I'm Baaaaaaaaack! Live and Kickin'. Been rather busy, but I caught up on all the stroies and am quite impressed. And furthur congrads to Black Razor, who looks as though his is nearing an end of the Rise of the Master Series (which I think they should make a movie over). Please say you'll start a new one Raz, I'll hope for it. Now, without furtur adu, I give you, my extra long chapter, my return.
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Roketh stared at the trio. Galin and Moonshadow had resumed their original positions beside him, and they each watched their previous sparing partners intently.

The Naga broke the ice first, “Hey, not bad. I must admit, your better than these tree-huggers. As if thats saying much.” The three all snickered.

“Oh yes,” Moonshadow spoke, “Your humor is about as sharp as your wit.”

The Naga turned deathly serious as he spoke, “Watch your tune, mutt. Even more so, choose your words so they don’t effect your near future health benefits as badly.”

“Any day, freak!” Moonshadow said, slightly moving towards the beast.

“Easy there, partner, “Galin spoke, “These days you got to watch who you speak harshly to.”

“Listen to your friend, whiskers.” The Undine spoke mockingly.

Galin glanced up at her before adding, “Not for their sakes, but for who they might know. Have any of you ever heard the name Kronock before?”

“Ha ha, you not one to ask questions of me, nitwit.” The Tyrant spoke slowly and laughed.

Moonshadow changed his view to the Tyrant before adding, “Well ain’t that the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Huh?” The Tyrant moved his index finger towards his head, and began scratching. He looked over at the Naga, “What he mean, Slayer?”

“Don’t worry, Tiny, his ignorance is immeasurable” The Naga, Slayer spoke slowly for him. He then looked at Roketh, “Yes, I am the legendary bandit Slayer. Surely you’ve heard of me.”

“Ohhh yeah....I did read about you somewhere....” Moonshadow said slowly. The Naga shrugged, obviously proud of his fame, then he said, “I wouldn’t doubt it.”

“Wait, I remember now,” Moonshadow exclaimed, “It was Prison Rape Magazine!”

The Naga’s expression changed from pride, to shock, to anger in a matter of seconds. Then he screamed, “You talk yourself into a heck of a lot of trouble, stray mutt.”

“Although I don’t condone it,” Galin started, “That was a pretty good one. Even Roketh snickered.”

At the mention of his name, the opposing three dropped their jaws. By now, the word of Kingston’s very short reign of terror had reached all ears. If it wasn’t for Roketh, he’d have destroyed the continent.

“Your the Roketh?” Slayer said slightly shocked, “That makes you the Galin? Son of Kingston?”

“Yeah, that would be us.” Galin said a bit stunned at his own fame. He hoped it was his victory over Kingston, and not the atrocities he had performed.

“Man, We’ve been looking for you guys!”, slayer spoke, “Didn’t want to say it earlier, but we are looking for Kronock as well.”

“Are you three of the Eight Lords?” Roketh asked plainly.

“Well, no.” Slayer said, “We are hybrid lab experiments. Test tube babies you..might...say...”

“Are you completely mad? Your not even affiliated with the Eight Lords. How could you stop Kronock?” Galian said.

“Would you prefer us do nothing? We weren’t even sure you two, now three, would even attempt to stop him or if you were already dead.” The Undine spoke angrily, “This land is as much our home as it is yours!”

“Easy there, Tsunami.” Slayer said slowly with a slight motion of his hand, “We will assist you however you see fit.”

“But Slayer!” The Tyrant screamed.

“Silence, Tiny, this is the right thing.” Slayer said.

“Tiny?” Moonshadow asked.

The Naga grinned before adding, “His nick name is Short Stuff.”

For the first time, all six of them laughed at once. This laughter quickly changed however, as a load CRACK rang out. Roketh looked behind him to see one of the Wood Knights had broken his wooden sword on Roketh’s back. The Knight stumbled backward with half his sword in hand. There was now 20 or so Wood Knights, and they had evacuated all the dryad young. Now fully developed Dryads circled them slowly.

“Ha! You’ll need more than this to take out the six of us!” Slayer screamed as the three of them prepared for battle.

“NO!” Roketh screamed, “There is no need, we will leave peacefully.”

“And if they don’t want to let us go peacefully?” Moonshadow asked.

“Then we flee peacefully. They already killed one, why should more die.” Roketh said as the small army tightened its circle.

“Why did you three kill that Dryad?” Galin asked glancing at the three hybrids.

“An interrogation gone wrong, nothing more.” Tsunami spoke briefly and turned to face three landing dryads.

“If you can fly, grab someone who can’t and go strait up, then North. Towards the mountains” Roketh yelled as he grabbed Moonshadow. Slayer again, sprouted his hidden, dragon-like wings and grabbed Tsunami. Galin managed to lift Tiny and fly higher than the Dryads, and even more so managed to get him out of the forest. Not much further than there.

“Buddy-boy, your jogging here on in.” Galin sputtered, trying to catch his breath.

“Yup, I be a big boy. Because I’m a Golem like monster. We big, yup.” Tiny said as he jogged after the others, and Galin took flight and followed him.


Meanwhile...In the Papas...

Dadge awoke, drearily rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Was it all a dream. He hoped from the day Nightmare showed up on out was all one bad dream after the next. However, when he got his bearings, he was in a room he didn’t recognize. His bed was slightly larger then himself. The window was closed, but some kind of light shined through the cracks. He also heard load calmer and talking outside, like construction. As he opened it, his dreams of this being a dream quickly faded.

The Jills were working feverishly to re-construct their homes, stores, their very lives. Dead Jill and swarm minions were being carted off the streets. The Queen’s corpse had been moved, somehow. Probably took all the Jillish Guard and their Clovers to move that thing, most likely ropes and pulleys as well. She was laying in the wasteland, and Dadge could see Jill scientist climbing all over her, learning as much as they could. Then. the door swung open and Grendel stepped in. Even through the door was big enough for Jill, that was bigger than Dadge, Grendel’s massive frame still had to duck.

“Congratulation Dadge,” Grendel spoke, “You have single-handedly annihilated the entire swarm and saved the Jillish civilization. You also won the Blood Clover as payment. How does it feel to be the hero, Dadge?”

“Very tiresome, how can people do this for a living.”, Dadge turned and looked out the window again, “...but, its nice.”

Grendel smiled, his burly mustache curling up towards the top of his head, “Ohh and Dadge...”

“Yes Grendel?” Dadge said darting a glance at Grendel.

“Someone very special wants to speak with you.” As Grendel stepped aside, Two Jill appeared and walked into the room. One was a big, manly male Jill. The other was a big, manly female Jill.

“Come out, Cindy, its O.K.” One spoke behind itself.

Dadge first impression was it was coming on to him, referring to its butt. However, before Dadge managed to put his foot in his mouth, a small Jillish child stepped out. She was holding a flower in one hand, and a doll in the other. Dadge glanced out the window and looked upward. He hadn’t even questioned the origin of the light until now, and was amazed. A giant, artificial spotlight that almost perfectly resembled sunlight. Enough to fool plants?

“Mister....” The child spoke slowly, extending the rose in her left hand, clasping the doll with her right, and rubbing the edge of a rug with her foot. She was obviously shy.

Dadge felt something warm touch his heart, and he had always been good with kids. Since the Jills so closely resembled us, he decided to take the same approach. He kneeled, to be head level with the young one, who continued to be fixated on the rug and her foot. He took the flower slowly, and smelt it. It was a purple color, and had four petals that rose then drooped slightly. It was possibly the most refreshing thing he’d felt since this fiasco started months ago.

“Its beautiful,” Dadge said, “Thank you.”

“Aww, it was nothin’.” The Jill spoke softly. Dadge knew if he could see through the hair, she would be red from embarrassment.

“You know what old Dadge could sure use right now, Cindy?”

“W-wut?” The little girl said.

“You ever heard of the stories about the knights fighting off dragons, saving the kingdoms, and getting the girl?” Dadge said, smiling slightly at the presence of such an innocence.

“Yeah...” She said. Obviously, she was neither a big talker or a motivational speaker.

“Well, you see...” Dadge spoke as he took the youth’s empty hand, “I got everything but the girl so......could I have a hug from the princess?”

“O.K., where is she?”

“No, no darling,” Dadge laughed slightly, “The knight rescues the princess, and I rescued you. That makes you a princess.”

“Really!? Momma, Pappa I’m a princess!” She turned, bouncing like most energetic youths do. Her parents only smiled, glad that their daughter was safe.

“Safe sweet stuff,” Dadge said, acting shy himself. He figured it would make her take the lead in this conversation., “How bout that hug.”

“A hunk like you, of course!” She said as she clasped around his chest, under his arm. Dadge could swear he heard something crack.

The youth then bounded off down the hallway, singing some Jillish celebration song. Dadge stood slowly, something else popping in the process as he grabbed his back.

Then, in a shrill voice he said, “Quite a set of arms on that one.”

“Mister Dadge, we can’t thank you enough. She’s our only child, if we lost her...” The mother sputtered out, tears filling her eyes. She clasped around Dadge, arms and all. Dadge managed to make out three more pops while holding his breath.

“Ohh, I heard something crack!” She exclaimed as she let go.

“No, no. Just a crick I popped.” Dadge managed to lie.

She left, leaving the father, who said simply, “I’d like to shake your hand.”

Dadge didn’t have time to react as his hand was grasped, shaken, possible broken, then released. He thanked him accordingly and took off after his family. at this point Grendel shut the door, and fell to the floor with the most histarical laughter Dadge had ever heard.

“Yup. He he, ho ho, it is laugh at the hero day. Yippee.” Dadge spoke as he looked down on the Jill, who was himself on all fours, tears rolling off his long mustache.

“I must apologize Dadge...A ha....they heheheheheHAHAHAHA(etc.)....they don’t know their
own strength.” He finally stammered out.

Dadge needed to lay down. As he did, he added, “They hurt me more than the Queen ever did.” Naturally, Grendel, who had just stood up, hit the floor again in histarical laughter. It is odd to see one of his size get so tickled at little things, but it was obvious he didn’t care.


Meanwhile...

“Namerca! Dracoul!” A thunderous voice rang forth.

The Phoenix and the Armored Dragon entered the cave behind the waterfall where Kronock was hidden for now.

“Yes Master?” Spoke Namerca, the Phoenix.

“Why, oh why, have you not apprehended that human Crimson Grin almost killed?”

“We are sorry master.” The Dragon, Dracoul, spoke, “Since their battle, he disappeared.”

Kronock walked towards the pair, he was roughly the height of the dragon, “Humans...don’t just.. .....disappear. Not even human magicians can do that, they use illusions. You follow his
trail?”

“Yes.” Namerca answered, “It went up a mountainside where it met several Jill footprint. We followed them into a cave, but there was nothing in there. Not even tracks going out.”

Kronock turned and looked at her intently, then he said, “That means they are still there, illusions remember? Go back and search it again, destroy that Jill clan and bring em their leader and the human. Leave me and be swift.”

“Yes, O Master.” They both said with a bow and took flight, steam coming off the Phoenix.

Kronock stood silent for a moment as he pondered his thoughts, “Jills? Thought they died out ages ago. It must be that old windbag Grendel. He, and the other Lords, took out Kingston some odd centuries ago, and I had to watch. But now, now that he’s dead, this vessel allows me to do things myself, hands on, the only way anything can be done right. Well, with that said, let those Eight Lords bring what they wish, I’ll not be the defeated this time. Hahahahahhahahaaa!”


CHB Enjoy! (I'm soooo back!)

i did enjoy, chb! stories have dried up lately, so its always good to get a new chapter.

i will be critical of the very end. i never liked it when the villain said "hahahahahahaaaa" and i still don't. just my 2 cents.

I tried to add a bit more comic relief in this one. The next is going to get bloody.