Mad Jack and Antonia waited impatiently for Joe to hand over The Book so they could report back to the higher ups. Mad Jack was uneasy around Antonia. He was mad sure, but there was something darker about Antonia. And crazier. She stood glaring at the palace as if she could burn it down with her very eyes.
"So," He said, trying to fill the silence. "How long have you been with the organization?"
"We're not here to talk, we're here to get The Book." Antonia growled.
"Ugh, I don't understand why we can't just go in there and take it. We have all this!" Mad Jack gestured to the small army of volucris behind them. "He's just one person."
"One very powerful person and an entire conglomerate of magicians." Antonia mumbled fingering a dark marking on her neck. "And don't underestimate your nephew. He's a lot more powerful than you think."
Mad Jack frowned and went back to watching the palace doors. Joe hadn't gotten that powerful had he? He had known him since he was a puny little runt for goodness sake! Joseph was just too slippery for him to catch all those years ago.
Suddenly, Mad Jack's pocket watched started beeping. A wicked smile spread across his face.
"Looks like time's up dear nephew." He smirked and turned to Antonia. "Shall we rip The Book from his hands now?"
He expected Antonia to be excited, or at least look ready to go, but instead she was peering at the palace with a suspicious look on her face.
"Antonia-"
"Something's not right." She cut him off. "I can feel something happening. I think-"
The ground suddenly exploded in a bright yellow burst of light. Mad Jack screamed as he was thrown back from the eruption and his scream mixed with several of the volucris as they were destroyed. Then the air was filled with even more explosions, smoke, and bursts of magic.
"Get up you fool!" Antonia shrieked at him. "Get back on your blasted bird and attack! If it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get!"
Christophe and a few others sent another shock wave of yellow magic through the ground. Joe was relieved to see that the first explosion had killed a section of the volucris, but he wished that it had been more. From the balcony Joe signaled for the weaker magicians hidden on the roof to start firing more magic in order to confuse them. He saw Mad Jack attempt to scramble back on top of the giant volucris and Antonia climbed behind him, signaling the volucris to begin flying towards the palace. She herself fired a blast of dark magic that shook the entire palace.
The battle had officially begun.
"Good job." Joe nodded to the magicians with him. "Now, cease fire and get to the ground so we can really start this battle."
"I still don't see why you're in charge." Christophe grumbled. "You should have just taken the Council's advice and given them The Book."
Joe ignored him completely and brushed him aside to get to Joleena and Anna who were waiting patiently for his next orders.
"Anna," He said. "I need you and the archers to get to the roof and try and hit as many volucris as possible. Aim for their wings so they can't fly and over power us."
"Got it!" Anna raced up to the roof, followed by the royal archers.
"And what would you like me to do?" Joleena asked.
"Since you won't consider staying in the castle, I want you with me." Joe grabbed her hand and held it tightly. "We're going after Antonia and Mad Jack ourselves."
Red and black volucris were shot down from the sky and came crashing to the earth. That didn't stop them from blasting everything around them though. Blasts of fire and ice tore up the ground. Magicians and skilled fighters fought back the best they could but Joe could still hear their screams of pain.
For a moment Joe regretted sending his friends back home, regretted starting this battle, and even regretted not just giving into Mad Jack's demands. But then he glanced back at Joleena who was running close beside him, and he felt a surge of confidence from her gaze. Joe refocused and spotted Mad Jack and Antonia flying high above them on the giant volucris. Antonia was alternatively blasting away at the palace's foundation and walls trying to destroy it.
"We have to get up there somehow." Joleena tried to yell above the noise.
Joe nodded, biting his lower lip in thought. Then a grin spread across his face as he remembered a beautiful night in Paris, what seem like a lifetime ago, when Joleena first showed him the true magic of love.
"Joleena," He said grabbing her hands, "do you remember our last night in Paris? When we finally said we loved each other?"
"You're bringing this up now!?" She said incredulously.
"Just trust me." Joe pulled her close and focused on the love they shared, converting the energy to magic. "Do you love me?"
Joleena closed her eyes and focused her magic as well. "Yes."
And just like that night, Joe felt something indescribable take place between them and suddenly they were airborne. Their magic mixed and shone brightly in shades of purple and green as they soared through the sky heading directly to Mad Jack and Antonia.
"Can you focus enough energy to blast them?" Joe asked.
"Oui." Joleena briefly closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they were glowing bright purple. "Just say when."
Joe watched and waited carefully. Mad Jack and Antonia didn't seem to even know that he and Joleena were tailing them. But there was still a few volucris in the sky and Joe had to wait until they had the perfect shot.
"Now!" He yelled.
Joleena fired a blast of magic from her eyes and hit the giant volucris directly. Mad Jack and Antonia yelled out in surprise as they suddenly went toppling out of the sky in a bout of green smoke and purple flames. Antonia recovered first, cushioning her fall with a cloud of her dark magic, but Mad Jack landed flat on his face.
"Ow," Mad Jack whined as he stood up. "You could have broken something you know."
"Quiet." Antonia growled.
Joe and Joleena landed, still hand clasped, in front of them. Mad Jack glared at Joe with a mixture of wariness and annoyance, and Antonia stared at Joleena with pure hatred.
"You and the wanna be Warp Wizard will regret this fight, whore." Antonia spat at Joleena.
"You're the one who'll regret this." Joe growled back.
Antonia gave a scream of rage and fired a blast of her magic just as Mad Jack raised his staff and fired as well. Without needing a word from Joe, Joleena created a shield around both of them. Before the smoke had a chance to clear, they both ran out firing their own magic at them. Antonia easily shielded most of the blasts, but Mad Jack was easily pushed back.
"Stand your ground you fool!" Antonia snapped at him.
"I'm trying, stop yelling at me!" Mad Jack yelled back.
He then lit up his staff again and swiped it several times through the air, sending sharp crescent shaped bursts of bright green magic at them.
"Reverse!" Joe yelled and the crescents changed shades of green and headed back to Mad Jack instead. He tried to dodge out of the way, but he was too slow and was rocked by the explosions.
"Fumus serpentium!" Snakes made of dark purple smoke rose from the ground in front of Antonia and raced towards them.
"Ignis linia!" Joleena yelled in return.
Lines of fire rose from the ground as well, burning up all of the snakes but one. Before Joleena could dodge it, the one snake wrapped itself around her torso, baring its fangs. Joe cried out her name anxiously and started to run to her, but she gave a small shake of her head. Her entire body glowed purple and a surge of her magic radiated from her body and evaporated the snake from her body. But as soon as the snake disappeared, a shot from Mad Jack's staff hit Joleena, sending her flying back.
"Joleena!" Joe cried then turned to Mad Jack with a scowl. "You bastard!"
Opening The Book with one hand, Joe called out the words terra catenulis interposuit, creating large chains of earth that wrapped around Mad Jack and flung him through the air. As his screams arched through the air, blasts of Antonia's smoke hit Joe and then he was sent flying through the air.
"Aah!" He screamed and landed with a thud near Joleena just as she was getting on her knees.
Joleena spat and wiped some blood off her lower lip. "You okay?"
"Yeah." Joe groaned, holding his side. "How long do you think we can go on like this?"
Joleena didn't answer for a moment. Her clothes were torn and her face was covered with dirt and blood. Around them the battle wore on. There was smoke everywhere, but from what Joe could see, at least the magicians weren't being completely taken over by the volucris. Heck, Joe thought they might even be winning. He even saw some arrows, made out of bright pink magic taking out more than a few birds.
"Look out!"
Joleena suddenly pushed Joe out of the way as a blast of green magic and dark purple magic came in from two different directions. A scream of agony tore from her throat as both blasts of magic hit her. Mad Jack and Antonia smiled wickedly as their combined magic electrocuted her.
"Noo!" Joe yelled.
Some distant instinct told Joe to open The Book and he yelled, "Averto!"
The Book began to glow and absorbed the magic away from Joleena, then fired it back at Mad Jack and Antonia instead. They were both hit and fell to the ground with screams of pain. Joe ran to Joleena and caught her up in his arms just before she fell to the ground.
"Are you okay?" Joe asked urgently.
Joleena coughed up smoke and gave him a weak smile. "Is that a real question?"
"This… isn't… over…" A gravelly voice said.
Joe and Joleena both looked up to see Antonia getting shakily to her feet again. Her eyes were glowing dark purple and there was a murderous look in her eyes.
"You just won't die, will you whore?" She said, addressing Joleena. "When I do finally kill you though, I will enjoy seeing your boyfriend's heart break in two and the light die from his eyes." This part she directed at Joe with a scowl.
"You can try-" Joleena tried to get up again, but she knees began trembling.
"Stay down, sweetheart." Joe said gently. "You've done enough."
Joleena glanced behind them, and when she saw that Mad Jack wasn't moving, she nodded warily. "Are you sure, mon amour?"
"I'm sure." Joe held her in his arms briefly. "I'll handle this."
"Hey!" Antonia snapped. "Do not ignore me you peasants!"
Joe gently eased Joleena back to the ground and slowly stood up to face Antonia. She gave him one nasty smirk before flying at him.
"Accelerari!" Joe yelled with The Book in hand, accelerating his speed allowing him to race towards her as well.
He built up magic into his fist and aimed a blow directly at Antonia's face. But she deflected it with her magic, causing him to go spinning. He quickly regained his footing though and headed towards Antonia again. This time he aimed a round house kick at her that hit her square in the side.
Joe and Antonia fought fist to fist, fueled by their magic. San-Li's combat training was probably the only reason Joe was able to keep up with Antonia. In the few years since they fought last she seemed to have gotten stronger. But then Joe took a page from San-Li's fighting style, and was able to redirect one of Antonia's blows to throw her off balance, then kicked her directly in the stomach knocking her to the ground.
This time Antonia didn't automatically get up. Joe allowed himself a moment of triumph as he stood over her. She scowled up at him, but she still didn't get up.
"Now maybe I can finally get you to leave my friends alone for good." Joe opened The Book and began leafing through the pages. "I may not be able to send you to Malzena yet, but my uncle once told me about a place in Antarctica where time travel magic won't work, so maybe-"
"Not so fast dear nephew!"
Joe's head snapped up. Mad Jack was now standing on shaking legs behind an equally weak Joleena, restraining her across the shoulders with his glowing staff. One of his eyes were swollen shut and the corner of his mouth was bleeding, but he had a triumphant smile of his face.
"Let her go, Mad Jack!" Joe demanded.
"Give me the Book, Joe," Antonia said, "Or I'll give him the order to kill your whore."
Joe looked at Joleena, hoping that she would break out of Mad Jack's grip, but the blasts from earlier had weakened her significantly, and she could barely summon a glow to her eyes.
"You don't have a choice here, Joseph." Antonia said darkly. "Or do you want to see your beloved blasted into bits?"
Joe's stomach felt weak and a sweat broke over his forehead. The noise from the battle became a dull roar. Giving over The Book meant the end of everything in both worlds. But not giving up The Book meant the end of his world. He looked at Joleena one more time and she gave the smallest shake of her head. She didn't want him to give up, but Joe didn't have a choice.
"Here," Joe threw The Book down at Antonia.
"Finally!" Antonia shrieked standing up.
She blasted Joe in the chest with her magic, knocking him to the ground with a cry of pain. The Book began flashing, as if it was panicking, matching the fluttering of Joe's panicked heart in his chest.
"You stupid, stupid boy!" Antonia cackled. "Now that you've given me The Book, what's to stop me from killing your whore myself?"
"No!" Joe yelled. "Let Joleena go! You don't need her anymore!"
"You don't have any power here, remember?" Antonia brandished the still flashing Book. "Instead of killing your whore first though, how about I make a visit to your home world instead? I could start with your family, then move on to your friends. One by one."
She began to laugh maniacally, holding The Book in her hands. Joe stared at Joleena, still being held captive by Mad Jack. Her eyes were weak and terrified, but even now in their darkest hour, she still gave him a loving smile. Joe's eyes fell from her face and landed on his hands. He hadn't noticed it before, but his hands were trembling and flashing green just like The Book. Again, the same distinct instinct told him exactly what to do.
"Joleena," He called towards her. "I'm about to do something absolutely crazy... but it might save our lives."
"It's okay Joe," Joleena gave him another weak smile. "I trust you wholeheartedly mon amour."
"Alright, then.." Joe took a breath and mustered up a smile for her. "Joleena, if we survive this crazy thing I'm about to do… will you marry me?"
Tears sprung to Joleena's eyes and she nodded. "Yes. Yes I will, Joseph."
"What are you two talking about?" Antonia snapped. "What are you about to do?"
"Like I said," Joe chuckled and clenched both of his fist. "Something crazy."
And with that Joe held his clenched, flashing fists high into the air and The Book jumped out of Antonia's hands. He then gave Joleena a final hopeful smile before making an exaggerated tearing motion in the air.
At the exact same time… The Book ripped itself in half.
A blinding bright pillar of green light instantly erupted from the ripped halves of The Book. Antonia screamed in agonizing pain and grabbed the side of her face. Mad Jack also screamed, more out of surprise than anything and fell back, finally letting go of Joleena.
There was a second explosion as more green light erupted out of the two halves of The Book. Shockwaves of time magic flashed out everywhere. All of the volucris were instantly destroyed and all the magicians dropped for cover.
Joleena somehow managed to crawl over to him and buried her face in his chest to protect her eyes from the too bright light. Joe wrapped his arms around her tightly, and even though he should have been blinded by the light, he couldn't stop staring at it. Joe watched in amazement as he saw pages from The Book fly out and explode into bright flashes. It may have only been seconds but it seemed like hours.
After a while, the light slowly faded and the pillar disappeared until just a soft glowing orb of green light remained. Joe let go of Joleena and held out his hands. The orb slowly descended into his palms and when it touched his hands, the light disappeared leaving a small bundle of pages loosely bound with string.
"All that's left of The Book." Joe whispered to himself, knowing that it was true.
"Joe?" Joleena slowly lifted her face from his chest. "What was that? What was that light?"
"I… did it…" Joe stared at the bundle of pages in his hands. "I destroyed The Book."
A/N- Okay, that's just about it. Just an epilogue entitled "Four Years Later" ;) ;)