The Balance in Love, Lies and War
The Balance in Love, Lies and War
Chapter 16:
'Knowing it's all Over'
He had promised to take this relationship slowly and carefully, not cracking its fragile glass. But somehow, whenever he was with her, all rational thought escaped him. Instead of rational thought he was driven by the hugely consuming urge to be beside her, his teenage hormones working in overdrive. Adrenaline rushed through his veins. He couldn't help it and he couldn't stop it and as much as he tried to hate it, he couldn't. It was ridiculous and it was preposterous, but Jack wouldn't have it any other way.
Kimiko, on the other hand, was far out of her depth. She had been a Xiaolin Monk for roughly four years now and had learned to control her emotions a long way down the line. But when she was with Jack it all went out the window. And although the tingling sensation he gave her warmed her from tip to toe, it did not completely mask her total lack of experience in dealing with this. She hated what he did to her, having half a mind to tell him where to put his stupid 'I love you'. She wanted to tell him how idiotic he was and how sick to the stomach and afraid that made her instead of happy.
But all she could do was giggle and wrap her arms around him, unable to stop feeling exactly the same as he did.
Omi was grumpy. He didn't quite have it in him to be fuming, but he was sure that if he could, he most certainly would. He was also a little sad. He was also a little jealous, maybe a lot. His weapon was supposed to be magnificent; it would rain glorious terror onto his enemies and Grand master Dashi would smile at him from beyond the grave.
But all he got was a stick. A stick with blood coloured blades stuck on the end. The little monk was not amused. He had argued with the Water about it and now the also grumpy spirit refused to talk to him. It just wasn't fair.
Clay had his imposingly beautiful Axe, towering above him, destroying all who opposed him; Omi wanted a weapon like that! Even Raimundo's strange Frisbee-like weapons would've been more dignified than this. Omi was ashamed. And he was grumpy. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kaida and shivered. She hadn't had to go through a trial to get her weapon, the Zen had just handed it to her; was she really that powerful? The thought made Omi seethe in a way he never thought he was capable of.
And that scared him.
It was simply astonishing. The curves, the beauty; Clay just couldn't take his eyes off her. He had never felt this way. To watch her in battle was better than any rodeo. Any words he formed in his mind, any Texan related similes simply died in his mouth. There was no way to describe her. She left him speechless.
The bronze, the emerald, the glimpse of fire as she decapitated all around him, her beauty was ethereal. They could be together for eternity, side by side, his hands never leaving her. Her blade swung down, destroying all in his way and he marvelled at himself for a moment for even being able to hold her; she was taller than he could ever be. Not that that mattered, he'd never let her go. Well, he supposed he'd have to at some point, he couldn't carry her around all day; although, considering the rush she gave him, Clay certainly wouldn't mind.
Dojo, in his golden armour, noticed the cowboy's infatuation and shuddered a little. It was just an axe after all.
Alive. The word kept resounding in her mind. He was alive. She fought eagerly, hope filling her every limb. She thought nothing of the evil that was weakening with every second, the evil that had plagued her for so many years. It would soon be over. She could be happy.
Kaida smiled. She couldn't wait.
Chase slumped in his seat. Athanasius watched the battle intensely, a slight smirk on his face. But Chase did not care. Far away from the Demon King's reach, the half demon guarded something secret. A thought, a name, a fleeting dream; he dared not utter it, not even in his subconscious, just in case. But he knew it was there, he could feel the strange tingle infecting his every nerve. He hadn't experienced something like this before. Or maybe he had.
The more he analysed himself critically, the more he realised how little he knew about himself and how little he remembered of his life before Athanasius came along. It was more than a little disconcerting. However, whenever he tried to remember all he saw was a much younger, happier and messier version of himself laughing with friends at an ancient party, before a mind numbingly painful headache took over. And that just confused the half human even more.
Raimundo was rather happy. It seems like such a mild term, but it was true; he was happy. Not astoundingly so and not weakly so, it was somewhere half way. Like it was slowly leaking into his system. Like it didn't really matter too much. Raimundo wasn't sure which one. He shook himself. The likeness of him not liking Kaida was very slim. He'd bow before Chase before he ever stopped liking her.
Unfortunately, Raimundo's problem was he had a terrible teenage curiosity, and, although it was perhaps not as devastatingly destructive as some of the morbid curiosities most teenagers shared, it was just as tricky. If he had never become a Xiaolin Monk then maybe he would've be interested in bad decisions or other women, but since he had he was interested in something much more dangerous; Love.
It was so simple in the movies, so explainable. If he thought like that it was so simple: Kaida was beautiful, strong, mysterious and a good kisser, ergo, he must love her. But realistically, it didn't make too much sense. How could you really love someone you knew nothing about?
Zephyros sighed in the back of his mind, cursing the boy's own stupidity. Since when did seventeen year olds think so much anyway?
Spirits weren't supposed to feel. It would've made things so much easier. But you can't make sentient beings without some form of emotion and unfortunately for the Zen, she was no different.
Nausea was not something she had felt before. The sickness in her belly, the bad taste in her mouth; the spirit hated it. Something was wrong. She felt so out of Balance.
The glory-filled atmosphere surrounding the warriors only made her sicker, her eyes rolling back in misery. Pessimistically, the Zen thought that something terrible would happen, if only to restore the Balance. Or perhaps since she had split earlier this was her punishment; she would ruin everything.
She had no idea. Perhaps she was delusional. Perhaps she was sick. Atalante reckoned the first however, as the very idea of a Spirit getting a cold was ridiculously hilarious. What ever it was, the brush of Zephyros's conscience against hers was no comfort and the nausea worsened with every passing second. The dragon leaned heavily against the Cherry Tree, miraculously fixed from yesterday; the cracks remaining.
The Balance must be righted.
Athanasius smiled. It would soon be over. He was that one step closer.
Glory filled the air, hope and bedazzlement swirling together in massive clouds around them. Bright lights shone down on them, their fighting nearing the end. It would soon be all over.
The warriors had approximately two hours left. The huge legions of monsters had dissipated to such a minuscule amount that they laughed loudly as they fought. It didn't matter about their injuries anymore, laughter filled the cavern. Omi finished off his last lava monster triumphantly, raising his arms in the air, basking in glory while the others cheered excitedly. But one cheer was cut off.
Beaten, broken and exhausted, Kaida took another blow. Her eyes shone with light and her sword was glazed with power but weakness and tiredness was starting to take over. Her moves were getting clumsy, her blows pathetic. Of course she wouldn't give up. She was the Warrior of Balance, soon to be the Dragon of Balance, heir to Atalante's power and the strongest of all the Xiaolin Dragons; of course she'd carry on. She was just finding it a little difficult on her own.
She was ever so tired of being alone.
Omi felt no pity for her. If he had known what sarcasm was, he would've known that was how he felt: sarcastic, sadistic and jealous. Pride came in there too for he was a very proud person. To see her trying her hardest and being beaten almost relieved him a little; it meant she wasn't perfect. Any minute now she would beg for his help. Beg for him and his pathetic weapon to help her; she was far too weak. Omi needed no weapon. His staff was as liked as she was right now.
The Water seemed to be protesting vigorously to Omi's thoughts but the small monk ignored him, revelling in the negative emotions. He had never felt so dark. The glory felt tarnished. Blackened, the air seemed damp and dank.
He had finished. He had won first. And he knew she would be the one congratulated. She would be the one basked in ever-lasting glory. She would be the one Grand Master Dashi would smile upon fondly from the grave. It wasn't fair.
She really was struggling now, her frail arms shaking. She seemed to be pleading. It didn't matter. He was sure she'd be strong enough without him. It's not as if she needed him. She was the strongest of all the Xiaolin Dragons after all.
He turned his back on her, ignoring the Water's cries.
Jack was panicking. Although this was fairly normal, so was Kimiko. And so was Clay and Dojo. Raimundo, thankfully, hadn't noticed it yet, but Kaida was failing.
She had one monster left and although the task seemed so incredibly easy, the warriors watched in suspense as they won and she slowly lost. Maybe they might've had time to save her, maybe they could have stopped the monster in its tracks and kept the aura of glory, the untarnished pallor of victory.
But those watching soon realised that Kaida's fate had been sealed the moment Omi turned his back on her.
Kaida was breathing heavily. That last blow had reopened the wound on her chest and she could feel the blood sliding down her torso. Her head was light and eyes blurred, grip shaky and weak.
She turned to Omi desperately for help, calling, pleading; she didn't want to lose this war. She couldn't lose that glimmer of happiness, not now, not when it was so close.
But he turned away. He abandoned her. It would've torn her heart to pieces but something got there before the emotional torment. The monster's talons. Ripping through her skin, her bone, her heart, she barely had time to notice, let alone think on the matter.
Kaida Balance was dead before she hit the ground.