Chapter 7
AN: Before I begin with this chapter, I would like to thank everyone who has ever read my fanfiction. Your support is what motivates me to continue writing. Hopefully you are enjoying them and if so, I'd love it if you'd say so in a review. That also goes for things that you don't like (constructive criticism).
In the Cavern of the Hidden Shadow, Nadia was laughing triumphantly. She had successfully completed her mission. Within the small vial she held tightly in her hands was Jessica's life essence. Nadia planned to use it to resurrect Obscurio.
"Don't worry, Father. Soon you will be resurrected and revitalised! Then you can destroy the remaining Lords of Nature!" Suddenly Nadia went blank in the face, her eyes sightless as she started having a vision...
"Do you think she's gone? Nadia?" Jessica asked anxiously.
"I doubt it. She's obviously after something and she's not going to give up until she gets it." Nick mused thoughtfully.
"I wonder if she knows Jessica is still alive?" Lucas wondered out loud.
Jessica visibly shuddered and Toby put his arm around her comfortingly. "Don't worry, I won't let her hurt you again."
The colour returned to Nadia's cheeks as her vision ended. She picked up a rock and squeezed it into dust, screaming with anger. "Don't think you are protected, Air Lord! I will find you!" Her anger caused all the shadows to intensify, swarming around the whole of Gorm. "No one will be able to help you this time!"
The shadows were not only affecting Gorm but Earth as well. "Is it just me or did it get really dark?" Lucas asked the others, teeth chattering.
"Nadia." Jessica breathed. "She knows. She knows I'm still alive."
The others exchanged glances. "We don't know for definite." Nick pointed out calmly, earning a glare from Toby who had wrapped his arms around Jessica.
"Yes, we do!" Jessica cried heatedly. "She wants me dead, Nick! She's not going to give up just like that!"
They all gave each other determined looks. It was time to put an end to Nadia before she put an end to them. They collected their elements and gated to the Temple of Light.
"So how do we defeat Nadia? She must be getting pretty powerful; the shadows on Earth are intensifying." Toby asked once he had finished explaining their predicament.
"I'm afraid those shadows are affecting Gorm too, young Lord." Old Sage said. "Anyone who comes into contact with these shadows has their life energy drained."
All four of them gasped. "But what purpose would that serve?" Nick queried.
"Nadia will, I believe, collect essences from a Gormiti from each of the tribes and use them to resurrect Obscurio." Old Sage informed him.
Toby was outraged. "We won't let that happen! Anyway, do you know how we can stop her?"
Razzle tugged on Old Sage's robe. "Yes, Razzle?" He looked questioningly down at the small dinosaur.
"I know which artifact you require! You need to head to the Air Nation to find the Vial of Rejuvenation." He said triumphantly.
Toby was confused. "How will that help us stop Nadia?"
Razzle sighed impatiently. "I was coming to that! The vial will restore the life essences to wherever they came from. In order to defeat Nadia, you will need to strike her with the Dagger of No Return."
Lucas grinned. "So where is the dagger?"
Razzle's shoulders drooped. "Not a clue. There's talk that it's just a myth, but we all know that all myths are based around fact."
"Let's just find the vial." Jessica spoke for the first time. "We can worry about the dagger when we need to." The others nodded in agreement and Old Sage raised his arms, gating them to the Air Nation.
The Lords arrived, balancing precariously on one of the citadels."Well, according to this tome, the vial is inside this very citadel!" Razzle informed them excitedly.
"Talk about precision!" Lucas grinned. "This will make things a lot easier!"
They headed inside the citadel, suprised by how quiet and abandoned it was. "I suppose all the Air Gormiti are hidden inside the main citadel until the shadows fade away." Jessica said, as she flew around to see if she could see if they were alone.
"Is it me, or does this seem too easy to you?" Toby said anxiously. "Where are the defences for this vial?"
No one replied as their eyes suddenly fixed on a tiny, golden vial, which was shimmering in the sunlight. Toby stretched out his hand to pick up the vial but Razzle let out a petrified, "Stop!" This effectively stopped Toby's movement. "The vial can only be held by a female! If you had touched it, it would have been disastrous!"
Jessica, upon hearing these words, cautiously moved forward and grabbed the vial. She held it tightly, afraid to let go. "Congratulations, Lords." Old Sage praised them. "Jessica, you must keep the vial in your possession at all times. Do not surrender it to anyone. It is vitally important. Do you understand?" She nodded, and Old Sage gated them to Earth.
"They have the Vial of Rejuvenation!" Nadia seethed with anger. "My whole plan could fail! But, fear not, I have a plan!" She moved toward the entrance, waving her hand across her face. When she had finished, an exact double of Toby stood in her place. The eyes glowed onyx-black and evil laughter sounded.
Next Day
Jessica sat in her room, fingering the vial. It was beautifully crafted with swirling patterns carved into the material. Suddenly her phone started to vibrate. She picked it up and saw she had a message from Toby:
"Hey, Jess. We have another emergency. Meet me in the alley near school and bring the vial with you. You're going to need it."
Jessica vaguely wondered why she needed the vial, but she wasn't about to question Toby. Therefore she pocketed the vial and headed out the front door and began to jog to the alley.
When she arrived, Toby was stood alone with his back to her. The more suspicious part of her mind wondered why Nick and Lucas were not there with him. After all, if there was an emergency, surely it would require all of them.
"Do you have the vial?" Toby spoke sharply and urgently, only confirming Jessica's fear that something was wrong.
Jessica nodded. "Y-Yes." She said, pulling it out of her pocket. Toby suddenly grabbed it, looking entranced. "No!" she shrieked, closing her eyes. Suddenly she heard evil laughter behind her. She stiffened and turned around jerkily. Toby was stood and the laughter was evidently coming from him. What scared Jessica the most, however, were his eyes; they had become onyx-black. "N-Nadia?" She whispered in horror.
"Toby" waved his hand across his face and revealed his true form. Nadia glared at Jessica with pure hatred. Jessica immediately got into a defensive stance; she was not letting Nadia take her down again. "Oh, I do love it when my enemies put up a fight. It makes things so much more...entertaining." Nadia crooned in an almost gentle voice.
Jessica shuddered, not liking this side to Nadia any more than the ruthless, murderous, cold and calculating version of her. "The others will find me and they'll defeat you with the D-" Her voice died in her throat as Nadia lightly tossed a silver dagger encrusted with ruby-red gems in its hilt from one hand to the other.
Nadia's eyes seemed to be following the journey of the dagger for she did not look up when she spoke, "Oh, you mean the Dagger of No Return?" Then her voice became a venomous hiss. "Do you honestly think my father would have been stupid enough to leave the dagger where it could fall into the wrong hands? No, he entrusted it to me! To ensure that you pathetic Lords of Nature couldn't do what you were planning to do." Her onyx eyes glinted dangerously as she approached Jessica with the dagger.
There was a sudden scream as Nadia thrust the dagger forward. Jessica fell to the ground in slow motion, her body limp, crimson pooling around her. Nadia smirked triumphantly and took hold of the vial which had fallen on the floor. She then grabbed Jessica and teleported them to the Cavern of the Hidden Shadow, under the cover of her shadows.
In the Temple of Light, Razzle gasped as Jessica's orb began to fade rapidly. Old Sage approached and said solemnly, "We must tell the Lords."
At the same time, in Venture Falls, Toby was cleaning out the pool when a sharp pain in his heart effectively stopped his movement. Gasping, he was barely able to make it inside and into his room. He collapsed on his bed, the pain growing stronger until he thought he was going to explode.
His eyes closed and he saw Jessica lying motionless on the floor, covered in crimson. He also saw Nadia laughing evilly. Toby was overtaken by feelings of pure rage. She had killed Jessica! He was not going to let her get away with this.
He regarded the room with a determined gaze. "Be ready, Nadia! You have gone too far this time!" He yelled into the night, before feelings of despair and grief overcame him.
"Jessica." He whispered brokenly, fingering the framed photograph of the four of them. She stood beside him, smiling into the camera, completely care-free. Tears splashed onto the glass before he could stop them and he angrily wiped them away. Jessica would not have wanted him to cry or grieve for her, but what else was he supposed to do? She was the only girl Toby was sure he would ever love.
Nadia's malicious laughter could be heard in three places that night: in the Cavern of the Hidden Shadow, the Temple of Light and within Toby's dreams. The situation was becoming desperate...
AN: I hope you enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to review.