Chapter 67: Unlikely Allies

Gloomtail wasted no time. It was charging for them, mouth wide open.

"It's gonna eat me! I'm too handsome to die!" Eddy shouted.

Kevin growled and pulled Eddy out of the way before Gloomtail could close his mighty jaw.

"Kevin?" Eddy asked, astounded. "Did you-"

"Shut up." Kevin said. "Save it for afterwards. Hold your ground and fight!"

Eddy sighed as he held out both fists.

The dragon raised a claw, showing large nails sharp as knives. It rose higher then Kevin, towering, and ready to strike.

Kevin jumped into the air and dodged. Eddy didn't jump. The claw missed him, but the earthquake forced him to the ground.

"Oh… man." He looked up and saw the claw rising again.

This time, he was unable to move.

"Ah!"

Kevin grabbed him and pulled him out of the way.

Eddy gave him a rather angry look. "Whatcha do that for, I could have rolled out of the way!"

"Stop making dumb mistakes." Kevin said. "That's the second time I had to bail you out. I'm not doing it again. Think before you act and run when you have to."

"You think you're a hotshot, doncha?" Eddy asked.

Gloomtail roared again. Both Eddy and Kevin resumed their battle stances.

"You two fools are becoming annoying to listen to. That bickering will be the last thing you two fools will ever do." Gloomtail said.

"Bring it on!" Eddy shouted. "C'mon, give us what you got then, Mr. Monster!"

The dragon apparently was more than willing to comply with his request. Its mouth opened, as fire began to erupt.

"Er…" Eddy said, trying to think. "…Split up!"

Eddy and Kevin both ran in opposite directions to avoid the fire.

The flame attack ceased, as they both made it to either side of the dragon.

"Fools. You think you can take me individually?" The dragon asked, taunting their every move.

It seemed to make him quite content.

"I never liked him anyway." Eddy and Kevin both said at the same time. They both charged the dragon as fast as they could.

Eddy, however, was a faster runner. He jumped as he ran and drop kicked the dragon's side. Nothing at all, not even a scratch. Eddy bounced off and landed on his feet. He growled and rushed it again, with a hard blow from his right arm.

Not even a reaction from Gloomtail.

"OW! "Instead, Eddy pulled his arm back.

It was like punching a metal wall. Kevin remained on the offensive as well. With his wrench on his side, he charged Gloomtail. His battle cry echoed in the room as he charged. He jumped in the air and landed the wrench on the dragon's side.

…it wasn't much, but Kevin managed to leave a slight scratch.

The dragon looked enraged and kicked backwards. Kevin took the hit and flew into the air screaming, He spiraled and spun until he crashed into a wall. He fell from that and crashed again on the floor.

Eddy groaned. It looked like it would have hurt. But at the same time, he looked quite pleased.

'Revenge is so sweet.' He gave a mischievous laugh.

But Kevin didn't respond. He remained silent, on the floor. He was barely even moving.

Eddy's face turned a bit more worrisome. "Kevin?"

This was all that was required for his mistake. He failed to notice Gloomtail swinging his heavy tail. Eddy got struck and flew in the air.

Unlike Kevin, Eddy was more agile. He was able to hit the wall with his feet and absorb the shock better. He kicked off and landed on the floor. He was breathing heavily, and his shirt was ripped, but he remained standing.

"You have a lot of courage; I'll commend you for that." Gloomtail said. He moved his massive head to face Kevin, who was out of it. "So much for your ally, though."

Eddy groaned. 'That jerk had it coming for the longest time.'

His attention also diverted to Kevin's motionless body.

'This is payback. For all those times he ruined my scams and beat me and the others up. Then, even here, when he betrayed us by joining sides with Doopliss, and later on trying to drown me when that ship was sinking… that jerk had it coming?'

"How easily distracted you are." Gloomtail interrupted.

"HUH?!"

WHACK!

Without seeing what it was, Eddy was suddenly struck. His body became air-born again. He gave a loud scream before colliding with the walls. Unable to land safely, he took the full force and landed on the ground.

Eddy gave a groan and shook. He growled and managed to get on his knees. As he forced himself up higher, he reached for his face. He felt a scratch on it, a large one.

He whipped his face and looked at his hands.

Eddy was bleeding. Not much, but he was hurt badly.

"…you still bother to rise?" Gloomtail asked. "Courage, determination… and being stubborn. You are quite the fighter, but you fail to know when to accept defeat."

Eddy groaned in pain as he tried to stand.

"Look at yourself." Gloomtail said balefully. "Battle scarred, beaten, and weak. You may be agile, but that means nothing if you can't hurt me. Face it… with your ally down for the count, you can't even hurt me. But… unlike that looser, you seem much more determined to fight."

"I have… to fight." Eddy said. "Because I'm fighting for a purpose."

"Oh, are you?" Gloomtail asked, determined to verbally wear Eddy down.

"Yeah." Eddy said. He gave another groan as he held up his fists. "I have to fight!"

His shouting echoed in the room.

"I got to… because I'm fighting for those who mean something to me." Eddy said. A smile appeared on his face.

"Mean something? That's what you still bother to rise? Pathetic human." Gloomtail said, approaching the beaten-up boy.

"Yeah, that's right! I'm fighting for my friends, the ones who came to save me after I got lost here! My best friends, like Double D and Ed! And then the others, and the nice people in this world who helped me out!"

The dragon's eyes narrowed. It could sense the rising devotion in Eddy.

"And then, Goombella." Eddy said. "She's been the nicest to me, of all the people in this world! I won't let you get them, 'YOU HEAR!"

A tear began to fall down his scratched face.

"And now it's my turn!" Eddy said, holding both fists, no longer whimpering or having trouble holding them up. "I'm going to keep them safe, if it's the last thing I do! You'll be sorry you ever met me!"

"That energy… that devotion…" Gloomtail said.

Eddy shouted a battle cry. As he ran, the tear drop fell from his face. He was screaming as he ran, faster and more powerful than ever.

"You fool. You can't hurt me." Gloomtail said, just waiting.

"I don't have to!" Eddy shouted. He suddenly jumped into the air. As he did, another figure was rushing right for Gloomtail's face.

"WHAT?" Gloomtail roared.

A second later, the hard wrench smashed into the dragon's face. It gave a loud roar of pain and backed up.

Kevin landed beside Eddy.

"What took you so long?" Eddy shouted.

"I had to wait for the best moment. You're good at distracting." Kevin said.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Eddy growled.

"Yeah, you better." Kevin said.

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" Gloomtail hollered, incensed to the point of madness.

His large mouth opened wide, as fire began to erupt in all directions.

Kevin and Eddy both ran in separate directions again, this time completely synchronized. The fire missed entirely and vanished. Gloomtail roared and jumped into the air. Eddy and Kevin ran back to each other.

Kevin gripped his wrench tightly, Eddy gripping his fists, ready to attack or defend. Suddenly, they felt something coming. Kevin and Eddy looked up and saw the massive dragon falling towards them. They both shouted and ran in the same direction.

It was mere inches that they escaped by. The crash was hard on the ground. Cracks formed in the stone floor, and the aftershock forced them both to fall downwards. Kevin lost his wrench as he fell. It came to a clang a few feet away from him.

"Duck!" Eddy shouted.

Both of them stayed low as a claw passed over their heads. Eddy and Kevin rolled out of the way, just as the other claw hit the area. Both got on their feet and held up their fists.

"You two WILL NOT LEAVE HERE! YOU WILL DIE!" Gloomtail shouted again.

"Same to you, fat-head!" Eddy shouted.

"Eddy. Look at the dragon." Kevin said.

Eddy looked at it questioningly. "What?"

"I have a plan. Ready?" Kevin asked.

Eddy nodded, not knowing what to expect. They both gave stares at each other, then faced the dragon.

"GO!" Kevin shouted. They both charged the dragon, screaming at the tops of their lungs.

'Fools!" The dragon shouted. His mouth opened agape, and fire spewed from it.

Unable to separate in time, both boys were struck and flew backwards. They hit the floor, smoke coming from everywhere.

The dragon laughed evilly. "It's about time."

But as the smoke cleared, both of them were standing. Kevin now had his wrench back in his hands.

"So much for your plan." Eddy said.

"Have any ideas?" Kevin asked defensively.

"I'm working on it!" Eddy shouted.

But then, they came to realize the dragon was only a few inches from them. It opened its large and massive mouth once more.

Eddy screamed and ran. Kevin, who was slower than Eddy, didn't make it.

Eddy stopped and heard an ear-piercing scream. He turned around and saw Kevin dangling in the leviathan's mouth.

"KEVIN!" Eddy shouted back.

Kevin was being pulled into the dragon's mouth.

"Kevin, no!" Eddy shouted.

Kevin shouted in pain. As he was being pulled in, he swung his arm. "Take this!"

The wrench escaped his hands and soared. It landed in Eddy's hands. Eddy turned back to thank him, but realized Kevin was no longer there.

He watched in horror as he saw the dragon chomp, the gulp.

"NO!" Eddy screamed. "He's… gone. Even he didn't deserve that."

"A disappointment. He turned out to taste quite bitter. Maybe you won't taste as bad." Gloomtail said.

Eddy screamed as loud as he could, charge the dragon head on. Once more, he saw the giant mouth open wide, really to swallow.

"That's it!" Eddy shouted, almost insanely. "Open that evil mouth of yours, you son of a-"

The dragon roared before he could complete his sentence. Eddy felt the horrid breath as he got closer.

"YEAH! Show me those big teeth! Yeah!" Eddy shouted.

The mouth opened wider and wider. Eddy was rushing right towards the colossal mouth.

"HA!" The dragon laughed and the jaw clamped shut.

Eddy's incessant ranting and running sounds ceased. Gloomtail's smile grew wide as his eyes closed. "Ah… at long last. That fool was begging to die."

"Guess again!" Eddy shouted.

Gloomtail, shocked to hear his voice, opened his eyes wide. Eddy was standing right on his nose, holding the large wrench in both hands.

"How did you-"

Eddy said nothing. He held the massive wrench, then began to swing.

"NO!" Gloomtail saw the wrench coming at his eyes… it would be the last thing he ever saw.

The wrench hit the eyes right on target. Gloomtail screamed in pain and started to lose his balance. Eddy held up the wrench one last time.

"And this is for Kevin!" Eddy shouted as the hard wrench came into contact with the dragon's forehead…

WHACK!

Gloomtail was instantly silent. Eddy jumped off his head and landed on the floor. He watched the beast fall on his back… and ceased to move.

Eddy sighed, relieved that the battle was over. He dropped the wrench and fell on the floor.

He was gasping for air. The battle had taken its toll on him. His face was covered in scratches, his shirt ripped in several places. Even the wrench was dented. He was still breathing heavily.

He needed to rest, badly… and his eyes became more and more contracted.

'At least we won. Kevin saved me there in the end.' Eddy thought as his eyes closed. 'I wish I… could have done the same for him.'

Just then came a loud gurgling sound. Eddy opened his left eye and observed. The dragon's mouth was opening. As it opened wide enough, the beaten, but alive Kevin tumbled out and landed on his feet.

"Uh… did we win?" Kevin asked.

Eddy, too weakened to rise, simply gave a thumbs up.

Kevin walked over, holding a gem in his hands. "I found this inside that dragon. We may need this."

Eddy nodded weakly. Kevin gave a smile. He reached down and helped him up. Eddy was back on his feet again.

"C'mon, we have to go tell the others." Kevin began to walk towards the door.

"Wait…" Eddy groaned.

Kevin turned around.

"…that's it?" Eddy asked. "No name calling? No 'dork' here and there?"

"I fought, you fought, and we won. Now, hurry, time's valuable." Kevin said.

Eddy gave a slightly conceited face. "Hm… still acting tough."

"Still acting smug?" Kevin replied.

They both gave each other glares, as any two rivals would. Just like they were just fine, like they were back home… but now, with smiles.

"What's that?" Beldam suddenly interrupted as she led the Shadow Sirens and they came to a stop.

"What's the deal?" Doopliss asked.

"I sense a great disturbance." Beldam snapped. "How dare they meddle in this far."

The Medallion of Life, dangling from May's neck, began to glow. Her face turned evil. "I sense it as well. A barrier has been broken... They are closer to ending this than ever before."

"Now." Beldam said. "We have waited too long to attack. We can't afford for them to progress further. The time to attack is now!"