Chapter Twenty-One

With Jade captured and her life being used as a bargaining chip, will the group be able to fight back?

    Caleb laughed as he stepped off the platform towards the group. “For a fight with the Elemental Guardians, this was rather easy.” He stated, stopping before them. “The four of you actually put the originals to shame.”

    The group looked to him, anger in their eyes, yet fear in their hearts for Jade’s safety. They had no problem in attacking him head on. But he now had Jade’s life in his hands. Even if what she had said was true, they couldn’t take the chance. They each knew she would do the same if it were any one of them in the enemies clutches.

    Caleb laughed once more. “Of course, I know I never gave you girls the chance to prove yourselves. Nonetheless, it doesn’t change the fact,” he smiled conceitedly, “you lost.” His smile then changed into an angry scowl. “I also know, however, that you girls couldn’t have possibly come this far without some help.” He turned from the rest of the group, facing the platform. “Katrina! Get out her right now!”

    Each of the group gave each other cautious glances. How could he possibly know it was Katrina who had helped them? She had said she was playing the obedient sister, hadn’t she? This wasn’t going the way they had all planned…

    There was a flash of light as Katrinaappeared before the group. She eyed them carefully, looking to each of them with a look of dread. Her gaze stopped at Jade. For a split second, she could have sworn Katrina smiled.

    Jade raised an eyebrow. What is she-?    “You called brother?” Katrina said in a sweet tone as Caleb turned to her. She smiled. “I see you have found your missing pieces.”

     “Indeed.” Caleb said as he placed a hand to her shoulder. With the other, he slapped her hard across the face. Katrina stumbled backwards, right into Tygra’s arms. “Do you think I’m a fool?” He questioned angrily. “Did you really think I wouldn’t figure out what you were up to?”

    He watched as she stood firmly on her own two feet, taking a step towards him. “I can’t allow you to corrupt any more lives.”

    Caleb smiled as he came towards her, placing his hand under her chin. “You are just like mother, aren’t you? Using the Chosen One’s power the way you did…” he removed his hand from her chin then pointed angrily in her face. “If I didn’t promise our sister, I would have killed you a long, long time ago.”

    Katrina batted his hand away from her face. “I won’t allow you to scare me Caleb! I’m not one of your subordinates!”

    “You’re weak! Just as they are! Just like mother!” He yelled. “Getting humans to do her work for her. Our sister never needed anyone but herself to fight her battles. She was powerful, strong-”

    “And mad! Our sister was insane to no end!”

    Caleb raised his hand once again but his flying hand was caught this time by Drake. He glared angrily into his eyes. “Don’t you fear for your friend’s life?” Caleb questioned as he ripped his arm free of Drake’s grasped. He pushed Katrina back as his gaze remained fixated on Drake’s. “Or have you forgotten her fate lies within my hands?”

    “Don’t let him use me against you!” Jade yelled angrily as she fought against Magmiss’s grip, her hands wrapped tightly around his arm with the dagger. The feel of the dagger’s cool metallic grip against her throat was the only thing stopping her freedom.

    Drake glanced back to Jade. She wasn’t afraid at all. Only angry that they refused to fight back for her sake. Did she know something the rest of them didn’t?

    “Drake,” Tygra began now at his side. She placed a hand to his arm, leaning into his ear. “We’ll think of something.” She whispered pulling him away from Caleb. “We just-"

    “Need to by some time?” Tygra stopped in her tracks as she looked to Caleb. He laughed. “You girls are pathetic. You can’t even keep your friends at your sides. Once you get one back you lose another.”

    “Shut up.” Asha said angrily as she came towards him.

    “Enough Asha.” Tygra said holding her arm out before her. “He’s just trying to get under our skin.”

    “Good assumption. But, how about we get to the real matter at hand here?” He questioned, holding out his hand to the group. “Those stones around each of your necks. I need them.”

    “Go to hell!” Asha yelled gritting her teeth as Rose placed her hands on her shoulders in an attempt to hold her back. “Trying to order us around after taking our friend hostage like that. Just go to hell!”

    Caleb came towards her, placing a hand to her chin. “You are full of anger now aren’t you? Wouldn’t you like to be on my team?”

    Asha smacked his hand away. “Don’t touch me!”

 

    As Caleb let out a fit of laugher, Jade loosened her grip around Magmiss’s arm. “He’s playing with them.” She whispered to him. “But you know that don’t you?” She looked out the corner of her eye, seeing him looking back to her. “He knows that we can’t just give him the stones, doesn’t he?” She changed her gaze back to Caleb as he began to taunt the rest of the group once again.  “How much longer do you plan on doing this charade?”

    “Charade?” He questioned, pulling the dagger tight against her skin until it began to slice through. “What makes this a charade?” Jade didn’t answer him as he sighed shortly after. “My dear Katrina and I didn’t have you fooled for a moment, did we?” He questioned as he pulled the dagger from her throat and placed it within her hand.

    “Nope.” She said with a smile, grasping the dagger firmly within her hand.

 

    As Caleb laughed he turned his gaze back to Katrina now at Rose’s side behind Asha. “You don’t think I know about the stones, do you sister?”

Katrina’s eyes shifted away from his quickly before looking back to him. “What do you mean brother?”

    “What do I mean?” His questioned sounded more like a statement as he pushed Asha to the side, looking down at his sister with hard eyes. “What I mean is, they can’t just give the stones to me, now can they?” He smiled. “The only way for me to get them is to kill them.”

    “We won’t let you get your hands on them.” Tygra said through clenched teeth as she took a step towards him.

    He looked back to her another smile on his face. “Are you forgetting? I already have one. Magmiss, kill the girl!” He ordered as he looked back to his brother, who was down on one knee.

    "I'm sorry sir, she got away!"

    “Looks like things aren't going as you planned.” Drake said with a laugh.

    Caleb turned back to the group with a smile of his own crossing his features. “Doesn’t matter, I will still crush you!” He then raised his hands up from his sides; the floor began to shake beneath their feet.

    “What the hell?” Asha shrieked in a shrill tone. “I thought Jade was the only one who could control the ground?”

    Katrina fell to the floor at her side. “She is! He is using something different all together!”

    The floor beneath their feet shook and crumbled as it began to rise up into the air. “What’s happening?” Tygra cried fearfully as she grabbed onto Drake.

    The group began to fall to their hands and knees; no longer able to stand upon the shaky surface of the floor as it rose into the air towards the ceiling. Magmiss rushed to Caleb’s side, putting a hand to his shoulder as he looked to his love in the air. “Caleb, you have to stop this! Katrina is up there!”

    Caleb hit Magmiss hard in the stomach with his elbow, knocking him to the floor. “She will die a traitor's death!”

    “We have to do something!” Rose cried as they came closer to the ceiling.

    Though no matter how hard she or the others tried, not one of them were able to get to their feet as if they were being held down by some incredible force. If the situation continued like the way it was now, they would all be crushed in an instant.

    “We’re done for…” Drake said in dread as he closed his eyes, waiting for the surging pain of being crushed to his death. But no pain ever came. He dared to open his eyes, seeing the ceiling now only inches from his face before the floor fell back down to the ground, taking everyone down along with it.

    Each of the group had their own choice of words as they landed painfully on the ground. Tygra rolled to her side, pushing herself up on her forearms as she looked to Caleb. He stood were he was, his hands out before him as he looked up into the air where the group was suspended a few moments before. His jaw was set tight as he stumble forward, falling to the ground.

    She gasped, slowly getting to her feet. “Jade!”

    Jade stood where she was, a bloodied dagger held within her hands as she looked to the rest of the group lying on the floor. “Get up and find your weapons!”

    “What are you talking about?” Asha questioned as she was now just getting to her feet. “You already took care of that psycho!”

    “No…she didn’t…” Katrina said an arm draped across her ribs. “It will take a lot more then that to defeat him.”

    And as if on cue, Caleb began to stand to his feet. There was no sign of pain running along his features, only a sinister smile, as he looked to the group. “Seems I’ve become slightly carried away.” He watched the group before him as the girls found the weapons they had tossed down to the floor earlier. Looking to his left hand, he summoned a small portion of his energy as a sword formed within his clenched hand. His gaze then fell upon the group once more. “I won’t allow that to happen again.”