Chapter 6:
Escaping the Ruins
Akuco along with his friends, all stare at the place Don had just been standing, simply waiting for the dust to clear. Did he survive the attack, or is he crushed lifeless under the statue's feet? Akuco did not know. However, after the dust settles, a silhouette of a turtle could be seen in a heap on the floor as though he had slid backwards. Albeit unharmed and surprised, he looks back up to where he once stood.
"That was close," Don states, before he quickly runs to be back with his team. Leo raises his stave in a defensive posture, ready to slam it down.
"Everyone! Stay back! Eyes closed! Keeyaaah!" The sound of the stave strikes the floor, and a bright light fills the room. As Akuco uncovers his eyes, Leo has to jump clear as the statue stomps its forefeet where he stood, completely unfazed by the blinding light. "Well. So much for that idea."
"To tempt fate is a remarkable thing, but be prepared for when it may sting." The same voice complies in Akuco's head. Before long, Mikey complains with a quiver in his voice.
"What did I tell you? None of you ever listen to me?! And now we're gonna be lion food!"
"Technically, they are chimeras!"
"No one cares, Don! Now get out of my way! I'll bust this walking pile of rubble into smithereens!"
"Raph, wait!" Leo tries, but Raph is already charging.
"I've done my waiting!" Raph battle cries as he jumps ready to kick the statue in the head, but despite the quivering as it moves, the hit from its paw is quick and powerful, causing him to disappear amidst his scream. Akuco hears Raph's grunt of pain a fair distance from the rest of the group.
"Raph!" Leo jumps back when the beast attempts to stomp him with its paw, but already Raph cries in an agony as though he is being crushed. "Don! Kai! Aerne! Get Akuco and yourselves upstairs! Mikey! With me! Raph needs us!" Leo then disappears with Mikey towards Raph's location.
"Easier said than done, Leo!" Don shouts. "It's blocking our only way out!"
"Just get yourselves out of there!" Leo calls from the shadows.
Akuco is grabbed by Kaietha before he has time to think. "Wait a minute! We need to study our options first!"
"We don't have time for that!"
"Yes we do!" Akuco forcefully makes Kaietha let him go. "Listen for a moment!"
"Make it quick! You're our first priority!"
"Don! You still have the necklace, right!?"
"Yes!"
"If we can distract this statue long enough for you to get past, maybe, just maybe, it will deactivate itself!"
"We can only try it once!"
"Not another one!" Mikey shouts, before he is sent flying back towards Akuco and the others screaming.
"Mikey!"
Mikey's groan of pain is heard not far from the stairs leading to the upper floor.
"Grr! Get this thing off me already!" Raph painfully shouts. "My shell can't take much more of this!"
Another one? Now I know we have three of them to deal with, just like the voice said. "Kaietha! Aerne! Distract it for Don to get past! I'll help Raph and the others!"
"But!"
"This is the only time I can prove to you all that I can be of use!"
"Okay! Be careful!"
Akuco hurries to Mikey's aid, helping him to stand so he can get back into the fight.
"Thanks, Akuco!" Mikey charges forward ready to strike. "Keeyaaaah!" After kicking the stone beast on the leg that pins Raph, all it does is cause him to cry out in agony holding his foot. "YEEOW!" He is knocked back by another strike amidst a surprised groan, and falls backwards onto the floor.
"Shell for brains!" He continues to push all of his strength into keeping it from crushing him further. "It's made out of stone, you moron!"
"Made out of stone? Made out of stone! I have an idea!" He turns his attention to Akuco after recovering his footing. "Akuco! Find me some rubble or something!"
Leo tries to slice its forearm off in a spinning manoeuvre, but all he manages are sparks. "What?" He is then grabbed on the ankle by one of the two snake-headed tails and pulled over amidst a surprised groan. "No!" He slices its head clean off, but the second grabs him round the shoulder and throws him sliding on his shell underneath the whole statue into the wall. He rolls out of the way just before it stomps on him with a hind foot. "Not quick enough, big boy!" He separates the other snake head from the tail with his swords, as it tries to strike again. "And now you can't use those to grab me!"
Akuco watches as he mounts the statue, trying to slice it up at all the narrowest points he can find. Again, he just creates more sparks. It is only when Mikey runs back towards him, that he recalls he was supposed to find some rubble.
"What have you got for us to fling!?"
"Em." He is quick to look around for anything that might be effective. "Maybe a brazier."
"A brazier?! How is a brazier gonna work?!"
"Sorry, Mikey! I don't see anything else!"
"A brazier will do!" Leo concurs. "We just need to break off that forearm!" In moments he vaults off the brute's back and slices the brazier behind Akuco and Mikey clean from the wall. Mikey is quick to toss Leo the handle to his kusari-gama, while the coals spill out onto the floor.
Akuco touches the metal with the back of his hand, knowing his scales are tougher than the turtles, testing the heat. He rapidly takes his hand off with a grunt of pain, due to the burning sensation. "It's still hot!"
"Give it a moment then try again!"
"Hello! Still getting squashed here!" Raph complains.
"Bear with us, Raph! We'll get you free!"
Akuco tests the brazier's metal again, and this time it is safe to be touched with the palm of his hand. "Okay! Let's catapult it!"
"Right!" Leo states, before he and Mikey move forward pulling taut the chain.
Akuco pulls the brazier back at the very centre of the chain, then tells Leo and Mikey to move left until his sights are at the target. "Perfect!" In unison, he lets go of the brazier at the same time Leo and Mikey pull the kusari-gama forward. Due to the power of the catapult between them, the forearm breaks off completely, giving Raph his much wanted freedom.
"Well, it's about time!" He kicks the brazier back towards them. "Catch! Then knock it down somehow! That should keep it down!"
"Now the hind leg!" Akuco instructs, as he readies the same brazier on the chain.
"Right!" Mikey and Leo reply. When all three are in the right position, they repeat the same action, causing the hind leg to break off the main statue. It falls to the floor having been unbalanced, cracking at the weakest points, and in moments Raph jumps between two statues, before vaulting from the top of one onto the wall to give himself more height. Akuco is amazed at how quickly Raph got up there.
Raph backflips down feet first, and aims himself like a missile. "Eat feet, you ancient piece of stone!" As he lands, he breaks the stone beast in half from the force of the impact. Due to his earlier threat of turning one into rubble, he breaks off the other two legs with two kicks of his own, then heads to the statue's head, ready to stomp down on its neck. "Good riddance!" With a final strike, he breaks off the head turning the brute into a pile of rubble.
"Well. That was effective," Akuco casually says.
"That's Raph for you," Mikey answers. "Our wrecking ball of a brother."
"Now then. Let's go help the others." Leo turns to Raph. "Raph! Come help us with the artillery!"
"My pleasure! I still want my payback!" Together, they carry the remains of the statue between them, towards the staircase. In doing so, Akuco notices the skills of Aerne and Kaietha, as they continue to distract the beast for Don to get past. They remain unsuccessful, as it seems the statue has gotten smarter since. Don has to pole vault clear, when both the snake head tails strike at him at once.
"Its tails are getting on my nerves!" As if a light bulb just lit up in his head, he vaults into the air and swings his staff down like a sword, contacting the tails as they aim towards him, breaking them in the process. "Hah!" He looks at Aerne and Kaietha. "Thanks for your help!"
"Not that we did much!" Kaietha claims.
Before Akuco could warn them, the third statue appears just as Don makes it halfway, swiping Kaietha and Aerne aside as the other turns itself around to break the stairs apart. "Don! Kaietha! Aerne!"
"I'm okay!" Don shouts, safely nestled on the last of the staircase still attached to the wall.
"We're fine too!" Aerne states a short distance away.
Don then vaults up to the top as the last of the staircase is struck, calling down once he lands. "Hah! Missed me!" The statue glares up at him, its head quivering as it tilts it.
"Did I?!" A sudden sinister sounding voice remarks, before Don cries and disappears from Akuco's sight.
That voice. I recognise it. It's faint. But it's right above us. Was that, Khuzo?
"Don!" Kaietha shouts, but Akuco knows no one can get up there with the remaining two statues still attacking them. Along with the others, he is also dodging their attacks that are not stopping anytime soon.
So much for my theory. Damn it! The only way to stop the statues is to destroy them, or maybe if we escape, they will just cease. But Don. He's in trouble.
"Let me! I want some payback!"
That sounded like Chaon.
"Let me go!" Don shouts, but it is soon drowned out by his painful grunts and groans in what can only be described as a beating.
"Don!" Kaietha calls, keeping her distance from the statues as Aerne pulls Akuco clear. Mikey, Leo and Raph then start to catapult the rubble from the first statue one after the next at the other two, breaking them into pieces. It did not take them long at all.
"What's happening?" Raph asks.
"It's Don! Someone's got him!"
"What?"
"I heard both Khuzo and Chaon!" Akuco states.
"Not good! Not good at all! They'll take it and jeopardise our mission!" Leo acclaims. "We must get up there! We must get up there now!"
However, Don's cry of pain makes everyone stop for a moment after there is a crash against the wall near the remnants of the sandstone stairs.
"Ooh! Now that felt good!" Chaon expresses with utter satisfaction.
Akuco hears Don groaning as though he is too weak to keep himself up any longer. What did he do to him? Why does he sound so weak? In moments he hurries on forward, jumping onto the remains of the statues in an attempt to get to the top.
"Akuco, wait!"
"Leave him alone you ugly man-cow!" Raph loudly orders, and Akuco knows he is following him.
"Raph! Don't be a fool!"
"Donny needs us, Leo!" Raph shouts back.
"Now then!" Chaon begins.
Akuco hears the scraping of metal as he nears. Huh? Metal? As he lands at the top, he clearly sees Chaon dragging his huge axe along the floor towards Don. Perhaps it is intentional, knowing Leo, Mikey, Kaietha and Aerne are still down there.
"Ooh! Did you hear that?!" Chaon callously shouts for everyone below to hear. "Especially you, red eyes!" He angrily glares at Raph as he lands, but Raphael gives no delay and charges with an aggressive intent, his fist at the ready.
"Don't you damn well dare!" And then he roars, surprising Akuco. But Khuzo quickly grabs Raph in an arm lock, before throwing him onto the ground with such force, he slides on the floor back towards the stairs. Raph is quick to recover his footing, and then the others arrive with their weapons ready. Pyren however, pulls out something resembling a gun, before aiming it at Akuco's head and arming it. Akuco can do nothing except gasp and raise his hands defensively in fear.
"No sudden moves, or the little croc loses his brains!" Pyren threatens. Aridgelow is also there drawing his bow towards Leo and the others, with three arrows nocked in place. He holds another three against the bow in his other hand. An arrow for each one of his enemies who still stand.
"Pitiful! Did you honestly think the earlier collapse would hold us back?" Aridgelow glares disdainfully at Kaietha. "You may have deflected my exploding arrow, but you won't deflect these ones!"
"Try me!" Kaietha challenges.
"Uh, uh, uh!" Chracer begins. "Think about it, Kaietha. What about the little croc? There'll be a nasty mess to clean up if you move even a claw!"
Akuco will never manage to dodge a bullet and does not wish to have his life end with his brains blown out. He has too much to live for and knows Kaietha understands his current limits, so it is clear she will not dare move after the threat. None of them will. And now they can do nothing to save Donatello, if Chaon does what Akuco thinks he will.
"Now then. We're leaving." Khuzo says.
"You can thank Luthen Leiko for leading us right to you!" Pyren states to The Brotherhood. "Heh. Such a pity. His last words were very touching indeed."
Akuco is surprised when Leo suddenly growls with anger, but he never expected the bodiless voices to overwhelm him at that moment, with one voice overcoming them all.
"The fiery one lies. Let me show you."
Akuco's mind is suddenly filled with images of what may have been a past experience, but he is unsure. As he looks around, he sees he is inside someone's house with a human kneeling on the floor before him. To his confusion, he turns to look at his hand. It is not his, and neither is the arm. Too alien. Yet his attention is drawn to the single flame coming from a finger, and a question he has no answer to.
Huh? What? Am I… Am I, Pyren?
The question is soon answered, when he hears Pyren's voice. "The problem with fire is. A single ember can cause disastrous consequences when given the right persuasion." The human kneeling just stares when Pyren looks back at him. "Just a single ember. You don't want to lose your house now, do you?"
"Better my house, than my life!"
"Where is The Brotherhood?" Pyren asks with malice.
"I will not tell you anything!"
"Hmm?" Akuco feels his entire body burning slowly as if he was just set ablaze, then understands it is not him, but Pyren. "Do you want to lose them? Fire is uncontrollable you see. Trapped and alone they will burn just like you will, if you don't tell me what I want to know." By the human's reaction, he can tell Pyren is now completely engulfed in flame.
"Never!"
"Very well." Pyren looks over his shoulder. "Bring them in! I want to see how he acts when his family is threatened before him!"
"No! Leave them alone!"
He looks back at the human. "If you cooperated like the good husband and father you should have been, then they'd have been left alone." He glances over his shoulder again, watching as three more humans are brought into the same room. Chaon has the woman, Khuzo has the girl, and Chracer has the boy. As they are thrown to the floor before him, Akuco sees Chaon holding the axe under the woman's chin. Chracer has one of her claws ready to slice the boy's throat, and Khuzo has the blade of his spear resting against the girl's neck, but he forces her to expose it by pushing the flat of the blade into it.
"No, please! Have mercy!"
"I see you can't bear to lose them." He glances back at him. "This could have all been avoided, you know. All you had to do was tell me where they were. But now it seems, they'll all be killed before you."
"Luthen! Please!" The woman cries.
"Elle! I…"
"Think about Drecco and Leithora! Anything is better than losing them!"
Akuco can see that both Drecco and Leithora have tears flowing from their eyes, and the glare of Pyren's flames just makes this all the more clearer. They stare at Luthen with loss in their eyes.
"Yes. Listen to your wife. It might just save all your pitiful lives," Pyren states. "So. Will you cooperate now, or will you let them die, Luthen Leiko, High Mage? Why don't you fight us with your magic, so called protector? Oh. I forgot. Khuzo cursed this building before we entered, so you can't use your magic."
"I'd rather die than jeopardise their mission, devil!"
"A pity. I had hoped you would cooperate." He raises his hand, ready to tell his followers the order. "You have five seconds before their innocent blood is spilled. Five! Four!"
"Daddy! Please!" Leithora bawls.
"Three!"
"Lou! Please! They'll be able to deal with them! You know how skilled they are! You know how much they have helped this world!" Elle cries. "I know this won't help them, but there's nothing we can do!"
"Two!"
"Well if you won't tell them, then I will!" Drecco angrily shouts amidst his tears, but despite this, there was a hint of animosity to his words. He is quick to glare hatefully at Chracer. "Let me go, you damn rogue!"
"I'd rather spill your innocent blood, little boy! Now silence, or you might tempt me!"
"One!"
"The Cerbist Ruins!" Drecco shouts, his eyes closed shut.
"Drecco!"
"No, mum!" He turns his head towards his mother with hate in his eyes. "Dad was a coward! He's always a stupid coward! He'd rather see us die than care about us!" He kicks Chracer in the ankle, causing her to let him go amidst a cry of anguish. "Let me go!"
"You petulant brat!" Chracer raises her talons. "Die!" However, Khuzo simply stops her by raising his paw, making her lower her weapon.
"Enough!"
Drecco boldly steps up to Pyren, as the flames around him begin to die down. "Listen, creep! The Cerbist Ruins is where The Brotherhood are going! To collect an item of evil intent for the scholars of Deviend!" He storms up to his father, and callously scowls at him. "And as for you, father! I hate you! You only cared about yourself!" He then runs off in his tears.
"Dre-dre!" Leithora calls, sniffling when she receives no reply from her brother.
"Aren't you proud of him? He just saved your pitiful lives." He lowers his hand, telling his followers to let them go free. "Let's go! We have what we came here for!" After a moment, he follows the others out of the room, only glancing back to see Luthen, his wife and his daughter caressing each other.
Akuco is now back to his current predicament, falling to his knees in tears for what he just witnessed. He looks up to Pyren still aiming the gun at his head, wondering if he will pull the trigger because of the sudden movement. But he does not.
"I see. The pressure is too great for you, little croc. But you are not our target. You're just an extra that we can use to our advantage."
"Just like how you used Luthen and his family to get what you wanted! But you couldn't do it, could you? You couldn't kill him! Just like you can't kill me! Because you're a coward just like he was!"
"Don't mock me, reptile! I can kill you whenever I please!"
"Well go on then!" Akuco quickly rises to his feet. "Pull the trigger! I dare you!"
"Akuco! What are you doing?!" Leo questions with shock.
"I'd rather keep your 'friends' from moving! Don't forget! This gun is still armed and aimed at your head! If I wanted to kill you, I'd have done so already! But no, I don't want to kill you. I'd rather just use you!"
"Let's go, troop!" Khuzo orders. "We're done here!"
"But… I still want to have fun!" Chaon complains.
"Then deal with them already!" Khuzo shouts, before heading off with Chracer and Aridgelow. He glances at Pyren as he stops. "Catch up to us with Chaon once you're both done!"
"Understood, master."
Khuzo ties the pouch to his belt, before heading off again.
"You heard master Khuzo, Chaon. Get rid of them!"
Chaon soon starts to laugh. Before Akuco can do anything, he hears Don getting thrown down before being struck with the axe.
"Fore!" Chaon taunts.
Glancing over his shoulder, Akuco sees everyone just disappear back down the staircase in a pile, screaming in surprise. He knows Kaietha would have easily evaded and gotten one over on Chaon, but with Pyren still aiming his gun at Akuco's head, she had no choice but to let herself get sent over as well. The threat is just too real, and Akuco gets the feeling that all of them like him too much. How can they do their job, with him just in the way all the time? What he did not expect was Aridgelow to fire one of his exploding arrows down, causing a boom that sounded like it blew up stone. Raph is quick to shout up towards them.
"Hrr! When I get back up there, you're all history!"
"Silence, red eyes!" Chaon pauses. "Now as for you, little croc!" Akuco's tail is trodden on as he growls in both pain and anger, before he is suddenly winded after he is hit in the gut by Chaon's axe pole. He is then grabbed around the neck, carried and slammed back first against the wall.
"Gah!"
"Ooh! Now that felt good!" Unable to move, Chaon knees him in his wound causing him to hiss in agony, but it still does not stop Akuco from glaring at him with pure hatred in his eyes as he goes limp in Chaon's grip. "Hah! Puny weakling!" After a moment, Akuco is tossed down screaming to where the others are. "Good luck in getting back up here!"
Akuco hears them leave after he is caught by Kaietha, holding his side as it throbs in pain. Unable to say a single word, however, he just grits his teeth in agony glancing at the others, all standing as though it was nothing. Despite this, Don seemed too weak to even stand. He does look badly beaten, even though he has a shell.
"Akuco. Your wound," Kaietha says with concern.
"Kai. Is Akuco alright?" Leo questions.
"He needs seeing to. His wound."
"Understood. Bring him over." He places Don down to begin the healing, but Raph gets in the way.
"Don?" Raph wonders, impeding Leo's healing by shaking him in an attempt to bring him back. "Don!" Akuco can do nothing but watch. "Don!" But all Don manages is a harrowing groan. "I'm gonna punch that ugly man-cow's damn lights out! And then I'll wake him up and do it again!"
"Raph! Calm yourself!" Leo reassures, resting his hand on his shoulder. "I will heal him. I always do. Please. Just stay calm and give us some room."
"But…"
"Shh. It is alright, Raph. It is alright."
Leo's calming words are heartfelt and unfeigned. No one would be able to match them. "He'll be back to normal in no time."
"I'm… sorry, I…" Raph rubs at his eyes, informing Akuco that he is indeed crying.
"I understand, Raph. Now go on, help Kai bring Akuco over to me. You care for him, just as much as you care for us and Kai."
"Okay…" Unable to speak, he simply walks to Akuco. "Akuco. Are you alright?" Raph helps support him between himself and Kaietha, as Leo begins the healing chants.
"I've been better… Ow…" He checks his wound after he feels it sting, clearly seeing that it is indeed bleeding again. "Damn, it… My scar…"
"Lean on us, Akuco," Raph offers. Akuco rests himself between the pair, understanding that Raph still has compassion for him. "We'll take you to Leo. He'll heal you too."
"I'm more worried about you. These tears of yours. Are you okay?"
"I'm alright, Akuco. I care about my brothers. I care about my family. It is just hard for me to cry sometimes. But I couldn't bear seeing Donny like that, weak and frail. I don't want to lose him. I don't want to lose anyone. And that includes you. But my anger. It gets bad sometimes. Father always helps me when I get like this, but when he cannot reach me, I fail to keep myself contained. That's why Kai helps me when I'm unable to on my own. But it's true. When I first saved you, it was genuine. I chose to do it. I wasn't forced."
"But you never knew me before then. What made you do it?"
"I always recall Mrs. M. This was back at home far away from here. She was blind, elderly and vulnerable. But she was so nice too. When she told me she was having to leave her only home because she had no money to pay for her keep, I just had to help her. She was alone you see, with a little kitty. I admit. I might have used her to get away from the humans who were chasing me at the time, because I had nowhere else to hide. The humans considered my brothers and I as freaks, monsters, even trophies for their wall. But she never saw me like that. She saw me as a normal person, even though she couldn't see. I learned then that not everyone was bad like I thought they were. So in a way, it helped me show my compassion to them. Because they were different from us."
"I see, and I thank you for telling me. You seemed like you were always angry. It made me dislike you. When I kept recalling all the times you saved me, it just made me mad at you, especially when you started treating me like dirt. But I now understand, and I forgive you."
"Thank you, Akuco. I apologise for hurting your feelings, after all those things I said to you. You've been very helpful to us, yet you don't even know us. But I'm still pummeling you later for all those mistakes of yours. It's my way of showing you friendship."
"Great. I'll have so much fun." He pauses. "But I've already decided. I'm gonna best you first."
"That might not be such a good idea," Don proclaims, back to his old self.
"Donny!" Akuco is suddenly knocked onto his rump after Raph opens up his arms.
"Oof!"
"Whoops. Sorry, Akuco." He hugs his brother instantly.
"Well. The compassion didn't last long. You forgot I was there!" Akuco frowns at him.
"I said I was sorry."
"Raph. You're acting like you've missed me for weeks."
"He got upset after seeing you beaten and weak like that."
"Oh, okay. I'm fine now. But I'm giving Chaon some payback when next I see him. Grr! He makes me so mad! I can't stand his chaotic ways! I wanna pound him!" It is clear Don tried so hard to remain calm, but his anger still filtered through. Does he really hold this much hate for Chaon? Maybe they have a history between them.
"Easy, Don. They've gone," Leo says. "For now, at least."
"I don't know. I kinda like angry Don," Raph contemplates.
Leo clears his throat. "Anyway. I'm just glad I could heal you. Chaon did quite a number on you. But we need everyone we can to get it back. Including our guests."
"You mean. They took it," Don wonders.
"I'm afraid so." Leo heads to Akuco and kneels down before him. "Let me take a look at that, Akuco."
"I'm fine. Really."
"You say that now, but your wound. Who's to say you won't get hurt on it again? It isn't going to heal if it is constantly attacked."
"I…"
"It will only take a moment, Akuco. There might be a tinge of pain though, and I apologise in advance for that."
Leo rests a hand on Akuco's scar, causing him to hiss in pain, and then the healing chants are spoken once more, a gentle feeling soon overwhelming where the dylaroc scars still bleed. In moments, the pain is all gone. "What are those words, anyway?"
"Just an ancient healing mantra my father taught me." He takes his hand away. "There. How do you feel?"
"Much better, actually. The pain is all gone."
"That's good. I haven't managed to remove the scar though. That may be permanent."
"It's alright. It'll remind me of everything I do wrong, so that I don't make the same mistakes again. Thanks."
"I just want to say that I am sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"We're sorry we couldn't get back up there to help you when you needed us. We're sorry we did nothing when you were threatened. But those guys. They don't bluff. We couldn't risk it. I just hope Chaon didn't hurt you too bad."
'They don't bluff', he says. What I witnessed said otherwise. Pyren never planned to burn down Luthen's house, with him and his family along with it. He just used it as a means to get what he wanted. They may be assassins, but it seems they only kill when it's a job of theirs. "Leo. I was merely crushed and nearly eaten by a dylaroc. I'm sure a powerful knee attack on my injury is nothing. But he did pack a mighty punch, and he did receive a glare of hatred from me. Perhaps he saw, perhaps he didn't. But anyway, we need to get that necklace back."
"And I have just the ticket to get us out of here," Mikey assures, before taking out his kusari-gama. He heads to the point underneath the top most part of the broken staircase, and swings his weapon before tossing it as far as he can. As it lands at the top, he pulls it back until it locks in place. Offering an arm towards Kaietha and Aerne, he then speaks like a true gentleman. "After you, ladies."
"So long as you keep your eyes in front," Kaietha states.
"Heh, heh. That's because it's reserved for me alone," Raph jests. "Ow!" He rubs his head in pain, much to Akuco's confusion.
"Hah! You didn't see that coming, did you?" Kaietha then heads to the chain and grabs it before climbing up.
"But you didn't need to tail strike me," Raph says.
"Aww. Has the big strong turtle got a boo boo on his head?" Kaietha jokes back as she continues to climb.
"You definitely deserved that one, Raphy-boy," Mikey states, then he suddenly screams when Raph raises his hand and clenches his fist.
"We'll climb up one at a time, okay everyone?" Leo softly orders, before Aerne hops onto the chain. When Raph tries to go next, Mikey simply runs and hops off of his shoulders to grapple the chain instead.
"Too slow!" Mikey calls, before he laughs.
"I'll give you 'too slow'!" He picks up a piece of rubble and goes to throw it at Mikey's head, but Leo grabs his fist to stop him.
"Save it Raph," Leo says. "Let him have his fun." Leo gestures to Akuco after that. "After you, Akuco."
"Thanks, Leo." Akuco takes hold of the chain, then holds out his free hand to Raph. "Let me throw it for you, Raph."
"Sure." Raph hands the piece of rubble to Akuco, where he then slots it into one of his vest pockets. It did not take him long to make it all the way up. He was trained to climb ropes by Achakzoa, and he is now one of the fastest in his clan. Once Raph reaches the upper floor, Akuco takes out what he hid and tosses it so it hits Mikey on the head with a bounce.
"Ow! Raph!" Mikey cries, glaring at him.
"It wasn't me," Raph states with a smile, before he and Akuco fist bump each other after Mikey looks away. Once Leo and Don reach their location, the kusari-gama is released from the protuberance by Don himself, before he rolls up the chain ready to hand it back to his brother.
For the length of time the group had been inside, running out into the light had them covering their eyes with a squint for a moment, especially Akuco, whose sight was already adjusted to the dark. But where are Khuzo and his gang? Surely they cannot move this quickly.
Directing them to the back of the ruins, Leo reaches into his pack and pulls out a flute device of sorts, before pressing it to his lips and creating a sound eerily similar to one of the many calls a bakhora can make. If Akuco knows his birds well, this particular vocalisation is one of locating their species. Soon enough, his call is answered. All the bakhora including the one Akuco and Aerne flew on, land on the ground in front of Leo bowing their heads.
"Good boy," Leo compliments as he pets the bakhora on the side of the head.
"At least we know the flute works," Raph states. "That's all of them." He then glances at the female. "Oh? Who does this bakhora belong to?"
"Aerne and I," Akuco answers.
"They sure do have a lot of them, don't they?"
"Of course. The bakhora stations service the entirety of Dylaroc, and truthfully, the bakhora belong to the stations, not us. We just rent them for travel."
"I see," Raph replies.
"But if they service the entire region of Dylaroc, then why is there no station for your clan, Akuco?" Mikey's question certainly has Akuco thinking. "Surely they know your clan is there too."
"I guess my father hasn't yet got the means to pay for their services," he eventually answers. "I'll have to discuss it with him later."
"It seems you don't get much money coming in, Akuco," Don states. "I wonder."
"We haven't quite recovered since the war. My father uses what he can to improve the clan first and foremost. I guess a bakhora station isn't next on his list. Currently, I think he was planning trenches for the clan, to reduce the flooding during high tide."
Leo soon climbs onto his bakhora as it lowers itself accordingly, and not even a moment later does he then glance at everyone else. "Alright troop! Mount up, and let's get that necklace back!"
"How can we find them if we don't know where they went?" Raph questions loudly.
"Good point. We'll search for them by air!"
"Sure. If we knew where they went!"
"Relax, Raph. We'll find them," Kaietha says.
"Keep an ear out for your communicators! We'll communicate that way!" Leo then lifts off with the bakhora into the sky.
"Here, Akuco and Aerne," Don says, handing them each a communicator. They take one each. "We always keep spares for emergencies. Everyone will be able to hear each other, so if you spot something we don't, tell us."
"Understood." He watches as the others then hop onto their bakhora, before following Leo.
"I guess we're off then," Aerne says, climbing onto their shared ride. Akuco follows suit and they too head into the open air on the wing.
Akuco is certain that the direction Leo is currently taking them might be the wrong way. If he knows his villains, they never take the same routes back unless they are fleeing. This makes them both predictable and unpredictable, but at the same time it depends where they came from as well. But should he say something to him? If he says nothing, they might miss Khuzo's team entirely. Or they will catch up to them. Unsure who they are, who they serve and where they go, he can only ask someone who knows them, perhaps even more than Aerne. Without any further hesitation, he speaks to Leo through the communicator.
"Em. Leo."
"What is it, Akuco?"
"Are you certain Khuzo and his team went this way? It seems pointless."
"What makes you say that?"
"Well. If they came from across the continent, then wouldn't they go back that way?" Akuco questions with wonder. I know that goes against the usual when it comes to villains, but they would take the same route back if it's the quickest way back to their base of sorts. He thinks to himself then continues. "Unless they turned up at these ruins from another direction."
"Hmm?"
"Maybe he's onto something there Leo," Don interjects through the radio. "Madith's island is far to the south east. The quickest way there would be straight over these mountains and then to Breylon Lake Town. They'll have to avoid the Elvish city Sheisienda, which is why they will go to the lake. And I mean. If Madith sent them here for the article we were supposed to get, then it's obvious they took it from us for him."
"So I guess we head to the mountains." Leo complies.
Akuco watches as Leo turns the entire formation around, back towards the mountains.
With the mountains now in view Akuco hopes their enemies will be in sight, however, not one of them could even be spotted. There is no way they could have made it to the other side that fast, so he would be very surprised if that is true. And what would happen when or if they find them? Perhaps another battle he is not ready for. But he cannot let the Brotherhood down. What if they need him? How useful will he be in a major fight?
Within a second his assumptions become clear as an explosion happens at the front of the formation. The bakhora Leo, Raph and Mikey ride, had clearly been forced to separate from the main group. Then he is tossed sideways as he holds on for dear life before another explosion in midair occurs. He glances at Don and Kaietha as well as their bakhora, and they too had swerved clear. Kaietha above, Don to the side.
"We've found them!" Leo shouts through the radio. "Evasive manoeuvres! Do not regroup! Keep him guessing!" They all quickly start flying their bakhora in very unpredictable patterns including Aerne, like she has taken part in missions with the Brotherhood before.
Taking the chance to check his surroundings, Akuco glares down to the rocky landscape below, noticing Aridgelow balanced atop a beast resembling a four-legged minotaur, his bow poised to fire another arrow as he swaps his gaze between his six targets every second. This beast also dons a strikingly handsome mane, powerful forelimbs that resemble a lion's, and his horns look to be that of an earthy colour.
Leotaurs. Half lion, half bull. That's how they got so high so quickly. But why would Aridgelow be riding on one? He can fly. And is Leo's plan even gonna work? Aridgelow clearly shot down the bakhora patrol earlier without much effort. What's stopping him from blowing us up in midair one at a time? All it'll take is one exploding arrow sticking right into one of us. He glances back to the others of Khuzo's team, noting them all looking up to the group, perhaps planning something to get the upper hand. As they direct their attention to Khuzo, he starts making hand signals Akuco does not understand.
"Guys," he calls through the communicator. "They're planning something."
"They're gonna flank us! Keep your guard up!" Leo orders, just as Chracer and Pyren appear on the wing.
It seems they plan to get us back into the middle. Akuco thinks. That way Aridgelow can blow us all out of the sky with one arrow. He watches Chracer heading straight for Mikey, while also glancing at Pyren throwing fireballs at his targets. Raph, Leo, Don and Kaietha are forced back into the centre while Aridgelow readies his next arrow. Without hesitation, he fires.
"Scatter!" Leo shouts, as all four of them separate by pulling back their bakhora to decelerate and then climb to avoid the next explosion. By the end of the manoeuvre, all four of them were back to being scattered. Mikey suddenly screams as he is carried off of his bakhora, Chracer's steel talons locked around his upper arms.
"Mikey!" Leo cries. Oblivious, he is then struck on the neck and shoulder by one of Pyren's fireballs and knocked off his bakhora.
"Leo!" Raph shouts, quickly dodging Pyren's attacks along with his bakhora and the others, clearly having no time to think, and no chance to get to Leo.
Akuco is swapping his gaze at everything, unmoving from his perch wondering what to do. How can he help them all? He needs to do something. What can I do? Everything is happening too fast at once. In moments his name is called, bringing him out of his thoughts.
"Akuco! Steer her! I'll get Leonardo!"
"What?!"
"Damn it! Just grab her reins and steer!" Aerne shouts before diving off the bakhora's back down towards Leo.
"Aerne, wait!" He dives forward to dodge a fireball that was aimed right for him, then is forced to scramble for the reins and hold on for dear life screaming as the bakhora rolls right over. Akuco descries a couple more fireballs flying into the distance, before they crash into the mountainside. It is clear the bakhora did that spin to protect them both, as he deduces the fireballs had been aimed right for them. "Thanks, girl. But please, don't do that again!" He pets her on the head. "Not unless I'm safe at these reins." He glances back towards Aerne, successfully catching Leo and is not at all amused by what she did. "Aerne! Get back in the air, damn it!" He bellows down at her. It is then that Leo's bakhora dives down for them, answering his call, as Mikey yells down towards the nearest bakhora. This one being Akuco's and Aerne's.
"Akuco! Brace her for impact!"
"Huh?" He looks up to Mikey diving down towards them. "Holy…!" He then manoeuvres her to catch Mikey on her back.
"Thanks."
I can't believe I flew her like that! Akuco thinks with pride.
"I'll flay you from your shell, turtle!" Chracer threats as she dives at speed towards him. Mikey in turn, double kicks her across the torso and neck while balancing on his hands, sending her plummeting a short distance.
"Enjoy your fall, Chracer!" Mikey jests, but she quickly recovers. "Uh, oh!" He takes out a three-sectioned weapon and readies himself for another battle.
"What even is that, Mikey?" Akuco asks.
"My sansetsukon. I'll show you later, but right now…" He swings his weapon to strike Chracer across the head. "...I've gotta keep her off me! Off us!"
"But what about that necklace? We need to get it back!"
"Keeyaah!" Another strike, followed by a bird cry of pain, as Akuco witnesses Mikey hitting one of Chracer's talons. He is forced to block with the centre section, struggling against the strength of his adversary as she tries to yank it from his grasp with the other talon. "Maybe she could dive down for us to get it!" He continues struggling. "Grr! Let go, birdie!"
"Not until you bleed after your earlier escape!"
Akuco has no idea what to do next to help Mikey out. He does not even know how Mikey got himself free earlier. Last he saw, he was getting carried off. But flying a bakhora? He has no skills in doing so. Managing to catch his friend was a fluke. It was simply impulse. He glances down to Aerne and Leo, watching as they are caught by Leo's bakhora. At least they are safe. Akuco thinks. But how do we get to Khuzo? He's the one with the necklace. In my pouch! And if I try to dive down, Chaon would just grab and throw us.
In moments, Don flies his bakhora diagonally towards Chracer, his staff out ready to attack. "Talons off! Heeyaaah!" His attempt to strike her is foiled as she lets her grip go, before diving backwards out of sight. "What?"
"Where'd she go?!" Mikey wonders, clearly glad to have his weapon back.
Akuco looks over both sides, but does not see Chracer anywhere. "I can't see her anywhere!" However, he did not expect to be sent flying off his ride by an attack from behind with cold metal talons across the back of his head. "Gah!" Falling, he screams, only glancing up to notice Chracer's dark complacent glare his way.
"Akuco!" He hears everyone cry in unison.
As he raises a hand towards his bakhora, he sees her diving down right for him, Mikey steering her. Glancing back to Chracer, he notices that she is also diving, but towards Mikey and the bakhora. Don rapidly dives with his bakhora after her, striking at her from behind to knock her off course. They both then battle it out in the air, Don constantly keeping Chracer from making an attack on his bakhora.
"Akuco! Catch!" Mikey yells down at him, and Akuco tries his best to reach for the chain. Suddenly an explosion happens very close to his and Aerne's bakhora, causing Mikey to plummet along with her.
"NO!" Akuco bellows, but miraculously he sees Mikey is unharmed and sky diving right for him.
"Don't worry, Akuco! I've got you!" Mikey assures Akuco, who is soon in his grasp as they collide with the mountainside. "Gah!" Mikey swings his kusari-gama towards an outcropping of rock, but it does not keep the pair from crashing again. The force causes Mikey to lose his grip on him. "No!"
Akuco crashes and rolls a short distance away, just reaching for a protrusion just to stop himself from falling off the ledge. "Guh!" He hisses in slight pain as his momentum diminishes rather quickly. "Damn…" Glancing down, he is surprised he fell slightly ahead of Khuzo's ground crew, but they are dangerously nearing his position. He hears Pyren and Raph having a scrap in the air nearby, Raph punching him every time he tries to flare up.
"GARRRRHHH!" Pyren roars, striking back with his own flurry of fists, clearly having had enough already. Most of his strikes do little to no damage on Raphael, who either takes the hits or blocks them with ease.
"I can do this all day, fire creep!"
"Hrr! Not before I pummel you into the mountain!"
A bakhora cry happens not far away, and Akuco watches as she crash lands with relatively minimal harm done to herself. As he pulls himself back over the ledge, all he sees is Raph held in a powerful grip during a plummeting dive before he is stomped back first into the rocky face of the mountain not far above him. All of Pyren's weight is forced into Raph's torso feet first, a cry of torturous pain being all that escapes him.
"Raph!" Leo cries, then Pyren roars in an angered agony, flaring up his entire body and soaring right for Kaietha, who is forced to pull her bakhora clear from him.
What caused him to turn? And why did he aim for Kaietha? Akuco thinks to himself.
"Take him and let's go!" Khuzo orders, now that his ground crew is within reach of Akuco, riding on their Leotaurs.
"What for!?" Chaon asks.
"They'll think twice about attacking when we use him again!"
"Understood."
Akuco is quick to roll backwards when Chaon jumps off his ride ready to crush him under the weight of his axe. "Not this time!"
"Grr!" Chaon growls, attempting to strike his target with the flat of his weapon.
Akuco evades every one of Chaon's attacks with a backstep, knowing the extra weight makes him easy to predict, especially when he can see and has space all around him. "You're not even trying, Chaon!"
"Hrr! Keep still you puny runt!"
"Get out of my way!" Akuco yells, receiving the butt of Chaon's axe pole in his stomach. "Guh!"
"I see! You lose focus when you're angry, just like Raphael does." He pauses. "Scaly creep! Ugly reptilian whelp!"
"You can talk, hornhead!" Another hit, this time across his side. "Gah! Damn it!" Holding his side, he is struck on the back by the flat of Chaon's axe and knocked front first into the ground. "Guh!"
"Good night, little croc!" Chaon threats.
Expecting another powerful hit, he is surprised to find Raph keeping the axe from its target as he glances up from the ground.
"Leave him alone, Chaon! Your battle's with me!" He performs a powerful double kick on him, knocking him back, but Akuco is certain he saw a crack in Raph's shell. Even when he lands again, he rests his arm along his lower torso, grimacing in pain. What is surprising is that Raph never lets his pain get the better of him, and in moments he blocks Chaon's next attack with the shell on his back to disarm him, as he turns himself to face the one he protects. "Go, Akuco. I've got this creep." He then strikes Chaon with a spinning kick when he tries to fight back.
Akuco takes this as a chance to recover his footing and charge for Khuzo to collect his pouch, making sure to keep an eye on Aridgelow, just in case he plans to shoot him with a paralysing arrow. But the plan is simple. Steal his pouch back from the enemy. Retrieve the necklace. With a glance back to Kaietha and Leo, he can tell they are handling Pyren just fine. Directing his gaze to Don, he notices Mikey is back in the air on his bakhora and the pair of them are keeping Chracer busy. At least they're keeping the more troublesome creeps away from me.
"Akuco! Look out!" Aerne calls, landing in front of him slicing an arrow clean in half. "Keep your wits about you! Stop daydreaming!"
"I wasn't daydreaming! I was making sure the others were keeping them away from me!"
"Focus on your target!"
"Oh sure. Easy for you to say. I'm not quick enough to react to an arrow shot at me!"
"I'll keep Aridgelow busy! You get Khuzo!" Aerne then charges for Aridgelow.
How would I get Khuzo, when I had no idea where the others were? What if I charged for him, and one of the others stopped me? I'd get nowhere fast! His thoughts are soon interrupted, when Khuzo vaults off his beast.
"So. You think you can beat me. Just try it."
"I don't have to beat you! All I want is my pouch back!"
"Try and take it then." He simply stands there holding the pouch after untying it, taunting him. "But you won't surprise me again."
Akuco makes the first move, aiming his fist at Khuzo's head. It is easily caught by his enemy's grip, but that was his plan all along. Now knowing where Khuzo stands and his position, Akuco body throws him a short distance away, snatching his pouch back in the process. He charges back to his bakhora intending to get as far from his enemies as possible, but a sudden sharp pain up along his back causes him to fall onto the ground amidst a painful cry, a stinging sensation too agonising to ignore.
"Akuco!" He hears Aerne call.
"Not so fast, little croc," Khuzo darkly states. "You never finish the job. Just being lucky doesn't save you from me." He pauses. "And now that I have you where I want you, you're coming back with me. You have been a thorn in our sides for too long, and now I want to learn everything about you so that I can make you suffer tenfold. You've sealed your fate along with everyone you know, by simply befriending my enemies."
Trying his best to push himself back up, he is whacked across the side of the head powerfully with what seemed like a polearm. Rolling down the mountainside, everything around him goes dark and silent, as the feeling of his surroundings simply vanishes.