Author's Note: Second-Last Chapter in teh first book :3
Chapter XX.
Immortal No More.
"So the shade can be killed," Neviaan asked quietly as twelve of the aspects sat outside of one of the Xiaolin Temple's many buildings. Aleria was rushing in and out, holding bloody towels and fetching pails of hot water for Adinya and Master Kiade who were tending to Amy's injuries.
"Yeah," Jack replied anxiously, gripping his hair by the roots as he awaited the news of Amy's condition, "OH! Why did I let Adinya talk me into giving one of you that crystal!? Had I known it was gonna hurt somebody-"
"But you didn't know," Kimiko replied, trying to calm him down, "There was no way you could have known unless Adinya told you."
"I hope she's okay," Zeiva added, looking down at her feet, "And I wish that there was something we could do…"
"Stay out here and stay calm," Clay shrugged, "That's all we can do."
"Amy doesn't need twelve people fussing over her when Adinya and Master Kiade could potentially be healing her," Chase sighed, leaning against a wall, "The last thing she needs is us in there making problems."
"Well when you put it like that," Ninamori replied, rolling her eyes.
"Come on now," Kimiko sighed, "I'm sure she'll want to see us when she's recovered."
"It doesn't look good though," Raimundo added, shaking his head, "That crystal messed her up…a lot."
Aleria then came bursting out of door, holding several bloodied towels in her arms. She ran past the aspects, almost as though she had not seen them, dispite their desire to know if Amy was alright. She was gone for several moments, but returned with another bundle of clean towels.
"Aleria!" Jack shouted, half scaring the poor dragon to death, "How is Amy!? Is she going to be Okay!? Can I talk to her?!"
"Jack," Aleria panted, "I really need to get these inside to-"
"How is my sister!" Jack demanded.
"It doesn't look too good…" Aleria sighed, rushing away from them and back into the room. But as Aleria was going in, Adinya was coming out. Her violet eyes met with Jacks as she beconed him to come inside. Jack pushed the group away from him and ran into the room. He felt sick as he viewed Amy laying upon the bed across the room, her arm looking almost black at this point.
"What's wrong with her?" Jack whispered, looking horrified.
"It's the effects of the crystal," Adinya replied solemnly.
"How did this happen to her?" Jack cringed, "What did it do?!"
"The same thing it did to me," Adinya replied, pulling up her sleeve to reveal that her arm too was blackened, "What Amy used on the Shade…was a crystallized soul."
"But…" Jack began, sounding slightly confused, "I thought the Shade needed a soul to…to become whole…"
"Theoretically it's supposed to work that way," Adinya nodded, "But I believe I told you that a soul is the epitome of purity…a Shade is the epitome of darkness and evil. Taking so much darkness and combining it with so much light at one time without a transition…would have had catastrophic consequences, as you can clearly see."
"So why couldn't it have been me!?" Jack cried, "Couldn't I just heal myself anyway!?"
"No," Adinya replied, shaking her head, "All powers come with a price Jack…you may heal others, and choose to give or take life away from anyone or anything you decide, except your powers can not be used on yourself."
"So I can use them on anybody else…but me…" Jack replied, looking over towards Amy, "You're saying that if I used they crystal I would die…but because Amy used it I can save her!?"
"Yes," Adinya nodded. And with that Jack rushed over to Amy's side. He stayed absolutely silent as he placed his hands over her blackened arm. They glowed blue for only a moment, and then faded.
"Why can't I make it work this time!" Jack shouted in frustration.
"Please…" Amy whimpered, speaking for the first time in a long while, "Don't… yell… my head… is killing me…"
"You only trying physically," Adinya replied softly, "Focus Jack…" Jack took a deep breath. He placed his hands over Amy's arm again and his entire body began to glow a bright blue. Amy had begun to glow as well as her horribly discoloured arm had began to return to normal and Amy became slightly less pale. The pair ceased to shine, and almost instantly, Jack fell to the ground.
"Jack!" Amy shouted, leaning over her bed to get a glimpse of her brother, "Is he alright!?"
"He's fine," Master Kiade replied, gesturing Amy to lay back down.
"Simply fatigued by the process," Adinya replied, exiting the room. Master Kiade proped the semi-conscious Jack up upon a chair and began to fan him back to reality.
"Amy you're okay!" Ninamori chirped, rushing into the room and wrapping her arms around the neck of her best friend.
"Jack," Kimiko called, as the rest of the Aspects shuffed into the small room, "You look…awful…"
"Yeah," Jack groaned, his eyes half open, "I'm… pretty… … pretty… pretty… messed… ah…up! Yeah…that's the w-word…"
"Jack saved my life," Amy added, holding on to her formerly decaying arm.
"This is such a breakthrough!" Master Kiade exclaimed, checking Jack and Amy's vitals as she spoke, "We now have a way to defeat the shade without major harm coming to the aspects!"
"I think what happened to Amy qualifies as major harm, Master," Omi contradicted.
"But no one is going to die today!" Master Kiade chimed, forcing Jack to lie down (Jack's pride prevented him from doing things against his better judgement).
"True," Master Fung began, stepping into the room finally, with Dojo not too far behind, "But this method of disposing of the Shade is far too hazardous! We needn't endanger another aspect again."
"I couldn't agree more," Wuya added, "There's got to be a better way?" She inquired, looking towards Adinya.
"I'm afraid not," Adinya replied, shaking her head, "I discovered the crystal just in time to defeat my own Shade…sadly it was all that I had the ability to create that would have been remotely helpful."
"This is…" Chase began, looking over the situation, "less than ideal…"
"Quite," Adinya nodded, "Now if you all could please excuse me…I need to speak to Jack…alone."
"Whatever for!?" Aleria snapped, "Can you not see that he is weak!?"
"It is of a matter of grave importance," Adinya replied, looking as serious as ever, "I ask that you all leave at once." Many of the faces looked uneasily at Adinya, but they gave in to her wishes and left the room just as she had asked (they didn't think it very wise to anger her).
"Sit up," Adinya snapped as soon as everyone in the room was no longer present.
"Let me catch my breath," Jack replied, still feeling dizzy and slightly ill.
"Jack I need to speak with you about a matter of urgency," Adinya replied, sitting down upon the cot next to Jack, "As you know I created the crystallized soul and was the first to use it against a shade."
"I do…" Jack nodded.
"And you know what it can do," Adinya replied, lifting up her sleeve to reveal a shriveled and blackened arm.
"If I may," Jack replied, "What exactly happened to Amy after she used the crystal?"
"The exact same thing happening to me," Adinya replied with a weak smile, "Rapid deterioration of the body…starting in the arm she used to plunge the crystal into the Shade…if you hadn't saved her…she would have died."
"Then…" Jack replied, looking down at Adinya's arm, "What about you? Are you going to be alright? Can I fix you?"
"Jack," Adinya smiled, placing her normal hand upon his face," You are a good man… but I am afraid that it is too late for me to be saved by any effects of magic or otherwise."
"…" Jack remained silent for a few moments, "How much longer do you have?"
"Well," Adinya replied, looking down at her blackened arm, "I am not entirely sure… I am, in fact, looking for a way to reverse the effects of the crystals upon the user, but I am having no luck…it looks like my days will be numbered soon enough."
"Adinya," Jack replied, placing his hand upon her shoulder, "You're one of the most powerful forces in the universe…surely…there has to be something that you can do?"
"One would only think," Adinya replied, "But as it would seem…I am to be immortal no more…" At this point, tears began to form in Adinya's eyes. Jack couldn't think of anything else to do, so he let her lay upon his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.
"There's got to be a way," Jack replied, looking down at the immortal.
"I've already told you," Adinya sniffed, "It's not possible…I'm afraid that it's true what they say…that all good things must come to an end…the same applies to me apparently."
"I will figure out a way to save you," Jack replied, looking into her eyes, "If I need to reverse the damage that Heiba did…than what better way than by getting rid of the Shade and finding a cure for you at the same time."
"Jack," Adinya replied, looking touched and overwhelmed, "You are truly astounding…but I did not come here to sulk so you could find a way to prevent my death…"
"Then what did you come here for?" Jack inquired.
"I came to tell you," Adinya began, rising to her feet, "That when I do die…which may be very soon, I want you to be the next High Councilman…"
"I can't do that," Jack replied, shaking his head, "I couldn't do that…Adinya stop acting like this is the end-"
"Enough," Adinya interrupted, "Jack this is my final wish…do as you like in the meantime…but I am leaving the position of High Councilman to you…"
"Adinya," Jack sighed, "So leaving me the crystal…giving me the key…teaching me all about the underworld…purgatory…that was-"
"Yes," Adinya replied, "Normally I would have just given one of the other dragons the crystal and sent you on your way…but I needed to teach you those things, for when you finally become the Councilman."
"Adinya," Jack sighed, "I'm having difficulty believing all of this…"
"Jack," Adinya smiled, "You must know that everything I have done since you became an aspect…it was all for you."
"I don't know what to say," Jack replied.
"Don't say anything," Adinya smiled, "Just accept my offer."
"…" Jack stood silent for another moment and just kept his thoughts to himself, "No…" He replied sternly, "I'm not letting you just give up and get ready to die…you're still High Councilwoman Shadowheart…so as long as you're still alive and breathing… you're going to continue acting like her… and you're going to keep fighting until the moment you die! Promise me!"
"I promise," Adinya smiled, taking Jack's hands in hers.
"Good," Jack smiled, "Because I believe that we still have work to do!" Jack and Adinya exited the room and walked on to the temple gardens where they found everyone whispering and buzzing to one another about what Adinya need to speak with him about.
"Is everything all right?" Aleria chirped, striding up to the pair.
"Everything's going to be okay," Adinya smiled, placing her hand upon Jack's shoulder.
"So," Raimundo began, after there was a long and uncomfortable silence from all parties, "Now what?
"Find the Shen-Gong Wu," Adinya replied, "Fight the Shade, and continue to do as you were."
"Sounds good," Amy replied, "But what happens if using the crystals isn't enough…or if Jack can't save the next person?"
"Then we will cross that bridge when we come to it," Omi replied, "Our apparent goals are still clear!"
"Omi is right," Chase nodded, "As much as I hate to admit it…but none the less as long as we have the key and we keep it safe, we can hold of Sayuri and her forces and prevent her from building up her army."
"Then I shall leave you to your business," Adinya nodded as she summoned a portal back to the Spirit Council, "Master Fung! Dojo…come along…"
"But…" Omi interrupted, "Why must they go?"
"Because Omi," Master Fung replied, "I am needed within the Spirit Council, Dojo as well…I believe that Master Kiade is more than capable of teaching. I put my trust in her and I believe that you should as well."
"But Dojo," Kimiko pleaded, "Why do you have to go too?"
"Because," Dojo replied, heading towards the portal behind Adinya and Master Fung, "Dragons are powerful magical creatures, and there aren't many of us left…so the Council needs insight from creatures like Aleria and I. My being with the Spirit Council is more helpful than you could imagine!"
"I left Aleria to you because she carries less experience in the field of Shen-Gong Wu," Adinya explained before she stepped through the rift, "I need Dojo's knowledge of them combined with Heiba's research in order to fully understand them…I hope you understand."
"We understand Adinya," Raimundo sighed as the group watched Dojo and Master Fung fade into the haze.
"We'll see them again," Clay replied confidently as his comrades looked less-so, "I know we'll see them again…someday."
"Oh and Jack!" Adinya shouted as the portal re-appeared and Adinya stepped on to the Temple grounds, "I forgot to tell you something important!" She gestured him to come to her and after he did so, she whispered into his ear.
"Don't think that my circumstance is going to keep me from keeping an eye on you," She whispered, "I'm watching and if I see any acts done by you that are less than favorable-"
"I got it," Jack replied with a smile, "I promise I'll be a good boy…"
"You all have a good night then!" Adinya smiled, winking at Master Kiade, who had a smile printed across her face.
"What was that all about?" Chase inquired, whispering to Wuya.
"Who knows," Wuya shrugged, "Maybe we're having a celebration party!"