Date: Tue, 24 May 2011 20:06:55 -0700 (PDT) From: Nick Richards Subject: "The Legendaries: Part Three" Disclaimer: This story will contain intimate relationships and sex between two males. This will also include strong language and graphic scenes. If this offends you, or you are not allowed to read this due to age restrictions, please leave. "The Legendaries: Part Three" At one in the morning, Tori Heart's cell phone rang, startling her. The small ball of auric energy in front of her burst outward, knocking her backwards out of her seat. The library lapsed into darkness from the miniature explosion of energy. Tori stumbled to her feet, following the only light in the room, that coming from her cell phone, which was still ringing. "Hello?" She answered, aggravated. A whisper answered her. "Tori, I have an emergency over here..."A breathless Coop responded. Tori, though still irritated, worried now. Coop's phone calls were never the highlight of her day, but an emergency call in the middle of the night definitely couldn't be good. "What is it, Coop?" She asked, rushing to her feet. She tripped into a table in the process of finding the door, grunting. She opened the door to find the lights in the hall outside out as well. "Luxum," she muttered, an orb of light appearing next to her right shoulder. She realized that she hadn't heard from Coop in the few seconds she has stumbling around the room. "Coop, still there?" Nothing. The line was dead. Tori rolled her eyes and made her way to her room on the second floor. She heard shuffling behind her and the light of an energyball appeared in her hand as she spun to face the noise. Her father appeared in the dim light, his face in question. "Coop called me, he said it was an emergency." She said, hurrying to her room. "What about the lights?" Charles Heart asked, creating a light of his own. Tori rolled her eyes. "That was me. I was trying some spells with auric energy when he called. Scared me to death. So the energy kind of bounded through the house." She said reaching her door. "You know you've got to be cautious with those kind of spells, Tori. One mess-up and it could have bounded back against you." He said, watching Tori shuffle through her room. She opened a chest and produced a pouch. "I know, Dad. It was just a little spell. Alright, I've got to go, he could be in trouble." She closed her eyes and her clothes transformed into her armor, silver in the light of her magic. "I'll go down to Millennium Hall and monitor both of your positions." He told her, as she pulled a shiny powder from the pouch. She smiled and nodded. "Discada," She whispered as she threw it into the air. As it fell, she began disappearing from head to toe. Charles Heart watched his daughter cast the teleportation spell. "Be careful," he muttered before turning to the hall. The lights of the house surged back on as he snapped his fingers, before leaving for Millennium Hall. Tori landed perfectly on a tree limb outside of Coop's house. She took a moment for her vision to level. Even though she was perfectly used to teleporting by now, it still took her a second or two for all of her senses to come back. She scoped the house from the exterior, finding three lights shining through the darkness. Calling on her eidetic memory, she recalled the light would come from the first story bathroom, his mother's study, and Coop's room. There was no motion. Probably not a good sign. "Zephrus Aura," she whispered after breathing in deeply. The wind lifted her across the yard to land solidly on the roof. She may not be able to teleport in, but she could still shift her molecules to pass through the walls of the house. "Transveho Portae," she said again, walking through the space that separated her from the hallway outside Coop's room. Taking a second standing in front of the door, she cast a few protective charms around herself, just in case. She breathed in deeply again, before telekinetically pushing the door open and sweeping the room with her eyes. Coop sat on in bed, Indian-style, looking at a GQ magazine. He looked up as she stepped in and sighed. "It's about time. I thought you'd never get here." He said, rolling his eyes and getting up off the bed. Tori's shoulders slumped while she gave Coop a severe look. "What is the meaning of this?" She asked, anger evident in her voice. Coop smiled and opened his closet door. "Well, I got ungrounded today." Silence. "And there's a party tonight." Continued silence. "And...I need help with an outfit." Coop revealed, smiling like a little kid. Tori's expression frightened him. He was going to speak again when he noticed his lights flickering. He looked to Tori as she took a several deep breaths. "You called me...to help you pick out an outfit...at one-thirty in the morning...and say it's an emergency?" She asked, her voice deathly still. He nodded, still smiling. "Why are you even going out at this hour?" She asked, suddenly confused. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Tori, Tori, Tori, everyone knows that the good parties don't start till two in the morning." He said scoffing. "Coop, I really don't know where to start..." "Then don't. Look, I realize I shouldn't have said it was an emergency and all, I just really wanted you to come over." "Why?" "Cuz then you could come to the party, duh." Tori sighed again. She looked around and finally sat on his bed. "Fine. What are your wardrobe choices?" She asked, snapping her fingers to transform her armor into a classy black dress. Coop smiled. "Awesome." The pair arrived at a fairly large house thirty minutes later. Tori could already hear the music and see different colored lights coming from the house. Coop smiled as he pulled his Jeep into the grass and parked. They had decided on a pair of nicely fitting jeans, a black GAP button-up, and a pair of flip-flops. As they walked to the front door, two men stood on either side of the door. They were identically dressed in suits. "Bouncers, really?" Tori asked, looking to Coop. He nodded. "It's necessary at some of the higher profile parties. People try to sneak in." He said, shrugging. "I didn't know high school parties could be so exclusive." She muttered. They walked up the stairs to the door, when one of the men caught Tori by the arm. Immediately, she span and used his weight against him while kicking the back of his knee. The man, who was easily over two hundred and twenty pounds came crashing to the ground at the hands of a seventeen year old girl. "Guys, she's with me." Coop said, smirking. Tori let go of the man's arm and straightened her dress. She took Coop's arm and walked in the house. Tori blinked hard as the deafening music washed over her. She rolled her eyes as she caught sight of several bottles of alcohol. Immediately, Coop was recognized by a large group who waved him over. Tori tried to catch his arm before he left her. "Coop! Be careful, it's possible that your telepathy might overload with this many people here." She whispered, loud enough to be heard over the music. But Coop wasn't really listening. "Okay, Tori." He said nodding and walking away. She rolled her eyes again and walked to the bar. A suave looking man of about twenty-five in a suit greeted her. "What'll it be?" "Water, please." She said sliding onto a stool. "You sure? You can have some of the good stuff. It's been approved." He said, winking. "I'm fine. Water, please." Tori had always tried to watch what she ate, and she usually only drank water anyway, but now more so after discovering the Darkening. She wished it was a habit she could teach Coop. It was always easier and less tiring to use your powers when you were fueled with natural stuff. The more carbs and sugars, the harder for your body to produce energy. The bartender placed the water in front of her and leaned onto the bar smiling at her. "I don't see you around here a lot." He said, winking again. "I'm here with a friend." She said, smiling. As attractive as he was, she really doubted she could get a relationship out of him. Or anyone for that matter. She sighed at the thought, while smiling at him again. He asked her another question, starting a conversation with the witch as the music enveloped them. Coop was having a good time. Finally. He had been grounded for two weeks and now he was making a total idiot out of himself on the dance floor to take out his inner frustrations. He was having a great time, though he could feel a headache building in his sinus cavities. It wasn't that big of one, but it was large enough to irritate him. When he got too close to someone, for example the guy he was grinding his ass into now, he would accidently pick up thoughts. But, waving it all away, he kept on dancing. Checking her watch Tori found it was five in the morning. She sighed. For hours she had watched Coop dance. He would grind himself into guys, or girls, he would do the step and snap. He even saw him doing the monkey at one point. But, she was tired and almost ready to go home. However, despite it being five, there were still about a hundred people in the house. She spotted one guy walking down the stairs, his hair a little disheveled. There had been about ten different couples who had left the party at different times to go upstairs. She almost rolled her eyes, but stopped herself as she looked at the guy again. She had seen this handsome guy go upstairs with about five different girls. He returned alone every time. She narrowed her gaze as he looked around the room. He immediately walked toward another girl and started to flirt obviously with her. Something about him disturbed her. Over the past few years, Tori had come to trust this feeling building up inside her. It was the feeling of supernatural unease. While he was distracted, she slipped up the stairs, following her senses. Coop's headache was worse now. It was definitely building, and he was feeling things that weren't from his own mind. It was starting to get pretty uncomfortable now, but he still forced his body to react to the beat. Opening the first door, Tori squealed at finding a couple on a bed, in the middle of a savage make-out session. "Sorry..." she said as she closed the door, though she doubted the couple was even aware of her brief presence. She knocked at the next door, but shook her head and moved on when her heard moans. She stopped at the last door in the hallway when a wave of nausea hit her. She felt a disturbance on the other side of the door. She flung open the door to find a horror on the other side. Coop excused himself from the dance floor, finally. He went to the bar and asked for a beer. Maybe the buzz would lessen the headache. He looked around the room, searching for Tori. While scanning the room, his mind was bombarded with thoughts of others. Every time he would pass over someone, another's thoughts would enter his mind. He held his head in his hands in an attempt to stop it. Blood and the stench of death met Tori's eyes when she opened the door. Five bodies on the floor, slumped and drained of blood. `Damn it,' Tori thought. `Why didn't I catch this earlier?' A familiar voice met her question. It was her own voice, though it felt older and wiser. The Darkening. *There are only a few creatures that could have escaped our senses. What is the most likely to be in a place like this?* It asked, Its voice resonating through her mind. She sighed knowing the answer before acknowledging it. She turned to return downstairs, but gasped when she saw the figures in the door. It was a man. A beautiful man accompanied by a beautiful female counterpart. They smiled, though their eyes did not show the warmness their smiles conveyed. Vampires. Vampires were not as weak and vulnerable as their legendary counterparts. They were not weakened by garlic, holy water, silver, crucifixes, and in most cases, sunlight. They were supernaturally strong and fast and their fangs were venomous. And, most were resistant to magic. But this could not stop Tori. Familiar words came to mind, as she remembered words her tutor had told her when she was first awakened. A witch could defy the laws of physics. A witch could do the impossible. With a few words, a witch could freeze fire, burn rain, stop time, and even slow the death of the universe. But she was no witch. She was The Witch, and no vampire could stand against her. She was Tori Heart. She was the Darkening. A tenth of a second passed before the female bared her fangs and leaped. Tori's instincts took over and her eyes flashed black. "Tego," she said, a shield as thick as a concrete wall erecting a few inches in front of the creature. It hit the wall and fell to the floor, disoriented. The male hissed and ran in a flash of movement towards her. With the brush of her hand, he flew into the opposite wall. While they were both gathering their senses, she looked around for a weapon. Something pointy; Stake to the heart was no legend. She reached toward a chair and its leg snapped off and flew into her hand. She turned just in time to see the female behind her. Tori slashed with the broken leg and managed to scratch its neck, though the wound quickly healed. The male joined her now and they both attacked, using a combination of sheer strength and aikido. She tried to counter their blows, but they were both fast and strong. She realized she needed to contact Coop, but the thought forming process was a little hard when two feral creatures were trying to karate chop you. The music was so loud, and there were so many people. The onslaught of thoughts was almost too much for him to bear. He was trying to remember what Tori had said to do when he felt like this, but he couldn't make out his own thoughts. He could feel a pressure building within him that could only result in trouble. He scanned the room again before falling to his knees, gripping his hair with his hands. Mustering the strength, she pointed her finger at the female and she flew to the ceiling only to fall to the floor in rapid succession. She took this second of confusion to try and contact Coop. `Coop, I don't know where you are, but I need you. There are vampires-` But she was abruptly stopped when she felt a pulse of power before a shout of pain rang through the air and the entire house fell into silence. The psychic contact had been Coop's breaking point. When he felt Tori's mind brush his own, he felt the pressure expand outward. It was more painful than anything he'd felt before. He screamed and wave of psychic power erupted from him. It expanded until every single person's mind had been shut down. The house was quiet and still, except for three figures in the smallest upstairs bed room. The wave had been enough to discombobulate the vampires. Tori drove the make-shift stake through the male's heart and then the floor-ridden female so quickly she might have had vampire speed. They dissolved into ash before she stood and straightened her dress. She retrieved her cell phone from her bra and dialed the number two speed-dial. "Dad, I need damage control at the party...No, vampires...and Coop had a psychic outburst...No, I don't think anyone's hurt. Just temporarily knocked out...No, I'm bringing him home...I'll take his Jeep...Alright, thanks. I love you too. Bye." She looked around the living room at all the unconscious bodies. She spotted Coop and before walking to the front door and opening it. She snapped her fingers and he floated into the air and out the door. Coop awoke with what felt like the worst hangover of his life. He tried to remember the night before, though he couldn't. All he remembered was his usual dream of supernatural flames. He slipped out of bed to find he had been changed into gym shorts, though nothing else accompanied them. Had Tori changed him? Awkward... He recognized the guest bedroom and reasoned that she had just taken him home after the party. His mom had already said it was alright anyway. He sat up and swung his legs over the side to reach the cold floor. His head was still pounding. He sighed deeply before rising and walking out the door. He walked down the hall and descended the split staircase to the dining room. When he reached the bottom, he stopped, hearing Tori and her father in a discussion. "Are you sure? That's where the signature came up?" Her soprano voice inquired. "I'm positive. Though it's registered to a family that's not in our database. We don't know who lives there or what they do. But give us a few minutes and we will." Charles' voice answered. "It's just so strange. We've been looking under every nook and crannie in the town and then today the signal just shines like a beacon of light in the dead of night." Coop giggled, which made father and daughter turn in surprise. "You rhymed." He said, smirking. She smiled at him, rolling her eyes. "Nice shirt," She said with a smirk of her own. Coop crossed his arms self-consciously. She actually laughed this time. "Guiliano should have one ready for you. That is, if you want it." The butler appeared beside him with a tee shirt in his hands. He sneered at Tori before taking it and putting it on. "So how're you feeling?" Charles asked him, placing his hands on both sides of Coop's head. Coop winced at the motion so close to his eyes. "Like I've been dropped out of a G6 then run over by its landing." He croaked. Tori took him by the hand and led him to a couch, where she made him sit. "You had what we call a psychic outburst. I tried to warn you about it when we arrived at the party." "Yeah, yeah, you told me so. Whatever. So what is it?" He asked, closing his eyes from the rays of sunshine. "It's my fault really. I shouldn't have let you go. When a telepath first realizes their powers, they are more sensitive to other's thoughts. So, they are usually discouraged from joining large groups of people so quickly. Pretty much, all the party guests' psychic energies bombarded you. Your mind couldn't handle it, so it had to relieve itself. It burst outward leaving you and everyone else at the party unconscious." She said with an uncomfortable smile. "Awesome." Was Coop's simple response. He took a second before he remembered the conversation he had walked in on. "What were you guys talking about when I came down?" Charles answered. "We believe we have found the energy signature of our next Legendary. Zephyr, the avatar of wind." "Awesome, let's hit it up!" Coop said, rising from the couch optimistically. His equilibrium didn't wasn't as cooperative as he would've hoped. He wasn't able to stop to stand firmly on his feet and instead fell forward immediately. Charles snapped his fingers and Coop stopped in mid-air, and inch from the floor. "Thanks," he whispered, smiling. Charles only smiled back. "For obvious reasons," Tori started and she pulled him back to the couch, "I will be going alone to do some recon. I'll be disguised and spend as little as possible time in the house. We just need to scope it out, see if I can find this kid or not. Then, I'll come back, we'll wait until tonight and we'll go back. Together." She finished, crossing her arms. Coop could only see one problem. "And...what are we going to do tonight. Kidnap him?" He asked, not really sure if he was serious or not. "Between the two of us, we'll be able to awaken Zephyr's essence within him. From there, he'll find his way to us. Zephyr will guide him." "So why does it take two of us to do that? Couldn't you just do it while you're there?" "Well, our records show that an awakening of a Legendary has never gone without some supernatural interference. We'll probably have to keep on the look-out for unfriendly party guests." She finished. "Lovely..." Tori pulled up to the large suburban house in her 2009 black Camero. She was disguised as Victoria Mitchell, a reporter from the local newspaper interviewing the new residents of Steel Creek Manor. The manor had recently been owned by a billionaire whose mysterious death had taken place recently. It was the talk of the town, so that was her "story." She knocked on the door, a butler answering her. "Hi, I'm Victoria Mitchell from Los Angeles Times. I'm here to see Mr. Silvers." She said smiling. He nodded and welcomed her in. The scent of vanilla washed over her as she followed him to a sitting room where she was asked to wait. As soon as he closed the door, she looked around, her brain fastidiously memorizing every detail of the room. She felt something as soon as she stepped in the house, though she wasn't sure what yet. It didn't feel friendly, however. She closed her eyes, drawing on her senses to answer some questions. She could not hear any movement in the house. She could not feel any vibrations through the floors. She could not smell anything other than the overwhelming scent of vanilla. Not good. Vanilla was used by certain creatures to cover up other-worldly scents. Strange, yes. Easy to recognize, definitely. She reached out with her magical senses. She felt no pulses of life coming from the house. She could not feel a single person's presence. She opened her eyes and turned to the door, jumping to find someone there. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in." She said with a nervous laugh. She hadn't felt him either. "I apologize. I was rather quiet and you seemed deep in concentration." Mr. Silvers answered, his smooth voice washing over her. "Oh, I was just admiring the scent of vanilla. It's quite strong, but I still enjoy it." She said, carefully reaching towards him with her magical senses. It was as though nothing was there. Mr. Silvers smiled and reached his hand out. "I'm Scott Silvers. I understand you wanted an interview?" He asked. Tori shook his hand hesitantly. The second her skin touched his, an archive of knowledge opened in her mind. Naagloshii. Skin-walkers. She had no doubt that this was Mr. Silvers, but it was only his skin that she was meeting. The rest of him lay somewhere else in the estate. She knew one thing for certain: she had to leave very soon. Coop sat at the glass table in Millennium Hall with Charles, head pounding. "So, I thought since I was the Phoenix and all, He would talk to me, like the Darkening does to Tori." Charles smiled. "He will. You just haven't fully awakened yet." "And what exactly does that mean. I know you and Tori are used to this kind of stuff, but I still get confused." "It means that you and the Phoenix have yet to fully bond to each other. Once you have bonded, you become one with your avatar. His thoughts will be yours. Things like what happened last night will not be as difficult to get through with Its knowledge within you." "And how long does it usually take for that to happen. Cuz that would be nice." Coop pouted. "I've heard it once took a girl three years to become fully awakened. Although, that's usually not the case. Most can come to full potential after about two months." "Two months!? You mean I have to go another month without being able to handle my telepathy?" "It's a possibility..." Charles said in a light voice. "You. Suck." Tori smiled at "Mr. Silvers," knowing that she really held a demon's hand. "I was wondering, Mr. Silvers, may I use the restroom? I know it's not that professional, but it's a long drive from here to Los Angeles." Tori said, giggling. "Of course you may," he said, smiling, though Tori was already at the door. When she opened it he called to her. "Tori Heart. The bathroom is the third from the left." Then a cry of pure evil left the creatures lips as its face changed into that of an animal. Tori ran down the hall. She cursed in her mind. Of course it had to be only of the only creatures almost completely impervious to magic. She heard its footsteps close behind her. She pictured in her mind brick, like those of the walls in the manor. Without turning, she muttered, "Latericius instar!" A brick wall formed from thin air, blocking the creature from Tori. The wall wouldn't hold for long against the creature, but it would buy her time. She was almost to the door when she felt something that stopped her dead in her tracks. A heartbeat. Someone alive. Human. She could sense them, deep in the manor. Looking to the door one last time, she ran up the stairs from the foyer, towards the pulse of life. She was far into the house, though she could feel herself getting closer. She hadn't sensed the demon since she had blocked its way, making her nervous. She finally reached a door at the very end of the hallway. She knew this was it. She opened the door, a demon's face greeting her. Tori Heart didn't have a chance. Coop was grumbling to himself as looked at the chess board. Charles was seriously kicking his ass. He was already in a bad mood from the earlier conversation regarding his delayed awakening, but the continual loss in the board game wasn't helping. Charles smiled at the board, put his hand on a piece to move, and was about to say `Check,' when red lights, accompanied by sirens, began to flash in the War Room. Coop blinked hard. Though his migraine was almost gone due to his regenerative healing, that was definitely not helping. Quicker than Coop thought was possible, Charles was on his feet and at a control panel with a group of workers. "Incoming supernatural wave, sir" A woman with glasses said, reading the monitor. "Shields up," Charles ordered. A monitor showed the Heart Estate from a far, and Coop could have sworn there was a shimmer around it for a split second. They all stood, looking at the monitor. A moment later, a black stream of energy rocketed towards the shield. Instead of the impact Coop expected, the black mass went through the shield and straight through the mansion. He looked in confusion to Charles, who only looked to the door. Coop followed his gaze, when a gossamer wave of black flowed through it. It took a familiar shape, that of a giant raven of pure energy. This was the Darkening. *Tori has been taken captive by Naagloshii at Steele Creek Manor. There is another with her, a boy. Though there was only one skin-walker before, there are dozens flocking to the manor now. They know you will take a stand.* It spoke in Tori's voice, though Coop could tell this was not Tori. It was the ancient entity that had created magic. And it had come to warn them. Coop was about to ask a question when it spoke again. *I must go. Tori wanes against the charms they have placed. We will withdraw into ourselves and strike when the time is right. Good luck* And then, it vanished, "Well, shit." Tori felt the Darkening's essence leave her before they reached the cell. She knew it had gone to warn her father and Coop. She was placed in a circular stone room and shackled to a chair. The only light came from torches lit in the four corners. As soon as they arrived, Tori found the source of the heartbeat she had felt. Strapped to a table in the middle of the room, lay a teenage boy, probably Tori's age. He had matted brown hair and his white teeth were stained with blood. He was cut and bruised and had a stream of blood coming from his mouth and an open wound on his chest. His bright blue eyes showed the hurt he felt, desperately looking at Tori. It broke her heart. "My name is Tori, and I'm here to save you." She said, though she could see how uncomforting that would probably be, seeing as she was tied up herself. The cell fell into silence. Tori was genuinely startled when the guy talked. "I'm Zane." He whispered. "What happened to you?" Tori asked gently. "They came...in the middle of the night. They were dressed like police officers who said that my dad's car had been stolen. He let them in, and then they snapped his neck. Their faces...they looked like vampires. I know that sounds crazy. You probably don't even believe me." He whispered turning away from her. She winced at his sad tone. "I believe you Zane. I really am here to rescue you. My friend and father are coming. They can stand against these...things." She spoke as comfortingly as she could. "Why have they tortured you?" "I...don't know. They kept asking me about...some...entity? That's what they kept saying. Something about the... Wind-sweeper?" He asked, looking for answers. "I promise it will all make sense when it's over." Coop saw Charles leave the room immediately after the Darkening left. "Stay here, I'll be right back." He said, leaving Coop to stare at the screens zooming in on the house Tori had just left for. Charles was back in seconds, in similar armor as his as Tori's. "Are you ready?" Charles asked, slipping a small crystal into a pocket on his arm. Coop nodded. "Fire is the flesh-eaters weakness. They know we're coming, so they'll probably have all sorts of protective charms up, especially against fire. But I have no doubt they can stand against you." He said, pulling Coop along the hallway. "So I just torch the place?" Coop asked, trying to keep up. "Fire is the most taxing magic of all. You'll have to be careful not to expound too much energy." "What about my mental powers?" "Flesh-eaters are hive creatures. They have a collective mind, so you won't be able to use your telepathy very successfully. Telekinesis will work just fine, though." He said, chuckling. "What about you?" Coop asked. He knew Tori's father was a magician, but had never learned how accomplished he was. Charles' smile frightened him a little. "Don't worry about me. You just need to know that those demons have my daughter, and I don't intend on leaving until I either have her, or I have to bring the house down on top of those bastards." Tori wasn't sure if the demons were aware they had a Legendary in captivity or not, but she could feel more of them arriving by the minute. They must have had the sense to flee the house when she came, otherwise she would have felt the presence of their hive mind. Now that she was captured, they had no problem flocking. They must have known someone would come for her, and now they were preparing to fight. She looked at the floor, noticing for the second time the circle of binding symbols around her chair. The bonds that held her were strong. They had certain anti-magical properties, but they weren't unbreakable. She focused on her stores of energy. Her ring had been depleted the night before during her spar with the vampires. She hadn't worn any of her other jewelry with storage gems. All she had was her life force, and the Darkening. Zane's voice brought her out of her concentration. "Do you know who's doing this?" He asked, his voice trembling. "We have some theories. Recently the activity in supernatural creatures has increased, which suggests they now have a leader." "Why do they want me? Or you?" "I promise I can explain it when we get out of here." "How do you know we'll get out? I've been in here for...I don't even know." "Because, my best friend is coming. And if that's not enough, my father is on his way too. These demons will regret the day they were created..." Coop balanced himself by grabbing onto Charles. Even though he had gotten better with teleporting, his stomach still churned from the spell. Charles smirked. "You alright?" Coop nodded. They had landed approximately one half of a kilometer from the house. Coop could see the house, but there wasn't anything that screamed, `Hey, supernatural killings going on, right here!' He wondered just how many of the demons were lying in wait for them. "Let's go." He said, walking towards the house. Charles caught his arm. "Not just yet, my friend." Coop looked at him incredulously. "I want you to take to the skies. I'll charge the front and distract them. When I give you the signal, I want you to blow the roof off and give them hell." "What about Tori?" "She'll get herself out. She's just biding her time. And if she really needs help, she'll call to you through the Darkening." Coop nodded. Charles produced a small bottle with a clear liquid inside. "This will render you invisible for about five minutes. Otherwise they'll be able to see you coming." Coop took the bottle and nodded. "I'll send two psychic spikes. One when you should start flying, and one when you should attack." And with that, Charles was gone. Coop saw a blur of him as he ran with enhanced speed towards the house. He arrived within seconds and Coop saw the elder man throw something small towards the house. Suddenly, the house erupted into flames as the outside walls were torn from the manor. `Here we go...' Coop thought. Tori felt a spike of energy before the walls shook with violent vibrations. She looked toward the ceiling, feeling the essence of her father. "What was that?" Zane gasped, thrashing. "They're here." Tori said, smiling. "What do we do?" "I just need you to stay quiet for a little while. I'm going to need to concentrate." She closed her eyes and focused. Millennia of knowledge flooded her mind as she began to weave a spell that would break the circle of sigils that kept her there. Soon, these creatures were going to rue their very existence. The first mental pulse. Coop unscrewed the bottle and chugged its contents. He didn't feel any different, nor did he look it, but he trusted it. His mind fluttered as he effortlessly lifted himself into the air. He had trained hard since he last needed to lift himself in the field, and was happy to find it was so easy now. He flew at what would have registered at forty miles an hour towards the house. He landed on the roof, ready to create another explosion that would blow another portion of the house away. Two-hundred nineteen seconds passed before the second spike. Without a second's hesitation, he willed the flames to come, the top of the house disintegrating into nothing with a large explosion. He dropped into the house, becoming visible once again. He took in his surroundings quickly, noticing the large connecting foyer filled with dozens of...well. The creatures looked like regular people except for their faces. Their faces reminded him of the harpies from the movie "Van Helsing." They were feral and were attacking with strength un-proportional to their size and shape. Two of them ran towards him with blinding speed, only to be thrown into the walls with a swipe of Coop's hand. His senses were suddenly alive, noticing everything in the room. He felt Charles seven feet to his left, striking against the monsters with a sleek staff of metal. "Coop! Be careful! They've got-" Coop turned as he heard a grunt from the man. He saw Charles fly across the room and hit his head against the wall forcefully. On the other side of the room, a man stood his hand extended. He had white hair and striking green eyes. He stood about six feet tall and had a tanned complexion. He was dressed in blue robes, decorated in what Coop assumed were magical symbols. `Awesome, they've got magicians too.' Coop thought. He threw his arms to either side of him and an explosive orb of fire pulsed from him, striking the closest of the demons, causing the rest to stagger back. Coop addressed the man. "So, I guess you the Houdini in charge?" The man answered by sending a spear of yellow energy towards him. Coop telekinetically deflected it as it came within inches of his face. "I'll take that as a yes." He said again. "Alright, listen, just give me my friend and we'll leave. I'll spare you and your puppets if you cooperate." He announced, more boldly than he felt. There were probably still about twenty of those things left and he wasn't sure what the extent of the mystery man's power was. He drew power from his ring without moving. He could feel himself waning. The man in the robes smiled and shook his head. "It was a mistake to come here Cooper Storm. You will not leave alive." And with that the demons threw themselves into attacking him again. Twenty minutes had passed and Tori could feel herself weakening. These mystical shackles were a lot stronger than she had anticipated. She now knew that someone had to be behind them, and not just the creatures themselves. Which meant that this whole thing had been a bigger trap than they had realized. Finally, her magic burst through the last sigil. She opened her eyes and shrugged the ropes off. Since she was magically bound, they had no reason to physically bind her too strenuously. She stood and balanced herself. Her head span as she walked. She was so weak from breaking the spells. But now she had to help Zane. She unshackled the straps the held him to the table. "We're almost out. I promise." She said, smiling as she helped him up. She got a better look at him now. She winced at all the blood coming from open wounds, knowing he wouldn't make it far being as weak as he was. "Sarcio caedis," She whispered. Some of his bruises lightened and some of the bleeding stopped. He gasped at the feeling. "How did you do that?" He asked before catching her. She was leaning back and forth, threatening to fall to the floor. She smiled weakly. "I'll explain later. Come on, let's go." She took his hand and led him up the stairs and out the door. They walked down a hallway and into a large corridor. They both stopped when five people with faces of demons met them. Tori knew that if she used too much more of her powers she threatened herself with a coma. But if they were going to escape, she knew she had to use her powers again. Pulling Zane out of the way, she took a fighting stance. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room as Coop continued to fight. He was still weakening, but he wasn't done yet. He threw flames at the remaining monsters, finishing the last two. He turned to the robed man, fire erupting from his fist. "I will admit, you've been impressive. But your stand ends here. Surrender now, or die." "Whatever. Do you know who I am? I'm-" "A human. And you are easily defeated." And with that, the man ran towards Coop. His eyes grew big as he felt a telekinetic thrust push him into the wall behind him with clenching force. He hit the floor with a grunt, lifting his face to locate his attacker. The man's foot crashed into Coop's face, his nose producing a sickening snapping noise. He heard the man laugh before pushing himself onto his knees. "Who are you?" Coop asked, blood gushing down his face. The man chuckled. "Someone you will regret meeting." He said, sending a ball of purple energy towards Coop. Coop's hand flew up, repelling the ball back towards the man. It took him by surprise, blowing him off his feet. Coop rose to his feet, flames erupting into existence in his hands. He threw the flares, only to have them pushed back into him by the stabilized robed man. From there, the duel ensued. Jets of light met flares of flame as the two tried to best the other. Coop saw Charles stirring behind his attacker, pressing him to distract him while Charles recovered. Coop rolled away from a blast of ice to pick up the staff Charles had been fighting with. The metal was surprisingly light, through he knew it would be able to stand a good deal of damage. The robed man chuckled when he saw the staff in his hands. "If that's how you want to play..." He said, conjuring a sword of his own. He slashed at Coop, causing him to recall the little training he had with the staff. If Charles would only wake up, he would stand more of a chance. His assailant slashed and stabbed, but Coop was surprisingly able to keep up, blocking most of the hits and even getting in a few of his own. Finally, he saw Charles rise, a green flame in his hand. He threw it, the flames striking the man in the back. He fell to his knees in front of Coop, before Coop roundhouse kicked him. "It's about time." Coop said, smiling to Charles. "Sorry. I guess I got my nap in for the day, huh?" Coop rolled his eyes. He looked around the ruined house, shaking his head. "Damage control?" He asked. Charles nodded. "Definitely." He said, smiling. Suddenly his face grew serious. "We need to find Tori." Coop nodded and pointed to the staircase. "I think she's that way." Only two more left. The first three had met their end when Tori manipulated the flame from the torches in the hallway. She wrenched a torch from the wall, waving it in the creatures' faces. They looked at each other before deciding to flank her, knowing she could not stop both of them at once. She swung to hit the first in the head, the force of the blow crushing its skull. The other, however, rushed into her, throwing her into the wall. She slumped, looking up at her would-be killer. It picked up the torch from the floor and reared back to strike her, before bursting into flames. Tori looked in shock beyond where the creature stood, to find Coop and her father standing at the end of the hallway. She sighed, knowing everything would be okay. "It's about time." She muttered. Coop and Charles both smiled, recognizing the familiar words from just moments earlier. Charles walked to pick up his daughter while Coop walked to Zane, holding his shoulder as he walked. "Who are you people?" Zane asked, his voice a reflection of shock and awe. "We're the Legendaries." Coop said, reaching the stairs. They had almost reached the hole that would serve for the front door when the air shimmered. Tori and her father caught it, but Coop kept walking. He reached the point where the floor should have turned into ground before walking into an invisible wall. He looked in confusion, raising his hand to touch the barrier. A bone-chilling maniacal laugh filled the air. They all turned to find the source of the sound. The robed man stood there, his smile stained with blood. "You won't be leaving, I'm afraid." He thrust his hand at Charles and Tori, who were too slow in responding. Lightning struck them both, their unconscious bodies thrashing on the floor. Zane was telekinetically wrenched from his arm, crashing to the ground. "Now it's just you and me." He said, smiling again. Coop sent a telekinetic wave barreling towards the man, knocking him back. He chuckled before blinking at pieces of debris that began to float. He motioned towards Coop and sent the barrage of wood and metal rushing at him. Coop shielded his face with his hand to have his telekinesis reflexively activate, blocking most of the wreckage. The rest knocked into him, leaving cuts and what he was sure to be bruises. Coop threw a jet of flame, which was only waved away by the man. He smiled and chuckled again. "This is getting weak, Coop..." The man said, bringing Coop to his knees at the snap of his fingers. He walked up to him and gripped the back of his head by his hair. "Pity they want you dead. You could've made a lot of people happy, being pretty as you are..." He whispered before punching him across the face. Coop fell to the floor, weak and tired. He could feel his heartbeat in different places of his body. He ached and his head was pounding. He knew he didn't have a lot of energy left. He remembered what Charles had said from earlier. He closed his eyes, drawing into himself. `Phoenix. I need you. Help me.' And in a tenth of a second, a floodgate in his mind broke. His eyes flew open, and they were no longer the green color as usual. Flames now rippled in his eyes. He felt a surge of other-worldly energy as Coop telekinetically rose to the floor. He saw through his eyes, though it was no longer just him. He heard with his mind, though there was another occupying its space as well. The Phoenix. The magician laughed. "Enough parlor tricks, Coop. I think you're finished." "Silence mortal!" His own voice warped with another coming from Coop spoke. "You have made a mistake coming against me. Now you will suffer!" And then the house was filled with flames. For the second time in two days, Coop awoke sore, hurting, and in Tori's guest bedroom. He was pretty sure this headache was worse than the previous. Suckish. He slowly sat up, though the small motion still made the pounding worse. He was about to call for Tori when the door opened. He automatically covered himself, even though he was in his boxers. Tori came through the door, carrying a small tray with water and fruit. "How are you?" She asked in a small voice. Coop smiled at her. "Alive, which is more than I can say I thought I would be a few hours ago." She nodded. "It got pretty rough. The wizard there was definitely amped up on something. You did a good job, Coop." "Thank. I just wish I had gotten there sooner. You looked like you were about to die." "In reality, I was. I had used so much magic without anything to fuel it except for my own life force. Much more and the coma was the best thing that could've happened." Coop just stared at her. "I'm sorry." He said, frowning. Tori frowned too and tilted her head. "Why?" "Because this is all my fault. If I hadn't have dragged you to that party on Friday night, neither of us would've been weaker than normal, and that trip you made alone would've gone smoother because I would've been with you." Tori shook her head. "Coop, everything happens for a reason. It all happened like it was supposed to. Besides, you accomplished something I don't think has ever been done before. You completely bonded with your Legendary in less than a month. That's...well...legendary." She said smiling. He rolled his eyes. "You're such a dork." He said, laughing. They sat for a moment, before Coop remembered something. "Hey, what about that guy we rescued? Is he the one?" Tori nodded. "He is the host for Zephyr. He's been awakened and is downstairs as we speak. Coop, I'm not entirely sure what we can do for him. Dad is legally adopting him because his family was killed. He has no objections there, but, he was in that house for at least a week. He was tortured in gruesome ways, just for information about us. He obviously didn't know anything, but that didn't stop them. Coop, he's going to be scarred for life, no doubt. He wasn't just physically tortured, he was mentally assaulted, something I'm not even sure your mind would be able to handle fully." She finished grimly. "Well, I guess all we can do is be there for him." He said, wincing. She nodded. "Why don't you get dressed and meet me downstairs in five minutes?" She asked, patting his leg. He nodded as she left. So much had happened. Not just over the past few days, but just within the past month. He had learned that he had a millennia old entity living inside him and he could control fire with his mega mind. He had made a new best friend, a witch who could bend physics. And he had rescued the next of their crew, though he was too late to completely rescue him. It wouldn't happen again though. He would train and get better, stronger. Now that he was one with the Phoenix, nothing could stop him. They would find the others and they would stop the evil from trying to penetrate this world. How hard could it be? ----------------------------------------- Thanks for reading! Feedback is awesome! New email: notoriouslynick90@yahoo.com Not very different, but still. Thanks for reading again! Nick