The Dragon's Bounty III:Dying Light

Chapter 9

           Elliot opened his eyes and looked around, but he wasn't in the cave behind the purple portal. Instead, he was standing atop a cloud, a bright light all around him.
           "Hello, Elliot." Elliot jumped, turning around. There was a man in a white robe with a smile on his face.
           Elliot waved nervously. "Where am I?" He asked.
           The man smiled. "You have been invited to Elysium, the divine realm, by your father. He has something to give you."
            Elliot smiled. "I'm gonna meet my dad?" He asked.
            The man nodded. "This could take a while. Are you prepared?"
            Elliot began nodding, before looking back down below the cloud. "Hold on. How long is a long time?"
            The man shrugged. "That's all I know. A long time."
            Elliot sighed. "My friends need me back in the mortal realm. The Demon King is coming."
            The man nodded. "Your father wants to give you something to help in the fight against the Demon King."
            Elliot smiled. "Then I'll do it. We'll need all the power we can get our hands on." The man smiled, stretching out his hand. Elliot grabbed it, a bright light completely filling his vision.

           Kai rolled against the ground, looking around at all the melted rats. The quarries came in behind him.
           "Qiurac?" Kai asked.
           The king looked over to him. "Yes?" He asked.
           Kai looked around. "Have you seen Elliot? I can't find him."
           Qiurac shook his head. "I'm afraid I have not."
           Kai sighed. "I'm sure he's fine." He said.
           Qiurac nodded. "He is strong." Kai smiled and nodded, leading the way back into the cave where they fought the meld.
           Kai smiled. "Looked to be pretty easy." He said. Qiurac nodded. Kai lit his fist up as he left the area of Elliot's glowing orbs, back toward the city of the dwarves. He put the flame out as they exited the cave. "Now, the dwarves hate light, so don't do anything bright." Suddenly, a pickaxe blade entered Kai's back, causing it to light ablaze. The dwarves behind him began screeching and covering their eyes. Kai pulled the pickaxe and cast it aside as the wound healed up. "What's the big idea?!" Kai shouted.
            "We have not released you." The leader of the dwarves said.
            Kai raised an eyebrow. "But we killed the meld."
           The dwarves growled. "Doesn't matter! You're still under arrest with Nickolas!"
           Kai sighed. "Where's Duros?" He asked. The dwarves began laughing. "What? What's so funny?" Kai asked.
           "Look down." The leader dwarf said. Kai knelt down and lit a small flame, staring straight into Duros's fearful stone face.
           Kai shouted and jumped back, lighting his fists on fire. "What did you do to him?!" He shouted. The dwarves closed their eyes and began laughing.
           "Like I said. You have not been released. We just made his imprisonment a little more permanent." The dwarves began laughing.
            Kai's flames blazed hotter. "Fix him!" He shouted. The dwarves continued laughing. Kai grabbed the dwarf leader's collar and held him to his face. "Release him or so help me I will burn you." The dwarf stopped laughing and rolled his eyes. He placed his hand on Kai's arm and made it go limp, dropping him to the ground.
            "You have no right to tell me what to do." He said.
Kai looked at his dangling arm, unable to light it ablaze or even move it. "What did you do?" He asked.
            The dwarf growled. "You, crystal people!" The dwarf shouted. The quarries had been looking on with confused looked on their faces. "Join us or be imprisoned!" He shouted.
            Qiurac knelt down to his knees. "Spare my people, oh great one." He glanced at Kai and winked.
            Kai rolled his eyes and sat down next to Duros. "What a pickle, huh?" He elbowed Duros. "How about instead of locking me up you just let me leave?" He asked.
            The dwarf shook his head. "Afraid we can't do that." Kai extinguished the flames on his arm and sighed.
            Qiurac slid over and tapped him on the shoulder. "I have a plan. Light her up." Kai shrugged and lit his whole body on fire other than his limp arm. The light refracted through all of the crystals on the quarries' heads, spreading it around the cavern, all of the dwarves screaming out in pain.
           "We can't just kill them!" Kai shouted.
           Qiurac shook his head. "Light does not melt brains. That makes no sense. I propose this visitor they told you about just lied to them. They just need to get used to the light." Kai spotted Nickolas looking down at the bright light, his sunglasses in his hand. Kai smiled and held a thumbs up.
Nickolas began jumping up and down, able to see the light. "I can see!" He shouted. "And not just in the dark!" All of the dwarves looked up at him, rubbing their eyes.
          "He's right. I can see too." One of the dwarves said. They murmured amongst one another before turning back to Kai and Qiurac.
          "You, you fixed our eyes." The leader said.
          Kai nodded. "Now you can come to the surface and help us with the Demon King." He grinned.
          The leader sighed. "I suppose we have nothing better to do."
          "Also, release Nickolas." The leader groaned. He snapped his fingers. The guards opened the gate and Nickolas raced over and landed on Kai's shoulder.
           "Yeah, that's right! I helped take down that big creature!" He raised his fists.
           Kai nodded. "That was true courage." Kai said with a smile.
           Nickolas grinned. "I'll fight right by your side against the Demon King." Suddenly, he jumped, looking down at his shoulder. He rolled up his sleeve and looked down at the tattoo of a dragon. He looked up at Kai with a confused expression.
           Kai smiled. "The god of war deems you worthy."
           Nickolas' jaw dropped. "Worthy of what?"
           Kai laughed. "To be one of us." He held up his fist. Nickolas bumped it. "Now, to get everyone to the surface. Also fix Duros."
           The dwarf sighed. "Fine." He placed his hand on Duros, his body returning to flesh. He looked around.
           "Wait what? I was finally winning!" He attempted to stomp the ground but noticed his leg was missing. "Fantastic." He said, creating one out of stone and being pulled to his feet by Kai. "What'd I miss?" Duros asked, looking around.
           Kai laughed. "A good bit actually. I'll catch you up on the way back up. How long will that leg take?" Duros sighed. "Maybe three days?"