Chapter Nine

An encounter with Drake

“Tygra!” Star cried, running over to her friend who was now getting into a sitting potion on the ground. “Tygra, are you alright?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” She answered with a question of her own as she slowly got up to her feet. She looked over at Serpenia’s frozen body and shivered.
After seeing that Tygra and Star were well, Jade walked over to the frozen corpse and kicked it hard in the chest shattering it into pieces. Star shielded her eyes with her hands to protect them from the shattering pieces that were once Serpenia. “What did you do that for?” She cried uncovering her eyes.
Jade turned to her. Blood dripped slowly from the side of her head that had smacked so violently into the cave wall. “He was still alive.” she answered, wrapping a hand around her ribs again.
“What? But that s impossible!” Star exclaimed.
“No. She’s right, Star. He was very much alive.” Tygra said in agreement with Jade.
“Get down!” Jade exclaimed pushing Star and Tygra to the ground. As they fell, a ball of fire went right over their heads, singeing the tips of their hair. “Drake, you coward! Show yourself!” Jade exclaimed, quickly getting to her feet, her eyes glowing their bright red.
A low laughter came from all around the room. A man soon appeared in front of her, only a couple of feet away. He was tall and looked to be rather young; mid twenties. He was the most handsome man that they had ever seen, with his short dirty-blonde hair that blew around in the wind of the cave. His eyes were a light ice blue which seemed so cold and cruel.
As he talked to them, he seemed to be like a complete gentleman with his charm.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Jade. You haven’t changed a bit.” He studied her closely. “Or, maybe you have. The girl I knew wouldn’t let these worthless brats get in her way.”
He studied Tygra and Star, and then laughed again. “Oh, I see now! These are Mark and Diana’s children you have here. Yes, they look just like their beautiful mother, Diana, don’t they?” He looked back at Jade. “But still, the girl I knew would never let petty feelings get in her way.”
Jade’s hands were clenched at her sides now, as if she were ready to a take a swing at him at any moment. “Don’t you ever say those names. You haven’t the right.” She took a step forward. “And as far as the past, I have changed, but for the better.”
“The better?” Drake exclaimed with amusement. “I don’t call running away the better path, would you?”
“I am not running away!” Jade yelled. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms. She looked him squarely in the eye; her voice was back to its calm collective tone. “I am finishing my duty that I began long ago.” She looked over at Tygra and Star. “Now that they are fully grown and their skills are somewhat acceptable for their own well being, I would say my promise to Mark and Diana has been fulfilled.” She looked back over at Drake.
“Jade, what are you talking about? Whose Mark and Diana, and what do they have to do with us?” Star asked confused.
“They don’t know? How could you leave something with such importance out?” Asked Drake, with mock disgust.
“Jade?” asked Tygra.
“The two of you already know; deep inside anyways.” Jade began with shallow breaths. “Your parents, both of your parents, their names were Mark and Diana. This so-called-god killed them both. My best friends, when you were just babies. I managed to get you away without him knowing. It was one of your mother’s dieing wishes for me to take care of you.” Jade explained never once taking her eyes off Drake.
“Yes, I just hated to do that. They were my dearest friends, as well.” Drake said adding a couple of ticks at the end.
“Bull! You could never be capable of having friends. You’re too much of a back stabbing coward.” Jade said to him.
He just laughed in response to her insult as he walked towards her stopping only inches before her, leaning close to her. “You’re just angry that you didn’t see it coming before it was too late.”
“Don’t tempt me Drake! I’ll have no regrets on killing you now!” She said, readying herself for a fight. “It’ll just make my journey that much easier since I plan on doing that before I leave this world anyway.”
He laughed again taking a few steps from her. “You have never changed. No matter how hard you try to hide it. You are still the girl I know.” He said, his voice trailing off as he began to levitate off the ground.
“Where the hell are you going?” Jade demanded moving towards him. “We’re not finished yet!”
“Oh, but we are for now. But, don’t you worry, we’ll meet again.” he stated before disappearing through the ceiling of the dome.
Jade stared up at the ceiling a few moments before she looked back to Star and Tygra. They were staring back at her, unable to believe what they’ve just heard. “Well, shall we go?” She asked as she began to walk out of the dome shaped room.
Star followed after Jade with Tygra at her side. As they walked, she looked at Tygra. “So, I guess this makes us sisters. Who would’ve guessed?” She asked, clearly happy to hear the news.
“Obviously, Jade would have.” Tygra said giving Jade an angry stare, but she just ignored it and kept walking.
After a moment Star looked at Jade, who was further ahead. “Hey Jade. Where do we go to next?”
“Well . . . once we . . . we get to the end of this tunnel, the . . . the Forbidden Forest continues.” She took a shaky breath, and continued. “And . . . and then . . . we continue to . . . to Drake s Tower.”
“Jade? Are you alright?” Star asked studying her closely. “You sound kind of funny.”
Not hearing what Star had said, Jade began to stagger. She then stopped in her tracks, standing completely still before them. Tygra and Star stopped as well, watching Jade, their eyes filled with concern and fear.
“Damn you . . . Serpenia . . .” she said weakly as she fell effortlessly to the ground.