Fic: Thirteen Hours (Halloween Part 3)
(Team Manticore II: the Manticore targets Anthony, they defeat it under Jamie's direction)
(Team Flamingo II: they play croquet)
(Team Troll II: the Troll targets Mal, she yells at Bianca, Bianca hulks out and defeats the Troll, Mal talks Bianca down)
Amelia stopped suddenly. "Something's coming." Henry met her eyes, and turned to the others to put them on alert. "Something big."
The group stood still and silent, waiting.
"There." Tess pointed to the sky.
"What is it?" asked Dario.
"Magic," said Henry.
"A monster," said Winona.
"A dragon," said Amelia.
"A dragon?" repeated Max. Julia kept her eyes on the sky while everyone else shot him looks of exasperation, amusement, or disbelief. "Okay! A dragon."
"It's coming." The group tensed at Julia's quiet words.
Henry's eyes flickered over the others. While they all had combat experience, only he, Amelia, and Winona had any kind of supernatural ability. "Pull back, the maze gives us some cover."
"Until it sets it on fire," Max muttered. Henry shot him another look. "What? Dragon!"
Henry shook his head. "Amelia, stay with me. Winona," He lowered his voice. "Protect them."
Winona nodded. Tess, Dario, and Julia were pressed up against the bushes, well hidden, considering, but they were all three trained spies. Winona moved to stand between them and the anticipated attack. Though also a trained spy, Max ignored the suggestion to hide and moved to mirror Amelia on Henry's other side.
For a moment everything was completely still. Then Amelia tensed, shoved Henry into Max and tumbled away as the dragon dove at the three of them.
The labyrinth shook with the noise of the beast's roar and its flapping wings. It veered in flight, following Amelia's gymnastics away from the others. Henry attempted to regain his concentration as he pulled away from Max and focused a spell on the dragon, but before he got it off a bullet sped past.
"What are you doing?" Max ignored the question and shot another round, but the bullets bounced off the dragons rough hide. Across the way Winona's energy bolts were meeting with a similar lack of success. "Where did you get a gun?"
Max shrugged as he pulled out a second gun, better for sniping. "I keep two or three or…" He cocked head and then gun. "…eight weapons on me at all times."
Winona stared. "Who are you?"
Max paused to raise an eyebrow her way. "Who are you?"
Winona hid a laugh and the fact that she was mostly enjoying this entire thing. Just so long as no one got hurt. Dario picked up one of the guns Max had abandoned as Max tried to track the dragon's vulnerabilities. Three more shots, by Max, Dario, and Winona, bounced off.
"Stop shooting!"
Max swung around to meet Henry's eyes through his scope. "Why?"
Henry pushed the barrel of the gun down until it pointed at the ground instead of him. "You could hit Amelia."
Max swung around again. "What's she doing jumping around the dragon?!" They ducked in unison as dragon and Amelia both danced by.
"I think it's after her." Henry's eyes were worried as he straightened.
Max shook his head. "I think it's after you."
Henry frowned. "Why would it be after me?"
"Why would it BE?" Max shouted.
The dragon roared in response. Amelia dropped in front of them.
"Less fighting, more fighting please!" she pleaded between breaths. The dragon roared again and she tumbled backwards and away, silently cursing the lack of buildings in their Wonderland.
Max raised his gun and took aim for the dragon's eye.
"Stop. Shooting."
Max took his shot before lowering his gun to counter Henry. "Shooting is what I DO." Behind him, Dario, Tess and Julia were all taking aim with Max's arsenal. They all watched Max's bullet hit its mark but the dragon brushed it off.
Winona touched his arm. "It's not effective." He met her eyes, glaring. "Me neither.," she added. Max nodded. Winona shrugged. "Magic!"
The others dropped their guns, too, Tess last. "Magic," she growled to no one in particular.
Henry set his jaw, turned to the dragon and finally completed his spell. The air between him and the dragon glowed but dissipated before it hit the monster. Henry repeated the motions, twice, before dropping his hands in frustration.
"What's wrong?" asked Winona.
"Magic doesn't work either."
Frowns spread through the group as they grasped for new ideas.
"Henry!"
Heads turned toward Amelia. She was crouched by a tree, behind her the dragon was climbing past the clouds in preparation for another dive. She pointed to the base of the tree as Henry closed the space between them. He glanced and met her eyes with confusion.
"It's for you."
Her certainty jolted him. Things were becoming more and more clear the longer they stayed…wherever they were. But too much was still missing. "How do you know?"
"Why else would it be here?" Max asked, but Henry barely heard him. He was focused on Amelia.
"You're a knight."
Henry took a deep breath and picked up the sword. Memories flooded his mind but he shut them away as the dragon roared to signal his descent. Henry turned and stepped away from the tree to meet the dragon, sword in hand. Amelia ran after, to stand behind him. Max picked up a fallen branch and held it like sword; Dario and the women followed suit, Winona poised to leap into flight if it would help.
The dragon screeched and dove at them. Henry swung at its approach, the dragon paused, reared its head and covered the area with flame. Amelia pushed Henry out of the fire's path but it set the tree on fire. Winona pulled Tess and Dario into the air. Julia and Max dove away.
"Well, you got its attention!" Max swung his now flaming stick-sword as he shouted. "Now kill it!"
"I'm trying!" Henry pulled Amelia up and braced for another pass. The dragon landed and roaring, tried to back them into the flaming tree. Henry swung back with the sword and the dragon grew angrier each time it hit. The dragon launched into the sky again.
"We should fall back," said Julia. "It has the advantage while we're surrounded by fire."
"But it's finally working," protested Max. "We shouldn't give it time to heal."
Henry looked from one to the other. "I need a clear shot at its heart."
Amelia grabbed Henry's arm. "It's coming."
Max pulled Julia back toward the others as Henry braced himself. The dragon started to dive, screeching. On impulse Amelia kissed Henry's cheek. "For luck." The dragon landed, as it pulled back to breathe fire Amelia leapt at its mouth, slinging webs as fast as she could. Max and Julia glanced at each other and started shooting. The bullets bounced off its hide but coupled with Amelia's dance the dragon was distracted and annoyed. It straightened to its full height and roared at Amelia, preparing to bite her in half.
Henry drew back the sword and flung it at the dragon's bared chest. Sparks filled the sky as it hit and the dragon toppled, landing at Henry's feet. The wind of the dragon's fall, and the weight of the dragon, extinguished the remaining fire. Amelia landed, out of breath, but on her feet. More slowly the others joined.
Max slapped Henry's back. "Okay," he said with a wry grin. "You'll do."
Winona flung her arms around him. "My hero!"
Henry gave them both a grateful smile and picked up the sword. His mother's sword. His grandfather's. The king's.
"So. . . now what?" Dario asked. The group all looked from him to Henry, but Henry was watching someone else.
"Amelia?" She hadn't moved from her perch by the dragon and stood over it with a haunted look in her eyes.
"This isn't real..." She looked to Henry. "...right?"
He didn't know how to answer. "I don't know."
Amelia nodded. She reached a hand toward the dragon's body. "I'm sorry," she whispered. The air suddenly filled with purple smoke and at her touch the dragon disappeared.
(Team Flamingo II: they play croquet)
(Team Troll II: the Troll targets Mal, she yells at Bianca, Bianca hulks out and defeats the Troll, Mal talks Bianca down)
Amelia stopped suddenly. "Something's coming." Henry met her eyes, and turned to the others to put them on alert. "Something big."
The group stood still and silent, waiting.
"There." Tess pointed to the sky.
"What is it?" asked Dario.
"Magic," said Henry.
"A monster," said Winona.
"A dragon," said Amelia.
"A dragon?" repeated Max. Julia kept her eyes on the sky while everyone else shot him looks of exasperation, amusement, or disbelief. "Okay! A dragon."
"It's coming." The group tensed at Julia's quiet words.
Henry's eyes flickered over the others. While they all had combat experience, only he, Amelia, and Winona had any kind of supernatural ability. "Pull back, the maze gives us some cover."
"Until it sets it on fire," Max muttered. Henry shot him another look. "What? Dragon!"
Henry shook his head. "Amelia, stay with me. Winona," He lowered his voice. "Protect them."
Winona nodded. Tess, Dario, and Julia were pressed up against the bushes, well hidden, considering, but they were all three trained spies. Winona moved to stand between them and the anticipated attack. Though also a trained spy, Max ignored the suggestion to hide and moved to mirror Amelia on Henry's other side.
For a moment everything was completely still. Then Amelia tensed, shoved Henry into Max and tumbled away as the dragon dove at the three of them.
The labyrinth shook with the noise of the beast's roar and its flapping wings. It veered in flight, following Amelia's gymnastics away from the others. Henry attempted to regain his concentration as he pulled away from Max and focused a spell on the dragon, but before he got it off a bullet sped past.
"What are you doing?" Max ignored the question and shot another round, but the bullets bounced off the dragons rough hide. Across the way Winona's energy bolts were meeting with a similar lack of success. "Where did you get a gun?"
Max shrugged as he pulled out a second gun, better for sniping. "I keep two or three or…" He cocked head and then gun. "…eight weapons on me at all times."
Winona stared. "Who are you?"
Max paused to raise an eyebrow her way. "Who are you?"
Winona hid a laugh and the fact that she was mostly enjoying this entire thing. Just so long as no one got hurt. Dario picked up one of the guns Max had abandoned as Max tried to track the dragon's vulnerabilities. Three more shots, by Max, Dario, and Winona, bounced off.
"Stop shooting!"
Max swung around to meet Henry's eyes through his scope. "Why?"
Henry pushed the barrel of the gun down until it pointed at the ground instead of him. "You could hit Amelia."
Max swung around again. "What's she doing jumping around the dragon?!" They ducked in unison as dragon and Amelia both danced by.
"I think it's after her." Henry's eyes were worried as he straightened.
Max shook his head. "I think it's after you."
Henry frowned. "Why would it be after me?"
"Why would it BE?" Max shouted.
The dragon roared in response. Amelia dropped in front of them.
"Less fighting, more fighting please!" she pleaded between breaths. The dragon roared again and she tumbled backwards and away, silently cursing the lack of buildings in their Wonderland.
Max raised his gun and took aim for the dragon's eye.
"Stop. Shooting."
Max took his shot before lowering his gun to counter Henry. "Shooting is what I DO." Behind him, Dario, Tess and Julia were all taking aim with Max's arsenal. They all watched Max's bullet hit its mark but the dragon brushed it off.
Winona touched his arm. "It's not effective." He met her eyes, glaring. "Me neither.," she added. Max nodded. Winona shrugged. "Magic!"
The others dropped their guns, too, Tess last. "Magic," she growled to no one in particular.
Henry set his jaw, turned to the dragon and finally completed his spell. The air between him and the dragon glowed but dissipated before it hit the monster. Henry repeated the motions, twice, before dropping his hands in frustration.
"What's wrong?" asked Winona.
"Magic doesn't work either."
Frowns spread through the group as they grasped for new ideas.
"Henry!"
Heads turned toward Amelia. She was crouched by a tree, behind her the dragon was climbing past the clouds in preparation for another dive. She pointed to the base of the tree as Henry closed the space between them. He glanced and met her eyes with confusion.
"It's for you."
Her certainty jolted him. Things were becoming more and more clear the longer they stayed…wherever they were. But too much was still missing. "How do you know?"
"Why else would it be here?" Max asked, but Henry barely heard him. He was focused on Amelia.
"You're a knight."
Henry took a deep breath and picked up the sword. Memories flooded his mind but he shut them away as the dragon roared to signal his descent. Henry turned and stepped away from the tree to meet the dragon, sword in hand. Amelia ran after, to stand behind him. Max picked up a fallen branch and held it like sword; Dario and the women followed suit, Winona poised to leap into flight if it would help.
The dragon screeched and dove at them. Henry swung at its approach, the dragon paused, reared its head and covered the area with flame. Amelia pushed Henry out of the fire's path but it set the tree on fire. Winona pulled Tess and Dario into the air. Julia and Max dove away.
"Well, you got its attention!" Max swung his now flaming stick-sword as he shouted. "Now kill it!"
"I'm trying!" Henry pulled Amelia up and braced for another pass. The dragon landed and roaring, tried to back them into the flaming tree. Henry swung back with the sword and the dragon grew angrier each time it hit. The dragon launched into the sky again.
"We should fall back," said Julia. "It has the advantage while we're surrounded by fire."
"But it's finally working," protested Max. "We shouldn't give it time to heal."
Henry looked from one to the other. "I need a clear shot at its heart."
Amelia grabbed Henry's arm. "It's coming."
Max pulled Julia back toward the others as Henry braced himself. The dragon started to dive, screeching. On impulse Amelia kissed Henry's cheek. "For luck." The dragon landed, as it pulled back to breathe fire Amelia leapt at its mouth, slinging webs as fast as she could. Max and Julia glanced at each other and started shooting. The bullets bounced off its hide but coupled with Amelia's dance the dragon was distracted and annoyed. It straightened to its full height and roared at Amelia, preparing to bite her in half.
Henry drew back the sword and flung it at the dragon's bared chest. Sparks filled the sky as it hit and the dragon toppled, landing at Henry's feet. The wind of the dragon's fall, and the weight of the dragon, extinguished the remaining fire. Amelia landed, out of breath, but on her feet. More slowly the others joined.
Max slapped Henry's back. "Okay," he said with a wry grin. "You'll do."
Winona flung her arms around him. "My hero!"
Henry gave them both a grateful smile and picked up the sword. His mother's sword. His grandfather's. The king's.
"So. . . now what?" Dario asked. The group all looked from him to Henry, but Henry was watching someone else.
"Amelia?" She hadn't moved from her perch by the dragon and stood over it with a haunted look in her eyes.
"This isn't real..." She looked to Henry. "...right?"
He didn't know how to answer. "I don't know."
Amelia nodded. She reached a hand toward the dragon's body. "I'm sorry," she whispered. The air suddenly filled with purple smoke and at her touch the dragon disappeared.