Kai - Part 3

Kai wished his sword to his hand. It formed strong and ready in his hand. Tori raised her sword beside him. Her grip was all wrong. One sharp knock and that sword would go to the enermy.The enermy... His brother was his enermy. The one he had to destroy. He gentally turned the sword Tori was holding into a better position.
"This may seem dumb to you but relax. This is a sword not a stress ball." he muttered into her ear.
Reef laughed,"So this is your novice, Kai? Your tranee? Do you remember what happened when we where in training? How we hurt? How you embarassed me?" Now his voice was bitter.
"I told you Reef. It was a friendly match." Kai tried to explain.
"Oh no Kai. It was more than that. You knew i would be eliminated from them if i lost but..."
"I DIDN'T KNOW!!!" Kai attempted a yell. His throat was to sore for much more than a loud croak.
Reef smiled nastily,"We'll see about that when all your hopes are dashed and all of your honour put to waste."

Reef. as kai called him, turned to his demon army.
"GET THEM!" he yelled. Tori braced herself.
"Listen if we fail throw your sword to the earth. Do not let them get it." Kai whispered.
Tori nodded. This was far from being Miss Computor Wizz but she was beginning to enjoy it. In a strange uncertain kind of way.

The clash of swords was like an unchained melody to Kai's ears. He had always liked fighting. That was the one thing he had leart alittle of at school. A back slash finished off a Ridge Muck and a forward thrust knocked two of the monsters down but he could no longer see Tori. Not even the top of her head showed above the mass of demons.He saw Reef turn away and he realised, to late, that his entire side was open. Pain sank into his side and he fell. Before he let the darkness take him, he dropped his sword. The failure sank into him. He had lost.

Tori had been downed almost as soon as the battle had begun. She had not forgotten to let the earth take her sword. But when she woke the only thing she remembered was the face of the demon that had given her the sharp blade of the knife.
"I was wondering if you'd wake." a hoarse voice said from beside her.
She twisted her head round and saw Kai in chains.
She made no reply her eyes must have told all though because Kai asked her no questions. However she had a few of her own.
"Who is Reef? Why does he want you?"
"Hmmm. I don't really know who he is any more. He was my brother and friend. But they kicked him out because i defeated him in what i thought was a friendly fight. He never really forgave me and i know that it was him that blew up the school. I want to convert him back to being good but he may have gone to far now. After all he has killed four of the WhiteTigers..." Kai trailed off. Tori realised tht was all the story she would get until she gained his trust.
She lay in the cell for what seemed an age.
"I never thought i'd say this to a novice but Thanks Tori." Kai's voice croaked.
"for what?" Tori looked at him and saw a sorrow in those grey misted eyes that she had not seen in anyone since her mother had cheated on her father. Or maybe when that old man had been killed with a message to tell his wife.
"For coming after me." Kai let her look into his eyes for a moment longer before breaking the eye contact, "Not even Reef when he was good would have done that... For me."
At that point a couple of tall demon gaurds came and snatched him from the cell. Tori glimpced his face and was suprised to see defeat written on it.
"Don't give up Kai. Never give up." She whispered.

Kai knew what Reef would like to do to him now. Kill him. But he wanted his sword. Kai would never give Reef his sword. If that twisted spirit was ever his brother he would know why. Of course Reef had gone beyond the dead to have summonded all of the demon that he now had at his command. He never had believed in a God or World Maker but in his head he prayed. If anything he felt the Tiger he bore had recieved his prayer but mostly he felt evil pressing into him like a silver clock hand or spear.
His new cell was darker and he knew Reef would emerge from the darkness when he was least expecting it. That was Reef's style. Even when he had been little Reef had been interested in pyching people out and how fear made one act differently.He shuddered. He let his mind wonder. After all, he might as well let Reef have his fun. He had lost.

Dreams. Dreams. Dreams. There was so much to think about. Tori's head span. A tiger with huge white paws and a silky white coat padded towards her.
"Tori. Tori. Remember the magic. Your ancestors gave you the magic and it is yours to use." It growled harmoniously, "I chose you and so far you have done well but now you are letting us all down. Me, the Elder and Kai." It nuzzled her and she fell into its warmth.
"I don't want to let you down nor Kai. Kai's ..."
Tori sighed.
"I know what you feel about him little cub. But you forget. You will lose him and yourself if you do not use the magic."
The warmth and safety of the tiger died and Tori fell into nothingness.

"Feeling at a loss Kai? That's odd.You always had quite alot to say after a fight." Reef appeared.
"I was wondering when you'd show up." Kai smiled coldly. He had a feeling. It made him feel safe again. He knew he was safe. The tiger was in him.The tiger was coming to help them.
"What are you smiling about." Reef visibly frowned. Even in the gloom it was obvious.
Kai managed a laugh, "I was wrong. I did not lose. I won."
"Won?"
"I won. I'm the leader now Reef. I've got power you can only dream of."
"WHAT?!" Reef looked astonished.
"I'm the leader. I won."
"How?"
"When you took Tori. All i worried about was if she was ok. We bonded, she and i.I wanted her to live when all our teacher wanted was for us to hurry up and get taught."
"So!How's that supposed to help you become leader?"
"Because her power is in me. My power is in her."
"But she is an elf!?"
"Yes. I have only alittle of that. But i will never use it without her. After all it is her's."
Kai was happy. He was the leader. All because he had a friend. All because he had wanted Tori to live after her first battle. Thanks to her he could bare the burden of the WhiteTiger's power. Tori plainly had power, and not just elvish magic. WhiteTiger magic flowed through her viens. If only Reef did not insist on them having the power drains.

Tori crept up behind Reef. She had been taught how to use invisibility by her mother. She peered over Reef's shoulder and saw Kai. He had a strange flow about him that she had not seen before. Instead of jumping Reef as she had planned she went to Kai and began to take off his power drain.

Icey fingers brushed his neck. He could feel Tori's esscence. He knew what she was trying to do and he thoroughly approved. Then they really could escape. Maybe he would even be able to imprison Reef in the vortex of death even without killing him.A clink by his ear let him know the first lock was done. Then, as if a heavy wheight was being taken off him, the drain fell.

Tori lifted Kai to his feet. She made herself visible now. She heard Reef gasp.
"Wish for your sword Tori." Kai said,"But set it to vormatelam. We're taking this guy down."
She turned her head as she wished and saw Kai, his aura suddenly burning white, holding his sword ready to spring.