Chapter 15 The Onyx Dragont Part 2: Reconcile

“So let me get this straight?" Devi said. “That gauntlet basically backfired on him because it doesn’t feel Eric is worthy enough for it’s power? "

“Not only that but it seems Eric couldn’t handle the intensity of it’s own power. " Mina explained " In order to use the gauntlet properly, one has to have a strong enough will to wield it. Eric was in a stressful situation and in the midst of fighting, his will become weaker."

“Well, what’s going to happen to him now?" Tenna asked worryingly.

“The rest is still uncertain. " Mina said sadly.

“What does that mean?! " Tenna asked almost desperately.

“It means the rest is up to Eric" Said Magnus who walked in from the room Eric was sleeping in. They were at Mina’s mansion which wasn’t too far from the shop. It was almost Victorian style mansion. About medium size as mansions go with just two stories. It was two stories and had yellowish walls on the outside with a red roof.  There was some details of the edges that were design like a Chinese dragon, which is why the house was the color it was. To represent a Chinese temple.

“Eric’s will must become strong and willing to fight again so the gauntlet will accept him as it’s owner." Mina explained.

“How can a bracelet do such things?!" Tenna cried “I thought it was to allow him transform when he needs to! Not turn him into a maniac and hurt him as well as others…"


“I wish it was that simple, Tenna. " Magnus said sadly as he sighed “but things aren’t that simple."



"You see the stone in the gauntlet is no ordinary stone." Mina explained "From legends state the stone was original the jewel heart of a dragon."


"What?!" Devi reacted in shock.


"Whoa!" Tenna reacted the same way.


"The original knight who was a vampire befriended a dragon before hand." Mina continued "When the knight was fighting villagers trying to slay the dragon and cursed at him for being a vampire, the dragon came and sacrificed it's life to protect the knight. Before dying, the dragon told the knight to cut out the jewel heart that it had upon it's chest, so it will always protect him even after death. The stone is basically an object that can call upon the dragon's soul or heart and it can do such things as judge anyone worthy of wielding it."


Magnus then explained "I gave him the gauntlet now because the only way to be certain is to give it to him. There is no way of preparing of whether or not the gauntlet will accept his heart. I had to give it to him soon, for I felt there isn’t much time before the darkness gets stronger. You saw how strong Johnny had gotten last time."


"Well that explains some things..." Tenna said. 

“Why did Johnny get armor?" Devi asked.

“It’s possible that they’re trying to match the same strength as your armor." Mina explained as she put her hand to her face in a pondering gesture. “Perhaps even trying to confuse you."

Tenna looked down worried about Eric. Mr. Spooky look at his partner worried. “Spooky…"

Devi turned to her friend and the same worried expression appeared on her face. “Tenna? …" Then her face turned into a more determine expression. She walked over to her friend and put her hands on Tenna’s shoulders.

“It’s gonna be okay, Ten." She encouraged her. “We’ll figure this out…"

“But will Eric be alright?" Tenna asked.

“Eric will be just fine. " Devi assured her. “Right now he just needs to rest and gather his strength up."

Tenna nodded finally able to smile for the first time since the incident. “Thanks, Devi." Then she hugged her friend warmly.

“Sure…" Devi nodded and then turned to Mina. “We can’t just keep waiting to come and attack. Mina can you see if you can maybe find a way to open a portal or find where Johnny and his creep friends come from?"

“I can try to locate whenever they appear." Mina explained “From there I can see if I can pin point something. Perhaps the location of The Dark Master or find a way for you to get there. "

“That sounds better then doing nothing. " Devi replied. Then she turned to Tenna. “Meanwhile, I guess we’ll take it easy. If you want Tenna, you can watch over Eric for a little while and see how he’s doing."

“Thanks, I think I’ll do that." Tenna replied.

Tenna along with Mr.Spooky went into Eric’s room. Tenna walked slowly to the bed. Eric hadn’t woken up since the incident, though he did twinge and moaned slightly indicating he wasn’t dead. Well dead dead.

As Tenna looked at him tears began forming in her eyes. She wiped them away with her sleeve.

I should have let him kiss me so he could fight… Tenna couldn’t help but think. However something during that moment made it uncomfortable for her to let him, even if it was for him to transform and she even wondered if that would haven’t done anything to prevent the event.

Tenna reached over with her left hand and touched Eric’s face. Instead of smiling warmly like he did when he was sick, Eric just remain still, not responding to her hand at all. He also felt cold though vampires aren’t supposed to give out much heat anyway, Eric was usually a neutral to slightly clammy. Eric felt a little colder then usual which raised Tenna’s worrying a little higher.

Tenna sighed as she took her hand away. Then she thought of something. She placed her hand on his right arm that held the gauntlet. She closed her eyes and focused on him. 

Please...She thought in a pleading way. If my feelings are true let my magic relieve him from the pain he's in. Even if it's just for a bit, let me know somehow, that he'll be alright...


Eric’s face began to twitch and then finally, he woke up.

“Tenna…." He managed to whisper. Tenna didn’t notice this until Mr. Spooky pointed it out. Tenna’s face gleam up.

“Eric!" Tenna said joyfully.

"You look like you were crying..." Eric said as he notice her sad face before she gleamed up "What's wrong?" He asked his voice kind of cracked as he spoke. He reached his right hand (the side Tenna was on) hand out to her. She held his hand and Eric nodded with a small smile but suddenly fell unconscious yet again his hand slipping out of her grasp.. Tenna looked like she was about to cry again but just looked down.

Least, I know he doesn’t have amnesia…. Tenna thought sort of blankly. And that his soul is intact. That means my feelings finally did came through a little...Maybe that's what we'll help him. She let out a sigh as she finished her thought. Least I hope so…

“Tenna?" She heard Devi behind her. Tenna turned to her friend. “You okay?"

“I guess…" She replied

She told Devi of Eric waking up and Devi too thought it was a sign that Eric might be getting better. They were silent for a moment until Devi asked

“You really like Eric, don’t you?"

Tenna was shocked as she gasped and her face turned bright red!

“Um…." She looked around for an answer and then finally asked “Is it that obvious?"

Devi smirked a little. “Well you have been acting a little weirder then usual around him." Then she looked at Eric and said “That and like you’ve been acting real frantically whenever he gets hurt."

Demi then climbed on Devi’s head and said “I think Devi’s right." Then she floated beside Tenna. “I mean we’re all worried about Eric, but you're especially frantic..." She giggled and then said "It must be love!"

“Hey let’s not get that far! " Tenna replied in a panic motion which then turned to a calm expression of uncertainty. “Well maybe…I do. That’s why I got so mad at him… I can’t stand people I care about so much to hurt themselves or not tell me what’s wrong…"

Demi floated to Tenna’s shoulder to comfort her. “You’re a good person, Tenna. "

Tenna pet her on the head with a small smile. Devi nodded. Then explained “Eric had a friend named Oblivia who told me the reason why does things like this is he doesn’t want to be a bother to anyone. He’s use to handling things by himself…"

" Yeah I know, he told me that as well." Tenna sighed. “But he can’t always do stuff like that. He knows he needs us…We are all knights! "

“He does know that." Devi said “It’s just his nature. Old habits are hard to break. "


"That's right..." Demi said sadly "He just doesn't like it when people worry about him. He just doesn't want to be a bother of to anyone else..."

“All I care about now is that he gets better…" Tenna began crying “I don’t care if he gets his stupid armor or not! I just want him to be ok!"

Tenna….Devi thought then got an annoyed look as she got up, took her two first fingers and stretched the sides of Tenna’s mouth to a smile.

Tenna bapped her away and asked annoyedly “What the hell Devi! What are you doing?!"

“Because crying doesn’t suit you!" Devi implied. Tenna looked confused as Devi continued “And in order to beat this, we need to all be strong and that means for each other. We can't have any doubts right now."

Tenna looked at her in surprise at first then she looked at Demi who floated off her shoulder. “Devi is right! Remember, that's how the darkness controls us, by feeding on our doubts. It's okay sad once and a while, but we still can't lose hope. If we do, nothing will stop this!"

Tenna looked down for a moment, she wiped her eyes and looked up as she did a big smile with her first fingers on the sides of her mouth. Devi and her familiar laughed and Devi nodded.


"But I do know how you feel..." Devi said


"You still got feelings for Nny?" Tenna asked


"I dunno yet..." Was Devi's reply. "But something tells me he's in the same situation as Eric..."


"What do you mean?" Tenna asked 

"Nny needs to be struggling so much..." Devi explained. "That time when Demi got hurt, he reacted like he just wanted to die for what he did. Not to mention but all the scars he's had. Something always tells me that they're not from fighting other people....The way he goes on and on about, it feels like he's nothing but a mere slave to them."

"Now that you mentioned it, yeah it does seem like that." Tenna replied. 

"And if he's a mere slave, I now understand why he's got all those scars..." Devi replied sadly. "He's suffering and there's nothing I can do about it...Least...not right now..."

"Devi..." Tenna replied realizing she felt the same way as Tenna did. There was no doubt the similarities. They were in love it seemed and whom they were in love with, were suffering and fighting their own battle.

"Well, maybe..." Tenna thought about her words before she spoke. "Maybe we can help Nny out of it..."

"But how?" Devi asked.

"Well..." Tenna replied. "That's still something we need to figure out. I mean, yeah, I'll admit, going after a guy that has hardly any control and wants to destroy everything, is crazy to go after. However, if you feel strong that Nny is still human inside and you want to help him, I'm with ya all the way!"

"Tenna..." Devi replied in surprise and then she smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Ten!"

"Hey!" Tenna replied. "I just got a great idea...Least I hope it works." Then focused a bit of her energy in like a prayer and then she made a leaf appear in her hand. It was very large maple leaf, a bit bigger than her palm. "Have Demi in brush form and think about healing thoughts to Eric and then add a little ink to this leaf while doing so."

"Sure, okay..." 

She did just that and Tenna placed the leaf on Eric's chest as he slept.

"There..." Tenna replied. 

"Okay, can you explain...?" Devi asked

"Well, I was told about magical good luck charms and stuff." Tenna explained. "How if you put feelings and thoughts into an object and give it to someone, that the object carries their feelings and gives them whatever support they need. So I figured by doing this, a part of us is with him and those positive feelings might send through to him."

Devi and Demi smiled, so would Mr. Spooky, if he had a mouth.

"That's a great idea, Tenna!" Demi replied. 

"Thanks..." 

"And hey, I'll make one that you can paint on for Nny." Tenna replied.

"But how are we gonna put it on him?" Devi asked

"Well..." Tenna thought about it again and then said. "We often get him tired out so maybe when that happens we can catch him then and see..."

"That's a nice thought Tenna," Devi replied "But I think it's going to take more than just magic leaves to stop him though..."

"True..." Tenna replied. 

"But thanks for understanding." Devi replied with a smile as she put her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"No problem..." Tenna replied.

Devi then just thought of something.

"When we were fighting Nny..." Devi explained "We heard a voice that called out for help..."


"You and Demi?" Tenna asked Devi and Demi both nodded.


"But it wasn't Johnny's voice we heard..." Demi said


"Really?" Tenna asked in slight surprise. "Who's was it then?"


"We dunno..." Devi answered as she shook her head slightly. "It wasn't a voice I recognized and I don't think Demi recognized it either."


"That's weird..." Tenna said "And kinda creepy as well..."


*****

“I can’t believe even with your new armor you still weren’t strong enough to beat those mother f@$@!" Mr. Eff practically roared at Nny who rested against a crystalized wall after taking another beating punishment.

“He still needs to get use to the armor." D-Boy explained.

“No you bitch!" He snapped at his brother. “He needs to stop being a f@amp; pussy! Like you!"

“I beg your pardon!?" D-Boy snapped back.

“You heard me you little wuss!" Mr. Eff laughed “I mean puss!"

With that they both got into a punching fight with each other. Tumbling and trying to hit one another with their very stubby arms. Anne watched Nny from a far. Normally she was amused by the Dough Boys bickering and taughting but this time she didn’t even pay attention to them.

She just stared at Nny in deep thought. Something didn’t feel right about this situation. She too wanted to know how and why was Johnny able to get armor. She didn’t understand any of it…

Anne then heard a voice. She looked to see Nuka lingering right behind her. “Oh, it’s only you…"

“What do you mean it’s only me?" Nuka asked a bit insulted.

“What do you want?" sighed Anne as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms when she turned to him.

“What’s with you Anne?" Nuka asked “You know you’ve been acting very weird lately. You stare into space a lot and shoot you haven’t been kicking me around a lot either."

As soon as he said the last part Anne took her right boot and shoved it into Nuka’s mouth out of sheer annoyance.

“There! " She said “Is that what you want? "

“Mmf mm…." he muffled with the tip of Anne’s boot in his mouth.

“I don’t need you to get in my business all the time, Nuka!" She sneered in disgust. " Or should I say Mmy!"

Nuka spat her boot out. “Hey! Don’t call me by that!"

“Why?" Anne asked in amuse. “Are you trying to hide the fact that you at one point, wanted to be just like Nny? That you pathetically admired him but realized that like everyone else, he couldn’t stand you?!"

“What are you getting at, exactly?" He asked in serious confusion.

“I’m getting at that you’re an incompetent moron!" Anne snapped “You don’t even get what your name that I gave you means!"

“Course I know what it means!" Nuka snapped and then he tried to think. “It’s uh…"

“Stink!" Anne finally said “It means stink!" The she smiled with a slight snooty laugh. “Which makes it even more amusing that you took so much pride in it! You really are quite an incompetent piece of shit! What the Dark Master saw in you I will never know!"

Nuka was about to say something but then they only heard their master snap at them.

“Yes, my master!" Anne announced

“Yes, oh great one!" Nuka coward with a bow. Then the Dark Master tell them of a plan.

“You want to bring them here?" Anne asked

The Dark Master explained something else to them.

“I see, you want us to lure them here…" Anne replied with snooty and almost lustful smile. 

"But are you strong enough to do that, my master?" Nny asked as he got up but was meant by a whip to the face.

"You shouldn't talk to our master about being strong enough!" Mr. Eff snapped. "You couldn't f@#$ing stop them yourself. Had you killed those damn knights before, we wouldn't have this problem!" 

Nny sighed as he nearly collapsed as he blacked out a bit, but Anne caught him, which surprised many.

"Wow, Anne, I never seen you show mercy before..." Nuka replied. "Are you feeling alright? You're showing signs of weakness..."

This was met by a kick to mouth again. Nny woke up and as soon as he realized who was holding him, jolted away, swatting Anne away in the process, before going and leaning up against the crystal wall where he was before.

Anne grabbed Nuka and threatened him. "Don't you ever DARE call me weak again!"

"But why you..."

"I just didn't want to see him lying there! Least he's someone more worth than you!"

A zap of dark energy nearly hit them.

"Enough!" D-Boy said "We must do as our master says right away!" 

"Right!"

*****

Mina quickly went into Eric’s room to tell them something urgent.

“Devi, Tenna! " She told them. “I just suddenly got a vision! They’re going to cause a rock-slide on one of mountains near the outskirts of town. Right above the Florence Neighborhood!"

“Oh dear…" Edgar said in worry. “I use to live in that neighborhood! "

“But how do you really know?" Tenna asked

“We can’t really risk it, Ten!" Devi told her. “I wouldn’t put it pass them to do something like this or making a trap, but we should go check it out just to be safe."

“Gotcha!" Tenna said but then she looked at Eric.

“Eric will be just fine." She assured her.

“We’ll take care of him." Mina was referring to her and Magnus. “Edgar will show you where the neighborhood is."

“Right!" Devi said and she turned to Tenna. “Are you up for it?"

Tenna nodded and kneeled down to say something in Eric’s ear. “Please hang in there. I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay?"  She paused before saying "I love you..."

With that she stood up and nodded with a determine look in her eyes.

With that they both followed Edgar and got into his car. The drove off as quick as they legally could do.

Magnus walked back into the room where Eric laid. He didn’t want to deal with how frustrated Tenna was. Devi wasn’t that upset about it, mainly cause Devi was much more mature and in control of her emotions. That and was just evident of how Tenna felt. It was quite possible that Tenna would blame him for that, though he specifically didn't care what others thought. Just didn't appreciate the reminder of how he felt.

He walked over to Eric’s bed and sat in the chair beside the bed. Magnus looked at his young pupil with the same emotionless look, but it wasn’t long before he held his left hand over his old heart, as if he was in pain. 

Mina noticed this and looked at him in concern.

“You know it’s not your fault." She said “Things like this happen by fate."

“I know that too well...I just got an ache in my hand. Even vampire's can get joint problems... " He responded

"You shouldn't hide your true feelings..." Mina said in a slightly scornful way.


“I feel like perhaps I should have waited a bit longer to give it to him. Maybe train and prepared him more." Magnus said "Or at least explained it a bit better than I did....Maybe trained him afterwards."

“Even with training I don’t think it could have been avoided. " she told him. “Eric would have had the same scared feelings. It's not just him being afraid of the gauntlet. He's had a troubled past and there's something he hasn't gotten quite over yet."

“The judge of the heart stage… " Magnus replied “A very fickle stage. When I first got the thing, I was able to wear it. I've gotten through so much emotional struggle, it hardly fazes me anymore. Not even seeing death shocks me as much...It's practically the very thing I've only known. "

Mina nodded as she touched Magnus’s hand. The elderly vampire looked down at her and took his long right arm (she was on his right) and wrapped around her in a comforting embrace. After he took his arm away from her, he touched Eric’s limp hand almost like a parent concern for his child. 

"What's that?" Mina pointed to the leaf.

"Something that Tenna and Devi put on him." Magnus replied. "Thought it would help."

Mina gently touched it. After a moment she smiled. 

"This is a charm..." Mina replied. "And it has a lot of love in it..."

"Young love..." Magnus smirked. "It seems like a grain of dust in the past for me..."

"Well, it's not just that kind of love." Mina replied happily as she put her hands to her heart. "I sense their friendship too...It's very strong. It feels wonderful..."

"You've changed Mina..." Magnus replied with a smile.

"Really?" Mina asked curiously as she looked at the vampire. "How?"

"You've gotten much more human like you should be..." Magnus told her.

"Oh..." Mina replied a bit flustered but then smiled again as she nodded.

Eric took a deep breath and let out a sigh in his sleep. Mina read his aura and said "It's fine...He's just dreaming..." Then she turned to Magnus "I'm gonna look at my crystal ball and see how things are going from there."

"Alright." Magnus replied. As soon as she walked off, Magnus looked at his pupil. 

"I know you're stronger than that..." He told Eric but then looked a bit at him apathetically with a sigh and said "That's why I thought I could give it to you then. You've been through so much. Most anyone that would have gone through what you have, would have perished long ago...Or at least lost their heart. You have a will that can only be matched by the other knights. I believed that in you and I still do, even if I don't show it..."

He then placed his hand on Eric's forehead. "I'm not good at this emotional stuff...I've distant myself from most. Perhaps it is I that needs to learn to be more human...Again." He took his hand back. "Just so you know, I'm not mad at you or anything. I just wish...I could have protected you a bit better."

After some moment of silence he said "I'm sorry..."

In Eric's dream he was floating in a space full of a golden light and color. Eric just look around and he felt it was strange to be there. He remember being in pain from the gauntlet, then being lost in the dark and vaguely seeing Tenna, who looked like she was on the verge of crying. Now he was floating in a space of light and color. He heard many voices before but couldn't make out what they were saying, but now there was nothing but silence.

This kinda scared him as he thought about it.

“Am I dying?" Eric asked out loud.

“No" said a voice

****
When Devi, Edgar and Tenna got to the neighborhood, they looked up at the mountains where they could see two small figures floating near the top of the mountain, behind the neighborhood. They got out into a hidden place where they transformed.

“How the hell do we get up there?" Devi asked.

“I got plan!" Tenna said and then she took her staff and as it floated slightly above the ground, she jumped on it and road on it like a surf board.

“Uh…" Devi replied uncertain. “You’re sure that’s safe?"

“Sure it is!" Tenna said as she demonstrated by flying around perfectly balance.

Devi still wasn’t too sure until Demi said “I got an idea!"

With that they took off flying this time. Devi flew on her brush like a broomstick. They spotted the Dough Boys and then Anne appeared in between them. Anne smiled her usual smug smile.

“My, my. Only two knights?" She said sarcastically “Where’s your little bat boy?"

“He couldn’t come. " Devi sneered in the same snobbish tone. “You’re just gonna play with us!"

“Yeah… and your friend better leave him alone this time…" Tenna muttered at Anne, with the most angered look she ever did, as Tenna was reminded of when Anne sent Nuka after Eric when he was ill.

“Aww, I’ll just have to get him later then." Anne finally said as a portal opened behind her. Devi and Tenna were both surprise as Anne announced “Come on, now don’t be shy! We’re inviting you to a time of your life!"

“Huh?" Both said at once as the portal began sucking them in. They yelled and struggled but they weren’t strong enough. Within in a minute they were sucked in!

They popped out and tumbled to the ground but they weren’t back on the mountain side. As they got up and got their bearings, they looked around. The area they were in was dark. The sky was almost pitch black. The ground was hard like concrete or stone and was a dirty crystal color.

The place felt cold and unforgiving. It felt like it could take away all your happy emotions.

“I don’t like this place Devi…" Devi heard Demi whimper frightened.

“It’s alright, Demi." Devi assured her familiar.

“Aww scared are we?" Anne mocked as she floated above them. She was now dressed in a fully black with white trimming, cheerleader uniform, except without the pompoms.

“Where are we!?" Tenna demanded a little shaken.

“Oh! Sorry to be a poor hostess!" She mocked with a bow. “Welcome to our home sweet home!"

“Your home?" Tenna replied

“Why yes." Anne replied with a wide grin. “Please make yourselves at home."

“This was a trap…" Devi growled then looked up in notation as Anne mentioned

" I’m sorry that Johnny couldn’t play with you, Debra. He’s not feeling well today, but don’t worry, the Dough Boys are much willing to play with you at last! "

“Dough Boys?" Tenna replied

“Yes!" Anne said in pleased. “I guess you never got fully introduced. So allow me to do just that!" As she waved her hand over to Mr.Eff on her right side, as a hostess would do to introduce someone.

“This is Mr. Eff." She told them. “Careful, he is quite short tempered."

And then she waved her arms in the same manner to her left and said “And this is Psycho-Doughboy. You may call him D-Boy for short!"

Then a baton appeared in her hand and she twirled it around, tossed in the air, caught it with her left hand and shoved in front in a cute pose, with her left leg arched up under her.

“Welcome to your doom!" She said in a creepy overly cheerful tone of voice.

****

The phone rang at Mina’s shop. When Mina answered her ears met with the voice of a distress Edgar.

“I saw, Edgar. I saw it in my crystal ball..."

Mina turned to where Eric rested. She couldn’t just go with Magnus and leave Eric all alone.

“Listen, Edgar, I want you to come back right away." Mina told him.

“But what about…" Edgar was about to ask.

“We’ll take care of it but I need you to come back." Mina said again.

“Right away!" Edgar said without further question and they both hung up.

“What’s the matter?" Magnus asked

“That vision I saw was just a trick." Mina explained a bit angry with herself. “It was just a way to lure them into their dimension. "


"Then what are you suggesting?" Magnus asked.


"We're going to have to go there ourselves." Mina explained to him. "There is away I might be able to open the dimension or contact them some way. Either way, we should investigate as when there is a portal somewhere, it leaves magical energies left by the passage way. There might be away to use this to open it. But I need Edgar to come here and watch Eric, we can't leave him alone like this."


"Mina..." Magnus said. Mina looked up at him. "Do not blame yourself for this, nor do not feel you need to take full responsibility to get them out. Nothing can be done in such haste, young one.."


"I know..." Mina said sadly. Magnus walked over to her and put his hands on both her shoulder comfortingly.


"Let's research on how to open away to different dimensions." He said "It's a good way to start and at least then we'll know what to do when we get there."


"Agreed." Mina finally said.