Chosen to Protect

Chapter 11

Ibrahim got up from his ornate throne and twirled his staff. "What do you mean the dragons need help. Why would we help them?" he asked the man before him, "And what did you say your name was?"

"Alan." the young man said defiantly, "And my master needs your help!"

"Why?" Ibrahim glared at him. "What would I get out of this arrangement and how did you even get in my kingdom? I thought it was guarded."

"Not all the entrances are guarded carefully." Alan said with a smirk and half bow.

Ibrahim growled in anger and waved his staff. Some guards moved toward Alan but Alan frowned.

"What is this? You seek to lock me up? I have your sister with me."

Ibrahim glared at him, "What?" he asked in a dangerously calm voice, "What did you say?"

"I have your sister. My master is holding her to...encourage you to help us." Alan adopted the typical sneer of bad guys.

Ibrahim glanced at his guards and gave a barely perceptible nod.

The guards grabbed Alan and dragged him away.

Alan struggled and yelled at Ibrahim, "You will regret this!" as the guards slammed the doors shut.

Ibrahim heard screams from the hallway and frowned, "What's going on?" he asked one of the men beside him.

The man shrugged and the doors burst open.

"Guess who's back?" Alan growled as he stalked across the throne room.

"I'm done with you." Ibrahim told Alan sternly.

Alan chuckled darkly, "Not yet, you aren't." he said grimly.

Roots cracked the floor of the throne room and strangled the guards around Ibrahim.

Ibrahim pointed his staff at Alan and beams of light burst out of it, but Alan flicked them aside with a yawn.

Ibrahim sighed and threw his staff to one side. "What do you want?" he asked Alan. Alan flicked his fingers and roots came up and forced Ibrahim to his knees, wrapping around his arms and holding them in midair. One more root wrapped around his neck.

"Join us." Alan told him.

Ibrahim clenched his teeth as the root tightened around his neck. "Never." he choked out.

"Join us, I said!" Alan roared at him, transforming into a dragon.

More roots came up and covered Ibrahim, tightening as Alan got angrier and angrier at Ibrahim's refusal to join.

"Never!" another voice was heard.

Alan hissed and turned to see who it was. A young girl was holding up Ibrahim's staff, "It is peaceful here!" she yelled at him, "Until you came! I demand you release my brother!"

The roots loosened, though didn't come off entirely, and Ibrahim gasped for air.

"Release him!" the girl shouted again.

Alan hissed again.

"Many hearts is stronger than one!" she yelled.

"Amethyst, leave!" Ibrahim called to her.

Amethyst glared at him then turned back to Alan. "Leave!" she told him fiercely.

"And never come back!" another young girl appeared beside Amethyst, a ball of blue light in her hand.

Alan hissed and turned back into a human, "Little girls." he said sweetly, "How about you leave me and your brother to our business.

"Do you mean your business of death?" a young man appeared beside Amethyst and the other young girl.

"Yes. That is exactly what I mean." Alan told him angrily, and the roots tightened around Ibrahim again, but not too much.

"Fat chance of that." Amethyst told him.

"I believe I forgot to introduce us!" the other young girl said brightly, "I'm Nicole, that's Amethyst-" she gestured to the girl beside her than turned to the young man, "-and that's Jasi."

Alan yawned and roots came up. One twisted around Nicole's leg and she held the blue ball of light to it. It shrank back and she shot up into the air, avoiding the roots trying to hold her down.

Amethyst had found a hiding spot and shot beams of light out of Ibrahim's staff at Alan.

Alan turned in circles looking for the source but was soon distracted by Jasi creating and throwing daggers at him. He blocked them and finally made a shield of roots around himself.

Nicole floated down to Ibrahim and held the ball of light to the roots holding him. "You ok?" she asked.

Ibrahim nodded, "Where's Janette?" he asked.

Nicole shrugged, "Can't find her anywhere."

Ibrahim frowned deeply and turned to Alan. "You really did take her."

Alan sneered at him, "And the only way to get her back is to join us." he told Ibrahim haughtily, dodging a beam of light from Amethyst.

Ibrahim sighed, "Amethyst, Jasi. Stop shooting. We'll join you on one condition, Alan. You give us back Janette immediately."

Alan sneered at him, "Blood oath first."

Ibrahim glared at Alan and Jasi created another dagger in his hand.

"Fine." Ibrahim growled.

Alan turned into a dragon and spat a tongue of fire onto the ground, keeping it fed with twigs that he produced.

Jasi flipped a dagger at Ibrahim and Ibrahim caught it, slicing his hand.

Alan smirked and nodded at the fire.

Ibrahim hesitated then spoke to Amethyst and Nicole, "Please leave." he looked at them with pleading in his eyes, "I do not wish for you to see this."

"Well tough luck, we're not leaving." Amethyst snapped at him.

Ibrahim sighed and turned back to Alan, "What shall I say?" he asked wearily.

"I swear on my blood to never betray those whom I work for."

"I swear on my blood to never betray those whom I work for." Ibrahim repeated.

"And to never do damage to them and give them full access to my armies."

"And to never do damage to them and give them full access to my armies." Ibrahim sighed and glanced at Jasi. Jasi nodded briefly.

"And to obey every order they command me and my siblings." Alan finished with a sneer

"And to obey every order they command me and my siblings."

One drop of blood slid down Ibrahim's hand and dropped into the fire. The fire sizzled and grew, before shrinking and going out.

Ibrahim took out a handkerchief and glared at Alan, "Now return Janette."

Alan nodded and snapped his fingers. Some roots popped out of a hole in the ground, bringing a young girl with them.

Jasi roared with anger and lunged at Alan. Alan smirked, "Stop." he told Jasi. Jasi froze in midair and dropped to the ground.

Alan bent over him, "Now you obey me." he smirked at Jasi.

Everyone else's focus was still on the young girl.

"What did you do to her?!" Amethyst screamed, turning to Alan with anger in her eyes.

Alan smirked at her. "Oh nothing. Just killed her. You didn't say she had to be alive."