Roketh's eyes slowly opened, and his vision was blurry. Everything was a bluish green color. He could see Grendel and several other Jill watching a screen, murmuring and shaking their heads. Roketh had been having nightmares since he collapsed at the base of the Papas, now he assumed this was another one. As he began to close his eyes again, several loud beeping noises rang through his skull. He blinked ignorantly as the surprise faded from him, and all the Jill eyes rained upon him instantly.
He had been frozen before, in a rather primitive one compared to the Jill's, but this was a modified cryo-tube. Instead of being frozen, he was submerged into a substance best resembling toothpaste. It was very grimy and sticky, but affected his eyes about as much as plain water. He heard several seals being release as the goo oozed out of the bottom of the tank. Instantly water shot from three small, round nozzles above him. A few more appeared around him, assuming the same task. At this point, he looked out of the glass front. Grendel was smiling, along with a few other Jill, but one sight caught his attention more than any other did.
One the main screen, there were three boxes. One was in the center of the screen, extending all the way up and down and to the right. On the left, were two, slightly smaller boxes. In one, the crumbled form of Galin lay. He was trying to force himself up on his top two arms and his bottom right. His bottom left arm was against his ribs. Either his arm was hurt or his ribs, possibly both. On the other small screen, Moonshadow was unconscious at the bottom of a slope. His mane usually would be golden during battle, but it was currently pitch black, his natural Terror Dog tone. He was belly down, and obviously he rolled. Moonshadow was agile; he could easily have bounced around and somehow avoided injury from a fall. Or was he thrown?
This question entered his mind as he looked at the large screen. It was like a window to the battlefield. There were three craters. One was huge, and had bits of gold buried in and around it. Roketh was a bit puzzled at this, and the second largest one had fire still burning in it. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the fire embers were actually fire feathers, a Phoenix's. In the third was a figure resembling a Durahan that was belly down. It was trying to pull itself up.
Fire instantly was slung across the lens of the camera. The fire rippled across the ground and over the side of the mountain. Galin was on this screen, near the top center. He bounced and barely hopped over the flame before crumbling back to earth. The figure in the crater finally pulled himself up, and a brightly green beam emitted from his wrist as he took flight. The fight was going on behind the camera.
The figure flew back over the screen and slid several feet before back flipping and stopping. It was on a knee, panting hard. Just then, a Phoenix flew on the screen. More like crashed. Purple seemed to fizz off of him as he hit the ground with a thud. Galin and the figure sprinted towards Roketh, it seemed, to engage the enemy. Roketh finally figured out it was Dadge, not a Durahan.
Roketh pounded the glass with his fist, taking the mask he was wearing off and screaming at Grendel, "Let me out! They need help!"
"Sorry, lad. As soon as the purifier is done, then we can-" He stopped, noting that a small ember of fire had begun to form in Roketh's palm, "Hit the deck!"
As he screamed, every Jill in the room dove in the opposite direction of the tube. The glass shattered and flew towards the main screen on a weave of fire. Grendel had his hands cupped over his head, eyes closed. He rolled over and saw the renewed Roketh take his first step out of the chamber. The great Dragon looked down on him and asked calmly, "Where are they?"
Grendel got up, dusted himself slightly, and surveyed the damage. The main screen was shattered, the control panel was also pretty much fried, with shards of glass protruding from it. He also noted that the tube was destroyed. The glass was only knocked forward when the tube itself exploded, not able to contain the massive energy within it. Grendel also knew Roketh was trying to hold back his strength. He was much stronger now, thanks to that machine, and woe to any who cross him.
Roketh saw Grendel's expression as he looked about at the broken machinery, "Should've let me out."
Grendel sighed slightly before saying, "If I wasn't in such a good mood, you'd be in trouble, sonny." The Jill waved a stout finger at the Dragon, who merely smiled in reply.
"Let us do this, your friends are in trouble. My Jill will provide you with your information."
"I'll miss you, Grendel. We can never repay what you've done for us." Roketh said sadly as he held out his hand.
"No, my boy, I owe you and your friends. Kingston, the Swarm, and now Kronock, my dear boy, we owe you this much, and more. Make me a promise though…"
Roketh stared into the burly Jill's teary eyes, "Anything, friend."
A tear rolled down the Jill's long, white hair as he added, "Make this world safe again, for everyone."
With that Grendel grasped Roketh's hand. A white energy emitted from it, pulsing. All the eyes in the room had to turn away. In the street, people saw all the windows in the massive lab shine forth with bright white rays of light that seemed to dance through the city. The entire mountain rang as one screamed echoed throughout the Papas,
"I will! I promise!"
Meanwhile…
Galin hit the dirt face first. It was becoming all to regular to hit the ground with this much force, and he didn't like it one bit. Moonshadow was back, but was only swatted out of the air by the blunt end of the Joker's scythe.
"I guess …this really is …the end …De'spyre …he is…too strong…." Galin sputtered as small drops of blood ran off his chin and seemed to dive at the ground.
"No…" Moonshadow said as he stood again, his hair glistening golden once more, "We can't…let him."
Blazemost was lying on his side; purple haze still came off him in as much abundance as his fire. He was breathing hard, but he also had been fighting the longest, and they all knew it. He was very strong, probably almost as strong as De'spyre. If only Roketh had gotten to him sooner…
Dadge was fighting the Joker in the air now. The fiend was standing on a floating cloud of purple gas, enjoying this battle immensely. He held up his scythe with both hands as he blocked Dadge's downward slash. Dadge was pressing down for all his might, begging for the scythe to snap, to break.
"Don't hold you breath, human," De'spyre spoke mockingly, "I come from a strong line of Jokers, and this scythe will never break."
Dadge was speechless. Then he remembered that Jokers can read minds, but only those of humans. Dadge's thoughts quickly scattered as the Joker quickly spun his scythe sideways. Dadge's laser sword was on his right arm, but the Joker had spun his weapon downward and to the left. As Dadge's arm crossed his chest, De'spyre slammed the other end of his scythe into Dadge's helm.
Ringing. That was all Dadge could hear as he carriened into the ground. He quickly removed his helmet, grasping his head with both hands. Was this truly it? He was on both knees and elbows as De'spyre walked towards him. The Joker glanced at each of the warriors. Moonshadow was still standing, barely. Moonshadow was charging lightning between his horns. The Joker grunted slightly, and returned his gaze to Dadge. As he did, he thrust his open hand towards Moonshadow. Dust flew as if to make way for the invisible attack. Moonshadow was hit with a loud crack. He instantly flew backwards and rolled into the crater that once had Dracoul on top of it.
The Joker laughed with devilish glee as Dadge removed his hands from his head and stared up at the Joker. His sword sputtered and powered down completely drained by the battle. Dadge glanced at his right wrist in terror.
"Well, well. I've actually tried not to use the lethal end of my scythe, just to toy with you. Now that you all have lost, let us begin the execution."
Everyone's eyes widened in terror at the thought of his words. It was actually over, and the sickening pain of defeat ran rampant through them all.
"NO!" Galin screamed as he jumped to his feet and charged to Joker, "Thermal Claw!"
Galin was literally on the other side of the volcano, but he ran with blinding speed. He called upon the last of his energy, a last resort. De'spyre decided he would be the final means of entertainment before he would kill them all.
They met about halfway. Galin was swinging and fighting to the best he could in his present state. The Joker seemed to be struggling slightly; the attacks were very fast and frequent. Naturally of course, he did have four arms.
Finally, one fateful slip up occurred. Galin swung his top arms from overhead, and his other two arms straight, trying to impale and cut his in two, possibly three, pieces. De'spyre had his scythe horizontal. He thrust it forward, right into Galin's stomach. Galin bowed with the sensation of pain. He then forced it down, pushing Galin's fists to the earth. He then spun his scythe around his head several times in a matter of seconds and slammed it into Galin's top right wrist. This forced to whole weight of the dragon over, and his bottom two wrist blades slashed his thighs. Not deep enough to cause permanent injury, but De'spyre could now if he wanted.
Galin panted as he gazed up at the Joker, who only stared down on him. He now had a large frown on his face.
"Oh, poo. Does this mean you don't want to play anymore? Ahahaha!" As he spoke, the lips curled back up into the custom Joker grin. Galin was still amazed at seeing a Joker actually use its lips.
"Well, then, since you're so eager to die, you get to be executed first." De'spyre said with a slight laugh. He slowly, casually raised the scythe over his head, "Bye-byyyyyeeee!"
The scythe came down with massive force. A bright white light fired out across the battlefield. Everyone had to close their eyes, fearing to open them again. Oddly enough, it didn't sound like parting flesh, more like a loud cling.
Dadge sat silent for a moment, then he heard something. Heavy breathing mixed with a hint of uncertainty.
"Look!" Moonshadow said as he crawled from the hole.
Dadge finally mustered the strength to do so. He glanced at Blazemost and Moonshadow first, but they both stared on in awe. He then looked towards Galin, who had two right arms poised to make a sad attempt to block the ensuing death.
A scythe, even larger than De'spyre's, was lodged between it and Galin. A massive, scaly hand held the handle, as the other hung limply by the huge Dragon. It was De'spyre who was breathing hard, and almost whimpering. Jokers were notorious for being able to size up their competition and sense the amount of strength they contained, and he was petrified.