TP-What to Prepare For[15 of 18][FanFic]
Twister
Chapter Fifteen
---------------
Another school day passed and on Tuesday, Natsumi was still trying
to think of who could help her with her problems. She was passing though the
hallways when she spied Takaya, identifiable by his monk's robe, sitting in the
library by himself, seemingly just thinking. Suddenly, he seemed like the
perfect person to help her if he wanted to.
She took a deep breath and started walking towards him. *He just
might. It depends on what exactly he sees in that Itazuka.* Natsumi sat
down by the silent figure.
This time Takaya was the one startled, instead of the other way
around. He had been deep in thought, trying to find a way to get the
red-head to marry him. Not very many workable ideas had come to mind. He
looked to see who wished his attention and smiled at the sight of Natsumi.
"Ah, Natsumi. What can I do for you?" She appeared a little nervous
for some reason.
"Takaya... I was wondering if you could help me with a few troubles
I've been having."
Inwardly, he smiled, *Hmm. An opportunity to have her owe me
something sounds good to me. I wonder what she wants.* Then memory struck
and he frowned. "If you want to kill the red-headed one then I'm not
interested."
She shook her head. "I only tried that because I was so angry. What
I _really_ want is to teach her a lesson, but I don't think I can do it
myself." Natsumi glanced at Takaya. "What do you see in her anyway?"
Takaya softly laughed, "Just her Power. I want to use it as my own.
Unfortunately, the only way to do _that_ is to have her marry me." He smiled.
"A difficult task, I think."
This statement opened doors of understanding about Takaya for Natsumi
and she almost shivered. *He only wants her Power! And to think I wanted him
to notice me... Close call, I think.* A nasty smile appeared upon Natsumi's
face. "Why don't you help me with another problem and then I can help you with
your own. I think tricking her into marrying you would be good enough for
me."
*Hmm. This sounds promising. It would heighten my chances to have
an ally.* Takaya queried Natsumi as to what the other problem was, "Is
this problem magical?"
"In a way. I found this _fascinating_ boy who isn't magic-talented,
but is very good-looking and talented in other ways. Unfortunately, it
seems he has a girlfriend who appears to be protected, by something
magical, against magic." She smiled widely. "If he's alone I can get him
on my own."
Takaya nodded, "That seems simple enough. Done then. I think that if
we briefly get the girlfriend and find out what protects her then we should
have no trouble 'suggesting' her to leave him." He contemplated that
plan and then smiled, "Yes, that should do. I would say Friday night would
be a good time."
Natsumi nodded. "Of course. We should be ready by then and after
that... we can focus on Itazuka."
They both slowly smiled at each other.
Three more days passed and Twister was starting to become a little
nervous. Not a peep had come up about Natsumi or, less importantly, Takaya,
with whom he didn't think he had seen the last of.
Still, he hadn't wasted the week. Prof. Miyabi's class _was_ helping
him by giving him new ideas to expand upon and improve in. There was a _long_
way to go, but he was much further along than anyone in the rest of the
class. Yuriko was not the only one who asked him for help now and they
sometimes got together to discuss topics Miyabi mentioned in class. In
other classes, Twister wasn't worried at all since his perfect memory
gave him a large advantage, though he still attended them.
Magic wasn't so easy since it was more art than merely memorizing
topics. He'd had experience in art too and it showed. So did his sense of humor
sometimes, which lightened the mood frequently.
There were _many_ humorous and time killing ways to use magic.
Friday was a free day and he went home to the apartment to get ready
to go out on a true 'date' with Nabiki. She had finally gotten tired of his
shyness to ask her and so _she_ asked _him_ out. The fact that both she
_and_ he had been busy with homework and other things they had to do hadn't
helped before either.
*Heh. Definitely a woman of the sexual revolution. I guess we _have_
been moving kinda slow. We've been together before, true, but nothing _I_
really considered a date. _This_ will be a date.* He smiled at that thought.
As he sorted though his clothes for something suitable, he checked to
see how his power level was since it didn't hurt to check. He did this by
just feeling with his psionic senses to check it, something Twister had
figured out from curiosity.
*Hm. Pretty high. I guess I _have_ been eating a lot to practice
magic, but I didn't think I had stored _that_ much.* He checked a nearby
mirror to see if he could notice it and, yes, he could. *Hmm. Must be
more than what I had after the eating contest. I guess all those sweets
I've had more than made up for just plain noodles. Still, I have _no_ fat
when I'm drained. I can't believe I managed to put that much power into that
sword. Have to try the other things I added as well. Sometime.*
He was still going though clothes when the phone rang. Letting
Yasuro get it, Twister continued until his roommate told him it was
Nabiki.
Quickly, he picked up the phone, "Yello! Twister's Torture Treats.
How may I help you?"
Nabiki's voice was anything _but_ amused, "Remember when you asked
us to mention anything weird?"
Shifting from Funny to Serious gears, Twister seriously said, "What's
up?"
"The dia...crystals on the necklaces are glowing continuously for some
reason...and I'm starting to feel those eyes again."
*Oh, shoot. Someone's intensifying _whatever_ they're doing.*
Sounding reassuring, Twister talked back to Nabiki, "Okay, I'll just get
dressed and 'port over there in a few minutes, alright?"
"You'd better make it snappy, Twister. These crystals are _bright_."
"Be there in a flash." With that he hung up and hurriedly started
to put on some of his enchanted clothing, just in case.
"What's up?" Yasuro inquired as he heard Twister's rushed preparations.
"Something's going on at Nabiki's and I'm busting my butt to get
ready."
"Hm. Good luck."
"I may need it."
While the shadowy figure was not standing outside Nabiki's apartment
building, two other figures were.
"This is the correct place?" Takaya curiously asked his companion.
"That's what I was told."
"Hmm." He frowned as something brushed his mystic senses. "Odd. There
is something happening around here."
Natsumi looked at his worried face, "Like what?"
"Whatever it is, it's powerful." Considering a minute, Takaya added,
"And apparently very, very evil."
"Oh, that's _just_ what I wanted to hear." Natsumi muttered. "I just
want to remove a rival. Not wind up face-to-face with something out of our
league."
Takaya chuckled, "I, as well. Still... It _could_ be the reason the
girl was protected by magic in the first place." He continued talking
thoughtfully as he stared at the window of Nabiki's apartment, "However, I
don't think the protection will last long."
Startled, Natsumi thought about it. *Takaya could be right. Maybe it
_wasn't_ me that she had been protected against.*
"It just failed." Takaya commented.
There was a moment of silence.
A window suddenly exploded outwards towards the street with a
loud boom. A girl's screams could be heard briefly, then silence, followed
by another boom.
The pair on the street stared at the open window.
"Well, I guess that solves your problem." Takaya dryly remarked.
Natsumi just kept staring at the window, wondering how Takaya could
be so calm about it. As she was about to turn to him, another boom came from
the exposed room.
A faint voice drifted down to them. Then a shout. "Nabiki!"
"Twister?!" Natsumi was shocked.
"The boy you wanted? Now how did _he_ get up there?" Wondered Takaya
with some curiosity.
Another shout. "All right then! Time to get a big shot!" A departing
boom sounded out again.
Rubbing his shadowed chin, Takaya queried Natsumi, "Do you mind waiting
another fifteen minutes? I have a feeling this is not over yet."
Natsumi could only nod in confusion.
Twister was mad.
Simple word, but when faced with a mad Twister you don't argue.
This was what Prof. Miyabi did when Twister appeared in her home where
she had summoned the demon and called out for her. She was still dressed,
as it wasn't that late out yet, and rushed to see what Twister had come
for. In simple, brief sentences, he described what Nabiki's apartment
had looked like when he had arrived and, grimly showed her some spilled
blood he had found.
Green blood.
Her mystic senses recoiled at the first touch of the stuff and she
immediately started preparing herself to go with Twister to the ruined
apartment. The evil she had sensed was very strong in magic and malice.
With a small bag of various items quickly gathered, she announced she was
ready and Twister teleported them back to Nabiki's apartment.
Prof. Miyabi started to work.
Impatiently, Twister watched his professor use various items to scan
the apartment. Finally, she sighed and stood up straight. As if about to face
something.
"Well?"
"Most of it is unfamiliar, but the most powerful trace I've come
across before. I'd hoped he would never be able to return. Apparently,
he _has_. More's the pity."
Not concerned with history at the moment, Twister quickly asked,
"Can you _find_ her?"
"I think so, if we hurry." She quickly walked towards the hallway.
"I'll have to do it on the ground."
Twister followed as he entertained himself about what he would do to
whomever did the kidnapping if Nabiki or Yuriko was harmed. He was puzzled,
however, when Miyabi stopped just outside the building.
"Takaya! Natsumi! What are _you_ two doing here?"
Totally calm, Takaya stepped forwards with Natsumi nervously behind
him.
"Just doing some research, Professor, when we saw, and sensed, some
form of disturbance up in that apartment. Unfortunately, we didn't see
anything. We only heard a scream." The magic duo started when Twister's eyes
flashed blue briefly. *What on Earth?*
Miyabi and Twister were skeptical, but the professor nodded
anyway, "Come on then. We'll need all the help we can get if I'm right
about this." She
continued swiftly walking away, eyes half-closed, with the other three
following.
Scared, Natsumi wondered to herself, *_What_ is going _on_?*
*_What_ is going _on_?* was Nabiki's thought when she woke up in an
uncomfortable position. She tried to speak and found that she was
gagged. She was supported in an upright, standing position by
bonds to her wrists and ankles. The...getup she was wearing was a
transparent, billowy thing which wasn't exactly the warmest piece of
clothing in the world.
Looking around, she found she was not alone in her predicament. Six
other young girls she recognized from her Business courses were joining her
in waking discomfort. Not finding Yuriko at first, she saw the helpless
young mage tied up, and gagged, slightly behind her and out of the way.
Sardonically, she muttered to herself, *I _wonder_ what _this_ could
be. I think my first guess would be virgin sacrifice. Lucky me if I'm right.*
Now gazing forwards, she saw many dark robed figures gathered around
a slightly taller, robed figure. _His_ robes were made of a black,
higher-quality looking material with detailed designs barely visible
on the cloth. He, in turn, was facing a familiar looking statue.
*So _that's_ who stole it. Great, sacrificed to something Twister
made because I asked him to. Poetic justice I guess.* Sighing to herself,
Nabiki wearily thought on, *This stuff happens to Akane. Why _me_?
And doesn't she usually get threatened with marriage and not sacrifice? I
hope Twister is as punctual as Ranma. He's better at thinking things out
fortunately.*
The one who appeared to be the leader walked towards the now-awake
captives and pulled off his hood. The other six gasped through their
gags. Nabiki had seen worse, but not by much.
The man's face seemed etched by Time into a mask of pure evil. A cruel
sneer was permanently on his face. It was complemented by a scar on
his face that had almost claimed his left eye and stretched down to his
mouth. He leered at the helpless girls.
"_You_ are the lucky ones to be chosen to be the Seven in our ritual."
*We're all thrilled, as you can tell.* Nabiki thought sarcastically.
"My Master will be pleased at his receptacle and you Seven will make
Him even happier."
*Overflowing with joy. That's us.*
"I recommend you praying to whatever deities you worship while you
can."
*I think Money is out. There _is_ one thing better than that though.
The big lug.* Now frantic in her thoughts as the leader went back to the
statue as mentally screamed out. *TWISTER!*
KA-BOOM!!!!
A door on one wall of the large warehouse blew inwards in a big ball
of fire.
Incredulous, Nabiki thought, *Whoa. Ask and ye _shall_ receive.*
The startled dark robes turned at the sound of the explosion and saw
who entered their domain. An authoritative, beautiful woman strode in
followed by a young man in a brown robe, a girl Nabiki recognized as Natsumi,
and, as per one prayer request, a relieved Twister looking in her direction.
The leader furiously turned around shouting, "Who _dares_ intrude..."
His voice trailed off as his eyes found Prof. Miyabi.
With a cold voice, she answered his question, "_I_ do, Outcast. What
do _you_ think you are doing?"
"Is that any way to answer an old _friend_, Miyabi?" The Outcast spat
out viciously. "After you and those other mage friends of yours banished me
into that prison dimension, I would _think_ you would call me by name!."
"Your name is no longer yours, Outcast. _How_ did you escape your
cage?" Miyabi's eyes were icy rage as the two users of magic talked to each
other.
The other three who had come in were doing various things as they
were unnoticed for the moment. Takaya was scanning the unknown quantities
of dark robes and preparing himself for the battle he _knew_ must be coming.
Natsumi was a little scared, she had never been in a large battle. That
man the professor was talking to looked like pure evil. Her frightened face
caused Twister to have some pity for her.
He whispered to her, "I'd get ready. Those two are going to be either
duking it out or mister fight-face will send his goons out. They're not
human, I think. Green blood. I'll free the girls." Using his 'unnotice me'
trick he quickly started towards the captive audience of frightened
girls. The professor and the Outcast were still spitting out insults as
he cut Nabiki free from the bonds. They hugged briefly and Twister
blushed as Nabiki wasn't too decent right now.
He quickly gave the very sharp, diamond dagger he had made to Nabiki
and whispered to her, "Get Yuriko free and cut down the others. I'll keep
watch." As the dagger was one of his quickly made diamond creations, Twister
had tried to stabilize it enough so that Nabiki would be able to free the
others before it came apart. It was much smaller than his diamond swords
so it was easy.
The rescue efforts didn't go unnoticed, however, and the Outcast
decided to end the reunion. He waved to his followers.
"Kill the intruders!"
"No you don't!" Miyabi shouted and she launched a bolt of energy
at the Outcast. He sneered as two of his followers blocked it with their
magic. *Damn! I'll never get him with this interference!* She prepared
herself as the Outcast turned to the dragon, ignoring her. Miyabi would
have to deal with the Outcast's followers before facing him.
The dark robes rushed forwards as the Outcast started chanting at the
dragon statue. A misty haze slowly formed above it which was slowly being
sucked into the dragon form.
The others were a little too busy to notice this sight, however. The
dark robes turned out to be some form of snake-man and they all appeared to
have magic powers. The more powerful ones struck at Miyabi while the lesser
went towards Takaya and Natsumi. Seeing that the girls were not being attacked,
Twister ran over to protect the overtaxed and inexperienced Natsumi. When
he attacked with hands and feet, his 'unnotice me' trick failed and he
startled the snake-men with his sudden appearance. This gave Natsumi time
to blow a few away with a fire spell as he attacked the snake-men with
fists and feet. The black robed magic-users couldn't seem to stop him
because their magic didn't affect him at all and they sorely lacked physical
skills.
Takaya was hard pressed, but was doing well. Casting a protection
spell before the attack had given him plenty of time to cast offensive
ones. The experience gave him a chance to really cut loose and he did
so with pleasure.
Miyabi's battle was something to behold as she fought several attackers
at once. Waves of darkness against walls of light. Spiral energy clashing
with straight energy. Even in all the confusion of power, Miyabi was obviously
winning, and was doing so more rapidly with each attacker down.
Soon there were no more serpent-men left.
Where _was_ one problem, however.
"It is _done_! The binding to your new form is complete, Master!" The
Outcast shouted with malicious glee. "Awaken!"
"New form?" Nabiki questionably said to herself as she freed the
third girl. "That little thing?" The statue started to enlarge and she
rolled her eyes. "Of course. It just _has_ to grow."
The growth grew more rapid as the statue's eyes opened to examine
the lair the huge statue found itself in. Balancing itself as it slowly
stopped growing, the statue gave out an amused chuckle. The statue
Twister had made was now truly a dragon.
"WHAT DESTRUCTION. HOW...HUMOROUS." It dismissed Miyabi, Takaya, Natsumi
and Twister as inconsequential and spoke to the Outcast. "YOU PICKED A FINE
FORM INDEED. NEVER HAVE I HAD A MORE FITTING FORM FOR MY DRAGON SPIRIT."
The head swiveled towards the fear-paralyzed girls that had halfway freed
themselves. "AH! THE CUSTOMARY SEVEN." It inhaled in bliss. "AND WITH AN
AROMA OF WEALTH TO GO WITH THEIR YOUNG BODIES. TRULY SOMETHING TO SAVOR
OVER." The eyes fixed on Nabiki. "I THINK I SHALL START NOW."
*Bad mistake.* Nabiki thought through her sudden fear.
"Hold it!" Twister shouted as he stepped between Nabiki and the dragon.
The others looked on in horror. "No _way_ am I going to let you do that!"
Casually, the dragon moved with surprising speed for such a large
beast and hit Twister with the back of a forepaw. Hard. Twister went flying
towards a thick, brick wall and crashed, with a painful sound, through it.
The drake chuckled, "SUCH AN AMUSING INSECT. NOW..." It viewed Nabiki
again. "LET'S START THIS AGAIN, SHALL WE?"
"Pardon me dragon, but I _really_ think you should know something."
Nabiki spoke with a slowly rising confidence.
"DINNER THAT WANTS TO SPEAK." The head graciously nodded, "VERY WELL.
SPEAK!" It roared out.
"I _think_ you may have gotten Twister mad. Big Mistake."
BAWOOOOM!!
A ball of blue fire shot out from the new hole Twister had made and
sizzled the same forepaw that had hit him moments before. The dragon roared
in surprised pain.
"AGH!! WHAT?! I AM IMPERVIOUS TO MAGIC!"
Twister shot out of the hole, flying at the dragon. His eyes were
glowing blue and the same color aura surrounded him. With a boosted kick
increased by levitation and telekinesis, he hit the dragon on the side of
the face. This rocked the mammoth creature.
"AGGH! THAT HURT!" It swung its head to face a hovering Twister. The
wall behind him had nobody near it. Deciding that enough was enough, the dragon
inhaled quickly and blasted Twister with fire. The Outcast smiled at the
assured defeat of the surprising young man and turned towards Miyabi with
glee.
"There goes your last hope, Miyabi!" Miyabi mearly smiled at him.
The lack of dismay made him uneasy and the reason for the smile soon became
obvious.
The dragon stopped blasting and flames died to reveal an unharmed
Twister. He had raised an air shield and kept the air around him cool,
though it had started getting warm. A diamond sword appeared in
outstretched hands and Twister came in close to attack.
With the dragon distracted by Twister, Miyabi decided it was time to
finally attack the Outcast. His surprise enabled her to get a good shot
in and his left shoulder was hurt. Growling, he also started fighting in
earnest. Takaya and Natsumi stayed out of the way of the two masters of
magic and just watched the surprising show of power Twister was
displaying while he engaged the dragon.
Takaya was puzzled at this, *What _is_ he using? It's not magic yet
it certainly seems somewhat effective against that dragon.* He thought for
a second before a likely answer came to mind. *Perhaps...psionics? Well, it
certainly isn't magic.*
Dodging the dragon's quick swipes at him, Twister finally got close
enough to take a swing at an arm. The diamond sword had a blade edge sharpened
to the molecular level and could cut through pretty much anything normally.
Unfortunately, the dragon's hide was protected by magic and the sword merely
bounced off, surprising Twister momentarily.
This gave the dragon time to get an accurate hit in which sent a
slightly battered Twister flying a little ways before stopping in mid-air.
He had barely used his telekinesis in time to protect himself like when
the dragon had hit him through that brick wall.
"HAH! YOU THINK A MERE SWORD CAN HARM ME?" The angry dragon scoffed.
Twister raised his eyebrows, "Oh, really?" Blue flames suddenly sprang
up around the diamond blade. "Let's try that again, shall we?" Commencing the
same attack run, he flew rapidly towards the dragon again. When he got close
enough, he duplicated his previous swing.
With much better results.
"AGGHH!" Normal blood did not flow from the wound the sword had
made, but rather energy that slowly escaped from the slice Twister
had made. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT, WORM!"
"Visa or Mastercard? Besides, I thought _you_ were the wyrm!" Twister
chuckled as he dodged away. Anger had finally fled and he was thinking
normally now. Well, as normal as a boosted mind can get. He was thinking faster
and better since he was accessing his greater Mind powers. The result of
which...was that he wasn't sure what to do. The dragon was _massive_!
Sooner or later, someone else would get hurt accidentally and he didn't
know how to end the fight quickly without doing _major_ damage around them.
The dragon decided to give fire a try again, but this time Twister
was more than ready. As the wyrm inhaled, air gathered around Twister.
When the giant mouth gaped open, he shouted an old attack he had used
once before as he threw a fist forwards.
"HURRICANE WALL!"
An almost-solid wall of air roared forwards to meet the dragon's
flaming breath. Flame deflected in all directions as the wall slowed a bit,
but still managed to reach the dragon's open mouth to create a bit of a
backlash effect. The dragon stopped the assault, sputtering and gasping
in fury.
Twister hovered, thinking, *How can I _stop_ this thing?* Spying
Nabiki who was watching on the ground, he shouted, "Any ideas, Nabiki?"
"It's _your_ statue! How am _I_ supposed to know?!"
Head snapping up, Takaya's eyes opened wide as he digested that bit
of information. While the dragon was still sputtering, he called out, "Twister!
Come down here! Hurry!"
Surprised, Twister quickly touched down in front of the third year
magic user. "What's up? Got something that'll help with that thing?"
"It will if you _really_ made the statue the dragon spirit is
currently inhabiting." When Twister nodded the affirmative, Takaya rushed on,
"Good. It means you have some power over the spirit since you created the
form it now wears. Normally, a mage can forge a mystic link with minor
spirits, inhabiting objects they make, to force them to do his will. The
link and a greater mind are all that is required." He glanced at the
dragon who was almost recovered. "Can you do that with that power of yours?"
"I can try." Twister walked up close to the fuming dragon so that he
didn't have to concentrate on flying. *Link. That means telepathy. I've never
liked the idea of reading other people's minds so I've never tried it, but I
believe I have it. Time to see if I do.*
The dragon watched warily as Twister stopped in front of it. "SO.
YOU HAVE SOME FORMIDABLE POWER OF YOUR OWN, MORTAL. I'VE NEVER ENCOUNTERED IT
BEFORE SO I AM ILL PREPARED FOR IT. HOWEVER, I DO NOT THINK YOU CAN TOTALLY
PREVENT ME FROM HARMING YOUR COMPANIONS IF I SO WISH."
"Maybe, but I don't think so now. You see, I _created_ the form you
wear."
"INDEED? I MUST COMPLEMENT YOU THEN. I DO REALIZE THAT A LINK MAY GIVE
YOU POWER OVER _LESSER_ SPIRITS...BUT AGAINST _ME_? I THINK NOT. MY MIND IS
GREATER THAN YOURS COULD POSSIBLY BE."
"Wanna bet?" Using his power, Twister stared at his opponent's
enormous eyes and tried to reach the ancient mind of the beast. His eyes
started to faintly glow blue as he felt the unfamiliar sensation of a
direct contact mind-to-mind. The link was established. Both of the
physical forms of Twister and the dragon went still as they withdrew from
the physical plane into the mental one.
Natsumi turned to Takaya with worry on her face after seeing both
combatants go still, "Can't we _do_ anything?"
"The dragon may be distracted, but it's mystic defenses are still
quite strong enough to easily ignore any attempts to help Twister. We can
only wait." He looked over at the battle still raging between Miyabi and
the Outcast. "As for the Professor...I think it would be wise not to
interfere in that as well."
That didn't help dispell the feeling of helplessness Natsumi was
experiencing.
On the mental plane, Twister could mentally 'see' the defenses
the dragon had around its vast mind and heard its mental chuckle.
<SO YOU MANAGED THE LINK, DID YOU? NO MATTER. I CAN EASILY CRUSH YOU
HERE. YOUR MIND IS MERELY A NORMAL HUMAN MIND.> A pressure slowly started
building around Twister as he started to 'see' things clearly now. A darkness
was all around him as he stood on a 'flat' surface. A blue glow radiated from
him as a representation of his unconscious defenses. As they were now, however,
they were slowly being forced towards what he viewed as 'him'. The time to fight
back was _now_, Twister decided privately.
<Well, human I am, wyrm. _Normal_, however, I am _not_!>
That said, Twister accessed his psionic powers slowly and carefully.
What he was going to attempt was new and he didn't know what would happen.
His defenses stopped shrinking as they started glowing brighter. They
were crude shields, but with the mental power Twister now had, they were
enough for now. Ideas for future improvements for them started forming as
Twister continued to use more of his power. Thoughts became clearer,
better, and more far reaching in scope. He could tell his mind was losing
extraneous, clouding emotions in the process of boosting his mind. Now,
the ability of thinking of more than one thing at a time started up and
an active attack upon the dragon began as Twister's mind continued to
grow from the power he used to expand it.
The dragon was puzzled when the shields surrounding the mortal's mind
stopped their collapse. Also, the mind within the shields was visibly
starting to _grow_ impossibly. Panic started to grow within the great
beast when the mortal's shields started to expand _during_ it's assault.
The mind was on a par with his _own_ now and _still_ growing. Suddenly,
bolts of mental power shot out at _his_ shields and weakened them a
little bit.
*IMPOSSIBLE!* The dragon thought as more bolts started tearing
at his shields, *HOW CAN THIS BE?* It paused for a second. *VERY WELL.
NO MORE PLAY. I WILL CRUSH THIS MORTAL NOW.* The dragon spirit gathered
it's mental power and threw a massive bolt at the crude shields of it's
opponent.
Twister mentally staggered back from the powerful psionic blast.
His mind, now computer-like, assessed the damage.
*Analysis: Shields weakened 32%
Recommendations: Improve shielding using information sensed from
enemy mental assault.
Increase attack on dragon spirit.
Build shields back up.
Execute.*
The escalation of the, surprisingly still intact, mortal's assault
told the dragon how effective it's bolt had been. *THE MORTAL'S SHIELDS
ARE WEAKENED, BUT FAR LESS THAN I HAD THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE. MY OWN
HAVE GONE DOWN TOO MUCH FOR COMFORT. THE TIME TO FINISH THIS IS NOW.*
Gathering it's strength, the dragon started throwing more bolts of the same
power as before.
To it's astonishment and dismay, the other's shields stayed up
and continued to stay up while the dragon spirit's own shields were becoming
dangerously low. At the current rate of loss, the dragon's shields would
fall first.
Unacceptable.
The dragon decided to use it's own considerable experience in the
mental plane to recover and to try to gain an advantage.
Twister was sensing that the other's shields were approaching collapse
when suddenly they, and the dragon's mind, vanished. Surprised, Twister
stopped throwing bolts and started analyzing what had happened.
A bolt came out of nowhere and brought Twister's shields dangerously
close to failing. The dragon had hoped to take out Twister with most of his
remaining power in the surprise attack. It had almost succeeded, but while
the dragon was extremely powerful in magic and had considerable mental power,
Twister still had a very large store of psionic energy remaining.
He had been unsure of how to use it in the, never before experienced,
mental plane and had used what he thought he could handle. Now, Twister
decided to use it all to defeat the dragon. He now had new ideas to use,
due to his mind being boosted throughout the mental conflict. One thing
he did first was to immediately use a powerful scan that pierced the
dragon's little cloaking trick it was using.
Then Twister let 'er rip.
Multiple attacks started hitting the dragon's shields at the _same_
time. More bolts, power-draining whirlwinds, even mind-constructs started
attacking him, with only the dragon's defeat desired in their created forms.
Quickly, the dragon's defenses crumbled in this multiple assault and the
mortal seized control of the tired dragon's mind. Twister stopped expansion
of his mind's thinking abilities and decided what to do next.
<Objective: Accomplished.>
<Information: Sentient humanoid reptiles 'borrowed' from dimensional
prison of serpent god Set.
Banished malignant mage freed by dragon spirit to allow
access back to this plane.
<Next Actions: 1) Order dragon spirit to send humanoid reptiles
back to where they were taken from and never use
again.
2) Send malignant mage back to where mage was
imprisoned and never use again.
3) Order dragon to never try to return to this plane.
4) Order dragon to not attempt any form of revenge,
spite, etc. against self, self's comrades, or this
plane.
5) Order dragon to leave telekinetically designed
statue in state it entered it.>
<Execute Actions>
<Dragon executing orders.>
<Dragon leaving. Link disengaging.>
<Return to normal operating parameters. Suppress possible trauma from
collapse of mental parameters.>
<Returning to normal. Mind starting to come back to normal. This
is really weird. Whoo! That was different. Heh. Could have given
the Borg a run for their money. Emotion is irrelevant. Chuckle. Better
wake up from this trance.>
<RISE AND SHINE TWISTER!>
Twister blinked and saw a _very_ worried Nabiki in front of him.
"Hi honey, I'm hooome." He chuckled as she hugged him in relief.
Something struck Twister then as he looked at the now-normal dragon statue,
"You know what?"
"What?" Nabiki said with some relief since the battle was over.
"That was _very_ tiring to do." Nabiki's hug became a hug of
support as Twister, once the wave of exhaustion hit him fully, sagged in
her arms.
"You may be a big lug, but do you have to show me you're a _heavy_
one too?" Nabiki sighed in amused exasperation as she adjusted for his
weight.
Twister gave his weary response in a bad Terminator imitation.
"I need a vacation."
--
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Darren Steffler a.k.a "Twister"- mail at <umst...@cc.umanitoba.ca>
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