Jade the Starr Within

Chapter 44

Abaddon smirks and hold his hand. "That really hurt, Fianna. I'll have to hurt you first."

"You ass, you killed people I love."

"I see Derek, Crystal, Fianna, Hannah. There is Gemini, Isaac, Castor, Pollux, and Aubrey. I trusted you, you bitch. The only one missing... Jade. The one I spared." He circles around me and reaches for my helmet. I grab his arm and pull. He rips it away and sits in the throne. "Your persona has worked well, I almost didn't recognize you, princess. That is, until I saw you in the city. You parading around on that damn horse, I knew it was you. You know, Derek. I'm surprised you let your daughter sleep with an elf, considering it was an elf that kidnapped her, destroyed your wedding, tried to kill you. I grew up with that tale. That is why you hate elves, isn't it?" Fianna quickly releases an arrow towards Abaddon. He holds up his good hand and freezes it mid air. "Ah, ah, ah, I'm not done talking." He magically reverses the arrow on Fianna. Hannah dives, bouncing the arrow from her shield.

"Why play with us? Why not just attack?" I ask.

"I'm stalling." He says. A man steps from the shadows, an evil grin on his face. He runs a hand through black hair and winks at Aunt Crystal.

"Eric." She says through gritted teeth.

"Crystal. How've you been?"

"Go to hell."

"Been there. It's nice this time of year. You would know, considering you sent me there."

"You drove a sword through my mother! I should have killed you when I had the chance."

"Please, you didn't love her. You should have just married me, then none of this would have happened, your sister would be alive."

"You don't get to talk about Diamond!" Aunt Crystal yells and throws her sword at him. He disappears and reappears behind her. Abaddon lifts Aunt Crystal's sword and drops it again.

What the hell is going on?

"Stop!" A man's voice calls from seemingly the sky. Eric releases Aunt Crystal in surprise. A bright light appears and from it, a man who looks identical to my father. He walks up to Abaddon and they stare at each other. Suddenly, the mysterious man punches Abaddon across the face. Abaddon falls to his knees and the man rubs his knuckles. "That, you ass, is for blinding my girlfriend."

This man is Aunt Cammy's boyfriend.

"Jacob?" Dad finally speaks.

"Who the hell is Jacob?" Mom asks.

"Who the hell are you?" Eric asks.

"My name is Jacob, god of Woodbine. I will not have you attacking these people I've stood idle long enough."

A god? There are two?

"Yes, there are two, Jade."

"What the hell?"

"I can read your thoughts. I want this to stop, this war, there are too many dead." Jacob, Uncle Jacob, I suppose, starts toward me. Suddenly, he falls to his knees, the tip of a sword visible in through his stomach. Eric grins behind him. "I shall be a god!"

"No!" Dad yells and starts for Eric. Eric appears behind Dad and raises his sword. Everything happens in slow motion. Dad crumples to the ground in a heap, inches from his twin brother. Mom throws a powerful torrent of water at Eric. Eric dodges the attack and appears behind Mom. I throw my hand out in an attempt to save her, but Eric prepares to strike her. A close my eyes for a moment. Time moves normally again as I hear the clash of steel on steel. "Get the hell away from my aunt!" Hannah uses Aunt Crystal's sword to push Eric back. Aunt Crystal, Uncle Derek, and I, turn our attention on Abaddon. He snaps his fingers, making a dark sword appear. Aunt Crystal runs towards the throne and ducks behind it. With Abaddon distracted, I start for him. He uses one hand to control his sword and the other to hold Uncle Derek and I back. "Finally, the queen of fire will perish!"

"Mom!" Hannah yells and throws her sword. Aunt Crystal catches it and holds off Abaddon. Hannah runs over and hold up her shield. Aunt Crystal releases a massive stream of fire at the shield, the fire reflected at Abaddon, wrapping him in unbearable heat. Aunt Crystal throws her sword into the ground, cracking the stone floor. A large, dark vortex appears, dragging Abaddon into oblivion. We turn our attention to Eric as Khay'rat and Kazimir struggle to keep him distracted. I look around in an attempt to find my father's corpse, but he and Uncle Jacob are gone. Eric throws his hands into the air. A black cloud of smoke fills the room, reducing visibility. I use my telekinesis to find Eric. I see him, again raising his sword. I rush forward. His sword comes down and I catch his victim when he falls. He is much too young to be dead. "No, no, no." Not my baby brother.

The smoke clears and Eric is standing over me and I pull Pollux close. As Eric prepares to kill me, Kazimir tackles him to the ground. They scramble for a moment and Eric disappears. I hug Pollux once more. A light appears and Pollux disappears from my arms.

Aunt Cammy is protecting them.

I stand up and face Eric. I raise my sword and start to attack. I hold Eric off with my sword as my family gathers around him. Hannah places a hand to her snowflake necklace, her last gift from Diamond. A blue stream of light runs along the ground and holds Eric in place. Mom gingerly touches her bracelet, a purple light joins Hannah's blue one. A pink light shoots forth from Aunt Crystal's necklace, a green light from Uncle Derek, an orange light from Aubrey. A new light radiates from each of my family members. My sword glows red as I drive it through Eric. Hannah uses Aunt Crystal's sword, once again, to open the dark portal.

"You will never hurt another." I whisper before he falls into the dark chasm.