Son of The Monkey King

Chapter 44

"Ugh. What happened?" Felix groaned out. The assassin's head was throbbing. He wanted to grab his head with his hand, but his arms were constricted. Eventually the cobwebs in his head cleared. Realization dawned on him. He started struggling in an attempt to free himself, however its was in vain.

"Shit!" The red head started frantically moving around. Felix was still on the roof of the hotel/casino he fought Raymond on. Looking down he saw Raymond's magical staff had constricted around the man like a boa constrictor. A groan behind him caught Felix's attention. Turning his head he saw his shorter constituent. At the sight of the miniscule man Felix deflated.

"Hey. He's up." Raymond said noticing his captive now awake.

"Yeah I'm up. How bout you let me go?" The red head said sarcastically.

Raymond got to his feet ignoring the question. The half monkey hissed in pain from the previous fight. Lyra for her part wasn't doing much better. As she stood up, she clutched a hand to her ribs. As Raymond walked towards the two, his magic staff squeezed harder around the two.

"Ow ow ow ow!" The captive assassin yelled. Raymond squatted down in front of Felix looking the man in the eye. Raymond's golden yellow eyes held a very stern and stoic expression as he spoke.

"Alright here's the deal Felix. My friend and I over there. You see we're simple people. Simple in the way that we don't like to be Fucked with." The half monkey said. His natural jovial demeanor, and behavior was thrown out the window.

"So here's the deal, and I really want you to listen to what I say. You're going to tell me what you know, and who sent you. You do that we let you go no questions asked." Raymond explained to the redhead. Before the assassin could give a rebuttal Raymond spoke again. "Now Felix. If you decide you don't want to talk. Then you'll have forced my hand, and I'll let Lyra here take over the questioning. Trust me when I tell you that you don't want that." Raymond informed. Lyra couldn't help the grin that formed on her face at her friend's comment.

Felix eyed the scarred girl, and then looked back Raymond. After a moment of tense silence he barked out a laugh. The half monkey raised his eyebrows in confusion at the assassin's reaction.

"You're funny kid I'll give you that." Before he could say more Lyra slugged him right in the face. His head jerked to the side, and blood sprayed out.

"I tried to warn you." The tailed male said limping away from the captured duo. Lyra now taking the place the half monkey previously occupied.

"Talk." Lyra said lifting the man's head up by his hair. The answer she received was a bloody grin.

"Heh." He said spitting a tooth out. "You can do that all day sister, but I'm not talking." Felix said defiantly.

"It was that asian guy Chen! He offered us a lot of money for the staff!" The former Big Ben squeaked out. Lyra dropped Felix's head, while the man let out a groan.

"You sniveling coward." The assassin muttered.

The scarred girl paced to the former Big Ben, and got in his face.

"Talk! Why does Chen want Raymond so bad!?" She demanded. Before anymore words could be spoken a new voice appeared.

"The fact that he thought the two of you could succeed eludes me." It said. Lyra, and Raymond's head shot up to face the source. Their he stood the man himself. Zhao Chen.

"Lyra good to see you again." He regarded the girl. Her electric eyes glared bloody murder at the man. "And you must be Raymond." He said regarding the half monkey. Raymond said nothing, but pounced on the man. His hand extended the, magical staff uncoiling around the captives. Raymond was bringing the staff up for a downward strike. However Zhao Chen caught him by his throat. The man effortlessly threw the half monkey.

"Raymond!" Lyra called out. The tailed male landed in a heap. The scarred girl ran to his side. "You alright?" She asked crouching next to him the girl helped him sit up.

"No not really." He groaned out.

"Now then. You two stay right there." He scolded. The man faced the two assassin's.

"Chen buddy." Felix spoke up. The man was now up to a verticle base.

"Shut up Felix there's nothing for you to say." Chen said coldly.

"Hey you want them so bad they're right their. Go get them Chen. They're weak and injured. Thanks to us might I add." Felix tried to explain. Though Chen wasn't having any of it.

"I warned you both of the consequences of failure." He reminded them.

"You're not killing me Chen." The red head said pulling out two blades.

"Felix don't!" The former Big Ben Cried. The assassin charged forward. He was within striking distance when Chen spontaneously combusted. Blood red flames exploded around the man engulfing his body.

The flames began taking shape. Ceremonial Chinese armor adorned the blood red flame's body with it's torso exposed. The flames formed a face within the former Chen's torso. The group looked on in shock and horror at the sight of the monster before them.

With a roar the monster unleashed flames from the mouth on it's belly. Both Felix and the former Big Ben screamed in pure terror as flames consumed them both into nothing. Nothing but ashes.

A wave of hopelessness washed over both Raymond and Lyra at what they just witnessed. Their would be killers were dead. The two guy's that pushed them to the edge were just vaporized before their very eyes. The monster now turned his attention to them.

"Now then children hand over the staff." He spoke in an inhumanly deep voice. Raymond took Lyra's hand into his own. He gave it a light squeeze of reassurance.

"Do you trust me?"he asked softly so not to be heard.

"What?" She asked. The weight of the situation breaking her focus.

"Do you trust me?" He asked in a firmer tone.

All Lyra's life she hadn't trusted a soul. The people she was supposed trust broke it early in her life. Even her younger brother Charlie, whom she loved dearly, she didn't trust. But this man here in the short time she's known him has had her back in both a fight, and normal everyday problems. He convinced her to stop hiding her face. Raymond Scott was her friend; so the answer was simple.

"Yes." She said squeezing his hand back. Raymond removed his coat forcing it onto the girl. He then placed the magic staff in her hands.

"Hold it up on the way down." The half monkey said.

"Wait what!?" She said in fear. Raymond grabbed her by her waist and threw her off the roof. The wind rushed through her hair as she let out a scream from falling. Remembering his words she held the staff up in both hands. Lyra felt a light jerk, and suddenly the wind wasn't blowing nearly as loud. Looking up she saw him in his eagle form holding the staff, and by defacto her. Relief washed through both of them however it was short lived.

The monster didn't take to kindly to their daring escape. Back on the rooftop the former Chen roared in pure rage. It began spewing flames from it's mouth at them. Raymond for his part did his best to avoid the flames. Although his efforts were in vain as a stray flame struck his wing. The golden eagle let out a squawk of pain.

"Raymond!" Lyra cried out in concern. The eagle was losing it's altitude as the two started plummeting to the streets of Las Vegas. The two crash landed on the hard unforgiving road. Lyra was lucky enough that Raymond's coat protected her from most of the damage.

"Raymond." Lyra called out. The scarred girl looked around her immediate area finding her friend on ground, smoke coming off his left arm. "Raymond!" She screamed. The girl got to her feet and ran to him.

"You idiot why did you do that!?" She cried. Silence was the answer she got. Raymond was knocked out cold. "I'm going to get you out of here and somewhere safe. You don't get to be the dramatic hero. Not now." She told him. The girl lifted him on her back and started the long trek back her motorcycle.