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Leilee led the boys into Sammi's room. They climbed up onto the bed and held each other's hand. Leilee looked at them and smiled, trying to reassure them.
"You two stay here. I'm going to go get Sammi, and we're going to get out of here.Ok?"
The boys nodded, as Leilee turned to Sammi's dresser and found a pair of stretch pants and a sweat shirt. She returned to find Sammi curled up on the floor of the bathroom, crying. Leilee walked over to her and said softly, "Sammi, We have to get out of here. And we need your help. Can you help us?"
"Yes." Was the quivering reply from Sammi.
As she sat up, she took the clothes from Leilee and got dressed. When she was done, she looked in the mirror. What she saw brought back more memories, but these ones were of her parents, because the streak in her hair had turned white again. She saw the claw marks from Kyle healing, when they were done she turned to Leilee and said, "I heard him."
Leilee was a little surprised. She couldn't figure out what Sammi was talking about.
"Who did you hear?" She asked, helping Sammi brush her hair out and put it into a ponytail.
"Jonas." Sammi said as she looked at herself in the mirror again, before she continued, "Before Kyle...I killed...Kyle. I heard Jonas...in my head." Sammi silently cried again as Leilee hugged her. Sammi hugged her back and said, "I need Jonas."
Jubilee_79
Cara, Jamar, and their dragon honor guard entered the chamber, only to find Jonas missing.
"And he calls me headstrong. Where did the little idiot run off to now?"
The sound of the first dragon growling behind Jamar raises the hair on his neck.
"Do you think he's okay?" Cara asks as she reaches out for him.
She finds him and breaths a sigh. His emotions have changed and they are no longer as dark, but sorrow still prevails.
"AAHHHHHH!" Jamar drops to the ground in pain as the hate, anger, and sorrow cuts through him like a knife.
/What is it, my luv?/ Cara queries through their mindlink.
/Kyle's dead...Sammi killed him...The guilt and pain is eating at her./
/Oh no!/
/I guess we got a lot from dad. The temper, the strength, and the animal bloodlust./
The pain from Sammi and that of his own is too great. As Cara cradles Jamar's head, he cries. They may win the war, but at what cost?
Chaos
The creatures were thrown left and right; others ran for their lives as Jonas rampaged through their lines towards where he knew Sammi would be. But this time he didn't kill them... he only threw them aside or knocked them out cold. There was no rage anymore, only love... a love so stong that nothing would get past it. But he was getting tired... there were too many, and he could not fly; it was too narrow, and he would hurt his wings.
Suddenly he slipped, and in a powerful roar he got pulled down on his side. He tried to roll over, but they grabbed his wing and pulled it. The next second there was a sharp pain. He coughed in surprise and looked down at his chest... a big monster stood there with his spear digging into Jonas' chest.
For a second, Jonas didn't believe it...but the pain quickly made itself known as the creature twised the spear, and Jonas roared as much as he could with a punctured lung. Something came swirling through the air and hit the monster flat in his chest; it threw him away, and he let go of the spear... the rest of the nightmare creatures backed away, and fighting could be heard. A moment later...
"Foul creatures, they never stay and fight if they know they will lose."
Strong hands pulled Jonas over onto his back. It was Thor.
"Forgive my late arival, thou would not have been injured if I had been here faster."
"Fear not, just help me get this out..." Jonas pointed to the spear in his chest.
"It is done..." Thor grabbed it and pulled it out, and as the magical spear came out, the wound healed quickly.
They quicky exited the tunnels, and came out into the devilish grounds Of the Nightmare Realm.
"How will we find them?" Jonas asked.
Thor put a hand on his neck.
"When I helped the children out, I had to fight all the way from the castle to not far fom here. I know the way."
Jonas extended his wings.
"Then we FLY!" he grabbed Thor carefully and set to the air.
Thor thought for a moment how he would explain that the children are now older.
A Hammer crashed through the wall, making a small hole, and Thor jumped through. The next was bigger, as Jonas tore open a hole so he could enter. He stopped; Sammi, she had been here not long ago... but there was also the smell of death, but not her death...
"SAMMI!" he roared, hoping that she would hear him.
Sammi looked up as she heard her name; she sniffed the air and smelled Jonas and Thor. Leilee and the twins looked at her as she looked back the way they had come.
"Auntie Sammi? What's wrong?" Mac asked as he and Robbie started to tug a little on her sweatshirt.
Sammi looked down at them and smiled. As she picked her head up, she looked at Leilee and said,
"Jonas is here, with Thor."
Leilee was concerned and asked,
"How do you know it's really them?"
Sammi pointed at her nose.
"It always leads to the truth." She reached down and carefully picked up Mac as Leilee picked up Robbie.
"Come on. We have to get to them quick. I love him dearly, but he can be as bad as Jamar at times."
"What do you mean?" Asked Leilee as they started to run down the hallway.
"Well, He yelled. And if I could hear him, then Sinster or Someone else must have too. We have to hurry." Sammi said as they ran.
Thor looked at Jonas with a glare, as he clamped his big jaws shut.
"Sorry?" Jonas whispered, and gave Thor a childish smile that looked real funny on the big dragon, and Thor started to laugh softly.
"Let's find your wife." Thor smiled.
They started to run down the hall, throwing away the odd creature unlucky enough to get in their way. Jonas saw the end of the hall was coming up, and that it branched off into another direction. He didn't know what might be on the other side, so he and Thor stopped just behind the corner.
Sammi did the same on the other side of the corner; and for a moment they both just stood there until Jonas snaked his head around the corner... and looked right into Sammi's eyes.
Sammi gasped from the shock of seeing a huge Dragon's head in front of her. When she saw the eyes, she knew who it was. And before Jonas knew it, *SMACK!* Sammi slapped him. He pulled his head back.
"Why did you do that?" he asked in disbelief.
"Because I have asked you over a hundred times. Don't do that!!" Sammi said, and smirked.
Mac and Robbie started to giggle at the surprised look on the Dragon's face, because it's not every day that you see a shocked look on a Dragon's face. Leilee watched him as well.
"Jonas?" she asked.
Jonas looked at Leilee.
"Yes, it's me... but we have to get out of here right now."
"Yeah, good idea." Leilee confirmed as Thor started to swing his Hammer to open a portal.
The portal appeared and the group exited from it. They looked around the beautiful city, all of them finally free from the nightmare. Sammi looked over at Jonas.
"Why are you still in dragon form? Why not change back?"
Jonas turned away.
"I don't know if I can change back... it has been a long time..."
Admiral & Jubilee_79
Amanda watched from the throne room of the castle. She smiled at the scene before her. She prayed that Jonas would be able to change back in time. They had such little time left. She wanted to tell Logan and Maggie that Sammi was back, but the voice refused to let her see her friends. She wondered if the voices had told them the truth.
/Everything will work out as it is supposed to be, my fair lass./ assures Azmaru.
/You will be able to talk to your friends soon./ stated Thanagar.
/If they don't run in fear of me first?/ doubted Amanda.
/I thought you had conquered this fear?/ questioned Thanagar.
/So did I, but what if Charles changes his mind? What if the X-Men don't accept it? What if my team hates me? What IF??/ she asked.
/You must have faith in your team and friends. You must believe in the love that you share with Xavier. You must believe, or all will be lost./ stated Azmaru.
/I wish I could be with them right now./
/You must finish your training and let them begin theirs.. You'll see them soon./ stated Thanagar.
Amanda turned from the happy reunion in front of her and returned to her training, her doubts growing larger as time passed.
A.C.
Sinister sat upon his throne, contemplating his next move. A sudden roar filled the air, rumbling and echoing throughout the large room. Sinister jumped up, startled out of his reverie.
/What was that? What has happened?/ he thought.
The cloaked figure of Dischord entered the room. Sinister watched her as she slowly crossed the room, and walked over to stand before him.
"My love," Dischord began, "Samantha has destroyed Kyle, and broken free of the mind control. Jonas has broken through our defenses, and both of them have escaped."
Sinister's gruesome eyes narrowed in cold anger. /Ah, so Jonas has succeeded in rescuing his lady love.../ he thought.
Sinister turned and walked over to look out of the window. He was furious. To have lost the children, then Kyle, now Samantha... Samantha was to have been the beginning of his new world. She would have been the leader, the mother of his new mutants. Sinister's lip curled with anger. She had betrayed him. She would pay, dearly. But, first...
"Dischord, it is time to put phase two of our plan into play. You know what you must do. Go find the child born of Harmony. She is the key to our ruling the Universe. Find her and bring her here." Sinister ordered.
Dischord turned, and went out of the room to do as her lord and master bid.
Sinister turned and gazed out of the window once more. It was only a matter of time before he had it all. His lips curled up in a horrible smile at the thought.
Rainfall
Bobby was startled when Athena clutched at his hand. He looked questionly into her eyes, then saw the fear and wonder that they held. Bobby took Athena by both shoulders, and turned her around to face him.
"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked softly of his wife.
Athena took a shaky breath.
"That writing on the wall. I understand it. I don't know how, but I understand it." she said.
Athena looked once more at the writing on the wall... and her eyes filled up with tears. Bobby was beside himself with worry. He couldn't read what the writing said, but it was upsetting his beloved. He brushed the tears from Athena's cheeks.
"What does it say? Please, tell me." he asked, softly.
Athena took a shaky breath, looked deep into her husband's eyes, then turned once more to read the writing on the wall.
"It is a prophecy, a legend of sorts." she began. "This is what it says."
//From the mists of times, before the gathering of the Celestial court, there were the three sisters. The guardians of love and peace, the holders of truth.
The days before the cataclysm and it's great split, Realm wars were fought at the cost of whole civilizations. During the gathering of the elders, an alliance was born and shattered by the coming Nightmare. The three sisters were separated, weakened, and overcome.
Here sleeps the third sister, Omus The Siren. Healer, Protector, Keeper of the Waters.
From the mists of time, she kept watch over all creation, using her Siren's song to heal. All was peaceful under her and her husband's rule, until the day when the Nightmare known as Sinastar appeared. Omus's husband was defeated, and to save her only child, Omus sent her far away.
Omus battled long and hard against Sinastar, but her strength was drained from her sending her only child away. Taking advantage of this, Sinastar imprisoned her within the cavern.
Omus knew that without her protection, her child would be in danger. Using the last of her energy, she split in two, and sent her other self to guard her daughter, Athena. Omus collapsed into a deep, dreamless, endless sleep, her last thought of her dear child.
Alas, the Split was imperfect, and Omus's other self was but a shadow, a shell of her true former self. She no longer had her power, the Siren's Song. Cut off from that which she most loved, her gift of music and healing, she took on the name of Dischord. To this day she roams, spreading dispair and grief in her wake.
All will be restored to its rightful state, once the child born of harmony is found. She, with her courageous, pure heart, will see what no one else can see. The ember of light within the one, who believes she has none.//
On the last word, Athena's voice broke. That which had happened to her mother was so horrible. Part of her sleeping forever, the other part roaming the earth cut off from that which she held dear. Would Athena ever know her mother?
Athena couldn't hold her tears back any longer. Her body became racked with sobs. Bobby took her in his arms and held her close. Athena buried her head in his chest and continued to cry.
/Strange... Sinastar sounds a lot like Sinister... what does that mean?/ Bobby wondered, as he cradled Athena in his arms.
The two were interrupted by a silvery voice, chiming in the air. Athena's head shot up, her eyes wide as she listened.
"Child of Harmony, Daughter of Destiny... the key to a brighter future or darker dream. Through you, either and all may be achieved." Spoke the voice from out of the shadows.
The couple turned towards the voice, Bobby standing protectively in front of Athena, his eyes filled with grim determination. The voice was beautiful, but it held a coldness and danger which he did not like.
A cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows, directly in front of them.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" demanded Bobby.
"I am Dischord, and I have come for the child born of Harmony." spoke the silvery voice.
At those words, Bobby iced up, ready to take on any evil to protect his wife.
Rainfall
Amanda had been training when the voices called. They told her that Athena was in danger. She turned to the mirror to see that Dischord had been sent to do the task of stealing Athena for Sinister. Amanda had heard of Dischord and knew Bobby was going to need help. Using her power, she teleported to the cave.
Athena saw Amanda and was relieved. She too sensed that Dischord was extremely powerful. Dischord turned toward Amanda and stared. She had not seen one of her kind in ages. The fact that one had been chosen by the voices meant that the prophecy was close at hand. Sinister need to be aware of this, as well as Anon. Those two had not finished their differences yet.
"I am surprised that you are here, chosen one. Indeed, I am surprised that you were the one the voices chose. Do your friends know what you are? Maybe Athena would rather come with me than stay here with you."sneered Dischord.
"You maybe powerful but it would be a mistake to underestimate us." warned Amanda. /Bobby, be prepared to get Athena out of here quickly./ Amanda telepathically warned him.
Xavier was admiring the structure when Magneto approached. The voices had told them that they needed to wait. Amanda had disappeared because these voices felt her presence was not needed. Charles felt some uneasiness about being separated, but did not say anything. Various members had formed little groups and were talking between themselves.
"Congratulations are in order, Xavier. " stated Magneto.
"For what?" pretended Xavier.
"I am not as blind as your X-Men. I saw the ring and noticed how the two of you were behaving when we ate together. You did not make one comment about me harassing anyone. When will this wedding take place?"
Xavier decide to be honest with his friend.
"As soon as possible if I had my wish, but I know Amanda would like something more traditional... and she still afraid that I won't love her when I hear the truth."
"It does happen. My wife left me. She never even told me I was a father again. I wonder if my life would have been different if she had."
"I love her, Eric. Nothing will change that. She has to believe in that."
"Give her time and yourself. The truth may be more than you bargained for, and will take time to adapt to, but I believe that you two will make it."
"You care for her?"
"Not in the way you do, but yes. She seems to see some good in me that I can't even find. She has been the kindest person to me, and she is aware of my past. She treats Victor and I like we were X-Men, and sees us as her friends."
"I know. I'm glad that is all you feel."
"Tell me, Charles, what would you have done if I felt differently..." Magneto challenged, but Charles could see the humor in his expression.
"Believe me... you would not have recovered from what I would do."
Magneto laughed out loud, and was soon followed by Xavier. This left most of the X-Men wondering if this was the end of the world.
A.C.
Athena didn't know how, but she had heard the telepathic message Amanda had sent to Bobby. In fact, she could hear Bobby's thoughts as well. No, not hear, think them. It was as if they were her own thoughts. She deeply resented having her own private battles fought for her.
She knew she didn't want to leave with Dischord, but neither did she want Amanda taking over things which did not concern her. The prophesy had said that Athena was the only one who could stop Dischord and wake Omus, not Amanda. Perhaps, Amanda needed to be reminded.
"Amanda, you will take Bobby and leave this place." Athena could feel the argument rising within both Amanda and Bobby. She decided not to give them time to voice it. "You will leave, now!" Athena commanded.
At that, Athena caused a flash of light, and Bobby and Amanda were gone. She had sent them back to the castle.
"Dischord, I will not go with you." Athena told the creature.
She really didn't know what she was supposed to do. Silently, she sent a message to Hope and Ymela, "Please, if you hear me, guide me."
To Dischord she smiled and said, "I will not fight you. I will never battle against those that I love. I love my mother. You are a part of my mother, and I will never fight you. Even so, I can't allow you to succeed. There is a way to stop you, and I will find it."
Snowbaby
Thor laughed and slapped Jonas on his big shoulder.
"Thou have faced hordes of creatures outnumbering your own in twice the number, yet thy have won every time. Never did Odin say he saw fear in thy eyes then, but now they are filled with more fear than anyone alone should have to face."
Jonas lookead at Thor, somewhat annoyed that he was not allowed a moment of self pity, and Thor smiled.
"Thy both have hearts stronger than thou shall ever know. Settle your disputes here and now... thy futures await thou." Thor chuckled and walked away, carefully pushing Leilee in front of him.
Jonas watched as Thor walked away, until he suddenly felt a hand on his chin. He looked over to Sammi, her eyes filled with tears. He brought his own hand up to her face, and with one big finger stroked the side of it; a finger that could flip over a car by only nudging it, was now so tender. How was he going to explain that it had been so long, about the things he had done, and what he almost had done...
Sammi closed her eyes for a moment as his finger brushed her face. She missed his touch, even in Dragon form. She didn't care... it was him, and he was there. She was so happy, well, as happy as she could let herself be after all that she did. She opened her eyes and looked into his.
"What happened to you?" She asked.
She could see the sadness in his eyes, and it made her sad, too. For a moment he turned away, but her hands guided his face back. Jonas bit down.
"I have done... some terrible things, and..." he closed his eyes and let the memory of 20 years of war flow through his mind.
Sammi saw it, their mind link stronger than ever; her eyes opened in shock as she took in the memories, and the fact that it had been 20 years for him. She gave him a hug around the neck; he opened his eyes and slowly she could feel his body change as he turned back in to human and returned the hug. Sammi held on tighter as she began to speak.
"You're not the only one that has done things that they wish they could take back."
She started to cry harder, and Jonas slowly ran his hand up and down her back.
"Remember when we said that we will love each other, no matter what?" When he felt her head nod against his shoulder, he continued, "Well, It still stands. No Matter What. I'll Always love you."
Sammi started to cry a little harder as she let the memories of everything she did flow through the mind link. He hugged her tighter as he saw the memories of what had happened to her before, and what Kyle had tried to do, and he felt both sad and angry.
/It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself, please.../ Jonas sent back over the link.
He felt Sammi hug him even tighter, and her cries became stronger. Jonas felt her fear of what had happened to her... now and in the past... and he felt he had let her down. He had promised to protect her, and failed. He cupped her head in both hands and looked Sammi in her eyes, wiping away the tears carefully with his thumb.
"Never blame yourself for things out of your control..."
Sammi looked into his eyes and saw the sadness that was there. She knew that look.
"You should take your own advice." she said.
Jonas leaned down and kissed her as she wrapped her arms around him again. She broke the kiss when she had a thought, /If Thor is alive, then where are my babies?/
Jonas heard her thought through the link. Jonas' eyes opened wide... their children!!
"Thor said that we would meet them."
They both sniffed the air, and caught the sent of Thor and two other young people that smelled familiar. They looked at each other and smiled. They both knew that smell... it was a mixed smell of each other.
"I can't look..." Jonas said, his lips trembling.
"We'll look together." Sammi smiled and took his hands.
They walked hand in hand to where Thor was. As they rounded the corner, they saw Thor with two kids in his arms. As Sammi looked at the kids, she knew right away that they were her and Jonas' babies, but they looked about five years old.
The little boy turned his head like he smelled her. She could tell that he was sniffing the air because his little nose was moving. Then his eyes grew wide.
"Mommy!!!" he yelled.
He jumped from Thor's arm and ran over to Sammi, and hugged her around her legs. The little girl looked at her brother. An emotional outburst like that was unbecoming of them, and she didn't want Thor to think less of them. Suddenly she looked at Jonas and saw his eyes; she froze... They were the same as her's...
"Is that my..." her lip trembled as she whispered to Thor.
Thor smiled. "Yes young one.. these are thy parents."
She jumped out of Thor's arms and ran to Jonas, who knelt down and wrapped her in a hug.
"Father..." she said low, and pushed her head against his chest.
This was his daughter... these were their children. He hugged the child tight and looked at Thor.
"Thank you... I'm sorry if I ever in my life feared that you could not do this."
Jonas, still holding Joey, moved over to where Sammi was kneeling and holding Alex, and gave them a hug. Sammi wrapped her arm around the two and hugged back. ALL Four of them were together again. This time forever.
Admiral & Jubilee_79