The Lupe sank to one knee and bowed his head. "Thank you, master. You have raised me well. Now that I am old enough, I shall venture into the world and bring honour to our clan."

"Remember Koji, the world outside this training school is far different than what you have known. You were but a baby when you were left here on the stairs of the school."

"I will see the world with open eyes and a true heart, master," replied Koji, placing a fist to his heart.

"Go then, and have a safe journey, my son."

The yellow Lupe nodded and, carefully sheathing his iron Lupe sword, he turned and left the only home he had ever known.

Several hours later found Koji a tad unsteady as the boat lurched closer to the docks. Hardly waiting for it to stop, the Lupe jumped from the boat and onto the docks, then ran to shore, thankful to be on dry (and steady) land.

Taking a deep breath to calm his stomach, Koji looked around. "Ahh," he said to himself, "so this is..."

"The Monoceraptor carried no honour. It was least important to him."

Koji looked for the source of the voice, and was clearly surprised that he did not hear someone approaching, especially since he'd just graduated from school. He quickly poised himself for battle, in case he was forced to fight. Looking up into the face of a worn Lupe, he slightly slackened, but still remained ready to pounce the second he saw a movement to fight. "Who are you?" he asked with a slight hint of reverence.

"I am Sabre-X, leader of the Strategic War Division. You don't need to worry; I have no wish to fight you. However, even though you failed to detect my presence, you react quickly, and seem strong. I would greatly appreciate your help in the war."

"I am Koji, a former student of Master Ryshu. He has taught me well, so it is my own fault that I did not hear you coming. Ryshu teaches his students well, and no blame belongs to him. Regarding your request for aid in battle, I must first know the circumstances, then decide for myself if this is a fight that I should take part in."

"You blame yourself and do not place it on others," Sabre-X said with a smile. "Truly the sign of an honourable fighter. It would be a great pleasure to have you fighting alongside us. If you wish to gain more knowledge on this battle, I think it would be best if you spoke with all the elders. Come with me..."

...Koji reluctantly followed the old Lupe, his paw still resting on his sword hilt. Sabre-X chuckled. "I'm not going to hurt you, Koji. It's good to be wary, though. Tyrannia is a dangerous land."

They walked until reaching a long, flat plateau, where Koji was surprised to see some civilization. Sabre-X chuckled, as if he'd been reading the Lupe's thoughts.

"Tyrannians aren't as barbaric and slow-witted as people say we are," he said. "We've managed to build a life here in this wasteland, and that should at least count for something."

Koji nodded, and they walked on. Sabre-X pointed out the Concert Hall, the Tyrannian Arena, several Neopets playing Go! Go! Go!, the Giant Omelette, and a small building on top of a mesa.

"What is that?" Koji asked curiously.

"The Town Hall," Sabre-X replied. "It is where all the elders meet. Come, let us go inside." He led the way up the steps, but before they could enter, a spotted Kyrii ran out.

"Sabre-X, where in Neopia have you been?" the Kyrii said shrilly. "We've been waiting for hours. I thought you were going out to recruit new warriors?!?"

"Good morning, Kyruggi," said the Lupe. "Here he is." Sabre-X pushed Koji out from behind him and stepped back.

The Kyrii frowned. "One? Just one? I was hoping for an army... but I suppose any help is welcome. What is his name?"

"Koji," Sabre-X said. "He is a great warrior, and I haven't even seen him fight," he smiled.

Kyruggi nodded and sighed. "Very well. Come inside, Koji. There is much you need to know. More and more of our people have been taken."

Koji jerked his head up at this, and followed her into the building...

Sabre-X nodded to one of many empty chairs around the table, and sat in his seat. Koji slowly moved to his designated place, eyeing each of the council members warily. A huge, powerfully-built Grarrl eyed the young Lupe with a dangerous glint deep in his beady black eyes. A Techo, garbed in a robe of thick brown furs, sat quietly, his flame-tipped staff still in hand. His eyes were slightly glazed over, as if his mind were elsewhere.

Sabre-X dipped his maw to the rest of the council. "Friends, this is Koji, a former student of Master Ryshu. He has come to help us with our war."

"Such a runt is all you have found?" growled the Grarrl, his slightly yellowed fangs glinting in the flame's pale light. "We are already well on the path of losing this war, Sabre-X."

"Mind your tongue, Grarrg. You may be Battle Master, but I know a fine warrior when I see one," snapped the husky Lupe.

"He who will turn the tides has come... at last," spoke the Techo, his voice rasping, as if it were hardly used. The flame upon his staff began to glow blue, as did the tiny flame in the lantern.

None spoke. Finally, a serrated-toothed Flotsam murmured, "Tekel has seen."

Sabre-X bowed his head to the table. After several moments, he looked up at Grarrg, but said nothing. He turned to Koji, a thin smile upon his maw. "We welcome you here, Koji," he said slowly. "Let me introduce the rest of the council." He nodded to the Flotsam. "This is Plesio, Captain of the Sea Division." The Flotsam offered a meek smile.

Attention was turned next to Grarrg. "The brute across from you is Battle Master Grarrg." Next, he looked to Kyruggi. "Kyruggi, whom you have already met, is Grand Elder, and most often the one with the best head on her shoulders. Several times has she saved us from an utter bloodbath."

"Only to lead us into another," Grarrg muttered, tapping his heavy, spiked orange tail upon the floor.

"Grarrg..." Sabre-X growled. Gazes met, both steeled, yet neither spoke. Finally, Grarrg mumbled a slight apology and sat back, tapping his claws on the table. The Lupe cleared his throat, and motioned to the Techo. "He is Tekel, Master of Spells and Potions. He spends his days in magic-rearing trances. And finally, there is..." The Lupe's voice trailed off, looking at the last place between him and Tekel, a chair which was hidden in shadow. "Where is Myncha?"

"He left," Grarrg muttered.

"When?" Sabre-X demanded.

Grarrg smirked slightly. "An hour ago, soon after you did. He heard from one of his scouts..."

..."that the Monoceraptor had risen once more from the depths of the underground."

"What?" yelled Sabre-X, making Koji jump. "But-but we--"

We didn't defeat him, Sabre-X... we merely banished the Monoceraptor, sending him back underground where he belonged. We all knew he would return someday... all of us, except you."

Grarrg smirked, once again tapping his claws on the table. "Maybe you're not strong enough or wise enough to realize that."

Kyruggi cleared her throat in a serious manner, then glared at Grarrg.

"We shall have none of that!" she snapped. "There is a newcomer joining our ranks. Whatever shall he think after seeing us act in such a way?"

"I'm sorry," said Grarrg in an unapologetic manner.

Suddenly the doors flew open and Myncha walked inside. It looked like he was gasping for breath. He came closer to the table and spoke, his eyes filled with terror.

"It's true! The Monoceraptor... he's back!"

"Where is he?" asked Grarrg rather calmly.

"He's in the jungle right now! If we don't put a stop to his reign of terror and destruction, there soon may not be a Tyrannia left to save!"...

"We can't!" Myncha replied. "There's no time! The beast is..." Before the Mynci could finish replying, a loud roar was heard coming from outside. The council members, including Koji, ran outside to see what the trouble was. There, standing before them, was the great and merciless Monoceraptor! The enormous beast dug his hoofs into the ground, watching as the Tyrannians ran to and fro.

Just then, a scream was heard coming from near the village. An Usul was trapped beneath a large branch from one of the trees the Monoceraptor had broken down. As much as she tried, the young creature could not escape, and the Monoceraptor knew this. It stood over her menacingly, licking its sharp, blade-like teeth.

"It's Uggsula!" cried Plesio. "The Monoceraptor will make a quick meal of her if we don't do something now."

"Then we must fight!" said Sabre-X. "Are you ready, Ko-!" The old Lupe saw that he had been talking to air when he turned to address Koji. Then, the Monoceraptor let out a wounded cry, as a yellow blur streaked past its face. It was Koji! He was like a bolt of lightning, striking the Monoceraptor again and again with his sabre.

However, the beast would not let a simple Neopet defeat him so easily. In an act of pure fury, the Monoceraptor struck out towards the Lupe with his hoof, but Koji quickly dodged it. He landed in front of Uggsula to protect her.

Then, Koji did a stunt that took the breath of all those present. He raised his sabre into the air and cried at the top of his lungs, "Sword of LIGHTNING!!!" Out of nowhere, a large bolt of lightning came from the sky and struck Koji's sabre. He was enveloped in a ball of light, but strangely, was not effected by it.

The Monoceraptor took one look at this, then bolted back into the jungle. Koji lowered his glowing sword, then took a quick swipe in the air. The sabre turned back to normal. He then turned to Uggsula. "Hold still," he said softly.

Uggsula shut her eyes as Koji lifted his sabre. Then, with one swipe, the large branch collapsed in two. Koji sheathed his sabre and helped the lovely Usul to her feet. "Are you hurt?" he asked.

Uggsula almost hadn't heard the question as she gazed at her hero. "No... I'm fine," she said, then clasped Koji's paw. "Oh, thank you, brave warrior! I am forever in your debt!"

Koji coughed nervously as he felt himself blushing. "That is quite all right, Miss Uggsula. As long as you are safe, I am content."

Koji turned to see Sabre-X and the council jogging towards him. "That was excellent, Koji," said Sabre-X. "Never have I seen anyone place such an attack on the Monoceraptor! He didn't even bruise you."

"Yes," said Koji. "I'm just sorry I wasted an attack. The creature doesn't seem to be very fond of lightning, does he?"

"Excellent!" cried Kyruggi. "We may have possibly found a way of fighting the Monoceraptor. What do you think of it, Grarrg? Grarrg?!?" Everyone looked around, only to be surprised when they discovered that the Grarrl was nowhere to be seen...

..."Look, people of Tyrannia! Grarrg has traveled into the forest alone to search for the Monoceraptor!" gasped a small Skeith, pointing towards the jungle. Many Tyrannians gasped, while numerous "oohs" and "ahhs" could be heard.

Koji raised a brow... was this Grarrl mad? How could he go after the Monoceraptor alone? Hadn't Koji already driven it away for the time being? Uggsula lifted a dainty paw to touch Koji's shoulder. "I'm suspicious, sir. I don't think Grarrg left for the good of Tyrannia." she mumbled softly, so only Koji could hear. He swiftly turned to face her.

"What do you mean?"

"I just have a bad feeling about him; it seems like he's always questioning Kyruggi, always casting doubt upon how she rules Tyrannia," Uggsula explained. The yellow Lupe gazed back at the forest, at the very spot where Grarrg had raced into the forest.

Koji began to run as fast as he could through the crowds. A Lenny was telling her friends how brave she thought Grarrg was, but Koji wasn't listening. He dashed into the dense jungles, with eyes narrowed. He would figure out what this foul-tempered Grarrl was really up to.

The shade of the trees provided little relief from the hot, humid day, and soon Koji was trotting along, drenched in sweat. His long, shaggy yellow coat wasn't much help, either. He was following two sets of tracks. One set was large and smelled of evil--obviously the Monoceraptor. The other was slightly smaller, but with similar features. Koji panted. The previous battle had greatly drained his strength, and he stopped to catch his breath.

As soon as he did, Koji heard a ferocious roar. Quickly getting up, the yellow Lupe dashed towards the sound, with a snarl in his throat. He heard another roar, a softer one though. Grarrg! Maybe the Grarrl had just been trying to slay the beast, and was in trouble?!? Koji ran faster, leaping over fallen trees and crushing rotting leaves below his heavy paws.

Glancing between two trees, he saw that Grarrg and the Monoceraptor were facing each other in a small clearing. Grarrg roared, and the Monoceraptor roared back. They were probably preparing to fight! Crouching, Koji was prepared to spring into action and attack the Monoceraptor, when Grarrg spoke:

"Yes, my slave, that is the roar I want when you attack the council a second time. But this time, don't go for meaningless Usuls, go for that yellow Lupe! I want him eliminated!" snarled Grarrg, the Monoceraptor nodding and roaring again. "And after that, you will destroy Sabre-X and Kyruggi." Grrarg laughed to himself. "Those pesky Lupes and that know-it-all Kryii won't survive the night..."

The great black creature reared its head, roaring loudly. Grarrg curled his lip, parting the leaves. "Little spies should come out of hiding," he hissed, stomping through the brush. "If they want to live," he added. However the other side was empty, except for for the wildlife beyond. Grarrg's eye twitched. He looked about, east, west, up, down, up... "What?!"

"HIYAAAAA!" Koji yelled, leaping from the tree branch while holding his sword aloft.

Grarrg cried out, catching the blade with both of his paws. "Hah! I think we've caught our little spy!" he declared, pulling back and letting Koji and his blade slam into the clearing that lay before them.Koji rubbed his head; there were white lights flashing everywhere. He looked at his sword and gasped, for the blade was bent. Grarrg laughed, stomping into the clear. "Monoceraptor! Finish him off! I must attend to our other friends back at the Town Hall," he said, laughing.

Koji grimaced, but found he could not get up; a heavy, unbearable weight was upon his tail, and a shadow fell upon him. Koji winced. The Monoceraptor towered over him, and his sword was ruined. Growling, he knew he could not let this ruin him. He had to warn the others about Grarrg. The Monoceraptor's hot breath could be felt on Koji's shoulders as the beast leaned forward, claws stretched out.

The young Lupe bared his teeth and raised his sword, then with all the volume he could muster, shouted, "SWORD OF LIGHTNING!" The sword sparked, but only enough to scare the Monoceraptor back; it flashed out immediately. Koji rose, and brandishing the metal he leaped over the Monoceraptor, allowing it to rise. "I will battle you another time, but right now the council is in great danger!" He let out a gasp; the lightning spells were drawing a great amount of energy from him, energy that he needed. Gulping, Koji grasped his sword hilt with both hands. He'd have to use less energy now.

"Thunder Strike!" he declared, and for a moment the sword lit up with golden flash. Just as the Lupe leapt into the air, the sabre's twisted metal struck the Monoceraptor on the neck. The great beast fell, gasping heavily. Koji fell over the beast, his breathing much the same. He felt his eyes droop, and his mind drift into unconsciousness... would he be able to get up in time? That's when he heard a familiar voice:

"Koji! You must get up! Time is of the essence, and the council is in need of your aid!"

"M-Master Ryshu?" Koji asked faintly.

"Yes, my son," Ryshu replied, "now get up!"...

..."Master... how?" Koji began to ask, looking around for Ryshu. It took so much strength to lift his head; Koji's breathing became more shallow.

"Do not concern yourself with such matters," Ryshu replied. "I'll just say that, through years of training together, the bond between us has strengthened to the point where we can communicate with our thoughts. I am not here in the flesh, but my spirit is present... to guide you."

Koji realized that Ryshu's voice was coming from the deepest reaches of his mind, yet finding a way to ring out across the clearing.

"Koji, the council desperately needs your help; you must rise... get up, Koji!" He struggled to stand. Koji's head pounded, and it was hard for him to breathe. He rose to his feet, and fought to stay upright while swaying dangerously.

"Koji, you must stay up!" cried Ryshu. "If you fall, then you'll black out... and that'll be the end for you! Grarrg will then be able to destroy the elders! The fate of Tyrannia depends entirely on you!"

"But Master Ryshu!" gasped Koji. "I have no energy left... why, I can barely stand! How am I supposed to run back to the elders and fight off Grarrg? Defeating the Monoceraptor has left me so weak... it's impossible!"

"Koji!" Ryshu declared sternly. "When you left my school to enter the world, you told me that you would approach life with open eyes and a true heart! Nothing is impossible if you do what you told me you would do."

Koji knew Ryshu was right.

"Master... thank you. I know now what I must do," Koji said. He took off at a run, through the trees, never stopping, forgetting how tired he'd been just moments ago. He crashed throught the underbrush and hurried to the Town Hall.

Koji burst into the dim building, crying out, "Grarrg has betrayed us!" However, the elders were nowhere to be found. "Sabre-X!" shouted Koji. "Uggsula! Kyruggi... where are you? Oh no!" He ran outside again. Furiously scanning the Tyrannian Plateau, he saw Grarrg and the rest of the council on the outskirts of a cave... on their way towards the Lair of the Beast!

He raced towards the cave, hearing the elder's cries grow louder and louder with every step.

"Grarrg, how could you?" asked Sabre-X.

"I order you to stop this!" cried Kyruggi. Grarrg merely grinned evilly. "Do you dare question my authority?" she asked angrily.

"As a matter of fact... YES!" he cackled, swiping his claws at her. Kyruggi crumpled to the ground. "I am ruler now!" roared the Grarrl. "You will all obey ME!!!"

Suddenly a roar sounded from inside the cave. It was the scariest thing Koji had ever heard... even more terrifying than the roars of Grarrg or the Monoceraptor. It sent a shiver down his spine, and the hot, muggy day suddenly seemed cold.

"No... Grarrg, you fool!" screamed Sabre-X. "You've awoken the beast!!!"...

With a bobbing motion, the beast lunged towards Grarrg and the elders, who barely managed to scramble out of the way. The elders then desperately ran in the direction of the Concert Hall, until Sabre-X suddenly stopped and, whirling around, pointed in the direction of the one council member who'd been left behind: their leader Kyruggi, who now laid unconscious, perilously close to where the beast now stood.

That's when Koji sprang into action. Sprinting towards the Kyrii, the young Lupe arrived just before the jaws of the beast did. He narrowly pulled her to safety by rolling behind a bush near the beast's cave, just beyond where the creature had swooped down. Frustrated by barely missing its target, it was obvious that the beast would not give up so easily.

Redirecting itself in midair, the beast turned and prepared to lunge in again. Gathering speed, the winged monster bore down on its prey. As the beast swooped down upon them, Koji did the only thing that he could do. Out of sheer desperation he reached for his sword, raising the haggard blade to the skies. Somehow, he'd managed to time the move just right, so that the sabre struck the beast just below the jawline, piercing its throat and saving them from certain doom.

Severely wounded, the beast desperately screeched as it flailed about. A grand cheer arose from the citizens of Tyrannia, who voiced their appreciation as the once-mighty creature beat a hasty retreat to its lair. Just then there was another roar, however this time it was very different from the noise made by the jubilant crowd... it was the sound of Grarrg and the Monoceraptor, who had chosen this time as their opportunity to launch another attack.

"Wake up, Kyruggi!" Koji shouted. As she started to come to, the young Lupe thrust her into the arms of Sabre-X, then turned to face the Monoceraptor. Holding up his paws and remembering the words of Master Ryshu, Koji said, "Super lighting Lupe paw!" It was the hardest technique for Lupes that he'd been taught at the Training School. Then, with a deafening roar, a bolt of lightning surged out of the sky and into Koji's paws.

The Monoceraptor didn't stand a chance. Koji blasted the monster with several punishing bursts of electricity, and the creature never knew what hit him. As the Monoceraptor fell to the ground, vanquished once and for all, the Tyrannians cheered again. In the midst of the fray, Grarrg attempted to make a run for it, but was quickly detained by Sabre-X. The day had been saved, and at last the traitorous Grarrg would be brought to justice.

Not bad for my first day out of Training School, Koji thought, then chuckled to himself.

The End