Chapter 43

"Don't push your luck with us, Silvester!" Jade shouted at him. "Leave him out of it."

"Oh? But who's the one getting himself involved?" Silvester's hand slowly reached out towards Noel until his hand was holding onto Noel at his mouth as if silencing him before he could even decide to speak.

"Do you know what happens to someone like you if they enter the Void?" Silvester slowly leaned into Noel's ear as he whispered his next words. "How about we find out how it feels when the Void shreds you to to pieces?"

Upon hearing those words Noel could feel his entire body go cold at the thought. The grip around his mouth felt like it was going to break his jaw if the man did not let him go soon. As he tried to pull away the grip did not lessen in the slightest. He could hear the sound of Capricorn's leopard form roaring out of anger as well as Jade shouting at Silvester to release him.

"Let him go!" Jade shouted as loud as he could causing the air to shudder around him.

A strong wind began to envelope the entire area as the green light around Jade brightened. The ground below his feet began to bloom new life to it as flowers that had not been there before began to take life and boom within seconds of growing from the ground. His breathing was heavy as his body exploded forward at a speed that even Silvester was incapable to keep up with. Beating against the air in order to move faster and faster as he moved forward each time his wing smacked against the air they could all see the air itself making circles that sent him soaring forward.

Jade's hand collided against Silvester's stomach sending him flying backwards. Grass, leaves, tree bark, and more could be seen flying up into the air as Silvester's body was smashed straight through several trees before coming to a halt. Watching the man he sent flying take the heavy landing his heart would not calm down. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Noel standing there by his side. It did not matter if Noel was safe or not because the fact that Silvester's filthy hands had touched Noel made him want to remove those hands from Silvester personally.

"Thanks.." Noel muttered out the word but he could see the look of pure rage in Jade's eyes that made even him what to shudder in fear. He knew the rage was over him but it still felt cold.

After taking in the silence as they watched where Silvester had landed they began to hear the sound of laughter in the rubble of the trees. Standing up he glanced over at Jade while spreading his wings out wide. Both of them stood at the ready as they smiled at one another. Jade's arm gently shoving Noel aside onto Capricorn's leopard form so that he could remove him from the battlefield. Noel wanted to protest but before he could he was already being carried away.

"Wait! What about Jade? He's still alone back there!" Noel shouted as he flung his head around to look at the two of them.

"He'll be safer without you in his way!" The voice from the leopard shouted up at him. They both knew well enough that Noel was of no use on the battlefield no matter how much he wanted to be.

Jade stood there in his battle ready stance listening to the sound of the purring calico until he knew that Noel was far enough away to not be affected by the fight between them. After they both gave a nod to each other he could see a wide smile stretch across Silvester's face as they shot across the open valley at each other. Silvester threw his spear aside so that he was charging bare handed.

Both of them grabbed hold of each other's throats as Silvester carried Jade's one winged body up into the sky with his own two wings. The pair of glassy blue eyes that stared at Jade were full of hatred, excitement, and many other complicated emotions that just made it impossible to get a clean read on him.

"Do you really think you can come out of a fight with me alive?" Silvester smirked. His hand casting a light right through Jade's chest just barely missing his heart. Blood began gushing from the wound and raining back down to the ground below them where he held Jade in the sky above the battlefield.

"Who said.. I had to survive.. as long as he does?" Jade's voice was determined as his comment caused Silvester's face to distort into one of confusion. A faint smile filling his face as he spoke out his next word to the small calico on his shoulders. "Now."

"What?" Silvester went to ask but before he could react the small calico cat had jumped from Jade onto Silvester's face. It's claws digging into his face making it impossible for him to see what was going on. As he struggled to remove the cat from his face he felt a sudden pressure in his own chest. Jade's hand had punched straight through his body to the other side killing him on impact.

Before Silvester could even become aware of Jade's underhanded trick his life had become forfeit. The wings that had been holding them up no longer remained moving causing their bodies to rain down from the sky. As they fell the small calico yowled out scared as it tried to return to its master through the rough wind. Its eyes were struggling to remain open but after a moment it could feel the warmth of Jade's hand pulling it in close to his chest as they fell.

Jade's single black wing tried to beat against the wind to slow their fall but he was too heavily wounded to continue pushing himself. At the very least he did what he could for the little calico that had been with him from day one. Wrapping his arms and wing around the calico he braced himself for the impact, ensuring that the small life in the palm of his hands would be able to endure the fall.