Petals in the Dark

Showdown with Jed

Chapter 28: Showdown with Jed

The air crackled with tension as the magical boys faced Jed, who now stood before them with an air of arrogance, his once kind eyes now gleaming a dark, malicious red. His villainous transformation had twisted him into something unrecognizable. His new outfit reflected his corrupted state—a sharp, jagged armor of deep crimson and black adorned with sleek, gold patterns, a sinister contrast to his previous innocent appearance. His long, twisted cape whipped behind him as he stood, a dark aura surrounding his body like a shield.

His weapon—a scepter crowned with a blood-red gem—glowed with dark magic, pulsing with energy that threatened to consume everything in its path. "You dare challenge me?" Jed sneered, his voice cold and dripping with disdain. "You fools think you can stand against me? I am beyond all of you!"

Riku stepped forward, his fists clenched, heart heavy with the loss of his once-bubbly friend. "Jed, this isn't you! We're not here to fight you. We're here to bring you back!"

Jed scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "Bring me back? Why would I want to go back to that weak, pathetic version of myself? You're wasting your time!"

With a wave of his hand, dark energy shot toward the group. Haru, Kaito, Mateo, Yuki, Lionel, and Riku all leaped into action. Their bodies moved in perfect sync, each of them calling on their unique powers to counter the force of Jed's attack.

Kaito was the first to clash with him, his daggers glowing with a brilliant blue energy. He dashed toward Jed, aiming for a swift strike, but Jed deflected him easily, sending him crashing into the ground. Blood dripped from Kaito's lip as he struggled to get back up.

"You always were too slow, Kaito," Jed taunted, his voice laced with venom. "Maybe this will teach you your place."

Haru launched himself into the air, summoning a whirlwind of petals with his magic, but Jed swatted him aside with a brutal swipe of his scepter. Haru hit the ground hard, blood splattering from his side as he groaned in pain.

"Guys, we can't win like this!" Yuki shouted, holding his hands over his chest where blood dripped from a nasty cut. He glared at Jed, his determination unwavering despite the pain. "We need to work together—remember what the gem said!"

Lionel, despite his own injuries, shouted to the others. "Focus on what we need to do! We need to distract him long enough to use the Gem of Unity!"

Mateo nodded, breathing heavily but still standing strong. He closed his eyes, summoning his power. "We can't just go at him blindly. We have to trust each other, fight as one!"

Jed grinned wickedly, clearly enjoying their struggle. "Pathetic! You're all so weak."

But while Jed continued his assault, Candy and Lionel worked quickly, preparing the gem. They had to channel their combined energies, but it required time and protection. Riku rushed to their side, throwing up a defensive barrier of shimmering light to shield them from Jed's attacks.

Jed's frustration grew. "Enough of this!" He slammed his scepter into the ground, and dark tendrils of energy shot toward Riku's barrier, cracking it under the pressure.

Mateo stood beside Riku, adding his energy to the barrier, while Yuki and Haru threw themselves into the fray, desperately trying to hold Jed back. Every strike they landed was met with brutal retaliation, and blood began to stain the ground beneath their feet. Still, they fought on, refusing to give up.

Lionel's voice rang out above the chaos. "The gem—it's ready!"

In a final, desperate move, Riku and Mateo combined their powers, pushing the barrier forward, giving Candy and Lionel the chance to release the full energy of the Gem of Unity.

A brilliant light exploded from the gem, enveloping Jed and the others. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as the pure, radiant energy clashed with the dark magic controlling Jed. The two forces collided violently, and Jed screamed in rage, his body writhing as the light sought to purify him.

"No... NO! I won't be controlled again!" Jed shouted, but his voice was filled with pain as the light grew brighter, pushing the darkness away.

The boys held their breath, watching as the gem's power began to break through Jed's corrupted form. His scepter shattered in his hand, the dark energy dissipating like smoke in the wind.

Finally, with one last cry, the red in Jed's eyes faded, replaced by a soft, familiar pink. He collapsed to his knees, the darkness lifting from his heart.

The battle was over, but the damage had been done. The magical boys stood, bruised and bleeding, but victorious.

Jed looked up at them, tears filling his eyes. "I... I'm sorry... I didn't... I couldn't stop it..."

Riku knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're back now, Jed. That's all that matters."

For now, they had won. But the shadow of the true villain—the one pulling the strings behind Jed's corruption—still loomed large over them.