Chapter 13
The Black Dragon
"I can't say that I like the idea…" Corey mumbled, taking a bite of an apple as he laid in his hospital bed.
"I agree with Corey, Derek." Liz stated, frowning over at Derek, "If you lose against the Black Dragon…"
"I know, I know…but what other choice do I have?" Derek asked, leaning against the wall of Corey's room.
After his conversation with Dia, Derek immediately went back to inform his friends what was going to happen. Corey was still bed-ridden, and would be for at least another four days, so the three of them were having their meeting in his room.
"What I want to know is the why. Why does Dia want to help you all of a sudden?" Corey asked, throwing the apple core into a nearby trash bin, "I mean, he hasn't exactly been the greatest of people, and he's been M.I.A. for the past fifteen years. Can we trust him?"
Derek frowned lightly. The thought had crossed his mind. This could a trick. Dia could be trying to get Derek into a situation that made him weaker, but…
"I don't think Dia would do that. We all know that he had lost his parents because of Darkine. He showed me proof that he has lost the ability to summon the Black Dragon, and his reasons were reasonable for telling me why he was doing this." Derek explained.
"Eh…I guess so." Corey said, shrugging slightly, "So when are you supposed to do this thing?"
"Three days from now." Derek told him, "I'm going to speak with Koenma and request a private mediation room."
"Okay…" Liz said quietly, and began to walk out of the room.
"Hey, Liz. Where're you going?" Corey asked as she was about to leave.
"I need to go and check on Cory…" Liz said simply, and left the room, leaving the two best friends alone.
"She's still angry, isn't she?" Derek asked quietly, glancing out a nearby window.
Corey looked down at his lap. "Yeah…but, she'll get over it eventually, Derek. You and her are friends and comrades. She knows this."
Derek smiled lightly, "It's hard to forgive someone for killing a loved one, Corey…"
Corey blinked a few times, "Well, yeah, but I mean, you and her were just as close as she and John were, right?"
Derek looked over at his friend and chuckled lightly, "I'm pretty sure they were more than just friends, Corey."
"Huh??" Corey asked, suddenly bewildered, "You mean…her…and John…holy crap…"
The room got quiet for a bit, before Corey spoke again,
"This sucks, man."
Derek blinked and looked back at him. "What?"
Corey frowned. "You get to go and get this awesome new power, and I'm here stuck in bed. I at least want to be able to train for a bit before this starts!"
Derek grinned at his friend. "Corey, you're going to be fine in the battle, I have no worries about that."
Corey nodded. "Yeah, I know you don't have any worries, but I sure as hell do." He sighed and then smiled lightly, "But you're right. We'll be fine."
"Yeah…just fine." Derek agreed, but only half heartedly. He was worried about the trial he would have to go through in three days. If he did lose the power of the Black Dragon…the final battle could very well be over before it started.
******
Three days passed quickly for Derek as he awaited his task that was soon to come. Corey was doing much better than anyone had expected and was moving around in his room, even though Liz still refused him to let him to far out.
Derek had arranged for a private room so that he could enter the lair of the Black Dragon through meditation. Kurama and Koenma were both as hesitant as Corey and Liz were about Derek going through this trial, knowing full well that this could be a war changing event.
"Alright…" Derek said quietly, cracking his knuckles as he glanced over at Corey, who was sitting in a nearby chair in his hospital room.
"You sure about this?" Corey asked once again.
Derek nodded. "Yeah. We don't have a choice, pal. I don't want to risk losing control of the dragon again…not in this final battle."
"I know, I know. Just double checking." Corey grumbled, standing up and holding out his hand towards his friend, "For love."
"And for war."
******
"You ready?" Dia asked, leaning against the wall outside of the room where Derek was going to enter his trance. Next to him was a plain leather sack that was full with something, but Derek didn't know what.
Derek nodded. "Yeah. Let's do it."
Derek opened the door and let himself and Dia into the room. It was just a plain room with no windows, and a blanket in the middle of the room. Dia put down the brown sack and retrieved four black candles and began setting them on each corner of the blanket.
"What's that for?" Derek asked, taking a seat in the middle of the blanket, Indian style, and then setting his katana down in front of him.
"For effect." Dia said dryly. Derek couldn't tell if he was serious or actually joking. Either way, he didn't find out.
"Alright, Maison." Dia said quietly after lighting the candles with a snap of his fingers, "Concentrate on letting go of your body, and then make sure you concentrate on your spirit going to the lair of the dragon. No mistakes. Got it?"
Derek nodded. "Yeah, I got it."
"Good luck." Dia replied in the same dry tone as before, and exited the room.
Derek exhaled slowly and closed his eyes, beginning his meditation. He could feel his demonic energy began to swirl around him, and suddenly leave his body as he concentrated on finding the Black Dragon. He felt extremely light, and then felt his feet touch the ground, even though he didn't think he had stood up. He slowly opened his eyes to find himself in the pits of Hell.
Black fire roared all around the demon's spiritual body, causing him to jump in surprise. The only safe path in this area was straight into a large temple. The temple was made of black ivory, and two large statues of dragons stood on side of the huge door.
Taking a deep breath, Derek walked forward, into the dragon's temple.
Instead of a snarling dragon, Derek found himself face to face with a frail, elderly man, sitting majestically on a throne.
His eyes were closed, and he actually looked asleep…or dead. Derek couldn't tell. He had long silver hair that waved down to the seat of the throne. He wore rich looking robes that were all black, and had a ruby red lining to them, and a pair of boots with the same design. His ears were pointed like an elf's, except they curled downward after a few inches.
Is this…the Black Dragon? Derek questioned to himself, taking a few more steps forward.
Once he moved within fifteen feet of the elderly man, a pulsation of energy echoed in front of Derek. The old man's eyes suddenly shot open, causing Derek to jump back. The eyes were that of the Black Dragon's, pure blood red and full of hatred and evil. Black demonic energy began to swirl around the old man as he stood up.
"Another challenger…" Said a voice that echoed around the entire temple. Derek assumed the voice came from the old man, but his lips had not moved.
The black energy began to grow stronger and stronger, and finally it turned into black flames, masking the old man's figure before Derek.
"What the--?" Derek asked aloud, quickly withdrawing his katana out of reflex. The flames then diminished, and it wasn't an elderly man that stood in front of Derek, but a young warrior.
His hair was still silver, but it looked more youthful, as did the rest of his body. His ears stood at point now, and fangs had grown out of the man's teeth. Instead of robes, the dragon now wore a plate of black armor, with designs Derek instantly recognized as the Black Dragon Armor. The red eyes of the dragon glared Derek down, and he held out his hand. Instantly, the Black Dragon Sword appeared in his grasp, and he held it at ready for only a moment, then rushed towards Derek.
"W-wait!" Derek shouted, but his words did not reach the dragon, who was in front of the demon general in a split second, swinging the demonic sword with speed and power Derek could only dream about. It took all of Derek's abilities just to parry the move with his own blade.
The two locked eyes for only a moment, but Derek couldn't read anything from them.
What is he?! Derek thought frantically, as he tried to steady his blade, but he knew only to well the power of the Black Dragon Sword, having used it often in battle. He had to pull away quickly, or his katana would be shattered.
Gritting his teeth, Derek could only jump away from the dragon. The warrior in front of him must have read his mind, because he held out his free hand and launched waves of black fire right at Derek as he was jumping away, which caught Derek off guard.
The powerful wave of black fire battered Derek in the stomach, launching him higher into the air and into the ceiling above. The Black Dragon ceased the attack, which forced Derek to fall limply to the ground below, creating a small crater in the marble flooring.
Derek slowly got onto a knee, clutching his charred stomach in pain.
So…that's what that feels like… Derek thought to himself, forcing himself to his feet, I can't get hit by that thing again or I'm…damn, what am I thinking? I can't beat him…his demonic energy is leagues over my own. He might even be stronger then Darkine…
Derek was finally at his feet again, but did not raise his blade. The Black Dragon looked at this with curiosity, but merely shrugged it off.
"Foolish move, lowering your weapon in the middle of a fight." Echoed the voice once again, the warrior's lips not moving.
Derek didn't say anything back, but just waited to dodge. He had to at least stay alive. For everyone's sake.
The Black Dragon gave Derek another curious look, but charged forward once again to attack Derek with the flaming sword. Once again, Derek could only dodge the swift attacks that were dealt to him, the heat of the blade barely missing his skin.
What do I do? What do I do?! The thought kept repeating itself inside Derek's mind as he tried to keep himself from getting killed by the ancient being.
"Why do you not try and fight back, warrior?" The dragon asked as he continued to swing his blade.
Why didn't Derek fight? It wasn't like him to just dodge, but he knew he couldn't win. So, what option was left?
Derek soon found himself backed in a corner, with the dragon's sword aimed at his chest. Derek's heartbeat was pulsing fast, and sweat dripped from his brow.
The dragon warrior stared at Derek for a few moments, but did not deliver the final blow.
"I ask again, warrior. Why do you not try and fight?"
The words pierced Derek's entire being. He didn't know how to answer, but finally, like a cool drop of rain, it came to him.
"Because I cannot defeat you."
The dragon warrior continued to stare, "Then why did you come here?"
"I came here to seek your power."
"And you did not expect to fight me?"
Derek's gaze did not leave the dragon's eyes. "I know your power, Black Dragon. I have used it to help my friends and myself for years. Once I learned that there was a way to use the power without letting my mind be overwhelmed, I had to try and obtain that ability."
He spoke his words carefully. He had to. The dragon was a being with strength unknown to Derek. One slip of the tongue and he could be destroyed. When the dragon did not speak, Derek continued,
"Your power is far greater than my own. I knew this the moment I entered your realm. I knew I would not be able to defeat you, and so now I only wish for you to lend me your true power. Let me use it to defeat Darkine. I will not fight you, Black Dragon, for I know I cannot win."
The Black Dragon continued his stare at Derek for a long time, his eyes seemingly piercing Derek's entire soul, searching for the correct answer, if there was one.
"You have darkness in your soul, warrior." The dragon finally said, lowering his weapon.
"I do." Derek agreed, the memories of his past doings entering his mind,
"I cannot give my true power to one who has such a tainted heart."
"Huh?" Derek asked, the dragon's words blowing past him. The Black Dragon, worrying about who has a pure heart or not? It didn't make sense.
"I beg your pardon, sir, but are you not the Black Dragon of the Darkness Flame?"
The dragon began to chuckle lightly, amused by Derek's words. "I am…but does that mean that I have to be a force of evil?"
Derek blinked and sheathed his blade. "I guess not, but…"
Before he could ask another question, the dragon continued to speak, the Black Dragon Sword disappearing in a puff of smoke,
"I am an ancient being, warrior. I have had countless so-called 'masters' in the past. Some were not all bad, but most have been powerful beings of evil. Those were the ones that tainted my name, and also the ones who were foolish enough to challenge me to a dual."
Slowly, the dragon's appearance began to change once again to that of the old man. In his hand, a staff of pure darkness appeared, aiding him in his walk back to his throne.
Derek slowly followed, "Black Dragon…why did you not kill me just now?"
Positioning himself in his throne, the ancient dragon looked towards Derek. His eyes had changed. They were no longer eyes of blood thirst and evil, but had a simple red outline to them. Derek soon realized that the Black Dragon was blind.
"I did not kill you because you did not try to kill me. You are the first opponent I have had do that for over ten millennium. I am impressed… especially with the tainted soul that you have."
Derek frowned. "With all due respect, my soul is tainted because of your abilities."
The dragon began to laugh, at least it sounded like it, for his lips still did not move, "Because of me, warrior? Do you blame me for letting your emotions run wild when your wife was murdered?"
"I…" Derek tried to defend himself, but the dragon waved for his silence.
"And do you also blame me for killing your comrade, Jonathan Wolfe, and attacking your friend, Elizabeth Rain, and then facing off against your childhood friend, Corey Kartana, nearly killing both of you in the process!?" The dragon's voice began to grow louder and more fierce.
He knows everything…of course he does. He's been watching the whole time.
"Derek Maison…I see a light deep down in your soul, but before you can conquer my darkness, you must first conquer your own!"
The dragon once more unleashed his powerful dark demonic energy, causing Derek to be pushed back a few feet. Before he had time to react, the darkness flame began to circle around him, encasing him in the fire.
"We shall see if you can overcome this trial, Derek Maison. If you do…then I shall considering taking you on as my…apprentice."
A small chuckle was heard echoing about the room, but before Derek was able to question it, the black flame began to scorch his entire body, causing pain so intense the moment it hit him he wished for death.
And finally, Derek found himself slipping out of consciousness, into what he was positive was oblivion.
