25 Chapter 25

Lydia grunts as she grabs her sword, she rams it into the back of her unconscious sister.

Sylvia gasps awake and screams. Venix looks at them and while the sheild defends from Margaret's now balls of fire, he battles with Adam. He, in a blurry motion grabs Adam by the collar of his shirt and throws him hard at Margaret, Margaret gasps and catches him they both hit the floor hard.

Lydia turns and holds out her hands, a blue shield appears as the blazing fire explodes from his hands against her shield, slowly eating it.

Sylvia's legs get caught in the fire, and get burned like an incinerator. She screams out.

Lydia groans, trying with everything she has to hold the fire.

Margaret sits up, Adam runs and grabs both knives. "Do it!" he shouts to her,

Margaret claps her hands, the fire Phoenix explodes from her hands and flies fast towards Venix, he hold up his other hand towards her and holds off her fire with his own.

"Foresight!" Adam shouts,

His skin turns as black as night without the stars or moon. His body tears into two forming two versions of himself. Now immune he runs into the flames as fast as Rola launched herself at Fynn. It completely catches him by surprise but he doesn't stop.

He runs around Venix slicing and cutting up his body, mostly aiming for his appendix. Venix yells out and hits the ground, the floor shakes violently and knocks everyone, even himself to the ground.

"Lydia!" Margaret signals,

Lydia stumbles to her feet, trying to gain her balance and lifts her black sword up and slams the tip into the ground.

"BLACK HAVEN!" she shouts,

The world around them turns black, everything, black outlined by white. Venix rushes at Lydia, knowing his magic is unable to survive in this world she's created. He takes three steps and begins to be incinerated. All enemy soldiers following, only after he and Sylvia have been incinerated completely, the black world she created disappears, returning to normal. The Black Reaper poofs, turning to dust and hitting the floor.

She falls to her back and looks at Margaret and Adam, slowly getting to their feet. She huffs out shakily with relief, and her body relaxes as everything turns black for her once more.

Adam stumbles over to her side. Margaret falls to her knees in between her and Rola, sobbing.

They sit there, for a few minutes crying when suddenly Lydia jolts upright and gasps, clutching her chest, she rolls on top of Margaret and holds her fist over her face.

"Whoa-hey-hey-hey!" Margaret shouts,

"Whoa whoa it's us! It's okay!" Adam shouts simultaneously,

Lydia stops, breathing fast and heavy, staring at Margaret. Lydia groans and falls sideways to her butt and whines.

She looks at Adam and wraps her arms tight around him. "I love you." she whispers loud enough for both to hear,

"I love you Adam." she says again shaking terribly,

Adam hugs her back tight. "I love you too." he says,

Margaret sighs with relief, she looks at Rola and the tears don't stop. She looks at June's body against the wall. They come harder.

She can't keep it in, she sobs. Adam and Lydia cry with her, Adam told June, he promised her she would a better life.

Quietly in his mind, he begs, pleads death to protect her. Give her what she deserves.

Adam tells them what happened to Roux and Violet and they all cry more. Finally after many, many minutes of crying, they calm themselves down and get to their feet.

A few soldiers come up the stairs and find them, and they help take the bodies of Rola and June down outside. One of the big ships has crashed into the wall.

"We got shot down, but most everyone made it." Margaret says,

They walk out of the walls and find Prince Yuven who is busy helping carry the dead onto the ships to bury them elsewhere and also Eve and Caroline who rest and watch with pain and sorrow. But the two talk and smile.

They look over at them, Caroline sighs in depression, trying not to cry. But she can't help it when Lydia hugs her tightly.

The soldiers tell them they will place them in one of the captain's cabins together.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Caroline asks Eve,

She nods, the rest look at her worried.

"I'm okay, after we crashed a soldier took me by surprise, but I handled him. It was nothing."

"Are you sure?" Lydia asks,

"Do you need healing?" Adam asks,

She shakes her head, "You're so kind, but I'm okay, I'm stronger than I look you know." she says winking to them,

Tears stream her cheeks, "I've been waiting for so long." she cries,

They all hug then talk until Prince Yuven comes over. "You are all heroes, we owe you our lives, I'm sorry about your fallen friends, they will never be forgotten I assure you."

"Thank you your highness." Caroline says,

"If you wish to go back now you may, the ship over there has your allies, you may go back and bury them. I've already sent a few other ships back."

They agree and thank him two times over for his assistance. They climb the ship that isn't too far off and fly back in mostly silence among the rejoicing crew.

They sit behind the helm. Lydia lays her head on Adam's shoulder. Eve marvels at two that have become so lucky. It fills her with so much joy. She has missed the sight of love, its like an old friend.

In minutes they've returned and take Rola and June outside the city. Adam, Lydia and the crew help them dig the Graves of the two, then set them in gently and bury them. The crew and ship then fly back to the aftermath.

The five stare at the grave in silence, longing for their friends. Several minutes pass, the sun finishes its fall. The moon shines brightly down on them. A warm breeze blows, Eve clears her throat.

"Would you like me to sing? Margaret did heal my voice after all." Eve says,

"Yes please." Lydia says shakily,

Eve takes a deep silent breath through her nose. "Fields of endless green, where the summer wind blows, and the tall grass sings along under the wonderful blue skies. Clouds roll by and the sun shines so bright to lift all those around, basking in the beauty of the world. Though you may be gone. You are never forgotten. For you are far beyond friend, my love for you will never end."

The song is a beautiful master piece. They all marvel at her voice. She smiles so brightly. Venix had kept her alive, for so long so as to virtually erase the wind watchdog, since he had her as a prisoner.

She lets them sit in silence for a few minutes and finally clears her throat again.

"We should celebrate, in their honor, shouldn't we? I feel like Rola would want that."

Margaret sniffles and nods, "I do too. Heh gosh Rola."

They all giggle and laugh. "Let's celebrate our victory, to the nine of us." Adam says,

Caroline smiles, "I'd like that."

"I think I would like nice quiet life." Lydia says,

"Me too." Adam smiles,

They slowly turn and start into the city gladly welcoming all those around and the joyous music and energy.

Eve smirks, she's glad she could help them once more. She's so proud of these people and the amazing selflessness and kindness they all share. For each other and strangers. She's so proud.

They all walk and find an inn to buy drinks at, though it's all on the house.

"I think I'm going to just enjoy the atmosphere around here." Eve says,

The rest turn and walk in. Eve smiles at them. She waits for their backs to be turned and quietly slips away. She walks into an alleyway and down another. She opens her cloak and looks at the knife wound in her stomach.

A few drops of the poison have dried against her skin. Nothing could heal this poison. But she was okay with that. She sits down against the wall and smiles.

"I'm coming home." she says,

Tears stream her cheeks, she laughs and sniffles. "I'm finally coming. I've missed you all so much, I can't wait to hug you. Kate, Lindsey, Kairi. I can't wait to see you. I can't wait to hear your voices." she cries,

She laughs again, such incredible joy swirls inside her, she shakes with relief and excitement. She leans against a wooden crate. She closes her eyes and smiles. And for the first time in so many years, everything is perfect for her. She hums her lullaby, the one Kairi sang to her when she was a kid. It was their song.

She gets halfway through the notes, her smile and her body relaxes and she breathes out for the last time.

"Where would she have gone?" Margaret asks,

Lydia looks at Caroline as she returns, Caroline smiles softly. "Eve?" she asks,

Lydia nods, "I think she wanted to slip away, from people. She has found peace." Caroline says softly,

They all look at her with sad faces. Caroline shakes her head and holds out her glass, "Rejoicing for our friends, with us, and not."

They hesitantly clink their glasses against hers. "You're leaving too?" Lydia asks,

Caroline smiles, "Tonight, I'm going with Death." she says softly,

"Well then...we'll wish you well."

They all turn and gasp they all shout for joy and carefully hug a soaked Roux and Violet.

"What?! Y-you fell!" Adam says,

"We almost didn't make it but we managed to climb onto the sand and catch our breath." Violet says,

"We found Yuven and he helped us get back....The others are buried then?"

Margaret nods, "Just outside the city."

They tell them about Eve's likely peaceful departure and how Caroline plans to leave that night as well. They all silently mourn for the loss of their friends. But soon after, they drink and celebrate in their honor for hours.

Suddenly there's a loud crack echoes across the sky, causing everything and everyone to go silent.

The six look all around them, it sounded like something big, in the distance hitting the ground.

"You have done well. Because you have destroyed Venix. We will return to your presence. I am the God of Light, I am Life."

"And I am the God of Darkness, Death. And since you have fought so valiantly we will return to live among you. I wish I could return your loved ones to you, but I cannot. But I assure you, your loved ones are at peace. As for the heroes of so great a victory they will be greatly rewarded appropriately."

Beams of light engulf the six and blinds them all, then all at once it disappears and they look Around themselves, the forest they stand in, a giant yellow figure floating in the air. Death next to him.

"Brave warriors, we empathize with you, for your losses, with all of man kind for their losses. But you have fought admirably. In the days to come we will bestow magic again to the world, save it be the power of ressurection. But before we do. We are in your debt. Is there anything else you would ask of us?" Life asks,

"Individually or all together?" Margaret asks,

"Both." Death says,

"To be with the one I love, forever." Caroline says,

Death lowers to the ground and extends his hand. "With pleasure."

Life touches to the ground beside him and watches with joy as she takes his hand.

"Others?" Life asks,

"We want a quiet life. Peaceful." Adam says hugging Lydia,

"If you'll have us beside you, we'd like to come." Roux says,

Roux looks at Violet who smiles, they look at Adam and Lydia, "Yes, definitely." Lydia says,

"I know the perfect place for you both. And shall prepare the land for you as we speak." Life says,

He then turns his head toward Margaret. "Mil lady?" he says,

She thinks, "I'd like a life away from my parents, I want to say goodbye, but I want to leave, and not worry about pain or money or love."

Life smiles, "You will be allowed to say goodbye to them. I will prepare a home in a city for you. Where you can live your life as a baker, as was your dream. You've received the skills you need. You'll live in a place called Paris. Just above your shop. I'll personally teach you of the world Adam came from. We've seen your future. And it will be long and joyous." Life says,

Life holds his elbow out to Margaret, "Should we say goodbye my dear?"

She takes a deep breath and nods, she shakes hard as she wraps her arm around his. She looks at her friends and smiles.

Life and her disappear. Lydia runs up and hugs Caroline tight. "I don't want you to go." she cries,

Caroline smiles, "I know. I love you."

"I love you too." Lydia whispers,

They all take turns hugging her. And death snaps his fingers.

Margaret appears in front of her house, Life beside her and vanishes.

"I'm still with you, have courage. This is your final battle."

Margaret takes a deep breath. She knocks on the door. A few minutes of hesitation then the door opens.

Her father stands in the doorway and immediately turns furious. She keeps her straight face.

"Father, I'm leaving, and you can't stop-"

He moves to slap her but she grabs his hand and squeezes tight.

"Let go of me now!" he spits, her mother then comes by his side,

"I wasn't finished speaking. You will hear me out." she says,

She let's go, he goes to slap again, she grabs his hand and punches him in the stomach. He groans and stumbles back, her mother gasps and steadies him. She looks up, furious at Margaret.

"How dare you! You little wretch!"

"I'm leaving, you will never see me again. You will never hear from me again. Do what you want with my things. I'm no longer a member of this household."

She turns and starts down the steps. Her mother hurries out, but Margaret can hear her shoes and turns and back slaps her hard, her mother stumbles backward and yells out in pain.

"Leave me alone. Please take me home Life."

"Yes ma'am. Congratulations, you've won you're final battle."

He snaps his fingers and she appears before him where she had been beforehand. "The others?" she asks,

"They have gone to their homes."

She smiles, "Good. Please. Teach me what I need to know."

He smiles, and agrees.

Lydia drowsily opens her eyes the sound of wind blowing through a prairie. She sits up slowly and looks around her, yawning. Adam sits up beside her, in front of them, Violet and Roux.

They are surrounded by the huge grassy plain. To their right are two houses spaced away from each other. They get to their feet, smiling and explore them. Pig pens, stables, chicken coops, their properties full of chickens, horses, goats, pigs, and a big lake that stretches behind both houses.

They walk in between the cabins and hug their significant others. Violet hugs Roux tightly. Lydia kisses Adam and lays her head on his shoulder and they all smile. Their minds, bodies and souls having left all worries and problems behind. Finally.

"I'm glad they all made it."

They both smile at her.

"You will to, you have two options Rola. A heroic life, or a peaceful one."

Rola grins.

Caroline smiles, "It won't be easy."

"Hah nothing is. But you already know what life I want. Adventurous...just maybe no dying like that again."

Death smirks, "One question then."

Rola looks at death, "Yeah?"

"Futuristic or futuristic with powers?" he asks rhetorically, having read her mind and future,

She narrows her eyes and smiles bigger, "Who's my villain?"

THE END.