10,375 words!! (WITHOUT THE BEGINNING AND END NOTES)
SORRY GUYS!! I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN, LIKE, EVER, BUT SUMMER IS HERE SO I CAN UPDATE FASTER!! THANKS FOR WAITING!
(readers put down their WMDs)
I dedicate this to all of you, especially Nikki-chan with her threats to keep me writing...
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE PLOT AND MY OC'S!!
Chapter 24
Green life curdled to ashes as he flew past the trees. Flowers wilted, leaves dissipated, and bark peeled off the swaying trees. Never before had the forest experienced fury to this degree. Animals fled from the presence of the Overlord and his troops storming their home in various locations, spreading the word of the infiltration with their loud songs and calls. A bird, startled from its home when a troop cleaved his way past a bush, frantically flew away from the man with purple eyes so dark they were almost black ordering, "We stop for nothing."
The poor creature fled into the safe parts of the forest, cradled by the loving hands of the angels. When it finally came to a rest, it was in the smooth pale hands of a woman who looked no older than thirty. Her long blonde hair shone brightly in the dawning sun and her eyes were soft.
"What happened dear one?" she wondered gently, listening intently for any sounds. She felt... death. Death was in her forest. Who was the cause of this? "Brian!"
Another angel appeared out of the trees, his wings pulled in tightly on his back. "Elaine?" he said. "What's going on?"
The bird was offered in his gaze and then Elaine's hand pointed deep within the forest. "Something is slaughtering the wildlife quickly."
Brian nodded, spreading out his pure white wings. "It seems that the Overlord has finally made his appearance in our home." Elaine Pronscea put the bird on her shoulder and faced the gloom ahead.
The dove nudged her golden hair briefly and then took off again, back in the direction that it had come. Elaine and Brian tailed it from behind, barely making a sound. With every passing minute the overpowering scent of decay filled their senses and the sounds of tense wings and the swirl of weapons grew stronger. The bird veered sharply up, driving the pair of angels above the canopy of trees. They burst from the browning leaves without so much as a sound to observe this party from above.
The soldiers had formed a defensive ring around Nicholas Yuki and were flying at speeds close to one-hundred-miles-per-hour, an impressive feet for those so close to the ground. The Pronsceas slipped into a familiar jet-stream and pursued the intruders. With a curt nod towards Brian, Elaine angled her wings and sped miles ahead of the troops before disappearing into the safe-haven of trees in front of the Overlord's path. Brian took his backpack off of his back without missing a beat and seized a small round object with strange languages on it. Smirking, he dropped the ball so that it would strike the rear of the roughly three-thousand soldiers.
KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Wind exploded from the compact ball with enough force to dispatch fifty of the troops. As predicted, the army quickened its pace instead of stopping, which would be an excellent military action if his wife wasn't waiting ahead with more pretty traps. Which the party found out shortly.
"Arrggh!" one of the men shouted as he became ensnared in a poison-laced net. Several others met this man's fate and a few slammed into trees when they flew off course to avoid them. But it still wasn't enough! There were too many men; they just kept replacing the fallen to protect the Overlord, which the Pronsceas seriously didn't believe needed it.
Elaine's wings carried her farther and farther ahead of the rampaging army, willing her husband to understand her intentions and fall back to their home. She would need a distraction while she worked on this magic. Thankfully, Brian understood and locked his wings, falling far behind the army and her. She smirked coyly at the force miles behind her as if daring them to catch her.
When her wings brushed against the leaves this time, she was at the very edge of the monstrous forest. From her vantage point, she could not see the impending doom that was coming at her daughter's rebellion, full force. All seemed like any other day.
The herbs and chalk were out, the feathers of various creatures assembled. They were lined up by the careful hands of the angel in a peculiar spiral pattern before she snapped a branch off of a nearby Rowan Tree and attached one of her own feathers to the top. Swinging the staff with inhuman grace and agility, the angel started chanting a haunting tune of words of the old, and the last line of the forest hummed in response. Their protection over the forest may have not been enough to stop the Overlord, and neither would this, but the least that they could do was light them up like the forth of July and warn her child of the impending doom.
Now all she had to do was fly back over the barrier, and soon nothing would be able to get in or out until the Overlord's Army passed through.
(Alexis POV)
Something poked my arm softly while I was in bed and I let out a frustrated groan, turning over in my sheets and pulling my pillow over my head. Someone grumbled over my head and then the irrepressible voices of Mindy and Jasmine screamed right in my ear. "WAKE UP SLEEPING BEAUTY!"
"Waaagh!" I shouted and fell out of bed ungracefully. I landed on my shoulder blades and looked upside-down at the mirror shard held in Melody's hands. Jaden's cousin smiled sweetly at me and laughed softly.
"Your friends want to make sure you're alright Alexis," she said. "... And Mystic wanted to make sure that the merpeople got back safely and she told us that everyone is safe at the hotel. Atrus and Adria already left to sneak back into the human world through Everlost, and they say hi too."
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes just as Mindy asked, "So Alexis, like, did Atticus beat up Jaden for what he did?"
"Did Atticus—? Oh, you mean the breakup. No, we're good. He just broke off to protect me."
"From what?" the pair asked at the same time, their voices sounding slightly strange from the mirror.
"Oh, you know, Haou, this world, another world, etc..."
Their eyes widened. "Okay girl, give us the dirt right now." I sweat-dropped and Melody handed me the mirror, her right eye twitching slightly.
"I'll go get Jaden," she offered meekly, obviously wanting to bolt away from whatever 'dirt' I was going to be giving my friends. For some reason I don't think she'd appreciate hearing about her cousin snogging me. I nodded and she fled down the boy's hallways at top speeds, leaving me to reluctantly discuss Jaden's predicament here and his quality of kissing.
(With Melody)
Alright, the last thing I need to hear is how much kissing Jaden and Alexis have been doing. I felt my spine tingle just when I thought about it. Jaden's my cousin, I'm hardly interested in his... err... kissing abilities thank you very much! I smiled at Alice as she walked by, chattering animatedly to Atticus and Bastion, and she waved at me and called, "Hey Mels, I was just taking Bastion to the library thing and Atticus is gonna help me set up a prank on Darkal and Allian! It's about time they got together! Wanna help?"
I halted in my tracks. Allian and Darkal? "I'm pretty sure they don't have a thing for each other," I carefully answered. But, of course, being the teenage girl that I am, I wondered.
"Trust the Master of Love!" Atticus announced proudly, draping his arm over Alice's shoulders. The sprite giggled and pulled the hyper teen away with her and Bastion.
"See ya around Melody!" she shouted back, dragging the two off in some random branched corridor. I let the smile descend off my face and continued my journey to my cousin's room in deep thought. Allian and Darkal... Allian and Darkal...
I couldn't seem to get a grasp on that concept. They both could be unbearable frosty I suppose, but Allian was louder and tended to shout more than Darkal, who was pretty level-headed and composed at most times. They could both be compassionate I presume, or at least I think so, I don't really know them very well, and they both lead the Rebellion. But... I don't know...
Well, there's always Jaden and Alexis, they're pretty opposite of each other except for a few things, but they're together and they're in love. And there's Adria and Atrus, who aren't together, but I think that Adria has developed feelings for the energetic merman. And it looks like Atticus and Alice might actually be getting pretty close as well... or they'll just become partners in crime here.
"Hey Melody!" a southern voice sounded from my right. I turned unconsciously and watched Jesse as he walked down towards me in shorts and a blue shirt. His hair was wet, so he must have just finished showering. Interested mildly, I watched some drops of water descend onto the pressed stone floor and darken it.
"Hey Jesse," I said simply, pausing until he was at my side. He smiled charmingly at me. "So what's up?"
"Nothing much," he answered, towel-drying his face before his two emerald eyes poked out from behind the cloth. "Just washing up, then I'm gonna try and wake up Jay."
"That's a battle I don't think we'll win," I said brashly, tinkering with the thought of attempting to wake up my cousin. If I remembered one thing from all of those years ago, it was that Jaden is an impossibly heavy sleeper. Jesse laughed with ease, his cute little duel spirit appearing on his shoulder. The purple Carbuncle jumped onto my shoulder a mewled at me intriguingly, prompting me to pet her head softly.
"This is true!" he exclaimed, finishing the drying process with his hair. I couldn't help but laugh when he emerged from it; he looked like he had gotten into a fight with hair gel and lost! He tilted his head to the side slightly, confused by my laughter. "What?"
"You're hair!" I managed to say, calming myself down. He continued to look at me funny.
"What about it?"
"Nothing, nothing at all!" I giggled, walking forward with my hands laced behind my head. He followed with only some hesitance, his towel now wrapped around his shoulders.
"Ruby seems to have taken a liking to you," he commented off-handedly, gesturing towards his little spirit-in-solid-form on my shoulder. "She only got along that well with me and Jay at first sight before! You must be somethin' special!"
Now it was my turn to cock my head at him. "Huh?"
Jesse picked up the sweet little girl on my shoulders and held her in his arms tenderly. "Ruby is a really sweetheart, but the gal's perty shy around new people. Jay and Kuriboh were the first that she trusted straight away other than myself. And she trusts you now too!"
Ruby nodded encouragingly and sprang onto the ground, scampering towards Jaden's room. Jesse laughed again, that sound that was hauntingly beautiful in this place so full of misery. I smiled weakly at my cousin's closest friend, actually happy now. Liz's death had come as a shock to me, a pretty big one considering the gravity of her death, and had left me paralyzed and unlike myself for what felt like a long time. I had told myself to keep holding on and to move past it, even forced myself to do it at most times, but it still hurt. Here there was no laughter. Here there was only war.
Here was my heart.
"Wake-up time Jay!" Jesse announced, kicking open the door with his foot. I hid my eyes, suddenly very aware that the other boys in the room may not be decent, but no startled calls reached my ears. Ever so carefully I peeked through my fingers and saw my cousin curled up in bed like a little kitten, his wings sprawled out awkwardly over the bed.
"He isn't used to sleeping with his wings," I commented when Jesse continued to stare at the strange position of Jaden's wings.
"I thought he said it felt natural to him," the bluenette wondered, tilting his head slightly and looking into my pink eyes piercingly. Shivers ran down my spine at his gaze, he seemed to be searching right through my very soul.
"They do," I was suddenly quiet again, unlike my usual loud self. I hated it. "Jaden just never had to sleep with his wings before now; he's not sure how to hold them like that if he's never had any experience."
Jesse nodded with a look of understanding and moved so that he was seated in one of the chairs scattered around the room. He flipped it around and rested his arms on the back, watching me unnervingly.
It's not like he freaked me out or anything, it's just would you be perfectly comfortable with someone staring at you like that with your sleeping relative in the room?!
I sure wasn't.
"What're you doing?!" I demanded hotly, pointing my finger at him accusingly. He raised an eyebrow at the extended pointer finger and contemplated it. Then he moved his emerald eyes up to me and said two simple words.
"Spill it."
"Huh?" was my completely bewildered response. He rolled his eyes slightly and then cringed as if expecting me to smack him like I had Chazz when we first met. I wanted to, trust me, but I just couldn't quite bring myself to act normally yet. I wasn't ready to stop mourning.
... Even if I wanted to.
"What's eating ya?" Jesse continued as if elaborating, his hand making motions in the air absently. I chose to watch that instead of his unusually piercing gaze. After a few minutes of tense silence, Jesse sighed and added, "You don't have to tell me anything off-limits, but I wanna help still. Jay has Lexi to cheer him up and I'm perty sure she knows everything. I think you need someone to talk to too."
"What are you suggesting Jesse Anderson?" I asked guardedly.
"That you need some heart-to-heart with a friend," he smiled again, blinding me with his cheery attitude. I let my guard down when he said friend. I had thought he was implying something in the romance department when he mentioned Jaden and Alexis. I guess not. "I can tell both you and Jay are hurtin' and it's not right that you can't open up to anyone. So I'm here if you need it, whether you just need to vent or whatnot."
"Why you?" I couldn't help but ask. It was in my Yuki nature to be curious, I blame genes alright!
He shrugged. "No one else was exactly offering. 'Cept maybe Pegasus, but it's easier to talk to someone your own age, right?"
"You're two years older than me."
He laughed, "You got me there. How 'bout closer to your age then?"
I smiled again, wow, that's a lot in one day here. "How about we try and wake up Jaden and then maybe we'll have a heart-to-heart talk, deal Anderson?"
He smirked and held out his hand to shake. "Deal Mels."
"Don't call me that! Arrgh! Why does everyone always call me that?!"
There was that laugh again.
"Maybe because they like it better than Melody."
"Oh? You've got a problem with my name?"
"No! It's not that at all—!"
"Sure it isn't Jesse."
"I'm just saying that Mels is easier to say and—!"
"So now you're just too lazy to add on two more measly syllables and call me by my beautiful given name? You should be the Slifer Slacker."
"Hey! I'm not saying that at all, I'm just trying—!"
"Well let's start on your name! It's a girls name too. So is that just the lazy person's way of saying 'Jessica'? Are you really just a girl in disguise dearest JessIE?I"
"Wha? Now you're just talking crazy!"
"Oh I'm crazy now am I?! Well at least I'm not too lazy to say someone's name the proper way Jessica!"
"My name's Jesse!"
"And aren't you from North Academy? Then why do you have a southern accent?!"
"Cuz I plum lived in America! Now come on gal, I'm not saying any of those—!"
"Gal?! So now you can't even address me as the lazy term for my name?! You've just invented a whole new low Jessica Anderson!"
A pause.
Laughter loud enough to shatter steel burst from our lips and we rolled on the ground together, too fanatical to breathe. Jesse fell out of his chair with a loud thud and clutched his sides, his face red from lack of oxygen. His eyes sparkled with tears of over-laughter as he looked in my direction. A new fit overtook him and he had to look away. I laughed and laughed like it was going out of style and didn't stop laughing until far after he was done. It just felt so good to be able to let go like this, to just have some liberation from my torments.
"Th-Thanks Jessica," I panted, accepting his helping hand up to my feet. "I needed that."
"No problem Mels," he replied with a chuckle. He hoisted me up easily and pointed to Jaden's still sleeping form. "I can't believe he slept through that."
"Believe it alright," I assured him, folding my arms across my chest. "This is Jaden we're talking about. He'd probably sleep straight through a hurricane!"
Jesse spared another chuckle before he decided to poke my cousin's wings animatedly in an attempt to wake up Jaden. The appendages twitched half-heartedly and Jaden mumbled something incoherent in reply, which prompted Jesse to do it again. The teen shifted and then rolled over, pulling his pillow over his eyes with a grunt. Jesse and I exchanged a glance before a light-bulb burst over my head. "I've got an idea!" I snatched Jaden's deck from his belt without him caring, since he was already aware enough to know it was only me, and searched for a certain card. I smirked when I drew it, then I slammed Elemental Hero Bubbleman down and asked him to soak Jaden all within a millisecond, and he complied.
"Mels!" Jaden screamed as he shot into the air and then back to the ground when he forgot to flap. His wet hair blocked his eyes from us as he landed at our feet, but I was pretty sure that he wasn't giving us a very friendly look at the moment. I giggled at my drenched cousin who had the appearance of a wet shaggy dog and then returned his deck to him. He scowled and muttered, "Using my own monsters against me... so cruel..."
"Since when was that anything new though?" I reminded him. "I used to do it all the time when we were younger."
"Used to," he mumbled. "That's the one thing I didn't miss..."
I put my hand over my heart and pretended to be wounded by the comment. "Oh, what pain your harsh words have bestowed upon my fragile heart!"
"Good!" he snapped, shaking his head so we both got wet too.
"Hey!" Jesse exclaimed playfully. "I already showered once!" Jaden glowered at him grumpily as Jesse passed him his towel to dry off. My cousin crossed his legs into an Indian-style position while he tried to get himself at least half-way dry. When he was done, he stood up and folded his arms across him chest before determinedly flopping back into bed, holding his deck safely.
"No fair!" Jesse burst, chortling again. I made shushing noises at him and rolled onto the heels of my feet innocently.
"Well then, I guess I'll just tell Alexis that you're too tired to see her..." I smirked as he popped back up again, his eyes wide.
"Huh? Alexis needs me?"
"Wants you," I giggled, playing with his head by emphasizing 'wants' in all ways dirty. A blush erupted across his face and he made a noise of protest to my antics. "What Jay? You don't want to disappoint her do you?"
"M-Mel—" his voice seemed to leave him half-way through my name because of his embarrassment. Jesse didn't seem to understand what I was implying by the bemused look on his features, but seemed to understand that it was funny because a smile was still glued on his face. Or maybe he was always smiling, I don't really know.
"She's waiting in her room, why don't you make her happy and show up?"
He was just staring at me, appalled and practically glowing red. His mouth hung open like a fish. Finally, and rather twitchily, he stood and left the room, throwing on a red T-shirt on the way. I laughed and Jesse decided to ask, "What's the big deal?"
(Alexis POV)
"OhmygoshLexi!" Mindy squealed at such a high pitch I was sure that the glass behind her would break. "That's so sweet! Jaden loves you! Awwww! So when's the wedding?"
"Mindy," I sighed, hitting my head with my free hand. My two friends giggled at me and made kissy faces.
"Oh!" Mindy exclaimed as if she had forgotten something. "There's a really hot guy here Lexis! He just got here this morning from wherever you are—!"
"Evermore," I said patiently.
"Yeah, that—Anyway he's not even human! Oh gosh, but he's just so hot! And he's really nice and witty! He's a merman, Jazz and I walked in on him and the other mermaid swimming in the pool!"
"His name's Atrus," I told them. Mindy fainted and Jasmine took over.
"Such a hot name for a hot fish," she whispered sarcastically.
"Humans are overrated! I want a merman!" Mindy shouted from the floor. Jasmine laughed, bringing a grin onto my face at their antics.
"Oh! Hi Chancellor Sheppard!" she announced, warning Mindy not to mention Atrus again. "What are you doing here sir?"
The bald head of Chancellor Sheppard appeared in the mirror with my two friends peering over his shoulder curiously. "Would you care to tell me why our school was attacked by sea creatures Ms. Rhodes?"
I flinched slightly at his tone, he was obviously angry that the school had to be put in danger before I would reveal Jaden's secret to him. "Well, you see..." I began hesitantly, not knowing what I could say with my friends present. I had only given them Jaden's first lie... that the worlds knew about Haou and wanted to use Jaden to tip the balance of power. I neglected to mention the swords and the wings and the throne. Whoops.
Fortunately for me, Jaden choose that moment to burst into the room with his cheeks slightly red. He saw my hands on the mirror and understanding passed through his brown eyes. "I thought so," he muttered. "When I get my hands on Mels..."
"Hi Jaden!!" Jasmine called. His head shot up again and he made his way to my side curiously.
"Hi," he answered weakly, his eyes looking at Chancellor Sheppard. He must have already figured out that he wanted answers. "What's up?"
"I could ask you the same question Jaden," Sheppard said without his usual warmth. Jaden sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I never meant for anyone to get hurt over this Chancellor," he alleged sincerely.
"Then tell me what 'this' is Jaden, Alexis."
Jaden and I shared a look; he was obviously wondering how much I had told my friends. Focusing, I made myself believe that revealing what has been going on would bring Jaden more danger and tried to force our bond into gear. So he surprised me when he spoke first.
Which story did you say?
Whoa, how'd you do that?
As corny as it sounds, love has no bounds, Lexi. So?
Oh, your father was murdered by Everlosts and you befriended the Evermores and about Haou.
Tha—
About me? I'm flattered.
We both froze as Haou's menacing voice floated into our conversation. I felt Jaden break off our connection quickly and rush back to answer the question. He added details here and there, made it seem more real and heartbreaking, but all of that was lost to my ears. How had Haou spoken to me?
Well, Haou was part of Jaden; I just wouldn't have thought that he could do anything to talk to me. He certainly hadn't bothered before.
Why now? Why here?
"Jaden!" Alice announced, jumping into the room with Atticus by her side. Said brunette twisted around to see her, and then he stopped, realizing a moment too late what he had just done. Three gasps issued from behind the enchanted sun-stone-thing as the others got a good look at what he was hiding behind his back. Ashamed, he slowly twisted back to look into the stunned eyes of Chancellor Sheppard with a guilty expression, his wings moving slightly before they opened fully, showing their details since it was too late to erase the image anyway.
"Oh," Alice breathed, her hand over her mouth. "We'll just... come back later OK?"
She and Atticus exited quickly. Surprisingly, Mindy was the first to speak. "OMG! Jaden's an angel! That's sooooooo cute! Did he fall right out of heaven just for you?! It's just like a romantic story!! OMG!"
The ends of Jaden's mouth twitched into an ironic smile and his teeth were clenched slightly. "Err... as interesting as that'd be, no," I answered when it looked like Jaden was too surprised to say anything else. I sensed him grin wryly at my answer and felt his hand capture mine softly.
"Then what is he?" Jasmine asked, sounding disappointed.
"Human," Jaden answered this time. He paused and then added, "I don't think that there are any of those types of angels here Mindy, there are some people called angels, but that's only because they look like them."
"Human?" Sheppard repeated, confused. Jaden sighed again.
"Yeah, I'm a human... with wings. This is really why both of the worlds want me on their side. You see, when I travel into another dimension, another world, I adapt to it. So we're in Evermore—home of all winged creatures—so I have wings too."
"Wow," Mindy gasped. "Alright, humans are so not overrated anymore!"
I tried to laugh, but it came out nervous and twitchy, which earned me an endearing glance from Jaden and a giggle from my two friends. Chancellor Sheppard didn't seem to find it all that amusing.
"Why didn't you tell anyone before this happened?" Sheppard demanded. He had obviously been expecting something bigger, like, I dunno, the truth. Jaden's gaze hardened and the air around him seemed to fall still, waiting on his orders to lash out.
Uh-oh
"I didn't tell anyone because I didn't think this would happen!" he snapped, and I squeezed his hand to remind him that I was there. He really didn't seem to care with all of the steam he'd built up. "It's not like I intended my home life to get mixed up with my school and all of my friends! Besides, unless you had seen me with wings or a tail you wouldn't have believed me! Especially not before this year! Besides, I don't have to tell you everything! You're my teacher, not my mother!"
The trio looked surprised; they had obviously never been on the receiving end of an angry Jaden. It looked like his words hadn't even registered in their minds; they were too focused on how dark his eyes seemed to be and the snarl where his smile should have been. "Jaden," I warned. His gaze flickered over to me and softened, but he didn't apologize to the 'Earthlings'.
"Should we have just left them like that?" Atticus wondered briefly to Alice. She shrugged, beating her wings slightly.
"Probably not, but compared to some of the stunts I've pulled on Jaden, this is nothing. They would have found out about the wings eventually."
"Stunts?" Atticus asked curiously. The female sprite shrugged nonchalantly, playing with a lock of her hair with a mischievous smirk.
"I can go invisible," she said matter-of-factly. "It takes plenty of focus, but it's worthwhile to play pranks on the local residents. I swear, I'm the only one who wants it to be happier around here. Or at least the only one willing to do anything about it since Lillian died and Jaden stopped coming here so often."
That statement was like a neon flashing board for Atticus, the self-proclaimed Master of Love, and he launched right into the questioning. "Who's Lillian?"
"She was his girlfriend," came the answer rather quickly, as if she hadn't have thought it through in a long time. "Most of us thought she'd be the one too."
"The one? Like, his soul mate?" Atticus pestered, desperate for any information. He felt so desperately out of the love loops here, and he considered it his job to know this kind of stuff! He needed information! "What happened?"
"Like I said, she died," the sprite answered rather unperturbedly. Her pretty angled eyes half-glared and the brunette and he found himself startled by their depth and rather frightened. "She died in Jaden's arms. Hit in the back by that coward of a Yuki without either of them knowing of his presence!" Her teeth clenched and once again, Atticus felt fear and a hint of repulsion hanging in the air.
"You were friends, weren't you?" he said deftly, not wanting to get his face beat in by a girl who wasn't his little sister. He immediately determined that it was the right thing to ask because her glower dropped and she nodded thoughtfully.
"Yup," she added as an incentive. "And I'm friends with her twin brother, Chris, too. He was hit pretty hard by the loss, but he was happy that she died in Jaden's arms. He believes that she then died happily."
"Huh? I'm lost, back up," Atticus sighed, holding his head in a mock-headache. Alice gave him an appraising sideways glimpse and then walked ahead without another word. "Wha—? Hey! That's not cool!"
"Ask Jaden about it if you want to know! Now are you going to help me prank our lovely leaders or not?!"
(Jaden POV)
Alexis was giving me a disapproving glance, I could practically feel her scorn scorching my skin. But I couldn't help it at all, its not like I was doing this on my own will. It was all I could do not to lash out them from this side of the mirror and scare the pants off of them. I felt some kind of my normal human desires to keep them at bay, at arms length, distance them so as not to hurt them.
"Jaden," my loved one hissed under her breathe. "Apologize!"
I spared her a softened glance, but held my tongue, knowing if I tried to take it back I would most likely only make it much, much worse. The others seemed to come out from their shock from my harsh words and simply decided that I wasn't about to apologize either.
"What happened with Yubel, Jaden?" Chancellor Sheppard spontaneously kindled. I felt my brown eyes widen, caught off-guard. Alexis stiffened by my side, as if she had suddenly just realized, hey, yeah, what did happen to Yubel?
"Why do you want to know?" I shrugged, my hand nervously shifting towards my deck where Yubel's card slept. "She's gone now. I won."
The lines on Sheppard's head creased even further as his brow furrowed, obviously he wasn't satisfied with my answer. Mindy and Jasmine shared a look and silently faded into the background, probably to spy on the merpeople. "Jaden, you did defeat her, didn't you?" he demanded, making it sound like I had let her go. Which technically I had. Oh well, it's not like she's going to hurt anyone; I already purified her card so she's perfectly sane again!
(AN: Remember I started this story before Jay and Yubel fused, so in here Jaden only saved Yubel from her insanity and now Yubel simply wants to protect him. Oh, and that's why he's a she in this story... cuz I didn't know!)
"Yeah," I lied casually, shrugging my shoulders. "How else would I have gotten everyone back?"
"I don't know, why don't you tell me. Isn't it true that Yubel appeared when you fought off the messenger?"
"Yes," I answered suspiciously, my senses blaring. How did he know that? Then it hit me, the cameras around Duel Academy, he must have watched over the tapes while he was still in the school.
"Shouldn't she be dead then?" my Chancellor pressed me. I hated that.
"Yes," was my answer, "but so should I after having a freaking hole punched through my chest. I'd say her chances of surviving our duel were far better than what my chances had been."
"Logical answers? What are you hiding Jaden Yuki?" he sighed, his hand pressing against the wrinkled brow.
From you? Everything. "Nothing," I smiled serenely.
"Your wings, that is nothing?" he insisted. I smirked and pocked my cheek like a young child innocently.
"Yup, I mean, its not like I've got a tail or anything," I grinned with a rather cruel tone hidden beneath the light teasing. Of course, being the perceptive girl Alexis is, she saw that rather quickly but Chancellor Sheppard seemed immune to the jib as I would have been a few months ago.
He heavily sighed and told me this was a very dire situation and I needed to be serious. I felt my eyes darken and my smile fade slowly, my face rearranging itself into an expression commonly used by Haou; cold intensity. "I am being very serious Chancellor," I flatly outlined for him, sounding mature and a bit impatient. "I know better than anyone the consequences that ignorance and childishness can bring. Trust me, there is nothing that I have left unsaid that will cause you any further harm."
Silence.
Whoa, I had actually rendered him speechless! That's pretty impressive for someone like me.
"Since when were you so serious Jaden?" someone wondered from behind me. I felt my body tense automatically and cocked my head to the side, not believing my ears. I hadn't heard that voice in four years.
"Chris?" I asked just to make sure. I could see the resemblance to the goofy twin that I used to hang out with, but I could also see a completely different person standing in the doorway with his wings folded against his black shirt. He was a good foot taller and now his hair was longer and more choppy in the back. His never-failing grin was present on his face, but his eyes just seemed so different. They were currently brown, very calm, but I could see specks of green peeking out in his excitement. Nothing changed there. But... I can't really explain it. He just seems so different from when I last saw him in the graveyard!
"Well, are you going to stare at me all day?" Chris Lessinhop wondered half-seriously. I just blinked at him, unable to understand what was going on. I was barely aware of the mirror slipping from my hands and clunking onto the floor, perfectly intact, or of Alexis confusedly weaving her eyes between the two of us. "Jay?"
I jumped out of my seat and tackled him. "Chris!!" I shouted happily, practically suffocating my old friend. He laughed a bit painfully and returned the embrace quickly before we both let go and he simply put his hand on my shoulder and took me in. "Why are you back already?"
"Do I need a reason to drop in on my loving family?" he lightly said, sweeping his muscular arms around dramatically. I shook my head. He was still the same after all.
"Jaden?" Alexis asked, slowly rising from her chair to take in the newcomer. I snapped back into the present, straightening my back.
"Oh! Lexi, this is Lillian's twin brother, Christopher Lessinhop, and Chris, this is my—this is Alexis," I corrected myself quickly, sparing a glance at the face of Sheppard glowering at the ceiling behind me.
"So this is the angel that Niemona has told me so much about?" he smiled sweetly. He took her hand and kissed the top of it very much like a gentleman. New side of him. Must have picked up things like that while he was serving 'royalty'.
Alexis looked at me at a loss for what to do and I couldn't help but chuckle, feeling a small amount of the weight of the world fall off my shoulders. "So why are you here?"
"Prison break," he answered simply, dropping Alexis' hand and walking over to the mirror. "Hullo earthling!" he cheerfully addressed my teacher. "How goes things in Jay's world?"
"Err..."
"Nothing new? Okay, bye!" Chris grinned, placing his hand over the surface.
"Wha—? Wait a second!" the chancellor shouted just as the crystal became blank.
"Thanks," I admonished on the fairy-elemental hybrid.
"No promblemo," he shrugged, sitting down on one of the chairs in the room. "So tell me now, how much do your friends know, cuz I just rescued four of them."
"Huh?"
"Blair, Marcel, Crowler, and Bonaparte," he elaborated, ticking them off of his fingers. "They were being held prisoners at the Overlord's castle."
I blushed in embarrassment and shame. I had quite forgotten about my friends and teachers who had been prayed upon for my sake. "They don't know I'm the guardian, and they don't know what the guardian is. They know I love Alexis, they know she loves me. They know I'm the next in line for the throne—"
"What?!" Chris intercepted me loudly. "You're supposed to be the Overlord?!" I explained to him what I had learned, Alexis adding in her own two-cents occasionally. Chris let out a low whistle. "Zeus, Jaden. Things just seem to get more and more complicated, don't they?"
No, they make things more clear, Haou added mentally.
What do you mean?
Everything that we've learned has helped to explain why this generation of our family has so much more power than any proceeding line of Yukis. We are getting close to solving that question.
I don't care why it happened Haou; I'd rather deal with it in the present and figure out a way to control it.
Knowledge is power Jaden, Haou reminded me cruelly, hinting towards the information that the Queen had gathered through me. Like her, you could use the information to help further your goal.
I'm not like her!
Aren't you?
"Jay?" Chris spoke, waving his hands in front of my unfocused eyes. I blinked at him and then sighed, sinking down on one of the beds.
"Sorry Chris, I was talking with Haou."
"Who?" the fairy asked bluntly, confusion written all over his face. I hid my eyes with my hands and kneaded my forehead.
"My other half, the part of me that's supposed to be controlling my... ah... abilities?" I said with a frown, still trying to shake off Haou's latest head game. I sensed rather than saw my close friend's astonishment and mistrust appear in his eyes.
"Haou huh?" Chris repeated, his hand falling off my shoulders and taking a step back to examine my aura. A deep look of focus came into his eyes and he whispered, "So that's what that bloody dragon meant..."
"Hmm?" Alexis asked. "What did Niemona say about Jaden?"
"Just that he was darker than normal lately or something," he shrugged, but I could see his calculating accuracy appearing in his thoughtfully gray eyes.
"She knows Chris, she knows everything," I found myself saying, my lips moving before my brain caught up, "so you can tell us what Niemona really said about me."
His mouth hung open. "You told her everything?!"
I nodded.
"You? Told her? Everything? We're still talking about Jaden right?" he whispered in full-out shock. "You never tell anyone everything."
"She's different," I smiled softly, my eyes falling into hers, "I love her." Her face lightened and I saw the tension leave her shoulders, unwinding her fears and doubts right before my eyes.
"I see," Chris said; his tone strange. Before I could say anything to him, he continued, "The dragon said that she thinks that we're wrong with your death age... or something."
The room fell silent, the tension and fear entered again and seized us in its greedy fists. "W-what?" Alexis fumbled, her graceful mouth tripping over the overused phrase. I felt my pulse slow and grow cold as if my last breathe had just been drawn. Chris shrugged and told us what had happened.
(Chris POV)
I let out a thankful breathe as we skyrocketed past the border of the Wayside Forest when the first rays of dawn ignited into existence. We had made it. We had really done it!
"How much longer?" Niemona asked suddenly, jogging me out of my inner victory dance.
"Hmm?" I wondered. She knew the way to the cliffs if she had really pledged her fealty to Jaden. The dragon simply grinned rather darkly, showing off her pearly teeth without waking Blair or Marcel on her brow. I found myself staring at how colossal they were and then abruptly forced my eyes back on the green slit eyes.
"Jaden is dying. How much longer?" I felt my mouth drop open in awe. How the heck did she know this?! I had kept this a well-hidden secret since that day we found out! I know she felt my alarm, but she didn't make any moves to answer it. I growled.
"How do you know that?" I alleged distrustfully. I eyed her enormous form on alert, very aware that she could easily take us all out, whether I was part elemental or not. We'd just be like feathery chew-toys.
"I know things naught. I understand all," she growled in the strange way of dragons. Yeah, like that answered my question. "It seemed to spread rather rapidly across his mind when I last saw him," she continued. "And I can still feel it now that I am bound to him. It ails him painfully, but he refuses to let it show or even to think about it. But I know. And so do you. I feel that there is more running amuck, that it is starting to influence him. But I can also feel the bane on its presence, the angel of darkness. The girl."
I blinked in rapid succession. There was just no way that she could understand all of this just by swearing fealty to my friend. And there was no way that Jaden would allow for this information to be spread.
"He doesn't allow it or even think about it," Niemona chuckled at my confusion. Now I remembered why I disliked dragons. "I just know. I can see into souls, remember Lessinhop? I can see the division, and thus if I chose to, I can focus on it again and feel his darkness spread. He will either die soon, or it will consume him, is that what you believe?"
"Eighteen or nineteen," I finally ground out, making sure no one else was listening in. We were too far ahead of anyone else to be overheard. Thank goodness. "That's the age."
"I understood you'd say that," the dragon scoffed lightly. "But know this: I think you're wrong." With that last epic statement, she beat her wings faster and streaked out farther into the clouds, leaving me speechless and worried.
Dragons were supernatural creatures, and whenever one admonished information like this, it was usually true. But what does that mean? Does she think that he'll die or be taken over sooner?
(Jaden POV)
I listened with unusual patience to my friend's story, but I barely heard the words that came from his mouth. "I have to go talk to her," I said, barely hearing myself speak. Neither of them argued with me, which was surprising. Chris would have usually been the one to insist that someone was there with me; I guess he really has changed a lot.
"Jaden, wait," Alexis said when I reached the door. I paused, my fingers on the wooden frame jammed into the stone. I think she knew that this was something I had to do on my own, so why was she stopping me?
Her hands wrapped around my chest and her goddess face buried into my wings, breathing gently into the feathers. Maybe they weren't so bad to have after all. I put my hands on hers and simply held them, neither of us wanting to move. But that wasn't our life anymore. We didn't have the luxury, time, and innocence of Academy Island hanging around us like mistletoe anymore. But, at least we still had each other to hold onto.
"I don't care what she says Jaden, just know that, alright?" she laughed with a slight sob. "We'll go down together, right? So it doesn't matter."
"God, I love you Lex," I sighed, turning around to give her a proper hug before clasping Chris on the back and leaving to discuss a certain something with my dragon.
Not my death, like Alexis said, that didn't matter as long as I was with her.
No, I needed to know if Niemona could see into the Queens orders.
I needed to know if she could stop me.
(Brief Bastion POV)
Books upon books upon books! I eagerly picked up the dusty volumes and scrolls written in several different pens, memorizing the maps and guarded portals, relishing at the challenge of deciphering their strange language, adoring every bloody moment of it.
"Hullo, what's this now?" I said to myself out of habit as I pulled a particularly dusty and battered book out behind one of the maps. Delicately I brushed the offending stuff off of the poor information mine and settle down to examine it. I opened to a page at random and was surprised to see the date:
July 28th, 1737
"Oh!" I exclaimed in surprise, such an old diary here? I couldn't help but read it! Turning back to page one, I submerged myself in the past of a servant to the Overlord from the 1700s.
January 4th, 1730
Dear Journal,
My mother constantly tells me to keep track of every little thing that I see and hear so that I can't be punished by the Overlord Jonathon for being ignorant. I don't think that he's that mean. I mean, sure, we are at war, but he isn't the one who started it, he's just trying to keep us from falling to the sea, right?
Mother would strangle me for such thoughts. She believes that he is evil and detestable like all of his family line, but I don't know. Sure, it was a Yuki that started the war, but that doesn't put the blame on all of them. Especially not the Overlord's son, he is barely a year older than I!
Strange thing, that child. He was a rare case, his father was called onto duty while holding him, and thus, we have two Yukis in our world right now. All is well, perhaps the child will grow to detest the war as he grows with it and do everything in his power to stop it. I believe in Jaden, he is a good boy at heart even with such a dark throne dangling above his head.
I let out a gasp, jumping up and snapping the book closed. Jaden?! From the 18th centenary?!
"This is illogical; he is not immortal... ah! It must be one of his ancestors; I'll have to ask him his namesake later perhaps..."
He is kind to all of us servants as well, and even my mother, bless her weary soul, seems to be tolerant of him. Yes, all is well in my world.
The work is hard, but it builds my body and makes my heart stronger. My mother works in the tavern in the castle for the soldiers and she always has to deal with the rough folk that find their way into drunken dreams. Jaden and I enjoy laughing when she clobbers them with her frying pan and I believe that the Overlord also finds it amusing.
My father worries about us from afar, and I call to him in my prayers every day. The castle is said to be a dangerous place, but I don't know...
(Later that night)
All was still in the Rebellion caves. The armor and maps lay scattered across tables and swords lay near their owner's hands in beds, ready to strike. Nocturnal residents had already left their nest and soared in the night sky, stretching their wings for the first time all day. Niemona lay deeper down in the mountain in the larger caverns, her eyes shut but her ears alert, waiting for it.
She almost missed them.
Thump, thump, Thump, thump.
Footsteps
Even with her incredible hearing she found then nearly impossible to hear. Had she missed the giveaway sounds, would a life be lost tonight?
No time to waste on such thoughts.
Her green eyes opened and she rose on her haunches, staring up at the ceiling above her.
Fight little guardian, fight before I have to truly fight you.
(Jaden POV)
My hands were at her doorknob, and I couldn't pull away. I fought this with every particle of my being, including all of Haou's support that I could get from the reluctant half of me, but I couldn't do anything. I was completely under the spell of that damned medallion, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
If anyone discovered me here, I had an excuse, a way out. I always do, and it's not like I can exactly tell them the real reason why I'm standing outside of her door, even though I desperately want to so someone can stop me.
Niemona, please help! I don't care what you have to do, please stop me!
I need Alexis' strength, she would never allow this to happen to her, she has more strength than I ever did.
The doorknob turned in my hand, the door opening without a sound. Damn it! Why won't it squeak?! She was still in her bed, her back facing the wall and her arms stretched out in front of her. My own betraying body lifted my hand and to my horror I felt the vibrations of power running down my arm.
No! Stop! Haou, we have to stop me!
There is nothing we can do, my other half.
Can't you ever be useful?! This is your power! Control it!
Wrong, this is our power. We must control it.
But we can't combine again... we've tried.
My feet were silent now, padding without noise over to her bedside. My hand was above her neck. I stared at the foreign hands that were connected to my body, watching every muscle tense and flex, waiting, waiting...
True, but who's to say that we have to be combined to control it?
Those fingers moved upwards and hovered above her temples. I willed her to wake up and got no response, her hair tumbled all around the sheets around her in messy waves and I found myself staring at the separate light strands just to get my mind off what was happening right before me. I just couldn't believe that this could happen...
What is Niemona waiting for?!
Said dragon sniffed the air with indifference, her eyes still focused on the unseen pair of feet somewhere above her head. She heard every desperate thought running through her liege's head, even the ones that he was not allowed to speak of.
The Queen was cruel, but she was not yet ready to defeat the Overlord. However, with the girl and the Guardian, even against his will, she will be unstoppable.
This has gone far enough.
You need faith in yourself young one.
She opened her mouth and roared.
"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!"
Her eyes were wide, staring blankly at the spot I had just been standing at. She jumped into full wakefulness and I felt myself silently dissolve into the shadows, the power humming within my skin. No one could see me now. No one could sense me. It was like I was meant to be, the silent observer until I was needed, the destroyer.
A person burst into the room. "What's going on?" the Queen's prey demanded at the rebel, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Nothing, Niemona just decided to give us a wake-up call."
She sighed, holding a hand to her head in exasperation. "Of course she did... Goodnight."
"'Night."
He left, but they were all still awake. She stood up in the center of the room, the others who had entered the room watching her. Her eyes fell on where I was and she frowned, taking a step forward. I watched her in desperation for a while longer, her fingers hovering just in front of my mouth. My body moved silently through the solid wall. I sensed her fingers touching the cold barrier that separated us.
Tonight was not the night.
Thank God.
(Wayside Forest/Millennia Forest)
There! The rising sun!
The night had been agonizing for the thousands of troops. Their flights had been non-stop, which did not bother them as much as the pesky angels that guarded this cursed place. All day and night the pair had assaulted their forces with traps and magic and arrows of all kinds, sending wild animals let loose from other portals located within the leafy trees, casting illusions to confuse them, making their lives hell.
But now they were finally approaching the end. They could fly into open air and cruise at high altitudes, let their wings rest and shoot arrows back at those troublesome winged rats. And they had made it on time as well, the Overlord would be pleased... if he can ever be pleased that is...
There! There was the last line of trees!
That was the last thing many of them would see.
(Rebel Base, outside, Dawn)
"Hey Jay, you seem really tired today," Jesse commented offhandedly, yawning himself. Jaden blinked up, looking away from the dawn sky to look back at his friends.
"You're all up early," he replied with a nod. They shared collective glances with one another and then Bastion stepped forward eagerly.
"Since none of us seem to know how to get you to open up about this 'secret', I've got a harmless question to inquire of you," he said quickly. Jaden shrugged, signaling Bastion to continue. "What is your namesake, Jaden?"
He blinked. "What? That's really random Bastion!" Jaden announced, but not one small twitch of a smile appeared on his lips. It was seen by all but ignored as well. "I think my mom said it was passed down every few generations to honor a kid that my great (times a lot) grandma lost with her husband in a flood."
"Hmm..." Bastion thought.
"Why?" Syrus wondered curiously, taking the words right out of Hassleberry's mouth. He didn't seem the happiest about that, but considering the danger that they were always in, he didn't act.
"I stumbled across an old diary in the 'library' and it mentioned Jaden's name back in the 1700s, so I was naturally curious." He looked at Jaden as if wondering if he wanted to read it. Jaden gave him an appraising glance, the dark circles under his eyes standing out in the sunlight.
"Bastion, I may have lied to you guys about a lot, but what makes you think that I'd lie about hating to read books?" he laughed finally. Bastion laughed as well and muttered that he thought so. "Yeah, guys I—" he cut himself off abruptly, glancing down at a small pendent he had dangling from his neck. The others watched in fascination as the color grew brighter and the material of Jaden's shirt gathered small flecks of frost on it. His mouth hung open and he silently looked up at them, his eyes fearful. "You guys have to get out of here, now."
"Why?" Blair demanded while grabbing Marcel's hand. He looked at her and then turned his attention back to Jaden, the boy he had thought to be his love rival. The wings had been an interesting adjustment to get used to, and then the concept that he was actually supposed to be the ruler of this dimension, and now there are magical glowing necklaces?
"Something very, very, bad is about to happen," Alexis answered. All the eyes turned towards her as she walked up to Jaden and gently took the pendent off of him. They all watched as she held it above her hands and soon Jaden's captured them as well. They closed their eyes together and moved slowly in a circle, North, South, East, West... then around again. They both stopped, their arms outstretched towards the forest too far away to see. "It's the coldest over there."
"The Wayside Forest?" Bastion wondered, recalling the maps.
"Could it be the Overlord's army?" Crowler asked fearfully, a note of hysteria creeping into his voice. Jaden frowned and turned towards his allies gravelly. "Is it warning that they are coming?"
"Elaine and Brain," Chris muttered, darting towards the door to fetch Darkal. Allian was already in the air, her face a mask of cold stone, her teeth set.
"Worse," he said, and his finger revealed to them a blazing fire of white and blue stretching up into the sky in the distant. "They already came."
Dear Diary,
Today I received my first deck. I was elated when it happened, my cards appearing out of thin air like they were meant to be, but I do suppose that's the way it works here, right? Mother says that in other worlds people have to create their own decks, but I prefer this way. Now my cards will evolve with me and grow and change, just like as the unpredictable wheel of light and darkness changes.
Mother and Jaden are teaching me to duel, and Jaden thinks I have plenty of talent for it, which is a certain relief. Being a weak duelist is a death sentence here. I do wonder why Jaden bothers to spend time with me sometime though. I am just a child of a servant, who am I to be speaking and playing with royalty ever day of my life?
I do not mind his company though, it is quite the opposite. There is a certain glow about him that draws me in, and he just seems so intelligent and wise even at our young ages. He is but fifteen, I stand at fourteen. Time seems such a strange concept to me, knowing that I will not perish unless I am taken by murder and he will eventually grow old and vanish...
It saddens me to think of this, so I will just write of something else, perhaps something useless... Ah! Mother was recently switched over to treat the wounded in the Overlord's army. I don't see her as often anymore, as I am always with the other servant girl washing sheets stained with a red sticky substance that no one wants to acknowledge as blood.
I just laughed at myself; I can't seem to get off the morbid stuff on this day, can I?
Jaden Yuki... he is a puzzling one... that is for sure. There are times that I've caught him staring at me with a strange sort of hunger in his eyes that makes my cheeks grow red and then there are times that he can seem to hate me, but he always comes back and we promise never to argue again. I don't understand humans very well yet, but I so desperately want to. My mother warns me against this, claiming that I'm getting to know the 'enemy', but I ignore her. She is just paranoid; all of those years in hiding must have done it.
Jaden shows promise. He has already confided in me that he dislikes this warfare and hopes to end it in the future...
I HAVE A FEELING THAT I AM GOING TO DIE YOUNG...
ALRIGHT, THERE ARE TWO MORE CHAPTERS LEFT IN THIS (NOT INCLUDING THE EPILOGUE) AND THEN IT'S ONTO THE DESCENT!!
PLEASE DON'T KILL ME IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE ENDING OF THE END OF THE SERIES!!
LOVE,
AxJfan