Disclaimer: I do not own anything dealing with WWE or any song lyrics that is used as a muse. I also do not own the rights to any products or persons mentioned in the story as well.

Warning: There is harsh language and adult themes as well as Slash between some of the characters (mostly M/M).

Chapter Five

Cody sat in Taker's office. He looked like a child sent to the principal's office for something he either didn't do or was completely guilty of and was caught. He didn't know why he was called over to the Hunters' house, but the call was urgent and he came as fast as he could. Kane greeted him first and ushered him to the office. He had been in the office for going on fifteen minutes and he was getting more and more nervous by the minute.

The door opened and Taker, Kane, Vickie, and Nadia entered. Taker went to his chair and Kane stood next to his brother. Vickie took the seat on Cody's right while Nadia sat on the edge of the desk. She smiled and winked at the younger man.

"Why did you call me?" Cody asked.

"Cody, right?" Nadia asked.

The brunette nodded.

"You have something that we need."

"Me?"

"Yes," Vickie answered.

Cody looked to each face. "Why me?"

"Apparently, you have some knowledge of Nature magic," Taker said.

"Some," Cody replied. "How did you know?"

Kane looked to Nadia.

"A little dragon told me," Nadia replied.

"Dragons are extinct," Cody said.

"Try telling my friend that," Nadia smiled. "You're the only one that can pull her out of the tree."

Cody leaned forward and sighed. He looked up at her. "Are you sure?"

Nadia nodded. "My friend said that you know how to use Nature magic or have enough of it to help."

"To help?"

"You can pull Falend out of the tree so the Guaritori can heal her."

"You think I can pull her out of the tree?"

Nadia nodded. "That's what my friend told me."

Cody looked to Taker and Vickie. "You're just going to believe her?"

"Cody," Vickie began, "I know this is hard to believe, but she sees something in you, something that can help us in our time of need."

"You told me that you would help whenever possible," Taker replied. "We need you now."

Cody sat, mind plagued with what to do. Yes, he knew some Nature magic, but would it be enough to do as they asked? He ran his hands over his face and sighed. He looked to them all.

"So?" Nadia asked.

"I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything."

Taker nodded as he stood. He led the group outside to where Falend was being kept. Cody stood in front of the tree and traced his hands over the bark. The limbs curled and straightened. He pulled away and looked the four.

Nadia gave him the thumbs up.

Cody nodded and turned to the tree again. He placed his hands onto the bark once more.

"What do you think you're doing?" Chanarong asked as he leapt down from the branches.

"Trying to pull her out of the tree...?" Cody said, but it was more of a question than a statement.

"For what reason?" the cat asked.

"Because she'll be needed when the time comes," Nadia replied.

Chanarong looked to the woman. He tilted his head. "You must be Nadia, Falend's older sister."

She nodded.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to watch out for her. Our father sent me."

The cat sighed. "You should just let her rest. Besides, who told you that you can pull her out of the tree?"

"A friend of mine. She's been in the city for a long while. She told me that a person with some Nature magic can pull her out."

The cat flicked its tail as he thought long and hard. "That is true, but why not let her rest?"

"We don't have time," Taker replied. "We need all the help we can get."

"I understand that, Taker, but she needs the natural healing of this tree...not the Guaritori. Doing this would just be temporary."

"Temporary or not, we will need her," Nadia said.

Kane looked to his brother. "Maybe we should just let her rest?"

"I've thought about it, but what if the war happens tomorrow?" Nadia asked. "Even with one more person, we might be able to win."

Chanarong shook his head. "Let her rest. Besides, they need two things before they can bring about their Lord. Even if he might know Nature magic, but he needs a little more time before he can pull her out. At the level he's at now...he might kill her."

"What?" Cody asked as he stepped away from the tree.

Taker sighed.

"Yoshi can help him," Vickie stated. "He has all the material on Nature magic."

Taker nodded. "Cody, you'll be under Yoshi's guidance until you're strong enough to pull her out."

"Yes, sir," Cody replied.

They all went back to the house. Evan came up to Taker.

"Yes?" Taker said.

"Someone's here. She's waiting in your office," Evan replied.

"What?" Kane asked. "Why did you let him in?"

"She," Evan said. "She said that she was Nadia's friend and needed to see her."

"Ishmael's here?" Nadia asked.

"Ishmael?" Taker said.

"Her parents thought they were having a boy," Nadia explained. She walked toward his office.

Taker and Kane followed along while Vickie took Cody to the library.

Nadia entered the office and stared at a young black woman that stood examining a portrait on one of the walls. Her black hair pulled up into a fauxhawk. She was a tall as Falend and was just as broad shouldered as she was.

The woman turned to Nadia and stared at her through shades.

"Hi...Ish?" Nadia greeted.

"Hey, did you wake your sister?" she asked.

"No...some stupid cat stopped us."

Taker and Kane entered the office and stared at Ish.

"I am not a stupid cat," Chanarong replied as he appeared. He looked to Ish and the hairs on his back stood up. "I know what you are."

Ish looked to him. "Yes, I'm a Dragon-kind." She took off her shades to reveal her black abyss-like eyes.

"Dragon-kind?" Kane asked.

"Half-human...half-dragon," Chanarong said. "Very rare...only a hundred or so left. Often confused for demons because of their looks. That's why they're on the verge of extinction."

Ish nodded. "Very few use a morph spell to appear normal. Others rather have their true visage instead of hiding themselves."

"That is why they are almost extinct. They look so much like demons that they are often killed by hunters," Chanarong stated. "I never thought I would see one nor that one would..."

"Be so willing to lend a hand?" Ish quickly offered.

"We can need all the help we can get," Mike said as he entered. His eyes zeroed in on Nadia. "I didn't get a chance to introduce myself. I'm Mike."

"Nadia and Ishmael but call her Ish," Nadia said.

Mike nodded. "So...is Falend out of the tree yet?"

"No," Taker replied.

"Thank goodness," Ish said.

Everyone looked at her.

"You need to let the tree do it's thing," Ish replied. "It's for the best."

Taker sighed. "I don't think I can do that."

"Time may not be on your side, but you do have people that are willing to help." Ish cracked her neck and her spell broke.

"Holy crap!" Vickie said as she stood in the doorway. Her eyes took in the Dragon-kind. "Randy!"

"Wait," Ish said.

"Vickie, it's okay," Kane said.

"Excuse me? It's not okay!" Vickie exclaimed. "There's a demon in the house."

"What?" Randy asked as he came barreling in and through Taker and Kane. He drew blades and stood at the ready. He glanced at Ish and stood there. He eased up and put back his weapons.

"What the hell are you doing, Randy?" Vickie asked. "Kill it!"

"Can I just say something?" Ish asked.

"She's not a demon," Randy said.

Vickie looked at Ish.

"She's something different. Her bloodline is older...older than demons," Randy replied.

"An astute man," Ish said. "I can see why you two are together...well, three."

Mike blushed.

"Why is a Dragon-kind here?" Randy asked.

"Here to help," Ish replied. "You're going to need it."

Randy folded his arms over his chest. "I thought Falend would be woken up."

"If Cody were to try to pull her out of the tree, he could kill her," Kane replied.

Mike and Randy looked at him.

"Cody's studying right now to up his knowledge of Nature magic," Vickie replied.

Randy nodded while Mike sighed.

"So...what now?" Vickie asked.

"Just study and wait," Ish said.

Taker nodded. "You heard her."

Everyone left except for Chanarong. The two stared at each other.

"What are your thoughts?" Taker asked.

"With Nadia and Ish on our side, we could win this war," Chanarong answered.

"What do you know of the Dragon-kind?"

"They are not at powerful as their dragon parent, but they can hold their own against the most powerful of magic users. There has been a case where a Dragon-kind and Storm Warden fought against each other."

"And who won?"

"It was a draw after three days of battling."

"Wow."

Chanarong nodded. "She would be useful to us."

"She would be."

Randy watched the Dragon-kind as she read over some of the titles that the Hunters had in their library. Yoshi and Cody would look up at her every once in awhile. They had never seen a dragon before and they were just curious.

"Does your wings really work?" Randy asked Ish.

"Yup," she replied. "I also have a tail."

He chuckled. "Shouldn't you be in hiding?"

"Shouldn't you be in the institute?"

Randy clenched his jaw.

"The voices...aren't just voices, Randy. They're not some sort of mental disease."

"What do you know of it?"

"I know a lot," she said as she pulled a book out to look at. "I know that you were placed in a mental institute because of the voices and because you hurt your brother and sister. I know that when Mike is around...the voices stop. I know that is something more to you than you know."

Randy stared at her.

"How are you preparing for this battle?"

He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"You should be studying up on demons. Just do a refresher. You never know, you might find something that you never knew." She handed him the book and left.

Randy read over the title and opened it. He began to read.