Sequel: Angel's Child ›
Golden Angel
Chapter 42
Pulling an arm back, she grabbed the arrow heading for them, eyes narrowed.
“Love…”
“Move!”
Using his shoulders as a pivot, she kicked out with her feet, wind flying to meet the shadowy assassins.
One managed to avoid the attack, and shot another arrow from a crossbow.
Releasing Leo, she spun, creating a tornado to knock the projectile off-course.
Leo jumped, dodging some himself, while Artemis charged in with ice-spiked knuckles.
Those assassins SURE were nimble…
One actually swiped for her Achilles tendon, but she jumped up, making a wave of water crash onto his head.
Shuriken rained down on her, but earth-covered hands managed to stop most of them, the others hitting the ground around her feet.
The assassins started ganging up on her, but her basic Earthbending and her more advanced Waterbending kept her shell from being cracked open.
Leo seemed to have a bit more trouble, since he didn’t have his katana, but he managed.
When the shadowy figures suddenly disappeared, Artemis stood up straight, looking confused.
“These guys are good at the whole ‘disappearing into the shadows’ thing…”
“Where did they all go?”
A whip snagged the blue-banded turtle’s wrist, and another wrapped around Artemis’s waist with a snap.
“HEY!”
She grabbed the whip, pulling with all her might so the assassin crashed into her fist.
“That’s NO way to treat a lady!”
When Leo was smacked into a wall, she jumped in to shield him from the crossbow.
Suddenly, a sword cut the weapon in half, and everyone looked up at a rabbit samurai.
“You fight without honor, assassin!”
He jumped down to help them, but the shadowy figures crawled away.
Sheathing his sword, the samurai turned to the two turtles, one helping the other up.
“Are you alright, warrior?”
“I’m fine. Thanks for saving my shell.”
“You are welcome.”
“I’m Leonardo, and this is Artemisia. We are in your debt.”
“I am Miyamato, Usagi. A rounin and competitor in the Battle Nexus Tournament. I was passing by when I saw you set upon by those dishonorable assassins.”
“We’re lucky, then. And I’m grateful for your help.” Artemis stated sincerely.
“Luck has very little to do with it. It is about skill and control of your energies. Your mind and your weapon must be as one, or you will certainly perish.”
“…Okay, now I don’t feel so great…”
“Don’t worry, love.”
“Any other advice?”
“Yes…duck.”
Both turtles ducked, the jade-skinned one tucking and rolling before hitting an assassin away with a column of earth.
“Who ARE these guys?” Leo asked as he grabbed a shield off the wall, throwing it.
“VERY good assassins?” Artemis supplied, ducking under a Bo staff and kicking out at its stomach.
Standing up, she looked around to see a shadowy assassin about to cut Leo open.
A vine of water shot out, wrapping around its wrists and freezing solid, so Leo could kick the assassin away.
Artemis pulled the opponent around by his wrists, slamming him into a wall before the ice thawed and returned to her.
The assassins seemed to flee, running straight up the brick walls, and the crimson-eyed turtle glared after them.
“They are gone…”
“For now.” Artemis finished, letting the water fall to the ground.
“Again, thank you for your help, samurai.”
“Do not thank me yet, warrior. Fate may pit us against each other in the tournament.”
“To tell you the truth, Usagi-san, the way you fight, I’d rather not go up against you if I can help it.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
The gnocchi appeared, Leo’s katana in his hold.
“Leonardo, your swords have been repaired. I trust you will find them worthy.”
Taking the katana back, the blue-banded turtle looked over the blades.
“Thank you.”
“You three must hurry. The first stage of the Battle Nexus Tournament is about to begin.”
Artemis nodded, smiling.
“Well, we sure don’t want to be late! Let’s go!”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walking into the arena, the three looked down at the many contestants before finding their own groups.
“Good luck, Leonardo-san. Artemisia-san.”
“And to you, samurai.”
The three separated into their own groups, and Chi gave the Avatar a curious look.
“Where ‘ave ya been, Artie?”
“Oh, nothing really…Just been attacked by evil assassins…”
“Attacked? Are you alright?”
With an untrusting glare, the gold-banded turtle smirked.
“We’re both fine. Probably only a couple of bruises. No need to get the paramedics.”
Chi seemed just as suspicious of the Ultimate Ninja as Artemis was.
Then again, they’d learned the Earthbender had a ‘lie detector’ way of telling if people were lying or nervous, or anything else she could think of.
“This is terrible! I will look into the matter at once!”
Bowing, the Ultimate Ninja left to ‘look into it’…
Artemis would bet another shock in the ass that he wasn’t about to do such a thing…
“The time has come. Be brave, all of you, and, most importantly…Be careful.”
The seven nodded, bowing.
A gong rang, and it caught everyone’s attention.
‘Guess it’s starting now…’
Mizu breathed out, giving Don a reassuring smile.
‘We can do it…’
“Let the contest…BEGIN!”
The War Staff caused the ground under their feet to move down, and walls moved up, blocking them into pairs.
Artemis looked up at the strange dragon-winged komodo dragon-like bipedal creature, and sighed.
“Guess it’s just you and me, big guy…”
“Warriors! First tier…BEGIN!”
Wings flapping, her opponent charged, showing rows of needle-sharp teeth.
“…WELL…Aren’t YOU scary?” She teased, side-stepping his assault.
His whip-like tail flew out to slash her across the face, but she grabbed hold of it, air whirling around her free fist.
“Good night!”
Pulling him back, she punched her opponent straight in the face.
He flew back, stabilizing himself in the air before giving a strange roar.
“OH, so you want some more?”
It pulled out sharp, menacing-looking blades, and slashed at her.
Bringing up water to catch the swords, she twisted them out of his hands and gave him a solid kick to the face.
He flew back, struggling to breathe because she’d elbowed him in the throat.
Strange, sickly-yellow eyes widened when the creature saw her earth-covered fist.
“Hello.”
BAM!!!
“Good night.”
Her opponent vanished in a strange blue light, and the earth crumbled.
‘I wonder how the others are doing…’
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chi grumbled something course under her breath, and closed her eyes as her opponent shifted in their circling of her.
He was a large, six-armed, muscled mammoth of a creature, with a large mace, deadly spikes covering it’s curved edges.
“What’s a pretty little thing like you doing in such a dangerous tournament?”
She smirked a bit.
“About ta kick yer ass, actually…”
“Let’s see if you can back up your words, little blind girl.”
She side-stepped his weapon, which lodged itself into the ground, and she rolled her unseeing eyes.
“I may be blind, but I can see better than ya”
Throwing a punch, he was surprised when a wall of earth came up to defend her.
Suddenly, it flew at him, and he was lucky he disappeared before he was crushed into the wall.
Chi shook her head in amusement, running a hand through her short red/gold hair.
‘That’s what ya get fer underestimatin’ an Earthbender…’
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mizu looked up with wide blue eyes at what seemed to be a strange octopus/squid/lion.
“Look who decided to come back…” They snarled in a rough voice.
Tentacles raced to stab her through with sharp metal tips, and an ice wall came up to stop them.
With a quick side-step, the ice thawed and it wrapped around her opponents neck.
Lifting him into the air, she slammed the large creature into a wall and the ground before lifting the water.
As her opponent groaned, she made the liquid crystallize into icicles, and they raced for their target.
With a cry of fear, it was gone, and the icicles stopped in midair, and thawed before returning to her flask.
Breathing out, she put a hand to her head, and fiddled with her sweater.
A strange trumpet-like sound catches the Waterbender’s attention, and she looked up.
The walls slid down, and she looked around to find that Artemis and Chi were still there, but was soon worried.
‘Where’s Donnie?’
“Champions, I commend you on your victories thus far! And now, prepare yourselves! The next round, tier two!”
A strange water-bubble appeared, spreading over the remaining contestants and sending them to their new sections of the arena, facing their new opponents.
“BEGIN!”
Turning to face her opponent, Mizu’s eyes widened.
“Artemis?”
The gold-banded turtle looked just as surprised.
“Mizu?”
With a soft smile, the Waterbender bowed.
“Hold nothing back.”
After a moment, Artemis bowed back.
“Right.”
Both took Waterbending stances, and Mizu brought all the water from her flasks.
She made it fly towards the crimson-eyed turtle, but Artemis stopped the attack in midair, and sent it back with just as much force.
Attacks were sent, stopped, and flew back with equal force, until Artemis decided to break the cycle.
Bringing the water around her arms like icy snakes, she lunged for her ‘sister’.
Mizu brought up an ice shield, but the jade-skinned turtle moved it out of the way.
An ice blade was at the blue-eyed girl’s neck, and she gave Artemis a surprised look.
“…Thank you…sensei…”
The Waterbender smiled in return.
“I have nothing left to teach you…Master Artemis…”
Bowing slightly, the gold-banded turtle watched as her friend vanished in blue light.
‘…Thanks, Mizu…’
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chi sighed as the large, winged, bird-like humanoid cawed like a crow.
“Are ya done, now?”
She ‘saw’ the wings start beating, ready to lift her opponent into the air, and, thus, out of her sight.
Pulling up earth to lock the taloned feet to the ground, she smirked.
“Where do ya think yer goin’? The fun’s just gettin’ started.”
Her opponent’s eyes widened before a pillar of ground smacked into it’s chin as another smashed into it’s stomach.
Disappearing in a blue light, Chi sighed as she was left alone.
However, when she felt bodies hit the ground, she couldn’t relax.
‘Leo? Artie?’
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Artemis was just sitting on a ball of air, chin resting on her palm boredly, when she heard something cut through the air.
Lifting her eyes, she scanned the air before something hit the side of her neck.
Crying out in surprise, the air dissipated beneath her before she pulled out the dart.
“Poison…” She slurred, already feeling light-headed…
“Leo…Mizu…”
She hit the ground dully, and put a hand to her head as she swayed.
Water glowed around her, wrapping around her neck and entering her blood to eliminate the poison.
Too bad it was already starting to make her woozy…
Dizzy…
“Leo…”
Falling over, the water left her skin, along with the deep purple poison…
Splinter stood up sharply, seeing two of his children fall.
“LEONARDO! ARTEMISIA!”
“Love…”
“Move!”
Using his shoulders as a pivot, she kicked out with her feet, wind flying to meet the shadowy assassins.
One managed to avoid the attack, and shot another arrow from a crossbow.
Releasing Leo, she spun, creating a tornado to knock the projectile off-course.
Leo jumped, dodging some himself, while Artemis charged in with ice-spiked knuckles.
Those assassins SURE were nimble…
One actually swiped for her Achilles tendon, but she jumped up, making a wave of water crash onto his head.
Shuriken rained down on her, but earth-covered hands managed to stop most of them, the others hitting the ground around her feet.
The assassins started ganging up on her, but her basic Earthbending and her more advanced Waterbending kept her shell from being cracked open.
Leo seemed to have a bit more trouble, since he didn’t have his katana, but he managed.
When the shadowy figures suddenly disappeared, Artemis stood up straight, looking confused.
“These guys are good at the whole ‘disappearing into the shadows’ thing…”
“Where did they all go?”
A whip snagged the blue-banded turtle’s wrist, and another wrapped around Artemis’s waist with a snap.
“HEY!”
She grabbed the whip, pulling with all her might so the assassin crashed into her fist.
“That’s NO way to treat a lady!”
When Leo was smacked into a wall, she jumped in to shield him from the crossbow.
Suddenly, a sword cut the weapon in half, and everyone looked up at a rabbit samurai.
“You fight without honor, assassin!”
He jumped down to help them, but the shadowy figures crawled away.
Sheathing his sword, the samurai turned to the two turtles, one helping the other up.
“Are you alright, warrior?”
“I’m fine. Thanks for saving my shell.”
“You are welcome.”
“I’m Leonardo, and this is Artemisia. We are in your debt.”
“I am Miyamato, Usagi. A rounin and competitor in the Battle Nexus Tournament. I was passing by when I saw you set upon by those dishonorable assassins.”
“We’re lucky, then. And I’m grateful for your help.” Artemis stated sincerely.
“Luck has very little to do with it. It is about skill and control of your energies. Your mind and your weapon must be as one, or you will certainly perish.”
“…Okay, now I don’t feel so great…”
“Don’t worry, love.”
“Any other advice?”
“Yes…duck.”
Both turtles ducked, the jade-skinned one tucking and rolling before hitting an assassin away with a column of earth.
“Who ARE these guys?” Leo asked as he grabbed a shield off the wall, throwing it.
“VERY good assassins?” Artemis supplied, ducking under a Bo staff and kicking out at its stomach.
Standing up, she looked around to see a shadowy assassin about to cut Leo open.
A vine of water shot out, wrapping around its wrists and freezing solid, so Leo could kick the assassin away.
Artemis pulled the opponent around by his wrists, slamming him into a wall before the ice thawed and returned to her.
The assassins seemed to flee, running straight up the brick walls, and the crimson-eyed turtle glared after them.
“They are gone…”
“For now.” Artemis finished, letting the water fall to the ground.
“Again, thank you for your help, samurai.”
“Do not thank me yet, warrior. Fate may pit us against each other in the tournament.”
“To tell you the truth, Usagi-san, the way you fight, I’d rather not go up against you if I can help it.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
The gnocchi appeared, Leo’s katana in his hold.
“Leonardo, your swords have been repaired. I trust you will find them worthy.”
Taking the katana back, the blue-banded turtle looked over the blades.
“Thank you.”
“You three must hurry. The first stage of the Battle Nexus Tournament is about to begin.”
Artemis nodded, smiling.
“Well, we sure don’t want to be late! Let’s go!”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walking into the arena, the three looked down at the many contestants before finding their own groups.
“Good luck, Leonardo-san. Artemisia-san.”
“And to you, samurai.”
The three separated into their own groups, and Chi gave the Avatar a curious look.
“Where ‘ave ya been, Artie?”
“Oh, nothing really…Just been attacked by evil assassins…”
“Attacked? Are you alright?”
With an untrusting glare, the gold-banded turtle smirked.
“We’re both fine. Probably only a couple of bruises. No need to get the paramedics.”
Chi seemed just as suspicious of the Ultimate Ninja as Artemis was.
Then again, they’d learned the Earthbender had a ‘lie detector’ way of telling if people were lying or nervous, or anything else she could think of.
“This is terrible! I will look into the matter at once!”
Bowing, the Ultimate Ninja left to ‘look into it’…
Artemis would bet another shock in the ass that he wasn’t about to do such a thing…
“The time has come. Be brave, all of you, and, most importantly…Be careful.”
The seven nodded, bowing.
A gong rang, and it caught everyone’s attention.
‘Guess it’s starting now…’
Mizu breathed out, giving Don a reassuring smile.
‘We can do it…’
“Let the contest…BEGIN!”
The War Staff caused the ground under their feet to move down, and walls moved up, blocking them into pairs.
Artemis looked up at the strange dragon-winged komodo dragon-like bipedal creature, and sighed.
“Guess it’s just you and me, big guy…”
“Warriors! First tier…BEGIN!”
Wings flapping, her opponent charged, showing rows of needle-sharp teeth.
“…WELL…Aren’t YOU scary?” She teased, side-stepping his assault.
His whip-like tail flew out to slash her across the face, but she grabbed hold of it, air whirling around her free fist.
“Good night!”
Pulling him back, she punched her opponent straight in the face.
He flew back, stabilizing himself in the air before giving a strange roar.
“OH, so you want some more?”
It pulled out sharp, menacing-looking blades, and slashed at her.
Bringing up water to catch the swords, she twisted them out of his hands and gave him a solid kick to the face.
He flew back, struggling to breathe because she’d elbowed him in the throat.
Strange, sickly-yellow eyes widened when the creature saw her earth-covered fist.
“Hello.”
BAM!!!
“Good night.”
Her opponent vanished in a strange blue light, and the earth crumbled.
‘I wonder how the others are doing…’
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chi grumbled something course under her breath, and closed her eyes as her opponent shifted in their circling of her.
He was a large, six-armed, muscled mammoth of a creature, with a large mace, deadly spikes covering it’s curved edges.
“What’s a pretty little thing like you doing in such a dangerous tournament?”
She smirked a bit.
“About ta kick yer ass, actually…”
“Let’s see if you can back up your words, little blind girl.”
She side-stepped his weapon, which lodged itself into the ground, and she rolled her unseeing eyes.
“I may be blind, but I can see better than ya”
Throwing a punch, he was surprised when a wall of earth came up to defend her.
Suddenly, it flew at him, and he was lucky he disappeared before he was crushed into the wall.
Chi shook her head in amusement, running a hand through her short red/gold hair.
‘That’s what ya get fer underestimatin’ an Earthbender…’
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mizu looked up with wide blue eyes at what seemed to be a strange octopus/squid/lion.
“Look who decided to come back…” They snarled in a rough voice.
Tentacles raced to stab her through with sharp metal tips, and an ice wall came up to stop them.
With a quick side-step, the ice thawed and it wrapped around her opponents neck.
Lifting him into the air, she slammed the large creature into a wall and the ground before lifting the water.
As her opponent groaned, she made the liquid crystallize into icicles, and they raced for their target.
With a cry of fear, it was gone, and the icicles stopped in midair, and thawed before returning to her flask.
Breathing out, she put a hand to her head, and fiddled with her sweater.
A strange trumpet-like sound catches the Waterbender’s attention, and she looked up.
The walls slid down, and she looked around to find that Artemis and Chi were still there, but was soon worried.
‘Where’s Donnie?’
“Champions, I commend you on your victories thus far! And now, prepare yourselves! The next round, tier two!”
A strange water-bubble appeared, spreading over the remaining contestants and sending them to their new sections of the arena, facing their new opponents.
“BEGIN!”
Turning to face her opponent, Mizu’s eyes widened.
“Artemis?”
The gold-banded turtle looked just as surprised.
“Mizu?”
With a soft smile, the Waterbender bowed.
“Hold nothing back.”
After a moment, Artemis bowed back.
“Right.”
Both took Waterbending stances, and Mizu brought all the water from her flasks.
She made it fly towards the crimson-eyed turtle, but Artemis stopped the attack in midair, and sent it back with just as much force.
Attacks were sent, stopped, and flew back with equal force, until Artemis decided to break the cycle.
Bringing the water around her arms like icy snakes, she lunged for her ‘sister’.
Mizu brought up an ice shield, but the jade-skinned turtle moved it out of the way.
An ice blade was at the blue-eyed girl’s neck, and she gave Artemis a surprised look.
“…Thank you…sensei…”
The Waterbender smiled in return.
“I have nothing left to teach you…Master Artemis…”
Bowing slightly, the gold-banded turtle watched as her friend vanished in blue light.
‘…Thanks, Mizu…’
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chi sighed as the large, winged, bird-like humanoid cawed like a crow.
“Are ya done, now?”
She ‘saw’ the wings start beating, ready to lift her opponent into the air, and, thus, out of her sight.
Pulling up earth to lock the taloned feet to the ground, she smirked.
“Where do ya think yer goin’? The fun’s just gettin’ started.”
Her opponent’s eyes widened before a pillar of ground smacked into it’s chin as another smashed into it’s stomach.
Disappearing in a blue light, Chi sighed as she was left alone.
However, when she felt bodies hit the ground, she couldn’t relax.
‘Leo? Artie?’
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Artemis was just sitting on a ball of air, chin resting on her palm boredly, when she heard something cut through the air.
Lifting her eyes, she scanned the air before something hit the side of her neck.
Crying out in surprise, the air dissipated beneath her before she pulled out the dart.
“Poison…” She slurred, already feeling light-headed…
“Leo…Mizu…”
She hit the ground dully, and put a hand to her head as she swayed.
Water glowed around her, wrapping around her neck and entering her blood to eliminate the poison.
Too bad it was already starting to make her woozy…
Dizzy…
“Leo…”
Falling over, the water left her skin, along with the deep purple poison…
Splinter stood up sharply, seeing two of his children fall.
“LEONARDO! ARTEMISIA!”