Chapter 18, and I hope to keep 'em coming! The battles against the Mamodo in the sewer, and the separation of the team… I promise an exciting new chapter. R&R.
"Give me a challenge!" The voice echoed down the sewers and eventually through to the catacombs. The blue dragon launched himself at Jyan, and bit his hand, Jyan swinging him around on his arm.
"Get this thing off of me!" He yelled, dancing around quite comically. Jyan immediately looked to Josh for help, but saw him laughing under his breath.
"Will you get this thing off me! Cast a spell or something!" He shouted at him. Josh stopped laughing long enough to cast a spell.
"Chikeru…" He stifled a laugh at the end of the spell, as Jyan fired a blast of energy at the dragon. It was fired back.
"I see you're planning on fighting back. Igor!" The dragon looked back. His book owner, a short blonde haired man who looked more ready for the beach than for battle, opened the pale blue book of theirs.
"Gigano Merva!" He shouted reluctantly in reply. The woman next to him laughed.
"That's more like it, Igor. We'll take them down with just two strong spells! Oru Infang!" The woman cast, as the huge serpent launched an acid-covered fang from his mouth. It passed the whirlpool of water created by Igor's spell, and both hit Jyan. He crossed his arms to take the attacks, as he scraped across the ground.
"Any chance you guys wanna jump in?" He asked, bringing his hands back down to his sides. Jay opened the book in reply.
"Buron Braidon!" He shouted, as Alan launched a burning braid of hair from his head. The rest started to open their books to strengthen Alan's attack.
"Ganzu Sharcrezo!"
"Combikaterr!"
"Aao Arion!"
Crystal shards, a charging Correre, and a silver bolt of lightning were fired at the two dragons. It was too bad that Buron Braidon and Aao Arion hit each other, which caused the other two spells to fail. "Why didn't it work?" Alan asked, stepping back.
"You used too many spells at once." Curio chimed in from behind.
"WILL YOU SHUT UP?" The group asked simultaneously. He sweatdropped then fell behind.
"No, I think Curio's wrong. It's not that we used too many spells; it's just that the area is too small! We can't cast the spells in such a small area!" Anna called, as he Mamodo was launched back from a growing cloud of dust. Jay began to feel claustrophobic just thinking about it. The brick walls, the ankle-deep water, and the amount of people seemed to close in on him.
"You fools! You're trapped! Igor, use one of our stronger spells." The blue dragon called back to his book owner. He complied.
"Alright Pong, Dioga Oru Merva!"
"Serpent, we'll also use our strongest spell! Geo La Infemor!" The woman yelled, as Pong launched a huge typhoon at them. It covered them all with water, raising the water level a least an inch or two. Then, huge acid-covered spikes began to jolt out of the ground. One appeared in front of Jay, causing him to fall back.
"We need to defeat them quickly! We can't avoid them in this small area!" He called back to his friends, but was surprised to see them all badly damaged.
"You talk big for such a small fry," The woman cackled.
"But I'm sure I can cure you of that when I burn your book. Rin Infemor!" She cast, as Serpent bit its tail, and fired rings of acid out of his ring shaped body.
"Gifiaterr Ikaterr!" Jay heard from behind him, as an enflamed and spinning Correre shot past. He was about to intercept the rings.
"I don't think so! Serpent!" The woman called to her Mamodo, who bounced off the ground, causing the rings to rise. Correre launched right through them. He hit Serpent, but they easily knocked each other back.
"No! Impossible!" Anna yelled, the rings of acid bursting through the team. They all fell back.
"They look a little tired, Greta, why don't you give them a break?" Igor asked the woman, trying to seem uncaring, but actually very worried about them.
"I don't plan to give them any mercy," Greta said with a mad grin on her face.
"I'll burn all of their books in one shot! Ganzu Infemor!" Greta shouted, her Pakistan green book glowing madly. Serpent opened its mouth and shot multiple acid-covered spikes at the group.
"Rachishiru!" Josh yelled, as Jyan shot up a reflective barrier of energy. The spikes hit, and launched back with an extra kick.
"Igor, a defensive spell." Pong commanded quickly. Igor flipped back a page in reply.
"Scaleshield!" He shouted, as Pong's armor detached to form a shield. It stopped the spell cold.
"Come on, keep casting!" Multos yelled at the team.
"Why don't you cast anything?" Curio asked back.
"Well, why don't you?" He retorted.
"My spells are too weak! Sosa is useless in battle!" Curio stated in a forceful, matter-of-fact tone. Anna scoffed.
"It's not Sosa's fault. You don't trust him enough." Anna scowled at them, her own battered Mamodo to tend to. Curio looked forward, Alan, Jay, Jyan and Josh fighting most of the battle.
"How could I trust a worm any way? This battle is best left to those who know what they're doing!" He shot back, almost angry. He never thought himself to be the problem.
"Don't you see what they're doing to protect you? Can't you at least try?" Anna asked, grabbing Curio's face and turning it towards the battle.
"Look at them! See the teamwork? The trust? On both sides even! Is there anything in your notes that teaches you that?" Anna yelled at him. Curio sighed.
"Sosa and I are not strong enough!" He yelled back.
"Chikelga!"
"Buron Braidon!"
"Ganzu Infemor!"
"Gigano Merva!"
"Do you hear that? You need to help!" Anna shouted at him. Curio stood up.
"It might help my studies. If I lose Sosa, though, I'm blaming you." Curio shot, totally serious. Anna smiled.
"As long as Correre isn't his replacement." She said, watching him walk off.
"Wait! Where's Sosa?" Anna called forward, as Curio frantically looked around.
"What is that little worm doing?" He asked himself out loud, running ahead to the battle. He ran beside the other four, Shu and Alex joining a little behind.
"Glad you could join us." Jyan panted.
"Glad we could help." Shu replied, giving him a thumbs-up.
"Everyone, together! Use some strong spells, one after the other! Buron Braidon!" Jay told the others, starting with his spell. Jyan followed up.
"Chikelga!" A blast of concentrated energy from Jyan's mouth.
"Aao Arion!" A silver bolt of lightning from the amber-haired Shu.
"Gigano Bruacidos!" A large ball of acid from Sosa's mouth.
"This is pitiful. Infeshield." Greta said with a shrug, as Serpent launched an acid shield, which took most of the attack. When it finally broke, they were only met with a cloud of smoke and a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, they only had a few bruises on them.
"If you couldn't even beat his shield, then this should be easy. Igor, use… Huh?" Pong looked away for a minute to see Sosa, a fat green worm in front of him.
"Oh! This is funny! They can't beat us with attacks, so now they're sending a little worm!" Pong laughed raucously, taking his guard of the worm. When he came back to his senses, he licked his lips at the worm.
"Maybe now I can eat lunch early…" He pondered, snatching up Sosa inn his mouth.
"No!" Curio yelled, jumping forward.
"If you eat Sosa, I'll have no proof to publish my findings! Bruacidos!" He cast, for the obvious wrong reason. A green light could be seen erupting from Pong's mouth. He spat Sosa out, and started spitting.
"He spit acid down my throat! Use Merva, wash it out!" Pong fussed, as Igor opened the book to cast the weak water spell.
"Merva." He sighed. Pong spat an array of water onto the ground, laced with the green acid.
"I've had just about enough of you!" He yelled at them. Josh stepped forward.
"I think you need to shut up!" He yelled at them. He opened his blue book angrily, a great light shining.
"I haven't had a moment's relaxation, and now that I can use my ultimate spell, I can finally shut you up! Jyan, get over here, NOW!" Josh yelled at his partner. He grabbed the boy by the hair and dropped him in front.
"You have your ultimate spell?" Jay asked, but Josh ignored him.
"Gaou Chikelga!" Josh yelled in anger, as the entire sewer system started to shake. An aura started to form in front of Jyan, his eyes whiting out.
"Whatever that spell is, it's huge!" Alan commented, looking on in awe.
"I think it might be too huge! Wait! Its too big for the sewer, everyone DUCK!" Jay yelled back, pressing his body against the walls of the sewer, the aura filling in a giant wolf, the two dragons looking on in amazement.
"I think that it's even bigger than my ultimate spell!" Pong said, slithering back to avoid it.
"Go already!" Josh yelled at the beast, pouring more energy into the book. The wolf raised a paw, then thrust of its hind legs, rushing toward them.
"We can't dodge it!" Greta yelled, the spell descending on them. A huge explosion engulfed the entire group, not clearing for minutes. The silence was thick, and when the smoke cleared, it seemed to be even thicker. At least a half a minute past without a single spell being called.
"No… they couldn't have…" Alan blinked.
"Both of them survived?" Jay asked, shocked. Greta smiled, holding up the Pakistan green book high.
"This book is mine! None of you will ever burn it! Now, all of you have been quite a nuisance, so I think all destroy you all! Starting with you." Greta pointed to Jyan.
"Josh, now would be a good time to get up." Jyan turned, seeing Josh on his knees.
"I used up too much heart energy… we have to get out of here…" Josh struggled.
"Oh good. You'll be an easy target. Rin Infemor!" Greta cackled, as Serpent bit his tail to fire the acid rings once again.
"Josh!" Jyan yelled. It seemed like the end, until Sosa jumped in.
"What is that little worm doing?" Curio popped up, and watched as his little worm busted through all the rings to save Jyan and Josh. Curio watched in surprised awe.
"He saved them? How could he save them, its against their nature…" Curio started to think, recalculating his findings.
"Let's face it, doctor, you're more of a scientist then a psychologist." Jyan laughed.
"That's enough of this foolishness! I'll destroy you all!" Greta gained an anger vein on her forehead.
"Greta, calm down…" Igor chimed in, but Greta knocked him back, causing Pong to growl.
"Oru Infang!" Greta yelled in anger, as Serpent opened his mouth to fire an acid-covered spike at Sosa.
"No! You won't destroy Sosa! Eijasu Bruacidos!" Curio yelled, jumping behind his small friend, as pillars of acid fired from beneath the ground.
"Hah! You weaklings think you're going to defeat me with that? Your attack spells are weak!" Greta laughed, expecting Oru Infang to go through the pillars unscathed.
Instead, it took it out in one shot.
And then Sosa aimed the spell directly at them.
"No! How did their spell get so powerful?" Greta asked, the pillars of acid erupting beneath her.
"Anna was right. This book is about strong feelings and trust. I'll have to adjust my findings." Curio smiled, looking down at Sosa for the first time with something other than disdain.
The green walls blocked their view of the dragon teams, but when the spell finally ended, three remained. "Igor… Serpent is disappearing!" Pong gasped, watching as his friends Pakistan green book burned. Greta lay on the ground, unconscious. The serpent launched himself one more time at the group, but faded mid air, dropping an emerald ring with a loud clink.
"We did it. I can't believe we did it!" Curio smiled, and laughed for the first time anyone in the group could remember. Jay turned to Pong.
"Now for you." He raised the brown book for another spell.
"I think you've got it the other way around. You're going to be the next one to go." Pong smiled. Igor cringed.
"But, the only other person…" He was cut short.
"Kisu! You're needed!" Pong shouted down the sewers. There was a long silence, and then a booming was heard down a way.
"You need your big brother to bail you out again?" A dark voice could be heard in the darkness, a loud beating of wings drowning most of the call out.
"This is the end." He smiled wide, as a blood red dragon came into view. His horns reached the top of the sewers, his wingspan just small enough to fit. His fangs were crooked and jagged, as his bookkeeper rode on his back.
"Ramon said that there would be another opponent, but I didn't expect to wait this long. I'm glad you're finally here." His book owner said, jumping off the dragon's back. His black leather jacket and white undershirt were drenched, and so was his thick black hair. His jeans and shoes were wet as well, but it looked as if he was riding a bike in the rain.
"I'm Travis. I hope you still have enough energy left to fight, 'cause I need a challenge. So many boring hours in this sewer, either training or waiting. Now I finally get to put it to good use!" Travis laughed, taking out the smoky gray book. It started to glow, blinding the group with the amazing light.
"This is going to be fun." He snickered, as the four of them approached.
Meanwhile…
"What is this place?" Hawke asked, looking around the lab in awe. He didn't remember seeing this in his tour of the place.
"I'm not sure, just don't touch anything." Prima warned, looking around, highly suspicious.
(End of Chapter 18: 84 Mamodo left)
As Hawke and Prima trek farther into the castle, the group meets the Lo brothers in the sewers. Exciting, huh? Keep reading to see who gets sent back… if anyone does. Review!