Dream Partners: Dark Rain (book 2)

Chapter 23: Beginning of The End ?

Paula smiled and gave her a bracelet with her name on it and said "promise me you'll bring this back for me" and Andrea smiled and said, "of course, I will as she pulled Paula into a hug". Finally, Joanna came in and said "I'm not gonna say goodbye because I know you'll be back...you got the strength of Mendoza blood in you and fire in your heart, just stop letting your feelings restrict you honey... you're strong, I believe in you and I know you'll handle this problem, so give 'em hell sweetie".

After Joanna left, Jay came back inside to find a worried-looking Andrea. She sighed and said, "they're all counting on me...what if I screw up?". Jay walked over, held her, and said "then I'll bail you out... remember we're a team, if you get lost then I'll guide you just like last time... we're gonna make it Andrea just believe in yourself and me". She smiled and pulled him into a kiss that continued until Jay pulled away in a panic, thinking something was wrong because her lips went limp and she stopped moving. Andrea slumped back in her chair and her eyes were closed and that's when it hit him...she had stressed herself to sleep. He smiled, picked her up and carried her off to bed, and cuddled her while watching television until he too fell asleep.

The next morning, everyone was up early and had already eaten and were just waiting in the living room for the gods as well as Andrea and Jay to come out. Andrea and jay eventually came downstairs to eat and when they did, the tension in the room rose significantly and was visible on their faces as they walked into the kitchen. Andrea was scared and jay was more or so in a determined mindset to finish this and keep everyone safe. After eating, the gods came in and said "are you ready?" and they nodded before being showered with hugs and kisses from family members. Maldor tore open a portal and walked through with Maya and Ariel but Andrea and jay waited. They turned back to their friends and family and smiled in unison and said "we'll be back" before walking through the portal.

When they arrived on the other side of the portal, they found themselves standing on a hill overlooking the once beautiful first city that was now clouded in darkness with the same red-eyed figures aimlessly walking the streets. Maldor and Maya looked at the rest of the group and handed them cloaks and told them to put them on and stay in cover. Andrea said "wait how do we know where the crystal is? and Maldor said "me and jay can use our chaotic powers to sense where the chaos is strongest and that will be where the crystal is". Jay closed his eyes and said "it's in Maya's quarters at the top of the temple where I was killed, the first time we came". Maldor said "no powers from here on out unless necessary and stay close and in cover".

Slowly but surely they made their way into town and ducked in and out of cover on each street before finally arriving at the temple and taking out the guards at the gates and courtyard. Maya took over and said "follow me as they traversed the halls, gently taking out guards they encountered and stopped at the double doors that led to her quarters. Maya was about to open them until BOOM!! the doors exploded, knocking everyone back a few feet as smoke rose. When the dust settled, it revealed this giant god, who looked just like Agathor, he was all black with red eyes, horns on his head, and four arms. He smiled and said, "I've been expecting you...you killed my father and now I'm gonna enjoy destroying you". 

Everyone was frozen in shock until Maya snapped out of it and said "not to be rude but who are you?". He smiled and said "I am Malomus; I was my father's firstborn out of many while he was in exile and before he died, he sent that crystal full of his powers and told me to train hard and avenge him should something happen". I mastered it's powers and taught the others and thanks to you increasing our powers we took over a lot faster than expected...but enough talk, let's begin". He smiled and zapped Ariel, Maldor, and Maya, sending them flying several feet back, and then erected a forcefield to keep them away. He smiled and said "your asses are mine and I can't wait to destroy you permanently" and Andrea trembled in fear until jay grabbed her hand, smiled, and said, "follow my lead".

Jay charged him while he was still laughing and fired at him with a burst of chaotic and harmonic energy, which sent him flying into the wall of his quarters. Malomus quickly got back on his feet and fired at jay, who absorbed the burst and shot it back at him again, with Andrea's powers mixed in. While this was happening, Andrea slipped off in search of the crystal as she heard the sounds of the fight intensifying in the other room and eventually found it on a pedestal under a picture labeled "father". She examined the crystal before grabbing it and feeling its power overwhelm her momentarily until she was snapped out of it by a large scream...it was Jay's scream".