Chapter 4: 2nd and 3rd Cloud War

Chapter 4: 2^nd and 3^rd Cloud war

Warrior had a hard time resting that night. Every time he closed his eyes a faint ringing noise would sound in his ears.

He knew it was the person he had poisoned trying to win back it's place. Warrior felt more dominant and stronger than this weakling in the back of his mind, whoever he was.

This Johnny.

Warrior was determined to keep that other self at bay, he would ask his majesty later about who this Johnny was.

Johnny was exhausted from. From that time at warrior training on, he had been battling a strange dominant force. The force, whatever it was, had seized his mind and thrown his consciousness into a corner.

This Warrior, as Johnny soon came to know, was a killer, and had no resentment to whatever he killed. Johnny didn't really enjoy being kept in the dark, so he pushed at the force. The force responded with much more strength than Johnny anticipated. He was thrown back into his corner.

Johnny sometimes had a slight advantage. Like right now, when the warrior wanted to rest after slaying dozens and dozens of enemy troops. Johnny would push and push until he actually had a foot hold. This caused the ringing noise.

The warrior fought back with so much force that it could have killed Johnny if he hadn't jumped away. The warrior self was up all night making sure Johnny stayed in that one corner. Warrior was abit cranky the next morning.

But the smell of blood made him ready for more Clouds. When he looked out from the fortress they had just captured he saw that the Suns were already marching to the next fort. They built a small tower so that the General and Warrior could see the amount of troops the Clouds had brought. Warrior chuckled to himself.

Seeing the General look so perplex made him squirm with displeasure and mockery.

“Yes, it's a bit harder,” Admitted Warrior.

“But that doesn't matter, we can beat them all the way back to where they came from.”

He jumped off the tower and rushed to the front. With sword in hand and with a loud yell the battle began. Warrior didn't bother to count all the Clouds he slew while moving. He enjoyed the thrill of watching every Cloud disintegrate into nothing but dust.

Warrior destroyed all the foot soldiers that guarded the fortress. He raised the Suncidian flag and felt even more proud. The Suncidian news paper called Warrior a war hero. And warrior was proud to keep it. One day Warrior was walking to the ridge that looked out onto the next fortress. A man with a robotic left arm and a robotic eye stood waiting for him.

“Can I help you?” Asked warrior.

“I was told you'd come here,” said the man. Warrior was curious.

“Who are you?” Asked he.

“I'm Joe, the bird keeper,” said Joe grinning. Warrior glanced around.

“I don't see any birds,” said Warrior. Joe blinked.

“She was here a moment ago,”He muttered.

He pulled out a whistle, then blew into it. A few moments past and he blew again. There was a giant gust of wind and a giant bird with red and orange feathers landed.

“Sorry I'm late father,” said the bird.

“Wait, the bird can talk?” Warrior asked.

“I taught it how,” Said Joe. The bird ruffled it's feathers and then cleaned them. Even Johnny who was still stuck in his corner had stopped pushing at warrior to admire this bird.

“So, what type of bird is it?” Asked the warrior.

“A fire bird,” said Joe.

“And proud of it!” Chirped the bird.

“Now, now Grace, we can't be too proud,” Said Joe.

“Sorry father,” said Grace.

“It's alright,” said Joe.

“You'll need Grace's help in this battle Warrior, I heard they had chariots,” Said Joe.

Joe tightened a saddle that was strapped to Grace's back.

“You don't think she learned to fly by herself now did you?” He asked. Warrior chuckled.

“They better have chariots, I’ve gotten rather weary of foot soldiers,” said he.

“Don't worry Warrior, she's wonderful in the air,” said Joe smiling.

“You don't think I’ll fly that bird?” Warrior laughed.

“Of course you would, what do you think I was made for?” Asked Grace.

“Grace, where are your manners?” Joe asked.

The bird hung it's head.

“She still is a bit young at heart, but she is a wonder in the sky,” said Joe.

“Pull the strings back to make her go up, let go slowly to make her go down.” said Joe. Warrior didn't have any options, he slowly got into the saddle. Grace glanced at him with one giant blue eye.

“Don't worry Warrior,” she said soothingly.

“I'll take care of you,”

“Now remember how to take off Grace, up down, jump,” Said Joe instructively.

And that's what Grace did. Warrior had to hang on. The wind was pushing against him like an angry crowd of Suns. But warrior slowly relaxed, he soon began to trust the bird he flew with.

“That's the next fortress,” said Grace. Warrior looked below. Yes there were chariots, yes there were soldiers and they also had bowmen.

“This is going to be harder than I thought or anticipated.” Said warrior thoughtfully.

“Don't worry Warrior, we have the air!” Shouted Grace encouragingly.

Warrior smiled for the first time in his career. They flew back and Warrior stepped off.

“Looks like this one might have us,” said he. Joe glanced at Grace, then at warrior.

“She didn't show you what she could do did she?” He asked.

“No, she didn't but she definitely can fly,” Said Warrior.

“That's a bonus, but she'll show you at the war,” Said Joe.

He took out a bird shaped treat and tossed it to Grace who aught it in mid air and gingerly ate it. She cooed when she finished.

“Who's my bird?” Joe asked wrapping his arms around Grace.

“So, where'd you find her?” Asked Warrior.

Joe glanced at Warrior. His smile had gone and in it's place was a snarl. His robotic eye had turned red.

“You don't know why I'm called the bird keeper, do you?” He asked gravely.

Warrior looked surprised. Even Grace looked offended.

“I found her abandoned by her mother in the cold corner streets of Cloud Labyrinth,” Said Joe.

“Wait, wait, you've been to Cloud Labyrinth?” Warrior asked. Joe's red eye turned even redder.

“I talk too much, but I tell you, the Clouds have a few better ideas on us outsiders then these Suns do,” said he.

“Hey, I made no offense to your bird,” Said Warrior.

Joe seemed to cool of. His red eye turned back to brown. For that's what his other eye color was.

“I forgive you Johnny,” said Joe smiling.

Warrior blinked in surprise. Then he realized Johnny had briefly gotten control. He shoved Johnny back in his corner.

“How did-how did you know?” Asked Warrior.

“Simple,” said Joe.

“I can see your a poison trying to prove your worth, but I tell you, whonever your dealing with you better let out, for he is your master,” said Joe. Warrior grumbled to himself.

“Okay, look here kid,” said Warrior to Johnny.

“You might think this body is yours but it is not!”

He gave Johnny a shove and continued back to his headquarters. Three weeks later.....

Warrior marched onto the hill and watched as the Suncidian solders moved slowly to met the Cloud. Joe stood next to him with Grace.

“I could take them all by myself,” Laughed Warrior.

“Not true,” Replied Joe.

“You haven't seen me fight,” Boasted Warrior.

Joe was worried, there was something out there, something awful.

“Take Grace for a fly would you?” Requested Joe.

“I'm not going to use your pathetic bird,” said Warrior.

Joe looked offended.

“Besides I know what to expect.” Said Warrior. Joe sighed and walked away.

“What is with you?” Asked Grace.

“Look Polly, I don't have a cookie with me,” Taunted Warrior. Grace was about to fly away, but Warrior changed his mind about not flying, he wanted to tick off the bird more. Warrior grabbed her wing, and turned it top where it hurt.

“Ow, that hurts, ow!” Grace groaned.

“Yes it should,” said Warrior.

“You stay here, I might just need you,” said he.

Then Warrior saw it. A figure clad and shrouded in darkness stood with the chariots. A few arrows past by Warrior. He took a bow from a downed archer and fired three arrows at once. A Cloud archer watched in horror as two of his comrades fell to this mans arrows. The last one hit the wall beside him. This was at the fortress. Then he saw an arrow coming straight for him. Warrior jumped on Grace and they flew over the Clouds.

“I want all of the chariots gone, save the one that's black,” said Warrior.

Grace ignited into flames and missed to the chariots exploding each one. Warrior sat on the saddle in mid air. The flames reappeared and there was Grace.

“Don't do that again,” Warrior shouted.

“Told you I had a few surprises,” Shouted Grace.

Warrior jumped off of Grace and landed on the dark figure. They tussled on that chariot for some time. Grace shot fire balls from her beak at different Clouds. She would pick up some and throw them to their deaths. Warrior and the black warrior finally threw themselves onto the battle field. Warrior was up first and he picked up a dagger that the black warrior had been holding. A sword appeared in the black warriors hand and they began to fight. Never had warrior fought someone with as much skill as he.

“I'm impressed,” said Warrior.

He dodged a blow and stabbed the figure with the knife. The black warrior exploded. Seeing their champion down the Clouds fled leaving their fortress unguarded. Warrior planned to advance to Cloud labyrinth but Johnny had other plans.