Paladin Academy: A Playground Inspired Story

[Silverraptor]

Paladin Academy: Part 35
-Cast-
Penny
Blue
Mordokai
Kurama
Mangosta

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Penny ascended the stairs up to Blue's tower for like, the millionth time. He was a powerful wizard, right? Why couldn't he invent a spell that lowered the crates down on their own? That way she didn't have to keep walking up the tower all the time. She looked up at a flock of birds flying overhead in a V-shape formation. Flying would be pretty cool too.

She regained her sense of reality as she came up to Blue's door. She breathed heavily once, before opening it yet again that day. Inside, Blue was sitting alone, studying a large cauldron. However, he turned around as she entered.
"Ah, Penny! Good. That crate right there is the last one you'll need to take down. After that, you'll need to unpack and distribute the potions to all the other paladins."

Penny looked over at the crate and sighed in exasperation and relief.
"Okay. As long as this is the last one."
She bent down to pick it up.
"How's it going by the way?"

"Slow. Grim's thoughts are more of a maze than the Academy's corridors. And it almost seems like there is something blocking me from reaching further into his psyche."

She hoists up the crate with quite a bit of effort.
"Oh well. I hope you figure it all out. We'll probably need it."
Blue nodded as he turned back to his cauldron.Penny turned to leave, but before she could get halfway to the door, it opened on its own.
"Oh. Mordokai... Hi."

Blue didn't look up, but instead lowered his head a little.
"I told you Mordokai. A watched pot doesn't boil-"

Mordokai cut him off angrily.
"I'm not here for an update, Blue! Where the hell is Kurama?!"

Both Blue and Penny looked up at Mordokai. Penny had half forgotten about the crate of potions in her hand. Blue's glowing yellow glowing eyes blinked once.
"Kurama? I would have no idea."

Mordokai crossed the room to stand next to Blue.
"Find him! I can't locate him anywhere in the academy!"

Blue stared at Mordokai for a second before turning back to the cauldron. He waved his hand over the cauldron while muttering incomprehensible words. Penny was still rooted to the spot, listening. Blue than looked back up at Mordokai.
"I... I don't know. There seems to be no trace of the ice cube anywhere. It appears he had just melted and evaporated away."

Mordokai gave a large angry sigh before rubbing his eyes with his fingers from stress. Finally he spoke.
"Penny. Please do your duty. We need those potions distributed."

Penny nearly jumped with surprise.
"Oh... right!"
She hurried out the door and down the stairs. Although, after a short while, her pace slowed as she became deep in thought. Where was Kurama? He wouldn't skip out on his duties, would he? No. Kurama wouldn't avoid responsibility like that. Did something happen to him?

She reached the bottom of the stairs, but she still continued on deep in thought. She was thinking back to the conversation they had earlier.

"And what about Viola? Don't you care about her?"

"Of course I do, Kurama."
She spoke out to no one in particular. Fortunately, there was no one around to hear her. "But... We all have our own set of responsibilities. So where-"
Her foot froze in mid step. Her eyes widened with realization.
"You...You didn't go after her... did you?! Why did you do that Kurama?"
She paused for only a moment, before she continued forward. After placing down the crate, she opened the other crates dejectedly. She wondered if Kurama would really take off like that? Her question was answered a second later as she lifted one of the crate lids to find a potion was missing. She looked up towards the smashed open front door of the Academy.
"Kurama..."
She continued to stare at the gate.
"...just... just be careful. If the demons don't kill you, Mordokai probably will."
She continued to watch, anxiously.

****************

A thick blanket of deep, bone chilling mist had risen in the air. The gigantic form of Mangosta stood there, watching the mist surprised. His hand was submerged in the mist and he could feel the cold lick his skin. However, that was not what had surprised him. His hand had hit something hard sooner than expected. Suddenly, Mangosta drew his hand back with a yelp of pain. His hand revealed several pricks with the black blood flowing from them. The wounds healed quickly and Mangosta watched as the mist dispersed.

Inside the mist, a large ice half-dome had appeared over where Kurama was. Large spikes had appeared over the surface. Some were slightly melting from the hot black blood. The dome glowed a vibrant blue from something moving inside. Kurama then emerged from around the end of the dome. The crystal in his sword was glowing brilliantly with many different blue hues of color. Kurama didn't fully register everything around him and what just happened. His mind was focusing on what a mystical version of his voice had said to him in his mind.

"Bonds"

He now understood what the crystal was telling him. In the instant that he looked at Viola, a realization had flooded through him. Keeping no one close to you was doing you no favor. It didn't keep you from getting lost. It kept you from finding the things that truly mattered.

Mangosta's voice shouted out with anger and surprise.
"What is this?! Some hidden ability you were hiding from me?! If you could freeze the air, why didn't you do so earlier?! Are all you paladins this arrogant?!"

Kurama gripped his sword tighter with anger. He slowly turned to face the Demon King head on.
"No. I didn't have this power a moment ago, and right now, I don't care that I suddenly have it now. The only thing I want to do now is defeat you!"
A cold chilly mist seemed to emanate from him. He held his sword up, ready to fight. His voice increased in volume with every word to match his anger.
"I can't die here! I will not allow Viola to live alone as some pet to you! I will protect my partner!!"

Mangosta tilted his head sideways a little at the new development. The human that now stood before him wasn't the same human he was fighting earlier. Something about him had changed...