House of Anubis: One Last Stand

House of Healing/House of Power

"Nina!"

Fabian found that when he yelled out Nina's name, it was too late.

Daniel had risen and pulled her back by her hair, sending her tumbling backwards. Fabian tried to charge for him, but Daniel snatched the dagger into his hands from the podium and pointed it in Fabian's direction. Fabian froze in place, the blade at eye-level with him.

Meanwhile, Nina recuperated and pulled on Daniel's ankle so that the knife flee from his hands, and he fell to the ground face-first with a thump.

Fabian picked up the dagger just as Nina stood to her feet. They both noticed Daniel in too much agony to get up in the mean time. It also appeared as though his nose was then bleeding. Nina glanced at him and then over at Jerome who was still there, barely breathing. And as though by Chosen One instinct, she sprung an idea which she hoped would work.

~~~~~
Osiris wrapped up the healing process but with a look of concern on his face. The others noticed this, and Patricia spoke on behalf of them all once she finally decided, out of them all, to ask the impending question.

"What's wrong?"

Osiris opened his mouth to reply, but he then laid his eyes on Eddie and motioned that he'd rather talk to him in private. Eddie shrugged his eyebrows at the others and headed off to the corner with Osiris who shrank himself down to human-size. Eddie stood with him, face-to-face, awaiting what he'd be told.

"What Neith did..." Osiris swallowed. "I can't..."

"You can't....what?" Eddie insisted.

"I can't save him."

"What do you mean you can't save him? You're a god!" Eddie scream-whispered so the others still wouldn't hear. "You should be able to save him just-"

"-I'm a god, Edison. I'm not capable of everything."

"That's what being a god is," Eddie retaliated. "You should be able to heal him. If not you, then who else?!" That last statement was at full volume, drawing in everyone's attention.

Osiris glanced over at them and then faced back towards Eddie, still keeping his voice low. "I've healed him enough to the point where you can do the rest. You can heal him."

"That doesn't even make sense. If I can do the rest, why can't-"

"-because I'm a god, Edison!" At this point, Osiris didn't mind who heard anymore. His tone grew to a thunderous bellow. "Don't you get it? You're more powerful than a god. You're more feared than a god."

Eddie stared into his furious eyes.

Osiris continued. "You're the Osirion. The Osirion and Paragon were once gods. What do you think happens once that same godly power gets passed down to mortals?"

Eddie didn't respond.

"You get a nightmare," Osiris finished, more calmly this time. He turned away from Eddie and began walking away.

"Does...does that mean I'm a nightmare?" Eddie asked with a heavy swallow.

Osiris glanced back. "You and Nina are just better at handling it then others. Save your friend. I'll deal with the other men."

Everyone had nearly forgotten about Mr. Taylor and Mr. Williams still unconscious in that room. They both disappeared along with Osiris, and following that, Eddie was quick in his actions to save Alfie.

"What was all he said to you?" Joy asked as Eddie knelt down by Alfie.

"I have to heal him." Eddie turned Alfie face-up and felt his pulse.

"What makes him think you can do it?" Patricia interrogated. "And why did he yell at you like that?"

"I need to concentrate," Eddie looked up at the three women. He waited patiently until Amber was, surprisingly, the first to catch on. She grabbed Patricia and Joy by their arms and pulled them out of the room.

"Here goes nothing."

~~~~~
Nina asked Fabian for the dagger which was still in his right hand.

"What're you going to do with it?" Fabian asked.

"Trust me."

Fabian was reluctant, but eventually he gave a nod and handed the dagger to Nina. Just as she made contact with the handle, it began to glow gold and only grew brighter the longer she held it. She knelt down by Jerome and carefully proceeded to save his life.

He took his hands, and with her own, enveloped them around the handle while she still held on herself. The gold grew brighter, and Fabian could even almost feel heat radiating from it onto his skin. It eventually became obvious that the light streamed directly from Nina. It coursed down her arms, through her hands, into the dagger, and then to Jerome as an attempt to rescue him.

"Nina, what're you-" Fabian began. But the light grew nearly impossible to look at even longer. He shielded his eyes until he realized that Nina was trying to break away, realizing she couldn't.

Fabian hurried to her and pulled her away, leaving the dagger in Jerome's hands and Nina in Fabian's arms. Nina passed out in Fabian's arms, and he continued to hold her tightly, even as Jerome mumbled a bit and then flickered his eyes open.

He sat up, gazing down at the dagger in his hand, and then Fabian and Nina, and then his motionless cousin behind him. He was confused as to what just happened, but he knew he'd figure out soon enough.

~~~~~
Eddie was down on his knees by Alfie, pressing his fingertips to Alfie's chest. A red glow extended from the tips of his fingers, glowing brighter and more profound the longer he invested his time into healing Alfie. He felt himself growing drowsy and drained as he did so, but he couldn't stop yet. He actually didn't stop until he was passed out on the floor, and Alfie was alive and well.

~~~~~
So, at this point there's just one or two chapters left. The next one might be the epilogue...just depending on how I choose to write it. But anyway, for now there won't be any discussion questions. I'll save the rest for the very end, so until next time, Aristocrats!