Chapter CCVIII: The Demon Versus the Drakoni ~Rynn

Rynn started walking, having changed from her normal green dress to pants and a tunic. Her sword, Hawkeye, was strapped to her back. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail and swung back and forth as she walked. Gravel crunched under her boots, as she neared the mountain where Drakon waited in his mansion. She looked up and decided she'd fly up the mountain rather than climb. She never had been a good climber, and thankfully when she fell, she had wings as backup.

Soaring up the face of the mountain, she unsheathed her sword. The sunlight flickered off the gold on the blade. Rynn landed on the edge of the mountain, looking at the mansion. Drakon was in there, but where? Surely he knew to expect her, and she guessed the door would be rigged. Carefully walking over, she studied the massive doors. Beautifully carved, they didn't hint of the evil inside. Calling forth a blast of fire spell, she blasted the doors open. They blew in with a crash, fire licking at the oak. All the patterns were blasted away. She smiled, and carefully made her way in.

The entrance hall was lavish, with rugs and chairs all over.

Drakon knows how to live nicely, Rynn thought.

She glanced around, trying to decide where to go up the stairs or through the door across the room. The decision was made for her when she heard laughter. She glanced over and saw the demon walking down one of the staircases.

"So finally, I get my fight." He looked her over. "A mere little girl....how perfect," he sneered.

Rynn glared back. She'd not let this orange skinned demon get the best of her. "Come down here and fight, scum!"

Drakon laughed. "Now she's calling me names! Oh don't call me names, you'll make me cry!" he said mockingly, walking the rest of the way down.

She studied him. He seemed to have a gallant look about him, standing tall and noble. But she knew he was evil. He couldn't try any of that sweet talk on her.

Drakon looked her over. She'd be a pushover, he realized. Perfect. "Surely you don't want to harm little ole me, now do you? I promise I won't harm you."

Rynn glared. What sort of trick did he think he was pulling? "Sure you won't, because you'll be dead!"

With that, she rushed him, her sword held out. Drakon stepped aside at the last minute and turned, hitting her in the back as she rushed past. She cried out in pain, stumbling forward. She turned, and instantly he was on her, hitting her in rapid succession.

She cried out in pain, trying to block his blows, but where ever she blocked, he struck elsewhere. And what made it worse, he was laughing the whole time. Rynn finally kicked him, shoving him away.

He stumbled backwards, and glared. "So the little girl has some spunk, eh?"

Rynn glared back, her navy skin starting to show some bruises. Without a word, she roared, and brought her head back, then thrust forward, flames erupting from her mouth. Drakon threw up a shield but he could feel the heat through it.

Before the flames finished out, Rynn was upon him again, thrusting with her sword, and attempting to kill him then and there.

But the demon would have none of that. Snapping his fingers, he called out "Medieval Thrashing!"

Instantly, the armor lining the inside walls of the room came to life. Rynn turned when she heard the clank of armor on the smooth tile floor. How stupid of her not to see the armor when she entered!

The first set of armor wielded a wicked looking broadsword and slashed at her. She ducked, sweep kicking it. It fell to the floor and shattered. One down and five to go.

She rolled out of the way as a warhammer smashed down where she had been, and thrust her hand out. A fireball formed there, and shot out at the armor. It hit dead in the chest and exploded, encasing the empty suit in flame. It fell to the floor, shattered.

A flail spung over her head, and Rynn turned, eyes wide. She brought up her sword, and the spiked ball at the end wrapped around Hawkeye. She roared, trying to jerk the sword free, but was jerked off her feet when the suit pulled on the flail. Hawkeye was nearly ripped from her grasp. She roared again, then pushed against the armor with her feet, using her tail as balance. She jerked her sword free, then thrust it through the armor. Lightning crackled over the sword, blowing the suit to pieces.

As Rynn jerked Hawkeye free, a great battle axe smashed down close to her foot. Turning, her sword forgotten for the moment, she transformed. Indeed, the room was a tight squeeze for her dragon form, but she managed to stomp on the offending suit.

She transformed back, and turned for her sword. As she reached for it, a whip wrapped around her hand. She cried out in pain, blood trickling through the braided leather. She turned her head, her hair flying over her shoulder. Rynn was jerked off her feet by the armor, landing hard on her side. Looking up, moaning in pain, she saw the last two remaining suits coming for her. One carried a mace, the other had the whip handle in its hands.

Struggling to her knees, Rynn brought her head back, then released a jet of flame, lightning crackling over the surface. It connected with the one holding the mace, shattering it, the mace dropping to the floor with a clang. The one with the whip, however, was unaffected.

It jerked on the whip again, making her fall back on her belly. She oofed as she hit the floor once again. She looked up, hate flaming in her eyes. Rynn called forth a ball of lightning into her hands and threw it at the armor. It shot from her hand, connecting to the armor, making it explode.

She looked over when she heard clapping. Drakon was clapping!

"Well done, well done!"

Rynn rolled her eyes and yanked the whip off her wrist. It was bloody and raw. She winced when she looked at it. Then she stood up. It was time to finish this.

But before she had time to get an attack up and ready, Drakon was already upon her.

"Shadow Blast!" he cried, thrusting out with his hands.

A blast of darkness hit her in the chest, knocking her backwards and into the wall. She groaned as she slid down the wall, her wings feeling as if broken by the impact.

Drakon chuckled. "Weak little girl," he spat, walking over to finish her off.

Rynn saw him coming and reached out, finding her sword not more than a few inches away. She grabbed the handle and slowly got to her feet. Drakon readied another attack, getting up another Shadow Blast. She rushed him, and before he could release the energy, she had run him through with the sword.

"How....?" he asked, before the blast exploded.

The Drakoni was thrown backwards, landing in a chair. She moaned, and looked to the demon. He was on the ground, blackened by his own blast. Slowly she got up and walked over, yanking her sword free from his body.

But as she did so, his eyes opened. She gasped in surprise. Slowly he sat up as she backed away. "Impossible!"

Drakon laughed. "I'm a demon....I am much harder to kill than that!" He got to his feet, a hand pointed at her. "Shadow Blast!"

Rynn raised her sword to block, lightning crackling over the blade. When the shadow blast connected, there was an explosion, throwing the young Drakoni backwards, outside. The demon was thrown in the opposite direction. She landed against a rock, rubbing the back of her head. It felt wet there. She brought her hand around to look. Blood. There was blood on her hand.

Rynn looked away from her hand when she heard the crunch of gravel. Drakon was stalking towards her, dressed in armor of his own, a wicked looking broadsword in his hands. She barely had time to roll out of the way before the sword came crashing down on the rock she was leaning again.

The Drakoni got to her feet, holding her sword ready. He turned, and glared, rushing her. Sword against sword clashed, each trying to push the other back. Rynn opened her mouth and flamed him at point blank range. Drakon stumbled back, blinded.

He roared, and Rynn took the chance. She threw Hawkeye, stabbing Drakon in the heart. Fire and lightning rushed over the sword, encasing the demon. He fell to the ground, unmoving. Carefully she walked over and removed Hawkeye. Then she transformed into dragon and flamed him, turning his body to ash.

Transforming back, she climbed down the mountain, trying hard not to slip and fall. Once on the ground, she stumbled back towards the train.

Inside the train, Naaro stood in an empty room of it. Beads of sweat had broken out all over his body. He was dressed only in his pants and shoes, and directly in front of him was a practice dummy. The fluff sticking out of several holes on the dummy’s body indicated that it wasn’t made to handle much punishment. Naaro took a deep breath and walked over to a towel he had set on a nearby crate. He picked it up, and wiped his face. As he did so, he extended a hand to the dummy and discharged a weak Kamar beam, setting it aflame. He suddenly stopped wiping his face and lowered the towel, his eyes wide. He tossed it to the ground and took off at a sprint, heading for the nearest exit to the train. When he found it, he leaped out and rushed to Rynn’s side.

“Baby!” he cried aloud, embracing her as soon as he reached her.

She cried out in pain, and Naaro quickly let go.

“Oh, sorry hon…” Naaro remarked rather embarrassedly.

Rynn smiled. “It’s ok,” she replied.

A groan of pain followed, and she fell to her knees. It was then that Naaro noticed the sizable wound on her head.

“That looks pretty bad,” he said worriedly. “We’d better get you inside.” With that, Naaro took Rynn up in his arms and carried her inside.

Naaro opened the door to their room after Rynn removed the wards she had placed. Kai was still asleep, but woke when they entered. "Mamy okey?"

Naaro laid Rynn gently down on the bed. "She will be in a few minutes. Wait here with her." Naaro then left.

Kai nodded and crawled over to Rynn, placing a little hand on her cheek. "Yoo be okey mamy."

Rynn smiled weakly at Kai, taking his hand in hers. "Sleep well, KaiKai?" she asked, looking into his big ice blue eyes.

Kai nodded, opening his mouth to speak, but then Naaro returned, Lich behind him. He moved back a little, but still stayed close to Rynn. Lich cast a spell over Rynn, calling forth his Healing Rain.

After the spell was over, Rynn sat up, her wounds gone. "Thanks, Lich."

"Anytime," he replied, smiling. "Now if you'll excuse me..." He gave Naaro a smile and exited the room.

Naaro sat down beside Rynn, holding her to him. "You did it, baby," Naaro remarked, kissing her head. "I'm proud of you."

"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" Rynn smiled and looked up at Naaro, Kai crawling into her lap. Naaro smiled back, and they both waited for the return of the others.