The Dragon's Bounty II:Rising Shadow

Chapter 7

Huey looked up at the face he knew so well.
"Iris? Is that you?" He asked. Elliot lowered his sword. The woman pressed the knife against Huey's throat.
"How do you know my code name?" She asked.
Huey just continued to stare. "It's me, 'big brother.'" He said. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"I have no brothers other than the Black Wolves." The water knife made a stream and went back into some part of her suit. "But since you know my name," She made a katana quickly, swinging it toward Huey. "I'll have to kill you!" Elliot jumped in and blocked the sword, holding it back with his light blade. Iris gritted her teeth as she pushed with all her might against Elliot. She jumped back and created another sword. Huey made a small bar of water.
"Why can't you make swords?" Elliot shouted.
"Every Triton has different levels of control. Little did I know her precision would be so high." She raised her swords and they started shimmering purple. Whenever she dashed forward, two transparent figures followed her, fading away and creating a new one with every movement. When she slammed into Elliot's sword and Huey's water bar, the purple shimmers one by one entered her body, adding what felt like another strike to the two blades. They were each pushing with all their might.
"How did she do that?" Elliot strenuously asked.
"Some sort of magic." Huey replied. Iris' facial expression never changed from stern and determined. Huey jumped back, observing the purple shimmer that followed her, entering back into her body when she came to a stop. Elliot rolled out of the way and quickly blocked another swing from Iris, who was now focused on him. Elliot put his finger and thumb together and launched a light dragon at Iris. She jumped out of the way and launched a few knives at him. Huey landed behind her and wrapped a strand of water around her throat.
"Stop. We don't want to hurt you." He said.
"Then let me kill you!" Iris shouted back. Huey was blasted off of her back by a fist of water. He bounced against the ground and skidded to a stop. Suddenly, he launched back again, feeling the same force as the fist had the first time, noticing the purple energy that had slammed into him. Even with this knowledge, he was unable to dodge the third wave of purple energy that appeared and slammed into his chest. He launched himself back over to Elliot, who was holding both her swords off with one of his own.
"She has some sort of repeat ability! Every hit she gets on you goes three times!" He shouted.
Elliot nodded. "So don't get hit. That was already the plan." Huey wrapped his arms around her and kept her from moving.
"Release me!" She shouted. She slammed her head into his, the purple energy making the blow much harder.
"So, what exactly are you doing here?" Elliot asked, holding his sword to her throat.
She scowled at him. "Since you're going to die I guess I'll tell you. I was hired by an unnamed alliance to assassinate the current and new king." She grabbed Huey's arms and punched them, causing Huey to yelp in pain as his arms went limp for a moment, allowing Iris to escape. "Since there's no way you'll reach the capital before me, I'm not worried." She raced off at top speeds down the path.
"Woah, she's fast." Elliot said.
"Really wish we'd gotten the god of speed's rune before this." Huey said.
Elliot laughed. "There's no god of speed." He said.
"Shut up and get moving!" Huey shouted. The two took off after her.
"Can't you at least throw something that resembles a knife at her?" Elliot asked. Huey formed a blunt triangle and hurled it forward, but it gradually lost its shape the further it went.
"Clearly, she's had some intense control training. And there's no doubt she had a naturally high control level as well."
Elliot nodded. "So how do we catch her?" He asked.
"Can't you do like a speed of light thing?"
Elliot shook his head. "And no way she would be dumb enough to be hit by one of my dragons."
Huey nodded. "Maybe try shooting smaller projectiles from like your sword or something." Elliot nodded and pointed his sword forward, focusing as he ran.
"It's not working! She's getting away!"
Huey narrowed his eyes. "I have an idea." He said.
"Well, go on then. Do it already!" Elliot shouted. Huey broke off and raced into the woods to their left. "Where are you going?!" Elliot shouted.
"Just don't let her out of your sight!" Huey shouted. "And keep talking so I can sense where you are!" Elliot nodded and babbled nonsense as he continued to run down the path as fast as he could, rapidly losing sight of Iris, who was much faster than he was. Suddenly, he heard the sound of trees falling down. Huey busted through the tree line on a giant wave of water. Elliot cheered and pumped his fist into the air.
"So I guess you're quantity over quality, huh?" He shouted. Huey smiled and nodded as he surged after Iris, who looked back in shock at the giant wave that was rapidly catching up to her. She formed a few knives above her hands and threw them, as soon as one was absorbed into Huey's wave, another took its place.
"You make cool stuff out of a little bit of water!" Huey shouted. "Me, I make less detailed stuff out of a ton of water!" He pointed his hand toward her, sending himself flying forward off of the wave. Iris tried to throw a knife at him, but noticed her water reserves were out. Huey tackled her and held her against the ground as the water continued to circle around them. Elliot walked up to the wall of water and looked through the cloudy liquid to try and see what was going on. "Do you remember when the guards took you away?" Huey asked. Iris continued to struggle and said nothing. "Because I do. I heard they'd mistreated you, killed you." Tears began flowing from his eyes, drifting through the air into the wall around them. "I thought I'd lost you. And it turns out you're alive. Snap out of it. Come back to me."
Iris stopped struggling and looked up at him. "The first thing I remember is being in a cell. Then, a masked figure broke me out. He left me outside the walls and went back inside. When he returned, he told me he'd teach me the ways of the Wolf. He was a member of The Black Wolves. He taught me how to access my inner power, allowing me to fight and move at top speeds, and how to harness my magical power: Echo. Another Triton taught me to fully control my water, claiming I have a natural gift for control. I've been training for years, and I have my first real job now. And I'm not letting you get in my way!" She kicked him off, jumping toward the wall of water. But instead of going through, she simply bounced off. Huey stood and cycled water through his hands back into the wall. "What is this?!" Iris shouted.
"Well, as I'm sure you know, sound waves carry over water, keeping their sound and therefore taking up more absent space. I think it's time for you to know my magic power: Sonic. It allows me to use sound waves from others to make energy, or increase sound waves I or something I'm touching makes. So while we've been talking in here, I've been gathering the sound and using the water to make a shield on the inside of this water wall, nearly impenetrable to someone with your strength."
Iris smiled. "You're smart. Maybe we are related."
Huey smiled back. "I need you to try and remember."
Iris sighed. "Out of respect for your combat abilities, I will try my best." Huey sat down on a blobby chair he created from water.
"Promise you won't use this against me?" He asked, forming another blob that resembled a chair. Iris nodded. Huey placed the chair behind her and she sat down. She closed her eyes and began to focus. Huey opened the wall and allowed Elliot to come in, closing the wall behind him.
"How did you calm her down?" He whispered.
Huey smiled. "I used my tactical skills to wow her." He whispered back.
Elliot smiled and nodded. "Nice work." He held out his hand. Huey smacked it and they both went back to watching Iris, who hadn't moved. She finally opened her eyes and stared into Huey's.
"I faintly remember someone who looked like you in my life."
Huey smiled and nodded, leaning forward. "You kept me from getting caught by the guards."
"So we were criminals?" Iris asked.
Huey shook his head. "I broke into the castle to get us food. You were starving."
Iris nodded. "I do remember being very hungry before The Black Wolves showed up." Huey sighed, remembering Iris' starving face.
"So The Black Wolves, what is their purpose?" Elliot asked.
"They train people to be assassins, then put their name on a list of assassins a client can choose from for their job. I was chosen to assassinate the current and new king."
"Just asking, no judgement. How many people have you killed?" Huey asked.
"A lot. It is my job after all. Training missions have easily taken down targets. This is my first challenging mission, though."
Huey sighed. "So there's no going back for you."
Iris shook her head. "There will always be blood on my hands. I've never had a chance to think before, this is the first time I've been away from the pack, out on my own. They're constantly barking orders and keeping us on a strict schedule. I guess they hold compliance as a way of getting into the real world."
Huey nodded. "They would most likely send out only those they trust not to turn on them. But you don't really want to kill the king do you?" Huey asked.
Iris sighed. "I don't know. I've never met him or even heard anything he's said. Not that I remember at least."
Huey nodded. "So what would happen if they found out that you decided not to?"
Iris shrugged. "I have no idea. But I do dread the thought of having a pack of assassins after me."
Huey smiled and stood. "If you come with us and help us on our quest, we will make sure you are protected. Have you heard of The Dragon's Bounty?"
Iris smiled and nodded. "The most dreaded criminals in all of Tritanus!" She said, a smile across her face for the first time Huey had seen in a while.
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but we aren't actually criminals, huh, Elliot?" He elbowed Elliot, who shook his head.
"We prefer heroes."
Iris' jaw dropped. "You bumbling idiots are the most powerful men in all of Tritanus?"
Huey nodded. "He's in training to become stronger, I'm not exactly our hard hitter. You'd probably be more impressed by everyone else. But I assume you'll be impressed by Elliot here when he finishes collecting all his runes."
Elliot nodded. "See this tattoo?" He showed her the symbol on his chest. Suddenly, it began to glow. "When I get them all, I'll become super strong, almost as strong as a god! Well, theoretically." He said.
Iris smiled. "I'll want to see that." She said.
Elliot nodded and held out his hand. "Then come with us." Iris looked down at his hand.
She sighed and shook it. "If I die to a bunch of assassins I'm haunting the two of you until the end of your days." Huey and Elliot smiled and looked at one another.
"I don't believe in ghosts." Huey said He lowered the wall and formed it into a ball above his head. "Can I have some for my weapons?" Iris asked. Huey nodded and lowered the ball down, allowing Iris to absorb some into her suit. Huey walked into the forest and returned the water to where he found it.
"Where do you keep your water?" Elliot asked as the water flowed into Iris' suit.
"There are plenty of gaps in my suit that store water, like this flat diamond shape on the back holds a lot more than it looks like it can, then there are lines running through to my gloves where I pull the water out and use it."
Elliot nodded. "So It's specialized just for you?" He asked. Iris nodded.
Huey walked back up. "Well, on to the next rune I guess." He said. Elliot nodded and started walking.
"So what's the deal with you guys?" Iris asked.
"Well, I used to be a royal knight, but then-" Elliot began telling his story.

Aro looked around the barren mountainous landscape. He snapped a piece of bark off of a tree and watched it grow slowly in his hand.
"Weird." He said, pocketing the wood. Emma continued to attempt to pull the sword from its scabbard.
"How long does it take to find a stinkin stone?" Alexander asked.
Kai shrugged. "Could take a milinia and we still wouldn't find it. Or it's under this rock." He picked up a rock off the ground and looked under it. Duros trudged on behind, rolling his newly fleshed shoulder. He unwound his boot to see that his toes had also started to flesh out.
"So, what else lives here in this place?" Emma asked.
Kai shrugged. "Like I said, I didn't get very far in the book. I just know a few of the little creatures. But the gatekeeper said something about bewaring the demon gorge or something." He shrugged.
"Like a pit filled with demons?" Aro asked.
Kai shrugged. "Wouldn't surprise me." He said. Aro smiled and nodded. Suddenly, a giant figure appeared behind Kai and wrapped him up in a tentacle.
"Who dares enter my realm?!" The creature shouted.
"Oh, you must be the demon gorge." Kai said with a welcome smile. "Nice to meet you."
The creature growled at him. "I am known to most as the Demogorgon!" It shouted.
"Ooooooohhhh." Kai said. He looked down at his friends. "He said watch out for the Demogorgon. That was it." Aro notched an arrow. Alexander spun his sword around while Duros extended a few of his threads and prepared to fight.

Ethan looked down the dark pit.
"You sure this is it?" He asked.
"Positive." Charmed replied. Ethan began sliding down the slope, Ripsaw perched on his shoulder. Down at the bottom of the hole was a river. "Welcome to the river Styx, the gateway to all of your inter dimensional needs." Charmed said. Ethan's brow rose. He looked down at Ripsaw, who split in half, his backside jumping down and sitting on a rock. His front half rubbed Ethan's cheek, telling him he was ready to go.
Ethan looked at the river. "So do I swim?" He asked.
"No, you idiot! You need a boat of some sort. Swimming in it could kill ya!" Charmed said.
Ethan nodded. "Would that work?" He pointed to a small gondola up on the river banks.
"Perfect." Charmed said. Ethan put the boat in the water and climbed in.
"You sure you can transport between different parts of your body?" He asked Ripsaw, who seemed to shrug.
"As long as the parts are of substantial size." Charmed said.
Ethan looked down at him. "How do you know that?" Charmed chuckled.
"I did my fair share of research while I stayed here. Slimes are one of my favorites." Ethan smiled and looked down the cave, which seemed to go on forever.
"So, this will take me to my friends?" Charmed shook his small head.
"As long as you're with me, you'll end up on one of the hundreds of layers of the void, no telling how far away from your friends."
Ethan sighed. "It's never easy, huh?" He asked.
Charmed laughed. "Well, the journey begins now." Ethan looked around at the walls, which now had brightly glowing gems in them.
"What's happening?" Charmed simply put his front two legs up into the air.
"This is the fun part." He said with a laugh.
Ethan heard a sound he had heard before. "Is that?" He looked forward in time to see the gondola tipping off the edge of a waterfall, shouting as the boat went straight down.
"Wooooohooooo!" Charmed shouted, the sound echoing around on the long vertical shaft.