Dragon Heart | #Wattys2022

XIV - Rida's Resolve

What the fuck are you talking about?" Gil yelled inside everyone's heads connected to him telepathically. "Get him outta here, Tina! That was a direct order straight from Kona," he reminded the guardian who informed him that Haru was joining him and Kit on the arena battleground to face off against Rocco.

"Wendy and I tried to get his ass outta here, but you know how stubborn Haru can be," Tina argued. "Shiara's helping me rouse the others along with Lex," she added belatedly, updating everyone connected on this private telepathic connection on the others' status.

"Shit," Gil hissed out loud.

Kit huffed in agreement. Although Haru technically wasn't his responsibility since he wasn't a Doragonian, but he was technically family given that his father was Kona's godfather and one of his oldest friends albeit not a close one, and Haru technically was like a nephew to him so he was worried for the future Doragonian king's safety.

"Like mother, like son," Kit murmured.

"No shit," agreed Gil while keeping an eye on Rocco's possible next move. He already ascertained that the boy wasn't in full control of himself. He had a glazed look in his eyes, prime indicator that someone else was pulling the strings and just using the poor kid as collateral damage. "Now, have you figured out a way to stop this madness without actually ending the kid's life?" he asked his companion.

"Short of breaking his neck and hopefully not break it enough to sever any ligaments? No clue," was Kit's quick reply.

"Can you even actually do that?" hissed Gil, considering the harebrained idea if worse comes to worse.

"I once worked with a man from another village who made it look like he killed me by twisting my neck so we can escape the enemies," was Kit's nonchalant explanation.

"Did you learn this trick your one-time colleague used on you?"

"I have, but never felt the need to use it since I learned it so I might be a bit rusty."

"Better review the technique fast in case the need to use it arises," Gil advised before going for a physical attack to counter Rocco's own physical attack.

= * = * =

"Lord Chiji, we have to leave now," demanded Tenzo after he finished giving out commands to the rest of the senshis summoned to the arena to help out with crowd control as well as suppress the student rampaging down in the arena battleground.

"I'm staying, Tenzo," Kash answered without taking his eyes off the battleground. He watched Gil and his group of Mudaris trying to contain the chaos, and based on the Pashi communication he and Tenzo were included in, Haru's regained consciousness and joined Gil and Kit on the battleground.

"But my lord-" Tenzo was about to argue, but he was cut off when Kash raised his hand to silence him.

"You heard what Tina told Gil. Once Haru's friends are fully recovered, I doubt Tina and the others will be able to stop them from jumping in to protect him."

"I already dispatched senshis to make sure students and civilians alike are escorted out of the arena," Tenzo informed him.

Kona tore her eyes from the scene down below and cocked an eyebrow at her friend, "Do you honestly believe those kids will leave without a fight? We all saw what they are all capable of when they put their mind to it," she pointed out. She was referring of course to the stunt Haru and his friends pulled smuggling both Haru and Lex into the arena to watch the finals.

Tenzo let out a long, frustrated sigh. Why does he even bother when he knew both Kash and Kona were as stubborn as their son? He shouldn't even be surprised since he saw a little bit of each parent in Haru, but still, seeing and hearing firsthand the trio's stubbornness was surprising considering all three of them genuinely cared and worried for each other.