THE
THREE KEYS
Part
One: The Key of Spirit
Chapter
6: Orloch's Test
Orloch spoke in an earth-shaking voice. "If you can return me to my
grave, I shall allow you admittance to the Wyrm Jade. If you fail, you
will take my place in that coffin of stone!" Deathwing paced back and
forth, waiting for an opportunity to strike. "The years have
certainly taken their toll on you, Orloch the Mighty. Why must I take this
test?"
Orloch spoke again. "This test is to see if you truly are my
successor. Only my descendant can take over the mantle of Light Avatar.
Prepare yourself! The test begins now!" With that, Orloch
lunged forward, but the younger Draconian dodged the attack. Deathwing
flew into the air and launched a fireball at Orloch's head, but the ancient
warrior knocked it away with his bony arm. With lightning quick speed,
Orloch rammed into Deathwing and smashed him into the wall of the tomb.
Deathwing slid down the wall in a great heap as Orloch laughed. "You
are not yet ready to become an Avatar of Light. What makes you think you
deserve the Key of Spirit?" Deathwing got to his feet and shook the
cobwebs from his head. "It is my destiny to retrieve the Key, and
retrieve it I shall!" He charged at Orloch with a fierce uppercut,
but Orloch dodged it and savagely grabbed Deathwing's arm. In one quick
motion, he broke it in two places. Deathwing's scream bounced off the
walls of the tomb. Orloch then tossed Deathwing face-first into a wall.
A resounding crack sent chills through the trapped Agents.
"He's done for," said a sullen GWB. "This old sack of bones
owns Deathwing's ass." Drag looked angrily at GWB. "I
swear, if I could move I'd chop your head off just to shut you up!"
He turned his head back to the fight. "Deathwing, you can do it!
Get up!" The Draconian was still lying on his stomach. Blood
poured down his forehead. Slowly, he got up, but Orloch sent a barrage of
fireballs at Deathwing, sending him back onto the ground. With a shudder
and a moan, Deathwing's body went limp.
Orloch laughed. "How pathetic. He didn't even put up much of a
fight." Orloch then held out his hand, and a strange ball of energy
surrounded Deathwing's body. Clenching his fist, Orloch brought the
encased Deathwing to his face. He smiled and opened his mouth. A
bright orange ball of energy built up at the back of his throat, but before he
could fire, Deathwing's eyes opened and the young fighter fired his own ball of
energy. The fireball slammed into Orloch's mouth and exploded. The
long-dead warrior's body dropped to the ground, headless. With Orloch's
power gone, Deathwing also fell to the ground. The bones of Orloch floated
back into the coffin.
Suddenly the energy web that held the Agents in place disappeared, and Fudge ran
to Deathwing's aid. "His regenerative abilities are too slow to heal
him in time. I've got to act quickly." The wall behind the
Agents moved to the right, revealing a flight of stairs. Deathwing spoke
weakly. "I have passed the test. Go and get the Key!"
GWB, Drag, and G64 headed up the stairs as Fudge tended to Deathwing's wounds.
