The Divide Between Us | Book Two of The Judgement series

Chapter 27

Third Person Point of View

The band of teenagers summoned their weapons and stood together. Together they represented the future of the multiverse, just as their family did before them. Truly, things will come full circle. 

The Polisher, Incubux, and the Gleamer, Moonlight, summoned staffs. The ends of those staffs varied though. One was much like Nightmare's own, with a glowing blue crescent at the end and the other held a large knife that resembled Cross's sword. 

The Tainter named Cil invoked her flames and bones. The flames created a shield and her bones acted as a close range knife. 

The Keeper known as Palette summoned a paint roller, a weapon that was represented himself and both of his fathers. 

The Annihilator, Gradient, and the Maker, PaperJam, brought forth paint brushes that could bring down any adversary and support any ally. 

Finally, the Judge brought out her weapon. Coraline Ryder Hadley stood with her head held high as she took hold of her black and silver scythe. 

The seven skeletons no longer looked as if they were teenagers. Now, they were the protectors of the multiverse. Cora glanced at her friends and family. "Take out the cronies first. I'll take on Nightmare." 

"I'm coming with you," the Maker took the Judge's hand. "It's better to battle in numbers." 

Cora nodded and turned to the adults. "You guys should get going. We'll be back in time for dinner." 

"Are you sure you guys can do this?" NaJ Ink took a step forward. It was obvious he worried for the children, especially his own. 

"The first step to not being afraid is pretending that you aren't. We'd be crazy not to doubt ourselves a little bit, but we'll be alright." Coraline smiled at her allies. "Because we are the Protectors." This made a few adults smile fore the prophecy is coming true in front of their eyes. 

"You truly are the destined one, child." Raven kissed her niece's foreskull and Dove hugged her daughter.  

"Come back in one piece, you three. My princes and princess," NaJ Nightmare hugged his children. 

"Try not to get hurt," NaJ Ink hugged his children.

"No matter what, you've made us proud." NaJ Error patted his children's skulls. 

"Are you done yet?" 

In the time the Protectors had taken to themselves, the King of Darkness had called upon his army. This now included Horror, Cross, Dust, Killer, Fell, SwapFell, and hundreds of shadow Papyruses. The tension in the room increased but the Judge simply smirked. 

"Quite the show off, Nightmare, but I have to wonder if your army is half as strong as mine." As she said this, Cora swung her scythe and cut down ten shadow Paps. "I guess not," the Judge feigned disappointment. 

There were a few seconds of silence before the first move was made. 

Cross dashed to the front lines and connected blades with Moonlight, who protected his sister with his long range weapon. "Go now! I'll handle him," the boy shouted. Almost immediately, his allies dispersed and faced their enemies head on. 

"PJ! Go after Dust then help me with the King." The Maker nodded, somehow hearing his commander over the fray of battle. The clang of metal against metal rang deafeningly throughout the throne room. 

PaperJam vs Dust.

Moonlight vs Cross.

Gradient vs SwapFell.

Incubux vs Horror.

Palette vs Killer.

Cil vs Fell.

All were surrounded by shadow Paps as the skirmishes with the mini-bosses raged on. Coraline cut down as many as she could with each swing of her weapon, steadily making her way to her foe. Nightmare simply sat back on his throne and watched with a smirk. His crown rested atop his head and his staff was in hand. It seems he was getting stronger by the minute. He fed off of the struggle of the Protectors. Church bells tolled in the distance. 

Ding

Dong

Ding

Dong

Ding

Dong

Ding

Dong

Ding 

Dong

Ding

Dong

At the sound of the midnight bell, Coraline had stopped advancing. Her gaze stayed downcast but Nightmare could feel how the atmosphere shifted around the girl. It was eerily silent around the girl. That is, until she started laughing.

"Oh, shit," PaperJam muttered under his breath and slashed at Dust with his paint. "Palette! How long has it been since the last time!?" 

The Keeper blocked an attack from his assailant, "Sixty days exactly since she woke up! It's starting!" 

"Dammit! What do we do!?" Cil sent a wave of bones at Fell, who was distracted by dodging. "If she calls on those things then we're fucked!" 

Gradient jumped between PaperJam and Dust just in time to block an attack that would fatally harm his brother. "Go get your girl! I got this here!" 

"What about SwapFell!?" The Annihilator pointed to the ceiling, where the small skeleton was hanging, incapacitated by turquoise strings. 

"I got it handled! Just keep her positive!" Gradient struck at Dust, who was too slow to dodge. PaperJam nodded and rushed towards the girl he loved, dodging and cutting down anything that got in his way. Once there, he wasn't sure what he could do. The girl was laughing hysterically and the gleam in her pinpricks was dangerous. 

"Cora? Cora, I know you're in there," the dark-boned skeleton stepped in front of his beloved. "Baby, please look at me." He got what he asked for when that hateful gaze fell upon him. He visibly flinched but took a step closer to the girl. "You know? I don't think I ever responded to your confession." PaperJam took the Judge's hand and gazed into her eye sockets. "Coraline, I lo-" 

Unfortunately, the boy was cut short by the tentacle that burst through his chest. Magenta paint came out of the injured skeleton's mouth as he coughed and PaperJam fell to his knees, collapsing on the tiled floor at the feet of the woman he loved.

The thud echoed throughout the room and called attention to the small group in the middle of the fray. A sickening sound rang throughout the room not too long after the body hit the floor. 

The sound of a soul shattering.