Renegade Rising

by J.C. Fiske

Chapter 22: The Battle Approaches

  The familiar feeling of summer arrived after a rainy spring in Heaven’s Shelter. The sun was shining and the palm trees seemed especially happy to have the snow off of them. Within days, the yells of clash players, the splash of swimmers and the smells of roasting meat on grills filled the air of Heaven’s Shelter once again. With summer, the Renegas were near the completion of their final band. They would soon be calling themselves Renegaras, ready to journey out with their class masters and Boons to face the challenges and respectfully become Renegades.

  These days it was business as usual for Rolce and Gisbo as they once again got into the routine of Renegade life. It got to the point where even the studious Rolce was quite sick of studying and couldn’t wait to have a summer off before they parted ways to train with Falcon and Moordin. Today, however, was different. The luxury of routine would soon be ended and lives forever changed when night fell on Heaven’s Shelter. The day of destiny had come and, ready or not, both of them were in for one hell of a night.

  The day started off just like any other. Doesn’t it always? The boys finished their lessons with Perry, went to work and got home in time for a bright afternoon in front of their tree house and a night of training. They went to bed early, not knowing they would be thankful later that they hadn't overexerted themselves. There was once a time when Gisbo constantly pestered Rolce and looked him over while he slept, ever since he had his very first dream and discovered his Sybil blood. Funny how just when Gisbo had forgotten all about his anticipation something finally happened . . .

  Gisbo was thrust awake suddenly as Rolce began convulsing and shouting unrecognizable words. Harpie was squawking and Fao was scratching at the wooden ladder below frantically. Rolce’s bunk was shaking from his robust weight and whatever he was saying; it was quite disturbing. Gisbo desperately shook his friend and slapped his face when suddenly everything stopped and Rolce jolted upward.

  “Rolce! Rolce! Answer me, man! What’s wrong?” Gisbo pleaded. He noticed that Rolce’s pupils were flickering white, then back to blue as he spoke.

  “Gisbo! I . . . I don’t know what’s wrong with me I . . . AHHHH!!!” Rolce screamed in pain. A grotesque black symbol appeared on his forehead, looking like three number sixes sharing the same circle. The symbol spun outward like a throwing star and dripped black ooze down his face. Then thick black lines etched across the surface of his arms and his eyes completely glossed over into white orbs. It was as if his arm was moving of its own accord as it outstretched itself, palm upward, and shot a blob of blackness forward. The kickback from the shot was so powerful it caused Rolce to fly from his bunk, slamming into Gisbo in the process.

  Both boys toppled to the ground hard, nearly landing on a frantic Fao below. The black energy cluster began to swirl in a dizzying circle. It looked to Gisbo like a thick oil spill that swirled into a vortex in mid-air. Suddenly it stabilized and they could feel the air around them being sucked into it. Posters fluttered off the walls and the sheets on their beds ruffled.

  Rolce’s eyes returned to baby blue as he stared at his now perfectly fine arm. The symbol on his forehead faded and disappeared without a trace. Gisbo was frantic, shouting curses as he pushed Rolce off of him. He had to raise his voice to compensate for the wooing noise the black whirlpool was emitting.

  “Rolce! What the hell did you just do?” Gisbo yelled.

  “I don’t know; I was having a dream! Wait, that’s it! I had a dream, Gisbo! I know where Jackobi is!” Rolce bellowed. Gisbo’s eyes went wide.

  “You do? Where, Rolce? Where is he? And what is that thing you just made?” Gisbo yelled.

  “Don’t you recognize it? It’s the same thing Shax and Lokin used to escape during Purah’s funeral! I think it's some sort of transportation portal!” Rolce yelled.

  “But it's all black! Your eyes, they went all white . . . and that symbol! You used the Drakeness, Rolce! How?” Gisbo yelled.

  “I . . . I felt my father, in my head. He used the Mind-Link on me! Gisbo, it was so powerful . . . he was channeling the Drakeness through me! He said things like, 'Come to me, come to me!’ I . . . ” Rolce trailed off, deeply disturbed. Gisbo shook his head.

  “The hell with what he said! Are you alright?” Gisbo yelled. Rolce paused for a moment.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Whatever just went through me is gone. There's no trace of it,” Rolce said, rubbing his forehead with a wince.

  “Good. Now you said you know where Jackobi is! Where, Rolce? Where?” Gisbo yelled. Rolce paused for a moment.

  “The cave, Gisbo! The same cave where Moordin and him fought years ago. That’s where they all are. We need to go get Falcon and Moordin! We need to…” Suddenly their voices were cut off as the spiraling blackness let out a blood curdling scream. It was so loud and gruesome Gisbo and Rolce had to cover their ears.

  “Rolce! Somebody’s dying over there!” Gisbo yelled louder over the horrible screaming, standing up and staring into the blackness, trying to see beyond the portal.

  “It sounds terrible! Gah! My ears!” Rolce stammered.

  “We gotta go help!” Gisbo shouted. Rolce’s eyes went wide.

  “Gisbo! No! It’s a trap! We . . . we can’t! It’s suicide! They’ll kill us! This portal will take us right to them, I’m sure of it!” Rolce answered. Gisbo shook his head once more.

  “Good! Trap or no, we don’t have time! It’s . . . it's too much for me to handle! I’m going in! What have we been doing all this extra training for? Come with me!” Gisbo yelled as he began to throw on his clothes. Rolce stood with the same white face he had before when Ranto hit him.

  “No! I . . . I can’t! I can’t do it, Gisbo! We aren’t strong enough! They’ll kill us!” Rolce yelled as tears streamed down his face.

  “ROLCE! DON’T YOU GET IT? Somebody is going to DIE! I can’t stand here and let it happen! I could never live with myself knowing that when the moment came to fight, to help save a life, that I backed down . . . I’d rather die then live with that kinda guilt! I’D NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF!” Gisbo screamed. He ran and grabbed his bandana, tied it to his head, seized his talon sword, and looked down at Fao with a smile. He couldn’t believe how much she had grown since he had found her as a puppy nearly a year ago.

  “But, but . . . it's not your responsibility! You're crazy! Just wait and we can go get help! Be logical about this!” Rolce argued. Gisbo ignored him, giving Fao a rub behind the ears.

  “Logical? You’re talking to the wrong guy, buddy. I know what you feel inside, Rolce. I just got a smidge of it with your mind link. I don’t want that. I’m going in!” Gisbo yelled, his back to Rolce. He then turned to look at his wolf.

  “Come on, girl, I know I’m gonna need all the help I can get over there! Rolce, I’ve been alone for far too long. I need you, but I can’t force you to help. So go ahead, do what you do best and RUN! Come on, Fao, let's go girl!” Gisbo yelled and, with a big leap, the boy and his wolf jumped into the dark portal without a clue what awaited them on the other side.

  At first, it took Gisbo a second to open his eyes. He was engulfed in blackness and moving at a tremendous rate of speed. He grasped Fao in a tight hug as they both spiraled like an arrow through darkness as thick as molasses. The rush of wind was enormous and the screams of anguish had been replaced by the monstrous growls and roars of an unearthly presence. Gisbo looked around him, seeing pearl eyes in the darkness and flashes of white fangs. Limbs stretched out to swipe at him and his wolf.

  “Don’t worry, girl! I got you!” Gisbo yelled, as he pulled Fao away from the reach of some horribly black creature.

  “WHERE THE HELL AM I???” Gisbo yelled frantically as he sliced the arm off an invading creature. It screamed horribly and an awful smelling black substance splashed against Gisbo’s face, stinging him badly due to their rate of speed.

  “Wait, what am I doing?” Gisbo said to himself. He was sick of seeing nothing but blackness and white glints around him. In a flash, he rais
ed his sword and ignited it in a glow of red that illuminated his surroundings. The creatures squealed and shielded their eyes as Gisbo waved the sword back and forth, noticing that the light singed their skin as he flew past them. Just when he thought the horror wouldn’t end, he saw it, a light at the end of the tunnel . . . literally. He reached it quicker then he expected to. Suddenly, the rush of air against his face was gone and he lay on a damp, stone floor with Fao still clutched in his arms.

  “You all right, girl?” Gisbo asked. Fao licked his face and Gisbo let her down as he stood shakily to his feet. With a few rapid blinks, he realized Rolce had been right. He was most certainly in a cave. Looking behind him, he saw that he was all alone, without a portal. One way ticket . . . Gisbo thought.

  He began to walk forward, trying to get used to the constant dripping sounds of moisture from the stalactites and whatever else there was. The spikes all around him gave him quite an uneasy feeling as he made his way through the dark cave, igniting his blade once more and letting Fao lead him forward with her good senses when she suddenly stopped dead. Dead was exactly what Gisbo would have been, for without Fao leading the way, he would have most certainly toppled into the pit before them, layered with all kinds of death bringing spikes. Gisbo gulped at the thought and rubbed Fao behind the ears thankfully as they veered left, around a relatively wide ridge.

  In silence, the two companions trekked on, but their journey was soon interrupted by the same earsplitting scream they had heard before, as the cave walls amplified the noise tenfold.

  “Come on, let's go!” Gisbo said as they sprinted into the depths of the cave, following the voice until they arrived in a large, open area that appeared to be a dead end. Gisbo flashed his sword around, trying to find a way out. Suddenly, as if by command, several torches lit all at once, bringing every bit of the large circular area into view. When Gisbo’s eyes adjusted once more, he saw Jackobi Foxblade for the very first time.

  Rolce had been right; he was nearly the spitting image of Foxblade, with the same long dreadlocks and dark skin - but Jackobi wasn’t alone. Surrounding him stood at least a few dozen children who looked like they hadn’t seen the light of day in years. All of them appeared to be on the brink of starvation and the marks across their bodies showed that they were punished daily. Gisbo could guess who had been there the longest just by the thinness of their limbs and the number of their cuts and bruises. Their eyes, however, were as white as snow and absolutely lifeless.

  All the children were standing in a neat line in front of a shrouded doorway through which Shax and Lokin made their entrance. Shax’s staff threw shadow the way a torch throws light and he bore the same white eyes as the children before them. Gisbo had seen enough. He screamed with vigor and ran straight for Shax, hoping to at least try and catch him off guard. DING! A clanging noise rang out, reverberating off the sides of the cave as Gisbo and Fao smashed into an invisible wall, tumbling back to the point where they had started.

  “Whoa now! Not yet,” Shax said as he walked down the steep side of the cave. “You . . . aren’t Rolce? Where is my son?” Shax exclaimed. Lokin leaned against the wall, flipping his daggers playfully. Gisbo looked all around at the children before him, too furious to speak.

  “Well, I admire your courage, boy, I really do, but all good things must be waited for. My son’s synergy mate, am I right? Falcon’s boy? My, how the time has flown,” Shax remarked.

  Gisbo stood to his feet, doing his best to seem unafraid as he looked into Shax’s barren eyes. With a wave of his hand, the central line of children parted and Shax’s gigantic form stepped through the gap. Like an overbearing shadow of death, he made his way towards Gisbo. His black, almost toothless grin and cool chuckle made Gisbo shiver as Shax circled him in silence.

  “So, Falcon’s boy, do you have a name? I wasn’t there when your good father named his son,” Shax said with another black smile. Gisbo’s eyes perked up at the mention of the word 'father'.

  “Oh now, he never told you, did he? No, I would assume as much. What with a past like your dear father’s, why would he want to share? Renegades and their secrets,” Shax said as he placed a cold hand on Gisbo’s shoulder.

  “But that’s not what I’m interested in. For you see, you were not expected to come through the hole and yet, here you are anyway. I would have trusted one such as my son, with his Sybil blood as yet untarnished, to jump at the chance of rescuing another. I see I have put far too much faith in his purity and now . . . his friend will die in his place,” Shax said to the roomful of children, as if reading a macabre bedtime story. Gisbo jumped back from his grasp and thrust his ignited blade forward as Fao growled.

  “You look surprised by this? As I said, all good things come to those who wait. You see, I respect my son all the more now. He has surprised me. He's very different than I was at his age, very different indeed. I was counting on my son’s impulse to do what you call good and to jump without hesitation to save another’s life. It would seem his soul is already venturing down the path I have journeyed . . . it is in his blood, after all,” Shax said with a black smile.

  “Take that back, you freak! He’d never follow down your stupid path!” Gisbo shouted. Shax turned to Lokin and they both laughed.

  “At least you have something to be proud of in your son,” Lokin teased.

  “Oh, children! How I HATE their naivete and simple natures. The very reason we needed them . . . but you, you're quite different. Aren’t you, boy?” Shax went on, closing his eyes and putting out a hand as if to read Gisbo.

  “Such fury, such a strange form of essence pulsating from you. But that’s not the only abnormal aspect . . . there's something different . . . deeper . . . No matter; not enough time for curiosity, unfortunately. There’s still much to say before we watch you fight for your life,” Shax said.

  “What do you need the kids for?” Gisbo found himself asking.

  “Now, curiosity is something I DO value. I will humor you, Falcon’s boy, for a little while longer . . . just a little. Either way, you will be dead soon,” Shax announced.

  “Would you stop saying that!” Gisbo yelled as Fao barked beside him.

  “Oh, you truly are a pleasant surprise! All right, I will explain. What you see before you are the best of what Renegades and Strifes had to offer in the new generation. I tested them myself, years ago, upon their birth, with Sybil Honj – that was right before many of their families became Strifes. All of these children had the highest outputs of energy at the time, the only exception being Narroway’s son, Ranto, who was too closely guarded to get near. It is only a slight setback for we have scored the runner-up prize: the son of Chief Lamik, Malik Strife,” Shax motioned to a boy a little bit taller then Gisbo, with long hair that was spiked on top and flowed over his shoulders. He looked just as lifeless as everyone else; drool dripped from his open mouth.

  “The potential of this group was astounding. Without a female, which surprises me. Usually the girls have the highest outputs of energy. This was the apex of our greatness, the culmination of the Sybil’s vision that a new Man-Phoenix would return to us!” Shax bellowed.

  “A new Man-Phoenix?” Gisbo questioned. Shax looked affronted.

  “What say you, boy? You have not heard of the Man-Phoenix? The Phoenix is the avatar for IAM on this planet! IAM himself speaking to Thera! The Man-Phoenix is one who receives power from the Phoenix and, in turn, from IAM himself. Warlord Vadid was the first and only Man-Phoenix, given powers none of us have ever seen. Powers great enough to rip open time and space to trap our great Diety Drakearon. We need to return to our Deity for we have the last piece of his puzzle: the first ever Sybil aligned with Drakearon. Myself,” Shax explained. Gisbo shook his head.

  “Are you two crazy!? Or just stupid? Why would anyone follow a whack job like you if the Phoenix already defeated Drakearon and his dragon? And even then it’s stupid, because who says the Man-Phoenix would rip open the Reath for you?” Gisbo yelled and Shax laughed al
oud.

  “Finally some intelligence! You should know that IAM and his phoenix are not all powerful, boy; it was a draw! There were no winners that day, only containment. If IAM were so powerful, why wouldn’t he destroy what you call evil? If IAM, who is supposedly completely good, created this universe, then why would he allow his followers to suffer? Why would he even allow this evil to even exist in the first place? As a Sybil, I receive voices and insight from heavenly powers, but not JUST from the Phoenix or IAM - but from Appolyon and his dragon as well! Good and evil are only our mortality’s attempt of simplifying life. Sight and reason is all that is needed. For really, who is it that declares good or evil, hmm? Only the powerful, only the rulers! No one else! Give it enough time and constant hammering, anything can be deemed good. Nobody wants to be an outcast from popular opinion. There IS strength in numbers! Your types are so few nowadays. Use reason! The age of the Renegade will soon be dead and with it, only sheep will remain,” Shax taunted. Gisbo didn’t answer.

  “As for your first question, why don't we make the new Man-Phoenix himself reveal why he would open the Reath for us? As I am sure Rolce has told you, there is a Sybil ability known as Mind-link. Once mastered, it is a powerful ability and with the power of the Drakeness flowing through me, it is even more exceptional! These children you see before me are not only connected to my mind, but obedient to every whim I bestow upon them - and soon, very soon, I will give the order for them to destroy you, make no mistake. You will be sacrificed for the grand cause,” Shax revealed, then started pacing.

  “The only problem remaining is that we must employ an unnatural process, for this ability requires one of good heart to open the Reath. Therefore, through a Drakeness ritual, we will funnel the purity of these children, their innocence, to counteract our contamination. This will give us enough time to stabilize the opening for Lokin and I to return to our master and provide him with the power of a Sybil! He can’t escape without Sybil blood. With him by my side however, I will further my Sybil abilities through his teachings to once again break down the barriers of this realm and bring forth a new age of Warlords!” Shax cried, raising his hands for emphasis.

  “You’re freakin' crazy! Why would you want to destroy such a great place as Thera and Heaven’s Shelter? Why?” Gisbo yelled.

  “Destroy? No, silly boy, you have read way too many fantasy novels. Have you not been paying attention? We wish to IMPROVE it with the ideals of Drakearon ushering in a new age. Warlord Karm has already begun our work on the common people, not even realizing it, preparing the way for us. You and all your Renegades are already lost in the minority. You call evil what Drakearon and I call pleasure. Why deny our impulses? The people are beginning to follow in suit as well, especially those not given fantastic powers such as you or myself,” Shax said.

  Gisbo gritted his teeth.

  “It is here our palaver ends, my young friend. You won’t live to see the new age unfold, I’m afraid, so it's best not to worry yourself. Right now you have something much more cumbersome to occupy your mind: you will fight for your life. The reason, you ask? Our ritual requires one thing . . . sacrifice of an innocent, at the hands of the innocent.” Shax laughed so hard he gurgled on his saliva. Gisbo’s eyes went wide.

  “You sick bastard! You were going to sacrifice . . . Rolce? Just to open some stupid realm?” Gisbo yelled, appalled by the notion.

  “The new age is much more important than a simple blood bond, I’m afraid. He would be sacrificed for its cause! A glorious way to die!” Shax said.

  “A STUPID way to die!” Gisbo screamed.

  “Such fight in you! I love it! Let's see how you and your little Boon will fare, for if you die, the Reath will open. Fight hard, Gisbo, everything now relies on you. How does it feel?” Shax leered and with another wave of his hand, all the children jerked to life as they pulled up to full height and formed their hands into fists. Gisbo raised his sword to ignite his essence and Fao braced herself.

  “Tsk, tsk, you wish to swing your sword? You will kill these defenseless children with just a swing? Alright, then: do it! It is the easiest way to end our mission! If you kill but one of these children, we won’t have enough power to stabilize the realm for us to pass through. Will you kill a boy to save the world? Is it worth it?” Shax taunted with a smile.

  Gisbo lowered his sword. Shax was right - if he fought with it, he would surely kill someone and Shax wouldn’t be able to go through with his mission. Thera would be safe, but for how long? He would just locate another group of kids eventually. Which would lead to more suffering. He, Gisbo Falcon, had to go about this a different way. As long as he held on to his sword, he could use Elekai'!

  Gisbo powered up his essence and pointed the sword in the direction of a small boy standing to the far right. If only he could knock this kid unconscious, then maybe Shax couldn’t use him. It would at least buy some time. Yes . . . time! If he could hold out long enough, certainly Rolce would get the cavalry to come. The portal was gone, but he held out this desperate hope. He had to try.

  “Thinking hard, I see? Weighing the options? I’m curious to find out what you come up with,” Shax taunted. Gisbo gripped his sword handle, swung it back and thrust it forward in the direction of the small boy. A swirling ball of red energy soared from the powered blade and struck the boy right in the head, causing him to topple over. Bullseye, Gisbo thought and smiled when the boy didn’t get up.

  “My, my! You sought to stun the boy! Right in the head even! Why, with just a little more essence, it would have certainly killed him! What recklessness … interesting to say the least. However smart that tactic may have been, it is of no avail. I’m controlling his mind even now. For you to truly knock this boy out of consciousness, you would have to do it through the source . . . me. And we both know you can’t do that. Still, if you killed him . . . severed his head from his shoulders . . .” Shax tempted. Gisbo gritted his teeth.

  Where was Rolce when you needed him? He always took care of the thinking department! How was Gisbo supposed to get out of this without him? Gisbo looked down at his sword, then over to the children. Kill one to save many? Was this an option? Either way, Shax would repeat the cycle . . . but what if he killed the new Man-Phoenix? Then all would be solved! They wouldn’t be able to return and without a Sybil for Drakearon, he wouldn’t be able to cross over! But who was this Man-Phoenix? He couldn’t just kill all the children! He’d never be able to live with himself…wouldn’t be able to live with one innocent death either, but if it was the only way . . .

  “Which one is the Man-Phoenix?” Gisbo blurted out.

  “Would you really kill one of your own? All are needed, but only one is essential. So, you figure if you're going to kill one, you might as well make it count. Am I right? Oh what fun this is! And about to get better: I will tell you and we shall see what you decide to do. The Man-Phoenix is the boy right in front of you, Jackobi Foxblade!” Shax said, laughing hysterically.

  No! Out of all of them, why Jackobi? The very person he wanted to save! Kill the one person that had driven him here in the first place? Gisbo’s head began to hurt. This was just too much for anyone to handle. He could kill Jackobi and end it forever . . . could he? Could he really? He could most certainly kill Shax on a whim, but to attempt it would be like a fly attacking a flyswatter. No, he had one more option. He had time on his side. If he kept this going, help would come ... but even then, what would happen? He wasn’t sure the portal was open or where the cave was, for they’d have to fly here. Rolce knew where he was and he would tell. Yes, they were coming…if time ran out, then he would have to do the unthinkable, but it hadn’t yet. Now was time to do what he was best at: time to fight.

  At that moment, with one arm, Gisbo threw his sword like a boomerang so it pierced the side of the cave. Pebbles fell and a small crack formed while the clang of metal on stone echoed across the ceiling and walls.

  “So then, you wish to go down fighting? Fine! A Renegade to the end th
en!” Shax declared and with a wave of his hand, the twenty or so kids broke into a sprint, their sluggish movements a distant memory.

  “Why is it always me? Ready, girl? We gotta survive as long as we can . . . help's coming, girl, I know it! Let's go!” Gisbo said, charging forth with a battle cry to meet the first batch of rabid contenders. Just have to survive, Gisbo thought.

  The one who reached him first was Chief Lamik’s son, Malik. Royalty first, Gisbo thought as he let out a straight right punch that collided with Malik’s nose. The boy kept charging as if nothing had happened. His head was still bobbing back from the force of Gisbo's blow as he followed it up with a quick left hook, narrowly missing Gisbo, who managed to duck, then followed with an uppercut that lifted Malik off his feet.

  Barely hitting the ground before he was on his feet again, Malik showed no signs of pain. They don’t even feel pain? I’m in trouble . . . Gisbo thought. Fao smashed her body into two rushing boys, toppling them to the ground and nimbly leaping out at another one who was closing in on Gisbo’s left. She’s amazing! Gisbo thought as he watched her dart back and forth, knocking kids to the ground like a white hurricane.

  As Malik rose to his feet, he grabbed a sharp stone and thrust it point first, leaving a bleeding gash across Gisbo's face, right next to the scar he had received from Falcon. Blood trickled from the wound and, with a surge of adrenaline, Gisbo grabbed Malik’s arm, ripped the stone from his grasp and swiped back, clean across his left eye, leaving a gash that reached from Malik's eyebrow to the side of his nose.

  Gisbo grabbed the boy by the throat with his left hand and pummeled him in the face with his right fist over and over again - but still to no avail. Malik took each swing without a problem as he grabbed Gisbo by the throat with his own left hand and returned the favor, pummeling Gisbo with his right fist. At first Gisbo felt dull knocks striking his face because the adrenaline numbed the pain - until he was hit straight on the nose. It broke with a sickening crack and moisture obscured his eyes, blinding him while Malik continued to rain blows upon him. Gisbo felt like his face was shattering and Malik showed no signs of stopping.

  In his blurry vision, Gisbo noticed that others were closing in. Fao could only keep so many at bay with her darting and tackling. He released Malik’s throat, bent down and wrapped his arms around his mid section, charging forward in a blind spearing tackle. With one swift motion, he picked the Strife prince up off the ground. Using him like a battering ram, Gisbo sprinted forward with a desperate yell as boys were scattered asunder.

  The battering ram worked to some degree, until the fallen were back up on their feet with a superhuman agility. They pounced on Gisbo like murderous bunnies. Gisbo couldn’t take the weight of the four people now atop his shoulders. His knees buckled and his legs collapsed as he went down, smashing his battered face into the unforgiving stone floor. He tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth as he tried to desperately to struggle free. Suddenly Fao, his last remaining chance for a savior, was slammed down beside him in a whimper of pain. Gisbo’s eyes met his wolf's moist baby blues for a moment of comfort before Malik grabbed him by his hair and slammed his face repeatedly into the floor.

  The first two hits hurt badly before the numbness activated, preventing Gisbo from suffering from the next three hits and the tufts of hair Malik ripped from his scalp. This is it, he thought. Time was up. He secretly wished to himself that he had killed Jackobi as he laughed in contempt of his own indecision. He knew he wouldn’t have been able to do it, he just wished he were different. Drakearon would now return and with him, a new age. At least Gisbo could say he had fought his battle hard, to the end.

  He knew not where he was going to go, but he wished it was wherever IAM resided. Funny how he had never cared about any of it before; could joke about the notion of life after death so cockily and mock those 'crazy' people, thinking he had it all together. Death had been so far away then, but now here it came, at the hands of some spoiled Strife prince, smashing his face into stone. Could be worse - could be Thomson or Ranto plowing in my face, Gisbo thought. What were opinions and points of view now? He remembered all the political arguing in his classes at Oak County. What were they now? Nothing . . . absolutely nothing, Gisbo thought. Many conversations he had with Rolce early in the year floated to the top of his mind. For the first time ever, Gisbo Falcon prayed.

  A strange feeling washed over him and yet it was somehow familiar, as his mind went black and he felt the sensation of falling into darkness. Suddenly an arm emerged through the obscurity. Great, Gisbo thought, Shax is going to sacrifice me. This is it, he’s about to grab me. Contact was made and a flash of blinding light appeared before all went quiet.

  Gisbo rubbed his eyes before opening them and was astonished. Oak County? Gisbo thought; he couldn’t believe this. He rose to his feet and dusted himself off. He didn’t hurt anymore and there was no blood on him whatsoever. He spun warily around and realized he was right in front of his old schoolhouse, standing on the cobblestone road and still dressed in his Renega attire. What the hell is going on? Gisbo thought.

  It was then he heard a voice he hadn’t heard for nearly a year . . . No way, I’ll kill him! he thought, as he ran to the back of the schoolhouse and saw Thomson, along with his wolf pack, surrounding a large boy Gisbo didn’t quite recognize. He was a huge kid, hair greasy and dirty, wearing the oldest pair of overalls that were entirely too small for him. He clutched a stack of weathered books to his chest, just below his familiar pale face. Rolce?

  “Listen, Ox, I am sick and tired of hearing my parents ask me, ‘Why don’t you get top grades like that boy Rolce? Why is it always him? You know Rolce comes from nothing. Why aren’t you smarter then a farm boy?’ It makes my freakin’ ears bleed! I’m sick of it! Look Rolce, this is the final exam for this year and you’re gonna let me get top scores, understand? I mean, what do you hope to accomplish getting all those perfect scores anyway? You think your gonna get a job at the castle or something? Look at you, you’re a scrub! And one more thing . . .” Thomson said in his usual derogatory tone. Gisbo was about to charge when he heard a voice coming from above them all.

  “Would you butt holes can it? Somebody’s trying to read up here,” the voice said. All the boy’s eyes wandered up to the tree branch and there, sprawled out along it, leaning against the trunk was ... “That’s me! I’m seeing myself! What the hell is going on?” Gisbo said aloud.

  “Shut it, spazz, this doesn’t concern you,” Thomson said.

  “Oh the hell it doesn’t. I’m trying to read here and you’re blabbing away like your mouth has diarrhea,” the other Gisbo jeered from his branch.

  “Like you would study for the exam anyway,” Thomson said.

  “I only read what I want to read - you know, entertaining stuff,” Gisbo said.

  “Ah I see, all your little fairy tales. Still wearing that piece of toilet paper ‘round your head too, I see,” Thomson retorted.

  “You know, you’d look real nice with a broken nose,” Gisbo parried.

  “Oh would I?” Thomson taunted. Gisbo shut his book and rolled off the branch, falling neatly to his feet, startling Thomson.

  “Yeah,” Gisbo challenged with a grin, as he grabbed Thomson by the neck. Immediately all the wolf pack gathered around him with fists raised. Gisbo looked at them all, cracked a smile once more, and reeled back his fist to punch.

  “That is enough! All of you! Gisbo, back away from Ricard’s son now!” Mr. Foogal bellowed.

  “Sure, right after I break his nose,” Gisbo said.

  “You hit him, Gisbo, and I fail you immediately, for the year. You will have to repeat this year over again, do you understand me?” Mr. Foogal threatened. Gisbo looked at Thomson and shoved him aside.

  “You’d really put up with me for one more year? I doubt it,” Gisbo gibed.

  “Better than being fired when General Ricard finds out I was unable to stop his son’s face from being punched in. Now back away, NOW!” Mr. Fo
ogal yelled.

  “Stupid mutt . . .” Thomson taunted.

  “The woods, after school. I know you won’t come alone 'cause you’re a gigantic pussy, so bring all your little gang. I’ll kill em’ all,” Gisbo hissed as he made his way through the crowd and into the schoolhouse. The Black Wolf Pack followed them in, leaving Rolce standing by his lonesome. He leaned against the tree, shaking, and sobbed while punching it. The Gisbo dressed in Renega attire looked on. Now that he thought about it, he had completely forgotten how and why he got into that fight. He had no idea, he was just so angry at the time. He didn’t even know Rolce then, only saw his name at the top of the test score chart and assumed he was a goody-goody.

  Suddenly, the scene before him melted away and was replaced with an image of the woods. Gisbo stood in the trees, watching himself as the whole starting line of the clash team, the Black Wolf Pack, was staring him down. Now this part Gisbo remembered, only now he noticed that Rolce was standing behind the tree next to him! Rolce was here? Rolce stood and watched me fight ten guys? No way! Gisbo thought.

  Gisbo saw himself charge Thomson and begin the process of shoving dirt clods into his mouth. Now that part was fun, Gisbo thought with a private smile. Then things got ugly as the boys overpowered him and kicked and punched him into the ground. Did I really get up after all that? Gisbo wondered. He looked over at Rolce, wincing every time a blow hit Gisbo. Tears, real tears, were streaming down his face. At that moment, Gisbo felt the same painful aching in his stomach as Rolce’s feelings were transferred to him. This was what Rolce had been hiding from him, this terrible guilt that almost made him want to throw up. He watched as the younger Gisbo stopped moving. Thomson and his group walked away from the outcast boy's battered body.

  It was a feeling of awe-inspiring hope as Gisbo saw himself stand up and watched the Black Wolf Pack's stupid faces as they stared on in shock. Suddenly all the horrid guilt was washed away, as Gisbo felt gooseflesh rip across his skin. Rolce’s feelings were being transferred to him once again. Glancing over, he saw a smile stretch across Rolce’s face momentarily. Then the Wolf Pack turned to walk away and the injured Gisbo slumped to the ground in misery. The feeling of painful guilt was washing over him when the blackness returned and he heard Rolce’s voice. It sounded like a loud echo all around him; Gisbo seemed to be floating in the midst of it.

  “Gisbo, I don’t know if you’ve figured it out yet, but I have just established a mind-link to you. We are on a different plane of existence, so time is irrelevant right now. I have been holding this back from you, Gisbo, for so long. I told you the day I met you I was inspired when I heard that some kids saw you stand up to the entire Wolf Pack. It wasn’t true - I was the only kid that saw you that day. You may not have remembered why you did it, but you changed me that day. This entire time the guilt has been so painful, mixed with everything else I have been dealing with.

  “I’ve been wanting to share this with you, but couldn’t think of a way to do so until now. The time has come for me to stop cowering and running. I have just been so afraid; afraid to fight. I’ve never been afraid of my strength, just afraid to fail. It is time that I face my fear head on and destroy this guilt that's eating away at me. I would rather die fighting than allow my inner demons to win the battle, torturing my soul like this throughout my life. It’s going to kill me from the inside! You’re my best friend, Gisbo, and always will be, 'til the end. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for you. Now the time for talking is over. It’s about damn time that you sit back for a change, about damn time that you stop protecting me, and it’s about damn time that I protect you! Open your eyes, Gisbo!” Rolce's voice commanded and Gisbo obeyed.

  The moment he lifted his eyelids, the numbing pain returned. Gisbo saw his own blood on the cave floor. With all his might he struggled to look up and see why Malik had stopped hammering his head into the ground. There, standing tall and proud in Nazarite attire, Rolce stood, pole-arm held ready. Rolce let out with a battle cry for the ages as he ignited his weapon and with it the entire cave shook and glowed green from Rolce’s raw power.