Hey, peoples, the story's almost over! Is there anything you lot wants to
see before the end? Hey, does anyone know what an "Estelle Lynn" is? And be
prepared for tears, people, sadness, sorrow, possible confusion, and the
inkling of a sequel, maybe, if I get enough reviews, hmmm... oh, and meet
some of Jessie's cousins, brief thing, and this is pretty much the end. The
next chap will probably be epilogue unless you guys tell me different. Hey,
does anyone know what an "Estelle Lynn" is?
Chapter Eight: In the Lair of M
"Alan, I hate to say it," Henry began, "but Jessie hasn't found anything to do, now that the men are all either dead or well enough to work. Her healing powers have worked miracles, but now she's bored." The ex- sharpshooter sighed. Mina had told him the same thing that morning, and Tom yesterday. Nemo was too busy to approach him, but had sent a Lascar only twenty minutes ago.
"I'll see if Kali will allow Noss, Mana, and Magi to come play with her, out of the way." Henry looked confused. "Three of her cousins. Noss is the daughter of the goddess, Freya. You may not know of her, but the twins, Mana and Magi, you may know, as they're the sons of Thor. They'll stay out of trouble, they always do." Even as he said that, five children ran into the room, followed by the League.
One was a girl with gorgeous golden curls and sapphire blue eyes. She was smaller than Jessie and the other kids, by about six inches, and looked to be about five. With her were twin boys, both with fiery, wild red hair, and eyes like the sea after a storm. They looked to be of the manly age of nine. The last girl, about Jessie's age, also had red hair, but this red was a deep wine color, and she was an ivory-complexioned child with only a delightful spray of light freckles across her nose, exactly three on each side. They were Noss, Mana, Magi, and Brigid, four of Jessie's divine cousins.
"Alan, Jessie says you'll vouch for these children. Who are they?" When the matter was sorted out, the children all went to Jessie's room to play until they reached Mongolia. Once there, they bid their semi-mortal cousin adieu, with hugs, kisses, and promises of parental divine protection.
* * *
In the warmth and safety of the cave- which reminded her the lion goddess Viarri's den- Jessie prayed for her friends safety, and her father's. "Mommy, please watch over everyone, and keep them safe. Sharpen their senses, bring them wisdom, and give them an extra edge in battle. I know you'll do what's best, and I trust you, Mommy. Please, please, keep Daddy and everyone safe. Don't let my vision come to pass, please, I beg you. You know I can't live without Daddy. Watch out for everybody, especially him. I love you. Amen."
* * *
"Daddy? I heard a noise." Jessie, wearing her fight clothes, stepped out of the cave. She was the only member of the League unaffected by the chill. She wore black leather hunting boots, black stockings, a black shirt, and a red tunic. Around her neck was a skull pendant, a gift from her mother. The skull was actually fashioned from a piece of cranial bone belonging to Hephaestus, Greek god of fire and blacksmiths. His head was supposed to be the hardest substance known to man. The pendant shone like it was forged from steel. When Jessie wore it, she was prepared for battle, because Aries, Mars, Minerva, Ogunn, Athena, Artemis, Kali, Tyr, Odin, Anubis, Sekhmet, and Shiva, all feared warriors had also blessed the pendant. It filled her with bits of their fighting spirit.
"Daddy?" She asked again, putting her arms around his neck. "What is it?"
"It was nothing." Allan said softly, hugging his daughter and brushing snow out of her hair. Mina and Nemo were there behind her. Nemo asked curiously, "An old tiger waiting to meet his end?"
"Perhaps," Jessie murmured, "it wasn't his time to die." Mina shrieked, and everyone whirled to stare at her. Jessie began giggling as she understood the bewildered look on the vampire's face. He finally managed it.
"Oh, I've been wanting to do that all week!" "Get a grip, Skinner!" Alan snapped. "Funny, I thought I just did." Mina slapped the invisible man. "Ow! Mina... oy! Hello, Miss Jessie. Ain't you a sight for my sore eyes." He knelt in the snow and Jessie hugged him tightly, kissing his cheeks. "Now, what's all that for, love?" "Oh, oh, Mr. Skinner, you brave, brave thing, you dear! I'm so glad you're a good guy, it nearly broke my heart to even have had to consider you weren't!" Skinner hugged the girl back, drawing comfort from her small little body and loving embrace. Jessie was the first child he'd ever met that he loved like his own daughter or sister, and he was glad to see her. "Well, now. You're very glad to see me, I'd wager, aren't you, little bit? And I'm right glad to see you, I am. Now," to the adults, "might I remind you that I'm standing here, naked, in the snow? I can't feel any of my extremities, and I mean, any of them, Miss Bright Eyes."
* * *
"So," Jessie murmured to clarify, "we go in. Captain Nemo and Edward get the scientists, you and Tom, Daddy, get M, and Mina gets Dorian. What do I do?" "Get that harp back, and destroy the labs. Harp first. What's wrong, Jess?" Her eyes were glazed with telepathic space out, but tears were coursing down her cheeks, and her expression was horrified. "They have the New Druids. Colin, Ronan, Dom, Morgaine, Colleen, Rebecca, Ash, Brigid, and Shea. They're hurting them, really hurting them. I have to help them." She looked up desperately at the adults. "Nobody has to go with me, I can do it myself, honest!" Jessie's lip quivered suddenly, but she bit it to keep from crying. Ash was her boyfriend, and she hadn't known he was in any danger! What was wrong with her? "Jessie, did you say Ash, the Druid priest-in-training, the one you're friends with?" She bit her lip again. "Jessie?" She nodded. "Absolutely not! You are not going gallivanting after that boy, into hell and high water! Absolutely not! Nemo and Hyde can get him, too!" She rose swiftly to her feet. "I beg your pardon. Ash and the others won't be held near the scientists and people. They're powers will ensure they're held in a highly secure area. Ash rescued me once! I owe him my best shot at getting him out of this mess! If it was Mommy, wouldn't you try to rescue her?" She stared him right in the eye, unflinching. "If your mother had to choose between your safety and mine-" "No, not Mommy. You. Before I was born. If Mommy was in danger, and I wasn't in the equation, would you rescue her? Even if Grandfather told you not to?" Allan passed a hand over his face, and began pacing back and forth between the far left wall of the cave and the far right. Finally, he sighed, defeated. "I would. I would, indeed." "Daddy, you must understand. I can't be protected forever. I've been in the thick of this until now. I can take care of myself." "Fine. You will rescue Ash and the others. But Artemis is going with you, and Thalia, Iris, Sekhmet, Oya, and Lali. Understand?" "Yes. They'll meet me there. Let's go, then."
* * *
"Hello, lover." Mina's voice was deceptively warm and friendly. Dorian turned towards the red-headed vampiress and smiled indulgently, almost condescendingly. Mina's full, red lips quirked into a half smile that didn't quite reach the glacial emeralds of her eyes. "Mina. You're still alive." "Of course, I can't die." Mina tilted her head to the side in a slight mocking inquiry. "Neither can you, if Jessie's visions are to be believed, and they've yet to be proven wrong." She stopped speaking, for suddenly Dorian looked extremely relieved. "What?" "She's alive. She's alive. God, I never wanted anything to happen to her, I... she's alive?" "She is. You scum, you'll betray anyone, won't you, even if you care about them. She says you can't die. Let's put it to the test."
* * *
"Sekh, do you smell them?" The young goddess exchanged a glance with her more mortal cousin, then Sekhmet, the snake-warrior goddess, flicked out her three-foot-long, acid green tongue to taste the air. "I've found them. That way." The seven child-goddesses raced from one cover to the other, creeping down the hallways, to a vaulted door. Iris went up to the door, feeling it for traps, then, concentrating, the blue-haired, silver-eyed goddess touched each hinge with a loving fingertip. It immediately froze and fell to pieces. The lock and alarm were undone by a series of soft trills and whistles from blond, blue-eyed Lali, the Player. The girls then slipped into the room. Oya stared with hard yellow eyes at the sleeping guards. Whirlwinds lifted them up and deposited them in an empty cell. The door was blown shut by the wind, but softly, so as not to clang. A smile tugged at her full, dark lips. Oya was the Orisha of wind, death, rebirth, and change. She was also a mischievous little thing. Jessie ran to the cell full of children between five and ten. A nine-year- old boy with ash blond hair and emerald green eyes snapped awake and rose majestically to his feet. When he saw who was at the door, he cried out softly and rushed to her. "Jesshiquekah!" "Ash!" The Druid boy kissed Jessie's trembling hands as he whispered, "I never dared dream you'd come, I never, oh, Jesshiquekah!" "Ash, I'm so, so sorry I wasn't here sooner, I'm so very sorry." With a whistled tune from Lali, the gate swung open, and the nine Druid children all rushed out. Jessie flung herself into Ash's arms, and they kissed each other, as children in love are wont to do. Then Colleen, Shea, Morgaine, Rebecca, and Brigid pulled Jessie into overjoyed hugs, before she returned to Ash's embrace. "Ash, oh, Ash... I missed you, I missed you so much! I'm so glad to see you again!" "I've missed you, too, Jesshiquekah, I have." He petted her hair and kissed the top of her head until Thalia said, "Okay, let's go, now, okay? Before someone comes. Let's book it." Ash handed Jessie her harp, which the Druids had been keeping safe from M's cronies, and the children all ran.
* * *
"Everyone alright? All here... Allan! Where's Allan and Sawyer?" Mina cried. The blond American was half-carrying the British sharp-shooter down a flight of stairs when he exclaimed, "Here! Help out a bit, won't you?" Allan groaned and murmured, "Where is she? Where are Jessie and the other children?" Nobody knew, until a group of sixteen children ran down a flight of stairs opposite the League members. Jessie saw Alan, bleeding from the knife wound, and gasped. "Daddy!" A boy with ash-blond hair and startling green eyes rushed forward with the girl and put a hand on Alan's chest, over Jessie's hand. Shea, a child with wine red hair and burgundy colored eyes, put her hand over the boy's, followed by Artemis' hand, Rebecca's, and Ronan's. The six divine/magical kids closed their eyes in intense concentration as they fought to heal Alan. There was poison on the blade in his back. Sekhmet yanked it out, causing Allan to shout hoarsely in pain. Then the wound began to heal. The circle of divine magic was broken by a shout of, "Jesshiquekah Quartermain!" The girl turned towards the sound. She saw... a ghost. It couldn't have been... M? Jessie knew Tom had shot him. How was it possible he was here before her? The "ghost" raised a pistol and aimed it at Jessie's heart. Before she could react, Ash had stepped in front of her and taken the bullet in the chest. "Ugh!" He fell into Jessie's arms. "NO!" Jessie was sobbing, begging Ash to keep his eyes open as Henry rushed to him to help. "Please, please, Ash, don't die, don't die..." "Jesshiquekah!" She looked up from Ash's pale white face to see M aiming the pistol at her again. Why hadn't her father shot him? "You disgusting demon bitch! I'll kill everyone who ever mattered to you!" He swung his arm and pulled the trigger of the pistol again. The second bang rang in Jessie's ears as Allan grunted and fell to the ground. "Daddy! Mommy! MOMMY, MAKE HIM STOP!! MAKE HIM STOP!!!!!" Time stopped.
* * *
Jessie looked around. "Where am I?" She saw crimson and burgundy stars in a field of black velvet, like rubies or blood-dipped diamonds studding midnight silk. She was standing in a field, or plain, or meadow, whatever. The grass was black, almost as if it had been charred, but Jessie knew it hadn't. It was the natural color. There was no moon or sun in the sky to light the ground, but there were torches set in the earth of the black field, skulls set on pikes, with oil-soaked moss stuffed into every nook and cranny. There were hundreds of them. The harper knew exactly where she was. The Mystic Abyss, home of Kali and Shiva, gods of death and destruction. Jessie had been born here. She looked around for her mother, but only saw her beautiful throne of black and red marble, and her mothers swords and daggers and spears. Her mother's skull necklace and crown of bones and thorns were lying in the seat of the great chair. But Kali, her sweet, beautiful, terrible mother, was nowhere to be seen. "Mother?" She whirled around, trying to find her. "MOTHER?" She ran from torch to torch, between the scattered pinpoints of light, becoming frantic, hysterical. Where was her mother? She couldn't leave the Abyss without her help, and the longer she was here the sooner her father and Ash would die without her help. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she realized her mother had abandoned her. "MOTHER! MOTHER! MOTHER, PLEASE!" She hit the ground, choking on the sobs tearing themselves from her young throat. "Mother, I need you." She whispered through her tears. "I need you. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to save them. Daddy... Ash... Mommy... MOMMY, PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU, I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE!!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!! MOMMY!!!!!" "I'm here!" Kali gathered the sobbing, terrified child in her arms and held her. "It's alright, I'm here, shhh, it's alright. Ash and your father are fine, my darling, time has stopped outside of this place. Please, I cannot bear your tears. I'm here now, it's okay, don't cry." "How dare you! How dare you tell me not to cry! Why didn't you save me? And Daddy? I thought you loved us! We needed your help, why won't you interfere?" "Jessie-" "Bitch!" The child jerked away from Kali. "You hypocritical bitch! How dare you!" "You need my help." "I've always needed your help! Now more than ever!" "I can help you now. The Almighty will allow it." "So, when the Almighty snaps his fingers, you jump. When your daughter, your daughter, begs for your help, you say no. You say no." "Jesshiquekah, I am a goddess first, your mother second. As a goddess, I owe my allegiance to the Almighty. As a goddess, I have vast responsibilities! You scoff now, my darling daughter, but you will as well when you are a goddess." Jessie flinched. "I don't want to be a goddess!" "It's in your blood, Jesshiquekah, in your body, in your bones, in your heart and soul! It is what sets you apart from all others! You are a goddess now, though not yet come into your full powers. You must begin as you mean to go on. As a goddess, you must understand that everything has its price, and that you must keep all of the aspects of life in balance. Chaos will follow you, my Jesshiquekah, and you must learn to live with it! You are as I was, and you will soon be as I am. I pray that day comes later than sooner. You are a goddess, Jesshiquekah Quartermain, and you must be as such forever, as long as you live, for every minute you live." Jessie looked into her mother's eyes, so sad, sparkling with tears. She wanted to cry for her mother, but didn't have any tears left in her. She felt sorry, though. "Mother." "Jesshiquekah." "I apologize. I love you." Jessie bit her lip, thinking. What was she gonna do? How could she stop the chain of events leading to the war? "You cannot stop it. Not even the Almighty can, while still following the rules. What you can do, is fight to protect everything you hold dear, and be aware of every consequence. As a goddess, and as my daughter, gifted with foresight, you will have an easier time of that than any other." Kali looked beyond Jessie, and her lovely, golden brown skin paled. "Mother?" "Go. Through the gate, go. They are coming." Jessie turned to look behind her. A swarming, writhing shadow was oozing closer and closer. Behind Kali, the portal between worlds opened in a flurry of red and black sparks. "Jesshiquekah, my daughter, go, now! You must. They cannot take you, you matter too much, to me, to everyone." Kali grabbed Jessie's arm and dragged her to the gateway. "I love you, my child. Go, with all the grace, speed, wisdom, and power of your kin. Protect your father, and your loved ones. Warn Brigid, Noss, and Psyche." "What do I tell them?" "They are coming. The Hounds, the Jotuns, and the god-killers. All of them. This war heralds their coming. Be careful of them. Now, go!" She shoved the child through the astral gate, then turned to face the oncoming enemy. "Thou art dead men all!"
* * *
Jessie's world was running backwards, like a movie stuck in rewind. She saw her father, bleeding, rise from the floor in the exact way he'd fallen to it a moment ago, only backwards. He was uninjured. Ash rose from her arms to stand off to the side once more. He, too, was unhurt. What was this? Her mother's doing? Or her cousins', Chronos and Trissa? Was it, perhaps, hers? It didn't matter, she was getting a second chance. She was damn well going to take it. When the time-turning stopped, Jessie's hand was back on Allan's body, healing him. She pulled back. The other children stared at her in confusion. "There's no time. Daddy, can you walk?" "Yes," he began. Jessie grabbed his hand, sent a swift collective telepathic communication to the other children, and began pulling Alan's hand. "Come on, hurry, we have to go!" She yanked hard, pulling him back the way they had very first come. "Please, please, quick! Quick!" "Jessie, slow down! I am not as young as I once was, and you are far friskier than I am!" She gave a frustrated cry and merely pulled. "Please, Daddy, trust me! Come quick, quicker than quick, like the wind, we have to get out of here now... Mr. Skinner." She stopped dead in her tracks. "Mr. Skinner's not here! Where is he?" This was bad, this was very bad, they couldn't leave without the invisible man, but they had to leave before M found them. "Thalia, Sekhmet, find him, I beg you!" "Before we go, I have to tell you, the bjornans are outside, waiting for you all." Iris whispered. "We'll find Mr. Skinner. Jesshiquekah, you take your Father, the League, the Druids, and Ash, and get them all out of here now!" The divine ones disappeared, and Jessie and the others ran. They'd just reached the entrance, and Jessie let out a soft whoop of joy, when someone called, "Quartermain." Everyone turned, and then Allan fell backwards with a cry. He hit the wall and slid down, leaving a thick trail of blood down the stone. Scarlet blood soaked the front of his shirt, and a trickle of blood oozed past his lips to stain his beard. "DADDY!" She ran to him, kissed him, crying and shaking him by the collar. She knew he was already dead. "I love you, Jess-" His eyes closed, and his head fell to the side. Her father was dead, just as she had seen. "Oh, no," she whispered through her tears, "no, no, Daddy." She kissed his forehead and wiped away her tears. "Gods damn you to hell, M. You're mine when I find you again. You've stolen the one most precious to me, and I will make you pay. I will make you pay. In the words," and with this, she stumbled to her feet, "of William Shakespeare's Romeo..." Jessie ran outside, followed by the League and their cries of, "Jessie! Jessie, wait! Come back!" The harper was sobbing too hard to run anymore, and she tumbled end over end into the snow. She landed in a heap, but shoved herself up to her knees. She would not submit to fate, to the will of the gods, or to the sorrow brought about by the union of both unholy forces. "Then I defy you, stars! In Romeo's words for the death of one he loved, 'Then I defy you, stars!' Do you hear? God? Mother? All of you gods in Heaven, and the angels too! I defy your will! I defy you! I defy fate! Do you see, Mother? Daddy is gone, he's dead! You could have stopped it, if you'd broken the rules for once in your life! Daddy's dead, Mother!!" She cried, choking on her sobs, hugging herself and practically freezing in the snow, until Mina put her arms around the child. She fought, she screamed, she didn't want to be held now, not now, not ever, never again, now that he was dead. "NO! NO, NO, LET ME GO! LET ME GO, VAMPIRE! LET ME GO!" Mina held tight, never letting go until Jessie went quiet, screaming weakly into her shoulder, crying. She fainted from exhaustion.
Chapter Eight: In the Lair of M
"Alan, I hate to say it," Henry began, "but Jessie hasn't found anything to do, now that the men are all either dead or well enough to work. Her healing powers have worked miracles, but now she's bored." The ex- sharpshooter sighed. Mina had told him the same thing that morning, and Tom yesterday. Nemo was too busy to approach him, but had sent a Lascar only twenty minutes ago.
"I'll see if Kali will allow Noss, Mana, and Magi to come play with her, out of the way." Henry looked confused. "Three of her cousins. Noss is the daughter of the goddess, Freya. You may not know of her, but the twins, Mana and Magi, you may know, as they're the sons of Thor. They'll stay out of trouble, they always do." Even as he said that, five children ran into the room, followed by the League.
One was a girl with gorgeous golden curls and sapphire blue eyes. She was smaller than Jessie and the other kids, by about six inches, and looked to be about five. With her were twin boys, both with fiery, wild red hair, and eyes like the sea after a storm. They looked to be of the manly age of nine. The last girl, about Jessie's age, also had red hair, but this red was a deep wine color, and she was an ivory-complexioned child with only a delightful spray of light freckles across her nose, exactly three on each side. They were Noss, Mana, Magi, and Brigid, four of Jessie's divine cousins.
"Alan, Jessie says you'll vouch for these children. Who are they?" When the matter was sorted out, the children all went to Jessie's room to play until they reached Mongolia. Once there, they bid their semi-mortal cousin adieu, with hugs, kisses, and promises of parental divine protection.
* * *
In the warmth and safety of the cave- which reminded her the lion goddess Viarri's den- Jessie prayed for her friends safety, and her father's. "Mommy, please watch over everyone, and keep them safe. Sharpen their senses, bring them wisdom, and give them an extra edge in battle. I know you'll do what's best, and I trust you, Mommy. Please, please, keep Daddy and everyone safe. Don't let my vision come to pass, please, I beg you. You know I can't live without Daddy. Watch out for everybody, especially him. I love you. Amen."
* * *
"Daddy? I heard a noise." Jessie, wearing her fight clothes, stepped out of the cave. She was the only member of the League unaffected by the chill. She wore black leather hunting boots, black stockings, a black shirt, and a red tunic. Around her neck was a skull pendant, a gift from her mother. The skull was actually fashioned from a piece of cranial bone belonging to Hephaestus, Greek god of fire and blacksmiths. His head was supposed to be the hardest substance known to man. The pendant shone like it was forged from steel. When Jessie wore it, she was prepared for battle, because Aries, Mars, Minerva, Ogunn, Athena, Artemis, Kali, Tyr, Odin, Anubis, Sekhmet, and Shiva, all feared warriors had also blessed the pendant. It filled her with bits of their fighting spirit.
"Daddy?" She asked again, putting her arms around his neck. "What is it?"
"It was nothing." Allan said softly, hugging his daughter and brushing snow out of her hair. Mina and Nemo were there behind her. Nemo asked curiously, "An old tiger waiting to meet his end?"
"Perhaps," Jessie murmured, "it wasn't his time to die." Mina shrieked, and everyone whirled to stare at her. Jessie began giggling as she understood the bewildered look on the vampire's face. He finally managed it.
"Oh, I've been wanting to do that all week!" "Get a grip, Skinner!" Alan snapped. "Funny, I thought I just did." Mina slapped the invisible man. "Ow! Mina... oy! Hello, Miss Jessie. Ain't you a sight for my sore eyes." He knelt in the snow and Jessie hugged him tightly, kissing his cheeks. "Now, what's all that for, love?" "Oh, oh, Mr. Skinner, you brave, brave thing, you dear! I'm so glad you're a good guy, it nearly broke my heart to even have had to consider you weren't!" Skinner hugged the girl back, drawing comfort from her small little body and loving embrace. Jessie was the first child he'd ever met that he loved like his own daughter or sister, and he was glad to see her. "Well, now. You're very glad to see me, I'd wager, aren't you, little bit? And I'm right glad to see you, I am. Now," to the adults, "might I remind you that I'm standing here, naked, in the snow? I can't feel any of my extremities, and I mean, any of them, Miss Bright Eyes."
* * *
"So," Jessie murmured to clarify, "we go in. Captain Nemo and Edward get the scientists, you and Tom, Daddy, get M, and Mina gets Dorian. What do I do?" "Get that harp back, and destroy the labs. Harp first. What's wrong, Jess?" Her eyes were glazed with telepathic space out, but tears were coursing down her cheeks, and her expression was horrified. "They have the New Druids. Colin, Ronan, Dom, Morgaine, Colleen, Rebecca, Ash, Brigid, and Shea. They're hurting them, really hurting them. I have to help them." She looked up desperately at the adults. "Nobody has to go with me, I can do it myself, honest!" Jessie's lip quivered suddenly, but she bit it to keep from crying. Ash was her boyfriend, and she hadn't known he was in any danger! What was wrong with her? "Jessie, did you say Ash, the Druid priest-in-training, the one you're friends with?" She bit her lip again. "Jessie?" She nodded. "Absolutely not! You are not going gallivanting after that boy, into hell and high water! Absolutely not! Nemo and Hyde can get him, too!" She rose swiftly to her feet. "I beg your pardon. Ash and the others won't be held near the scientists and people. They're powers will ensure they're held in a highly secure area. Ash rescued me once! I owe him my best shot at getting him out of this mess! If it was Mommy, wouldn't you try to rescue her?" She stared him right in the eye, unflinching. "If your mother had to choose between your safety and mine-" "No, not Mommy. You. Before I was born. If Mommy was in danger, and I wasn't in the equation, would you rescue her? Even if Grandfather told you not to?" Allan passed a hand over his face, and began pacing back and forth between the far left wall of the cave and the far right. Finally, he sighed, defeated. "I would. I would, indeed." "Daddy, you must understand. I can't be protected forever. I've been in the thick of this until now. I can take care of myself." "Fine. You will rescue Ash and the others. But Artemis is going with you, and Thalia, Iris, Sekhmet, Oya, and Lali. Understand?" "Yes. They'll meet me there. Let's go, then."
* * *
"Hello, lover." Mina's voice was deceptively warm and friendly. Dorian turned towards the red-headed vampiress and smiled indulgently, almost condescendingly. Mina's full, red lips quirked into a half smile that didn't quite reach the glacial emeralds of her eyes. "Mina. You're still alive." "Of course, I can't die." Mina tilted her head to the side in a slight mocking inquiry. "Neither can you, if Jessie's visions are to be believed, and they've yet to be proven wrong." She stopped speaking, for suddenly Dorian looked extremely relieved. "What?" "She's alive. She's alive. God, I never wanted anything to happen to her, I... she's alive?" "She is. You scum, you'll betray anyone, won't you, even if you care about them. She says you can't die. Let's put it to the test."
* * *
"Sekh, do you smell them?" The young goddess exchanged a glance with her more mortal cousin, then Sekhmet, the snake-warrior goddess, flicked out her three-foot-long, acid green tongue to taste the air. "I've found them. That way." The seven child-goddesses raced from one cover to the other, creeping down the hallways, to a vaulted door. Iris went up to the door, feeling it for traps, then, concentrating, the blue-haired, silver-eyed goddess touched each hinge with a loving fingertip. It immediately froze and fell to pieces. The lock and alarm were undone by a series of soft trills and whistles from blond, blue-eyed Lali, the Player. The girls then slipped into the room. Oya stared with hard yellow eyes at the sleeping guards. Whirlwinds lifted them up and deposited them in an empty cell. The door was blown shut by the wind, but softly, so as not to clang. A smile tugged at her full, dark lips. Oya was the Orisha of wind, death, rebirth, and change. She was also a mischievous little thing. Jessie ran to the cell full of children between five and ten. A nine-year- old boy with ash blond hair and emerald green eyes snapped awake and rose majestically to his feet. When he saw who was at the door, he cried out softly and rushed to her. "Jesshiquekah!" "Ash!" The Druid boy kissed Jessie's trembling hands as he whispered, "I never dared dream you'd come, I never, oh, Jesshiquekah!" "Ash, I'm so, so sorry I wasn't here sooner, I'm so very sorry." With a whistled tune from Lali, the gate swung open, and the nine Druid children all rushed out. Jessie flung herself into Ash's arms, and they kissed each other, as children in love are wont to do. Then Colleen, Shea, Morgaine, Rebecca, and Brigid pulled Jessie into overjoyed hugs, before she returned to Ash's embrace. "Ash, oh, Ash... I missed you, I missed you so much! I'm so glad to see you again!" "I've missed you, too, Jesshiquekah, I have." He petted her hair and kissed the top of her head until Thalia said, "Okay, let's go, now, okay? Before someone comes. Let's book it." Ash handed Jessie her harp, which the Druids had been keeping safe from M's cronies, and the children all ran.
* * *
"Everyone alright? All here... Allan! Where's Allan and Sawyer?" Mina cried. The blond American was half-carrying the British sharp-shooter down a flight of stairs when he exclaimed, "Here! Help out a bit, won't you?" Allan groaned and murmured, "Where is she? Where are Jessie and the other children?" Nobody knew, until a group of sixteen children ran down a flight of stairs opposite the League members. Jessie saw Alan, bleeding from the knife wound, and gasped. "Daddy!" A boy with ash-blond hair and startling green eyes rushed forward with the girl and put a hand on Alan's chest, over Jessie's hand. Shea, a child with wine red hair and burgundy colored eyes, put her hand over the boy's, followed by Artemis' hand, Rebecca's, and Ronan's. The six divine/magical kids closed their eyes in intense concentration as they fought to heal Alan. There was poison on the blade in his back. Sekhmet yanked it out, causing Allan to shout hoarsely in pain. Then the wound began to heal. The circle of divine magic was broken by a shout of, "Jesshiquekah Quartermain!" The girl turned towards the sound. She saw... a ghost. It couldn't have been... M? Jessie knew Tom had shot him. How was it possible he was here before her? The "ghost" raised a pistol and aimed it at Jessie's heart. Before she could react, Ash had stepped in front of her and taken the bullet in the chest. "Ugh!" He fell into Jessie's arms. "NO!" Jessie was sobbing, begging Ash to keep his eyes open as Henry rushed to him to help. "Please, please, Ash, don't die, don't die..." "Jesshiquekah!" She looked up from Ash's pale white face to see M aiming the pistol at her again. Why hadn't her father shot him? "You disgusting demon bitch! I'll kill everyone who ever mattered to you!" He swung his arm and pulled the trigger of the pistol again. The second bang rang in Jessie's ears as Allan grunted and fell to the ground. "Daddy! Mommy! MOMMY, MAKE HIM STOP!! MAKE HIM STOP!!!!!" Time stopped.
* * *
Jessie looked around. "Where am I?" She saw crimson and burgundy stars in a field of black velvet, like rubies or blood-dipped diamonds studding midnight silk. She was standing in a field, or plain, or meadow, whatever. The grass was black, almost as if it had been charred, but Jessie knew it hadn't. It was the natural color. There was no moon or sun in the sky to light the ground, but there were torches set in the earth of the black field, skulls set on pikes, with oil-soaked moss stuffed into every nook and cranny. There were hundreds of them. The harper knew exactly where she was. The Mystic Abyss, home of Kali and Shiva, gods of death and destruction. Jessie had been born here. She looked around for her mother, but only saw her beautiful throne of black and red marble, and her mothers swords and daggers and spears. Her mother's skull necklace and crown of bones and thorns were lying in the seat of the great chair. But Kali, her sweet, beautiful, terrible mother, was nowhere to be seen. "Mother?" She whirled around, trying to find her. "MOTHER?" She ran from torch to torch, between the scattered pinpoints of light, becoming frantic, hysterical. Where was her mother? She couldn't leave the Abyss without her help, and the longer she was here the sooner her father and Ash would die without her help. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she realized her mother had abandoned her. "MOTHER! MOTHER! MOTHER, PLEASE!" She hit the ground, choking on the sobs tearing themselves from her young throat. "Mother, I need you." She whispered through her tears. "I need you. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to save them. Daddy... Ash... Mommy... MOMMY, PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU, I CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE!!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!! MOMMY!!!!!" "I'm here!" Kali gathered the sobbing, terrified child in her arms and held her. "It's alright, I'm here, shhh, it's alright. Ash and your father are fine, my darling, time has stopped outside of this place. Please, I cannot bear your tears. I'm here now, it's okay, don't cry." "How dare you! How dare you tell me not to cry! Why didn't you save me? And Daddy? I thought you loved us! We needed your help, why won't you interfere?" "Jessie-" "Bitch!" The child jerked away from Kali. "You hypocritical bitch! How dare you!" "You need my help." "I've always needed your help! Now more than ever!" "I can help you now. The Almighty will allow it." "So, when the Almighty snaps his fingers, you jump. When your daughter, your daughter, begs for your help, you say no. You say no." "Jesshiquekah, I am a goddess first, your mother second. As a goddess, I owe my allegiance to the Almighty. As a goddess, I have vast responsibilities! You scoff now, my darling daughter, but you will as well when you are a goddess." Jessie flinched. "I don't want to be a goddess!" "It's in your blood, Jesshiquekah, in your body, in your bones, in your heart and soul! It is what sets you apart from all others! You are a goddess now, though not yet come into your full powers. You must begin as you mean to go on. As a goddess, you must understand that everything has its price, and that you must keep all of the aspects of life in balance. Chaos will follow you, my Jesshiquekah, and you must learn to live with it! You are as I was, and you will soon be as I am. I pray that day comes later than sooner. You are a goddess, Jesshiquekah Quartermain, and you must be as such forever, as long as you live, for every minute you live." Jessie looked into her mother's eyes, so sad, sparkling with tears. She wanted to cry for her mother, but didn't have any tears left in her. She felt sorry, though. "Mother." "Jesshiquekah." "I apologize. I love you." Jessie bit her lip, thinking. What was she gonna do? How could she stop the chain of events leading to the war? "You cannot stop it. Not even the Almighty can, while still following the rules. What you can do, is fight to protect everything you hold dear, and be aware of every consequence. As a goddess, and as my daughter, gifted with foresight, you will have an easier time of that than any other." Kali looked beyond Jessie, and her lovely, golden brown skin paled. "Mother?" "Go. Through the gate, go. They are coming." Jessie turned to look behind her. A swarming, writhing shadow was oozing closer and closer. Behind Kali, the portal between worlds opened in a flurry of red and black sparks. "Jesshiquekah, my daughter, go, now! You must. They cannot take you, you matter too much, to me, to everyone." Kali grabbed Jessie's arm and dragged her to the gateway. "I love you, my child. Go, with all the grace, speed, wisdom, and power of your kin. Protect your father, and your loved ones. Warn Brigid, Noss, and Psyche." "What do I tell them?" "They are coming. The Hounds, the Jotuns, and the god-killers. All of them. This war heralds their coming. Be careful of them. Now, go!" She shoved the child through the astral gate, then turned to face the oncoming enemy. "Thou art dead men all!"
* * *
Jessie's world was running backwards, like a movie stuck in rewind. She saw her father, bleeding, rise from the floor in the exact way he'd fallen to it a moment ago, only backwards. He was uninjured. Ash rose from her arms to stand off to the side once more. He, too, was unhurt. What was this? Her mother's doing? Or her cousins', Chronos and Trissa? Was it, perhaps, hers? It didn't matter, she was getting a second chance. She was damn well going to take it. When the time-turning stopped, Jessie's hand was back on Allan's body, healing him. She pulled back. The other children stared at her in confusion. "There's no time. Daddy, can you walk?" "Yes," he began. Jessie grabbed his hand, sent a swift collective telepathic communication to the other children, and began pulling Alan's hand. "Come on, hurry, we have to go!" She yanked hard, pulling him back the way they had very first come. "Please, please, quick! Quick!" "Jessie, slow down! I am not as young as I once was, and you are far friskier than I am!" She gave a frustrated cry and merely pulled. "Please, Daddy, trust me! Come quick, quicker than quick, like the wind, we have to get out of here now... Mr. Skinner." She stopped dead in her tracks. "Mr. Skinner's not here! Where is he?" This was bad, this was very bad, they couldn't leave without the invisible man, but they had to leave before M found them. "Thalia, Sekhmet, find him, I beg you!" "Before we go, I have to tell you, the bjornans are outside, waiting for you all." Iris whispered. "We'll find Mr. Skinner. Jesshiquekah, you take your Father, the League, the Druids, and Ash, and get them all out of here now!" The divine ones disappeared, and Jessie and the others ran. They'd just reached the entrance, and Jessie let out a soft whoop of joy, when someone called, "Quartermain." Everyone turned, and then Allan fell backwards with a cry. He hit the wall and slid down, leaving a thick trail of blood down the stone. Scarlet blood soaked the front of his shirt, and a trickle of blood oozed past his lips to stain his beard. "DADDY!" She ran to him, kissed him, crying and shaking him by the collar. She knew he was already dead. "I love you, Jess-" His eyes closed, and his head fell to the side. Her father was dead, just as she had seen. "Oh, no," she whispered through her tears, "no, no, Daddy." She kissed his forehead and wiped away her tears. "Gods damn you to hell, M. You're mine when I find you again. You've stolen the one most precious to me, and I will make you pay. I will make you pay. In the words," and with this, she stumbled to her feet, "of William Shakespeare's Romeo..." Jessie ran outside, followed by the League and their cries of, "Jessie! Jessie, wait! Come back!" The harper was sobbing too hard to run anymore, and she tumbled end over end into the snow. She landed in a heap, but shoved herself up to her knees. She would not submit to fate, to the will of the gods, or to the sorrow brought about by the union of both unholy forces. "Then I defy you, stars! In Romeo's words for the death of one he loved, 'Then I defy you, stars!' Do you hear? God? Mother? All of you gods in Heaven, and the angels too! I defy your will! I defy you! I defy fate! Do you see, Mother? Daddy is gone, he's dead! You could have stopped it, if you'd broken the rules for once in your life! Daddy's dead, Mother!!" She cried, choking on her sobs, hugging herself and practically freezing in the snow, until Mina put her arms around the child. She fought, she screamed, she didn't want to be held now, not now, not ever, never again, now that he was dead. "NO! NO, NO, LET ME GO! LET ME GO, VAMPIRE! LET ME GO!" Mina held tight, never letting go until Jessie went quiet, screaming weakly into her shoulder, crying. She fainted from exhaustion.