Jiaz: Nope, I won't touch him as yet. He's too minor for me to touch.
amber_rules: Yepz, I love hanging things at cliff hangers. That'd hopefully leave the readers asking for more!~
Char: You're gone now, hope you'll be back soon. I should be mailing you this when I am ready. Boy, why am I telling you all these when you wouldn't see this till your next break? *sigh*
Hey guys, thanks for still sticking by. This is already the 27th chapter, I can see a few more coming. But it would soon come to an end. Really appreciates your presences. Btw this chapter doesn't have much actions (as in description of physical fight) coz I can't really do that well. Anyway, if I wanted to have lotsa fights' description I'd prolly have put action as one of the genres. But I didn't. =D. Another note is that this chapter will have several * * * * * * that is the scene change.
Jiaz, Madnun (are you still there?) this is for you. Lotsa jasper!
Commence drooling!~
Daybreak Center, the bold silver lettering spelled out at the gates. Nathaniel felt the sides of his mouth twitch uncontrollably into a wicked smile. Today is the day, he thought triumphantly. He glanced back at the troop of army he had brought along. Never mind that they were a small group; they had trained for a rather long time for this day.
The day when they would get the Source. The day when Blood Iris would finally rise to power, to reign the Night World.
Nathaniel started into the Daybreak Center. He liked the strong trudging sound the army's boots made. It gave him a feeling that they were in control, that they were invincible. Mervyn walked in silence beside him, wearing a long robe and a staff in his left hand. Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, why was the witch looking so fearful? "Mervyn." He hissed. The witch jumped slightly, looking up at the tall vampire before dropping his gaze quickly. "Why are you looking so guilty? Is something up?" Nathaniel's voice was chilled.
Mervyn's eyes widened in alarm. Had Nathaniel found out? The machine still had not been ready this morning. He swallowed nervously, "No, nothing. It must be fatigue. I had stayed up the whole night to repair the machine."
Nathaniel's gaze stayed on Mervyn for a while, as if trying to tell if he was lying. The vampire then turned away, having reached the entrance of the Daybreak Center. The doors slid open, and they were in.
* * * * * *
"They are in the building now." Skye said. "Jasper, take your sister to the end of the right wing of Daybreak Center. There will be a rather long corridor leading you to a room where your mother will meet you there."
"Come on, Jade. We've got to go." Jasper took Jade's hand.
Jade wrenched her hand from her brother, "No! I want to be with Kyle!" She flung herself onto Kyle, unknowingly hurting her soulmate. When she saw Kyle grimace, she pulled back quickly. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"
Kyle looked at Jade tenderly, "No. If there's anything I want for you, it would be for you to be safe and sound. Skye's right. You have to leave with Jasper."
"Then come with us." Jade plead.
Kyle smiled sadly, " I'll only be a burden." He turned to Jasper, "Take good care of your sister."
Jasper gave a nod and gently led Jade away from Kyle. "Come on now, Jade. There's not much time left." Skye urged.
"Meet me there, Kyle, when all this is over." Jade managed to choke out. Finally, Jasper managed to get the both of them out of the ward and start for the saferoom.
"Take this." Skye handed a gun over to Kyle. "It's loaded with multi-purpose bullets. Multi-purpose bullets were made of wood, silver and lead. They could kill any Night World being. "Just in case." Skye added quickly.
Kyle gave Skye a long look. " You can tell what will happen… can't you?"
Skye lowered his gaze, "I can only sense what might happen. But I can't really tell clearly what will happen." He said regretfully.
"New power?" Kyle smiled slightly. "Do you think you know what might be the outcome of today?"
Skye pressed his lips together, "I'd rather not say." He took a deep breath, as if heavily burdened in his heart. "I must go now. Lots of casualties." Before he stepped out of the ward, he glanced at Kyle once last time, "Be careful."
* * * * * *
Russell looked at the projections in frustration. Daybreakers were falling at an alarming speed. It seemed like the members of Blood Iris had became stronger. The troop that Nathaniel had brought with him had been separated into small groups, combing the entire Daybreak Center for Jade. He ran a hand through his hair as he watched a Daybreak Shapeshifter took several blows before he slid down a wall and became limp. He glanced around the room, hoping to see some reactions from the elders. He had been ordered to stay in the room to protect the Elders. For heaven's sake, he thought angrily, you Elders need protection?!
But their faces remained passive as they stared at the projections. He stood up abruptly, knocking the chair over. "We're going to just sit here and do nothing? Not helping them?" He gestured helplessly at the images of Daybreakers falling under the attacks. If only Elder Fallis and Skye were there, but unlike the rest of the Elders, they had left to join the fight.
"I'm going to help them, like it or not!" He announced angrily. This, again, prompted no reactions from the Elders. He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
It was absolutely chaotic outside. Flashes of lightning lit up everywhere. The corridors were full of bodies of those fallen, medics bent over them working hard on their wounds. He hurried down the way, stopping to help others locked in fierce fights with the Blood Iris's men. He dodged a bolt of stray dark energy and staked one vampire of Blood Iris. He looked around, trying to see if Nathaniel or Mervyn was anywhere around. If there were any way to stop the troop, it would be to find Nathaniel and break up Blood Iris. He knew that Blood Iris was made up of beings that were selfish for their own needs, not dedicated to Blood Iris.
He saw Dermot engaged in his own battle with another witch further up. So far, he had seen few other Elders helping out with the battle. Damn the Elders, he swore inwardly. He winced as he took a blow from a shapeshifter. He grabbed the shapeshifter by his neck and twisted his head with every ounce of his strength. Then he flung the lifeless body aside.
* * * * * *
In contrary to what Skye had told them, the 'rather long' corridor had ended up being a 'very long' one. The Finsters had been running for almost fifteen minutes already and there was not yet any indication that they were getting closer to the saferoom.
"I… I can't go on anymore!" Jade panted, stopping in her run and bending over to catch her breath. Jasper stopped in his tracks, turning around and wiped the sweat out of his brows. "Come on now, Jade. I'm sure we'll-"
The air before him shimmered and he gasped in horror. Mervyn materialized between him and Jade, a staff in his hand. The old witch looked surprised himself, his eyes round. Jade froze in her place. This can't be it, this can't be it, she thought desperately. Jasper quickly ran towards Jade and stood protectively in front of her. "What do you want? Stay away! I…" He took an unsure glance at his own balled up fists held up as if about to fight, "I'll fight you if you dare try anything!"
Mervyn twisted his lips in frustration, then he gave a laugh. Taking a step forward, he said, "Oh. You can go and continue with your journey."
Jasper and Jade took an involuntary step backwards immediately. "Stay back!" Jasper yelled, not relaxing his stance at all. "How so we know this is not just another trick of yours?"
Mervyn tapped his staff against the ground once, and the ground began to crack between Jasper and Jade's legs. But when Mervyn tapped the ground again, the crack disappeared as easily as it came. "You know I can defeat you as easily as I want, Finster. But I ain't interested in any fights with you today."
Jasper was stubborn, "No! The minute we have our backs to you, you're going to take Jade over to Blood Iris! You ain't going to fool us!"
"Now I might just have to kill the both of you if you continue being such a pest!" Mervyn said impatiently. "Look, I swear on Glynn's grave that I'm going to let you kids off today, okay?"
Jasper's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Who's Glynn? How do we know if you're not creating a character out of thin air?"
Mervyn threw his hands up in frustration, "Fine! Fine! Why am I even bothering with you kids? I'm out of here, for good!" His voice dropped a notch, "If you do see Nathaniel, please don't ever tell him you saw me!" With that, he disappeared.
"Is he really gone?" Jade's voice was barely a whisper.
"Mervyn! I know you are still there! Show yourself!" Jasper called out. His voice reverberated off the walls of the corridor. When the echoes died down, silence filled the air except for their own breathing.
"He really is gone." Jasper said in disbelief.
"And I wonder why." Jade's voice held the same tone as her brother's.
* * * * * *
Stay tuned for the next instalment, when the smiles become tears, when the sand becomes water, and when I am free to post. Ho ho ho!
Meanwhile, review!~ Thanks! *looks at Jiaz and Madnun's drools on the ground and hands them a mop.*
