot explaining to do!" The Dark Ace yelled.
"Now, now, Dark Ace, manners. Remember who your master is."
"Master?" The Dark Ace boomed. He was enraged beyond all sanity, and he tackled Cyclonis and pinned her to the wall in one fell swoop.
"You tried to kill me, you witch! Unfortunately for you, you failed, and now I'm back to get some answers."
"Then this is no way to go about getting them," Cyclonis said calmly, not the least bit distressed. "Tell me the last thing you remember, and I can explain everything from there. But don't push it – my mercy can only stretch so far."
The Dark Ace detected the threat and let Cyclonis go. However, he still eyed her with fierce loathing. "I was in the middle of the fight, when you cast some kind of spell at me," he recounted. "After that, it's mostly a blur. I remember heat… intense heat. And red light. But by then, I was in such pain that I knew I was gone…" The Dark Ace paused briefly, caught up in the nightmare of the memory, but then he remembered why he was here and he turned on Cyclonis yet again. "The next thing I knew, I woke up in the middle of nowhere! So unless you can describe exactly what you did to me, there's going to be a problem."
Cyclonis turned away from the Dark Ace, disgusted. "So dramatic. Do you honestly think, Dark Ace, that I didn't have all this planned from the beginning? The crystal was only to give the illusion of your death to our enemies in order to disable them and catch them off guard." Cyclonis turned to face her servant, calm, yet slowly losing patience. "I transported you, Dark Ace. When a person is encased in the power of the Far Side, they are pulled to it. Risky, yes, though I knew you were strong enough to survive."
The Dark Ace noticed the past tense and wasn't sure if he should be insulted or not. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Simple. It was a measure of last resort. And I knew you'd object. Besides, to explain it in detail would only confuse you." The Dark Ace scowled. "Now," Cyclonis said, getting back to business. "It's time to get back on track. You need to be briefed and…"
"No."
Cyclonis paused, not expecting this. "…What?"
"You give yourself too much credit, Cyclonis."
Cyclonis turned, and this time, the anger was plain on her face. "You dare to still oppose me?"
"I've had enough of your schemes," The Dark Ace informed calmly yet with plenty of malice. "You can play puppeteer with your other minions. I am no longer going to subject myself to your every whim without any respect in return."
"You speak of respect?" Cyclonis screech in wonder. "You don't deserve respect! Don't forget who you are, Dark Ace! You belong to me!"
The Dark Ace stood his ground, keeping calm. This time, it was Cyclonis who had lost her temper. "I am your humble servant, no more."
Cyclonis fumed as the Dark Ace turned without another word. "You're going to regret this!" Cyclonis yelled after him. "You are nothing without me! NOTHING!"
"On the contrary," the Dark Ace whispered, too quiet for Cyclonis to hear. "I think I'm finally becoming somebody."