Chapter Eighteen

Things begin to get intense�

"Oh no!" Star cried standing to her feet. "Jade!"
"It's about time you suffer the consequences for belittling me." Drake said smugly as he stood before Jade holding the tip of his blade to her forehead. "You never took me seriously and now you are going to pay the price. I've told you before; emotions are nothing more then downfalls." He raised his sword.
Jade looked up into Drake's intimidating eyes, her hand to her bleeding stomach, the thought of how to escape running through her mind when she heard footsteps only a few inches beside her. Within seconds of Drake bringing down his blade for his final attack, Star had relinquished her sword from Jade's side immediately bringing the blade up above Jade's head, blocking his fatal attack upon her.
“You little wench!" Drake yelled heatedly turning his gaze to Star "This isn’t your fight!”
“It is now!”
"No, Star, this is my battle." Jade stated standing to wobbly legs. "I can finish this." She glanced to Tygra whom remained kneeling on the stone floor. "Go take care of your sister."
"But-"
"Remember my words! I will kill you myself if you do not get out of the way!"
Jade ripped the sword from Star's hand and grasped her shoulder, pushing her back behind her towards Tygra. Star watched her momentarily, stunned, before returning to Tygra's side.
Jade watched as Star made her way back and let out a little sigh of relief. Thanks Star, but with you by my side at the moment only makes you more of a target.
“You truly are an imbecile, aren’t you?" Drake questioned mockingly. "With that wound of yours, you’ll…" he allowed his voice to trail as he seen the large gash on Jade's right side slowly diminishing before his very eyes. Not even the slightest trace of blood could be seen.
“Well, now I think I understand things a little more clearly." Drake said matter-of-factly. He swung his sword to the side, the blade disappearing from his grasp. "I can not stop you at the moment…not now." He turned and began to take long strides away from her.
“Drake! Wait!” Jade demanded however it was already too late. He within his two steps, he vanished before her. She took in a deep breath, continuing to watch the place where he had disappeared. “Damn you.”
"Ah…Wh-what's going on?"
“Tygra!”
Jade turned back to see Star hugging a newly resurrected Tygra whom looked back to Jade, rubbing her head lightly. "What happened? Where's Drake?"
Jade tsked, turning her head. "The coward ran off again."
"Is that so?" Tygra questioned looking down to the floor. "Jade, I'm sorry for what happened…I mean, I shouldn't have believed him and yet-"
"You did?" The room went silent from her words before Jade turned back to them, letting out a long sigh. "I can't say I blame you. I haven't been completely honest with you two lately."
Tygra looked back up to her smiling. Jade was being so understanding, after everything she's done. Maybe she wasn't such a bad person after all.
“Hey, Jade," Star began helping Tygra to her feet. "Why did Drake take off the way he did? You didn't even do anything, so why…?"
Jade turned to the two girls fully, pointing to her abdomen. "It seems he isn't too fond of my 'little gift'."
Star watched her carefully as she came towards her. "But that's-" once close enough she ran a hand over Jade's stomach. The shirt itself was still torn, but her skin was completely healed. "How? This wound healed faster then your previous one!"
“I was also poisoned that time." Jade said. She then grasped her hand, shoving the hilt of the sword back within her grasped before turning from her and walking away. "You can have that back now."
“Where are you headed?” Tygra questioned, quickly catching up to Star, who began following Jade, and keeping pace.
“The Dragon-Eye Chamber.” Jade said as she walked out the door and down the stairs.
“The what?” Star questioned.
Jade stopped. “The Dragon-Eye Chamber. That’s where Lecriema's Jewel is." Jade said, facing Tygra and Star. "We have less then three hours left due to Drake little manipulative game."
“We have until midnight?” Tygra questioned warily. "Why midnight?"
“Easy Tygra," Jade began, shifting her weight impatiently to one side after catching the suspicion in Tygra's tone. "I don't know what Drake told you, but the spell has to be completed by midnight or that's it. Tomorrow, twelve o'clock a.m. is the deadline to do this spell. Once tomorrow morning comes, our chances of saving both worlds end.” She then turned continuing to walk down the hall, Tygra and Star not too far behind.
Tygra watched after Jade ruefully. She hated the fact that she continued to suspect Jade to be some greater evil then Drake. She couldn't even explain why she had such feelings at all…but she did. Something deep within her just can't let go of the feeling that Jade was hiding something from them.
She then quickened her pace as Star began to pull ahead of her in attempt to keep up with Jade as she sped down the bloodied hallways; the corpses of their previous adversaries lying here and there throughout the hall.
After another flight of stairs and a rather sharp turn towards the center, the girl's found themselves standing before large wooden doors. Carvings of two dragons embroidered the wood; one dragon methodically etched onto their own door. The two dragons were absorbed in their battle with one another.
"Drake's dream." Jade said in a low tone, pointing to the one on the right. "The black dragon represents our world, the blue one," she pointed towards the second, "represents the topside." Her hand fell lightly to her side. "Total destruction of every species and race; he does not care. As long as he can witness the chaos he brings, that's all that matters."
The two girls remained silent for the moment as they watched Jade's sorrowful eyes. There was knowledge behind those pain stricken eyes. What was it that she knew? Jade then turned to them, determination taking over her tortured thoughts. "However, once we retrieve the jewel, and reach the Shrine of Magic, then the two of you can do the spell stopping Drake from ever making any of his wishes come true."
“Where is this shrine you're talking about?” Tygra questioned. "You never mentioned it before."
“There's a portal within this chamber; it's the only way to get there.” Jade explained, and turned around. “Let’s go.”
Jade then placed a hand to the door, pushing it open gently, allowing the two to walk in before her. She entered the darkened room shortly after and the door slammed shut behind them.
She began to push open the door. Tygra and Star ran up to the door and help Jade.
They opened it just far enough for all of them to walk through.
After a moment the girls' eyes adjusted to the lack of light. Tygra noticed objects jutting out from the wall every few feet or so. "Torches…" She murmured to herself, and then raised her left hand. With a deep breath of air, Tygra released her magic, lighting the torches surrounding the area.
The room was bare, nothing but stone and a massive iron gate at the end of the room. Before the girls could exchange words, the room began to grow searing hot. The gate slowly crept open…
Tygra and Star stepped back in horror as a large green eye with black slit in its center could be seen through the bars. After one last creak the gate opened and a creature the girls never imagined came towards them dark blood scales and talon feet…a dragon.