Chapter 9

Tom had waited a whole day not talking or saying anything, he didn't have much faith in the fact that hardly any of the Centaurs could stand to be near him, let alone like him. Sighing, Tom was making ready to get started, when he heard the familiar sounds of hooves in his living room. Stepping out he saw the King Tonk and about 30 warriors waiting for him, the king nodded to him and in turn each warrior pledged their skills to Tom, a little confused Tonk took him aside after and explained. Many had heard that Tom had gone with the Queen to rescue the king. They, though not impressed had wished to go the next time to battle with Tom and the king.

Tom laid out his full plan leaving out almost nothing, Tom told Frilly that the warriors were going to one spot and he was going to the tower again as he felt that Malamon would be there this time. The warriors were going to check out another place he felt Malamon might be. Frilly became worried, "Tom sir, if you're caught there with no one to help you, Malamon could kill you." Frilly was extremely worried now, how could he endanger his self like this!?

Tom just shook his head, Frilly was being over cautious a lot more these days Tom was beginning to wonder just what was going on with her. First flashing the king and the warriors to where he was going to send them, Tom was about to leave when Frilly rushed to him and begged him to be careful. Staring at her for a moment Tom could get nothing from reading her it was like she had triple mind protection, hmmmmmmmm he'd have to check into that when he finished this. With that Tom flashed out and was near the tower, linking with the king he asked him to keep his eyes and mind open in case he saw something or needed to bring them to where Tom was. Looking around Tom checked on everything that he had planted the week before.

A hour later after telling Frilly he was going to search the tower more, Tom felt a major jump in power flashing in nearby where he was. Contacting Tonk, he was about to flash them in when Malamon attacked. Letting Tonk and the warriors know, Tom froze all Malamon's cronies sending them on the outskirts of the amusement park, directly opposite of where he was. Malamon began to laugh when he saw all his men had vanished, "so you're concerned about my men? HA! you're softer than I thought, now you know why you'll never beat me." Tom just smiled at this, confused a moment it only seemed to enrage Malamon more. Smiling more, Tom felt the final piece move into place, laughing Tom knew now that he'd won no matter what.

Red faced, Malamon screamed at Tom, "why are you so fucking happy? You can't defeat me!" Malamon, getting madder and madder didn't notice the activity on the outskirts of the park. Tom reached in and ripped another power strand lose, causing a high pitched scream from Malamon.

"You stupid fool!" Tom shouted at him, "I don't really have to defeat you! You and I are trapped, there's only 3 people that can release us and only I know who they are!"

Malamon screamed again shooting more bolts of electricity and fire at Tom, easily moving out of the way Tom ripped another lose from him. Malamon reached to all his men and pulled them to him but nothing happened! "What have you done!?" reaching for his safe house Malamon flashed and hit a wall that almost knocked him out! Appearing next to him Tom laughed.

"I told you we are trapped I assume that as old as you are, you have heard of the enrapture stones?" Tom thought the look of horror and shock on Malamon's face was priceless.

"No, they don't exist! I know, I destroyed them 4500 years ago!" Malamon was screaming in a fever pitch now. "There's no way you could have resurrected them! No mage has ever been granted the power to do that!"

"You're right, I didn't resurrect them, it was a combination of almost all the magical races. This is between you and me, if you kill me, you die here locked in forever. If my plan works, then you live, as do I and your reign of terror will be over." Tom smiled wide at Malamon his eyes wide and a look of pure terror and hatred on his face. Taking a step forward a needle shot out of the ground deep into Malamon's foot. Yelling obscenities at Tom, he tried to back up but Tom had stripped another power, then it was just Malamon screaming. Laughing Tom advanced, and was caught unaware from a ball of fire that nicked his arm.

Damn it he'd forgotten to watch this wasn't some weak lackey he was trying to defeat. His arm now half numb, Tom watched Malamon limp away. Following Malamon, the 5000 year old flashed in behind Tom, forgetting again the needle he'd stepped in before with a scream he shook off the clamps that tried to hold him in place. Tom again ripped through Malamon's mind ripping his defenses apart before the evil man flashed out again. Tom knew he was getting closer but his arm was starting to distract him, he really didn't have the time to heal completely. Malamon was panting his power was severley weakened how did the little prick do this? Remembering 1500 years ago he thought this little prick would probably fall for the same trick.

Sending everything at Tom at once almost all missed but one, the electric bolt barely grazed Tom's arm. Shit! The same arm! Now the damn thing WAS numb, watching Malamon step into a pitfall his yell distracted Tom from the pain. Popping back out Malamon tried to collapse a building on Tom with no success, damn it but his power was seriously depleted. Flashing out to the other side of the park Malamon saw that the Centaurs had completely defeated his men, cursing he'd stepped into a hidden patch of cacti, why couldn't he feel them? Tom was trying to follow him but the pain had increased, taking a moment to partly heal it, Tom watched Malamon carefully so he didn't get too close.

Malamon was actually worried, his powers were over half gone, he's tried to reopen them but somehow that little prick had sealed them after he's removed them. Fearing he might lose he rested a moment feeling his power barely recover, watching Tom as close as Tom was him, for a moment they were in a staring match. Flashing out Malamon tried again to get near Tom, barely surprised, they both fired at the same time, Tom hit Malamon's leg, Malamon barely brushing the shoulder Tom's numb arm was on. Both yelled in pain with both flashing out to opposite sides of the park. Tom knew that now he was in trouble, the shoulder was cut and burned the arm wasn't as numb as before he had been able to move it a bit, now though, it was a limp piece of meat. Malamon fell as he emerged, damn that ass! His leg was broken in two places, his hip had been wrenched out of place the pain was worse than the last time they fought. Both in serious trouble they each made plans to end this on the next and possibly last battle, smiling Malamon thought he had a way to beat Tom.

Tom could sense that Malamon was planning something, he felt the other's power shift. Both were breathing hard barely able to move, they prepared to flash out for the last battle. As they emerged near the center of the park, they both began firing, Tom's aim slightly off he caught Malamon on the same leg again rendering it completely useless, dropping and firing he went just past Tom's head. Tom's vision blurred, he reached out finding Malamon, ripping his energy magic, he pulled as violently as he could, screaming as if he had been knifed Malamon tried to shoot cursing when nothing happened. Bringing up his sheilds as high as he could Malamon shot another fireball finding he no longer could shoot fire by it's self, trying to avoid it Tom was brushed near his chest, desperate to end this Tom drew in all the energy he could driving as hard and as fast as he could he knew if this didn't do it then he was dead.

Releasing everything he had, he aimed directly at the center strand, sensing something was different Malamon tried to shield him self but was quickly overwhelmed. Tom prayed this worked cause if it didn't, he might as well kiss his ass good-bye. Hitting the center strand Tom felt it give way but not break, damn it! With that he put the only energy he had left into it, his life energy. Malamon was shrieking, the pain was horrible, trying to attack Tom, he found that his power was way to low too make a difference. Hitting Tom with what he had left, he crushed both of Tom's legs, Tom still refusing to stop ignored the pain, finally after 15 minutes he felt it start to rip lose. Malamon was screaming and cursing sending everything he had after breaking Tom's legs, he couldn't let him win. Damn it! his life and magic almost gone Tom reached as deep as he could and with a last huge push the main strand ripped lose, screaming Malamon fell grasping his head blood flowing from his ears and nose.

The pain finally too much Malamon passed out, Tom feeling weak, crawled the best he could to Malamon, reaching out he no longer felt magic but with his own failing he wasn't that sure if what he felt was right. Trying to contact the Centaurs not far away he swore he could see representatives from at least 6 or 7 races. He could hear the Centaur King Tonk screaming to an older Centaur to get the stones moved, within moments there were Fairies, Pixies, Sprites, Brownies, Centaurs hell even the Trolls were there but at a distance. He could hear a few females screaming as they drew closer, damn but the noise was hurting his head. The Centaurs now well over a hundred bowed to him as he was lifted and Malamon was bound and lifted.

Passing in and out of consciousness Tom was carried to his house, which seemed to him to have been enlarged greatly on the inside. Tom was a little surprised that the Centaurs were there in great number but remembered that the king was there this being his last thought before the world went dark. The gray mists were a welcome sight when he drifted into them, feeling tired so bone weary, was a first for him in this dream realm. Laying down Tom didn't want to go back anymore after all he had done for so many people, he felt that more than half really didn't want him there. Maybe it would be best if he just remained here, even if he was alone, hell it wasn't different than out there in a room full of people and yet he felt so alone.

Myria felt Tom the moment he entered the mists, strange but something was most definitely wrong. Appearing next to Tom, she saw that his energy was extremely low, only one thing could cause that. Tom looked over and saw Myria a look of concern on her face, the words what happened appeared between them. Tom started into the story, everything that had happened since the last time he had seen her. A strange look spread over her face, then she was staring off into the distance, suddenly a huge smile also spread across her face. For the first time since he had been where she was prisoner, she spoke, a familiar voice though one he couldn't place.