Chapter Twenty-Four: Love vs. Hate

Frankie laughed demonically as her powers were building up. Everyone looked at the sky in absolute fear. They all knew that they were in grave danger, "We must work together!", cried Thomas, "We will do it until we or she falls!"

Everyone roared and prepared to attack. Frankie grinned as she knew her power was so strong. She knew that she could take anyone down in a matter of seconds. All the guards went in a different direction so she couldn't see them all at once. Many arrows were fired at the evil queen, but all missed their aim.

"You think you are so clever? Well, have this!", laughed Frankie as she blasted the guards from the west side. They all screamed in pain and were all knocked to the ground. However, this didn't stop the others to get rid of the queen.

While the battle with Frankie was happening, Gordon watched it all. He wanted to help but he knew that he was too wounded. Gordon got up and peak his head from the rock he was hiding behind.

"You can't go there. Your damage is that bad. One wrong move and you'll be gone your majesty.", warned Salty.

"Well, she can't see me from afar.", smirked Gordon weakly as he was still in agony.

Meanwhile, James and Thomas made orders to stop the terror from the queen with their leadership skills, "Fetch some rope!", cried James.

Then twelve guards grabbed out a long rope and threw it to Frankie, but she caught all the ropes at once and burned them into ashes, "Fools!"

As the rope burned, the guards' hands began to felt pain from holding the rope. They all groaned in agony as they let go of it.

"We can't give up!", cried Thomas.

Behind them, Connor, Caitlin, and Emily discussed a plan, "One of us must shoot her while someone distracts her.", cried Connor.

"I'll do it!", shouted Caitlin, "I have done those stuff for years."

"And I'll distract her!", added Emily.

"Okay, but be careful you guys. I'm going to help William and Edward!", warned Connor.

As they all darted their way, Connor began to think of Caitlin as she looked so familiar in some way, but he thought of nothing and raced off to King Edward and William's aid. Emily then went right in front of Frankie, "If you think you're powerful, get down here and get me you coward!"

Frankie growled as she made her way down to the ground, "Then let's do it!", replied Frankie calmly.

Frankie's position made her vulnerable, but the guards did not dare to attack until it was the right time. James and Thomas were horrified by her actions. Before Frankie could blast her off, she screamed out in agony as an arrow had shot her in the leg. She turned around and spotted Caitlin, "You?", she screamed.

She then blasted Caitlin away and Caitlin was knocked out cold, "Caitlin!", cried Emily as she rushed to help Caitlin. Frankie smirked, "Clever, but I'm way clever than you!", then she built up her power to get rid of Emily and Caitlin, "Say goodbye!"

But before she could act, she got shot once again but this time at her left cheek. She groaned and turned her head around to see William with the bow and arrow. His son and Connor were behind him.

"Ah!", cried Frankie, "Perfect!"

She then blasted her dark magic towards them, but Edward pushed her father away and got blasted. He screamed out in pain and lay on the ground, shaking. Connor gasped and he began to go on his horse and charged towards Frankie. Frankie noticed him and shoot out a blaze at him, resulting in Connor to fell off his horse and he groaned.

"Edward! Connor!", cried Thomas as he rushed towards their aids.

James gasped. He knew that if Thomas went to him, he would get killed, "Thomas! Don't!"

Thomas ignored his love and went to get Edward and Connor up again, "You have to stay strong.", he whispered.

"Thomas.", cried Edward, "Don't worry about us. We will get up. You need to lead the guards with James. You know what to do."

Thomas's tears began to build as he looked at his older brother with sadness and happiness. He hugged his brother and looked at Connor, "I will."

Then Thomas raced off to get back to James but before he could, he felt like he was lifted in the air. Thomas gasped in horror. Everyone saw what was happening and they all watched in horror, "Thomas!", cried James.

There Thomas was dragged to Frankie and she gave him a wicked grin, "Do you have any last words Tommy?", laughed Frankie crazily.

Thomas answered Frankie by a spit on her face. She looked away in disgust and then back to Thomas with an angry face. Thomas looked back at her with an intense amount of hatred. But before Frankie could make her next action, an arrow was shot at her back. She screamed and dropped Thomas to the ground. She looked around and notice that behind a rock, was the wounded Gordon with a bow and arrow on his hands.

She growled and dashed towards him but before she could, Paxton and Diesel pushed her away with their horses. Frankie hit the ground hard and looked at them, "Two brothers together. Aww, that's beautiful!", she said sarcastically.

She lifted them in the air by magic and threw them against the rock where Gordon was. Paxton was knocked out, but Diesel got up weakly. He gasped to see his little brother hurt. He looked after him and gave an angry look on his face towards Frankie.

Many guards still fought against Frankie, but many started to get seriously hurt or killed. Frankie began to like the idea of having many of her subjects dead. She thought that feeling made more powerful and more intimidating. After all, Umbro didn't care about people's lives and he thirst for pain and death. Frankie knew that being a queen meant being more power and more control.

"You know that hate only makes me stronger.", chuckled Frankie as began to build up her power after blasting the guards. Just then, Hiro remembered something. He gasped in realisation. Hate can never compare with love and the legend said that the spell can be broken by love. He realised that since she was related to Umbro, she wanted to prevent Thomas and James to ever meet each other to prevent it from happening. She wanted to make sure that her reign will last forever and to avenge her ancestors. Perhaps she knew that James and Thomas's love will stop it after all this time.

Hiro went to James, who helped Thomas to get up, "James! Thomas! Your love! It might stop this all together!"

James and Thomas looked at each other then back to him, "You sure?", asked Thomas.

"Yes!", cried Hiro, "Remember how she's related to Umbro? Well, these monsters' weakness is true love that was created by destiny. Your love can destroy her and prevent her from taking over the place!"

Thomas and James then looked around. They could see many people in pain and agony. They could see people mourned the loss of someone's life and their family and friends supported one another. They realised that the hate for Frankie was killing many people. Frankie then noticed that the only people that are still standing were Thomas, James, Hiro, William, Edward, Henry, Percy, Emily, Connor, Diesel, and Salty. She knew that many guards are weak now and few were dead. She can now finish them off.

"This is it! Your kingdoms will be mine!", she screamed and she slowly building up the most powerful blast.

Thomas did feel scared and hugged James. James gave a hatred look towards Frankie but then realised that his brother was right. He must show love instead. He placed his hand on Thomas's face and Thomas looked at him with love but despair.

Then all a sudden, James and Thomas glowed a bright purple and began to be lifted in the air. Then they hugged each other, and both felt the warmth. Deep in their hearts, they knew what to do.

"May peace and harmony stay alive. May love and happiness endure. Let our faith and hope thrive. Let our Harmonia make us feel safe and secure.", they both said and both of their eyes glowed brightly. Frankie gasped, "No!".

She then levitated herself in the air, despite her extensive injury. All she wanted was them dead. She needed to stop this, "Love will never win! Face it! Love has made your weaker. That's what killed your mother Thomas and your father James."

Thomas and James were shocked. So, Frankie had killed their loved ones. Thomas now found out that the true killer for his mother was Frankie and James realised that the tea she gave to her father was laced with poison. They were about to feel hate again but Hiro kept shouting, "Ignore her! Keep the love between you!"

Then the two kept repeating the oath. The more they said it, Frankie began to felt pain inside of her. She screamed out, "No! Stop!"

Then a blast of purple light spread across the sky as James and Thomas's lips met. Frankie then felt that her power was stripped away and she knew that some of the power will return to Marion but her dark magic was slowly fading away. She was dropped the ground. Everyone wowed at the purple lights and they can see red and blue auras as well. Their love between them was strong indeed. Their love also woke up the unconscious ones like Nia, Toby, Caitlin, and Paxton. They all looked up and gasped in amazement.

Then the two landed on the ground safely. They looked at each other with love. Frankie couldn't get up, but she felt the last bit of dark energy and she made her last move. She blasted Thomas with all her might and was Thomas pushed away from James. Thomas hit his body hard against the rock where his older brother was. Everyone gasped.

"Thomas!", cried James.

He darted to Thomas's aid but then all of a sudden, they all saw Frankie glowed in bright purple and she screamed, "No!"

There she blasted into pieces and Frankie was no more. Frankie was dead. Everyone cheered in joy but then realised that Thomas was seriously hurt from the blast and turned their attention towards him. Gordon went to pick up Thomas and saw that his little brother was unresponsive. Gordon's tears began to build. He couldn't believe that Thomas made a sacrifice to bring peace and to destroy Frankie once and for all with the love from James.

"No!", cried James as he raced towards them. William, his family, and friends raced behind him. James then grabbed Thomas off from Gordon's grasp and he held him tight. Gordon felt very sad. He lost his mother and now Thomas. He just couldn't believe it. William then went to James and the unresponsive Thomas. William gasped as tears began to build up. The others watched in sadness and grief for Thomas wasn't waking up.

"Wake up Thomas!", cried James, "Everyone needs you. I need you. You made my life complete! Please get up! I can't live without you because I love you."

He hugged him intensely and then kissed Thomas's forehead gently. James then began to cry very hard. Everyone put their heads down to pay respect for James. William, Edward, and Gordon. Hiro sighed sadly and Henry hugged his little brother, Percy.

James started to think about those good times with Thomas like how they would race to see who was the fastest, they would play hide n seek, chase fireflies, and sometimes, they would take a nap under the tree with their heads tilt against each other. The more he kept remembering those good times, the heavier the tears were. He does not want Thomas to die.

Thomas's friends and family also began to think about the good memories. Edward remembered Thomas's expression when he told him many stories. Thomas liked that. Gordon remembered being defeated by Thomas when they played fight. Gordon didn't like that at first, but now he felt proud of him yet he's gone. Percy remembered him playing silly tricks on others like Gordon. They would often do that for their amusement. Those good memories of Thomas now made their hearts ached.

All of them, especially James wanted Thomas to wake up. James just couldn't bear on losing him. They just confessed their love, and they got rid of Frankie, but now Thomas was in this state. Then they all prayed for Thomas to wake up.