The Dragon's Bounty

Chapter 21

           Lance zoomed higher and higher as Kai struggled to get Lance off of him. He was unable to speak due to the hands gripped around his throat. When they passed the cloud layer, Lance tossed Kai into the air and his fist blazed red.
           "Lance Wait!" Kai shouted, but Lance slammed into Kai's stomach, sending them both down toward the group at top speeds. Lance continued to punch Kai in the gut, preventing him from speaking. Finally, Kai had had enough. His anger took over and he grabbed Lance's shoulders and flipped them over, allowing Kai to lay into Lance instead. "It wasn't my fault!" He shouted. But Lance refused to listen. He head butted Kai with a glowing forehead. Kai tumbled backward through the air, barely able to regain his balance. "Let's just talk." He said.
           "No talk!" Lance shouted, ramming Kai in the chest with his shoulder.

           "Aro, what's going on up there!" Khan shouted.
Aro zoomed in on the fight. "Kai's fighting back."
Dagger sighed. "We haven't gotten through all of his emotions. Anger must still be in there."
Khan nodded. "We need a plan. Huey, Whatcha got?"
Huey put his hand to his chin. "Well, I could make a blanket of water for Kai to land on, provided Lance doesn't absolutely obliterate him before he gets to the ground."
Khan pointed to him. "Start on that. But we need a plan B. Dagger, go."
Dagger nodded. "I can get myself up there, but no promises that I'll be able to bring Kai back with me."
Khan pointed upward. "Do it, all you gotta do is keep him from dying until he gets to the ground. Huey, put extra magic in there. No way they'd survive a fall that high without it." Huey nodded. Aro and Andrew simply stood slack jawed.
          "No wonder they're such a good team." Elliot said.
          "Hey, Khan, can we help?" Emma asked.
          "Aro, launch an enhanced arrow at Lance. We'll try to keep him distracted. Elliot, launch a dragon up there." Both nodded and complied. Both shot straight past Lance and didn't seem to phase him in the slightest. He just continued to pummel Kai, whose bandage had come off, exposing his nearly healed claw wounds.
           "Here we go." Lance said. He dug his finger into one of the holes, Kai shouting out in pain. Lance shouted in anger as he filled each hole with a finger and began moving them around in Kai's chest. Dagger appeared above them and kicked Lance away. Lance punched him as hard as he could, sending him tumbling away. Dagger shook his head and used his energy to glide back over to them, where he put up a shield between them, catching Lance's wrist in it. In a burst of red energy, Lance shattered the shield and once again started going at Kai, who looked up at Dagger.
           "It's about to happen." He said.
Dagger sighed. "Of course it is." He said. Kai's eyes rolled back in his head as he passed out, the small purple glow growing from his ears. "Fantastic time for emotional growth, Kai." He grabbed Kai and angled himself to fall as fast as possible.
           "Don't you get it?! He killed Destiny! He can't be allowed to live!" Dagger looked back at Lance, who was gaining quickly. Dagger closed his eyes and disappeared. He and Kai reappeared on the ground, Dagger breathing heavily.
           "I need a moment." He said. Lance was coming down fast with a shout of anger. Khan jumped up to block him, but was knocked completely out of the way. Lance revved back his fist and slammed it into Kai's chest, sending him into the ground.
          "Stop!" Emma shouted. But Lance did not listen. Huey used the water he'd collected to launch at Lance, who didn't flinch as he beat Kai farther into the ground. Elliot raced over to help, but was launched a few feet away. Finally, Lance was subdued by Dagger
           "Stop this! Let me at him!" Lance shouted, a face of pure insanity perched on his head.
Dagger shook his head and would not let his glowing grip go. "Listen." He said. Lance struggled as best he could, but could not move. "Kai didn't mean to kill Destiny. He was overrun with darkness and released too much magical energy. Just like what happened to the rest of us. It wasn't his fault."
Lance started to breathe slower and thought for a moment. "What do you know about what Khan said could bring her back?!" Lance shouted.
Dagger thought a moment. "Well, the only goddess able to bring the dead back to the living is the goddess of life. Her totem is at the capital, where we're headed. So why don't you calm down and just wait until we get there. Then, you can see what's required of you to get Destiny back. Alright?"
          Lance sighed. "Fine." He said gruffly. Dagger let go of him and he stood up.
           "What a touching moment." A voice came from behind them. A dark figure in a cloak smiled at them. He had his arm around Emma, his hand over her mouth as she looked at them in fear. "Anyways, I'd better be going. Boss wants this original royal girl back before sunset. See ya!" And with that, he vanished.
Khan rushed over but couldn't get there in time. He sighed. "We have to get to the capital now. Everyone load up!" He zoomed into the tavern, everyone else close behind him. Khan patted the wall of the tavern. "To the capital, before it's too late!" The tavern groaned and creaked as it rose, taking off into the distance.
         Tyrannus was thrown against the wall, his cloak sliding down off his shoulders.
         "What took you so long to get the girl?!" Probos shouted.
Tyrannus covered his face. "Look, boss. I had to wait for the right time, alright?"
Probos rolled his eyes.  "Just put her on the pedestal." As he passed by, Tyrannus patted the king on the cheek, yet the king did not move. Probos waltzed up to the king with a smirk. "It's finally time, 'sire.'" His figure began to change. Standing in front of the king was James the royal advisor. "Sixteen years of hard work and finally the time is nye. My master will take your realm for his own. And you'll have front row tickets." He laughed and followed Tyrannus into the large chamber they had chosen. Tyrannus put the now unconscious Emma on the table in the center and strapped her arms down. "Everyone gather round." Probos said. All eight of the demons gathered around the table and joined hands, beginning to chant.
           "By the blood of the king, by the power of dark, give us a key for a doorway to spark!" A dark energy emerged from Emma's mouth and lingered in an ever so slightly growing orb above her.
Probos grinned. "The time is near, my brethren. The time for us to serve our master once again! And this time, I've taken precautions." A dark energy field emerged around the entire city, blocking it off completely from the outside world. All the citizens looked around as they were plunged into near total darkness.
          "What's happening?" One asked.
          "The knights are frozen!" Another shouted, tapping Ethan's face. Ethan didn't move a muscle. And neither did Alexander, who was right by his side.

           Lance glared at Dagger, who sighed and finally gave in.
          "What do you want?" He asked.
Lance walked over to him. "You know more about this totem of Life. And I demand you tell me."
Dagger rolled his eyes. "Alright, but you have to promise me you won't do anything rash." Lance nodded. Dagger took a deep breath. "You see, the goddess of life is a very vengeful being." He glared at Kai. "As many people as I've known that have spoken to the goddess about bringing someone back, have had to take revenge on the one or ones who killed them. A life for a life."
Lance nodded. "So after I talk to the totem, all I have to do is kill Kai?" Lance asked.
Dagger shrugged. "Maybe." Lance nodded.
Kai shot up with a deep breath. He looked around. "Oh, are we moving toward the capital?" He asked.
Khan nodded. "The fight is about to begin. I can feel it."
          "Where's Emma?" Kai asked. Everyone looked to the floor.
          "They got her." Aro said.
Kai slammed his fists on the table. "They what?!" He shouted.
          "One of the demons appeared and took her." Andrew said.
          "Something about her being an original royal or something." Duros said. Kai blasted his way out the door and sprinted toward the city, sending flaming propulsion from his ankles and elbows.
          "Don't worry, Emma. I'm coming!" He ran for about an hour, finally losing sight of the tavern. He skidded to stop outside the city and looked at the giant shield that surrounded it. He immediately sent a beam of flame toward the barrier, but it didn't see to do much. He growled and began to pummel it with his hands and feet.
Khan put his hand on Kai's shoulder. "It's alright. We'll save her." Kai began to calm down. "Now, everybody hit it in one place!" Khan shouted, preparing his fingers. Elliot aimed his hand at one spot, everyone else following by targeting the same spot. "Go!" Khan shouted. Everyone released their energy and created a colorful explosion. The field didn't seem to take any damage.
            "I have an idea." Duros said. He cast out a thread. "Trust me. Everyone shoot at one spot again."
Khan nodded. "You heard the rock man!" He snapped his fingers, launching two lightning bolts. Kai launched a ball of flame, while Elliot released his light dragon. Aro fired a few enhanced arrows. Huey made a stream of water and launched it forward. Lance fired a beam of red energy. Dagger did the same with his energy.
Duros jumped up and wound back his string. "Binding thread!" He shouted. The thread began glowing blue. He whipped it at all the magical attacks, seeming to absorb them. He whipped around and seemed to throw the thread. A massive ball of blue energy flew from the end of the thread, smashing a hole straight through the field. The field slowly began falling apart, the pieces dissolving in midair. Khan held up his hand. Duros smacked it. Together, they walked into the city.
           "Alright, guys. This is it!" Khan said.
           "Wait." Lance said. He pulled out a small stone.
           "You never used your stone?" Aro asked. Lance shook his head. He handed it to Elliot.
           "I think you need an edge." He said. Elliot smiled and nodded. He pulled out his sword and held the stone on the side of the blade as close to the hilt as he could. The stone melted through the gold and embedded itself in the middle of the blade, protruding from both sides. When Elliot activated his power, the light blade extended all the way to become a full sword.
          "This is gonna help a ton." He said. Lance nodded.
          "Alright everybody, get ready." Khan shouted. Above them, seven figures descended from the sky.
         "Let's get this party started!" Arganus shouted.