Chapter Thirteen:

Preparations

There were two days left before Kayce led an all-out attack on New Marias. In two days, we would be fighting for the future of New Marias and the world. And the outcome would decide who lived, and who died.

Now, when I told Cole that I knew how to kill Kayce, I was dead serious (excuse the pun). I'd have to blow myself up again, and bring Kayce with me. How was I gonna do that? I had no idea. Believe me, if they found some other way to kill her, I'd let them. Just as long as it didn't involve the loss of their lives. It's not like I wanna die at all—it's just that they have so many more things to live for, and if I'm part of the reason that Kayce exists, then who's to say that she won't come back if I still lived?

Lance was in intensive care nonetheless. He'd lost too much blood, but his mother told me he was gonna pull through. Helen was nearly in tears when we'd brought Lance, beaten and broken, to her clinic. I had that feeling in my heart that she hated me for endangering Lance, but she never openly showed it. Lucy and Cole had been trying to keep me away from areas that Kayce was most likely going to be, just to make sure of my safety. But I knew, one way or another, it would all come down to just me and her, just like it did for Kessler and Cole. It's inevitable.

So, I had to find a way to blow myself up. Great.

"Alec," I said as we checked over the map of New Marias, "how exactly did I blow up last time?"

Alec looked up at me, suspicious. "Why d'you wanna know?"

"I was curious—."

"Blatant lie alert," Alec cut in. "Joan, I'm not entirely sure, but the heat from your flames seemed to speed up your heart at such a pace that you blew up. Considering that you can cover yourself in flames and your heart-rate is entirely the same as when you aren't using your powers, it means you can't die that way." He shrugged. "Unless you can find a way to speed up your heart, there's no friggin' way you can blow yourself up."

I nodded in understanding, and then a thought came to me. But it only helped to make my situation a bit grimmer. "Thanks, Alec. No matter what happens, I want you to know that you're like my brother. I've always loved you as one."

Alec nodded. "Once… I thought you and I would have more of a relationship, but…" He smiled. "It seems you have someone else in mind."

"Oh, shut up!" I snapped. "Just because I hang out with Lance a lot doesn't mean that we're—!"

"I didn't say anything about Lance," Alec said, grinning. "Hey, did ya hear that? You said, 'Lance-a-lot'. Get it?"

"Curse you and your fetish with Arthurian Legends," I grumbled. "Whatever. I have to go to town for a bit. Tell me what the plans are when I get back, okay?"

Alec nodded. "I will."

I know what I have to do, I thought remorsefully. I know where I have to go.

Kayce

"Are the preparations nearly complete?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Nearly," Bertrand replied. "I'm sending battalions around New Marias. They'll counter whatever the Rebels have to offer."

I smirked. "Good." I coiled my hands around his waist. "Bertrand, through helping me you have helped God. He thanks you, and gives you His blessings."

Bertrand put his hands on mine. "I live to serve, my angel."

"I know you do, as you will in death."

Bertrand nodded. "Yes. Once I kill MacGrath, I will have nothing left to stand in my way. I will become one of God's Angels when I finally pass into Heaven."

I grinned. "You'll see those gates in no time at all, dear Bertrand."

"I should hope—." Bertrand paused. "What do you mean?"

He turned and faced me, the fear on his face starting to show. I released him and turned away, heading outside the cathedral. One I reached the doors, I glanced back. "Bertrand, say 'hello' to Kessler for me, won't you?"

"Kayce—?" His body erupted into flames, his screams filling the cathedral as ventured outside as I left it.

And now, I thought, a smile coming to my lips, the final battle will soon begin. And you, Joan MacGrath, will know the true definition of pain.

Joan

"I really, really need it," I said as seriously as I could. "I can fight and defeat the person who hurt Lance.

Helen Grey sighed and rubbed her eyes, which were puffy and red (no doubt from crying about Lance). "Lance'd kill me if I gave it to you," she said sadly.

"No, he'd kill me." I put a hand on her shoulder. "No pressure, but the future of New Marias, and the world, depends on defeating her."

Helen sat down. "Joan, did you know that Lance's father was a soldier?"

I sat down opposite her. "N-No. He's never mentioned his father."

"Lance and Kyle had a fight the day before he left for Afghanistan," Helen explained. "Kyle wanted to send Lance to military school, but Lance wanted to become a musician. I didn't know what to do. But Kyle said that when he would come back from the war, he'd speak to Lance further about it." She chuckled sadly. "Kyle was killed by a roadside bomb, just before his squad was ambushed. When Lance heard the news… Well, he still refused to go to military school, but he got this need to help people. The day he met you, he was at Gary's Garage. He'd just helped a man to get there because his car broke down, and when he came home that day, I asked if anything new happened." She smiled. "He said, 'Mom, I helped another person'. I told him that was great, and then he said, 'And I met a girl who seemed strangely annoyed with me'."

I laughed. "He was making me late for work," I explained. "We kept moving the same way when we wanted to get out of each other's way."

"He really likes you, you know." She reached into a cabinet and took out a syringe. "Whatever you can do to stop those people from ever doing this to anyone again, I'll help." She filled the syringe with the liquid I needed and handed it to me, then held my hands. "Just try to come back for Lance. I don't want him to lose anyone else important to him. I can't imagine what I would do if he didn't come home every day, smiling as he used to before his father died."

I nodded and gripped the syringe tightly. "I'll try my best, Ms. Grey."

She let out a breath of relief and patted me on the cheek gently. "Thank-you, Joan. For everything. And I want you to know that I don't blame you for what happened to Lance. You tried your best."

A few minutes later, I left Helen's clinic and looked at the syringe in my hand; filled to the brim with adrenaline.

I don't want to die, I thought. I want to live. But I won't let anyone else get hurt because of my existence. I looked up to the sky, where the stars were bright and shining. I want to live, but I can't let anyone else end up like Lance. The final battle is coming.