by Luna Lais
* * *
When she awoke, she was locked inside a cage, her sword tightly chained to the wall on the other side of the room. She looked at it intently, and tried to pull it towards her, but it was held so tightly that she couldn't move it. She slumped to the ground in exhaustion. She looked at her arm, and faint lines showed where her TD had been...with no way to contact Jimmy or Lauren. Out of frustration, she began picking the rocks surrounding her cage and throwing them at the wall, maybe knocking down the keys to her cage which were hanging in the distance. A poor aim caused one rock to fly into the next room, and she could hear the strange thud that resulted.
"Ouch!" she heard from a voice in the other room. Slowly the shadow moved, and the person emerged from the room to see what his captive was doing. "You shouldn't be throwing stones."
"Who are you?" Chrissy asked.
"My name is Bednarik," he said in a shrill voice. "I come from a long line of warriors that fought to gain the Ultimate Power. Long we watched the bitter quarrelling between the Segui and the Lycans...but it was our race that would bring the power back to the Master, and bring about his reign. Through you, Wisdom, I will succeed. I will take back the Ultimate Power."
"You won't win," Chrissy said, calmly. He turned to her.
"I never lose," he replied. "I am the greatest warrior and champion alive."
"Then why not prove it in a battle?" Chrissy said. "You could fight me." Bednarik laughed.
"You expect me to let you use the Avatar's power against me?" he asked. "You must take me for a fool."
"No tricks," she replied. "And no power. You can leave the sword where it is. Give me a weapon of your choosing. Surely I will be a more than easy opponent without the Avatar's power?" Bednarik sneered at her.
"I am not a complete fool, Wisdom," he replied. "You are more than you seem. I learned from the past never to underestimate you. But it is settled then. First I will destroy you, then I will use the Ultimate Power to eliminate the Red Witch for locking me away! Then the master's glory will finally be realized!" He turned and walked away. "Within the hour, I will have an audience for our little skirmish. I suggest you take that time to prepare for your demise." He laughed as he left the room.
Chrissy looked around and found a broomstick on the floor. She reached for it, and tried to use it to reach the keys. She reached as far as she could, but she slipped and fell. The stick caught her hand, and it splintered, digging into her flesh. She pulled out the splinter, and the blood oozed out of the wound. She grabbed the stick for one last attempt, the wound bleeding all over the stick, but she fell, and the stick landed out of her reach. As she tried to reach for the stick, suddenly her eyes glowed...and the stick jumped to her hand. A smirk formed on her face.
"The blood of the heroes," she said to herself. "I can use this to my advantage." She took a nearby rock and started to sharpen the end of the broomstick. She dug open her wound occasionally, painfully keeping it fresh that she might keep the blood from drying. It would be her only defense against what Bednarik had in store.
* * *
About an hour later, Bednarik did indeed return. He walked up to the cage and ripped it open, pulling Chrissy out. He dragged her by her arm through the room and outside...all the while Chrissy concentrated, making the broomstick slide along the ground following them. As they came outside, she could see an entire coliseum of tied up captives...spectators to watch the fight. He dropped Chrissy on the ground and greeted the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" he exclaimed. "Today you will bear witness to the fight of the millennium! Watch as I, Bednarik, do battle with the host of the Avatar of Wisdom, and claim victory for the master once and for all!" He threw a common sword at Chrissy, and she instinctively caught it. "Let's see how defenseless you really are."
He swung at her, and she was able to block with the sword. They swung back and forth, swords clanking, and though the strength wasn't behind her, Chrissy used every advantage to block and fight back. She slid beneath him and swung from the back, and he blocked it. She fought hard...giving him a run for his money. But eventually her luck ran out, and he was able to push her back. The sword dropped to the ground, and she fell backwards, him pinning her to the ground. He held the sword to her throat.
"It was indeed fun," he said. "But in the end, I win." Just then he heard a loud whistle. When he looked up, Chrissy focused all her energy into the sharpened broomstick, which leaped from the ground and stabbed him up his rear end, embedding itself at least six inches deep. As he reeled back in pain, Chrissy freed herself and rolled back to her feet. It was then the source of the whistle became clear. Red grabbed Chrissy's sword and in her mind whispered to her...
"Trust me, and I will trust you."
Red threw the sword, and Chrissy caught it, holding it in the air.
"Wisdom, be my strength!" The sword sparked to life with energy, and the dark clouds swirled around her. The darkness bonded to her skin, forming the silvery armor of the Avatar of Wisdom, transforming her into the Dark Woman.
Bednarik reached back, pulling the broomstick out of the wound and screaming.
"You will pay for your interference, Red!" he screamed. He went to attack, but Chrissy forced herself between.
"I don't think our fight was over," she said, catching his sword with hers. They started to fight again, and this time he did not hold back. She swung with all her might, but even with the Avatar's power she was having trouble keeping up. He backed her into a corner.
"Even the might of the Avatar cannot save you from the Grand Champion of them all!" he said. "All the strategy...all the battles...every ounce of experience I have..."
"Is mine," she said as she grabbed his head. The resulting jolt of energy blasted them apart, and as her eyes glowed, her mouth was forced to utter the incantation.
By the Orb of Light,
May Wisdom, Power, and Courage unite
Under the power of Triad!
The energy exploded, and the silvery light that left her turned her armor to a shimmering onyx. Her senses were heightened, and a strength three times that of normal filled her. She had become the Dark Warrior. And in that moment...every ounce of strength and experience Bednarik possessed was within her own mind.
"If you don't fear the darkness," she yelled to him, "then fear Truth!" She dashed at him, and in a quick flurry of two swipes, sliced him twice in an X pattern, and what was left of him fell to the ground and began to burn and boil as the spirit within him left. Chrissy's eyes opened, and she swung around with her sword, and all the people in the grandstands suddenly fell asleep, then vanished. As she came to rest, the power left her, and the armor around her melted as she fell to one knee. Her sword dropped to her side. Red approached her, landing gently next to her. The power left her too, returning to the orb, her hair turning back to brown, the dress returning to her shirt and jeans, and her eyes from the glowing hazel back to brown. Karen held her hand out to Chrissy.
"Help me...and I will help you," she said as she helped Chrissy up. They began to walk away from the coliseum...but as they did, Chrissy turned to Karen.
"How long were you there?" she asked.
"Long enough to watch the fight," she replied.
"Why did you wait to help?" she asked.
"I wanted to see who would win," Karen replied. They laughed as they walked.
"I never did finish that ice cream," Chrissy said as Karen snapped her fingers, and they vanished from sight.
* * *
Later, after finally meeting up with Lauren and Jimmy, did the reading Chrissy had from Legandria make sense.
Three Parts of Separation
Shall undermine the Triad
Keeping each from each other
Their power to endure
Virtue shall fall
An old love captured
But Virtue gains the strength
To put the Earth at rest
Power shall look into the sky
A mountain she must fa
ce
But through Power's lineage
She will emerge victorious
Wisdom shall be challenged
To a fight she may not win
But the one in red comes to her aid
And Wisdom alone reigns supreme
Separation shall end with three victories
Victories in battle and soul
Together still being victorious
The Ultimate Power by their side.
Chapter 20 - Here Comes Trouble
* * *
20
"Here Comes Trouble"
Jimmy came out of his room, backpack slung across his shoulder, on his way down to the lobby. As he walked down the stairs, he noticed Ron motioning to him. Jimmy made it to the bottom of the steps and met Ron in the pit area.
"Lemme guess," Jimmy said, "the cafeteria is closed this morning."
"Yep," Ron replied. "They are preparing for the 'Great Physicists of the World' luncheon."
"First a nudist colony, then a circus of elephants, now this?" Jimmy asked. "Why do they keep doing this?"
"Probably to keep the students from keeling over after drinking the milk," he replied.
"Well regardless," Jimmy said, "I am actually meting Lauren and a friend of ours for an early lunch. Have you seen her?"
"Yeah," he replied. "She left just a little while ago."
"Thanks," Jimmy said. "Eat well, my friend." Jimmy walked down the hallway to the lobby.
"You know you're always welcome to join us," Ron yelled back.
* * *
Jimmy arrived at one of the local fast-food restaurants, and after getting his food, he found his way to a booth where Chrissy and Lauren were sitting. He sat down across from them.
"So," he said, "what are we going to do about all this?"
"We seem to be handling things alright," Lauren replied.
"I understand that," Jimmy said, "but the attacks have been more frequent. Moreso, since defeating Seravno, we have seen stronger enemies coming out of the woodwork...all hell bent on searching for the 'Ultimate Power'. We're not even sure where the Ultimate Power comes from exactly. But where are these monsters coming from?"
"From what I heard from Karen," Chrissy said, "many of these monsters were the remnants from a great battle that emerged at the end of what she calls 'The Great Cataclysm'. The heroes of the past fought against these monsters, and they were forced back to where they came from...but some of them went into hiding. In the end, it was the Red Witch, through an awakening of the orb's power, that set out to lock away those that remained."
"I've been reading all kinda of strange energy fluctuations on my equipment," Jimmy added. "It's almost as if these monsters are being set loose by something...and that something can teleport at will. It's like a portal opens...then vanishes. It's not typical of the powers we've seen Karen use."
"I agree," Chrissy replied. "But then what is it?" At that moment, a mysterious gentleman in a trench coat walked past their table, and dropped a letter on it. He made his way out of the restaurant quickly. Jimmy went to stand up, but Chrissy instinctively stopped him.
"Why not follow him?" he asked.
"I sense something ominous about this letter," Chrissy said. "I think the letter is more important than the messenger." She motioned for Jimmy to open it. Jimmy reluctantly reached down and picked up the envelope. He turned it over to find a strange seal on the back...one he was familiar with.
"I have seen this symbol before," Jimmy replied. "I saw it in a crest...when I was in Susira's hut. It was a crest hanging on the wall. I wasn't sure what it was and dismissed it, but seeing it on this seal is making me suspicious."
"Well?" Lauren said adamantly. "Go on and open it." Jimmy looked at her a moment, then proceeded to break the seal and pull the paper from the envelope. Even the ink on the paper was strange, and had an odd feel to it.
Virtue,
I know who you are, and more importantly, what you are. I have been waiting for this moment for my entire existence, and the time has come. Come to the top of Mount Ratcliff...and come alone. If you don't, I will reduce this city to rubble. The choice is yours.
- The Evil One
"You're not seriously going, are you?" Chrissy said nervously.
"Looks like I don't have much of a choice," Jimmy replied, getting up from his seat. "I can take care of this. He said come alone...so stay back here unless I call you." He walked out of the restaurant carefully. When he was out of sight, Chrissy went to leave as well.
"Where are you going?" Lauren asked her. "He said to stay back until we're needed."
"I'm needed," she replied. "You can stay back, but I have a really, really bad feeling about this. I sense a dangerous energy surrounding this letter, and more importantly, an ominous warning from Legandria is making me even more suspicious." Chrissy left the restaurant, leaving Lauren to eat alone.
* * *
Later on, around dusk, Jimmy arrived in full armor at the base of Mt. Ratcliff. He decided to tread carefully on up the mountain path, not exactly sure where he would meet this person. Usually this mountain path was closed this time of day, and it wasn't a great place to be. About half way up, Jimmy heard a noise. When he turned around, he saw a group of young men emerge from the bushes...all bearing knives, chains, and guns. They slowly surrounded him as he turned to get a look at them.
"That looks like gold, man," one said to another.
"This should be easy," another said.
"This guy some sort of freak or what?" said yet another. Jimmy just cracked his knuckles.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Jimmy said. Then the leader attacked him whipping a chain at him. Jimmy caught the chain and whipped him to the side and to the ground. Several more came at him. Jimmy elbowed one, kicked a second, then grabbed the wrist of the third, twisted it, then punched him, sending him flying. Another tried to stab him in the back, but the knife slid, unable to penetrate the armor. Jimmy turned to him, and the guy punched Jimmy in the gut. The guy screamed in pain holding his hand, and Jimmy turned and kicked him hard, sending him flying. Several pulled guns and began firing. Jimmy pulled his sword at lightning speed and swung it quickly, blocking every bullet. As they started closing in on him, Jimmy looked around and sighed.
"I guess we'll have to do this the easy way," he said as he charged his sword. His eyes glowed, and he spun around in a complete circle. The energy blast hit them all, knocking them backwards to the ground, and knocking them all unconscious. Jimmy spun his sword around in front of him, then resheathed it on his back. It was then Jimmy heard a person clapping slowly, and he turned to see who it was.
"Bravo," the man said in a regal voice. "Well, Hero, we meet at last. Or at least, formally introduced. My name is James."
"Why did you send for me?" Jimmy asked.
"I was not I that sent for you," he replied. "My master is the one who sent for you. If you come with me, all will be explained."
"And if I don't?" Jimmy asked.
"Well then," he replied, "I assume there will be dire consequences." Jimmy paused for a moment, then turned to follow James the rest of the way up the mountain. As they approached the end of the trail, there was a cave. A steady plume of smoke emanated from the entrance, and Jimmy was hesitant to continue at first.
"The master awaits you inside," James said. "Take the torch with you to find your way." Jimmy did as he was instructed, and carefully entered the cave. A strange gurgling and growling noise could be heard echoing through the cave, but Jimmy continued on. Eventually though, the torch was snuffed out by the billowing smoke. Jimmy looked through the darkness and saw a glowing light from the cavern ahead. He ventured towards it, and upon entering, he was startled to look up and find an enormous dragon before him. The dragon slowly rose to his feet, and Jimmy pulled his sword.
"Hero, Virtue, do not be alarmed," he said. "My name is Mjong. I am the last of my kind, and now that I know you exist, I need your help desperately." He gasped f
or a breath before continuing. "I apologize for the crudeness of the message I sent. It was the only way I could get you to come here and to come alone. Long I have waited for the one G’riel spoke of to come forth...Virtue like none other." He took another deep breath, as if focusing on something. "Your energy is still weak...but in time you will become the greatest warrior who ever lived...from what I have seen, and from what G’riel had predicted." Jimmy resheathed his sword and looked up at Mjong.