Chapter Twenty-Two

Last chapter! Sorry, don't want to give it away!

“She fought for us until the end.” Star said wiping tears from her eyes. "I mean, that b*****d Drake came back to stop her on his own, but in the end…" She looked to Tygra. "Why did she have to be the one?"
Tygra looked to her sister with a sympathetic gaze, trying to remain strong for her sister, her friend, so she could be there for her in her time of need. However, she felt her restraint give way as her own tears came to her eyes. She wrapped an arm around her sister, pulling her into comforting embrace.
A metallic clank sounded behind them, startling the two grieving girls. They both turned, looking behind them to where the portal and Jade once stood. There, lying on the floor was something small shining faintly.
Tygra glanced to Star before moving away from her. “What's that?”
Star merely shrugged her shoulders as Tygra walked towards the object. She folded her hands up under her chin before calling out to her sister once she grew near. "Be careful!"
Tygra nodded taking slow careful steps towards the object shining before her. She felt her voice catch in her throat once she recognized what the object was; Jade's necklace. The one she was wearing before she pulled herself and Drake into the tear.
She bent down, grasping the necklace tightly within her hand. Jade…
"What is it?" Star questioned coming towards her.
Tygra swallowed hard before opening her hand palm up towards Star. "Jade's necklace…It was somehow left behind." She said soulfully looking to the necklace within her hand.
Star smiled tenderly. “Put it on." Tygra looked to her questioningly. "I'm sure Jade would have wanted you to have it…to keep it safe."
Tygra looked to the necklace once more. The thought of Jade wanting her to keep the necklace safe soothed her in a way. Maybe Jade was the reason the necklace was here and now. She smiled, placing the chain around her neck and clasping the back.
A rush of energy spread throughout her body, pulsing through her veins. She stepped back slightly, closing her eyes, the feeling of lightheadedness coming over her.
Star placed a hand to her shoulder. "Are you alright."
Her lids fluttered back open, the faintness soon passing as the rush of power balanced within her. "I'm fine, Star." She turned back to her smiling. "I just…understand why Jade did what she did by taking this necklace apart. It's pretty strong."
"Jade never did do anything without a reason."
Tygra nodded placing her hand to the pendants lying whole once more on her chest. She would keep it safe and out of the reach of anyone who would use its powers in the way Drake had attended. She would do this all for Jade. It was what she would have wanted.
Tygra turned back to Star, lowering her hand from the necklace and grasping her hand. "Let's go home, Star."
Star smiled. "Alright."
Tygra closed her eyes clearing her mind of everything but her destination. She squeezed Star's hand tighter once a tingling sensation came over her body to guarantee her sister's safe travel as they were teleported back to their home. After a few seconds, a light engulfed the two before vanishing, taking them with it, leaving the pains of their travels behind within this momentous room.

* * *

Tygra and Star appeared along a path a little ways from their home. Star smiled, looking down the trail, barely seeing their house in the vivid light of their artificial sun. "Home…" she said gently, yet painfully. Because returning home meant returning to normalcy. However, their normalcy was no longer normal…not without Jade.
She felt a light pressure as Tygra patted her on her back before walking on ahead of her. "Come on Star. Just a little further."
Star smiled halfheartedly before following after her. She took a few steps forward before stopping, her mouth gaped open. "No…"
Tygra stood only a few feet before her distraught sister, disbelief crossing her features. Standing before them, with a set jaw and a sword clenched tightly in hand, was the almighty sorcerer, Drake. His ice blue eyes pierced through the girls harshly as he stood where he was, watching them intently, furiously.
“You’re supposed to be dead!" Star screeched her face drained of all color. "How the hell are you still alive?”
“He’s a God, remember.” Tygra said regaining her composure as she stepped towards her adversary. She placed her left hand out to her side summoning a sword with nothing but pure will. Grasping the handle tightly within her hand she smiled scornfully. "But for a God, you certainly are pathetic."
Drake held his sword out towards her; its tip aligned with her heart. "You will suffer for what you have done. I guarantee it."
Tygra scowled. "You won't even come close. I don't care who you are." She tapped the necklace with her free hand. "With this, I'm going to kill you for good this time. For Jade."
Drake swiped his blade out to the side. "Shut you mouth!" he yelled hoarsely. "I don’t want to hear you say that name!"
The two rivals rushed to meet one another, each with their swords held tightly within their grasps. Their blades clashed, edges grinding against one another as the two stood at a standstill. They both pushed back from one another, jumping back to a safe distance. Drake then dove forward, aiming for her gut. Tygra raised her sword, blocking Drake’s attack with ease, moving to the side and watching him as he regained his footing, facing her.
"You're pathetic." Tygra said lowering her sword. "This isn't going to last much longer."
“Don't get cocky." Drake said through clenched teeth. "The only reason you are stronger now is because of that necklace. That necklace that has the rest of her strength held within giving you the confidence.” he said in an odd tone of voice. His gaze then hardened. "But you are not her!"
He then came at her once again and once in reach he raised his blade. Tygra brought up her sword, ready to catch his blade on hers once he finished his attack, however, he disappeared. She lowered her blade slightly, taken off guard.
“Tygra! Watch out!”
Her eyes widened at the sound of her sister's tone but it was all ready too late as Drake had reappeared beside her, elbowing her on the side of her face, knocking her to the ground. Tygra lost her grip on her sword, the blade sliding a couple of feet away.
Drake stood over her, pushing her onto her back with his foot, seeing she was knocked unconscious. A look of disgust crossed over his features as he placed the tip of his blade to her throat. "You aren't even close." He readied himself to administer the final blow when he felt the ice cold tip of Tygra's blade placed to his right shoulder.
"Get away from my sister." Star said through clenched teeth and teary eyes.
"That's right I almost forgot about you." Drake said looking to her out of the corner of his eyes. "How could someone like you approve of all this?" He allowed the tip of the blade to leave Tygra's throat as he turned to Star, allowing the tip of her blade to press into his throat. "You are not cut out for any of this."
Star narrowed her eyes puzzled at his words. What's going on? Why is he asking me such things? She searched his gaze trying to find an answer when he brought up his blade, knocking her sword from her hand. He closed the space between them slapping her hard across the face, causing her to fall to the ground.
She pushed herself up to all fours and attempted to stand when the tip of Drake's blade was pressed to the back of her neck.
"Leave her alone!" Tygra cried, standing to her feet. She stepped forward. "Your fight is with me!"
"My fight is with both of you!" He looked back to her crossly. "The two of you came into something you had know clue about-"
"You know I've always hated your speeches."
Drake's eyes widened as he turned back and moved to his left after seeing a sword swipe out at his side, slicing him deeply a crossed his ribs. Blood dripped from his newly opened wound.
Star took the opportunity to roll out from under Drake's blade. Stumbling to her feet, she looked to see what had saved her from Drake's wrath. She gasped.
Tygra stepped forward. "Jade! But I…You…"
Looking at each one of the girls stopping at Jade, an eccentric expression spread across Drake's face. He raised his sword, placing the blade back within its sheath set at his side. His breath caught in his throat as a surge of pain emitted from his side. He placed a hand to his ribs, and pulled it back seeing a red sticky liquid covering his palm. "Blood?"
Jade stepped towards him, raising her bloodied blade. "Now that I got your attention, let's finish this."
Drake placed his hand back to his side, putting pressure onto his bleeding wound. "Hmph. I have more important matters to attend to at the moment." He turned his back to her. "But don't worry. This is far from over!"
"Wait!" Jade cried, taking a step forward. She reached for his arm and was just about to seize it when he vanished before her. "Damn it...not again…" she said turning around to look at her two friends seeing they were watching her closely, as if she were a trick of the mind that was going to disappear at any moment. "Don’t worry, I’m not a ghost.” Jade said smiling at them sweetly. The two immediately ran towards her hugging her tightly.
“How can you be real?” Tygra questioned looking to Jade bewildered as tears began to form within her eyes.
“Now that’s hard to explain." Jade declared, looking up into the sky. "All I know is the Goddess must have had a hand in it.”
“I don’t care about the reason," Star began tears rolling freely down her cheeks. "I’m just happy that you're back.”
"Me too." Jade said gently. They each pulled away from their group's embrace, each truly happy to see the other was safe and sound.
"Well now," Star began cheerfully walking out ahead of them. "How about we get back home? We can talk more about what happened there!"
Tygra smiled as she followed after her. After a few steps she stopped, looking back to Jade. "Are you coming Jade?"
Jade nodded, but stood where she was for the moment as she watched Tygra and Star walk down the path towards their house and smiled. Home…I never thought I would have a home again.