CHAPTER 31
It was time my stomach was in knots as we marched through the thickening woods, we had been traveling for severale hours now. Emett told me we where getting closer and that I should prepare myself for what we where about to do. That was hard I was finding it hard to consintrate, I got almost no sleep last night thanks to the nightmares. I kept seeing Titus on his death bed, Renee by her side screaming at me for killing him. I know Emett didn’t get much more sleep because he was always up to comfort me. As we continued on I got the feeling that we where closing in on Natis it was almost like I could sense him. I wonder if he could sense me the same way I am sensing him.
I was feeling less and less determined as we drew closer, the fear begin to set in as the adrenaline I felt from yesterday wore off long ago. My mind was clear enough to let me know how insane we where for doing this. I looked at Emett who didn’t seem to be bothered in the least. When it came down to it I was still no more then a young women that had lived a sheltered life and had only had a few months of any real training. The more I reminded myself of these things the weaker I felt. I thought to myself ‘I’m going to die’. I shook my head and shunned the thought.
Emett must have known what I was thinking because he stopped dead in his tracks I was so lost in my thoughts I didn’t notice until I had ran into his back.
“Ow” I rubbed my nose and looked at Emett waiting for an explanation for the sudden stop.
Emett quickly wrapped me in his warm embrace pulling me into his tight chest. I laid my head down so I could be comforted by the sound of his steady heartbeat.
I felt my angel’s tear pulse between the two of us mimicking out heartbeats.
“Kaylyn, we are going to be ok. Don’t think otherwise understand?” Emett laid a gentle kiss on my forehead and I nodd in agreement.
“I feel so weak and small, fear keeps consuming me and my legs want to take me away to safety. I think the only thing that has kept me going is the fact that I have to get Renee back.” I felt a tear threatening to make its way down my cheek as I openly confessed my fear.
“It is normal to be afraid, its needed! It may feel like a weakness now, but your fear and will to survive can be a powerful tool if used the right way. Don’t you think I am afraid?” As Emett’s words sink in to my head I listen to his heartbeat and take notice of its increase in speed. I never thought about him being afraid.
“No, your so strong. I guess I just never thought of you having any real fear. Your like superman!” I smiled staring up at him, admiring his beautiful green eyes. He smiles in return as he begins to speak to me again and my attention is drawn to his lips.
“Kaylyn you are something else, and I am flattered that you think I am like superman. But you are so wrong. You have been the root of my worst fears. If I’m superman then you are my kryptonite.” His eyes where sad for a moment and I couldn’t help but ask.
“What do you mean?” I cocked my head to the side like a curious puppy, my hair draped over my shoulder like a thick dark curtain. I hadn’t realized how long it had gotten.
“My worst fear is that I will loose you and I have come to close to many times. And as before it is my worst fear as we go into this fight with Natis.” I feel Emett's heart beat quicken.
I offer a comforting smile as I stand on my tip toes to kiss him. “After everything I have gone through, you think I am going to let Natis kill me now? Just when I got everything I wanted?” I shook my head furiously.
“No way, sorry Emett I am here to stay you my love are stuck with me now.”I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt. Emett’s smile grew as mine did. We exchanged another kiss and reluctantly released our grip on one another. It was time to fight Natis.
“Oh and Emett that whole superman , kryptonite thing. Sooooo cheesy!” I screamed as Emett ran after me.
“You started it!” He yelled.
This sliver of happiness, this quick moment of lightness was just the calm before the storm. We both knew that and I think that is why we didn’t hold back as he took me to the ground. Hovering over my pinned body.
He stared down at me, and no words where necessary at that moment I knew I was everything to him. And he was everything to me. Gently he brought his mouth to me neck sweetly leaving a trail of kisses to my lips.
“I love you.” I whispered as I laid there with my eyes closed.
“I love you more.” He spoke softly into my ear as he laid one more kiss on my lips.
But that’s when the storm hit and all hell broke loose, the quiet surrounding where abruptly filled with Emett’s screams. My eyes shot open as I saw the pain on his face, I was confused for a moment as I looked around. I felt a warm thick liquid on my left leg, I brought my hand down. When I pulled it back to my face it was bright with blood. It wasn’t my blood it was Emett’s! In that split second he was drug off my body. I can’t remember if I screamed or if I was to paralyzed with fear to do so. My eyes focused in on where Emett was being dragged to and there he was.
“You Bastard!” I screamed as Natis dragged Emett towards him with a black tentacle that was pierced through this right thigh.
“Aw I’m sorry Kaylyn did I just ruin your little romantic moment? Your both idiots allowing your guard down so close to my territory. Did you honestly think I wasn’texpecting some kind of an attack?” Natis's eyes where narrowed as if we had just insulted him.
My whole body was tense as I watched Emett squirm in pain trying to force the tentacle that was Natis’s arm from his leg.
“Let him go!” I commanded, it only earned me an amused laugh from Natis.
“Make me” He taunted as he pressed his black tentacle deeper into Emett’s leg.
His scream was sickening and I felt nothing but darkness and fear consuming me. ‘Breathe and remember what Emett told you about fear.’ My Angel’s tear spoke into me and I could feel its strength and determination. I fed off of it’s energy. I whispered to myself “Fear is my strongest weapon now.”
With those last words there was no more time for thinking only time for reacting. And that is exactly what I did. I shifted into my wolf form and ran at Natis as fast as I possible could, my vision was sharp and the sound of the surrounding area was loud. I was on the hunt and focused on my prey. There was a cocky smile on Natis face as I ran at him.
He didn’t think I could cause him any harm but I was going to prove him wrong! In the blink of an eye I had rooted my crystallized arm through the ground at Natis. I was more surprised than Natis was as my crystal root wrapped around his arm as I had done to Titus. It was so quick I couldn’t help but acknowledge that my angel’s tear was helping me. In one quick motion I had removed Natis of his tentacle and release Emett from his grip.
Natis screamed, weather it was in pain or anger that I could actually cause him harm I don’t know. As he stared at his missing arm I ran for Emett grabbing him thankful for the strength my armor gave me. I ran as far as I could from Natis and laid Emett down as gently as I could.
“Kaylyn we need to turn back I can’t protect you, not when I am this badly wounded.” I smiled down at Emett trying to stay focused on his face and not the wound on his leg.
I laid a cold crystal hand on his cheek. “Its my turn to protect you, now tie a tourniquet around your leg. Ill try and make this quick.” I smiled turning back to the fight without giving him a chance to argue.
I ran back at Natis who had to much time to regain his posture, he was alert now. I was more then aware that this fight was going to get even harder.
I shot another attack at him with my crystal roots using both arms, I wasn't able to get in a good hit but I caught his ankle bringing him to the ground. But not before his tentacle made a swipe at my leg. I was thankful my armor was so strong right now. It didn’t shatter like when Titus attacked me, but I could still feel the full power from Natis’s attack. It was a hundred times worse then the worst charlie horse I had ever gotten. I used my arms to the best of my advantage a burrowed them into the ground using them as a growing tree to catapult myself into the air and over Natis. I didn’t want him getting any closer to Emett so I had to lure him away.
It was working, Natis turned around to face me. I had never seen him so mad he was always trying to seduce me or always mocking me. I knew that I was getting to him if he was allowing his anger to get the best of him.
I dropped back to earth feeling confident in my ability I was ready to try something I had yet to master. I could feel the warning from my Angel’s Tear pulsing through me but I ignored it. I allowed part of my crystal armor melt off my arms dropping to the ground in clear water like puddle. It took a lot of concentration but they began to form like something from a nightmare. Two large crystal wolves formed before me. With a quick motion of my arms I sent the two creatures charging at Natis. There motions where rigid as I tried to control them. They where nothing but puppets formed from my tear. Natis put up his good arm which one wolf quickly took into its jaws the other one attacked what was left of his other arm. Natis let out a howl of pain that sent a shiver of pleasure through my body. Finally the sound of real pain. A victorious smile crept on my face as I motioned one of the wolves to go for his neck and end this fight. The fear that had been feeding me slowly melted away and I allowed myself to get cocky.
As soon as Natis looked up to see my smirk a new anger and energy filled his eyes, with one easy swipe of his arm he easily shattered my weak crystal puppets. They laid on the ground in the puddles they came from slowly melting back to me. But not in time to protect my exposed arms. My smile quickly disappeared as I watched Natis shift into his massive black wolf form. He ran at me with such speed it was impossible to dodge. As soon as he was in front of me he shifted back to his half demon form his arm turning back into a tentacle that he shot through my wrist pinning me to a tree as I cried out in pain. I was a good two feet off the ground. My wrist and his tentacle holding my whole weight. I felt as if my hand was going to rip off. I stared off in the distance at my arm crystal that was slowly making its way back to me. Natis got right in my face commanding all my attention.
“You little witch! Look at what you’ve done!” I stared at his stump of an arm and smile. That earned me a swift and painful headbutt that I could easily feel through my weakening armor.
“Being awfully cocky for someone who is about to die!” Natis threat was nothing short of serious.
I felt the fear that had melted away return ten fold. My heart was racing and I could easily throw up if I where to give into my nausea. I can’t die because then he would just kill Emett and Renee I had to survive for them. Natis removed his tentacle from my wrist allowing me to drop on the ground I automatically clutched my bleeding wrist to my stomach. Something in the distance caught my eye it was Emett slowly limping over to me he was in his Phoenix form.
Natis followed my gaze, when he saw Emett coming he looked back at me and smiled.” I think I’ll make you watch as I kill lover boy over there. Would you like that Kaylyn?”
As Natis threatened me with Emett’s life and the possibility of my worst fear being realized a furry sparked inside of me that made me want to end this here and now. My deafening scream filled the air as I stood to my feet, my anger and determination drew the melted crystal towards me in the blink of an eye. I used the crystal claws of my wolf form to scratch and strike Natis over and over. Opening wounds all over his body, he attempted to block what he could of my strikes with his good arm but it was quickly deemed useless after a few strikes. Emett had made it over to me so he had Natis engulfed in flames, his screams where chilling. It sounded like the voices of all the people he had killed screaming at once. Natis Turned away from me to attack Emett, in his weakened state Emett was still able to quickly dodge the attack. Natis was furious but the flames seemed fit somehow. He was a demon and as a demon he was engulfed with flames like the world he came from. Soon we would return him back to hell so he couldn’t hurt anyone anymore.
Natis’s form slowly deteriorated into his grotesque demon form, a disgusting creature that should never be allowed to step foot on this world. He turned to me and I knew that I would be having nightmares about this form for a long time. He had open wounds oozing blood all over him he was dying but still he was determined to take one of us with him. Particularly me, he was charging at me now with what strength he had left. Emett tried to stop him but he was weak from the lose of blood and Natis knocked him up against a tree.
Natis and I where both prepared for an attack on one another, one of us was going to die right now. Everything that happened next seemed like a nightmare it was quick and my mind was to jumbled to take in the details of what just happened.
All I knew is that my crystal roots where embedded in Natis’s eye sockets, he slumped down to the ground screaming into the sky. My legs soon buckled and I was on my knees staring down at the dagger that pierced my armor and was now embedded in my chest . I gently wrapped a hand around the hilt and the slight pressure of that gesture sent and excruciating pain through my body.
How close is it to my heart? I examined the area feeling a panic quickly consuming me when I took in the placement of the dagger. It is right between my chest, Natis laid on the ground a few feet away from me his body was lifeless. It was done. I killed him. Even though the pain was the worst I had ever felt a smile crept on my face. Finally he is dead. My crystal melted away from my body, I could feel the heaviness of its emotions as if it where a real person. The feeling it sent through me was what I think a parent would feel like if they where watching their child die. So heavy and helpless.
“Kaylyn!” Emetts voice seemed muted but I was looking right at him. Tears filled his eyes and I watched them stream down his face. I quickly found myself doing the same thing. No sound just free flowing tears.
Emett looked at the dagger in horror his hands frozen in mid air not knowing what to do.
I felt a warm liquid fill my mouth it dribbled from the corners of my mouth and down my chin. I brought my hand up gently tapping the liquid and I focused on my fingers . Blood . “That can’t be good” I whispered.
Emett caught me as I began to collapse backwards. “Your not going to die, remember, don’t die.” His voice quivered. And I felt my body being lifted up off the ground. I was in a haze unknowing of what was going on. All I knew is that unlike the last time I was dying where my world was consumed with nothing but by darkness , this time death seemed almost inviting.
A soft white glow clouded my vision and Emetts voice was nothing but a distant sound.
I found myself standing in a large meadow engulfed by small white flowers, off in the distance I saw a massive tree with pink blossoms. I could make out the shape of two people standing underneath it. I was drawn to these two people. I was running through the meadow like a small child and there in the distance I saw one of them had there arms outstretched. A tall handsome man with black hair and black eyes that warmed my heart.
“Daddy!” I found myself screaming, I looked next to him a beatuiful women had a smile on her face so large it looked painful. She opened her eyes and they where a breathe taking hazel green. I reached out for her.
“Mom!” I held them both in my embrace and everything felt so peaceful, I felt like I was there holding them for a long time before we pulled away from one another and just stared.
“You have grown up into such a beautiful and strong young women, we are so proud of you hunny.” My dad stood infront of me with a proud smile on his face as he held my mother by his side. A light cool breathe blew through our quiet meadow moving the white flowers mimicing the waves of an ocean.
I smiled happily excepting his compliment “I’m so glad I’m here with you both.” I watched the smile drop from my parents faces as they looked at each other.
“Sweetie” My mom came up to me and took both my hands into hers.
“I am so happy to have you here and to be able to hold you once again, but you can’t stay here.” Tears filled her eyes.
“But why?” I looked at my dad who smiled sadly at me.
“Because there are to many people counting on you back home. Emett couldn’t live without you, and I love that boy like a son. You can’t do that to him, not to mention your sisters Renee and Krislyn. Renee will be a mom and she is going to need you to help her.” My dad came up to my mother and I and embraced us both.
“Plus I want you to meet your sister Krislyn, she has had such a hard life and it breaks my heart that I couldn’t do anything about it. You need to find her and show her the world is a beautiful place.” My mother was crying freely as she spoke about Krislyn and my heart ached for my sister.
“But I don’t want to leave you guys.” I cried burying my head into my daddy’s chest.
He soothingly rubbed the back of my head as mom rubbed my back. “ We are always closer than you think hunny. We have been with you this long we aren’t going anywhere.” Dad kissed my forehead and suddenly I realized.
“The Angel’s tear” I whispered. They both looked at me and smiled. It has been their voices untied guiding me, comforting me, encouraging me. They have always been with me.
But like a dream they slowly began to fade and I found myself trying to cling on to their misty figures. “Mom! Dad! I love you both so much!” I screamed afraid they wouldn’t hear me.
“We love you to sweety, be strong.” Their voices where soon carried away in the wind and I found the meadow slowly disappearing before my eyes.
“Come back!” Someone pleaded.
“Come back!” Their voice was loud and my heart skipped a beat it was Emett.
“I love you” he repeated over and over, I felt a pressure on the sides of my face as his hands cupped my cheeks his forehead pressed against mine. His face so close to mine was a welcoming site. Without a word I just crashed my lips against his.
“I’m back” I smiled surprised by how weak I sounded. I brushed away the tears that stained his face.
“I’m going to kill you for scaring me like that.” He joked and as I laughed I felt the pain in my chest. I quickly looked down searching for the dagger with my hands. He quickly stopped them with his.
“It’s ok we took the dagger out.” He spoke softly.
“We?” I asked
Emett looked to the left where I saw Renee with a large smile on her face. She looked so tired and it took everything I had to sit up and wave her over for a hug.
“Be careful, it took a lot to heal you so don’t go opening that wound again.” Renee spoke like a mother and I couldn’t help but smile and imagine her with a little baby in her arms.
“Sorry” I apologized and soon we where embracing. I could feel the happiness coming off the Angle’s tear and kept a tight grip on it with one hand.
This moment of happiness was short lived when I remembered why we where in such a rush to get back to the rest of the group. “Renee we have to get going, Titus is…”
Renee shook her head and stopped me from saying anything more. “Emett already told me, lets go.”
I looked at Emetts leg which seemed almost completely healed, I was surprised by the power Renee had acquired. A few short months ago she could barley heal burns, now she was healing life threatening wounds. I wondered what kinda toll this would take on her and the baby. Emett helped me to my feet and steadied me as we started our journey back to the group.
I just kept praying that Titus would be alive.
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Well here yah go :) hope you guys liked it. We are almost to the finish line a few more chapters and it will be the end of TAT but have no worries! After this make sure to read Krislyn's story The Traveler's Tear! Soon the sister will be reunited :).
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