The Faithfuls

Chapter 14: Zeth

Chapter 14: Zeth

“Where’s Raiku, Jazzmozzelle?” I say with strength.

“You think I’ll tell you?” She laughs. “Honestly, it’s pretty obvious. What are the only 2 dimensions that haven’t been destroyed yet?” There’s only Lucenthia and Merador left, but I think she’s trying to tell me something. I try to make connections to past experiences, and who has been affected by the Raiku and his shadow...Jinx. Jinx’s shadow mark. And Jinx is from Merador...

“Brandon?” I say over my shoulder.

“Yep. What do you need?” He crosses his arms behind his back.

“Um... Where’s Jinx?”

“I left her leaning on that old hotel. She seemed a little dizzy.” I see him turn around to point to where he left her, but she’s not there. She’s not next to us, and not anywhere visible.

Jazzmozzelle laughs. “It saves my master and I some time if we get a little girl to destroy her own dimension. And herself in the process.” She smirks at us, like we were doomed for destruction. “My master can take that shadow out of her, but you know what he wants in return.” Then, the roof of the city dome lights up. Stars. Ursa.

After a few seconds, the message becomes clear to read:

Guys, get back to Merador now! All the trees and stuff have black veins on them, like they’re possessed. Check on Jinx. She might know how to fix this. Please hurry! I have a bad feeling about this. And also the apple I’m about to eat...I hope it’s not poisoned.

-Ursa

“Well, crap.” Brandon sighs. “The dimensions are screwed.” I was worried about the dimensions, but also Jinx. If she completes Raiku’s task, she’ll kill herself. Jazzmozzelle laughs, but Muse kicks her in the jaw to shut her up.

“Come on guys. We can’t give up hope. Jinx wouldn’t want us to.” Muse stands up straighter, taking complete control of her restraints.

“You’re right. Let’s get back to Ursa.” I sprint to an area clear of bodies, taking Jazzmozzlle’s reflex with me. I draw in the tree surrounded by water: Merador. Just like Jinx did it. Muse drags the clump of fire restraints that is Jazzmozzelle behind him, her jaw bleeding and dragging across the ground. We all go through as urgently as possible, watching the swirls of blue fade from turquoise into green. Luckily, this time from our dimensional travel, we pop up out of the ground. Like gophers, if you will. Ursa was right. All the trees have shadow veins on them, killing the nature from the inside. We don’t think. We just run towards the giant tree in the distance. It slows us down a little when we have to pass through a cluster of people in a human village, their faces wide with fear. As we get closer to the tree, the destruction gets worse. Trees either dead or knocked over, the ground going black. I decide not to use my powers, as it may accelerate Jinx’s death.

Finally, we make it to the tree.

Muse is calling out her name. “Ursa!”

“Guys! You’re here!” Ursa comes down the stairs and rushes outside. “I’ve looked all over the forest, and I think I know where she is.”

“Do you know how to stop her though?” Brandon comes forward.

“I think I have a solution...” Ursa’s voice is slightly iffy. “But it may not work. I’m not sure how well shadow will react to star energy...”

“It’s better than doing nothing.” I say, slightly angry. “We can’t just let this dimension die. We’ll do whatever we can.” Just then, a giant eruption on shadow blows into the sky on the other side of the forest.

“That’s her...” Muse says, sounding like he was regretting the actions that led him to fighting a giant shadow monster of his friend.

“Hey,” Ursa says to him. “We’ve got your back.”

“Well we have no time to lose. Ursa, you have everything you need?” We need to get going. Every second we’re not doing is another second Jinx is dying...

“I’ve got everything. Zeth, I can see the worry on your face. None of us want her to die. She’s a great person. Let’s go.”