Chapter 8- Kroys



"C'mon, I'm sure it was this way," Claw grumbled. Coppertop nodded. Then she looked

stricken. "I'm coming too," she hissed defiantly. Ducky looked surprised at the change in

her friend. "Whazza matter, Copper?" she asked. Copper glanced at her. "My villiage.

Kroys has given the command; they have been slaughtered." She said this in a

matter-of-fact tone. Ducky gasped. "How do you know?" Grath was wondering. "Shale.

It's spelled to alert me to any danger; I've been alerted." Claw nodded. "If you want," he

said coolly. "Then we'll get rid of any troops who'll aid this dork," Shinyso offered.

No-one refused his offer,so they headed for the control center.



"Milord, we-bzzzzzzzzzzt-decimated! Per-bzzt-ion to draw-bzzzzzzt-No hope! We must

with-bzzzzzzzzzzzzt-" Kroys ignored the static. "No. How many?" "Eight-bzzzzzzzt-bits, a

bird, a-bzzzzzzzzt-law. No hope, sir! We mu-bzzzt-treat!" Kroys had no problem reading

in between the lines. Eight rabbits, one bird and that Claw. No problem, he mused. Of

course, if Claw and Coppertop decided to gang up on him, they could do a considerable

amount of damage. If it was hopeless he could always use his more formidable powers to

overrun the group. Then he could take their more powerful weapons and warp to one of

his lesser warships. He sat back and waited.



"You're sure he's there, Copper," Ducky called. Copper nodded and looked pointedly at

Angel and Shinyso. Angel looked up. "Aye, he's there. Shinyso and I can sense that dark

magic from a mile away." Shinyso nodded grimly. Grath interupted. "I can help! See my

staff? I can, with its help, warp to any place I've already bee-" "WHAT?! YOU CAN

WARP? Why didn't you tell us, flop-ears?" Grath looked indignant. "Flop-ears? Fine words

from you, feather-bottom! Sit on him, will you, Shinyso?" Shinyso grimaced. "I already

did, if you'll remember," he reminded Grath. Kazooie nodded. "Well, do it again. Kaz

shouldn't be allowed to say things like that." "I concur," Angel laughed. "That was rude,

Kazooie. Apologize." Kazooie scowled. "Sorry. No-aauugh! My tail!" The big bird whirled

to come face to face with. . . "Tuff turts! Ataaack!" Coppertop and Claw turned, and,

seeing the enemy about to trounce the others, did just that. Shale came up in a blaze

of light, as Copper gave voice to a chilling warcry. "Yaaaylaaahooooooo! Die, enemy,

scum of the sewers!" Claw looked startled, then his claws extended and he threw himself

into the fray. The fight was over quickly. In one move Coppertop destroyed the last foe,

turned on her heel and continued as if nothing had ever bothered her. They calmly

continued down the hall to reach a door in the end. The last password, Sjalax, opened

the door and Copper and Claw stepped into the room. A cloaked figure stood there, and

did not seem surprised to see them. "Kroys," the word was hissed by Copper. "Ah, yes.

I've been expecting you. . ."Coppertop's form shimmered and faded. Kroys was shocked; even the smallest forms of

white magic took energy, yet this intruder seemed not to even notice. He quickly cast a

spell to see how powerful she was; it was blocked. HE didn't have to worry about his

energy, the slaughter of Copper's village and the capture of Holidayous had supplied him

with enough blood-magic, the energy of dying creatures, to supplement him for a couple

of weeks. But if the mercenary was that powerful he would be drained if he didn't finish

her off quickly.

He became aware of movement near the door; the creature Claw was advancing. No

problem. He cast a spell of destruction at the angry Claw to find it devirted, he hadn't

noticed the black rabbit who had just come in. She held a wand, and her sparkling

golden headdress had a blazing diamond in it. The entire rabbit seemed to be alive with

power, as did the one who stood behind her. He would recognize that figure anywhere.

It was unmistakable: Ducky Greyrabbit. The odds suddenly took a turn for the worst.



Grath had been informed by Ducky that he would be needed, for if Ducky's power failed

he would have to warp them all to safety. Angel, she had crisply told him, would be far

too busy to help, for she had to keep Kroys at bay. He reluctantly agreed. Now he stood

behind the door, watching.



Coppertop had felt the questing spell and had blocked it, now she knew she had to rely

on Angel and Ducky to do the blocking. She circled around behind Kroys and into a dark

corner, where she shimmered back into existance. At first there was a blue outline of a

rabbit; then the form was filled with tiny blue comets. It looked like a new forming

galaxy, and then the figure solidified. She lunged forward, to find Shale intercepted by a

wizard's staff, a tall silver thing with a sharpened spearhead on the end with a hook

branching off. A very nasty weapon, but she had faced worse. As the dark wizard

turned to intercept her he left his back unguarded; Claw leapt up and raked Kroys with

his razor sharp claws. Kroys whirled and fired a red bolt at him; he dodged and rolled

under the smoking levin-fire. Copper attacked again to find herself countered, Shale

caught between the hook and spear part of Kroys's staff. Thinking quickly she pulled her

blaster out and fired. Kroys, distracted, let his grip loosen; she whipped Shale up and

out of the trap. Claw slashed and Kroys accordingly brought his staff up to counter;

Claw ducked under the shaft and attacked again. Kroys was off balance, Copper pressed

the attack. Somehow Kroys parried and regained his footing, only to be shot by a bolt of

pure, blue electricity. He hastily threw up shields to find an irrisistable force tearing at

them, and then he felt a searing pain in his side. He looked down to see Shale buried

there; he lifted his gaze to the determined green eyes of Copper. He laughed

incredulously, and had the satisfaction of seeing Copper stare at him in contempt.

"Fools! Do you truly think you can defeat me?" Contemtuously he shoved Copper away,

and put his hand over the wound. The gash healed slowly and he frowned, putting more

power into the effort. A sound behind him alerted him, and he turned to see the rabbit,

Angel, standing there determinedly. He slowly raised his hand and spoke a word, and

crackling red lightning flashed towards the defiant rabbit. Abruptly she raised her arms

and crossed her wrists; and then she was surrounded by a softly glowing golden nimbus.

The energy flashed around her, then sank into the shield. She had absorbed his power!

In shock Kroys stared at her, and she smiled sweetly at him. Then her diamond began to

glow. A brilliant white beam flashed from it, then spread around the headdress. Then it

sank slowly into the gold, and then disappeared. But the distraction had worked.

Suddenly his staff was gone; it was sent across the room to land on the control panel.

He whirled to deal with this new foe to see one whom he had forgotten about: Claw.

The two gazed at each other, battling in a contest of wills. Each strove to conquer the

other, until Claw abruptly took the defensive. The shields around his mind strengthened

as he gave way, and the connection was snapped. Kroys had never seen creatures this

powerful before, he knew he had to flee before they overwhelmed him. He bent to pick

up his staff, and then, standing in the center of the room, he loosed a powerful spell of

destruction upon his foes. Then he was gone.



"Coppertop? Wake up." Copper opened her eyes and wished she hadn't. The figures

danced before her: Kroys, laughing, swirling away like smoke. . .Angel, writhing in agony,

trying to counter the spell. . .Darkness flooding her vision. . .

"Copper!" She snapped back to reality with a start. Shinyso bent over her, and she

belatedly realized she was on the floor. "Here, drink this," he was saying, and then

something bitter was being poured down her throat. She struggled to sit up. "Where's

Claw? Did Kroys get away?" "I'm right here. Yeah, he escaped, but I swear he won't be

so lucky next time," Claw growled. "He hit us with a death spell. Are you alright?" Copper

nodded, then winced because doing so sent spikes of pain down her back. "I think so.

Where am I?" Someone laughed. Then Grath came into view. "Your ship, the Assassin,"

he informed her. "What was that stuff you gave me, Shinyso?" she asked. He grinned

nastily. "Poison. Nah, one of my cure potions. You were out cold." Copper laughed along

with him. Then a question that had been nagging her surfaced. "Angel?" "Right here."

"What happened to your diamond? Why did it glow like that?" Angel sighed and sat down

next to Copper. "The magic Kroys used was blood-magic, the life-forces of innocents

whom were killed unnecessarily," she began slowly. "Black magic, evilness. I cannot use

such magic, for to do so would to become evil myself. So, I routed the energies to my

diamond, which cleansed and purified the magic, so that it became usable." Copper

looked at her friend strangely. "Well, thanks for the diversion," she offered. Angel

laughed. "We pressed the self-destruct button on that Deep Spacer," she chuckled.

"You shoulda seen the explosion! Grath nearly didn't get us out in time." Grath looked

injured. "So you think," he grumbled.



Eternally serene, the moon ruled over star-strewn vaults of cloudless sable night, like a

round shield of flecked amber, casting pale light to the forest below. Vagrant breezes

from the distant sea drifted idly through the rainforest's south-west margins, cooling the

heavy warmth a bright summer day had left in its wake.

The relative peace of the forest was not disturbed by the figure who stood in a patch of

moonlight. It was not a notable occurance; creatures often came this way. Excep for

the fact that the hooded figure had not been there a second ago.