Sacrifice and Goodbyes

The island started shaking as Asprit shot her arrow at Joey. Joey leaned backwards and caught the arrow.

The arrow moved Joey as he dragged his feet across the ground. Joey let out a yell and managed to spin his body around and throw the arrow back at Asprit, penetrating her in the head.

She fell to the ground lifeless. Joey took deep breaths as he slowly walked towards the ice.

"Come…out Zane and Zuri."

Why…would you do that!? Everyone is-"

"MY WORLD WAS TAKEN FROM ME!" Bomber cried. He slowly got up and struggled to stand. His energy was drained. "For a high-level to be defeated…by someone like you….is…is…special." Bomber laughed. "You people….definitely have what it takes to beat it." Bomber whispered as he pointed at Astor.

"Bomber….I am sorry." Astor said as he kneeled. Bomber stood in shock and just stood their. He stared at Astor with a blank expression on his face.

"For you to kneel to trash like me….." Bomber scuffed as he collapsed and fell to his knees. "There's no end to it, Astor. All the pain in the world…it'll just create more monsters like me." Bomber sighed.

Astor put his sword down. "It's not your fault." Astro admitted. Astro thought about Joey. "You…and others, all were innocent people. It's the world…that turned you into what you are. It's not your fault."

"You really believe that, huh? When I took my trials, I was glad I failed. I'm so happy…that you'll die, Astor."

"No. I can't die yet. I still owe someone a save." Astor scuffed as he got up. "Goodbye…Jinn." Astor whispered as he ran into the forest.

Bomber was left alone and slowly losing consciousness. "The bomb will go off and kill them all! I did my job! Screw this life! And most of all, screw this world." Bomber said as he died on the ground.

******

Astor quickly caught up with Pepper. "GO TO THE CHOPPER NOW!" He yelled.

"But-"

"I'll get Joey and Jinx. You move your ass!"

******

Zane emerged from the iceberg and looked at Joey face-to-face. "I'm done fighting. I didn't choose-"

"Your everything mother said you'd be." Zane laughed as he walked past Joey and picked up Asprit's body. "Zuri is no longer here. I teleported her away…she is save." Zane admitted.

"I see. She'll be back in the future." Joey sighed.

Zane sat down and put his hands up. "I give up…"

"A jinn giving up? That's not normal-"

"Running." Zane said as he struck Joey with a sharp object in the neck area.

Joey jumped back and just stared at Zane. "She's not far. Where did you put her, Zane? Tell me!" Joey demanded as he pulled the blade out of his neck area.

"The hell are you!? Some kind of freak!? Oh, wait…that's right! You're the one mother told us about! The one who'll bring us to victory!" Zane laughed as he forged a ice sword.

"Victory? What are you talking about?"

Zane held the sword to his throat and laughed. "You…are going to be a spectacular warrior, Joey Castle! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR FATHER IS!?" Zane yelled as he slit his throat.

Joey walked over to Zane's body and watched it desegregate away. "The curse is still active. They'll come back before long. It means…all of us might have to die." Joey said as he looked around and noticed the island had been on fire. "Shit." Joey said as he ran through the forest.

"Joey!?" Jinx screamed as she jumped out from the trees and grabbed on to him. "Thank goodness! I looked everywhere-"

"The curse is still activated! Jinx, we….someone-"

"I know who has the curse. The jinns lied, there's only one person who's been on fairy island longer than any of us." Astro yelled as he jumped from the trees.

"Alice is the one who cursed everyone who lived on the island. If you go out far…and I mean really far, the curse won't reach you. But…Pepper is still cursed.

******

Pepper started the plane and flew outside. The island shakes violently as powerful winds blew. "Where are they!?" Pepper asked as the plane was ready to take off.

Joey,Jinx, and Astor ran through the forest and ran as fast as they could. Pepper noticed them coming. "RUN!!" She screamed.

The three of them reached the plane and where almost there. Junk jumped on board and Joey was right behind her.

Suddenly, Astor felt a hand grab his ankle. He spun his head around to see Bomber. "You thought this was over, Hemlock!?"

Joey turned around and ran towards Astor. "Astor come-"

Bomber snapped his fingers to create a explosion that sent Joey flying away. Astor and Bomber flew a couple yards away. Astro rolled over and began to beat Bomber. "Die,die,die,die,DIIEEE!!!!" Bomber yelled as he grabbed Astor by the throat and tossed him away.

Joey ran over and swung his sword at Bomber.

They both are low on jinn energy! This is my chance! Bomber thought as he dodged his sword and punched Joey in the stomach.

Joey collided with Astor and they both fell to the ground. "Joey….I wanted to apologize …f-for everything." Astor said.

Joey's eyes grew wide. "You…what?"

"I said…I'm sorry. Not just to you, but to everyone that is gone." Astor said as he managed to stand.

"Duce,Kellan, The villagers, Sage, and the fairies! I-I'm no different from my grandfather. I…I failed you all. It's my fault! If only I hadn't brought you all here! Everyone would still be alive!" Astor said as he broke down crying.

"You haven't done anything wrong. You have the power to start an apocalypse…and people you create bonds with will die. I think…it's my time to go." Astor said as he pulled his hat over his eyes. "As a warrior…and protector of the young!" Astor yelled.

"Astor…what are you doing?" Joey asked as Astor. Joey grabbed Astor on the shoulder. Astor quickly used his flames to push Joey to the back of the plane.

Before Joey was fully blasted away, he managed to hear Astor's words. "Protect them. It's up to you, Joey." Astor said with a smile.

Joey reached out and hit his head against the metal wall of the plane. Jinx was about to run off the plane until Astor held his hand out to halt her.

"Fly away…go on, Jinx." Astor whispered as the island was close to erupting.

"I'm not leaving you! You're important to the crew! Please-"

"THAT WAS A ORDER!!" Astor yelled as Bomber jumped at him.

Pepper wasted no time. The plane started rolling away from the island. Joey opened his eyes and quickly realized what was going on.

"PEPPER, WAIT FOR ASTOR!"

"I can't! We have to leave right now! We will all die!" Pepper yelled back.

Jinx punched the floor and screamed from frustration. "Damn it." She whispered.

The plane lifted and took off from the island. Astro pointed at the plane and waved goodbye. "I'll be seeing you in the afterlife…mother. Bomber, I hope you'll see your mom again too."

Joey looked down from above and wailed. The island exploded in the background behind Astor as he kept on waving.

"The rest is up to you." He said as he was caught in the explosion. The entire island was completely destroyed and there was nothing left.

Pieces of the island floated across the sea.

******

Joey and Jinx sat in the back of the plane. All dirty,bloody, and with no smiles on their faces. The two of them just stared at the cold floor.

Pepper put the plane in auto pilot mode and went to the back. "You guys okay?" She asked.

Joey looked at Jinx and she gave him a killer glare. "Pepper…we have to talk." Joey said as he walked with her to the front of the plane.

Jinx sat in the back and waited for Joey.

Joey was badly injured and beaten. Joey only wore his tight jeans. His shoes were gone and his shirt had been ripped off.

"I can heal you-"

"I'm fine, Pepper." Joey said as he took a deep breath.

"Pepper…how long have you been on the island?" Joey asked as his hair covered his eyes.

"Ever since my parents were killed. I had to leave my family and run away. So…I went there when I was four. It's destroyed now. I…I want to find my brothers!" Pepper said.

Joey but his lips and clutched his fist. "Joey, what's wrong? Is it something I said?"

"No." Joey said as his voice was being muffled. "Pepper…Alice, the jinn that gave birth. She placed a curse on the whole island. You…and your fairy family…are all cursed. Your family probably made it out in time and is far away. But, by the time we get out of distance…the curse…will activate and cause the other jinns to come back to life." Joey explained.

Pepper's eyes slowly shifted from wide to a glare of sadness. "Pepper…I-"

"So…I have to die? For the curse not to be triggered?" Pepper asked.

Joey hesitated and the whole room fell to silence. "I'm so-so damn weak!" Joey said as Pepper caught a glimpse of his face.

Joey was full of distraught. A painful look in his eyes made Pepper tear up. "Joey…"

"Pepper…for the curse not to be triggered…I have to-I-"

Pepper couldn't hold back her tears as she just stared off at the clouds. "I've always loved watching the sunrise. You see it, Joey? The sun is coming up." Pepper pointed out.

Joey lifted his head and could see the beautiful sun coming from behind the mountains in the distance. "It's beautiful…isn't it?" Pepper asked.

"It is. It's beautiful and warm…like you, Pepper."

Pepper began to turn red. "What's wrong?" Joey asked. "N-nothing…it's the sun! It's making me turn red! The…the heat is bothering me!" Pepper fluttered.

Joey let out a little laugh. The two of them laughed with each other and had a great time.

The both of them settled down and looked at the sun together. "I'm glad I got to spend my last moments with you, Joey."

Joey looked at Pepper with regret in his eyes. "I am sorry." Joey said.

Pepper smiled at Joey and held his hand. Joey noticed Pepper growing in size. She was back to normal human-size. "How-"

"It happens sometimes…when I feel most alive." Pepper said as she closed her eyes and rested her head on Joey's shoulder.

"I don't want to go." She cried. "I'm not ready…but I…I know what you have to do, Joey."

Joey hugged Pepper and put his head on her shoulder. "Thank you." Joey cried.

Pepper said nothing. She kept on staring at the sun with tears in her eyes. "F-for what?" She asked.

"For loving me." Joey said as he hugged Pepper tighter. Pepper closed her eyes and rested her head on Joeys. "Pepper…I'll let you run away! I can't kill you! If the jinns come back, I'll defeat them! I…I can't kill a friend! I just can't!" Joey said.

"You have to kill me, Joey. It's the only way. If those poor souls come back…it'll be hard to help your friends at home." Pepper explained.

Joey stood up and slowly reached for his gun. "Pepper…don't make me-"

"You have to do it. You don't have much time, Joey." Pepper said.

Joey pulled out his gun and pointed it at Pepper's head. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry." Joey cried. His hand began shaking. He couldn't control himself.

Jinx kicked open the door. She marched in the room and was walking right towards Pepper. "Joey, I don't want to leave…but I know I have to! I just wanted to find a friend and be happy!"

Joey imagined Pepper,Jackson,Lily, and Jodi all sitting in his room watching tv and having a good. "You're looking for what I'm looking for…Pepper, I'm not killing you. Let's…go home." Joey reached out his hand.

Pepper reached her hand out and smiled as the tears from her eyes ran down the side of her slim face.

"Joey, I lo-"

It was like the rock had stopped. Joey noticed something red coming out the side of Pepper's head. She was still smiling, but what could that be?

Pepper collapsed to the ground lifeless. "Huh?" Joey said as he looked down and noticed blood coming from Pepper's head.

Joey turned his head and was shocked to see Jinx with one of his jinn pistols. Jinx had shot Pepper in the head, killing her on the spot.

"PEPPER!?" Joey cried as he fell to the ground and wailed over her body. "Oh god, please wake up!" He cried.

Jinx threw the pistol on the ground and walked back to the back of the plane.

******

Underneath the island…deep in the sea. A voice echoed through the water.

"FINALLY FREE!!"

Next Chapter: Natalia's carnage