Chapter XX: True Power
After Cain calmed DG down to a point Glitch and Azkadellia sat down with both of them in the living room to discuss the problem at hand. Cain had moved to sit on the couch and DG sat over his lap with her head on his shoulder. Azkadellia sat next to Glitch on the smaller couch and looked at DG with concern.
"How could he have gotten to this side?" Glitch wondered and pondered as he looked from the floor to the ceiling in search for an answer.
"What I want to know if how he knew to come to this side in the first place," Cain growled and would check with the guards as soon as he got back to the palace. The only ones who knew where they were sent were the royal guards in charge of the immediate royal family and the royal family themselves.
"Maybe that's why I had that stabbing feeling last night," DG thought out loud and pushed her head further into Cain's shoulder, "Maybe that was him breaking through to this side."
"Now that he's on this side we have to be more cautious about the people around us," Cain said with a sigh and looked down at DG, "Even those friends of yours. We don't know whether or not he has decided to go after them to get to you."
DG nodded sadly. She didn't want her friends to suffer. By coming over to this side she put their lives in danger. Hopefully Soren didn't know who she had connections to on this side and couldn't reach them.
"What happened in the dream you had, Deeg?" Azkadellia asked to bring DG out of her worried daze.
"I'm not even sure that it was a dream," DG looked at the ceiling, "I was walking through the fog banks like I had when I was in limbo waiting for you, Cain, to wake me up. But this time I didn't have anyone around me; it was just me walking through a dense fog."
"Did you feel any pain in your chest?"
"No," DG shook her head, "I just felt normal. It's like I just traveled into some clouds or something."
"The last time you traveled there you were almost dead," Azkadellia reminded her.
"Yeah, but I guess I was so tired I was thrown back into it just like Soren can walk into other sub-consciousness," DG explained. She paused and looked at Azkadellia for a moment before drawing in a deep breath, "I saw dad."
"You saw Popsicle in limbo?" Azkadellia tilted her head to the side.
"No, father," DG leaned her head toward her sister a little for her to get it. Azkadellia's face frozen for a moment when she realized the connection.
"How? How could he have been there?"
"I don't know exactly, but he was stabbed by the blade," DG explained, "He is stuck there until Soren either passes on voluntarily to the next life or until he completes his goal and gets me."
"Which is not going to happen," Cain said right after her.
DG smirked a little to herself, "That's what dad told me."
"Are you sure it was dad and not your imagination or your mind trying to awaken something that was dead?" Azkadellia pressed on.
"It was dad," DG nodded, "I was sure of it. No imaginary man could take the place of dad like that."
"What if we can't get Soren to pass over voluntarily?" Azkadellia asked with worry in her voice.
"Dad said he would be in limbo as long as Soren is since he was the one to stab him," DG explained and shook her head, "I tried to use the emerald on him."
"On who?" Glitch asked.
"It brought me back, I thought that it may be able to bring my dad back too," DG reasoned, "It didn't work. I wanted it to work so badly."
"Where did you see father?" Azkadellia asked.
"My mind conjured up a piece of the O.Z. and he was flying his balloon over it," DG chuckled a little to herself even though she was still upset, "He said he was pretty content with his flying."
"He always was," Azkadellia nodded with her own sad smile.
"He told me to get away. To wake up," DG said sadly again, "Soren showed up out of now where and my dream version of the O.Z. fell away. He began to fight with dad and dad told me to run. To wake up so Soren wouldn't catch me."
"His majesty always was one to figure out ways to protect you girls through every avenue necessary," Glitch nodded and hugged his wife beside him, "Are you okay, Azkadee?"
"Yeah," she nodded, "We need to prepare. Soren will use whatever and whoever he can to come a get you DG. We have to make sure that we are ready when he does come for you."
DG reluctantly nodded, "But what else can we do except wait for his first attack?"
"I don't know, little sister," she shook her head sadly, "But we're together. And when we are together-"
"Nothing can harm us," DG finished for her sister, "I know."
At the other end of the room the phone started to ring and Cain had his revolver out and pointed at it in no time flat. DG put a hand over his and had him lower his weapon. She looked over at Glitch who had nearly jumped on her sister to protect her.
"It's okay, guys," DG shook her head and got off of Cain's lap, "It's just the telephone. Remember? I told you it's how a lot of people communicate on this side."
"Could have warned us it was going to be that loud," Cain grumbled as she walked away, "Could have shot the damn thing into next week."
DG walked to the phone and picked up the receiver, "Hello?"
"DG! Oh, God, I'm glad you're home," Tiff sounded out of breath and a little shaky on the other end of the call.
"Tiff? What's wrong? It sounds like you just ran a marathon," DG frowned and the other three looked over at her a little concerned.
"It's Jared," she said simply.
"What about him?" DG frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. The last thing she needed to deal with right now was past boyfriends wanting to kick up dust and cause a problem. She had enough of those on her own.
"No, it's complicated, D," Tiff shook her against the phone as if DG would see it.
"How so?"
"He's different," Tiff whispered and closed her eyes, "I don't know how else to explain it. He just stopped by to ask where you might be."
"Did you tell him?"
"Of course not," she huffed, "I didn't like the way he was acting. But DG, he knows where your parent's farm house is and that's where you said you were staying while you were in town."
"Why did he act weird? What did he do?"
"He just stood there," she paused, "He had this look in his eye like he wasn't Jared. At least not all of him was Jared. His body was rigid and he had this calm, serene look on his face like he was high on something."
"Okay, Tiff. Thanks for telling me."
"Are you going to go back to see your mom?" Tiff asked.
"Pretty soon," DG nodded with the phone, "I think there are a few things to take care of first. Take care of yourself, Tiff."
"Bye, DG," the click seemed deafening to DG. She put the phone back on the hook and looked out the side window. She saw a small cloud of dust being kicked up by a small sports car in the distance.
"DG? What's going on?" Cain asked and stood up to stand behind her.
"He's using Jared," DG reported and looked back at him and then tilted her head toward the window, "And I think he's here."
Outside the house and few a few yards from the porch, Jared climbed out of his car with something in his hand. The silver flashed from the metal as he moved closer to the porch and to her. He paused momentarily to look at the farm house and then at the specific windows as if to plan an invasion. He looked over the upper level that was DG's bedroom from Jared's memories and then he moved to the first story windows. DG watched him and he locked eyes with her immediately.
He smiled and titled his head to the side, "DG. You need to come outside. We have to talk."
She took a deep breath and stared back into his eyes, "That isn't Jared. That's Soren."
Cain stepped back from the window and pulled DG back by her arm. He set her back on the far couch with her sister. Glitch stood up next to Cain and began to ask him for information on the situation.
"What's going on? If I'm here to protect, I got to know the specifics here," Glitch asked as Cain walked around to find a few items.
"Soren has control over DG's old beau," Cain said shortly as he got his hat and checked the ammo he had in his weapon, "It looks like he brought a new knife with him this time."
"I read somewhere that it had the power for him to use another knife as if he had the Slayer of Hearts in his hand."
"Then that's what he has planned," Cain nodded and popped his ammo in.
"Cain," DG called to him and he knelt down in front of her. She looked him in the eyes, "I know you aren't planning on going out there to face him."
"Someone has to and hell knows, it's not going to be you," he said with a nod of his head. She looked at his neck and noticed the silver locket that still was around his neck. He had gotten a thicker- and she had to admit more manly- chain to hang it from. She picked it up, "You're still wearing it."
"So you'll always be with me."
"You can't kill him, Cain," she shook her head, "As much of a jack ass Jared is, he is just being played by a very bad guy. He's still an innocent in this."
Cain took a deep breath and nodded, "But if there is no other way… I won't let that psycho get to you."
"Princess! Come out, come out where ever you are!" a voice shouted from beyond the front porch.
DG looked over Cain's shoulder and then back in his eyes, "Don't you get hurt out there."
"I'll try," he smiled and stood up. Both men walked out the front door and DG and Azkadellia held their hands tightly together and prayed that safety followed them.
"Ah, so the protectors of the future O.Z. come to face me," Soren laughed through Jared's voice, "And look how well you blend in to the people here. It's amazing what a new set of clothes will do."
"You aren't going to win, Soren," Cain called out to him, "DG is back in a place you will never reach her."
"So says you, Tin Man," he laughed.
DG stood up from Azkadellia and looked through the peep hole of the door to watch the fight unfold. Azkadellia slowly followed behind her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"DG, we shouldn't be this close."
"I feel so useless," DG frowned, "I have my magic back. I should use it. I should be out there fighting by Cain's side."
"You put yourself out there and you are an easy target," Azkadellia reminded her.
"And so are Cain and Glitch," DG pounded her fist against the door.
"Where is my lovely bride, by the way?" Soren asked, "In sitting safely with her sister. With the advisor here I bet that his wife isn't all that far away."
Glitch kept his frown on his face.
"I bet they're just trying to reserve their power together," Soren thought to himself, "Let's bring DG out. She's the life of the party after all."
"I'm not letting you bring her out here, Soren," Cain stepped in front of the door.
"I don't think that's really your choice," Soren held up the large blade that he had brought from Jared's house and twisted it to the side. Only a moment later, DG was pulled against her will through one of the front windows and out to the front lawn.
"DG!" Azkadellia yelled after her sister.
"Az! Stay in the house!" Glitch yelled back at her.
Cain jumped from the porch and down to DG who was laying pretty still in the small patches of grass. He kept his eyes trained on Soren, but rolled DG on her side, careful not to dig in any more pieces of glass into her body.
"DG?" he asked and she groaned.
"Remind me that jumping through glass windows aren't as great as it seems in the movies," she groaned and hissed from some of the cuts on her arms and legs. She looked up at Soren and brought up her hand to shoot some magic at him when nothing shot from her fingers.
"Having problems with your powers again, princess?" Soren taunted her and tilted the knife back and forth in his hand.
"You didn't even touch me," DG said and pulled a piece of large glass from her arm.
"No, but you were cut by me through the magic," he reminded her and pointed at the cuts from the window, "Which is the same effect as if cut by the Slayer of Hearts. Magic is a fun little tool, isn't it?"
"Bastard," DG grunted.
"Now, it's time to finally let you choose," Soren laughed to himself and looked over DG and Cain, "Give it up, princess. You are mine, you were always mine. Give in or die. If you do not come to me, you will waste away. It is the curse of the blade. Even if you evade me and live with Cain, your body will deteriorate with in three months of leaving my side."
DG was about to retort that she would rather die when she swiped her hand over her lower stomach. She had the baby. If she died than the baby would die before it was even born. She looked up into Cain's eyes and noticed that he knew the same facts. He looked into her eyes and she knew what he about to ask of her. He wanted her and the baby safe at any cost.
"Don't you dare," she whispered to him and shook her head slightly, "Don't you dare ask me to go with him."
"I'll lose you both," he whispered back and put a hand on top of hers which still floated over her stomach, "And I am not strong enough to watch you die again. Please don't ask me to watch that again."
"You will never lose me," she pointed into his chest and pushed back on the locket still around his neck, "I'm not giving up hope."
Cain popped his head up and looked at Soren, "Why does it have to be DG? Why is it so important that you have her?"
"She's mine to take!" Soren turned the blade and the tattoo on DG's chest burned bright. She cried out and fell forward from the slight pain.
"Stop it!" Cain yelled at him.
"She'll always be mine. I love her," Soren said with a smile.
Glitch ran from the porch and tried to land a shot in Soren's jaw. Soren saw him coming and shot his hand holding the blade in front of him, sending Glitch flying back toward the porch and landing on top of the porch furniture.
Cain looked away from where Glitch landed and back at DG. Tears were starting to form in her eyes and he could feel her starting to shake against him. He tore his eyes away from her and looked back up at Soren, "If you love her, why are you so intent on hurting her?"
"It's the only way that she listens," he whispered.
"You shouldn't have to hurt someone you love to have them listen to you," DG said through the pain of the blade. She looked up while she still held her chest, "That's something that you learn in a relationship. If that person truly loves you, they will learn how to listen and how to understand how you feel. You shouldn't have to hurt them to do so… And once you find that one that you love, you never mean to hurt them at all."
"You don't know love!" Soren yelled at her, "You've never known love because he never loved me!"
"I know love better than anyone I have ever known!" DG yelled back, "I know the love of being a daughter. I know the love of a sister, and a friend…" she looked at Glitch and found Azkadellia trying to make it out the door to him.
"Anyone who has friends knows that love, the same of siblings," he called back.
"I know the love of a place that I never knew existed until months back when I stumbled upon it," she thought back to the O.Z., "I know the love of it's people and the faith that they gave to a complete stranger turned princess."
"You were born to rule!"
She then turned to Cain and looked him in the eyes, "And I know the love of a lover and a soul mate… A love that lasts through everything no matter how impossible it is said to be."
"Not if you don't love me," he continued, "You were promised to me."
"The DG back then was promised to you," DG let out a sob as the pain had started to burn, "She died at the hands of the witch much like your parents did. Please, don't let more innocents die…"
"The only innocence that would die today would be this boy I have taken," Soren shouted into the air, "He wanted you too, princess. So badly he wanted you too."
"He's not the only innocence!" DG cried and hugged herself. She looked up to lock eyes with Soren, "You kill me, you kill the innocent life in me! I cannot allow that!"
"You're… with child?" the knife in his hand shook a little at the realization and he shook his head, "No, you can't be."
"It's true!" Cain shouted at him, "She's carrying the next princess of the O.Z. If you go through with this you are not only killing her- you're killing her child as well."
"That should be my child!" Soren was the one that was about to cry. He continued to grip and re-grip the handle of the knife, "I am the one you were to love forever! I love you!"
"Then if you love me, like you say- and I mean truly love me, then let me go," DG felt weak and the pain in her chest was over whelming. She began to lay further to the grass and Cain tried to keep her up, "For my baby… please, don't let my baby die."
"DG!" Cain held her head and looked into her eyes which were fluttering open and close, "Don't do this to me again. Please not again! DG!"
Soren looked on as Cain tried to revive the struggling DG. Tears were in the Tin Man's eyes, just like before. His heart was breaking beyond repair. And Soren was cold. So cold.
If you love me… truly love me…
"But I do…" he faltered in his thoughts and thought back to the times as a child. He and DG would climb trees and rocks as children. He remembered picking a flower for her and putting it in her hair as a gesture of what they would have as adults. He was the perfect gentleman to her and her sister. He loved her so much back then. But she was so different now. Was she right? Did that girl die so many years ago? Did it matter as long as it was still DG?
"Is she happy?"
Soren's mind shut out all the noises except for the voice of the old man back in the cave. Soren tilted his head to the side, "What?"
"Is she happy now, with the man she loves?"
"She says she is and everyone agrees around her," Soren repeated his answers from what seemed so long ago.
"Then why take her happiness away only to satisfy your own if you truly love her the way you say? Leave her to have her happiness. Let her love who she does. If it is meant to be she will come to you. But never force, for that is not love, but greed… Envy… Malice… All that will destroy you…"
Soren slowly came back to the present and looked at Cain over DG. She was barely hanging on. She put a weak hand against the side of Cain's cheek with a slight smile on her face even through the pain and his tears. He cried over her and tried to keep her with him. Cain was willing to let her go to save her and their child. He would rather see her survive than have her slowly die in his arms and save his heart the immediate pain.
"Set her free from your heart and you will love again."
"You were almost completely right, old man," Soren said to himself, "But I lost my own love when I was six years old."
Soren closed his eyes and dropped the knife from his hands. DG took a deep breath of fresh Kansas air in and the glowing on her chest stopped. She looked up at Cain who had tears on either side of his face, "I don't feel it anymore."
She and Cain both looked over at Soren and saw a dazed looking Jared with a dropped knife by his feet. Cain held DG up against him and they both watched carefully.
"You're right, DG," Soren said with more of Jared's voice than his own, "The little girl I used to love isn't the woman she grew to be. That woman belongs to another who does deserve her truly."
"Why the sudden change of heart?" Cain asked from behind DG.
"Something that an old man once told me," Soren nodded, "I had my own demons to fight before I saw what was really in front of me."
"Now what?" DG asked him.
"Now I release myself to where ever I need to go," Soren looked at her as she stood unsteadily against Cain. He sighed and let out a small sob, "I've caused so much more pain than I have ever experienced. I didn't feel love. I felt something darker. I'm sorry, DG. I'm sorry to all of you. I deserve to walk the fog banks for all eternity."
DG looked at him and then back at Cain. She smiled reassuring Cain and walked to Soren. She hugged him around his shoulders and whispered in his ear, "I forgive you."
As she backed away he smiled. Truly smiled and she was reminded of the little boy from another life. She walked back to Cain and they both watched as Soren closed his eyes and suddenly they were open once more. This time they opened as Jared's.
"What's going on?" he asked and looked at DG, Cain and the mess in the front yard, "What happened?"
"Another twister," Cain told him, "Blew out one of the windows. Thanks for coming here trying to tell us."
DG smiled up at her Tin Man. He was catching on.
"Are you okay, DG?" Jared asked, apparently lost and had forgotten all about Soren ever coming into his dreams.
"Yeah, I'm great," DG nodded. Jared nodded back and quickly got into his car to check on the rest of his family and friends in town.
DG turned to Cain about to ask the same thing when he turned to her with her ear cuff in hand, "You forgot something."
Azkadellia finally made it out to Glitch and helped him to sit up.
"That was a hit that would definitely bust a zipper if I still had one," Glitch frowned as Azkadellia felt the bump on the back of his head. He shook his head and looked at the damage and then saw DG and Cain standing alone in the front yard, "What happened?"
"I guess the tale was right," Azkadellia smiled, "True love is power."