Chapter 18. Final Battle

"Your time is up, pesky pup" Mayor Humdinger said. "I don't think so!" an angry voice came. Ryder leaped onto the VampireWolf, sending Mayor Humdinger flying off. "Catch him and hold him because I'm gonna deal with him after this battle" Ryder said. The crowd gasped in extreme shock."Who is that?" Rocky asked. Chase joined the crowd and the pups immediately when he was freed. "Right away!" Bruno barked and grabbed Mayor Humdinger."Let me go!" Mayor Humdinger said in a panic. "You're staying here" Bruno growled in his face. He put a paw on Mayor Humdinger's chest and pressed down strongly, so he won't escape.

"I will not let you hurt my pups!" Ryder growled, standing a few feet infront of the crowd with the VampireWolf standing on the opposite end."Ryder, is that you?" Chase asked. "Yes, it's me" Ryder tilted his head to his pup. "WHAT?" Chase gasped. When the VampireWolf roared, grabbing Ryder's attention. "Time for full power!" Ryder howled.His whole body started activating its powers. The crowd moved back to watch the fight. Ryder's eyes started glowing more brighter, his claws went on blue flames, strands of fur on his back started lighting up and emitting electricity, and that's when lightening slowly started zapping from his fur.

"The fire is getting closer!" Captain Turbot warned. Ryder swatted a paw in the air, cool wind blew and blue flames started taking over the orange ones."So that explains where those blue flames came from the last time" Marshall said. "Pups, we're a team and we're gonna fight this battle together. Gear up into mighty pups" Ryder commanded. "On it, Ryder sir!" Chase barked. The pups ran off to put the meteor inside the Lookout.

The VampireWolf leaped in the air and at Ryder. Ryder leaped at it and they performed an air collision. The two collided into one another and crashed to the ground. Ryder raked his claws through the VampireWolf's fur. The VampireWolf lashed his claws at Ryder's snout. More lightening started zapping from Ryder. Lightening electrocuted the VampireWolf. The beast roared out in pain and gave run toward the bay. Ryder got up and bounded after him.

The VampireWolf was trapped when he reached the dead end of the beach which was the sea. Suddenly a wave as large as a tsunami came at the VampireWolf. "Get ready to feel the wave!" Zuma barked. Skye flew down and formed a whirlwind around Ryder to fly him out of the waves way."Thanks Skye" Ryder thanked. "Ryder, are you gonna be a wolf-dog forever?" Skye asked. "Nope, I have a gem that is capable of returning me into a human" Ryder explained. "That's awesome" Skye said.

The wave fell onto the VampireWolf, soaking him completely. The mighty wave also recked the beach, turning the sand into mud. The VampireWolf was dizzy and confused and soaked. "I got this!" Chase barked. In a flash, he ran up to the soaked and angry beast and then started running all around him to make him even more dizzy. Chase then stopped and backed off, allowing Ryder to come in. Ryder jumped on the VampireWolf and started raking his claws into the beast flesh. The dizzy monster shook his head and roared out in pain and pure anger.

He whipped around and clamped his jaws on Ryder's neck. Ryder tried pulling free but there was no use. "Rubble, charge up!" Ryder commanded.Rubble hit paws with Rocky who was standing near him and he was immediately charged up. "Let's wreck and roll!" Rubble barked. He rolled into a yellow ball and went rolling at the VampireWolf.His super strength knocked the VampireWolf off of Ryder's neck. The VampireWolf got up again, he was not willing on giving up easily.He stomped his paws on the ground, causing it to rumble. The ground split fast, leaving a wide gap between Ryder and the VampireWolf. "Rocky, build a bridge so I can cross over" Ryder said.

"Green means glow!" Rocky said. His large green energy tools appeared and he started moving his paws in the direction he wanted the tools to go in.In a few seconds, he built a bridge out some random wood that was lying around. Ryder ran across the bridge and jumped on the VampireWolf. "We're ending this now" Ryder said. He went into full power mode and started fighting with full force. His claws raked through the beast fur and flesh, sending blood flying everywhere. His lightening zapped and shocked the VampireWolf.The beast finally had enough and tried to make a run for the bridge. "Marshall, burn the bridge" Ryder commanded. "I'm ready for a red hot rescue!" Marshall barked.

He ran toward the wooden bridge, his paws started glowing red and then he placed them on the wooden bridge. The heat started burning the bridge, until it was black and then it fell. Ryder suddenly got an idea. He knew that if he swallowed the beast toxic blood, then he would go ill but if he didn't swallow it, he would be fine. Ryder clamped his jaws on the VampireWolf's neck to suffocate him to death.

The VampireWolf tried putting Ryder's fur on fire with his flaming claws but Ryder's fur is fireproof so it didn't work. Nobody could see what was going on from how much lightening and rays were surrounding the two. They were just hoping that this would end soon and Ryder wound come out safe.The VampireWolf started losing oxygen which put his body into panic mode. He tried fighting harder but that only made him more tired. He started feeling unconscious and that's when his muscles started relax and give up. The VampireWolf fell to the ground, closing his eyes slowly. He was dead. Ryder let go, taking in deep breathes and trying to regain his energy. "I killed him" he whispered. His power started retreating and soon everyone was able to see him.

Ryder walked over to the bay and rinsed his mouth of the VampireWolf's blood. "Rocky, build the bridge again" he said. "On it" Rocky said.The bridge was rebuilt and Ryder crossed to the other side where his pups, his animal friends, and a huge crowd were. "Bring Mayor Humdinger to me" Ryder said. Bruno pushed Mayor Humdinger infront of Ryder. "Thanks for killing that thing. He was always lurking around Foggy Bottom.....Ryder shoved Mayor Humdinger to the muddy ground."You can't lie to someone who has already seen the truth. You rode that beast to Adventure Bay and commanded him to kill Chase. Now tell me how did you tame the VampireWolf? The VampireWolf dislikes humans" Ryder growled in his face.

"H-he's not the actual VampireWolf" Mayor Humdinger said. Everybody gasped in shock. "I tamed a black wolf and then created an injection to make him crazy like that. I injected the wolf and then he turned into that." "So you're telling me that you used a poor innocent animal and injected him with whatever you made?" Ryder questioned. "Y-yes" Mayor Humdinger answered. "Your under arrest. I've had enough with you" Ryder then zapped the mayor with one of his electric claws. "Ouch!" Mayor Humdinger cried.

Ryder freed Mayor Humdinger. The mayor knew he couldn't escape with all these people around. "Now is the moment where I can return to my human form" Ryder said. Ryder's animal friends walked up to him. "I'm gonna really miss you, Ryder" Bruno said. "Me too. I'm gonna miss all of you. It was great being you guys friends. You guys helped me survive out there. Without you guys, I would've been lost and lonely" Ryder said.They all gathered around Ryder in a group hug, then they backed off. Ryder looked at the gem which was hanging from his neck. He took in a deep breath. Everyone held their breath and watched nervously.

"Return me to my human form" Ryder said. The gem started glowing, it's light started getting more and more intense by the second. Blue and white rays of light surrounded Ryder. "It's working!" the pups cheered. "Ryder! Ryder! Ryder!" everyone chanted. In the ball of light, Ryder was turned back into his human form. The light faded, leaving Ryder standing there. Tears swelled up in Chase's eyes and ran over to his owner and jumped on him. He started getting so emotional, he couldn't lick Ryder, he just wrapped his paw around Ryder's neck in a hug.

"You're not dead" he whispered, "I thought you were dead. I thought I lost you." "Chase, your never gonna lose me" Ryder was now getting emotional also but he held everything in. The other pups broke the hug by jumping in and licking Ryder on the face. Ryder laughed as their ticklish tongues went across his face. "Give him some air, before you suffocate him" Skye said. The pups backed off and let Ryder get up."RYDER IS ALIVE!" Mayor Goodway cheered. The whole crowd erupted in cheers for Ryder.

After the cheers went down, Ryder and his pups shifted their attention to Mayor Humdinger. "It's time for you to go to prison" Ryder said. "You're just a little kid! How do you have the power to put a mayor in prison?" Mayor Humdinger asked."Excuse me" Chase said."Ryder is no ordinary kid. He has a lot of authority and he has the power to put you in prison because of me. I'm an official cop even though I'm a pup!" "That is absolutely right" Mayor Goodway said. "Now go to your awaiting cell."

Ryder and his pups brought Mayor Humdinger to his cell and Ryder locked it with a key and took the key with him. Before heading back to the Lookout, Ryder said goodbye to his animal friends and they ran off to the wild back to their home.

Word count: 1,660Date of publication: February 14, 2022