Chapter 34 “Breaking all Rules”

As he peaked through the door Dominique shot a look first to the right and then to the left. Seeing that the coast was clear he quickly slipped out, closing the door soundlessly behind him.

It had been a whole day since Akira had gone, an entire day! Yet still, Brandon insisted that they stay and wait. Dominique couldn’t believe the old man. Didn’t he realize that if Akira hadn’t come back then something had to be wrong?

Pushing his annoyance at the Brandon away Dominique concentrated on the task ahead. He was going after Akira. He had come to the decision last night and now, at the crack of dawn, he was ready to go.

Having told Breeze to meet him on the roof he had hurriedly gotten ready. Equipped with nothing more other than his tube, he was now heading to meet Breeze and get a move on. Akira was in trouble, he was sure of it. She needed his help.

There were no students in the corridor. Though they were usually already up at this time, Brandon had announced that classes would start later on this particular day, why, Dominique was not sure, but it fit into his plan to sneak out perfectly.

Silently he made his way towards the lift. He was just about to round the corner towards it when he heard a sound behind him. Freezing Dominique turned around. Upon seeing nothing but the empty corridor he let out a sigh of relief.

Quickly he continued on his way, yet as he turned the corner he froze. There, beside the lift, Seth was leaning against the wall, both his swords strapped to his back. No sooner did Dominique stop than he slowly looked up.

Dominique’s mind raced. Was Seth here to come with him?

“Where are you going?” Seth asked.

Dominique narrowed his eyes, knowing that Seth knew the answer to the question.

“Akira needs help,” he said cautiously.

“How would you know?” Seth asked calmly.

Dominique stared at him. “Seth, she’s been gone since yesterday…”

 “Exactly,” Seth replied calmly. “We have no idea what happened Dominique, we don’t know what the situation is.”

“All the more reason to go and find out!”

“You mean rush in like Akira did?” Seth asked. “Dominique, if Akira couldn’t handle it, then I doubt we’ll fair much better without a plan. Besides, Brandon ordered that we stay here.”

Dominique stared at Seth in disbelief, wondering if he was hearing correctly.

“You can’t be serious,” he shook his head as he realized Seth was not here to join but to stop him.

“Until Akira gets back you’re our only way to get to the future. I’m sorry, even though you want to go you can’t. Besides, we don’t know what the situation is,” Seth said as he pushed himself off the wall and stood upright.

“Whatever it is, we can’t just leave Akira! Who knows what’s happening to her!” Dominique protested.

Pain filled Seth's eyes. “Dominique, we have a better chance of getting her out if we consider our options here...”

“Do you really love her?” Dominique asked, his teeth clenched.

Seth stared at him, blinking in surprise.

“Just how far are you even willing to go for her?” Dominique continued.

Seth stared at him sullenly. “I'd die for her Dominique,” he said softly, “If I had to, I'd go to the ends of the Lands to get her back.”

“Then prove it! Come with me,” Dominique pleaded.

For a moment Seth paused, but then he shook his head. “This is not what Akira would want Dominique. If we rush in there we would most likely get ourselves killed, and what use would we be then?”

“I’m going to get her,” Dominique spoke through gritted teeth.

“I can’t let you do that,” Seth told him as he smoothly unsheathed a sword and moved to stand in the middle of the corridor to block Dominique’s path.

“Seriously?” Dominique asked.

Seth didn’t reply as he stared at Dominique, holding his sword loosely.

“Well then,” Dominique muttered under his breath as he pulled his tube from his pocket, “I guess here we go again.” He pressed the button on the tube, turning it into a pole.

Seth took a step forward, seeming not to want to give Dominique the chance to attack this time. Suddenly, there was a crack and Dominique just stood, watching as Seth’s eyes went wide in shock. One moment he was standing, the next his sword cluttered from his hands and he suddenly crumpled to the floor, revealing Gina to be standing behind him, a sword in her hand with its hilt raised, her eyes wide at what she had just done.

“Uh…” she began.

Dominique stared wide eyed from Seth's body to Gina.

“I'm sorry Seth,” Gina murmured, staring at his fallen body, “But I agree with Dominique on this one.” She looked up at Dominique. “Let’s go get Akira,” she said softly.

Dominique looked at her questioningly, “The others?” he asked softly.

“They'll agree with Seth,” Gina replied grimly. “Don’t get me wrong. I love him, I really do. Seth is a great friend, but there are moments when he’s just so narrow minded,” Gina shook her head in regret. “Brandon ordering us to stay was it for Seth. He’s too good a soldier to go against a direct order…”

“What about Drake?” Dominique asked.

“There are quite a few things he agrees with Seth on, and these would be one of them,” Gina replied.

“Then I guess we’d better get going before Seth comes to and raises the alarm.” Dominique murmured.

“Yeah,” Gina agreed as she sheathed her sword. “Let’s go get Akira.”

Dominique nodded as a mutual understanding passed between them. Both of them hurried towards the lift, Dominique taking care to step over Seth’s body. It was up to Gina and him now. The two of them would have to do this alone.

Steeson gazed down at the map before him, a content smile on his face. Things were going perfectly, he couldn’t have wished for more. Slowly he traced a finger over the lines on the map below him that marked out the Lands. Soon, soon all this would be his to own, to rule as he liked.

“You mean WE,” Deception’s voice spoke in his mind.

“Of course,” Steeson smiled. He turned to face the black dragon who watched him intently. “You will be able to finally show your face to the public after we carry out the…” he never got further as the door suddenly burst open.

With an annoyed expression Steeson turned to see who had decide to interrupt him now.

It was a Night Rider.

“Sir, there are two dragons approaching the Academy from the city,” he said, sounding slightly worried.

“Ah, the rescue party,” Steeson nodded, yet suddenly he frowned. “Only two?” he asked. He looked thoughtful. “Scouting party?” he asked himself before he shook his head. “Never mind, just let them come, we’ll give them a proper welcome once they arrive.” He watched the Night Rider turn and hurry away to pass on the orders.

“More may come,” Steeson murmured with a frown.

Something flashed through Deception’s eyes, yet a moment later it was gone. “Do not worry about them,” she assured Steeson. “We have the Rider of Legend under our control now, what harm could they do us?”

Steeson frowned. All his logic told him that he should worry about the possibility of riders coming from the past to attempt to get Akira back, to prepare for them and raise the Academy’s defenses so that they would not get far. But Deception was telling him otherwise. The feeling that there was something he didn’t know gnawed at the back of his, mind yet he pushed it aside. Deception had been right up to now about everything, so why would she be wrong now?

“You know, I couldn’t help but wonder; do you have a plan?” Gina yelled above the wind that tore by her.

Dominique spared her a brief glance before he turned his attention back to the approaching Academy before them. Dark clouds seemed to be gathering over the city, giving it an eerie look.

“Not really, I thought we would wing it!” Dominique finally replied to Gina’s question.

“Great,” was Gina’s sarcastic reply, “We’ll definitely succeed by winging it!”

“Do you have a plan?” Dominique asked without shooting her a glance.

Gina didn’t reply. She and Dominique had both set their sights on rescuing Akira, yet in their hurry to do so, neither had thought through how they would actually do it.

“How can you even be sure that she’s at the Academy?” Gina yelled.

“Trust me, I know,” Dominique replied grimly.

Gina nodded, not bothering to ask any more questions as she turned her attention on the approaching building before them. What surprised her was the lack of security that seemed to be around the city. Before when they had come to the future they had had to sneak around as not to alert the Watchers or Night Riders, now it seemed like there almost weren’t any.

“The roof!” Dominique suddenly announced.

Gina obeyed by turning her attention to it. With her own vision she saw nothing so she used her dragon’s sight. With it it took only moments to pick out that the roof of the Academy was completely abandoned.

“That doesn’t seem right!” Gina yelled as she pulled out of her dragon’s sight.

“If Steeson does have a hold of Akira then he may have lowered his security thinking that there is no one else to stop him!” Dominique argued.

“Dominique,” Gina protested, “Maybe we should reconsider this.”

“Go back if you want Gina, but I’m going through with this!”

Gina didn’t bother to tell Dominique that she could not time travel without him. Instead she kept her mouth shut and stared at the approaching roof which they were heading for. She had never been a coward, never backed out of a situation before, yet something told her that this just wasn’t right.

“No adrenaline rush?” Sky, her dragon, asked her.

“Nah, somehow I don’t think this is going to turn out to be my idea of fun,” Gina thought in reply.

Her dragon did not reply as they neared the empty roof. Dominique and his dragon took the lead, heading right for it. When still no Watcher or Night Riders came to challenge them, they continued on their course until they landed on the roof itself.

Sky followed, with Gina shooting nervous glances to her right and left. Once Sky’s paws touched the roof she turned her attention to Dominique to see that he had dismounted.

“Dominique,” Gina protested.

“Come on,” Dominique urged as he headed to where he knew the trap door lay.

Gina paused before she dismounted from Sky’s back. She was beginning to think that Seth had a point. She and Dominique had rushed in here without thinking just as Akira had. Now they were on the Academy roof which seemed to be completely empty, nothing standing in their way from entering the Academy itself. It just seemed too good to be true.

Still, Gina followed Dominique. She had never been one to take charge in battle, she had always left that to Seth or Akira, she was more someone who followed other peoples lead rather than taking it herself.

The further she walked away from Sky and the closer she got to the trap door the more nervous she got. Her hand slowly made its way to the sword by her side as her eyes narrowed. Something was about to happen, she could feel it. She watched Dominique reach for the trap door, seeming anything but worried. Yet just as his fingers brushed the top of where the door was there was a sudden swishing sound.

Dominique froze and Gina whirled around just in time to see that all around the roof, Watcher’s and Night Riders suddenly appeared, sitting on the back of their dragons which hovered in the air, staring at the intruders.

Both Sky and Breeze growled in warning as they took a protective step backwards towards their riders.

Dominique slowly straightened from where he stood, staring at the newcomers.

“I have to say,” Gina remarked dryly as she unsheathed her sword and Dominique followed by pulling forth his tub and turning it into a rod, “I love this plan.”

Dominique didn’t reply as he turned his head to see that the roof was completely surrounded.

A Night Rider lifted something that looked a lot like a Shocker, yet both Gina and Dominique watched in surprise as the tube did not glow blue at the end. With a smile the Night Rider pressed his finger down and the tube in his hand kicked back as it seemed to release a small black ball.

As the small black flew it seemed to grow in size. Gina’s eyes widened as she recognized what it was and she opened her mouth to shout a warning to her dragon, yet she was too late.

Gina could do nothing but watch in horror as the black ball spread out to reveal itself to be a net. It slammed right into the unsuspecting Sky, entangling the blue dragon and sending him crashing to the ground, skidding a few steps backwards from the source before he came to a halt.

Growling Sky struggled against the net, and yet he was completely entangled, rendering him helpless.

“Sky!” Gina took a step towards him when she heard a thump. She turned to see Breeze suffering Sky’s fate as he too, fell to the ground, a net all around him. Suddenly, both nets began to glow blue and both dragons screamed in pain.

Dominique began to rush towards his dragon to try and held him only to have a Watcher and his dragon land in his way.

“Dominique,” Gina warned as she slowly took a step back. Before her stood a large dragon with a Night Rider perched on top. She took another step back so that she was standing back to back with Dominique.

“You know, somehow I don’t think winging it was ever going to work,” she said softly.

“Yeah,” Dominique agreed, his eyes glued on the Watcher before him, “Neither did I.”

The Watcher before him charged his Shocker.

“Duck!” Dominique turned and threw Gina to the floor, landing right on top of her. He was not a second too late as the Watcher’s Shocker ball flew over them, hitting the Night Rider that had stood across from Gina and making his dragon stand on his hind legs as he screamed in pain before stumbling a few steps back.

“Cant…breath,” Gina gasped.

In reply Dominique rolled off and jumped to his feet, ready for the next attack. Behind him Gina scrambled up.

“This is not what I had in mind when I decided to rescue Akira,” Dominique muttered.

“More like we need the rescuing now,” Gina replied sarcastically as she watched a Night Rider dismount his dragon and approach her with what looked like a whip in one hand. He flicked it towards the ground, making it snap and make a cracking sound.

Gina winced and the Night Rider grinned. He suddenly flicked his wrist, making the whip snake towards Gina who in response, dived to the side, avoiding it just in time. She barely recovered when she found the whip coming for her once again. Once more she dived out of the way just in time.

Behind her Dominique dodged the paw a dragon swatted at him. He raised his pole just in time to deflect a Shocker ball before he whirled to shoot a glance and see how Gina was doing. He saw the Night Rider with the whip before her. As Gina dodged the whip that lashed towards her Dominique saw the danger she did not, for the Night Rider read her movements flung the whip after her instantly.

“Gina!” Dominique shouted the warning, but it was too late.

The Night Rider’s whip snaked around Gina’s neck. She gasped as her air flow was cut off. She choked, trying to draw in air to her lungs, yet nothing came. Her grip on her sword loosened and it went clattering to the ground, at the same time the whip seemed to glow a faint blue and pain filled Gina’s eyes.

Dominique leaped forward to try and rescue her, yet having taken his eyes off the dragon behind him he left hit back wide open. He never saw it coming but only felt the tail smash into him. It felt like he had smashed straight against the wall of a building.

The breath was knocked out of him and Dominique went flying. He hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. Somewhere along the way he lost his pole, yet he did not even consider this as he lay where he was, his head ringing, his vision blurred. He was only dimly aware of the choking sound coming from Gina and something told him that she needed his help, yet he lay helplessly, not able to do a thing.

Someone grabbed him, jerked his arms behind his back and pulled him to his feet. The ground was tipping back and forth, or so it felt to Dominique. The only thing that kept him on his feet was the person behind him that held him up.

Through his blurred vision he saw Gina, saw how she seemed to be going limp, losing the fight for her life.

“Let her go!” a voice demanded from Dominique’s right and he witnessed the whip curled around Gina’s throat disappear at once.

In response, Gina dropped to her knees, gasping as air rushed into her lungs, coughing at the sudden supply of oxygen she had been deprived of only moments before.

“Now, that wasn’t a very nice way to welcome out guests,” the same voice said, a hint of amusement in it.

Dominique slowly turned his head in the direction. Through his blurry vision he was only able to make out a shape. Something told him that he should know who this person was by the sound of their voice, yet his mind was in too much of a whirl to place it.

“Now, to what honor do we have you drop by?” the same voice asked. “I’m guessing you weren’t exactly planning to just say a plight hello, were you?”

Suddenly Dominique’s mind cleared as did his vision and everything became crystal clear. He stared at the figure that stood to his right, dread and anger filling him. For casually standing there, staring at him with a smile on his face was none other than Steeson.

“Hello Dominique, long time no see,” Steeson told him.

Dominique stared at him, only dimly aware of how a Night Rider approached Gina and hurled her to her feet to, bringing her to stand beside Dominique.

“And you brought a friend I see,” Steeson smiled widely as he approached Dominique and came to a stand some way before him.

“Where is Akira!” Dominique growled angrily.

“Akira? Ah yes. She paid me a visit yesterday. Since then we’ve…well gotten to know each other a lot better.”

“What did you do to her?” Dominique tried to lunge forward, yet the Watcher behind him firmly held him back before roughly forcing him to his knees. The Night Rider holding Gina made her do the same, making Dominique and Gina end up kneeling on the ground beside each other. Both felt their hands being jerked roughly before they were bound firmly and so tight that Gina hissed against the pain. Dominique growled angrily.

Steeson shook his head at Dominique. “Dominique, you must calm down. I can sure you that I have not harm her in any way. As for you two,” he shot a curious look at Gina who seemed to be recovering, “I am hoping you’ll join my cause soon enough. You see Dominique, you have potential. I saw it right from the start when I came to the Academy.”

“Where is she!” it was Gina who spoke up.

Steeson raised an eyebrow as he turned to look at Gina who glared at him.

“We haven’t met, have we?” Steeson asked her. “I’m Steeson, and who are you?”

Gina did not reply as she glared even harder.

“Fine,” Steeson sighed. “You want to see her that bad?” he asked. “Then so be it,” a smile stretched across his face. “Akira!” he called without even turning around, “How about you grace us with your presence?”

There was a moment of silence where nothing happened. Gina and Dominique waited in anticipation while Steeson stood with a smile on his face. The wind seemed to pick up slightly, yet it did nothing to blow away the dark clouds above. And then suddenly, there was a swishing sound.

Both Gina and Dominique watched as the large white dragon landed on the roof top. From his back a rider slowly slipped, her back facing them.

Redemption’s eyes met Gina’s and when she saw the apologetic look mixed with despair she felt her heart sink.

Slowly, the rider turned around to face them and both Gina and Dominique were taken aback. For the Akira that stood before them looked nothing like the Akira they knew.

Her once waist long hair had been cut stylishly so that reached only some way below her shoulders. At the front, it seemed to be swept more to one side, short strands of hair falling into her blue eyes, eyes which were now surrounded by a black ring.

“No,” Gina whispered while Dominique just stared in shook.

Akira’s sword was no longer strapped by her side but was slung across her back in a similar fashion to which Seth carried his. A whip, similar to the one Gina had been attacked with, was curled up and strapped to the side where her sword once was. To her right thigh, a strap holding a Shocker, was also attached, making her look all the more menacing.

She was wearing a suite similar to her white Academy battle gear, yet it was different in that instead of being mostly white, it had black lines that stylishly ran along it, forming shapes and patterns that caught the eye. Her face was blank of any emotion.

“What do you think?” Steeson asked gleefully. “I thought that now that we finally understand each other a new look would be in order.”

“What did you do to her?” Gina whispered while Dominique just continued to stare in disbelief.

“I made her better,” Steeson shrugged.

“To what point?” Gina asked, her voice raising, “What in the Lands is the point to all this?” she yelled.

Steeson stared at her intently. “Akira has far more potential than being locked up in the past with you.”

“Do not try to tell me you did this all for her,” Gina growled.

“Okay, I won’t,” Steeson shrugged.

“Then why?”

“Let me ask you this,” Steeson told Gina casually, “With the Rider of Legend by my side who is going to question me?”

Gina did not reply.

“Who is going to try to oppose me?”

“So it’s all about power,” Dominique murmured, his eyes turning from Akira onto Steeson who smiled in response.

“Tomorrow I will call together the entire Academy City and have the Rider of Legend reveal Deception and I to the Lands. She will announce that we have made our peace and are equals, that for the sake of the Lands we will rule them once more, just like the original two white dragons and riders.”

“You’re mad,” Gina told him.

“I don’t expect you to understand,” Steeson said. “But you will in a moment. It’s time for you to join my little club. Unfortunately, you’ll have to join the old fashioned way,” he told them.

“No,” as Dominique realized what was about to happen he struggled to get free. Gina did the same, yet neither could do a thing as they were help firmly in place.

Steeson turned to his left and for the first time Dominique and Gina noticed Nemis standing there.

“Turn them,” Steeson ordered.

Nemis nodded and with a smile approached Gina who stared at the injection he held with wide eyes.

“No!” Dominique protested, shooting a look at Redemption to see that his eyes were darting from Gina to Akira, as though he were trying to make Akira aware of what was going on, and yet Akira stood, looking anything but concerned.

Dominique could do nothing but watch as Nemis stabbed the injection into Gina’s arm and emptied half of its contents. Without pausing he turned to Dominique and did the same.

As he felt the injection break through his skin Dominique felt despair fill him. He knew that in a few moments his mind would no longer be his own.

Feeling defeat he let his head sag, realizing that Seth had a point when he told him that if he rushed in he would not accomplish anything.

“Now that that’s taken care of,” Steeson sounded gleeful, “How about we move on?”

Realizing that he did not feel any different Dominique shot a look at Gina to see that she was staring at him in confusion. Relief filled him when he saw that her eyes were still clear, lacking any sign of a black ring. Steeson seemed to realize this at the same moment.

“What?” he asked as he stepped forward and grabbed Gina’s chin, examining her eyes. “No,” he turned from her and grabbed Dominique’s chin to stare at his eyes. “It’s affect is instant, it should have worked by now,” dropping Dominique’s chin he took a step back and stared at them, seeming more than surprised by something. “Why are you not affected?” he grabbed Gina’s chin again and turned her head, as though trying to make sure that he was seeing correctly.

“Both of you,” he whispered. His forehead wrinkled up thoughtfully.

Dominique and Gina shot each other another look as they realized that somehow, they had not been affected by the injection in the way they should have. Hope filled Dominique and at the same time he moved his fingers, fiddling with the rope that bound his hands and hoping that Watcher behind him would not notice. He didn’t.

“Immunity,” as Steeson said the word both Gina and Dominique turned to look at him to see that he had a look of awe in his eyes.

“Not probable, though not impossible,” Steeson continued to mutter to himself. “I should have seen that some would be immune…” he suddenly trailed off as his eyes narrowed and he looked from Dominique to Gina and back, “But two of you having it, that is more unlikely than anything. Up to now no one has shown any sign of being immune, so how come there are suddenly two of…” he trailed off as his eyes lit up.

“Well well,” he raised an eyebrow as his eyes darted once more from Dominique to Gina. “You two do share a certain resemblance.  I’m taking a wild guess here but Dominique is from this time and you,” he stared intently at Gina, “I’ve only seen you around since Akira came to this time so I’m guessing you’re from the past.” Excitement filled his eyes. “You’re related!” he exclaimed in realization. “Of course! It explains why you are both immune!”

Gina looked at a loss while Dominique’s eyes darted to Akira. His eye met hers yet Akira did not react in any way as she stared at him blankly.

“And yet your brother,” he pointed at Dominique, “Was easy enough to control. Meaning that you inherited this immunity and he did not,” he smiled as only a young child who was given a sweet would. “A rare thing indeed,” fascination filled his face. “And yet here you both are.”

A drop of rain suddenly fell into his head, yet Steeson did not seem to notice, too wrapped up in his newest discovery. As rain began to fall around him, making a gently splashing sound as it touched the Academy roof, he continued to stare at Gina and Dominique.

The Watchers and Night Riders as well as their dragons shifted slightly, a few shooting glances up at the gray sky above from which the rain fell, yet none made the move to leave.

“So,” Steeson continued, “technically, if I were to kill you,” his eyes met Gina's, “He,” he pointed at Dominique, “Would cease to exist altogether.”

Gina's eyes widened as from beside her Nemis chuckled, seeming amused at the thought.

“This is interesting,” Steeson grinned, “With one blow, I could change history. I could wipe an entire family tree out of existence!”

Gina shot a terrified look at Dominique who glared at Steeson in defiance while behind his back he continued to work on his bonds, his heart lifting as he felt them loosen somewhat.

“I wonder,” Steeson shot a look at Akira, “Would that mean that we would forget Dominique’s existence altogether?”

Akira did not reply, seeming uninterested Steeson’s question and completely unaware of the rain that soaked her.

“What should we do with them?” Nemis asked, his eyes gleaming as he already could guess the answer Steeson would give him.

“They will not join me and I cannot make them,” Steeson shrugged. “They are useless.” His eyes turned to where Sky and Breeze were tangled up in the nets, Night Riders and Watchers surrounding them with their own dragons. “Take their dragons, they will make a find addition to the collection of pets I plan to have,” his face split into a grin.

“Why you…” Gina growled as she tried to lunge forward. Her response was a blow to the stomach from the Night Rider holding her, making her double up in pain.

“What about them?” Nemis nodded at Gina and Dominique.

“Oh, they’ll be taken care of,” as he spoke Steeson turned to Akira, a smile on his face.

With a nod Akira slowly unsheathed her sword from her back. Both Dominique and Gina froze, staring at her in horror. This was definitely not what they had had in mind when they had decided to come and rescue Akira.