Carolyn's Comments:

Mood: A little depressed

Rant: Okay, now this chapter is just sad. One of the hardest things a writer can do is to destroy something they've created, whether it's a character, a place, or a relationship between two of the characters. So I wrote this chapter with a heavy heart. (I think I'm addicted to angst).

IMPORTANT! Oh, and this ISN'T the last chapter. THERE WILL BE ONE MORE! So just hold on, okay?

Tal felt the wind rush past him mercilessly. He could hear Jade's voice screaming something, but the wind whistling through his ears drowned her out. He and Virus were both falling. Tal struggled to keep a hold on his enemy's cape. Virus's fist connected with the left side of his face, sending the young emperor into a diagonal plummet, towards the castle. Tal slammed into the wall and fell backwards. His world was spinning as he fell right next to the stone wall of his castle.

How did this happen? He had tried to help Virus. He had tried to let him go. He had done the right thing, and now he was going to die for it.

Suddenly, he heard voices. Voices inside his head. At first, Tal thought he was going crazy with fear, but he struggled to listen anyway.

"You're giving up?!" Crow's voice shouted. "Come on Tal! Hold on!"

Milla's voice was next. "Tal, I love you! You had better come back to me in one piece!" She was scared, but putting on an arrogant mask.

Then, he heard Jade. "In my own time, you always taught me about strength! At first I thought you meant strength in your body and magic. But now I know you meant the strength of someone's heart! Don't let it all be for nothing!"

Tal's eyes snapped open. He could see a ledge jutting out of the tower, just below him. Without thinking, he reached out for it. His finger's closed around the corner of stone.

As soon as he stopped falling, Tal summoned all the strength in his arms. His body shook as he pulled himself up. He leaned his upper torso onto the flat stone surface, as he did so, he swung his legs up and over the side. He rolled onto his back, taking in huge gulps of air. He had done it. He had cheated death a second time.

But just as Tal was reveling in this victory, he heard a groan of pain from below. He shifted his body around so that he was lying on his stomach, peering down from the ledge. His eyes widened at what he saw.

Virus hadn't had as much luck as Tal. He had succeeded in grabbing onto the tower, and had managed to climb up, towards the ledge Tal rested on. But now he was losing his strength, just below the ledge. He was struggling to climb, but there wasn't much for him to grab onto.

Tal reached down with his hand. "Virus! Grab my hand and I'll pull you up!"

Virus stared up at him, shocked that Tal was trying to save him after his earlier betrayal. Virus's eyes narrowed. One of his hands released the ledge and fished into his robes. He whipped out a small dagger and slashed it at Tal. Tal jerked his hand back instinctively. Virus lost his grip on the knife. It went tumbling down through the air. Virus watched as it fell. His heart rate tripled. Now he was getting worried. For the first time, he actually began to believe that this mission would cost him his life. His grip was weakening.

Tal decided to try again. He held out his hand towards Virus again. This time Virus reached up as his other hand struggled to hold him up. He hated Tal, but he couldn't take his revenge if he was dead. His heart filled with malice as he recalled the numerous knives he'd hidden in his robes. As soon as Tal pulled him up, he would wait for the emperor to turn his back to him, and then he would bury one between his shoulders.

Then, Virus swung his hand up, in an attempt to grasp Tal's. However, the move was too fast; desperate. He missed. Tal could only watch as Virus's grip failed him. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Virus was falling again. He was looking up at Tal as he fell. He face looked shocked and slightly annoyed. His cape flapped behind him, as he finally ripped through the veil and disappeared.

Gone. Gone forever.

Tal squeezed his eyes shut in silent pain as he drew his hand back up; the hand that had failed to save Virus. For a moment, he just sat there. He felt sad...horribly sad. Yet, at the same time, he was relieved. It was over, it was finally over. Jade would be heartbroken after hearing of her lover's demise, but Tal could only pray that the scars on her heart would heal soon.

With a heavy heart, Tal began pull himself up the side of the Violet Tower. It was a long hard climb.

The thick layers of mist overlapping the side of the tower, had made it impossible for Jade to see what was happening. She sat on the edge of the tower, praying for a miracle. Her father couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. And Virus... What about him? No one had ever understood Virus the way Jade had. And no one could've ever loved anyone else the way he had loved her.

Then why had he done it? Why had he killed her father and then tried to butcher her mother as well? Why? Why had he done it? She sighed. Virus had gone crazy. He had just been too deeply in love with her. When he had heard that he could no longer be with her, something in him had snapped. A part of him, the part of Virus that she had loved, died that day. All that was left was a shell full of anger and hatred.

Something was moving, down below the mist. She peered over the edge. Her father was climbing up the wall of the tower. Slowly, but surely, he was making his way up. Jade leaned down over the side. She waited until he was right below her; then she stuck her hand out. Tal grasped it without a word. She stood up, pulling him along with her. Soon, he was on his hands and knees, gasping for breath. Jade sank down in front of him.

"Where's Virus?" She whispered. Even though she already knew the answer.

Tal looked at her, then he slowly shook his head. For the rest of his life, Tal would never see so much pain as the amount he saw in Jade's eyes. She closed her eyes as a single silver tear slid out of her eye. It trailed down to her chin and splashed onto the roof of the building. She stood up slowly.

"Let's go," She whispered. It sounded like her voice was trying to hold together. Like if she didn't hold on, it would break. "Milla and Crow will be wanting to know we're safe."

She turned and began to descend the stairs into the tower. Tal followed, wordlessly.

Milla and Crow were waiting anxiously at the bottom of the stair. They looked shocked when they saw Tal and Jade, as if they hadn't been expecting to see them alive again. Tal would never tell them how close Jade had come to death.

"Jade!" Crow cried as Tal and Milla embraced. Crow grabbed a sullen Jade by the shoulders. He looked relieved and angry. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you?!" Jade looked up at him in silent pain as he said this. "Did that monster hurt you?! Because if he did-"

"DON'T YOU EVER," Jade screamed suddenly, "CALL HIM A MONSTER! DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT ABOUT VIRUS! YOU DIDN'T KNOW HIM! NO ONE KNEW HIM BUT ME! AND HE WASN'T EVIL! HE JUST HURT! HE HURT SO MUCH THAT HE WENT CRAZY! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR SAYING THAT, CROW! NEVER!"

With those words, Jade struck Crow across the face. Tears now poured freely down her cheeks. "You didn't know him!" She sobbed, burying her face in her hands. She started to collapse, but Crow caught her and hugged her to his chest as she cried.

"You didn't know him..." She whimpered as blood from her cut oozed down her cheek, mingling with her tears.

"I know." Crow whispered.