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Things were pretty quiet still when I had returned to Hawktown. When I entered the Academy, my team was geared up and was just about to head out to find me. I had to explain to all of them, including Shang, Grazar, and Shadow, that Charley captured me to find out how I could turn into a wolf and a dragon. I could understand that they didn't want a repeat of what happened 12 years ago. I was with them on that one. I'd be damn if I let those Masked Eagles capture me again.

I also took the time to introduce everybody to Zalek, who immediately joined our little team. It didn't take long for him and Shang to become fast friends. They looked like best friends already. While we didn't have any missions, I'd normally see them in the back wrestling each other. I must admit there was more to it to Zalek. He even had a private chat with Shang and I revealing his past that he didn't like to say to anybody, but he trusted us and we gave him our word that we wouldn't tell anybody. He was exiled from his family's pack because of his tails and his ability to control electricity. He was shunned and an outcast and was sent into the forest to fend for his own and die. I guess that's when Charley found him and took him in and gave him a "home". I quote that because of what happened in the last chapter. He was a jerk who deserved what was coming to him. In my opinion, the world was better off without that lunatic. I think Zalek will be much happier here, especially since he has Shang to play with now.

Of course, all good moments must come to an end sooner or later. The team and I have noticed that Henry has been...dark lately. It was bad enough that he didn't want to hang around with us after missions and stuff and get closer. Now, whenever we would approach him about something, he'd either shrug us off or tell us not to bother him in a very cold tone. Most of us were thinking that he was just having a bad week or something. Now, my suspicions were rising. I was now taking Shang's and Grazar's word into account. He might be planning to conspire against us but it was too early to know for sure. We need more prove that he's planning on leaving us.

That night I decided to relax at home. I was by myself for the time being so I took it upon myself to catch up on some reading. I reached under my bed to pull out my secret stash...of The Dragon Five comic books. These were always my favorite read since I was a child. It was hard to believe that someone of my stature still reads this sort of stuff. I could care less what anybody said. I was still a huge fan of the story and the people who still makes the series. The comic book was about five brave dragon knights who do whatever they can to protect their homes from any invaders who would bring harm to their land. I had, at least, 10 issues. Sadly, I was missing only 5 of them to complete the set. Regardless, I still had a lot of catching up to do.

It was only a half-hour later that I was so absorbed in the comic book that I had forgotten that my door was open...or the fact that somebody was walking in. It was only then I heard his voice and I nearly jumped out of the bed scared out of my mind.

"Shang!" I screamed out and holding my chest. "God, you scared the crap out of me. You could've knocked, you know?"

"Sorry master," he said with lowered ears but I could tell he was holding back a laugh, "but I was just about to come in and check on you when I saw that you were actually reading one of the issues of The Dragon Five comic book."

"How did you know about the series?"

I saw him smirk as he suddenly put on a red mask and my jaw almost dropped. He had the mask of the leader: Ringtail Marvel. I was completely jealous now.

"Let's just say you're not the only fan of the series. I got into the show about a couple of years back. Ringtail was always my favorite."

"So, you come in here and tease me with his mask? You're so cruel."

"No need to be sad, master. I heard there's going to be a big sale down the street next week where you can get the costumes for the convention next month. I don't know about you, but I'm so going to be there."

I just chuckled at him. I couldn't believe that Shang, of all wolves, was also a fan of The Dragon Five. I guess I should be glad that this isn't much of a secret anymore. He also did look funny with that mask on.

"You look like you'll be like his canine sidekick, Lasso."

"Lasso?" He tilted his head at me. "You really think so?"

"Sure, except you're not my sidekick. Remember, you're a part of the family, Shang. You're not just some common house pet."

"That means a lot, Guil. Okay, I'll go as Lasso, then."

I smiled at him as I went back to reading. Shang sat at the side of the bed and he was reading with me. I was actually having a good time reading a comic book after a very long time of having them under my bed. Since becoming a Captain and being at the Hawk Academy, I never really had any time to read them. I felt like a child again. As we were reading, we were laughing and joking and imitating the sound effects that were happening in the panels. We would also take breaks here and there and react some of the action that was happening. This is a part of my childhood that I never got to have when my parents died and when I was away from the village for so long. It felt good to unwind and just have fun and relax.

We laughed and joked until the nighttime came. I had fallen asleep on the comic book and we were 8 pages away from the 9th novel and Shang had fell asleep while still wearing the mask on the floor. The night seemed so peaceful. The only sound that could be heard was crickets and the sound of somebody bashing in a computer with a crowbar. It was just that... Wait, somebody bashing in a computer with a crowbar? I don't recall that ever being peaceful. That's loud, obnoxious, and it's vandalism! I quickly awoke from my slumber and got out of my bed while almost stepping on Shang in the process. This caused him to wake up as well and he followed me out the door. The sound was coming from the Hawk Academy. I pulled apart the double doors and ran to the central area. The whole place was ransacked and everything was destroyed. Many documents were stolen and some of the guards were knocked out. The computers in here were destroyed, including the main computer. What the hell happened here? Who could've done such a thing? Then, it dawned on me. It must've been Henry.

I ran back out and headed out to my teammates house, one by one. They were a little sore at me for waking them up so late at night but once I explained the situation to them, their attitudes changed. We all gathered around in front of the Academy to formulate the plan. Grazar and the rest of my siblings were there as well.

"Why would Henry do all of this?" Elgris said in total disbelief. "This is worse than Bradley killing Ranger." At that point, we all glared at her for a second. We wished she didn't say that but we shook it off another second later.

"I knew that little brat couldn't be trusted," Grazar snarled out. "Look what he did to the Academy. He's even made off with some our village's most important documents. And our computers are destroyed. We're completely vulnerable now."

"It is true we are in a bit of a predicament..." Shadow said softly with a sigh. "This has just happened so he could not have gone far."

"Right, we can still catch him!" Bradley shouts out in determination.

"And have you stab him in the heart?" Elgris retaliated.

"Will you stop bringing that up? I already said I was sorry..." He looked away as he felt guilty for what he did. "I just thought...it was better that way... Look, I have a grudge against anybody who isn't human. They killed my father and left me to fend for my feeble mother so lay off with me killing Ranger, alright?"

That actually got Elgris to shut up. She had always berated him for killing Ranger and had a hard time getting over that and it was getting annoying. I also could understand Bradley's hatred but that posed as a problem as well. I was a hybrid, or tribrid if you will, Tirela is really a dragoness (a beautiful one at that), and Elgris is part cat. How he didn't figure this out yet is beyond me. I'm mainly in my human form and Tirela is having a good time maintaining her human form as well.

"Enough bickering!" Shadow shouted at both of them. "We need to focus and work together to retrieve the documents and to bring Henry back. He has a lot of explaining to do."

We all nodded and then I noticed that Grazar was looking out at the field with a serious look on his face.

"Is something troubling you, Grazar?" I asked him.

"I think you guys might want to postpone your trip," he said not taking his eyes off of the field.

"Why?"

"Because it appears that some company is taking advantage of the situation."

"What?"

"Here, see for yourself." He lowered his neck and head to the ground. I stood on top of his head as he slowly rose up and I could see out to the field. I gasped at what I saw. There were hundreds, no, thousands of Masked Eagles soldiers walking this way. It did not look good for us. This was their plan all along. We have to get ready. But by the time they start their invasion, we'll still be defenseless. It was a risk that we were willing to take.

Grazar lowered me back to the ground and I explained the situation to them. Shadow gave the orders to gather everybody up and prepare for war to push back the Masked Eagles. Soon enough, everybody was scrambling out of their homes as the town's bell was rung as an alarm. It wasn't long now until the Masked Eagles would reach the gates and the war would start. The guards that were knocked out began to come to and ran out immediately to join us at the gates while we were waiting for the Eagles. There were lots of them and there were a few hundreds of us. Although the odds were against us, somehow, I believed we had the upper hand. All of us were standing together at this very moment. This time, we were ready. This time, I will not let anybody die.

We were all ready to defend our home. Without hesitation, the Masked Eagles immediately charged at us and the rest of us did the same into the field. Within' seconds there was a huge clash and the only thing that could be heard was yelling, swords clinging against each other, bodies hitting the floor, explosions, and warriors grunting in pain as they go down fighting. At this rate, it was anybody's battle. We could tell that The Masked Eagles didn't have much training as they were going down one by one like bowling pins. This was proving to be too easy. We only had a few casualties of our own but we were holding them off. Many citizens were almost caught in the crossfire but nobody was seriously hurt.

That's what the problem was here: The fight. It was way too easy. What is going on here? They weren't really putting up much of a fight. What were they really planning? While in the middle of the battle, I just happen to look up and I saw some sort of shining star above us. That was the brightest star I've ever seen. It was too bright for it to be the North Star. As I continued to stare at it, it was getting larger and larger by the second. I had time to take my binoculars out to see what it was. It was a huge missile and it was heading right for us!

"It's a missile!" I screamed out to everybody as they stopped and looked at me and then they looked up at it. "Everybody get off of the field!" Everyone started running, scrambling, and screaming as the missile got closer and closer. The field was nearly empty and the missile came crashing down and it let off a huge explosion. The blast radius was so large that it even reached the village as the buildings were being destroyed one by one. The explosion left nothing in its wake but complete destruction.

My vision was coming back to me as I slowly get up from being knocked out from the blast radius. I couldn't believe I survived that. I looked around as I shuddered and gasped. There was nothing left. Hawktown was destroyed...again. How many times did we repair our village? This was getting ridiculous. I managed to get up and walk around a little bit. There were little patches of fire here and there that were by the bodies of both The Masked Eagles and Hawk Warriors. This was horrible. The Masked Eagles even launched the missile on their own people. I was glad to see that my team had also survived the blast and that there were a lot of survivors as well. Not everybody was dead.

"Is...everybody alright?" I asked them as I was still shaking from the explosion.

"I guess I'll live," Elgris said as she slowly got up.

"I'm alright..." Tirela said softly.

"I'm fine..." Tyrone replied.

"Look at our home," Bradley said in sadness. There were half destroyed buildings all over. It would take weeks to repair them all over again. I sighed and looked down at the charred remains of the field and the village.

"The Masked Eagles have gone too far this time," Grazar had growled out in anger. "Not only did they make off with our documents, but they also destroyed our home as well as their own men."

"We have no way of catching up to that Henry guy now," Shang growled with him as well.

"What do we do now?" Zalek asked while he was still looking around. I honestly had no idea. We had no leads as to where Henry could've gone. This was the worst thing that could've happen to us. We were at a loss here.