I Never Knew

Chapter 24

***Unlike a lot of my other chapters, I've been planning this one for ages. Well, half of it, anyway. I MUST INSIST that you listen to Evie Clair's BEAUTIFUL and HEARTWRENCHING America's Got Talent cover of "What a Wonderful World":

 It illustrates all the emotion Jay injects into the song for his POV. Of course, I also included the original ;) Louis Armstrong did a FANTASTIC job, just with different emotions than Evie.***

***(Jay's POV; song for this chapter: "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong)***

Nya insisted this would work. Her plan is drilled into my head: Get the staff and return it safely to the monastery. Don't break the staff, or you might release the powers inside. That's how it worked with Chen's old staff. That's how it will most likely work with this one.

"Why wouldn't we want to break the staff?" I had asked her.

I'm glad she was the one making the plan.

"Because then, Libby's power would theoretically return. That could kill her, since there can't be two masters of lightning and you've technically already succeeded her."

I guess the alternate timeline really messed things up.

Breaking the staff means Nya is safe. Her element should return to her. Her withdrawals should cease.

But mom...there can't be two masters of lightning at one time. And she doesn't naturally have the power of mind. Her own harmful element will return; the harmless one will harm her in leaving.

"Mom!" I scream. But it's too late.

The staff fractures, and shards leap into the air.

I see my mom's body begin to convulse. I run over to her.

"Mom, no!"

I'm...shocked. Is there any chance she can possibly be okay?

Sirens wail in the distance. Harumi tries to run.

I guess she forgot she's dealing with speed withdrawals.

Collapsing, she bursts into tears. "Nadakhan, help me!" she whines.

"I'm afraid we must part ways, Quiet One," he laughs. "But it was a pleasure working with you."

He vanishes.

"Mom, speak to me," I beg, falling to my knees at her side.

A weak, jittery hand reaches up to touch my face. "J-Jay," she wheezes.

"Here," Ronin says. "We can't do anything about her mind withdrawals, but we can absorb her lightning power into the staff's remaining chronosteel. She has to touch it directly. That should give her some extra time."

He extends a piece of metal, but my mother doesn't understand.

"Here, mom," I murmur, placing her hand on Ronin's offering. "Zap it. Use your lightning power."

Her forehead scrunches in concentration, but that only produces tears. "I...can't. M-my head."

"You have to," I plead. "Please, for me, just shock it. It'll help you."