A/N: Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for . . .
A Spirit
White. That's all I saw when I woke. A moment ago Kiara was blasting a deadly power at me. The next, I was here. Was I dead?
I stood up, feeling light. I looked down. I was wearing a simple white strapless dress that went down to me knees. My hair was tied back into a braid. I looked simple.
Standing up, I looked around. Four white clouds suddenly formed around me. I held my breath. Was this my judgment?
Three of the clouds took the form of humans; the fourth took the shape of a cat. The cloud blew off the four forms like it was powder on a counter. The first two forms were my parents. The cat form was Ashfur. The fourth one was Rachel. My jaw dropped.
"Rachel? What . . ."
I was so shocked I couldn't finish.
"You were right when you said I couldn't trust Ellen," she said.
I shook my head in disbelief. "Rachel no . . ."
"It was after you disappeared," she continued. "You were probably one of best victims. And when you left, she had all this excess energy . . . she needed a little more of the thrill. She turned on me. Said how I was sleeping around. She even accused me of getting with her boyfriend. She did everything to make me miserable. She planted drugs in my locker, spread rumors, anything to make me a school joke."
A sigh escaped her. "My parents were never around. I had friends who wouldn't back me up. I had nothing, except for the bottle of pills in my medicine cabinet."
She laughed spite of herself. "They brought me the most comfort."
I went to touch her, but found that my hand went right through her. Tear swelled up in my eyes. I was dead and still couldn't reach ones I loved.
I turned to my parents. Mama was wearing a light blue sari with gold lining. Her black hair, same as mine, let loose. Papa looked the same as he always did. His simple white clothing with a small turban on his head.
Mama walked up to me but didn't touch me, knowing that her hand would pass right through me.
"Jani, my little flower." She stared at me for a long time before continuing. "Words cannot express how proud your father and I are of you."
"If only we had known," my father said, "how special you were . . . If only we did."
Tears spilt out of my eyes. "But I'm here with you guys now. We can live together in this life."
Mama shook her head. "No Jani."
Shock took my breath away. "Why?"
Rachel stepped forward. "Because you're not dead Jani."
I couldn't speak. For a moment I forgot how to.
Papa spoke next. "Kiara did kill you. But she only killed the mortal you."
"Your spirit," Mama continued. "so full of love and sacrifice, was even stronger than Kiara's powers."
"And like Alena," said Ashfur to my big surprise, "You died, and have now been reborn as a Spirit." He bowed slightly. They all did.
I stared at all of them. I didn't believe it for a moment, but then it all sunk in and reality became clear. I was a Spirit.
"Why are you all here then?"
"The same has happened to Alena," Rachel said. "You need four people who have been major roles in your life to place a blessing on you."
I looked around. Having my parents here made sense, they made and raised me. Rachel and I have been best friends since middle school. But I shot a puzzling look when I looked down at Ashfur.
He seemed to sense my confusion. "I know I'm probably the last cat you'd imagine would be here. You helped me to discover who I was again Violetmoon. After I died, I came to senses and realized the terrible thing I did and how foolish I've been." He looked up at me with pleading eyes. "Please, Violetmoon, forgive me."
I smiled warmly at him. "All is forgiven Ashfur. Both of us have started new lives."
The four of them gathered around me. They all extended a hand, with the exception of Ashfur who extended a paw. They mumbled something I couldn't catch. Little streams of golden light swirled around me. I could feel my hair being tied into a braid, and my white dress being transformed into a red sari bedecked with rubies and sapphires and other exotic gems and a light veil to cover some of my head, jewels decorating my hands and head, bangles magically wrapped around my wrists, anklets hugged my ankles, henna appearing on my feet, and the last piece of decor−a golden sword strapped to my hip. I appeared like the Hindu goddess Devi, beautiful yet powerful.
I was a Spirit.
The four of them backed away from me. All of them bowed to me, the new leader of the Spirits. I bowed my head back to them.
The part of Kiara that was once in me was destroyed. She was weakened, and I restored to full power. Now it was time for me to go back. But I wasn't going to kill Kiara. There was something else I had in mind for her . . .
(Hollyleaf POV)
We all stood in shock as Kiara let out laughs of triumph as she stood on the spot where Violetmoon's body once stood. With each laugh, the knot in my stomach grew tighter and tighter.
No. How could this be happening? Violetmoon said we would win . . .
"How powerful is your leader now?" Kiara said mockingly to the army of Spirits, all whom had shock expressions on their faces.
"Now!" she said. "I'm in the mood for prisoners, but my world cant hold all of you. Hmm. Let's see, I can kill half of all of you. Or you can work for me. Oh my decisions."
She tapped her chin. I dug my claws into the blood soaked earth. I could feel my rage growing inside me. No way was I about to do any work for this wicked Twoleg.
Kiara looked back to the Spirits. "Take me to your world."
None of the Spirits moved for a second, then a tiger jumped from the crowd. It bared its huge white teeth to her.
"You'll have to destroy all of us before coming to our world you demented demon!"
Kiara seemed unfazed by the insult from the tiger. She let out a breath. "Well if you insist . . ."
"Kiara please!"
The Twoleg with red fur ran to the front with the tiger. She had deep cuts all over her body, some still bleeding, yet she still managed to run to the front. I could see the begging look in her eyes.
"Kiara," she said. "You've killed millions already, including Mother Gana and your own sister and father. When will you be satisfied?"
Kiara's red eyes beamed with anger. Her face twisted into fury. "I killed them because they would be too weak to live in my world!"
"You killed them because they got in your way," the Spirit shot back.
"How dare you!"
"If killing members won't quenched your thirst for blood, what will?"
"Perhaps your death will!"
Kiara raised her hand with contained that ball of power she used to destroyed Violetmoon. Letting out a loud cry she threw it to the Twoleg Spirit. But before it could leave her, another powerful ball shot down from the sky, hitting Kiara and sending her flying across the field, though not killing her.
Everyone looked up. Something was coming down. Whatever it was, it appeared to be a Twoleg with shiny things all over it and draped in Twoleg stuff. I couldn't fully see what it was because of the bright light that appeared around it, like a force field almost. But the light began to dim and I almost choked on air when I saw who it was.
Violetmoon.
She walked up to Kiara, who was staring at her in disbelief.
"Im−Impossible." She pointed a shaky finger at Violetmoon. "I−I−I killed you."
I saw something new shinning in Kiara's eyes. Fear.
Violetmoon lifted her hand slightly. Kiara rose to her feet by what seemed by force.
"You thought you did," Violetmoon said. Her voice seemed so much more powerful now.
"You should be more careful with your magic, Kiara. For a powerful half-Spirit like yourself, you sure can be careless as to let a part of yourself slip into my soul."
Kiara let out a spark from her fingers, causing Violetmoon to loose her grip on the Twoleg. Although startled, Violetmoon hardly seemed affected by Kiara's little attack. Now the two stood fox-length away from each other.
"You can't fool me Jani," Kiara sneered at her, narrowing her eyes at her. "You're still the same weak, useless, and pathetic half-Spirit as always! And I'm going to destroy you."
"Oh really?" Violetmoon said in a cam voice.
"Yes." Kiara raised her hand, a glowing ball in the center of it.
"Rhea!"
That voice belonged neither to Kiara nor Violetmoon. From a distance I could see someone walking closer and closer. Finally, standing next to Violetmoon was another female Twoleg. She had different things draped on her body than Violetmoon. She had something blue and gold covering her body, gold things on her wrists, upper arms, and even in the long brown fur on her head. She was not as brown as Violetmoon, but not as pale as Kiara. Her skin was somewhere in the middle. She looked older than the two of them too. Not too old, but not as young as Kiara and Violetmoon.
Kiara and the Twoleg's eyes met. The ball disappeared from Kiara's hand, and she dropped her arm to her side. Then her whole body dropped down to her knees, like they could no longer support her.
She stood there looking at the Twoleg. There was more shock in her eyes now than when she saw Violetmoon come back.
Finally she said something. But the wind carried it away. I could hear it faintly.
"M . . . Mo . . . Mother."
(Violetmoon POV)
I helped Kiara stand up, giving her my hand and lifting her up from the shoulders.
"Kiara," I said in a soft voice. "I think I've found what you've been looking for."
Speechless, Kiara let go of my hand and walked to her mother, who was standing there with outstretched arms. Kiara walked into them, looking at her mother up and down, like she was making sure it was all real.
A tiny tear slipped down her cheek. Pretty soon Kiara was sobbing. Titaia pulled her daughter into her, wrapping her long, tanned arms around Kiara's pale, trembling body.
"I kóri mou," she whispered.
My daughter, my Spirit ears translated from their Greek language.
Kiara looking up at her mother, then she whipped her head around at me.
"How−"
I held up my hand. "The Soulpiece in you. Everyone thought it was killing. It wasn't." I looked at Titaia, then back to her. "It was your longing to see your mother." I almost felt the tears pushing out of me. "All this time, you murdered and tortured and did unspeakable crimes . . . . all to conceal your hurt."
"How did you know I was hurting?" Kiara's voice seemed small, and almost child-like now.
I shook my head. "I didn't." I gestured to Titaia. "Your mother did."
Kiara turned to her mother. "All this time . . . you knew?"
Titaia nodded, tears rolling down her cheeks. "A mother always knows, Rhea."
"Mama . . ." Kiara began to cry again. "Alena hid you from me. She wouldn't tell me where you were. I tried to explain . . . but she wouldn't listen. All I wanted was to say I'm sorry Mama." She sobbed hysterically now. "Mama I'm sorry!"
Titaia embraced her daughter. "I know Rhea. I knew all along."
I walked up to Kiara, putting a hand on her shoulder, turning her to me. Kiara suddenly had a look of fear in her eyes and she dropped her knees and put her hands together in a prayer-like position, looking up at me.
"Please!" she begged. "Whatever your punishment may be, please don't harm my mother! Don't make her pay for my insolence!"
For a moment I looked at her. I looked at her face and remembered the first time I say it when I went to kill the Spirit Eater. Then I saw it again the night she attacked me, and a part of her slipped into me. I've seen her face so much. Only now I was really seeing it for the first time.
I grabbed Kiara's shoulders gently and lifted her up to her feet. She trembled at my touch.
"All these years you let you soul become enraged and black," I said. "That was your only fault. Many of us fall dark because of something we wished was ours. It's natural. It's human."
I placed my thumb in the center of Kiara's forehead. "Let today be the last day you carry the name Kiara."
My thumb glowed, spreading my power all over her. Within seconds, she stood as a deadly pale, red-eyed, black-haired, black clothed half-Spirit, to an olive-skinned, hazel-eyes, chestnut-colored haired girl with a Greek-style light green dress on. She looked alive for once.
"What . . . What did you do?" she asked, her voice no longer sounding like a threatening tyrant but instead like a normal sixteen-year-old girl.
"I've taken away your powers as punishment," I told her. "But I've also lifted you of the dark shadow that you've wearing all these years." I turned her around. "Go home Rhea. Go home with your mother. Live in peace."
Rhea did exactly as I said. Titaia held out her hand and Rhea grabbed it like it was last piece of bread at the market and she didn't want anyone else to have it. She was free now. I was free. Everyone now was free. It was as if dark shadow had been lifted from all of us.
I watched the two of them growing smaller and smaller in the distance. Together they walked out of this world. Hand-in-hand. Mother and daughter. And nothing was stopping them.
The End
A/N: And they all lived happily ever after . . . . . What? That's it. You can go do something else now . . .. I'm serious go on! It's summer! Go wild . . . . . . . Ha! xD Alright you got me. Yes this was the end of this long suspenseful story. Tears, yes. But happy faces because . . . . I'M MAKING A SEQUEL! The votes are in, and you all asked for the story to continue. Now, I'm not sure when I'll have it up cause I still need to go over some of the plot, but when I do publish it, keep your eye out. The sequel's gonna be called "A Tom's Footsteps"
Thank you all for your comments and keeping faith in this story! I love you cookies now and forever! Until the next story, Enyo14 is out! ;)