Jade the Starr Within

Chapter 28

I wake up and everything's stopped. Dandelion is being pulled away.

I run toward her.

1.

I rip little Derek from his captors arms and hide him in a bush.

2.

I see an elf raising his sword to fatally blow Aunt Crystal. Without hesitation, I jump toward him.

3.

Time moves forward as I tackle the elf to the ground.

I use my katana to battle him as Aunt Crystal draws her sword.

"Are you sure you can handle that? It's magic will draw more!" I yell over the clashing of blades, the screams, the blood.

"Hon, I've been using this sword since I was 17." She spins and decapitates the elf. I run after Dandelion, Little Derek crying near her. An arrow flies down and pierces her captor through the eye.

There's only one person I know who could make that shot.

"Fianna! What the hell are you doing?" I ask with a smirk, striking an amazon warrior through the stomach.

"Couldn't exactly leave you alone, could I?" She laughs and easily looses another arrow into the mouth of an elf.

I help Dandelion to her feet. "Jade! I couldn't get into the base in time. I tried but they cornered me."

"They know you're human. Run, go!" I yell. She picks up her son and runs towards the base.

Where the hell is Hannah?

I turn as an elephant calls. From the forest comes a large elephant, a small, pink tiara on its head and a woman on her back. The elephant runs forward and our enemy collapses. Hannah raises her sword and shield. Meena stops and Hannah slides down. An amazon warrior attacks her. Hannah shields her blows and attacks herself. She winks at me and rushes to Fianna.

Her charge.

A familiar scream pierces the air.

I turn and see her.

I see him, his wicked smile as the sword strikes her.

"The child of pure light is dead!"

"No!" I scream. I run as fast as I can. I refuse to hold anything back. "You murdered her!" "You damn idiot, I hate you! I will kill you!"

He grins once again before riding away.

"She didn't make it." Uncle Derek says. "She's gone."

I've never seen him cry before, so much pain, so much hurt.

The blood.

I run upstairs, armor gone, as swing my katana. I hack at the training dummy over and over again.

Until there's nothing left.

"Jade! Jade, stop! There's nothing you could have done!" Kazimir grabs my arms and holds me tight.

"She shouldn't have been there! I swore I'd keep her safe!" I scream, I cry, and he just holds me. I never knew an elf could help grief.

"I shouldn't have left her. I should have stayed by her side." "You didn't kill her."
"I didn't protect her either."
"Jade, I'm sorry, I should have been here. They attacked all the bases at once." Luke runs up to me.
"I'm done. I'm not doing this anymore." I stand up and lift my helmet.
Then throw it to the floor.
"If he wants a princess, he's got it. I'm turning myself in."
"Jade, what about the rebellion? You're their hope." Luke argues.
"What hope? I'm nothing anymore. She's dead because of me. Because of me, Dandelion is dead."