Chapter Twenty

Rose fights! However, when the Dark Lord finaly enters the scene the group is overcome...

    Jade walked into the room completely, stepping out before the rest of the group as she locked eyes with Twilight. “What do you want?” She questioned, holding her spear out before her. “Once we defeat Caleb, you’re free. You’ll be able to do whatever you wish then.”

    Twilight smiled her eerie smile as she stood from the throne. “I am already able to do as I wish. And my wish is to fight at my place. My place is aside of Caleb.” She laughed as she came towards them, taking slow methodical steps as she came down from the platform. “No matter who happens to die in the process. That is my wish.”

    Twilight brought up her left hand. At first nothing seemed to happen, but as the group looked on, they could see the shadows within the room begin to move to Twilight’s hand. Black spikes began to form at her fingers tips. She smiled. “Now, I will kill you for Caleb.” The black spikes came out at them as if being shot by a high powered rifle.

    Rose gasped and without even thinking, she grabbed hold of Jade’s arm, pulling her behind her as she brought up her hands creating a strong wind, scattering the blackened spikes away from her and the rest of the group.

    Jade stepped out aside of Rose, her spear held out before her. “Rose, are you alright?”

    Rose lowered her hands, grabbing the hooked blade as she unraveled the chains from around her waist. “I’m fine.”

    Twilight lowered her hand, studying Rose with puzzled eyes before her eyebrows raised in acknowledgement. “Now I remember.” She said coolly, tilting her head slightly to the side. “You’re that little twit that escaped from the dungeon.” Her gaze then fell upon Drake. “Or should I say, helped?” Tygra rest a protective hand upon Drake’s shoulder as Twilight smiled once again. “Doesn’t matter.” She said dully, straightening her posture. “You are here now, and I will gladly take your head to Caleb when I am finished here.”

    “We won’t be taken down so easily.” Asha said coming towards her.

    Rose held out her hand, stopping her in her tracks. “I will take care of this.” She said her sweet tone now cold as ice.

    “Oh, it seems the little girl gain some back bone here.” Twilight said with a snicker.

    “I won’t let you hurt my friends.” Rose stated taking a step towards her before Jade grabbed hold of her shoulder. She glanced back at her. “Let me do this Jade.”

    Jade looked into her determined eyes then dropped her hand to her side. She lowered her spear, backing away from Rose. “If that’s what you want.”

    “Jade!” Asha yelled coming towards her as she watched Rose walk towards Twilight. “She’ll be killed!”

    Jade looked to her with a small smile. “If it comes to that, I’ll stop it.”

    “But-” her protest was cut short when she saw Twilight raise her hand, shooting out more of the dark spikes. “Rose!”

    Rose only stood where she was twirling the chain within her hand. As the spikes grew near, she swiped the chain out in front of her, creating another powerful wind, sending the spikes astray within the room. They hit the walls with a thunderous force, shaking the walls down to the floor. She then raised the chain up over her head, bringing it down in a diagonal direction before her, sending another forceful wind out towards Twilight.

    Twilight only sunk herself down into the floor, forming a dark shadow where she once stood as the wind flew over head, knocking the throne over as it slammed against the wall, smashing into pieces. Rose remained where she stood, twirling her chain and hook, her eyes on the dark form on the floor.

    The group watched on in amazement. “I never saw her quite like this before…” Tygra said.

    “I know what you mean.” Drake stated. “She was always so quiet.”

    Jade laughed lightly. “You can only push someone so far.”

    Twilight rose from the floor, her face blank. “Seems you do know how to fight after all.” She said before smiling once again. “But that doesn’t matter. You won’t last much longer.”

    “Rose!” Asha cried as a large shadow came out from the floor behind her in the form of a curved spike. Rose turned just in time to see a wall of stone come from the floor taking the full impact of the attack.

    Rose smiled calmly to herself as she turned back to Twilight, seeing an angry scowl on her face.  “Thank you Jade.”

    “No problem.” Jade said as the wall withdrew back into the floor.

    Rose began to twirl the chain and hook again as she ran at her opponent. She swung the hook down, aiming for Twilight’s shoulder when she sunk back into the floor. The dark shadow moved forward then Twilight came back out from behind Rose. She raised her hand shooting out a rather large spike towards her. Rose spun around, dodging to her right and swiped the chain at Twilight’s legs. She jumped, the hook missing her legs by mere inches.

    “This seems endless, don’t you think?” Twilight said with a laugh. Rose only smiled back as she came at her again, twirling the chain and hook above her head. “This again?” But as Twilight went to sink back into the floor, she found that she was unable to. She looked to her feet, finding the soles of her boots frozen to the floor. Once she looked back up, it was only in time to see the hook come at her, slicing her throat deeply.

    She stood where she was for a moment, her eyes wide with her hand to her throat, her feet now free of ice. She fell down to the floor with a soundless thud. Rose also remained where she was, her breathing irregular as she stared down at Twilight's now inert form. The group rushed over to her, except Jade who watched on with watchful eyes.

    “Are you alright?” Asha questioned her now at her side as she looked her friend up and down.

    “I’m fine.” She said as she looked to Tygra. “I wouldn’t have been able to finish this without your help.”

    “I only helped; you did the hard part.” Tygra said with a smile.

    “Honestly, I didn’t think you had it in you.” Drake said with a smile of his own.

    They soon stopped when they heard the sound of clapping within the room. They each turned to where the throne was once set. There stood a man staring at them with bright golden eyes, that much like those of Katrina, and with jet black hair hanging loosely over his eyes, much like that of Magmiss. His clothes all black; a formal button down shirt and black slacks with boots.

    He stood on top of the platform where the throne was set, smiling down at them. “Very good.” Were his only words as he looked down to the lifeless form of his subordinate.

    “You must be Caleb.” Asha growled as she took a step towards him. “What are you doing lurking in the shadows like that?”

    “Waiting for you to be finished with your business.”

    “You mean you watched her die?” Tygra questioned shaking her head in disgust.

    “What does it matter to him if one lackey dies?” Jade questioned scornfully from behind, her fist clenched at her sides. “He has no feelings for them. For him, they are easy to replace.”

    Caleb looked down to her, giving her a menacing smile. “If they are willing to die, why should I be the one to tell them not too?” He questioned. “As you are willing to fight against me, risking your lives with each battle, they are willing to fight for me. It’s their choice to make.”

    “Just as it was mine?” Drake said his jaw tight with anger. “We have no choices; only the one you chose for us! You treat them like pawns then throw them away when convenient.” He shook his head as he looked to Twilight lying on the floor. “And when you do find someone willing to fight for you for who you are, you treat them like her. You stood back and watched her die!”

    Caleb’s smile never wavered as he watched Drake amused. “You’re that boy sister told me about.” He said, ignoring Drake’s words about Twilight as if they were nothing to him. “Do you know what I do to traitors?”

    “I was never on your side! Not willingly!”

    “You have to admit; Killing people without a cause was fun, wasn’t it?”

    “Enough of this crap!” Asha said, taking her blade from its sheath. “You put us through hell and it’s now time for you to pay up!”

    Caleb shook his head, crossing his arms before him. “You can’t defeat me.”

    “You want to make a bet on that?” Tygra questioned, taking her whip from the clasped at her hip. "You can't win against the five of us!"

    “I already have.” He said with a laugh.

    “Argh!” A voice suddenly cried from behind them. They turned to see Magmiss was now within the room and he was holding a dagger to Jade’s throat, her spear thrown to the side. She pulled against his grip to free herself, but was only pulled back tighter against him.

    “Jade!” Rose cried.

    “Drop your weapons!” Caleb ordered.

    “Don’t you dare!” Jade yelled angrily at them, her gaze set on Caleb.

    “Either you drop your weapons or she dies!”

    There was a small silence as they each looked down at the weapons within their hands. “No-” Jade began when Tygra looked up into her friend’s fearful eyes.

    “I’m sorry Jade.” Tygra said as she tossed her whip to the floor.

    “No!” Jade yelled as Asha and Rose threw their weapons to the floor as well. “If you give up now, you will all die!”

    “Exactly.” She looked up to Caleb who smiled back down at her in triumph. “The battle is already won.”