Hush

Hush: My friend, Jack.

I heard Jack get up behind me, I didn't have to see that his movement was slow, that last attack with the dark leeches drained him of not just energy, but determination too. I saw Nygn still blasting down demented creatures that took on childlike forms, eating their souls as they departed. But as the dragon continued his attack on the ever oncoming waves of children from the walls, I noticed, there wasn't much space left, the cave had shrunk so small now we were in a space no bigger than a school assembly hall, all the cavern entries had now vanished and it seemed from where I stood, there was no longer any way out.

Jack, I spoke in thought to him, sensing his attention on me I continued. You have to kill me.

I felt his refusal before I heard it in my head, but we didn't have time for this. Zephen wasn't one for standing and talking.

I jumped out of the way of a bolt of darkness from Zephen and looked back to see Jack had done the same, breathing heavy he looked at me.

Remember what I told you, If I have something of them inside me, I can act as a voodoo doll. Hurt me, and it will hurt him, I have his blood, his flesh, his darkness all full inside me.

Jack still refusing stepped forward.

Three huge slashes had marked down his face, it looked so painful. But he stood defiantly beside me, blood dripping from his chin.

'Why do you want to create such a world of misery?' Jack asked, locking eyes with Zephen.

The response was immediate, I moved too slow as a whip like strike left Zephen's fingers and lashed at Jack's body sending him back. In another quick movement his other hand sent the same whip like thing towards me, the first missed me as I jumped aside, the second missed, almost deliberately as I jumped slower and less sturdy, and the third narrowly sliced me as I found myself further from Jack than I had been the entire time.

'Hush!' Jack let out a cry as he blocked Zephen's strikes with the magical defence he had been able to produce, but the power alone was knocking him further back. I watched as Zephen stalked closer, forcing Jack further back until he was almost against a wall, where the few children still lurking within waited with hungry outstretched arms.

But the threat wasn't them. Zephen had formed a scythe from the darkness he controlled, the blade long and curved into a sharp point.

No! My mind screamed out in horror, I bit into my own leg to force Zephen to let go, but he held fast, his grip tightening but shaking as I bit harder, I watched as he fought the pain, though no longer wielding the dark weapon quite so easily, as where I bit, on him bursts of darkness shot from his arm followed by white light, but still he wouldn't drop the weapon.

I watched as wings shot across my vision, black and feathered, before shrinking and reforming on impact with Zephen. Nygn in his Fae glamoured form stood as a barrier between them. He didn't hold back as he threw punch after punch at Zephen who no longer held the scythe, fought back weakly, the darkness no longer in his favour as the dragon warrior took control.

'Jack you must do something, I am unable to kill him.' Nygn explained. 'It is not in my destiny, do as the bear said.' He gestured to the blackened scythe that had been dropped during the clash with the dragon.

'He's my friend.' Jack said back weakly.

I ran toward Zephen and took another bite from the back of his legs as Nygn gave him one final shove using my small body to trip him and put him to the ground.

'Do it now.' Nygn, his voice full of authority said. 'We will not get another chance, these walls are consuming us.' He kept his amber gaze on Zephen. 'You have failed both Enchanten and Requirden and the world of Make-Believe as a whole.'

'I will never co-operate with the likes of you.' Zephen spat at the dragon Fae, 'disgusting beasts.' He lifted a hand to shoot at the warrior towering over him, but the amber gaze piercing into his mind stopped him in a cold paralysis.

'Jack.' I was beside him now, 'we have to end this.'

He shook his head at me. 'You are my only friend.' He sniffed, looking down at the blade, then kneeling he ran a hand through my filthy blood soaked fur. 'In this world and the real one. I had only you.'

'Jack,' Nygn pressed, 'I cannot freeze his actions forever.' He warned, still keeping Zephen in a state of paralysis by holding his gaze.

'What will happen?' Jack asked. 'To you? To me?' He looked around, 'I won't get out alive without you.'

'Have more faith in yourself.' I nosed his tear damp cheek and he cried more. 'Pick up the scythe and do what you need to do.' I encouraged.

He wiped his nose on his hand and reached for the blade, the dark shadows coiling around his wrist as he picked it up, larger than he was, and seemingly to heavy as he struggled to his feet.

'Remember Jack, never let the darkness rule over you.' I lay down low to the ground and closed my eyes, and as I did I felt the light within me burst from my body and connect with Jack, I felt his emotional pain, and though I didn't look up, I could see myself through his vision, his teary eyed vision looking down at me then to Zephen, I realised in that moment he wasn't just losing me, his friend, he was losing someone he had cherished so much for the most of his life, he was losing his dad. And though he wasn't physically strong, that in itself required more strength than any brute force could give.

I watched as the blade swung up, and just before it came down on me, Jack shut his eyes, and my world went dark.