The Dawning Night: Chapter 31

Chapter 31: The Seal of Approval</u>

Shade and Lightning arrived back at the house in a few hours. Sylvia greeted them brightly, announcing, "We're going to attack the castle tomorrow."

"Huh? So soon?" Shade gasped.

"Yes," Sylvia cocked her head. "What's the matter, dear? I thought you'd be excited…?"

"Yeah… I am…" Shade muttered. Sylvia smiled and walked back into the living room.

"Yes!" Lightning pounced upward, twisting in midair. "We get to beat up Rayzord and his lackies! BEST… TRIP… EVER!"

The chequick shot off after Sylvia, excitedly chattering to some unseen person.

Shade sighed. "For you maybe… I hope Rayzord decided to take a vacation… Maybe I won't have to fight him then…"

Having second thoughts, are we? Where's that happy-go-lucky boy who'd run into a fight with no plan at all?

I realized how stupid it was to not have a plan…

Ya ain't gonna wimp out, are ya?

No… but I probably am going to die…

Way to be pessimistic.

What'cha talkin' 'bout? Yer the one who said 'fore he was gonna start pushin' up daisies!

True… but I think Shade could kill Rayzord… if he was Asmodeus…

Ah ha! That's just what you want isn't it? Well, I'm not going to unleash that Darblin wolf! Nice try!

Hey, it's your funeral. Can you leave me here then? You know, since you're going to die and all.

Ha! Ain't ya the one being pesa… pesi… umm…

Way to mess it up, toothpick.

Well… er… yer a jerk!

Oh, wow, I'm so hurt! I'm going to need Neosporin!

Would you two shut up! I should just make you guys jump a cliff!

You jump off a cliff!

Wait justa dang minute… swords ain't able to jump… or can they?

Shade shook his head, sighing to himself. He started slowly towards the living room, wondering what he was going to do.

***

"Milord, please tell me what that useless trip was for?" Archariss asked Rayzord. The tyrant and his general were walking down the halls towards the throne room. They had returned from Future City, unable to find the one of the Prophecy.

"I know there's a chosen one at Pendragon…" Rayzord growled, his cloak billowing behind him and Ekazi hanging loosely in his gauntleted fist.

"Yes sir…" Archariss muttered. "But we already knew this. There's the girl and the boy who Serin and I ran into at Griffin Forest. They were both from the Pendragon school."

"You idiot!" Rayzord shouted, slapping his one wing over Archariss's head. "There's more than just those two!"

"Of… course… milord…" the general hissed through gritted teeth. "We have one of them with us now. All thanks to me, by the way."

Rayzord gave him a look filled with venom. "If it wasn't for my hypnotizing powder that I had, she wouldn't be here."

"Indeed…" Archariss mumbled. "But how did you get that anyways, milord?"

"When I attacked the Spyrit capital Malmenn, I came upon it. Finally, those pathetic fairies created something useful," Rayzord answered distastefully. "Such weak little creatures. Remind me to destroy the rest of their pathetic kind later."

Archariss rolled his eyes. "I'll make a mental note to do so, milord. I believe the small amount of Spyrits left found sanctuary at Tildello. It's the only piece of their once proud civilization that you haven't conquered yet, sire."

"Tildello, huh?" Rayzord considered this. "That's such a small piece. I never even bothered to attack it… Still, if it'll finally get rid of those Spyrits, then I'll organize a platoon to kill the remaining stragglers and set Tildello alight."

"A whole platoon, sire? Just to wipe out a few fairies the size of my little finger?" Archariss shook his head in disbelief. "Seems like a waste."

"Are you questioning my methods?" Rayzord's eyes glowed with fury, his tail whisking back and forth.

"No…"

"I understand what you're saying, Archariss, but do not doubt me. Though the Spyrits are small, they are skilled sorcerers. Magic, these days, is a nuisance."

"Sire, you just said they were pathetic creatures!"

"And they are. Pathetic creatures who just happen to know magic."

The general sighed, swishing his cloak to the side with one free hand. "I still don't believe an entire platoon is necessary. What if the castle is attacked?"

"By whom?" Rayzord laughed a deep, resounding laugh that sent shivers down Archariss's spine.

"What do you mean 'by whom'? The boy and his friends!"

"Really, Archariss, is a fourteen-year-old adolescent, a shut-in, a tiny cat, and a girl really that hard to deal with? What could they possibly hope to do? Besides, that's why we brought that Moon Dragon ridgedor here. As, shall I say, 'insurance'."

Archariss winced, his cheeks burning. "Well, I… just was concerned with your welfare, milord."

"Since when did you care about others? You're a snake, my general. You murdered your own wife, all the while knowing it too. I'd call that quite cruel and coldblooded, Archariss," Rayzord said, almost wistful.

"Please," the general waved his hand. "Don't patronize me over Dasana's death. She was little more than a tool to me."

"By the way," Rayzord began, looking seriously at Archariss. "Why does your son's name begin with a D? Why not an A?"

"Ah, Drax, saw me murder his mother and he decided to change his name entirely. I later found him and tricked him into believing that his mother had tried to 'kill' me and I was just 'defending' myself."

"And he honestly fell for that? You sure have an idiotic son."

"Yes, but he's a good fighter and doesn't question orders. It was so easy to just steer him into tricking those kids and betraying them."

Rayzord chuckled coldly. "Apparently not smart enough. He was supposed to kill the boy and his friends. Sadly, he got distracted from his orders and killed that other boy, the bigger one. What was his name again?"

"No idea," Archariss shrugged. "Who cares anyways?"

"Well, one thing's for sure."

"What's that, sire?"

"If the boy and his ragtag team bought that, then there's no possible way they'll be able to get passed the Enigma Entry."

"Ha, that's for sure."

Rayzord and the general shared a laugh as they entered the throne room. A black panther snarled at Archariss, its fangs gleaming. The large cat raised its head to allow Rayzord to stroke its head.

"I still don't know why you have that panther," Archariss muttered.

"Ah," Rayzord smiled. "You see, I was actually looking for a Cathren. It's said that one of them takes the form of a panther. I had hoped to harness its power for myself."

"Why a Cathren?" Archariss pressed. "They're much more… uh… 'Diverse'. Wouldn't attacking a Darblin be easier?"

"Easier? Haven't you ever heard of Asmodeus?"

"Of course, who hasn't? He was the cause of the Six Years of Slaughter."

"Exactly. The Darblins are cruel and merciless and will kill you if you get anywhere near them," Rayzord sighed and ran one finger along the panther's jaw, causing the feline to purr loudly. "Cathrens, however, pause to figure out if you have a good reason for disturbing them. Both Darblins and Cathrens are the strongest creatures on the face of Rakiera, and very difficult to capture. In fact, they aren't meant to be captured."

"So, why keep the panther if it isn't a Cathren?"

"Well… it kind of took a liking to me. Besides, it's useful to have a large, dumb cat to guard you."

Archariss snickered, adding snidely, "I thought that's why you kept Serin around."

"I keep her here for the same reason as you, Archariss," Rayzord growled. "You'd do well to know that, when you outlive your usefulness, you will be tossed aside. Every operation requires the right tools."

The general's guffaws subsided to a long gasp. "I… ah…"

"Relax. You are still needed, for now."

***

Shade walked slowly into the living room to find everyone joyfully laughing, as if everything were normal. He sighed and sat down next to Cezial on the couch, his heavy onus pulling at his heartstrings.

"Shade," Sylvia chirped, noticing him. "How are you, dear?"

Shade's face twisted in a shocked expression and then he shouted angrily, "Oh I'm just magnificent! After all, I'm about to be beaten into a bloody pulp by a pitiless usurper!"

There was a stunned silence for a while, everyone's eyes looking at Shade with astonished miens. Lightning's tail-tip twitched in vexation as he retorted snidely, "Whoa. I didn't know you understood a word like usurper, feather head."

"Shade…" Sylvia reached over from the chair beside her son and rested her hand on his knee. "It's understandable that you –"

"Mom," he interrupted. "Please… just… leave me be…"

Shade stood up abruptly and sped out of the house before anyone could stop him. The ampithere ridgedor continued absentmindedly into the forest, oblivious to the looming trees and dull gray light of dusk. He stopped at a long, wide river that stirred lightly along the edge of the bank.

Man! Talk about a drama queen. Who twisted your tail dragon boy?

You did!

Ya sure did Del!

Dell? Since when did I become a computer?

Ya ain't!

He meant with one 'l' Delwia.

Well… now what?

I don't know…

Don't ya go all sad on us pal!

Shade sighed, wishing he had the same never-say-never attitude as he used to. He sat cross-legged on the bank, twirling a blade of grass between his clawed fingers.

"Sa – ad?" a strange voice said. It gurgled and seemed like it was filled with water.

"Huh?" Shade looked around. "Who said that?"

An odd clicking noise brought his gaze down to the river. Shade gasped when he saw a pearly white creature looking up at him with large, painfully cute, black eyes. It had a wide grin played on his face and, instead of teeth, it had water that swished at the base of his gullet. The peculiar creature cocked its head slightly.

"Sad?" Shade continued. "Is that what you said?"

The irresistibly adorable thing nodded, it's eyes closed in pleasure.

"Well… yeah… I kind of am…"

"Wha – eye?"

"Long story there…" he answered, pausing briefly. "What are you?"

The little animal blinked and shook his head.

"You don't know?" Shade looked at it sympathetically. "Why not?"

The creature eyes grew bright with delight as it suddenly burst out a bunch of clicks.

"Um… I can't understand you…" the ampithere ridgedor shook his head and suggested, "You know, I have two brainiac friends back at my mom's house. I bet they could maybe translate. Come on!"

The small animal squealed joyfully and scrambled up. Shade stared down at the thing, surprise on his face. It looked exactly like a seal, with a long white tail and glistening skin. Although, instead of fins, it had millions of tiny, black legs that looked like hair along its belly.

"Go… on…" it waved its tail.

Shade blinked away his amazement and started towards Sylvia's house. He couldn't help but think that Rakiera certainly had a lot of fauna in its vast terrain.