Celestial Knights: Runaways

Chapter 7

Leonus takes his first step out into the Sanctuary. Flaming debris is in the room. No one is around but his sister, who sits nearby with her cloudy eyes. He'll release her once he's ready. His powers are still limited at the moment. Unless he can force the Sages into giving his full powers back, he can't take the throne. Zarchinox and Nio must be dealt with as well. Zarchinox he can kill, but Nio may be persuaded to join him and his cause of making the Dragovians the superior race in the universe. Many civilizations are out there waiting to be conquered and he wants to do it. Leading the Dragovians will put his name in the records. He wants to be known as more than just the legendary dragon who was called 'traitor', he wants to be known as the conqueror!

"I freed you brother." Mina says, "What shall I do next?"

"Find Inec and bring him to me!" He commands, "I want to end his pitiful existence myself!"

"As you wish." Mina gets up off the ground and leaves the room.

Leonus walks outside. Celestial Knights are all around the place. 

"I thought we rounded up all the Dragovians?" Namaru's voice sounds out, "Knights! Capture him!"

"Big mistake going up against your creator!" Leonus flashes a smile, "You'll rue the day you crossed my path!"

Leonus calls upon a dark sword of pure energy. Zend answers his call and a sword appears out of nowhere. He hasn't used this in a long time. He wonders if his skills are still with him. He could use the practice before destroying the Knights completely. Leonus flashes forward with blinding speed and cuts down the first wave of Knights. This is too easy, but fun! He dodges a blow before it could even be seen. He jumps into the air and brings down his sword. The Knight screams in agony as he's cut in half in an instant. Leonus lands on the ground with a thud leaving a crater in the ground. It seems my skills are still with me, but they seem to be more powerful than before. It's all thanks to Zend. I'll consume his soul once I'm finished here! He looks up to Namaru who is already drawing his sword, but he seems to be struggling. Ever since Inec and Zarchinox destroyed his arm, he hasn't been the same since. 

"I'll let you draw your sword, but you'll still be no match for me!"

Namaru finally draws his sword and jumps down into the fray. With each slash, more and more Knights fall. With each Knight falling, more and more Knights from the ships above enter the battle. It seems I have miscalculated again. Even Zend's powers aren't enough to control these super soldiers. No matter I'll just have fun and destroy them when I'm bored! Leonus turns and easily knock a blow from Namaru. He isn't used to fighting with a non dominant hand. Leonus leaves himself open to a blow, but an energy field of pure darkness stops the attack. It seems that Zend is protecting him from harm. How cute. The Dark Emperor Dragon wants me alive. That will be his undoing.

"Are you a God sent down to destroy us?" Namaru backs away slowly, "I won't allow that to happen!"

"Fool!" Leonus rips Namaru in half leaving awed faces around him. The Knights back away slowly trying to get away. Leonus snaps his fingers and the Knights drop dead in their tracks. He created them, then he will get rid of them. Some Knights looked around in confusion. These must be some of the people they captured and forced them into wearing the armbands. 

"You saved us!" a man runs up to him, "What shall we call you, our savior?"

"You may call me your master."

****

"So these are the ones who wish to stay here?" a man looks down at them, "I am Relo, the Inoculai leader. You may stay, but on one condition. You will go to the evening prayers as long as you are here. If you don't, then we have no choice but to throw you out with the monsters. We don't want that now do we?"

"Fine we'll stay." Nio answers for everyone, "We won't be staying long though."

"Fine with me." Relo says smiling, "I just want you to see our Dark Lord. He'll give you powers that you can't imagine. You know what? I'll just bring you into my private praying room. There you will feel His presence."

"Can we go eat now?" Fei asks, "We really need to rest and eat."

"Leave me and go eat," Relo waves his hand, "but I'll be around to gather you all up for the evening prayer."

Nio storms out of the room. He doesn't want to pray for anything but his father and people's safety.

"Nio," Niokidine wakes up, "The Celestial Knights are no more. It seems that they have all disappeared at once."

"What does this mean?" Nio asks, "We can go home now?"

"Leonus." Niokidine dreadfully says, "The traitor who gained the Dark Emperor Dragon's powers nearly two hundred years ago. He used that power to try and take over the Dragovian race. It was thanks to Zarchinox and your ancestors that he was taken out and thrown into the Labyrinth. Now it seems that Leonus is alive and plans on capturing the universe. If he took out the Knights, then he can very well take over the universe."

****

Inec and the robot dogs arrive in what used to be a human town. Gunfire sounds through the air. That means that the humans are still fighting the Knights! That mean that they can still be saved and so can the Earth. Zarchinox has stopped watching the temple so that he can help win this battle. If the Knights are stopped here, then they can no longer conquer anywhere else. He hears marching nearby. He calls upon the wind sword. Even if Zarchinox lied to him, he can still fight. Inec runs as fast as he can and comes upon a huge amount of Knights. They're trying to flank the humans by going through the destroyed town! I won't let another planet and its inhabitants be destroyed! Inec jumps down with the robot dogs close by. They instantly begin to rip into the Knights. The screaming was horrible. The dogs didn't even let up. By the time he killed five Knights, the dogs had mauled fifteen, maybe more. These dogs could come in handy one day.

The next time he turns around, the dogs have pinned the last of the Knights. The Knights then fall dead where they stand.

"Leonus is back." Zarchinox says, "He brought the Knights back, now he's done with them. He's just shown the universe that he's back. We have to leave here now!"

"It seems I've found my friend!" the air grows chilly and the sky turns dark, "Zarchinox! Why have you not taken control of your host? Scared that you might end up like me?"

"Zarchinox," Inec looks around, "what is he talking about?"

"It was back in the old days when I had no friends and he was my only friend." Zarchinox explains, "We agreed to take control of our host, but I didn't want to abuse that power. It wasn't until you came along that I saw the error of my ways. The true way to power is to coincide peacefully and equally."

"Oh how pitiful." A dragon-like human appears in front of him, "I've found you all at last. It seems that I didn't even need my sister to find you, but thanks sister."

"You're welcome brother." Mina walks out of the shadows. Her eyes are a pasty white. Leonus is controlling her otherwise, she wouldn't act like this, "What shall I do next?"

"Kill them both." Leonus says walking away, "Bring me his body so that I may extract Zarchinox's power."

"As you wish."

Leonus unfolds his huge black torn wings and flies to the sky. He isn't going far, just far enough to study the battle. He wants to see how I fight so that he can beat me later. He turns to Mina who starts walking towards him with a sword ready to strike. He doesn't want to kill her, but if he has to, then he will. 

"There's no other way to win this fight Inec." Zarchinox chimes in, "You have to kill her."

"I know," Inec readies the wind sword, "I know."