Chapter 9: A Final Plan
The pale light that kept the human hopes alive started to fade. Ironheart was dead and J.T. Blade may have been next. Things were about as hopeless as things could get. Everyone was around J.T., waiting to see if he would die.
"J.T., please wake up. I don't know what I'd do if you died," said Terra.
"He's going to be fine, Terra. He's going to be fine," said Raven. "Aura's doing her best to heal him. It'll be all right."
"It's just, I love him. I can't imagine him being…gone," said Terra.
"Aura, what's the diagnosis?" Raven asked.
"He's just plain torn to pieces. It's like he got a hydrogen bomb right in the chest. I don't know if I can heal him," Aura replied.
"Ohh," Terra cried.
"I do not believe that was the proper thing to say," said Thunder.
Aqualad walked into the middle of the room, still a little shaken up that J.T. was hurt so severely and Ironheart was dead.
"So, what're we going to do now? There's just about nothing we can do now," said Aqualad.
"There's got to be something we're not seeing," said Raven.
Everyone moved into another room.
"Now then, what are we to do about our current…situation," Thunder asked.
"I've got no ideas," said Raven.
"Same here," Terra replied.
"You tell me what we're going to do," said Aqualad.
"I've got no ideas either," said Aura.
"Well, that settles it. We're doomed. It's hopeless," said Aqualad.
"Quit sniveling! We're not licked yet," a familiar voice shouted.
Everyone looked to the doorway and saw J.T., holding his ribs and bare ripped-chested.
"J.T.! What're you doing up? You should be resting," said Terra.
"To hell with that. I finally understood what the legend means by 'seven will become one'," said J.T.
"You did?" Aqualad asked.
"Well out with it! What does the legend mean?" Thunder asked.
"We must imbue our powers within a weapon," said J.T.
"But how are we supposed to do that?" Aura asked.
"By using an ancient rite of the sword masters," J.T. replied. "We must put our blood into the weapon."
"What do you mean by 'put our blood into the weapon'? What'll that do?" Aqualad asked.
"I would put my blood into my sword and when my blade was exposed to air it would catch fire. So if we were to put all our blood into a weapon…," said J.T.
"…then it would have all our powers," said Raven.
"Precisely. All we need is enough metal to forge a weapon," said J.T.
"But how are we supposed to find metal? Our metal master is worm bait," Aura asked.
"Then Terra's just going to have to mine us some metal," J.T. replied.
"What do you mean? My powers are aligned with earth, not metal," said Terra.
"True, but where do you find metal?" J.T. asked.
"In the earth," said Thunder.
"Of course. And it was said that an elemental soulkeeper's powers were to be transferred from one to another when that one faced his or her demise," said J.T. "And I believe Terra inherited his powers. Come on, Terra. Give it a whirl."
Terra focused her powers not on the earth, but the metal within the earth and pulled from the ground a large lump of an orange-colored metal.
"Wh-what is this?" Terra asked.
"Orhalicum! Terra, you pulled a lump of pure orhalicum out of the ground! You did it," J.T. exclaimed. "Now I can forge a sword strong enough to destroy Trigon."
It took weeks for J.T. to forge the metal into a fine blade. After six weeks, the blade was ready for his special touch.
"Okay, it's ready. Now is when we add the most important ingredient: blood. Normally, this is how a warrior bonds with his weapon. But in our case, it is how we will add our powers to this weapon," said J.T.
J.T. took a knife and made a small cut on his wrist. His blood flowed into the blade and the weapon began to glow with a red aura. He passed the knife to Terra and she added her powers. Then Raven added her powers, then Aqualad and Thunder and finally Aura.
"Now to finish the forging. This will not take long," said J.T.
Hours later, the metal was cool and the blade was complete.
"Behold, the blade of the seven elements. It glows red with the heat of fire, yellow as the earth trembles, purple with a mighty squall, blue with water's many forms, dark energy flowing to the tip of the blade and white sparks exude from it the powers of light. With this weapon we will destroy Trigon," said J.T.
"Ok, what's the plan?" Terra asked.
"You guys will provide a distraction while I go in and give Trigon a whipping he'll never forget when he's waiting in purgatory," said J.T.
"Why do you need a distraction?" Aqualad asked.
"As an unfortunate side effect, it takes a lot of power to wield this blade. Power that only I posses. While I muster the strength to strike down Trigon, you're going to distract him," said J.T.
"Whatever the risk, I shall take it," said Thunder.
"I'm in too," said Terra.
"It it'll help destroy Trigon, I'll do it," said Raven.
"I promised I'd do whatever it took to save the world, and I meant it," said Aura.
Aqualad remained silent.
"What about you, Aqualad?" J.T. asked.
"Oh all right. I'm in," Aqualad replied.
"Then this is it. If I should die, it's been great knowing you guys," said J.T.
