What?! Nobunny (AND nobirdy) replied?! Noooo. . . So, I guess I have to post more. *grouches*



As Kroys gazed furiously into Copper's deep green eyes, he saw no surrender there. Only defiance, determination and cold, calculating fury. Startled by the depth of her anger and insulted nature, he let his guard down for the slightest second.

It was enough. Copper ducked under the staff, and dove for Shale. As she tripped again, he yanked her feet from out beneath her, and she collapsed on the floor. He bent slightly, intending to finish his adversary off once and for all, and was drawing all the power from the innocent slaves on the planet below, rendering them unconscious, when a numbing pain seared through him.

Kroys gasped in shock as he stared down at the sword embedded in his chest. He made a move to pull it out, intending to heal the wound; the hiss of cold steel being drawn froze him. Then a curved dagger appeared in his throat, the poisonus nightshade on it blocking his magic.

A look of astonishment crossed his face, and with an inarticulate cry he fell to his knees. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed forever was Kovu, bending over him to retrieve his sword.

"That's for Claw," he told him.



The endless storehouse of blood-magic locked in the dark one's powerful mind broke free as the keeper was destroyed. The flood of bruised, tainted power flowed out, through the largest outlet it could find. The black rabbit's diamond glowed and heated. . .



Copper took an uncertain step backwards or two as the black cloak fluttered slightly. A sort of glow was enveloping Kroys, but it was sickly looking. The tainted light formed a channel, heading directly for-

"Angel!"

-Wild Angel's diamond. As the first beam penetrated, she swayed, and Shinyso and Grath -And what was HE doing here, anyway?- barely caught her in time. She cried out as the entire gold headdress was enveloped and then-

A beam of brilliant, diamond white light lanced out, striking the shard of Sparif in Ducky's staff. It seemed to make the whole staff vibrate and glow, and then the light leapt to Kovu's shard, and then to Alpha's ruby on her knife, and to Omega's opal, and to Nightshade's redstone sword pommel, and then to Copper's key, and down to her sword, which she still held. Light shot through the green jewel, making it translucent, and then spread along the blade -and the light was still coming from Kroys! Anything with jewels or magic was touched, and the light on Shale dissolved as more kept pouring in-



Invisible rays of power slid through the air, headed for the unconscious slaves. It delicately entered one, filled the space that Kroys had emptied, and went on, touching each one in turn and awakening the slaves as it went. . .



Abruptly the flow stopped. Wild Angel swayed once more and then dramatically collapsed, and once more Shinyso barely caught her. Then they all turned their eyes to Kroys.

He was gone. All there was was a pile of ashes, that stirred in an unseen wind.

Ducky prodded the ashes with her staff. A small, fire-blackened object fell to the floor next to the pile. It was a jewel, that had once adorned a ring on Kroys' hand. And etched on it in letters barely readable with age- Belaine.

Copper turned her shadowed eyes to Shinyso.

"So that's how you knew," she breathed. "Claw told me-" she choked up slightly. Shinyso nodded.

"Yes, I'd seen it before, on a wizard named Belaine. He 'disappeared' a few years ago- disappeared into Kroys."

"Copper?" Kovu was bending over Claw. "I don't think Kroys killed him." She frowned slightly.

"Ho-"

"Blasted enemies." Kovu backed off as Claw picked himself up slowly. "I always make sure of a job."

Nightshade seemed to wake from her stupor.

"Blast! That moron took my best dagger with him!" Claw turned his pain-soaked gaze to her.

"Be glad he didn't take you," he replied.

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Finally Kovu drew in a shaky breath and sheathed his sword.

"Alright, guys. Let's. . . go home."



Off in the distance, a small Darkspray named the Rain Mantis sped away from Firen. Devan was in high spirits, having stolen three power cells and two blast rifles and having gotten away with it. Sure it had taken some smooth talking, but he was home free.

As he checked his back visuals, he thought he saw a brilliant star appear in the distance, on the other side of Firen. It remained in place for quite some time, until it faded away into the distance. Shonar had done his job well. The Conquerer, both ship and being, was ashes.



THE END