The New Beginning (Fan Fiction_Richelle Mead Last Sacrifice) Completed

Chapter Thirty-Six

36VA Chapter Thirty-Six (Rose's POV)

There. It happened again. Right before me. The moment Dawn's eyes left that Strigoi, he took his chance. He was so, so fast. And he was going for Dawn.

Hands outstretched, lips curled into a snarl, he was on her before anyone of us could react. I knew in that instance how the Strigoi would kill. The fastest and easiest way. The way Mason was killed decades ago. By breaking of the neck.

But.

It wasn't Dawn's neck that ended up in his hands. It was-

"EDMOND!" Dawn's cry of horror was loud and clear, though it still couldn't cover the sickening crack that echoed through the cave.

We lost a novice. A guardian, even.

The cave was silent. Strangely, the Strigoi's movements became relatively slow after killing. Very elaborately, the Strigoi released his hold on the limp body of Edmond. His eyes were mocking as he conjured a smirk and aimed it at Dawn.

In that moment, I saw myself in Dawn. Except that I was in Spokane watching Mason years ago and she is in this cave, this moment, staring at Edmond's dead body. If my daughter was anything like me, this Strigoi, whether or not is an ancient one, is in great trouble.

It doesn't matter if we were in shock. It doesn't matter if our opponents are stronger. What it does matter, is that our friend is killed. And that Strigoi is responsible for it.

For the second time in my life, I saw fear instilled itself into a Strigoi's eyes. The first being the time when Dimitri and I had been interrogating Donovan on Sonya's location.

This time, however, Dawn had the fear creep into the Strigoi for a different reason. She wasn't banging him up and demanding answers. She wasn't on the verge of killing to redempt herself. She was plainly just staring at him.

"You killed Edmond." It was no accusation. No questioning. No sign of distress. Dawn's voice was calm, stating a fact.

The look of pure fear was etched onto the Strigoi's face. He backed away at Dawn's approach, eyes widening with each step she took.

Then he burst into flames.

"No. No. No... no...!" The screams drowned out the sound of fire as it consumed the monster.

We watched.

We watched the body of a Strigoi became a puddle of black ash on the ground.

Once again, the caves shook. A little at first, then it starts to get worse. And worse.

"It's magic. I can't control it!" Dawn cried out.

"Everyone down!" I heard Dimitri yelled, coming over and beckoning to Dawn to get down in bomb danger position. I scurried over to them, doing the same.

The rumbling grew louder as the shaking became more violent.

Then it stopped. As sudden as it came, the shaking and rumbling stopped. Hesitantly, our heads lifted up to see something shinning in the distance.

"Is that..? Th-the Jewel?" Dawn whispered. I held my breath while we stood up and tailed Dawn as she walked towards the gleaming item. She picked it up, and gasped.

The stone shone, giving out colours of warm orange, royal blue and violet. Never in my life had I seen any stone shinning at a person's touch, nor giving out such... colours.

"The colours of dawn." Someone behind us said. The colours of dawn... does it mean...? Does it mean that we did it? We found the Jewel?

Gripping it firmly in her hands, Dawn suddenly looked around. Running towards a pile of rocks, she started hauling and heaving them away crazily.