Renegade Reborn (23 page)

Chapter Eleven: Man-Dragon vs. Man-Phoenix

“NO!” Rolce suddenly screamed, breaking free of the memory of the red haired girl by letting go of Jackobi’s hand.

“Rolce, Rolce, stop!” Jackobi snapped, as loud as he could without his voice carrying. Rolce floated there, his face in his hands.

“This was a mistake, Jack. I can’t, I can’t watch this. I just can’t,” Rolce said.

“Rolce, I’m begging you, hang on,” Jack said, reaching out and grabbing his hand tightly, looking him in the eyes, Rolce couldn’t believe it, but tears, real tears, were welling up in his friend’s ice blue eyes.

“Jack . . . are you . . .” Rolce said.

“Keep watching. You don’t want to miss this . . .” Jackobi said, as he reached up, and touched the chain once again, bringing them back.

“Ah, that’s it. I can feel your despair . . . it makes me strong! Now, be still, little one. If you behave, maybe I’ll end you quickly . . .” The masked man said as he unsheathed a dual-bladed sword, but before the masked man could touch a hair on her head, there was a large boom from behind them. The masked man spun around to see a hand, attached to a strong, red pulsing, hairy fore-arm, shoot through the bricked wall as if it were made of glass, then grab him by the throat.

“You . . .” The masked man snarled weakly.

“Me . . .” a baritone voice said from behind the back wall. He squeezed the masked man tighter around the throat, then slammed him face first into the left side of the narrow alleyway with such force, a crack ran all the way up to the top of the wall where a brick broke loose and fell into the empty dumpster with a resounding clang, spraying up soot, dust and mortar all over the scene.

Coughing, the little girl got to her feet, waving away the grey, dusty cloud in front of her face, and when the dust settled there stood a tall man with big, broad shoulders, draped in a beautiful uniform of white with various hues of blue, black, and white throughout. Upon his forehead was a bandanna, and two, long, flowing tails that fell down behind his back, so long, they nearly brushed the ground, but the thing that stood out most to the little girl was his eyes. His eyes were dark and ferocious, and his mouth was twisted into a menacing snarl, like a wolf’s, as he held the masked man a foot off the ground, pressing his face into the wall.

“Make it quick he says . . . have you no limit to your cruelty?” The bearded man growled as he threw the man down the alleyway. The masked man tucked into a neat roll, and came up on one knee, thrusting his dual curved blade at him, ignited it in green black fire, challenging him. To this, the bearded man laughed, grinned, and from his back, retrieved a giant, curved blade, ignited it in blue white fire, and threw it down in a diagonal strike, hitting the masked man from the top of his left shoulder and down to his right kidney. The masked man’s robe exploded with blood from the cut, then keeled over.

“ARE YOU INSANE!? YOU’LL KILL US BOTH, YOU . . . ACK!” The masked man said, coughing up blood in his mask as the bearded man dropped next to him onto one knee, coughing up blood as well.

The little girl, horrified, saw that the same exact strike the bearded man made across the masked man’s body, was also across his own. He was bleeding too, but rather than answer the masked man, his menacing eyes took on a change, suddenly becoming gentle, and meek. He turned and looked right at her, with utmost concern in his features and though the bearded man was wounded, and out of breath, he spoke to her as if he didn’t even notice.

“Are you all right, honey?” The bearded man asked.

“He, he killed, Puggy . . .” The girl sniffled, when she felt something scratching at her leg. She looked down and to her astonishment, saw the black, gruesome form of her pup, Puggy, still alive. Even though his eyelids had welded shut, his nose still sniffed for her, as he crawled forward, dragging his back, shriveled legs behind him. The little girl burst into tears, her hands over her mouth.

“No, no, don’t cry! I want to show you something,” The bearded man said, as he reached down and picked up the little black abomination that Puggy had become. It squealed horribly at his touch.

“Ohhhh, there, there little one. I know it hurts.” The bearded man cooed. He then looked at the little girl. “You should be proud of little Puggy here. Such a stout heart he has. Throughout all its pain and suffering, it still tries to protect you. Such a heart, deserves one thing . . .” The bearded man said, smiling. “Life.”

Then, the bearded man’s hands began to glow and burst into a blue white fire that overtook Puggy and became so bright, the little girl had to shield her eyes. When the light dimmed, she opened her eyes, and there, being held out to her, was not a black, dying little thing, but a bouncy, squeezable, Puggy, back in action with his little red tongue hanging out of his mouth comically.

“PUGGY!” The little girl exclaimed wrapping up the pup in her arms.

“Keep this little gentleman safe, would you? I need to deal with something,” The bearded man said, turning with a snarl. Entranced, the little girl peeked around the dumpster to see the bearded man stand, brush himself off, and march toward the masked man who was still trying to stand up from the viscous blow that rocked him.

“You would waste your power . . . on a yipping mammal?” The masked man asked, stifling out a laugh.

“We’re all mammals. Every life, even the tiniest one, serves a purpose. Besides, when I looked at him close, he reminded me a bit of my Granddad. Probably a common relation somewhere,” The bearded man said, snapping his neck left and right, issuing out a series of pops.

“Humor, the last refuge of a desperate man.” The masked man said.

“You attack our home, our people, all for more power, and you call me desperate? You have made me beyond desperate, Drakearon, desperate enough to take you with me . . .” The bearded man said, his sword extended for another strike.

“Oh, we’re finally on a first name basis after all these years? It’s a shame. I was finally getting used to being called, ‘son of a bitch’.” Drakearon grunted. Struggling, the Man-Dragon climbed to his feet, and spread his arms wide, leaving himself vulnerable, challenging the man to strike. “Well, come on then!”

The bearded man stood there for a long moment, weighing the options, until finally, he let his sword lower.

“Always bravado before brains. That’s why I like you, Vadid. I can never tell what you’ll do next, but alas, I feel our dance soon coming to an end. Don’t you see? My men, my beasts, we’re all connected. With every Flarian struck down, my power rises and with every . . . mammal . . . you save, your power weakens. This can end in one way, and one way only, with me on . . .” Drakearon started, when in a flash, Vadid stepped forward, and threw all of his weight into a viscous punch, nailing Drakearon right across the chin and sending them both to the ground.

Scrambling, Drakearon got up onto one knee, tried to stand, then fell again. A thin line of blood trickled down the line of his neck from beneath his mask. His ears were ringing and his head was filled with the feeling of vertigo from the wicked strike. The only relief he had was knowing his opponent was going through the same, and it would take him just as long to . . .

And that’s when he saw the large shadow looming over him.

“Way I see it, it all comes down to who can take a bigger beatin’, and I know for a fact I got you there, ya know why?” Vadid asked, as he knelt down to look him in the eyes.

“You have no idea who . . .” Drakearon started, but Vadid cut him off, his voice loud, and powerful.

“No, I think it’s you who have no idea who you’re up against, but I’m gonna give ya some hints. I’m the same man who beat you on that beach so many years ago. I’m the same man who put doubt in that little black heart of yours. I’m the same man who haunts your dreams every night. Still don’t know who I am? Well, I’ll tell ya. I’m Vadid the Valiant, and I’m the biggest, baddest, toughest son of a bitch on Thera, but guess what?” Vadid said, suddenly turning and flashing a wink at the little girl. “I’m also the good guy.”

Drakearon, a man known for his golden, conniving tongue, was at a loss for words.

“Deity Drakearon, pah!” Vadid said, spitting in his face. “Let’s put that title to the test. Here I stand, just a mere mortal with his feet planted. Come on, Deity, right here, right now. Let’s see who can take the biggest beating. Let’s see if under all those fancy titles you got what it takes to call yourself a man!” Vadid said, sticking his sword in the ground as he held up his fists flashing a wild, bloody smile.

Drakearon stood to his feet, took a look at Vadid’s sword in the ground, then back at him.

“You’re beneath me.” Drakearon said, and with that, turquoise green, energy wings in the same shape as the Dragon’s, sprouted from his back. With a quick jump and flap, he took off into the sky. Vadid watched him go, but didn’t pursue. There was something more important from his perspective as he turned and dropped to one knee in front of the little girl.

“I’m sorry about that honey, how’s Puggy doin’?” Vadid asked. The little girl answered by holding Puggy out and sticking him nose to nose with Vadid. Instantly, Puggy began to lap at Vadid’s salty, sweaty face.

“Ugh, doggy kisses . . .” Vadid said, his face grimacing.

“All better, all better!” The little girl said through giggles, and then, her smile faded and her eyes began to fill up with tears. “I . . . I . . .”

“Hey, hey, shhh, it’s all right, honey.” Vadid said, swooping the girl up in his big arms, and shushing her. With the girl in his arms, Vadid walked through the hole in the back wall, out through the building, and down another alleyway. Halfway down, there was a lid on the floor. Vadid lifted it.

“It’s going to be very stinky down here, but you’ll be safe. Stay down there until I come get you. Understand?” Vadid asked. The little girl looked down to see a ladder, and a floor with a crevice where a sewage river flowed beneath.

“Thank you, mister, but, can you, can you . . .” The little girl started.

“What is it, sweetie?” Vadid asked.

“That trick, with Puggy, can you, bring back my mommy and daddy too?” The little girl asked. It was then, something twisted in Vadid’s face.

“The men in black, they killed your parents?” Vadid asked.

The little girl nodded.

“And you saw it happen?” Vadid asked.

The little girl nodded again, and the little girl suddenly saw the mean, intense look in Vadid’s eyes come back for only a moment, but he fought it down. Instead, he pulled the girl closer, wrapping her in a big, comforting hug.

“I’m so sorry, honey, but my trick only works if they’re still alive. I can’t bring back someone, who’s passed on . . .” Vadid said. He then pulled away from her, and looked her in the eyes. “But, I promise, I’m going to stop that bad man and all his monsters, once and for all, and when it’s done, I’ll come back for you.”

“Promise?” The little girl asked, her eyes big and moist.

“Promise.” Vadid said. He then looked at the puppy. “Puggy? I want you to take good care of . . . what’s your name, sweetie?”

“Jeanie, my name’s, Jeanie.” Jeanie said. Vadid smiled, nodded, and continued.

“Ok, then, Jeanie. Puggy? You keep Jeanie here safe. She’s a very good girl, and when I come back, I’m going to find you both a new place to live, and if I can’t, then you’re just going to have to live with me!”

Jeanie smiled at this, and threw her arms around his neck.

“Don’t go, Mister Vadid. Please?” Jeanie pleaded.

“Oh, honey, I . . .” Vadid started, when there was suddenly, another blood curdling scream of death from behind them. Vadid quickly carried the girl and Puggy down the ladder, leaned her up against the wall, and lifted her chin so her eyes could look into his.

“I need to go. I’ll be back for you, I promise.” Vadid said.

“But I’m scared!” Jeanie said.

“I’m scared too! But you know what the best part of being scared is?” Vadid asked.

Jeanie shook her head.

“It gives you the opportunity to be brave!” Vadid said, as he bent down and kissed her forehead slightly. “Can you be brave for me, Jeanie?”

Jeanie nodded and held Puggy closer. Vadid smiled and ruffled her hair, that strange crimson hair, hair like blood, and had a strange thought, an impossible thought, that maybe, possibly she was . . .

There was another scream, another death. Vadid cursed silently under his breath so Jeanie couldn’t hear, and climbed the ladder, but before closing the lid, he pointed a finger at Puggy.

“Keep a good eye on her, Puggy! I’m trusting you!” Vadid said with a wink. Puggy barked in response, Jeanie waved, Vadid smiled once more, and closed the lid. He then stood up to his feet, closed his eyes, concentrated, and blue white energy wings, shaped like a bird’s, but more accurately, a Phoenix, burst from his back in a wondrous display. And with a jump, the Man-Phoenix took off into the night sky ready to make history.

Jackobi let go of the chain, and together, him and Rolce floated there, hand in hand, not saying anything for a long moment. Finally, Rolce looked up at Jack, who hid his gaze from him.

“You’re crying, aren’t you?” Rolce asked.

“It was him . . .” Jack said, still looking down into the black, smoky abyss below them.