OMG OMG, its been like over a WEEK since I updated! GAH, blame my skool! Blame the damn thing! SOoO sorry, well, anyways, here is the new chapter, and I apologize if it doesn't flow, I had to get it done in between my classes and homework. Man, times like these you really appreciate the summer.
Chase's P.O.V.
It seemed as though there was a mini-hurricane inside of Chase's citadel, and Brooke was the center of it. Her three spectator's watched in awe as she was now hovering a good fifteen feet above them. Her body was incased in an ivory glow and her eyes completely matched her body's current hue.
Chase threw his arms up to shield his eyes from the bright light she was emitting. She was real bright; suddenly the room seemed to have been drained of all its light as everything around the floating mass became pitch black. Chase's eyes couldn't make out anything around him, only Brooke hovering above.
Chase had no idea what was going on and that deeply troubled him. If he had no knowledge as to what she was doing, then it wasn't within his power to stop it.
Brooke's P.O.V.
Brooke felt like screaming outloud. The stinging pain, which had started out in her upper right arm, had now developed into a burning sensation which was spreading down her arm and up her shoulder. At the rate she was going, her entire body would soon be enveloped in pain. But she had to keep going, because she knew of she turned back now, it was all over. She had to right her horrible wrong at all costs. Pain, or no pain.
She had a plan. It was true that she had no idea where she'd hidden Caliph's light, but she knew how to get it back. And it's also true that her chosen procedure required a lot of energy and control over her magic, and in her case, a lot of pain, but if it would return to her the brother which she held so dear, then she was fine with it.
She was the master of all white light after all. She couldn't have such a smudge on her reputation.
Brooke gazed around the room. It was completely dark, so dark, that the average human eye, with the help of a thousand microscopes, still wouldn't be able to see anything through the dense cloud of darkness. But Brooke's eyes could always see people by the light they'd harbored within. Brooke right now turned her head to the side to see two dim bodies of light. Very dim, but still, they were existent. Something, however, caught Brooke's eye as she turned her head yet again to see another body of light, dimmer than the other two.
She was shocked as she deduced form his position in the room that the last person was Caliph.
I thought I got all of his light, she thought slightly bewildered, So he hasn't been completely evil as I thought.
Brooke smiled, getting back on track as another shot of searing pain moved further up her shoulder and to her neck.
Chase's P.O.V.
Chase still wasn't sure exactly what Brooke was doing, but as all of the light began to drain out of the room, he got an idea. He thought back to the conversation Brooke had just had with her brother right before she became a human lantern.
"'I could fix it," she began, dodging yet another blow sent her way, 'but I cant remember what I did with your light.'
Caliph's attacks suddenly seized and he looked at her.
'You mean you don't know?' he asked grimly. 'So I've been keeping you alive for no reason?'
'Do you honestly think that this pretty boy could take me down?' he rolled his eyes, 'Just as you took the last of the light out of me, you had broken free from Hiranu-sama's body control spell. You then took the light and crystallized it into a solid mass and ran off with it.'"
She was summoning all the light within the vicinity to her, in its pure…or crystallized form. She was trying to get her brother back. Admirable loyalty, accompanied by foolish stupidity. Chase could only imagine the pain she was putting herself through right now, all for the sake of another.
At this rate, she wont be able to serve out my wish.
Knowledge of that information still didn't grant Chase the ability to stop her, and it didn't look particularly sage to try. The only one who could stop her right now was probably that brother of hers, but he wouldn't. He wanted that light almost as badly as she did. If Chase was right, (and when is chase not rite?) Caliph would begin his opposition as soon as the light came into sight.
Chase knew that Brooke was no match for Caliph, and since he would no longer have a reason to keep her alive, he would go for her life this time. If he were to succeed, she still wouldn't be able to do what he needed her to. It was a lose/lose.
Damn.
Unless she actually succeeded and defeated Caliph, but the condition her body would be in after using her magic like that for such an extended amount of time. It would definitely put a bump in his plans, but they wouldn't be shattered.
The kiss plan had worked somewhat, but at the same time, it backfired. Fifteen minutes ago, everything was in order…in perfect order, but Chase now found himself struggling to keep everything in the nice little bag he'd had it all in.
Chase suddenly heard the scream of a young man coming from behind him followed by a series of thuds and grunts. Someone was falling down the staircase (you'll remember everyone's positions please, I noe its been ages since I mentioned them. Chase-at stairbottom, Wuya-at top of stairs, Caliph- a little off to the side from the stairs, Brooke-…cmon now.)
Listening to the direction from which the sounds were coming, Chase stepped slightly to the side as she heard the noises getting louder. Within the next second, Chase heard a final grunt/splat/crack/thud combo as the poor soul hit the bottom of the staircase. Chase stared down at he darkness beside him and heard nothing.
He's knocked out. (wouldn't YOU be after falling down those stairs!)
Chase sighed at his prisoner's idiocy and brought his attention back to Brooke as the ground beneath him began to shake violently and he noticed that at that same moment, the light around her was rapidly becoming brighter, and brighter. Soon Chase couldn't even look at her anymore and had to bury his head underneath his arms.
Where was all that light coming from? The area around his lair was completely dark. Chase couldn't help but be surprised and impressed with her control and ability to grasp light from anywhere. Even places where there were seemingly none.
And then there was his anger at the realization that the most he could do at the moment was take cover. He had never felt so helpless and pathetic in his life. He couldn't even analyze the situation anymore because he couldn't see anything. On top of that, because of the shaking, he could hardly keep on his feet.
Suddenly, all was still again as the lighting returned to normal. Chase lifted up his head and first noted the still unconscious dragon of the wind at his feet. Cranking his head around, he also noted that Wuya was curled up in a ball on the floor at the top of the staircase.
Chase then turned his head back to the sight in front of him. Brooke was still glowing, but she was now back on the ground and clutching something close to her chest. The bright black handprint on her arm contrasting everything else was still there, and almost seemed to be pulsating.
Her back was to Caliph and Chase realized that she wore a pained look on her face, which contrasted Caliph's smirk. Chase could see beyond that conceited expression though, Chase could see beyond his eyes a hint of bloodlust. He was ready to attack her.
"Well, well sister," he began, folding his arms, "I'm impressed. I can only phathom the type of pain you just went though."
Brooke slowly turned around and faced her brother and looked at him with sorrow eyes. She then held up her left hand and revealed within the tight clutches of her fingers, a solid, glowing, circular mass about the size of a tennis ball.
Caliph's eyes suddenly lit up with anticipation as he made to take a step forward. He was abruptly stopped, however, by a translucent, white barrier in front of him.
Yelling out in frustration, he slammed an onyx fist through it and the light almost seemed to shatter.
"HAND IT OVER!" he yelled at his sister.
Brooke only continued to gaze at him. After a few seconds, she finally spoke.
"Brother," she began, taking the ball back to her chest, "if you defeat me in battle, you can have your light back. "
Chase mentally smacked his hand to this head as Caliph smirked.
"Are you serious?" they both asked simultaneously.
Keeping on the most solemn of faces, Brooke glanced from her brother to Chase, and back to Caliph.
"Yes." She answered simply, "If you can defeat me, I will willingly hand over you humanity."
What is going on in that head of hers? Is she TRYING to get herself killed?
Chase thought back to the day she had wandered into his citadel for the first time, soaking wet, muddy, bruised, and in overall, horrible shape. Caliph had done that to her, and nothing involving her skills had changed since then. She was going to get herself, and Chase's plans with her, killed.
No. Chase couldn't let that happen. She had to survive. His plan had to survive.
Chase remained silent, but prepared to attack if called upon it.
"Very well," Caliph chuckled in an anything but mirthful manner. "I accept your…I guess we can call it a challenge. You got a deal. To get rid of both of you and the one thing that could ever stop me in one strike, must be my lucky day."
Brooke nodded and extended out the hand which held Caliph's light and with a look of concentration, it suddenly dispersed with a huge shine, separating in all different directions.
"Let's go," she said, taking the Soyan's traditional fighting stance (full description in ch. 6)
Caliph smirked and mirrored her actions precisely.
"Ready when you are."
YES! YES! I NEVER THOUGHT THIS DAY WOULD COME! Ive been working on this for over a week now, typing up tidbits here and there. But I'm through, finally through! For now. Im soo sory you guys had to wait and im sorry if its boring too. I promise the next two wont be.
PLEASE review. I need motivation. Skool is breaking my spirit.