"But at least you'll have tried, given your all. If we go on to lose and you end up in Manson's hands anyway, not only will you be burdened by everything you've mentioned, but for all eternity you'll wonder: what if? Join us now and help make the difference. Together we can all send this creep and his goons packing."
One giant swing of his tail felled yet another dragon stupid enough to attack him from the ground. It was a good job for him that they hadn't peppered him with assaults from the air, as they were doing to so many others throughout the chamber. Riding the shockwave of the huge, prehistoric beast crashing to the floor, Vasuki sank his needle sharp teeth through the dragon's tough, scaly neck, clamping them as far shut as he could. Like a drill striking oil for the first time, brilliant, bright green blood gushed up into the air, showering him immediately. With the beast dead and the air tasting of spent magic, the naga king slithered off at speed, concerned about just how exposed he was, here in the middle of the makeshift battlefield. However, he had nearly reached his intended target.
Batting away yet another charging dragon, George, the current dragon king, whirled around ready to discharge yet more magic and mayhem, only to find an onrushing naga heading his way. As pure, ethereal energy flickered from his fingertips, something about this particular being gave him cause for concern. Sky blue around his head and gills, gradually the blue on the snake-like beast got darker the closer it got to the tip of its tail. It wasn't just that. It looked somehow... regal. And then it hit him. It was the naga king... who'd come through the gateway with Fredric and the others. His attention had waned somewhat, focused only on the fact that he'd been reunited with his best friend after all this time, even if it was in the most dire of circumstances. Commanding the power within him to stand down, he lowered his arms to his side, trying to make himself as least threatening as possible. It seemed to work.
Sliding to a halt, using his tail as a brake, Vasuki bowed his head in George's direction. The dragon monarch responded in kind.
"I ammmm Vasuki," announced the king of everything naga.
"George, Your Majesty."
"Whaaaat issss wrong wittthh Fredriiiiic? Why doessss heee juussst kneelll theeere?"
It took him a moment to adjust to the naga king's speech, but that's all.
"Truth be told, I'm not quite sure. I could take an educated guess, but that's all it would be. He won't respond to me no matter what I do. I've tried contacting him telepathically, but it makes no difference. In all honesty, I'm at a loss."
"Mayyyyy I?"
"Of course," answered George, a little wary.
Slithering forward, Vasuki leaned in towards the seemingly paralysed Fredric. Closing his eyes, whilst swaying ever so slightly, the reptilian started to mumble what George assumed were words... assumed because they came across to him as just sounds, and strange ones at that. Guttural and instinctive, they did at least cause the hairs on his arms to stand on end. Willing his friend to return to the present, the dragon monarch wondered just how it was that Vasuki knew Fredric's real name. Assuming they'd formed some sort of captive's bond whilst imprisoned, at the very thought of this, his heart nearly imploded as a crushing cloud of sorrow threatened to overwhelm him. Bravely, and while staving off two more magical attacks from the air, he pushed his feelings away, firmly shutting them out, knowing that dealing with them here and now was not the answer. On the lookout for more danger, he willed his friend to snap out of it.
Breathing the biggest sigh of relief he could ever remember, Yoyo wiped a whole lake of sweat from his forehead, and whilst continuing to heal the two young dragons he thought of as his own in the compartmentalised portions of his mind, he opened his eyes and looked down at the patient he'd given his all and more to. Flash looked serene... sleeping like an angel. Of course it was the healer's doing. After all, if he was going to build the ex-Crimson Guard a brand new leg out of nothing, he couldn't have his courageous friend wriggling around. But it was done, and from the outside it looked as good as new. But the proof, as they say, was very much in the pudding. More than a little concerned, he would have liked to have Flash rest some more, but the current situation they all found themselves in would not permit it... and so without further ado, Yoyo woke his friend up, hoping against hope that all would be well.
"Uhhhhh... where am I?"
As if to remind him, half a dozen bright violet energy missiles streaked against the shield Richie was still holding in place.
"What in the name of...?"
"It's okay Flash... you're safe for the time being."
"YOYO!"
The prehistoric healer smiled at the mention of his name, despite everything going on all around them.
"Uhhhh... I remember being tagged by some sort of magic I've never seen before. It hurt like hell. Did you manage to rid me of it?"
"In a manner of speaking... I had to fabricate you a new leg."
Looking utterly aghast, all Flash could manage was,
"WHAT?"
"It's a long story, youngster, but needless to say you should be as good as new. And while we're on that subject, is there anything you wish to tell me?"
Fretting about his leg, Flash couldn't work out what his friend was going on about.
"No... I don't think so."
"You should know that I've used up every last ounce of magic that the laminium chains were imbued with, healing you and the others. I didn't think it would use up every last drop, but it did and I'm truly sorry, my friend."
"You shouldn't have to say sorry for once again saving my life. The debt I owe you seems to mount up every time we meet."
That made Yoyo chuckle.
"It certainly seems that way, doesn't it?"
"That it does, that it does."
"Good enough. Now there's no time to spare. I think your particular talents are needed if we're to stand any chance at all of getting out of here in one piece."
Gingerly, he stood, tentatively putting pressure on what had been the damaged leg. Surprisingly, and it shouldn't have been like that after the way Yoyo had previously saved his life, it felt perfect, as if nothing bad had ever happened to it. Turning towards his friend, he mouthed a great big, "thank you," before disappearing off in the direction of Richie, Peter and Janice.
Standing in front of them all, holding off the approaching horde of evil, Richie gripped the priceless laminium dagger with all her might, despite the fact that its hilt glowed red hot, currently burning the skin on her hands. That's how much magic she was drawing from it, and that's how much it meant to her to protect everyone she loved.
"Let me help you?" whispered a soft, familiar voice in her left ear.
Glancing back, she was pleased to see one of her two best friends standing there beside her.
"I don't think there's much you can do right now Pete. If I stop for even a moment, I don't think I'll be able to get the shield back up."
"But it's burning your hands!"
"It's a small price to pay."
Knowing that to a certain degree she was right, after all without the shield they would all probably have been captured by now, he knew he still couldn't stand there and just watch. Thinking about what he'd done only moments ago with the young injured dragons, the hockey player within him closed his eyes and sought out his friend, which given she was standing right next to him wasn't that difficult. Slowly at first, he began to dribble a small amount of healing energy into her hands.
Having been fighting the pain for some time, it came as a pleasant surprise when it started to desist. It took her a few moments to work out what was going on, but she couldn't help smiling when she did. Peter!