Ch.6: Duel With Distaster

Moments later, back at the Loonatics tower, every member was compiled into the recovery room, their faces set in a grim frown as they looked at Ace lying still on the recovery bed. Rev was busy monitoring Ace's stats while Tech was making sure Nug had completely left Duck's system.

While Tech was examining him though Duck's eyes never tore away from Ace's body. The yellow rabbit's chest was heaving up and down so at least that was a sign that he was breathing, and a big bandage where Duck had hit him during the sword fight lay wrapped around his stomach.

" Okay Duck" said Tech " you're completely Nug free,"

"Thanks to Ace" said Duck, looking at Rev " how's he doing?"

"He'll need a few days to recover" said Rev " but other than that he'll be fine,"

Suddenly Duck's bottled up guilt turned into fierce anger as he summoned up and power egg and threw it into the wall. The other Loonatics jumped in surprise at the unexpected move and then Duck hid his face and started to cry.

" It' my fault" said Duck " I accepted Nug to possess my body and that's how Ace got hurt. It' my fault,"

" You weren't yourself," said Lexi.

"No!" said Duck, spitting out his words with so malice that it frightened the Loonatics " it's my mistake, and I have to make it right! Beware Nug, I'm coming after you,"

With that Duck quacked away leaving the other Loonatics stand still in amazement. Lexi was more worried then the others combined however.

" Guys, we can't let him face Nug all alone," said Lexi.

" But we don't know where he went" said Rev " let alone where Nug is going to be,"

"True" said Tech " but I'll keep track of Duck, and if he seems like he's in trouble we'll rush to the rescue,"

"All of us," said Ace, sitting up from his bed.

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Meanwhile Duck was wandering around downtown in search for Nug. Although no matter where he looked he could see no sign of the silvery being, but that was to understood when looking for a parasite that could invade anyone's body whenever it wanted to.

Duck shivered as he remembered what Nug had made him almost do to his friends. At least Tech had stopped the missle from launching and saved everyone in the city from being infected, but it wouldn't do any good if the eggs inside the missle weren't destroyed.

Tech had tried every way possible to destroy those eggs but they still remianed whole. He had to figure out a way to destroy them before they hatched or else the whole city would be invested with Nugs.

Suddenly, a wailing alarm interrupted Duck's thoughts. Looking around Duck saw a fire engine heading off towards a small neighborhood where smoke started to fill the sky.

One warehouse in the industry neighborhood was on fire. Duck made it just in time to see the fire people get to work and put a stop to the blaze. He was about to offer his services when he noticed a silver blur slip into the Steel Plant across the street.

Firgueing the firemen could handle the warehouse fire Duck went after the silver blur. He checked the first floor of Steel Plant and nothing was there. Second floor where the tanks of molten metal stood, nothing there either.

But when he got to the catwalks above the tanks the silverly blur revealed itself to be Nug. The silver being was began to look like wolf-like humaniod with gaint silver bat-wings. Obivously he had fed off some other humans.

" So you finally found me," said Nug.

" You're going to pay for what you did Nug!" said Duck.

" And how do you plan to stop me?" said Nug " you cannot kill a parasite. Each person I bond with only makes me stronger, and in your case...I gained your power,"

Summoning up a large power egg in his hand Nug shot it at Duck. Duck quacked away to avoid being hit making the power egg strike the catwalk instead, making a gaint gap in the place where Duck stood once before.

At the Loonatics base Tech's alarm system went wild making the coyote quickly look at the trackers. And when he saw Duck's blip jumping around he knew Duck had to be caught in fight.

Alerting the other Loonatics that Duck was in danger, everyone suited up and made tracks for the Steel Plant.

Back at the plant Duck and Nug were caught in arm wrestling match, each one trying to push one another into one of the molten steel pits below, even teleporting over pits to get rid of their opponent.

Suddenly getting smart Duck called up a power egg and threw it at the sprinklers above. The reaction was instant and soon it was pouring down rain inside the Steel Plant.

Activating his Aqua Dense power Duck shot it at Nug, but the silver-winged wolf called up Duck's own elemental sheild and stopped the attack cold. After that Nug repeated Duck's attack, but this time the Aqua Dense proved to be more powerful as Duck found himself gripping the edge of the hole Nug had created in the catwalk earlier.

Nug quacked over there grinning evilly as he saw Duck just a fall away from burning in a molten steel pit.

"You won't get away with this" said Duck " my friends will find a way to stop you. Tech is on the verge on destroying your eggs,"

"The coyote will never find out their weakness or mine" siad Nug " my race will be reborn! I shall never allow it to die again! Sorry my friend, it now time for us to part,"

As Nug pushed Duck's body off the ledge, he was surprised that Duck managed to grab his leg.

"If I'm falling I'm not taking it alone," said Duck.

With that Duck quacked himself and Nug close to the molten steel pit just as the Loonatics arrived. And before the heroes could even make a move they watched as Duck and Nug were swallowed by the pool of molten lava.