Chapter Twenty-Two

It's the final chapter...Not much I can say without giving it away!

    Jade faced him as Tygra moved to his left, her whip in one hand, Jade's spear in the other. Caleb, with great speed, reached Tygra. She had just enough time to throw Jade her spear as he knocked her to the floor.

    “Tygra!” Rose exclaimed rushing towards them with her weapon in hand. She swung the chain around and once she was close enough swung the chain out towards Caleb.

    Caleb bent out of the way and with a swift kick, hit Rose in her right side causing her to fall down towards the left. He then rushed towards Jade, his sword held high as he brought the blade down on her. Jade raised her spear barely in enough time to block as he pushed down on the blade with all his strength. She fell to one knee from the pressure when he kicked her in the side, causing her to skid slightly to the right.

    "Damn it!" Drake yelled as he rushed over to help his friends in need and just as Caleb was about to bring his blade down on Jade yet again, Drake slashed him a crossed the back with his newly summoned sword.

    Caleb took a few steps forward, breathing heavily due to the surging pain which now ran throughout his entire body. He turned towards Drake, swinging his sword out to the side. Drake blocked the attack, but wasn't fast enough as Caleb swung out with his left hand, punching him squarely on the jaw.

    "Drake!" Tygra called as she saw Caleb raise his sword to deliver the final blow. She ran towards them as she raised her hands out before her. Please let me make it in time! Water poured from her hands toward Caleb. He jumped to the side in an attempt to dodge her attack only to have the water turn and curl around him, cutting off his means of escape. The water continued to encircle him as it raveled around Caleb's body, entrapping him within a ball of swirling water.

    She soon closed her eyes allowing her hatred from this man take over, just as she had with Twilight. Starting from the edges of the water cocoon, the liquid began to freeze slowly making its way to the inside. I won't allow you to hurt my friends any more… she opened her eyes as the water finished its transformation; locking the Dark Lord inside.

    However, their peace did not last long as the room began to shake once more. "This again!" Asha cried.

    "It's Caleb! He is trying to break the ice by tearing down this very room!" Katrina yelled stumbling from the vibrations.

    Jade dropped her spear then slammed her hands down into the stone floor. Her fingers dug deeply into the stone as she began to concentrate. Within moments the room stopped its quaking rhythm.

    "Way to go Jade!" Asha called as she threw a right hand in the air.

    Behind them they heard a strange, muffled laughter. Each of them froze as they turned back to Caleb. Though he was still encased within the ice cocoon, the laughter was most definitely coming from within the icy prison. Cracks began to form around the edges.

    "Tygra, quick! Try to seal the cracks!" Rose panicked as she looked to her friend.

    She already had her hands held out before her. "I'm trying!"

    The cracks continued to form until the ice cocoon shattered; shards of ice were thrown throughout the room. Everyone did the best they could to shield themselves from the sharp pieces of ice flying all around them. The steady laughter of Caleb only grew louder as the pieces began to land.

     "You girls are simply no match for me." They each turned back to see Caleb standing where he was when Tygra had frozen him in place. He seemed completely unharmed.

    "But, how?" Katrina said taking a step towards him as she looked towards Jade who now stood with her spear held tightly within her grasp. "She stopped your attack!"

    "It was a diversion." Magmiss said as he locked eyes with his former comander. "I've been by your side far too long not to know when you have something else up your sleeve. You where sending vibrations through the ice to break free. You only sent vibrations through the ground to make us think you were trying to attack us."

    "You were always a bright one." Caleb said a shake of his head. "Too bad I have to kill you."

    Jade edged her way to Tygra's side. "Attack him one more time." She whispered softly. "I have a plan."

    Tygra looked to Jade's determined features. What is she thinking? She then nodded. I'll just have to go along with this to find out.

     Caleb brought up his sword as he took a step towards his sister and her love. Asha stood before him raising her own sword in their defense. "You'll have to get through me in order to do that."

    He shrugged. "That won't be too hard." He raised his sword only to have Jade come from the side, knocking the blade from his hand. He turned to her, anger in his eyes as he grabbed her by the throat. A black phase of light formed around his hand as he sent waves of energy through her body, pushing her down to the floor.

    "Jade!" Asha cried as she swung her sword down at Caleb. He merely jumped back out of the way before he lunged forward elbowing her within the stomach. She fell back, holding her stomach in pain as she lay at Katrina's and Magmiss's feet.

    Katrina knelt down to tend her fallen Guardian. "Are you alright."

    "Caleb!" Tygra yelled as she ran towards him.

    He turned towards her to see her running towards him. Once she was close enough she cracked her whip, hitting him hard across the face. As Caleb stumbled back, Jade rose a part of the floor behind him forming a solid wall as he landed against it. Before he could move, rocks formed like solid chains around both of his wrists and ankles, pinning him to the wall.

    Caleb only laughed at his predicament. "Don't you girls learn? This can not hold me-" he stopped short as the tip of Jade's spear was pressed against his chest.

    “It’s no use.” Tygra stated, crossing her arms over her chest. “You are not getting out. You aren’t going to trick your way out, and you are not going to win this. You are defeated and this is over.”

    “You really think you have this won?” Caleb questioned with a snicker. “You can’t kill me; you saw for yourself! I can’t die! I have Reyna's spirit and power within me! There is no way you can defeat me!”

    “Who’s Reyna?” Drake asked as he now stood next to Rose's right side.

    “Reyna is the sister, the sister that you talked about, right?” Tygra turned to Katrina who only nodded.

    “The mad sister.” Asha added as she stood to her feet, painfully, with Katrina's help.

    “She isn’t mad! She is greater then everyone in the world!” Caleb yelled. “She is the rightful ruler of this world-”

    “She was. Not is.” Katrina said coming towards him. “She’s long since dead now, Caleb.”

    “No, she is alive! She can’t die! Just like me!”

    “Everyone dies.” Katrina stated, stopping before him. “I was there; I saw her die with my own eyes.”

    “Liar. Just how you always are.” Caleb said in disgust as he turned his head from her. “She’s alive. I can feel her powers within this world still.”

    “There is no power. No power, no spirit; the original Guardians made sure of that.” Katrina stated. “Just as you took care of mother’s long ago. It was an even trade.”

    “Her soul lives on.” Caleb said as another sinister smile came across his face. “And I will give her soul its proper place once I defeat these witches you sent after me. With the powers within those stones, life itself will be mine to rule!” He pulled hard on his wrists, breaking the rocks which held him prisoner as he reached out for Jade's throat once more. But his reach stopped short as the blade of her spear dug deeply into his chest.

    He looked down towards the spear head within his chest and laughed; his eyes locked with Jade's. "I told you this won't work!" He grabbed hold of the spear, pulling it out from his chest against Jade's will, and ripped it from her hands, smacking her across the face while hitting Tygra in the side with the blunt end of the spear. They both hit the floor hard.

    "Tygra! Jade!" Rose yelled as she brought up the hooked part of her weapon while twirling the chain. She swung the chain out at him, aiming to hit him in his already wounded chest. However, he grabbed the chain, pulling it hard and lifting Rose off the floor along with it. He threw her, along with the chain, down onto the floor in between Jade and Tygra.

    Caleb looked down to the three girls he had taken down within mere seconds of each other and laughed. He stepped towards them as they each began to stir, readying for the next attack, when Drake came out before them. Drake raised his hands out in front him; a brilliant light shone from his hands blinding Caleb.

    Caleb hollered in pain as he swung down his blade towards Drake who jumped back in time to avoid being deeply slashed. He turned rubbing his eyes painfully. When his eyes began to focus, he came face to face with Asha and smiled. "I guess I will have your head first then!"

"No, Asha!" Rose cried struggling to her feet as the others were already to theirs.

But before any one of them could do a thing, Asha looked to Caleb with darken eyes, which shone an ember red. Each of them stopped, unable to fathom what was happening as they looked to their friend. Her body seemed to be giving off such a heat that it was beginning to distort the air around her.

    Asha's teeth were clenched tightly as she felt her powers begin to surge through her once more. Don't loose control…Don't loose control…She held her hand out towards Caleb who had also stopped with his attack.

    "Interesting…Is this the power in which Gage was speaking about?" He laughed as he looked Asha in the eye. "You want to destroy your friends along with me?"

    Asha concentration wavered slightly. That's right. They are still here. I can't do this or they'll be killed! "Don't listen to him Asha!" Asha's worried thoughts were broken by the sound of Jade's voice. "If you can do it, do it!"

    A cool smile curled around Asha's lips as she saw her friends cheering her on. I can do this.

    Caleb took a step forward, holding his sword out before him. "You won't get the chance." He raised his sword ready to bring it down upon her when her gaze switched over to him causing him to freeze him place, paralyzed.

    The sword slowly fell from his grasp as he brought his hands up to his throat. He gasped for air as blood began to fill his mouth and began to drip from the corners down his chin, sizzling as it hit the hard wood floor. Within moments, Caleb fell to the floor, blood seeping from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.

    Once everything came to an end and Asha's body began to cool once more, she stumbled forward and was caught in the arms of her friends. They stood around her, holding her exhausted body upright. "Great job Asha!" Tygra cheered as she patted Asha on the head.

    Rose laughed relieved. "Yeah, Asha, you were great!"

    Asha smiled brightly, yet wearily. "I was, wasn't I?"

    "Easy you two, you'll give her a swelled head." Asha's gaze turned towards Jade who only smiled sweetly. "Though I suppose today you do deserve it."

    Asha returned her smile. "Thanks Jade."

    She went to take a step forward then stumbled slightly to her right. "Easy now. Why don't you listen and take it easy?"

    She looked over to Drake. "Alright, I'll try."

 

    Katrina and Magmiss ran over to her brother who had just fallen. Katrina sighed sorrowfully as she dropped down to her knees next to him; Magmiss remained standing behind her as he placed comforting hands on his love's shoulders as she began to weep. She slowly reached over, lifting one of Caleb's hands and holding it between the two of hers. His skin felt so warm as if he were still alive.

    She wished he were still alive. So that maybe she could see the brother in which she knew and loved once more. To see him the way he had been before Reyna had corrupted his innocent mind so terribly. If he were still alive and were only on the brink of death, would that innocence have shown through? Would she have been able to see it once more? For one last time? All she wanted to know now was that he was no longer being tortured by those cruel thoughts Reyna had planted within his mind when they were younger. She wished for his mind to be at peace.

    Katrina took in a shaky breath as she stood to her feet and both she and Magmiss turned towards the rest of the group who were empathically waiting for the two siblings. She smiled warmly at them. "I'm glad you are all safe." She looked to each of them; Asha in the center of her friends, leaning on each of them for support, Tygra standing behind her to the right of Drake, Drake to Asha's left an arm across her back, Rose to Asha's right with Asha's arm draped around her shoulders, and Jade off to the right side, her arms crossed over her chest.

    Katrina shook her head, amused by the scene before her. She smiled, looking to them once more. "It's now time for you all to return back home

    “What about the powers?” Jade questioned, taking a step forward.

    “They are yours to keep.” Katrina said simply. “You are the new Guardians after all.” She gave Jade a reassuring smile. “For now this is goodbye." She took in a deep breath. "Now, I need you all to close your eyes so I can return you all back home."

    "Close our eyes?" Drake questioned unsure of how doing so was going to help them get back home.

    "Just do as she says." Asha said with a tired huff as she and the rest of the girls closed their eyes shut.

    Drake shrugged his shoulders and shut his eyes along with his friends. They came to save him from a fate he had been tangled up in because of them. It was ironic, but he couldn't help but want to be around them.

    Katrina looked to Magmiss and he gave her a slight nod. She turned back towards the rest of the group and held her hands out to her sides. A bright light began to form around the girls and Drake and after another moment longer, the group was gone from this strange world they had only just encountered.