Zeronia

Chapter 18: Zeronia Vs. Tragon

Toby/Zeronia P.O.V

Tak teleported us to the location her ship computer said Tragon was past all the roadblocks. We stood in the middle of a large street. All around us were wrecked buildings and cars that had been flipped over. We even saw a tank that had been completely turned upside-down. The army must have been there trying to stop it. When everything they tried failed they must have retreated.

"It's quiet," Tak said.

"Too quiet," Judy added.

Tak stared at her. "What an odd thing to say. How can it be too quiet?"

Judy stared back. "It's like what they say on TV. You know, when someone says, It's quiet. Too quiet."

"That's the first I've ever heard that."

Laloc suddenly hushed us. "Listen," she instructed.

We all listened and heard a faint clanging sound that got louder and louder. Then the creature called Tragon appeared from behind a corner.  He was at least twenty feet tall. He had eight metallic spider-like legs that ended in sword-like blades as though he had swords for feet.  He had long arms covered in wires and long sharp fingers. But his head was the most frightening thing about him. It was shaped like a silver skull bobbing on a tube-like neck with snapping jaws and jagged teeth. He had red eyes that glowed like the fires of Hell. There were pieces of fabric hanging loosely from his machine body as though he once was covered in artificial skin, but it was torn off.

I have to admit, I was more than a little intimidated by the sight of him. But I had to push down my fear and do what I came to do.

"Go to safety," I told the others." I'll handle him."

Laloc stepped beside me. She drew her wand and transformed herself into her topaz armor. "We'll handle him," she corrected.

Judy grabbed me and gazed pleadingly into my eyes. "Please, Toby, don't do anything crazy," she whispered.

Don't do anything crazy? I think just being there was crazy enough!

"I won't," I promised.

As the others hid Laloc and I approached Tragon.

"Tragon," Laloc called.

Tragon swung his giant skull-like head toward us. His red eyes burned into our souls.

"Your reign of terror ends," Laloc said. "No more would another planet suffer your cruelty!"

I have to admit, I was impressed by Laloc's boldness. I, on the other hand, could feel the butterflies in my stomach.

When Tragon spoke it had the same effect on my ears as the slamming of a car door. His voice was booming and echoing and void of any emotions. It was like a distorted voice synthesized by a computer. "You dare challenge me?" Tragon said. "Tragon the mighty! The eradicator of worlds. Billions had fallen to my might and billions more shall follow!" He lowered his head as though to get a closer look at us. "And I will be quite surprised indeed to be bested by alone Zeron and a wee Earth girl!"

I  said through clenched teeth, "I show you what this wee Earth girl can do!" I morphed my wand into a sword and charged him. I leaped through the air and was about to impale the blade of my sword through his abdomen when an electrical shock went through my body and I was thrown back sent sprawling onto the street.

Laloc rushed over to me and helped me up. My body tingled all over.

"Tragon is surrounded by an invisible reflected barrier," Laloc explained. "Attacks don't work on him."

"So how do we beat him?" I wanted to know.

"I don't know," Laloc replied. "No one had ever beaten Tragon."

We gazed up as Tragon's eyes began to glow brighter. Laloc pushed me out of the way as beams of red hot energy shot from Tragon's eyes.

As I turned to where Laloc and I were standing a few seconds I saw that the spot in the street where the beams hit had melted into hot boiling tar.

Tragon reached over and lifted an abandoned car, then threw it at us. I leaped up with my sword and sliced it in half.

"Chop the ground around him," Laloc said. "If we can't attack him maybe we can trap him."

It was worth a shot.

"You take one side and I'll take the other side!"

I nodded. Laloc raced over to the other side of Tragon and I began chopping at the ground with my sword as Laloc was with her ax.

Tragon's spider-like sword legs moved like fingers drumming on a table. He sent his hand down upon me. I jumped out of the way as his sharp fingers dug through the street.

Breaking the street from under him wasn't working, I realized. Tragon was moving around too much.

Tragon pulled his hand back, ripping up pieces of the street.

I saw Laloc racing toward me.

"This isn't working," I told her.

"I realize that," she replied.

"I shall crush you like the insignificant insects you are," Tragon bellowed. He picked up the upside-down tank and threw it at us.  We dived to the ground as the tank sailed over our heads.

We Jumped to our feet. Laloc raced over to a telephone pole and with her ax chopped it down. It fell toward Tragon but was repelled by his reflecting barrier.

Tragon's eyes flew bright and he shot beams of energy from his eyes, which Laloc was able to avoid.

I did notice something though. While Tragon was using his eye blasters against Laloc a wire from the telephone pole smacked Tragon in the head. How was it that the wire was able to get through the reflected barrier? The answer, because maybe whenever Tragon uses his eye blasters the barrier weakens.

I raced over to Laloc.

"Laloc, I think I know how to defeat Tragon," I told her.

She stared at me.

"Tragon can't use his eye blasters and the barrier at the same time!"

"Of course," Laloc said as though it was obvious. "They both use too much power!"

"All we have to do is attack him at the same time he uses his eye blasters!"

Laloc nodded. "Get behind him. Listen for my voice. When I say now plunge your sword through his abdomen." She gave me a firm look. "Remember, don't attack until I say NOW!"

I nodded my assurance.

I raced behind Tragon while Laloc stayed in front of him. I saw that she kept herself just out of reach so Tragon would have no choice, but to use his eye blasters.

Tragon swung his long neck my way and he gazed down at me with his glowing red eyes.

Laloc began yelling and taunting. Tragon turned back to her. I heard the hum of his eyes as they were about to blast her.

"Now," Laloc screamed.

I sprang into the air as I heard the crackling and sizzling of the laser beams. The blade of my sword pierced Tragon's back. Electricity shot from Tragon like blue lightning. White-hot sparks were flying. An ear-piercing wail like a fire alarm escaped Tragon as his arms waved uncontrollably. I must have damaged something Vidal because the reflected barrier was now disabled.

I scrambled up Tragon's back and climbed onto his shoulder, then did a giant leap onto his head and planted the blade of my sword into the top of Tragon's crone skull.

Tragon let out one final ear-piercing wail, then his head fell forward and I toppled off. I dropped down and landed in Laloc's outstretched arms as Tragon's head crashed down to the street.

Laloc smiled down at me as she cradled me in her arms. "Not bad for a boy," she said with a wink.