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"Until the End of Forever"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 13: Nothing They Could Do

   Just as this new group ran to help the Brokenstars, Jackie unleashed her assault on the family.  Camillia pulled Airelea back to the safety of the van, while Aranelion and Elianaron rushed forward to meet her.  They only had Amberly and Jeremy for back up, and for the first time, the twins only had what little they remembered of hand to hand combat to fight her with.  Without their weapons, they could only rely on each other and the help of those around them to come out relatively unscathed.

   Yet, in the Brokenstar Twins, Jackie met her first formidable opponents of the night.  After years of battles and injuries, Aranelion and Elianaron were both hardy and wizened in the ways of fighting difficult enemies.  They ran straight for her, well aware of the electricity field around her, and yet charged ahead unafraid as she got ready to swing her scythes at them.

   As the others ran to help them, Zachary looked back to Knuckles and said, “Are they crazy?  First she’ll zap them and then cut them to ribbons!”

   The echidna looked ahead with similar horror.  Kashoku however, managed a grin and said, “These are the sons of Armundae you’re talking about Zachary.  I should like to hope you know your father and uncle better than this.  Just watch.”

   Aranelion, coming within inches of the electric field, pulled into a high jump, while Elianaron dove to the ground.  He slid under the reach of the blades, safe from electricity as he slid across the ground, and slammed into Jackie’s feet, causing her to lose her balance.  She let out a cry as she lost her grip on one of the scythes, sending it flying away from the fray.  Before she could regain her balance, Aranelion landed on her hard, safe from electricity as she had not swung the scythes over her head, slamming her to the ground.

   Amberly and Jeremy let out a cheer, as did Camillia and Airelea.  Kashoku looked back at Zachary and said, “You shouldn’t underestimate their skills Zachary.  As a child you were sheltered safe under their care, while they spent their childhood dealing with a harsh and cruel world.  I’m surprised they didn’t fight more often without their weapons.”

   Zachary and Kelsey glanced helplessly at each other, but continued running as they caught up to the battle.  Jackie was now on her feet, and while she only had one scythe, she still fought as hard as she did before, swinging at both twins furiously.  Moving together, it was impossible to hit them both, and trying to choose between them was an impossible chore.

   “They knew it,” Kashoku added, “They knew ahead of time that getting rid of just one of her weapons would cut down on her attack power significantly.  We have a chance now to disable her.  Let’s move!”

   As the assault headed for Jackie, Aries and Oliver, after making sure Shadow and Sonic were safe until they could recover, approached Jackie’s scythe as it lay on the ground.  Oliver bent down to look at it; he touched the largest blade only slightly, and was immediately electrocuted by the dormant power within it.

   “Oliver!” she cried out.  Kneeling down to hold him as he reeled from the shock, she looked back at Hidama and his group, and shouted, “This scythe is still charged with electricity!  There’s got to be a way to deactivate them!”

   Jackie was about ready to make a smart remark, but at that instant was knocked forward by Kashoku as he rammed into her.  With Jackie occupied at holding off all that firepower, Hidama and the others had time to try and figure out how to shut off the power to her weapons, for as long as they remained active, they could not be touched, and with one scythe still in hand, Jackie would remain impossible to take down.

   Hidama knew it, all of them knew it, yet as he held Jacob in his arms, he was having a difficult time thinking of what to do.  They now had all seven chaos emeralds on their side; Hidama and his group had three, Aranelion and Jeremy had two, Oliver had recovered his from Sonic, and Pyro had his.  All they needed was to bring Jackie down, restore the seven, and then this would be over.  He looked to Amy and Delilah and said, “How could she possibly be powering those things?  Do you think that it’s all within the staff or is she getting the power from somewhere else?”

   The two hedgehogs shrugged, and silence overtook them again as they watched the battle, but only for a moment.  Kate and Mikomi slowly approached the group, Mikomi taking careful steps as he recovered from before, and Kate walking beside him for support, as he held onto her arm.  She looked to Hidama and said, “She gets the power from the same thing she used to brainwash Jacob.  It’s behind that huge curtain.”

   Everyone looked to the large purple curtain that hung in a circle only feet away from them.  Amy, who ran to hug Mikomi, after pulling back from the embrace, said, “Didn’t Kashoku say the only way we could destroy that machine is with the chaos emeralds?  What can we do?”

   Mikomi and Kate glanced at each other sadly, for they were just as unsure of what to do as any of them.  Taking Kate’s hand, Mikomi led her over to the curtain, curious to see what was behind it.  Delilah followed them, and asked, “What exactly is this thing?”

   Kate shook her head, and replied, “I don’t know ma’am.  All I’ve heard from Jackie in regards to this machine is that she used it when my uncle ‘swore allegiance’ to her.  I know that somehow it corrupted his soul, but I have no idea how.”

   Once they got to the curtain, Mikomi lifted it up and walked behind it; Delilah and Kate followed cautiously.  Meanwhile, Jacob began to stir again in Hidama’s arms.  Still unsure how Jacob would respond, Amy and Hidama looked on nervously, making sure their three chaos emeralds were safe should he try and strike back.

   The fox’s eyes opened gradually as he stirred into consciousness.  As they focused, he was able to see the sapphire blue eyes of Hidama gazing at him with worry, and out of the corner of his eyes he could see Amy kneeling down beside him with a similar look of concern.  He remembered these souls.  The hedgehog girl was named Amy, and this echidna…he was one of the most important influences in his life.  This, was Hinsei Hidama, once again, his savior.

   “Hi—Hidama?  Is that you?” he asked, speaking softly.

   The echidna exchanged a hopeful glance with Amy, before looking down at Jacob and saying, “You bet it is Jacob.  Are you alright?”

   Sitting up, Jacob said, “I’m fine…but, I know you all aren’t.”  He looked around, rubbing the back of his head, and saw Pyro still knelt down beside Amarie.  He also saw the fight with Jackie going on only yards away from them.  He was fully aware of what had happened to him, all because of one person.

   Standing up fast, he whirled around and asked, “Where’s Mikomi?  Don’t tell me Jackie’s had her way with both him and Kate.”

   Taking a bit more time to rise, Amy answered, “Mikomi and Kate are looking at the machine behind the curtain with Delilah.  …How do you know about Mikomi if your soul was scrambled like that?”

   With wide eyes, Jacob started to run for the curtain, but stopped and answered, “The last thing I remember after my kingdom was attacked, was Mikomi speaking to me earlier this evening.  …I remember no other conversations save that one with him and my niece.  He told me that I needed to come back to the side of virtue.”  Looking to Hidama, he added, “He reminded me of what was important.  It was your nephew that inspired me to fight for my soul.  I owe it all to him.”

   Hidama’s smiled relaxed, and he let out a sigh of relief.  He looked to Amy and said, “This is perfect.  His soul has been freed.  Maybe now he can help us.”

   The two ran to catch up with Jacob, who, behind the curtain was having a happy reunion with his niece.

   “I’m so happy you’re back to normal Uncle Jacob.  I couldn’t stand it when that witch had you under her control,” Kate said.

   Pulling out of their hug, he looked to Mikomi and said, “You have him to thank.  When he was speaking to me, I was able to understand him.”  Looking to the group as Hidama and Amy arrived, he continued, “Ever since that wretched woman corrupted me with this machine, I was unable to understand the words of others.  I cannot explain it, but I was able to understand Mikomi.  He inspired me to fight again, and I do believe being reunited with you, Hidama, was what got me through the rest of the way.”

   Mikomi smiled, looking on happily, while Hidama nodded, and replied, “This is simply wonderful…only right now we have a bigger problem.  You saw my niece Jacob; she’s in premature labor now, and we have to get this over and done with quickly.  Kashoku tells us we can only destroy this thing with the chaos emeralds, but until the chaos emeralds are restored, there’s nothing we can do.  If we can’t disable Jackie long enough to do what we have to do, then we’ll stand no chance.  We have to shut off the electric currents in her scythes.”

   Jacob cupped his mouth with his hand, and murmured, “Yes, I remember enough of her prattling on and on about Mikomi holding the Master Emerald’s power within.  From what I know of Kashoku this is no problem for him to restore the seven, which with the arrival of the Brokenstars we now have.”  Looking up with a glint in his eye, and a grin, he added, “Gee whiz Hidama, you can’t give me more of a challenge than this?  Finally I’m old enough to fight with you, and all you need me to do is pull the plug on Jackie’s electric storm?  Bah…that’s kid’s stuff.”

   Hidama cocked his head in confusion.  “I’m sorry Jacob, really, but…if this machine is what’s powering her scythes, then there’s nothing we can do to shut them down right?”

   With a grin still on his face, Jacob wandered around the machine, looking it over as if he was looking for something.  As Mikomi and Kate stood on either side of him, he asked, “Tell me if you can find a plate with…oh, I’d say three red switches on it.”

   With a nod from both of them, Mikomi and Kate circled the machine with Jacob, until finally Kate found the switches in question.  “Back here Uncle Jacob!” she called.

   Everyone ran to the back of the machine, where Kate pointed to three red switches in a row.  Jacob shook his head, laughing softly and said, “That woman is smart…I will give her that.  You see, you cannot destroy this by conventional means because of the elements of it that allow her to corrupt souls.  It’s not necessarily the power source that’s going to present a problem.  While I can’t destroy the power source right now, Jackie made a small error when putting this together.  When she installed the hardware to allow her scythes to become electrified, she made it so the power flow to them could be cut off from the terminal.  One flip of a switch and her electric slide will become an electric flop.”

   With happiness overtaking their faces, Kate, Mikomi, and Amy ran back around to the front of the machine, ducking out from under the curtain to watch the battle.  While they did so, Jacob began to press the three buttons in sequence and said, “Man, she’s in for a rude awakening.  The witch…she deserves it.”

   Outside, Pyro had moved to holding Amarie in his arms, finally finished explaining why Kate was the real Seventh Wielder.  “This is perfect Amarie.  Now we can restore them and you and the baby won’t be in any danger from the chaos energy,” Pyro said.  His smile weakened, as he added, “Even if that’s only some small consolation.”

   Amarie smiled as strongly as she could, holding on tightly to Pyro, trying to forget the pain, and even for a moment, trying to forget that she was even in labor.  However, before she could reply to her husband, their eyes were drawn to the battle before them.

   As Jackie slammed her scythe into Aranelion, barely missing driving the two smaller blades into his chest, he let out a cry, Zachary’s chaos emerald flying out of his hands.  Jackie immediately ran to it, picking it up and holding it in the air victoriously.

   “Ha!  Take that you fools!  You can’t beat me as long as I have my scythe!” she cried happily.

   Ironically, it was at this very moment that the electricity in her scythes flickered out and disappeared.  In shock, she looked back at the curtain in the corner of the room, and saw Jacob, Delilah, and Hidama joining Kate, Mikomi, and Amy outside of it.  Growling angrily, she stomped her foot repeatedly and cried, “Jacob!  Why?  How could you do this to me you rotten excuse for a soul?  I hate you all!”

   While Camillia and Elianaron ran to check on Aranelion, little Airelea, almost as if she was ignorant of the danger, was angry at Jackie for hurting her daddy, and was also upset that she had taken her big brother’s chaos emerald.  Crying out, Airelea shouted, “Gimme back my brother’s chaos emerald you meanie!”

   As she ran for Jackie, Camillia looked on in horror.  “No Airelea!  Please don’t!”

   Zachary, who was also recovering from being kicked to the ground only moments before, looked up and saw his little sister charging at Jackie, and heard his mother cry out for her.  There was nothing they could do to help.  Nothing would stop Airelea from what she was about to do.

   Jackie had only barely begun to turn around and address the threat, before she was knocked to the ground as Airelea pounced on her, almost like how she had tackled Kashoku when she first met him.  What was different however, was instead of the tight hug and wave of giggles she gave Kashoku, she pounded on Jackie with balled up fists, causing the yellow chaos emerald, as well as her final scythe to fly out of her hands.  Jackie finally managed to grab Airelea and throw her high into the air.

   Zachary caught his chaos emerald in just enough time to see this.  Airelea cried out miserably as she flew through the air, heading straight for the ground where no one stood.  Elianaron and others ran for her, as Aranelion and Camillia looked on terrified.  It seemed no one could reach her, until…

   In the blink of an eye, Kashoku appeared underneath Airelea and caught her securely in his arms.  Using one last bit of the Celestial Emerald’s power, he had teleported in just enough time to catch her.  Holding her tightly, he murmured, “No more…the rest of the power must be reserved for the restoration…”  Opening his eyes to look at Airelea, he added, “But no amount of it is too much to worry about losing if it means saving you Airelea.  That was very brave.”

   Still shaken, Airelea managed to smile and giggle softly, hugging him as she said, “Thank you Mr. Kasoku.”  She let out a yawn, and it seemed she was almost ready to sleep again.  Luckily for her, the battle was now drawing to a close.

   Kashoku smiled at her, handing her to her mother before looking back to the battle.  After Camillia thanked him, he replied, “Thanks are not needed in this case Camillia.  To save a child is just another act of virtue.  The only reward it will see is in Heaven, unless you count allowing a soul to live on as reward enough on its own.”

   Aranelion, who had recovered by now, ran up to them.  While he and Camillia looked after Airelea, Kashoku, still feeling the fatigue, looked on as Jackie was apprehended by Knuckles, Elianaron and Tails.  Cream and Aries gathered up her two scythes, while Hidama and his group ran to join them.  Pyro even left Amarie one last time, for he knew it was almost time to do what Kashoku and Mikomi had come there for.

   Doing their best to tie Jackie up, Elianaron grinned and said, “See?  I told you.”

   Growling, Jackie shouted, “Shut up you freak!  What are you, an echidna that was too ugly to be slaughtered with the rest?”

   Elianaron, who was normally hard to anger, glared at her, ready to fight back at being insulted.  Kashoku, however, walked between them and said, “Do not waste your anger on her Elianaron.  You are a child of Armundae…any insult thrown your way is just a feeble attempt for pride on the behalf of someone striving to feel as important as you were born to be.”

   The hybrid echidna relaxed, and as the entire group, save Amarie and Airelea, now that Sonic and Shadow had recovered, surrounded Kashoku and Jackie.  He gazed at her, giving her the same look that he gave Pyro on that first night.  The difference here was she was paralyzed by the same divine anger that she saw in Mikomi’s eyes, anger, that once again, could only be felt by those who had defied the souls of the peaceful.  He closed his eyes, taking a breath before he said, “There’s nothing for me to say.  Words cannot express the level of anger felt by the souls that gather around you.  Feelings cannot begin to illustrate the lives you could have ruined should your plans have made it to fruition.  That poor girl back there and her baby are only a small hint of what you could have destroyed.  That knowledge alone…I’d hope would persuade you to repent, and yet I acknowledge that you cannot understand true perfection.  Until you do, I don’t think anything will move you to repent.  Thus…trying to achieve this is fruitless.”

   It was then that Kashoku turned back to the group and said, “What must be done, will now be done.”  Glancing at his feet, he added, “I know I have not explained this properly…but now that we know the identity of the true seventh wielder, we can proceed with no fear.”

   Kashoku now walked to the center of the room, where the Celestial Emerald sat, hidden from the eyes of the mortal.  Those who still did not know about Kate being the true wielder now talked amongst themselves, wanting to understand it as they walked to catch up to Kashoku.  Hidama was the last one to leave Jackie, who would now be guarded by Jacob, who volunteered to remain behind.

   Hidama, who knew he could not stay with Jacob, replied, “Keep a good watch on her Jacob.  This shouldn’t take long.”  The echidna took one last look at his friend, and then ran to join the others.

   Glancing at Jackie after Hidama left, Jacob responded, “No need to worry there.”

   Jackie simply growled softly.  She was tied up securely, and yet, as she sat there, her thin wrists and nimble fingers began to struggle to undo the restraints…

   The rest of the group made their way back to the center of the room.  For a brief moment, Kashoku gazed at the machine that had corrupted Jacob’s soul, now made clear for all the world see when Jacob had dropped the curtain after cutting the power to Jackie’s scythes.  Turning to Shadow and Sonic, he explained, “The core of that thing, the dangerous part, can only be undone by chaos power…although I am unsure where Jackie came across such terrible power, I do know that nothing can stand against that amount of strength from the Chaos Emeralds.  Once the Guardians and Wielders have restored them, it is your task to destroy the machine.”

   Shadow and Sonic simply nodded, knowing this would be more than easy for them.  At the same time, Kashoku lowered his eyes, taking a deep and heavy breath, as though severely tired, before looking to Mikomi.  Walking up to the hybrid echidna, he laughed softly, as if trying to encourage himself to speak, before saying, “I explained this all to you before we came here.  …Your grandfather called me crazy…perhaps he was right.  No plan is perfect at conception…that is surely so.”

   Turning away, he stared at the ground, and continued, “I’m not perfect…I don’t know where my descendants and kindred got it in their heads to believe such a lie.  I am not attempting to put myself down…all I am trying to do is make everyone realize I am on the same level as they.  Already too many have exhibited the kind of greatness attributed to me every time I’m spoken of, and yet they continue to regard themselves as no better than gutter trash when put beside me.”  Looking up, he laughed harder and said, “If anything, we’re all loathsome creatures!  Who is to say it is right to think highly of anyone when we are no different at the whole!?  It’s terrible!  Yes, I am a king, but all kings stand to be outdone, and it seems that instead of striving for greater glory…all my descendants could do was bicker and curse…fighting stupidly and blindly…thinking they were defending something important when all they were doing was bringing it shame.”

   His voice grew softer with every word, letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes and murmured, “I have no right to demand respect, unless I can give it in return.”  Turning to the group once more, he added, “I’m no better than the dictator she hoped to be if I cannot remember this.  None of us stand a chance to learn or accomplish anything in this world if we can’t keep this in active memory.  If three choice descendants of mine had abided by this, the Masters would still be united…their greatness admired and not coveted.  Out of all the lessons I taught to my children, it seems that kindness and respect for all life, even those that persecute them, was the quickest to be abandoned.”

   Nobody could speak, for while Kashoku was silent for the moment, he appeared unfinished.  He retrieved all seven chaos emeralds, and half-smiled when he looked at the wielders.  “It is a lesson…I would plead you will not let the world forget,” he started.  Walking to the group, one by one, he handed each wielder their chaos emerald.  Starting with Amberly and Jeremy, he continued, “Restoring the seven…will restore to this world…the power it needs to fight off evil.”  Moving to Oliver and Pyro, he resumed speaking, “Never again as long as the seven stand…and brave hearts ready to rise to wield them…shall this world fall prey to the malice of a selfish heart.”  Handing Zachary and Kelsey their chaos emeralds, he added, “Until the peace I know comes to cradle this world…you shall never fall again…as long as you remember, this one, very important lesson.”

   He paused, standing before Kate as she stood beside Mikomi.  He held the silver chaos emerald, and as he handed it to her, he said, “Until the end of forever, you must humble yourselves…learn to forgive all those who bring you harm, for you are no better than they in the depths of your souls.  Only are you the better one, when you say to them, ‘I forgive you, for you simply went astray.  I give you the same respect that we all deserve.’  Until the end of forever, therein lies the true path to peace, and I only pray that I have not failed in passing down this instruction as I did before, and that you hold true in your promise to carry it out, passing it on to all who follow, until the final peace comes.”

   Once the silver chaos emerald reached Kate’s hand, the light within it returned, confirming that she was its true wielder.  Kashoku appeared satisfied with all that was said, and going to retrieve the Celestial Emerald, he added, “Forgive me, all of that must be said now, for I have no idea what might happen to me once this is over.”  Picking up the sacred gem, now visible to all eyes, he looked to Knuckles and Hidama and said, “I make it sound like a dangerous task…that it may be, but certainly not beyond your skill.”

   He motioned for Mikomi to come to him, which he did, but almost reluctantly, hugging Kate tightly before he did so, giving only a small inkling to the bond they now shared.  With Mikomi beside him, as well as Hidama and Knuckles, he continued, “You remember how to draw power from the Master Emerald and direct it where you will correct?  It’s the same principle, …only this time, you are not drawing it from a gem.  You will be drawing it straight from Mikomi’s soul.  His body, though still not completely mortal, will be slightly more resistance to this as it is a living organism, not the lifeless stone quality of the Master Emerald.  However, the Celestial Emerald, with the power that remains, will serve to soften the strain.”

   Moving between Mikomi and the Seven Wielders, he continued, “You will draw the power free from him, and direct it to the Celestial Emerald.  Once the power makes it here, I will direct it to the Seven.  It is then that the old method I put in them at their creation will be activated; just as if they were receiving the power from the Master Emerald, the Seven will divide the power evenly and prepare to store it permanently, recognizing that they no longer will have the Master to draw from.  They will be infinitely powerful, and once this is finished, they will be able to be used just as they were when the Master united them…only now, they will only be united by those that seek to bring peace to the world…all of you.”

   Knuckles and Hidama glanced at each other nervously.  For all their skills and experience, the idea of drawing such a massive amount of power from Mikomi’s soul was frightening.  Mikomi looked at his father and uncle sympathetically and said, “Don’t worry Dad, Uncle Hidama.  I know this will get intense, but nothing can be worse than the feeling of the power tearing through me like it did that day.  At least now it has the two of you to guide it and the Celestial Emerald to absorb it.”

   Amy, who had now retreated to sitting with Amarie, along with Delilah, Aries, Tails, Cream, and Rouge, whimpered, “Oh please, let this turn out alright.  I can’t bear the thought of losing him again.”

   None of them appeared willing to speak.  Delilah looked on the edge of a tear, while Aries, Tails, Cream, and Rouge looked on helplessly.  Amarie felt her baby continue to stir, and she knew that soon she would be bringing the child into the world, and yet now, all her thoughts and concerns were placed on Mikomi.  Now aware that it was her longing soul that allowed him to remain in this world, she prayed that his, longing in return, would hold up through this one, final trial.

   There would be no more speaking.  After a hug from both his uncle and father, Mikomi looked to Kashoku and with a nod, he murmured, “Take it away Kashoku.”

   The echidna king smiled, and looking to Knuckles and Hidama he said once more, “Sons of the Guardian, one last time…draw the chaos power free from his soul, and direct it to me.  Do not be afraid.”

   The Wielders glanced at each other, all seven of them feeling the same fear.  Kate, however, felt it the worst.  Her legs trembled beneath her, as she whimpered, “Please, be alright Mikomi…I can’t bear to be without you.”

   It was at that moment that Hidama and Knuckles, with one last breath and prayer for good fortune, began to beckon the chaos power to come away from Mikomi’s soul.  This proved difficult at first, as Kashoku had explained, for Mikomi’s soul, not necessarily his body, offered great resistance.  One Guardian alone could never hope to break it free, and Mikomi could immediately feel the strain.  However, he put on a brave face, clenching his teeth through a smile, as to not worry the others.

   After a run of several tense moments, Hidama could feel the chaos power beginning to emerge.  Looking to Knuckles he said, “I know it’s hard Knuckles, but don’t ease up!  The chaos power is starting to escape the hold his spirit has on it.”

   Knuckles could feel this as well, and with a nod, he looked to Kashoku and said, “Get ready Kashoku!  It’s coming your way!”

   With a nod, Kashoku, speaking in the ancient echidna tongue, beckoned to the Celestial Emerald to rise and absorb the chaos power.  As the first waves of it, directed from Mikomi by Hidama and Knuckles, reached its surface, the glimmer within it exploded into a blinding light, causing all, save Kashoku to hide their eyes until it dissipated.  As everyone’s eyes opened, they saw the Celestial Emerald absorbing the power, and within moments, the wave of light flew out of it again, returning the chaos energy to the seven chaos emeralds.

   In seven streams of light, the power poured into the chaos emeralds as the Wielders held them.  It rocked them as they stood, almost as if the rush of energy was an overload and threatened to knock them to the ground.  Kashoku, still controlling the Celestial Emerald, looked back and cried, “Do not be afraid!  It will be a bit much at first, but the Seven have it instilled in them to respond and accept the power!  Stay strong!”

   Kashoku’s encouraging words helped the group remain standing in defiance of this rattling that the chaos energy hammered them with.  Zachary looked up and down the row and said, “Man…this is intense!”

   Jeremy let out another cry just as he had before.  The cousins, trying to keep the group in good spirits, could not calm the fears of all.  Pyro managed a glance back at his dear Amarie, and only hoped they could get her back home and to the hospital in time for the birth of his child, and at the same time, he prayed his brother-in-law would come out of this alive.  Amarie could not handle losing him again…it seemed nobody could, not even Pyro.

   Kate’s legs continued to quiver even after the rattling motion faded.  Her eyes remained fixed on Mikomi, who, for those first few moments, remained strong.  After awhile, however, this large withdrawal of power from his spirit, began to affect him.

   He could no longer remain standing without showing his wear and tear.  Cringing painfully, he let out a cry, realizing he had to keep himself from resisting, and yet this was becoming increasingly harder to do.

   Dropping to his knees, his cries became louder and more painful, and yet as he put words to them, he said, “P—Please!  Don’t…Don’t stop what you’re doing!  Keep going!  Please!”

   “Mikomi!” Kate cried out.  Had Kelsey not been standing beside her to hold her back, Kate would have dropped her chaos emerald and run to him.  Holding her chaos emerald in one hand, she used the other to hold Kate back.

   “No Kate!  If you drop your chaos emerald then who knows what will happen?  You have to keep holding it and stay with us!” Kelsey cried.

   Kate looked back at Kelsey in disbelief, but as she maintained a weak hold on the silver chaos emerald, she offered no resistance to Kelsey, and could only look on miserably.  She felt as if her heart was being stomped flat.  She simply couldn’t lose him.

   Hidama and Knuckles had similar fears and inclinations, and would have run to help Mikomi had they not realized that they could not stop this process.  Stopping it midway could be disastrous, and yet both Mikomi and Kashoku looked as though they were reaching the ends of their limits.  The echidna king panted heavily, and he felt as though he was starting to fall apart.

   But he knew Mikomi would be alright.  He knew that Mikomi, though in pain, would survive this transfer, and once his soul was free from the chaos power, he would be mortal once more.  He knew that even if his soul was lost to the void this night that his work was finished, and that he had made up for his mistakes in the past.

   “So ends Kashoku the echidna high king,” he murmured.  With a painful smile, he added, “At least now…I have a legacy…to be proud of.”

   Looking up, he cried out, “Hang in there everyone!  The transfer shouldn’t be much longer!  Stay strong!  You have almost come to the end!”

   These final words from Kashoku gave Hidama and Knuckles that last ounce of will they needed to keep going, even as Mikomi cried out in pain.  It gave Mikomi the last bit of endurance he needed to keep fighting the pain, for he knew not only would he be able to stay with his sister, family, and friends, but he would be able to be with his soul mate, his one and only, Kate.

   The seven wielders took deep breaths.  They knew they were almost finished.  Everything would be back to normal.  Pyro knew that he and Amarie could get home in time for their baby to be safely delivered, at a hospital where it could be taken care of due to being premature.  Amberly knew she’d get her chance to apologize to Kelsey for being insensitive so many times in the past.  Zachary knew that he and Kelsey still had hope for their future.  Poor Kate knew that she would be with Mikomi for the rest in her life.  While she had only known him for that night, she felt it so strongly nothing could sway her feelings for him.  She also knew that her uncle would be able to return to their ruined kingdom, and try his best to take care of the few of his followers that remained.  The Northern Kingdom would come to an end it seemed, but the peace that would follow them away from here, would never die.

   However, as Jackie continued to try to break free from her bindings, she looked for any way she could to bring things back under her control.  Still furious at Jacob for betraying her, she was determined to kill him, and Kashoku and Mikomi would be soon to follow.  She realized her scythes remained unguarded, and she felt the ropes that bound her begin to loosen.

   Grinning deviously, she looked at Jacob, feigning remorse, and said, “Gee Jacob, maybe Kashoku is right in what he said.  Maybe we should all just forgive each other and remember that we’re better people for it.”

   The Greyfox, captivated by the site, shook his head and crossed his arms.  He looked to Jackie and said, “Oh, I’ll forgive you Jackie…there’s no question about that, for if I could forgive the mutants that killed my family and kidnapped Olivia and I as babies, then I can find it in my heart to forgive you, and so can they.  That doesn’t mean, however, that you won’t be punished.  Consider forgiveness a ticket to not suffering for all eternity in exchange for paying for your crimes in life.”

   Jackie growled softly at Jacob, but as the ropes fell away from her hands, she continued the deception.  “You’re right sweetie…oh so right.”  Pausing, she reached for her scythe, and continued, “I think Kashoku was right about something else too.  We’re all the same rotten souls underneath it all.  So I think, if I must suffer for my crimes…then so shall you!”

   Elianaron, who was sitting with his twin, niece, and sister-in-law by the van, looked to see Jackie grabbing one of her scythes, ready to bring it down hard on Jacob as she cried out.  Jumping to his feet, he shouted, “Jacob!  Look out!”

   Those involved with restoring the Chaos Emeralds, could only look on in horror as Jackie swung her scythe at Jacob, freed from her bindings and out for blood.  Elianaron and now Aranelion, Shadow, Rouge, and Sonic ran to stop her.

   She thrust the head of the staff into Jacob, knocking him back, so she could swing the blades at those who came to defend him.  Elianaron, who held his arms up in defense, had his left arm slashed, causing him to fall back in pain.  Aranelion jumped back quickly enough to escape further injury and run to his brother’s aid.  The blade was then swung into Sonic’s legs, causing him to fall and cut his legs at the knees.  Rouge, realizing that Shadow was still recovering from before, ran in and pulled Shadow to safety.

   The hedgehog fought and kicked as he begged to be let go.  “Rouge!  You don’t understand!  She’s going to kill Jacob!”

   The bat looked as Jackie returned her attention to Jacob.  Realizing that they had to fight to save a friend, she flew Shadow over to the battle, and the two punched and kicked at Jackie furiously, trying to get her scythe away from her.

   As Jacob rose to his feet, he too tried to get the scythe.  Jackie, however, was tired of playing nice.  Ripping her gloves off with her teeth, she now came at Shadow and Rouge with her long, sharp fingernails.  She scratched Rouge across the face, kicking Jacob away at the same time, and then dove for Shadow, threatening to scratch his eyes out.  Coming at him with her claw-like nails and her scythe, Shadow could only brace himself for what was to come.

   Jackie dug her fingernails into his chest, right at the white tuft of fur, causing him to cry out.  Once she let go of him, she grabbed his arm, and with great strength, pulled him into the air and heaved him away from her, not wanting to kill him.  She only focused on killing three souls now, and she was ready to check the first one off the list.

   Jacob was now against the wall, trying to catch his breath from being kicked into the chest.  Now that he was free from her control, he wasn’t super powerful as before, and faced a great challenge in trying to hold Jackie off.  She came at him, opting for the moment to tear at him with her nails as she wore him down.  Anyone who stood to stop her had been brought down, and because the Wielders could not abandon their chaos emeralds, they could only watch the tragedy to come.

   Kate felt sickened as she watched Jackie hurl Jacob into the wall, just as she had thrown Shadow only moments before.  His body almost crushed, Jacob knew there was little her could do to stop her.  The end was near.

   As she walked up to him, gracefully, as if wanting to cherish the moment, he looked to Kate, and then to Mikomi.  Jacob was perhaps the only soul here, who fully understood the depth of the bond they shared, for in speaking of Jacob’s soul mate, Mikomi had revealed that same bond Jacob shared with his wife, and so he understood it in a way no other could…unless Mikomi were to show them.  He knew Kate would be alright.  He knew that even if Jackie killed him now…that Kate would be alright.

   That was all he needed.

   He looked back to Jackie, bleeding profusely, his breathing labored as his body reeled in pain.  She cackled softly and said, “Oh sweetie…I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to hurt you.  I wish it didn’t have to come to this…but when you decided to side with them, you became one of them; deserving of death for defying my greatness.”

   Jacob was cringing heavily, but managed a painful laugh, shaking his head and said, “Well Jackie, I’d much rather be the scum of the earth than to serve your foolish perception of perfection.  Go ahead and smite me…I’ll—I’ll be with my wife again.  You took her away from me…you took my sister, my sons…you took my life!  It’s only right for me to be with them again.  I know in my sacrifice that what I leave behind will be safe.  So go ahead…enjoy your small victory, for it shall be your undoing when the gates of hell are the final door you come to in this, your wretched web of life.”

   Jackie was utterly disgusted by Jacob.  Her cold and empty heart had no more words for him.  Without hesitation, she let out a laugh, and drove her scythe into his chest.  Yet he did not cry out.  Instead, he accepted the blow…he let the pain flow through him and away, for when he was reunited with the ones he loved, it wasn’t going to matter anymore.

   Shadow had risen in enough time to see this, and felt sick with disbelief.  After hoping and wishing for Jacob to be saved, Shadow now had to witness the second fox child die, and there was nothing he could have done to prevent it.

   Kate saw this too, and felt the life begin to drain out of her.  Amy, leaving Amarie with Aries, Cream, Tails, and Delilah ran to help Kate stand.  She held the Greyfox tightly as she was taken over by shock.  Amy tried to comfort her and said, “It’s going to be alright Kate, I promise.  Just hang on.”

   And yet no amount of soothing words would stop this nightmare.

   The transfer of chaos power was almost complete.  Knuckles and Hidama knew they were coming up on the last of the power that remained tied to his soul.  Almost oblivious to Jacob’s death, they tried to remain undistracted by the chaos around them.  However, what was to come, could not be overlooked.

   Jackie, fresh off killing the first of three on her death list, turned her eyes to the remaining two; Kashoku and Mikomi.  Blood stained her outfit, hands, and face, and she charged for Kashoku like a bloodthirsty animal.  Shadow, still in pain, cried out for someone to stop her.  Rouge did her best to recover and answer the call, as did Sonic.  Tails and Aries even chose to leave Cream, Delilah, and Amarie to try and help.  Their injuries would prove to do little in changing of what was about to happen.

   As they chased Jackie, she charged for Kashoku.  Feeling increasingly drained, he too was entirely focused on controlling the Celestial Emerald.  He heard Shadow crying out his name, and as he turned to face the threat, it came down hard on him…to a point where he would never recover.

   After swinging her scythe at her attackers, injuring and driving them all back and away, Jackie drove the largest blade into Kashoku’s chest, so hard it plowed through his back.  Kashoku, however, did not bleed, for his temporary shell was only meant for him to look alive.  Still, this damage to it caused it to begin to fall apart, and there was nothing anyone could do for Kashoku now.

   He cringed, but didn’t feel pain, although he could feel his soul start to fade to the point where he forgot everything, even who he was.  Looking to the Celestial Emerald, he called out one final command.

   “Celestial Emerald…heed my words!  Do not fade away!  Restore the Seven as I have commanded you!  When your power is lost…may…may you fade with me from the world forever!”

   “Kashoku!  No!” Pyro cried out.

   The remaining wielders, unable to do anything, cried out similar pleas.  Kashoku dropped to the ground, and while he did not bleed, it wasn’t difficult to realize that he was gone.  His soul was now lost to the void forever, and as the Celestial Emerald answered his final cries, restoring the last of the chaos power, Jackie turned her eyes to the final soul she felt deserved death more than any of them.

   Suta-Mikomi.

   She turned to him, approaching killing him with more care than she did when she slaughtered Kashoku and Jacob.  Hidama and Knuckles were now fully aware of what happened, and realized they had an impossible choice to make.  Either way, Mikomi would die, and so they cried out to Jackie, trying to circle their way to come between her and Mikomi.

   When they did this, Jackie shook her head, cackling softly, and said, “No, no, no, you foolish echidnas.  You won’t keep me from my prize.”

   She reached forward, grabbing Knuckles and slamming him into Hidama, causing them to fall hard to the ground.  They fought the pain and struggled to keep the flow of the chaos power going, and yet as the last of it slipped away from Mikomi, they watched in horror as the events of a decade before mercilessly repeated themselves, and again, there was nothing anyone could do.

   Mikomi, in pain but feeling the last of the power slip out of him, opened his eyes, and looked up at her.  She smiled, shaking her head and said, “And to think Mikomi…I thought we could be friends and rule my world together.  Now you’re gonna lose it all…again.  Including Kate and your sister.  While they’ll go to heaven, I take comfort in knowing you and Kashoku will rot in the void forever!”

   Taking a breath, Mikomi looked at his sister.  Everyone was staring at the scene in disbelief, crying and begging for Jackie to stop.  Shadow, Rouge, Tails, Sonic, Aries, and now even the Brokenstars ran to try and stop her, and yet there was nothing to be done.  He looked to Kate one last time as his mother held her, and murmured, “I promised Kate…I’d overcome death to be with you…”  He raised his voice and shouted, “And I’ll overcome it again!”

   This caused Kate to look up at long last.  She felt faint, and reaching out for Mikomi, she cried, “Mikomi…no!!”

   At this moment, the last of the chaos power flowed out of him, and at the same time, Jackie drove her scythe into his back.  Unlike Kashoku, blood poured out of him, and after crying out in pain, he slumped to the floor, and did not get up again.  Jackie pulled the scythe out of him, and almost maniacally, she cried out, “You fools!  You idiots!  I win!  Fwahaha!!”

   The last of the power flowed to the chaos emeralds, and with a loud crash the Celestial Emerald went dark and clear like glass, and fell to the floor, shattering into thousands of pieces.  The chaos emeralds absorbed the last of the power, their inner glow brighter than ever.  However, with Jacob, Kashoku, and Mikomi dead around them, it was hard to be happy at this seemingly small victory.

   The final restoration, had taken more away than it promised to return.

   And now, there was nothing, anyone could do…

Description
"Until the End of Forever"
By: Jade Lightning, a.k.a. Inuyashas-hanyougirl
Chapter 13: Nothing They Could Do

   Just as this new group ran to help the Brokenstars, Jackie unleashed her assault on the family.  Camillia pulled Airelea back to the safety of the van, while Aranelion and Elianaron rushed forward to meet her.  They only had Amberly and Jeremy for back up, and for the first time, the twins only had what little they remembered of hand to hand combat to fight her with.  Without their weapons, they could only rely on each other and the help of those around them to come out relatively unscathed.

   Yet, in the Brokenstar Twins, Jackie met her first formidable opponents of the night.  After years of battles and injuries, Aranelion and Elianaron were both hardy and wizened in the ways of fighting difficult enemies.  They ran straight for her, well aware of the electricity field around her, and yet charged ahead unafraid as she got ready to swing her scythes at them.

   As the others ran to help them, Zachary looked back to Knuckles and said, “Are they crazy?  First she’ll zap them and then cut them to ribbons!”

   The echidna looked ahead with similar horror.  Kashoku however, managed a grin and said, “These are the sons of Armundae you’re talking about Zachary.  I should like to hope you know your father and uncle better than this.  Just watch.”

   Aranelion, coming within inches of the electric field, pulled into a high jump, while Elianaron dove to the ground.  He slid under the reach of the blades, safe from electricity as he slid across the ground, and slammed into Jackie’s feet, causing her to lose her balance.  She let out a cry as she lost her grip on one of the scythes, sending it flying away from the fray.  Before she could regain her balance, Aranelion landed on her hard, safe from electricity as she had not swung the scythes over her head, slamming her to the ground.

   Amberly and Jeremy let out a cheer, as did Camillia and Airelea.  Kashoku looked back at Zachary and said, “You shouldn’t underestimate their skills Zachary.  As a child you were sheltered safe under their care, while they spent their childhood dealing with a harsh and cruel world.  I’m surprised they didn’t fight more often without their weapons.”

   Zachary and Kelsey glanced helplessly at each other, but continued running as they caught up to the battle.  Jackie was now on her feet, and while she only had one scythe, she still fought as hard as she did before, swinging at both twins furiously.  Moving together, it was impossible to hit them both, and trying to choose between them was an impossible chore.

   “They knew it,” Kashoku added, “They knew ahead of time that getting rid of just one of her weapons would cut down on her attack power significantly.  We have a chance now to disable her.  Let’s move!”

   As the assault headed for Jackie, Aries and Oliver, after making sure Shadow and Sonic were safe until they could recover, approached Jackie’s scythe as it lay on the ground.  Oliver bent down to look at it; he touched the largest blade only slightly, and was immediately electrocuted by the dormant power within it.

   “Oliver!” she cried out.  Kneeling down to hold him as he reeled from the shock, she looked back at Hidama and his group, and shouted, “This scythe is still charged with electricity!  There’s got to be a way to deactivate them!”

   Jackie was about ready to make a smart remark, but at that instant was knocked forward by Kashoku as he rammed into her.  With Jackie occupied at holding off all that firepower, Hidama and the others had time to try and figure out how to shut off the power to her weapons, for as long as they remained active, they could not be touched, and with one scythe still in hand, Jackie would remain impossible to take down.

   Hidama knew it, all of them knew it, yet as he held Jacob in his arms, he was having a difficult time thinking of what to do.  They now had all seven chaos emeralds on their side; Hidama and his group had three, Aranelion and Jeremy had two, Oliver had recovered his from Sonic, and Pyro had his.  All they needed was to bring Jackie down, restore the seven, and then this would be over.  He looked to Amy and Delilah and said, “How could she possibly be powering those things?  Do you think that it’s all within the staff or is she getting the power from somewhere else?”

   The two hedgehogs shrugged, and silence overtook them again as they watched the battle, but only for a moment.  Kate and Mikomi slowly approached the group, Mikomi taking careful steps as he recovered from before, and Kate walking beside him for support, as he held onto her arm.  She looked to Hidama and said, “She gets the power from the same thing she used to brainwash Jacob.  It’s behind that huge curtain.”

   Everyone looked to the large purple curtain that hung in a circle only feet away from them.  Amy, who ran to hug Mikomi, after pulling back from the embrace, said, “Didn’t Kashoku say the only way we could destroy that machine is with the chaos emeralds?  What can we do?”

   Mikomi and Kate glanced at each other sadly, for they were just as unsure of what to do as any of them.  Taking Kate’s hand, Mikomi led her over to the curtain, curious to see what was behind it.  Delilah followed them, and asked, “What exactly is this thing?”

   Kate shook her head, and replied, “I don’t know ma’am.  All I’ve heard from Jackie in regards to this machine is that she used it when my uncle ‘swore allegiance’ to her.  I know that somehow it corrupted his soul, but I have no idea how.”

   Once they got to the curtain, Mikomi lifted it up and walked behind it; Delilah and Kate followed cautiously.  Meanwhile, Jacob began to stir again in Hidama’s arms.  Still unsure how Jacob would respond, Amy and Hidama looked on nervously, making sure their three chaos emeralds were safe should he try and strike back.

   The fox’s eyes opened gradually as he stirred into consciousness.  As they focused, he was able to see the sapphire blue eyes of Hidama gazing at him with worry, and out of the corner of his eyes he could see Amy kneeling down beside him with a similar look of concern.  He remembered these souls.  The hedgehog girl was named Amy, and this echidna…he was one of the most important influences in his life.  This, was Hinsei Hidama, once again, his savior.

   “Hi—Hidama?  Is that you?” he asked, speaking softly.

   The echidna exchanged a hopeful glance with Amy, before looking down at Jacob and saying, “You bet it is Jacob.  Are you alright?”

   Sitting up, Jacob said, “I’m fine…but, I know you all aren’t.”  He looked around, rubbing the back of his head, and saw Pyro still knelt down beside Amarie.  He also saw the fight with Jackie going on only yards away from them.  He was fully aware of what had happened to him, all because of one person.

   Standing up fast, he whirled around and asked, “Where’s Mikomi?  Don’t tell me Jackie’s had her way with both him and Kate.”

   Taking a bit more time to rise, Amy answered, “Mikomi and Kate are looking at the machine behind the curtain with Delilah.  …How do you know about Mikomi if your soul was scrambled like that?”

   With wide eyes, Jacob started to run for the curtain, but stopped and answered, “The last thing I remember after my kingdom was attacked, was Mikomi speaking to me earlier this evening.  …I remember no other conversations save that one with him and my niece.  He told me that I needed to come back to the side of virtue.”  Looking to Hidama, he added, “He reminded me of what was important.  It was your nephew that inspired me to fight for my soul.  I owe it all to him.”

   Hidama’s smiled relaxed, and he let out a sigh of relief.  He looked to Amy and said, “This is perfect.  His soul has been freed.  Maybe now he can help us.”

   The two ran to catch up with Jacob, who, behind the curtain was having a happy reunion with his niece.

   “I’m so happy you’re back to normal Uncle Jacob.  I couldn’t stand it when that witch had you under her control,” Kate said.

   Pulling out of their hug, he looked to Mikomi and said, “You have him to thank.  When he was speaking to me, I was able to understand him.”  Looking to the group as Hidama and Amy arrived, he continued, “Ever since that wretched woman corrupted me with this machine, I was unable to understand the words of others.  I cannot explain it, but I was able to understand Mikomi.  He inspired me to fight again, and I do believe being reunited with you, Hidama, was what got me through the rest of the way.”

   Mikomi smiled, looking on happily, while Hidama nodded, and replied, “This is simply wonderful…only right now we have a bigger problem.  You saw my niece Jacob; she’s in premature labor now, and we have to get this over and done with quickly.  Kashoku tells us we can only destroy this thing with the chaos emeralds, but until the chaos emeralds are restored, there’s nothing we can do.  If we can’t disable Jackie long enough to do what we have to do, then we’ll stand no chance.  We have to shut off the electric currents in her scythes.”

   Jacob cupped his mouth with his hand, and murmured, “Yes, I remember enough of her prattling on and on about Mikomi holding the Master Emerald’s power within.  From what I know of Kashoku this is no problem for him to restore the seven, which with the arrival of the Brokenstars we now have.”  Looking up with a glint in his eye, and a grin, he added, “Gee whiz Hidama, you can’t give me more of a challenge than this?  Finally I’m old enough to fight with you, and all you need me to do is pull the plug on Jackie’s electric storm?  Bah…that’s kid’s stuff.”

   Hidama cocked his head in confusion.  “I’m sorry Jacob, really, but…if this machine is what’s powering her scythes, then there’s nothing we can do to shut them down right?”

   With a grin still on his face, Jacob wandered around the machine, looking it over as if he was looking for something.  As Mikomi and Kate stood on either side of him, he asked, “Tell me if you can find a plate with…oh, I’d say three red switches on it.”

   With a nod from both of them, Mikomi and Kate circled the machine with Jacob, until finally Kate found the switches in question.  “Back here Uncle Jacob!” she called.

   Everyone ran to the back of the machine, where Kate pointed to three red switches in a row.  Jacob shook his head, laughing softly and said, “That woman is smart…I will give her that.  You see, you cannot destroy this by conventional means because of the elements of it that allow her to corrupt souls.  It’s not necessarily the power source that’s going to present a problem.  While I can’t destroy the power source right now, Jackie made a small error when putting this together.  When she installed the hardware to allow her scythes to become electrified, she made it so the power flow to them could be cut off from the terminal.  One flip of a switch and her electric slide will become an electric flop.”

   With happiness overtaking their faces, Kate, Mikomi, and Amy ran back around to the front of the machine, ducking out from under the curtain to watch the battle.  While they did so, Jacob began to press the three buttons in sequence and said, “Man, she’s in for a rude awakening.  The witch…she deserves it.”

   Outside, Pyro had moved to holding Amarie in his arms, finally finished explaining why Kate was the real Seventh Wielder.  “This is perfect Amarie.  Now we can restore them and you and the baby won’t be in any danger from the chaos energy,” Pyro said.  His smile weakened, as he added, “Even if that’s only some small consolation.”

   Amarie smiled as strongly as she could, holding on tightly to Pyro, trying to forget the pain, and even for a moment, trying to forget that she was even in labor.  However, before she could reply to her husband, their eyes were drawn to the battle before them.

   As Jackie slammed her scythe into Aranelion, barely missing driving the two smaller blades into his chest, he let out a cry, Zachary’s chaos emerald flying out of his hands.  Jackie immediately ran to it, picking it up and holding it in the air victoriously.

   “Ha!  Take that you fools!  You can’t beat me as long as I have my scythe!” she cried happily.

   Ironically, it was at this very moment that the electricity in her scythes flickered out and disappeared.  In shock, she looked back at the curtain in the corner of the room, and saw Jacob, Delilah, and Hidama joining Kate, Mikomi, and Amy outside of it.  Growling angrily, she stomped her foot repeatedly and cried, “Jacob!  Why?  How could you do this to me you rotten excuse for a soul?  I hate you all!”

   While Camillia and Elianaron ran to check on Aranelion, little Airelea, almost as if she was ignorant of the danger, was angry at Jackie for hurting her daddy, and was also upset that she had taken her big brother’s chaos emerald.  Crying out, Airelea shouted, “Gimme back my brother’s chaos emerald you meanie!”

   As she ran for Jackie, Camillia looked on in horror.  “No Airelea!  Please don’t!”

   Zachary, who was also recovering from being kicked to the ground only moments before, looked up and saw his little sister charging at Jackie, and heard his mother cry out for her.  There was nothing they could do to help.  Nothing would stop Airelea from what she was about to do.

   Jackie had only barely begun to turn around and address the threat, before she was knocked to the ground as Airelea pounced on her, almost like how she had tackled Kashoku when she first met him.  What was different however, was instead of the tight hug and wave of giggles she gave Kashoku, she pounded on Jackie with balled up fists, causing the yellow chaos emerald, as well as her final scythe to fly out of her hands.  Jackie finally managed to grab Airelea and throw her high into the air.

   Zachary caught his chaos emerald in just enough time to see this.  Airelea cried out miserably as she flew through the air, heading straight for the ground where no one stood.  Elianaron and others ran for her, as Aranelion and Camillia looked on terrified.  It seemed no one could reach her, until…

   In the blink of an eye, Kashoku appeared underneath Airelea and caught her securely in his arms.  Using one last bit of the Celestial Emerald’s power, he had teleported in just enough time to catch her.  Holding her tightly, he murmured, “No more…the rest of the power must be reserved for the restoration…”  Opening his eyes to look at Airelea, he added, “But no amount of it is too much to worry about losing if it means saving you Airelea.  That was very brave.”

   Still shaken, Airelea managed to smile and giggle softly, hugging him as she said, “Thank you Mr. Kasoku.”  She let out a yawn, and it seemed she was almost ready to sleep again.  Luckily for her, the battle was now drawing to a close.

   Kashoku smiled at her, handing her to her mother before looking back to the battle.  After Camillia thanked him, he replied, “Thanks are not needed in this case Camillia.  To save a child is just another act of virtue.  The only reward it will see is in Heaven, unless you count allowing a soul to live on as reward enough on its own.”

   Aranelion, who had recovered by now, ran up to them.  While he and Camillia looked after Airelea, Kashoku, still feeling the fatigue, looked on as Jackie was apprehended by Knuckles, Elianaron and Tails.  Cream and Aries gathered up her two scythes, while Hidama and his group ran to join them.  Pyro even left Amarie one last time, for he knew it was almost time to do what Kashoku and Mikomi had come there for.

   Doing their best to tie Jackie up, Elianaron grinned and said, “See?  I told you.”

   Growling, Jackie shouted, “Shut up you freak!  What are you, an echidna that was too ugly to be slaughtered with the rest?”

   Elianaron, who was normally hard to anger, glared at her, ready to fight back at being insulted.  Kashoku, however, walked between them and said, “Do not waste your anger on her Elianaron.  You are a child of Armundae…any insult thrown your way is just a feeble attempt for pride on the behalf of someone striving to feel as important as you were born to be.”

   The hybrid echidna relaxed, and as the entire group, save Amarie and Airelea, now that Sonic and Shadow had recovered, surrounded Kashoku and Jackie.  He gazed at her, giving her the same look that he gave Pyro on that first night.  The difference here was she was paralyzed by the same divine anger that she saw in Mikomi’s eyes, anger, that once again, could only be felt by those who had defied the souls of the peaceful.  He closed his eyes, taking a breath before he said, “There’s nothing for me to say.  Words cannot express the level of anger felt by the souls that gather around you.  Feelings cannot begin to illustrate the lives you could have ruined should your plans have made it to fruition.  That poor girl back there and her baby are only a small hint of what you could have destroyed.  That knowledge alone…I’d hope would persuade you to repent, and yet I acknowledge that you cannot understand true perfection.  Until you do, I don’t think anything will move you to repent.  Thus…trying to achieve this is fruitless.”

   It was then that Kashoku turned back to the group and said, “What must be done, will now be done.”  Glancing at his feet, he added, “I know I have not explained this properly…but now that we know the identity of the true seventh wielder, we can proceed with no fear.”

   Kashoku now walked to the center of the room, where the Celestial Emerald sat, hidden from the eyes of the mortal.  Those who still did not know about Kate being the true wielder now talked amongst themselves, wanting to understand it as they walked to catch up to Kashoku.  Hidama was the last one to leave Jackie, who would now be guarded by Jacob, who volunteered to remain behind.

   Hidama, who knew he could not stay with Jacob, replied, “Keep a good watch on her Jacob.  This shouldn’t take long.”  The echidna took one last look at his friend, and then ran to join the others.

   Glancing at Jackie after Hidama left, Jacob responded, “No need to worry there.”

   Jackie simply growled softly.  She was tied up securely, and yet, as she sat there, her thin wrists and nimble fingers began to struggle to undo the restraints…

   The rest of the group made their way back to the center of the room.  For a brief moment, Kashoku gazed at the machine that had corrupted Jacob’s soul, now made clear for all the world see when Jacob had dropped the curtain after cutting the power to Jackie’s scythes.  Turning to Shadow and Sonic, he explained, “The core of that thing, the dangerous part, can only be undone by chaos power…although I am unsure where Jackie came across such terrible power, I do know that nothing can stand against that amount of strength from the Chaos Emeralds.  Once the Guardians and Wielders have restored them, it is your task to destroy the machine.”

   Shadow and Sonic simply nodded, knowing this would be more than easy for them.  At the same time, Kashoku lowered his eyes, taking a deep and heavy breath, as though severely tired, before looking to Mikomi.  Walking up to the hybrid echidna, he laughed softly, as if trying to encourage himself to speak, before saying, “I explained this all to you before we came here.  …Your grandfather called me crazy…perhaps he was right.  No plan is perfect at conception…that is surely so.”

   Turning away, he stared at the ground, and continued, “I’m not perfect…I don’t know where my descendants and kindred got it in their heads to believe such a lie.  I am not attempting to put myself down…all I am trying to do is make everyone realize I am on the same level as they.  Already too many have exhibited the kind of greatness attributed to me every time I’m spoken of, and yet they continue to regard themselves as no better than gutter trash when put beside me.”  Looking up, he laughed harder and said, “If anything, we’re all loathsome creatures!  Who is to say it is right to think highly of anyone when we are no different at the whole!?  It’s terrible!  Yes, I am a king, but all kings stand to be outdone, and it seems that instead of striving for greater glory…all my descendants could do was bicker and curse…fighting stupidly and blindly…thinking they were defending something important when all they were doing was bringing it shame.”

   His voice grew softer with every word, letting out a sigh, he closed his eyes and murmured, “I have no right to demand respect, unless I can give it in return.”  Turning to the group once more, he added, “I’m no better than the dictator she hoped to be if I cannot remember this.  None of us stand a chance to learn or accomplish anything in this world if we can’t keep this in active memory.  If three choice descendants of mine had abided by this, the Masters would still be united…their greatness admired and not coveted.  Out of all the lessons I taught to my children, it seems that kindness and respect for all life, even those that persecute them, was the quickest to be abandoned.”

   Nobody could speak, for while Kashoku was silent for the moment, he appeared unfinished.  He retrieved all seven chaos emeralds, and half-smiled when he looked at the wielders.  “It is a lesson…I would plead you will not let the world forget,” he started.  Walking to the group, one by one, he handed each wielder their chaos emerald.  Starting with Amberly and Jeremy, he continued, “Restoring the seven…will restore to this world…the power it needs to fight off evil.”  Moving to Oliver and Pyro, he resumed speaking, “Never again as long as the seven stand…and brave hearts ready to rise to wield them…shall this world fall prey to the malice of a selfish heart.”  Handing Zachary and Kelsey their chaos emeralds, he added, “Until the peace I know comes to cradle this world…you shall never fall again…as long as you remember, this one, very important lesson.”

   He paused, standing before Kate as she stood beside Mikomi.  He held the silver chaos emerald, and as he handed it to her, he said, “Until the end of forever, you must humble yourselves…learn to forgive all those who bring you harm, for you are no better than they in the depths of your souls.  Only are you the better one, when you say to them, ‘I forgive you, for you simply went astray.  I give you the same respect that we all deserve.’  Until the end of forever, therein lies the true path to peace, and I only pray that I have not failed in passing down this instruction as I did before, and that you hold true in your promise to carry it out, passing it on to all who follow, until the final peace comes.”

   Once the silver chaos emerald reached Kate’s hand, the light within it returned, confirming that she was its true wielder.  Kashoku appeared satisfied with all that was said, and going to retrieve the Celestial Emerald, he added, “Forgive me, all of that must be said now, for I have no idea what might happen to me once this is over.”  Picking up the sacred gem, now visible to all eyes, he looked to Knuckles and Hidama and said, “I make it sound like a dangerous task…that it may be, but certainly not beyond your skill.”

   He motioned for Mikomi to come to him, which he did, but almost reluctantly, hugging Kate tightly before he did so, giving only a small inkling to the bond they now shared.  With Mikomi beside him, as well as Hidama and Knuckles, he continued, “You remember how to draw power from the Master Emerald and direct it where you will correct?  It’s the same principle, …only this time, you are not drawing it from a gem.  You will be drawing it straight from Mikomi’s soul.  His body, though still not completely mortal, will be slightly more resistance to this as it is a living organism, not the lifeless stone quality of the Master Emerald.  However, the Celestial Emerald, with the power that remains, will serve to soften the strain.”

   Moving between Mikomi and the Seven Wielders, he continued, “You will draw the power free from him, and direct it to the Celestial Emerald.  Once the power makes it here, I will direct it to the Seven.  It is then that the old method I put in them at their creation will be activated; just as if they were receiving the power from the Master Emerald, the Seven will divide the power evenly and prepare to store it permanently, recognizing that they no longer will have the Master to draw from.  They will be infinitely powerful, and once this is finished, they will be able to be used just as they were when the Master united them…only now, they will only be united by those that seek to bring peace to the world…all of you.”

   Knuckles and Hidama glanced at each other nervously.  For all their skills and experience, the idea of drawing such a massive amount of power from Mikomi’s soul was frightening.  Mikomi looked at his father and uncle sympathetically and said, “Don’t worry Dad, Uncle Hidama.  I know this will get intense, but nothing can be worse than the feeling of the power tearing through me like it did that day.  At least now it has the two of you to guide it and the Celestial Emerald to absorb it.”

   Amy, who had now retreated to sitting with Amarie, along with Delilah, Aries, Tails, Cream, and Rouge, whimpered, “Oh please, let this turn out alright.  I can’t bear the thought of losing him again.”

   None of them appeared willing to speak.  Delilah looked on the edge of a tear, while Aries, Tails, Cream, and Rouge looked on helplessly.  Amarie felt her baby continue to stir, and she knew that soon she would be bringing the child into the world, and yet now, all her thoughts and concerns were placed on Mikomi.  Now aware that it was her longing soul that allowed him to remain in this world, she prayed that his, longing in return, would hold up through this one, final trial.

   There would be no more speaking.  After a hug from both his uncle and father, Mikomi looked to Kashoku and with a nod, he murmured, “Take it away Kashoku.”

   The echidna king smiled, and looking to Knuckles and Hidama he said once more, “Sons of the Guardian, one last time…draw the chaos power free from his soul, and direct it to me.  Do not be afraid.”

   The Wielders glanced at each other, all seven of them feeling the same fear.  Kate, however, felt it the worst.  Her legs trembled beneath her, as she whimpered, “Please, be alright Mikomi…I can’t bear to be without you.”

   It was at that moment that Hidama and Knuckles, with one last breath and prayer for good fortune, began to beckon the chaos power to come away from Mikomi’s soul.  This proved difficult at first, as Kashoku had explained, for Mikomi’s soul, not necessarily his body, offered great resistance.  One Guardian alone could never hope to break it free, and Mikomi could immediately feel the strain.  However, he put on a brave face, clenching his teeth through a smile, as to not worry the others.

   After a run of several tense moments, Hidama could feel the chaos power beginning to emerge.  Looking to Knuckles he said, “I know it’s hard Knuckles, but don’t ease up!  The chaos power is starting to escape the hold his spirit has on it.”

   Knuckles could feel this as well, and with a nod, he looked to Kashoku and said, “Get ready Kashoku!  It’s coming your way!”

   With a nod, Kashoku, speaking in the ancient echidna tongue, beckoned to the Celestial Emerald to rise and absorb the chaos power.  As the first waves of it, directed from Mikomi by Hidama and Knuckles, reached its surface, the glimmer within it exploded into a blinding light, causing all, save Kashoku to hide their eyes until it dissipated.  As everyone’s eyes opened, they saw the Celestial Emerald absorbing the power, and within moments, the wave of light flew out of it again, returning the chaos energy to the seven chaos emeralds.

   In seven streams of light, the power poured into the chaos emeralds as the Wielders held them.  It rocked them as they stood, almost as if the rush of energy was an overload and threatened to knock them to the ground.  Kashoku, still controlling the Celestial Emerald, looked back and cried, “Do not be afraid!  It will be a bit much at first, but the Seven have it instilled in them to respond and accept the power!  Stay strong!”

   Kashoku’s encouraging words helped the group remain standing in defiance of this rattling that the chaos energy hammered them with.  Zachary looked up and down the row and said, “Man…this is intense!”

   Jeremy let out another cry just as he had before.  The cousins, trying to keep the group in good spirits, could not calm the fears of all.  Pyro managed a glance back at his dear Amarie, and only hoped they could get her back home and to the hospital in time for the birth of his child, and at the same time, he prayed his brother-in-law would come out of this alive.  Amarie could not handle losing him again…it seemed nobody could, not even Pyro.

   Kate’s legs continued to quiver even after the rattling motion faded.  Her eyes remained fixed on Mikomi, who, for those first few moments, remained strong.  After awhile, however, this large withdrawal of power from his spirit, began to affect him.

   He could no longer remain standing without showing his wear and tear.  Cringing painfully, he let out a cry, realizing he had to keep himself from resisting, and yet this was becoming increasingly harder to do.

   Dropping to his knees, his cries became louder and more painful, and yet as he put words to them, he said, “P—Please!  Don’t…Don’t stop what you’re doing!  Keep going!  Please!”

   “Mikomi!” Kate cried out.  Had Kelsey not been standing beside her to hold her back, Kate would have dropped her chaos emerald and run to him.  Holding her chaos emerald in one hand, she used the other to hold Kate back.

   “No Kate!  If you drop your chaos emerald then who knows what will happen?  You have to keep holding it and stay with us!” Kelsey cried.

   Kate looked back at Kelsey in disbelief, but as she maintained a weak hold on the silver chaos emerald, she offered no resistance to Kelsey, and could only look on miserably.  She felt as if her heart was being stomped flat.  She simply couldn’t lose him.

   Hidama and Knuckles had similar fears and inclinations, and would have run to help Mikomi had they not realized that they could not stop this process.  Stopping it midway could be disastrous, and yet both Mikomi and Kashoku looked as though they were reaching the ends of their limits.  The echidna king panted heavily, and he felt as though he was starting to fall apart.

   But he knew Mikomi would be alright.  He knew that Mikomi, though in pain, would survive this transfer, and once his soul was free from the chaos power, he would be mortal once more.  He knew that even if his soul was lost to the void this night that his work was finished, and that he had made up for his mistakes in the past.

   “So ends Kashoku the echidna high king,” he murmured.  With a painful smile, he added, “At least now…I have a legacy…to be proud of.”

   Looking up, he cried out, “Hang in there everyone!  The transfer shouldn’t be much longer!  Stay strong!  You have almost come to the end!”

   These final words from Kashoku gave Hidama and Knuckles that last ounce of will they needed to keep going, even as Mikomi cried out in pain.  It gave Mikomi the last bit of endurance he needed to keep fighting the pain, for he knew not only would he be able to stay with his sister, family, and friends, but he would be able to be with his soul mate, his one and only, Kate.

   The seven wielders took deep breaths.  They knew they were almost finished.  Everything would be back to normal.  Pyro knew that he and Amarie could get home in time for their baby to be safely delivered, at a hospital where it could be taken care of due to being premature.  Amberly knew she’d get her chance to apologize to Kelsey for being insensitive so many times in the past.  Zachary knew that he and Kelsey still had hope for their future.  Poor Kate knew that she would be with Mikomi for the rest in her life.  While she had only known him for that night, she felt it so strongly nothing could sway her feelings for him.  She also knew that her uncle would be able to return to their ruined kingdom, and try his best to take care of the few of his followers that remained.  The Northern Kingdom would come to an end it seemed, but the peace that would follow them away from here, would never die.

   However, as Jackie continued to try to break free from her bindings, she looked for any way she could to bring things back under her control.  Still furious at Jacob for betraying her, she was determined to kill him, and Kashoku and Mikomi would be soon to follow.  She realized her scythes remained unguarded, and she felt the ropes that bound her begin to loosen.

   Grinning deviously, she looked at Jacob, feigning remorse, and said, “Gee Jacob, maybe Kashoku is right in what he said.  Maybe we should all just forgive each other and remember that we’re better people for it.”

   The Greyfox, captivated by the site, shook his head and crossed his arms.  He looked to Jackie and said, “Oh, I’ll forgive you Jackie…there’s no question about that, for if I could forgive the mutants that killed my family and kidnapped Olivia and I as babies, then I can find it in my heart to forgive you, and so can they.  That doesn’t mean, however, that you won’t be punished.  Consider forgiveness a ticket to not suffering for all eternity in exchange for paying for your crimes in life.”

   Jackie growled softly at Jacob, but as the ropes fell away from her hands, she continued the deception.  “You’re right sweetie…oh so right.”  Pausing, she reached for her scythe, and continued, “I think Kashoku was right about something else too.  We’re all the same rotten souls underneath it all.  So I think, if I must suffer for my crimes…then so shall you!”

   Elianaron, who was sitting with his twin, niece, and sister-in-law by the van, looked to see Jackie grabbing one of her scythes, ready to bring it down hard on Jacob as she cried out.  Jumping to his feet, he shouted, “Jacob!  Look out!”

   Those involved with restoring the Chaos Emeralds, could only look on in horror as Jackie swung her scythe at Jacob, freed from her bindings and out for blood.  Elianaron and now Aranelion, Shadow, Rouge, and Sonic ran to stop her.

   She thrust the head of the staff into Jacob, knocking him back, so she could swing the blades at those who came to defend him.  Elianaron, who held his arms up in defense, had his left arm slashed, causing him to fall back in pain.  Aranelion jumped back quickly enough to escape further injury and run to his brother’s aid.  The blade was then swung into Sonic’s legs, causing him to fall and cut his legs at the knees.  Rouge, realizing that Shadow was still recovering from before, ran in and pulled Shadow to safety.

   The hedgehog fought and kicked as he begged to be let go.  “Rouge!  You don’t understand!  She’s going to kill Jacob!”

   The bat looked as Jackie returned her attention to Jacob.  Realizing that they had to fight to save a friend, she flew Shadow over to the battle, and the two punched and kicked at Jackie furiously, trying to get her scythe away from her.

   As Jacob rose to his feet, he too tried to get the scythe.  Jackie, however, was tired of playing nice.  Ripping her gloves off with her teeth, she now came at Shadow and Rouge with her long, sharp fingernails.  She scratched Rouge across the face, kicking Jacob away at the same time, and then dove for Shadow, threatening to scratch his eyes out.  Coming at him with her claw-like nails and her scythe, Shadow could only brace himself for what was to come.

   Jackie dug her fingernails into his chest, right at the white tuft of fur, causing him to cry out.  Once she let go of him, she grabbed his arm, and with great strength, pulled him into the air and heaved him away from her, not wanting to kill him.  She only focused on killing three souls now, and she was ready to check the first one off the list.

   Jacob was now against the wall, trying to catch his breath from being kicked into the chest.  Now that he was free from her control, he wasn’t super powerful as before, and faced a great challenge in trying to hold Jackie off.  She came at him, opting for the moment to tear at him with her nails as she wore him down.  Anyone who stood to stop her had been brought down, and because the Wielders could not abandon their chaos emeralds, they could only watch the tragedy to come.

   Kate felt sickened as she watched Jackie hurl Jacob into the wall, just as she had thrown Shadow only moments before.  His body almost crushed, Jacob knew there was little her could do to stop her.  The end was near.

   As she walked up to him, gracefully, as if wanting to cherish the moment, he looked to Kate, and then to Mikomi.  Jacob was perhaps the only soul here, who fully understood the depth of the bond they shared, for in speaking of Jacob’s soul mate, Mikomi had revealed that same bond Jacob shared with his wife, and so he understood it in a way no other could…unless Mikomi were to show them.  He knew Kate would be alright.  He knew that even if Jackie killed him now…that Kate would be alright.

   That was all he needed.

   He looked back to Jackie, bleeding profusely, his breathing labored as his body reeled in pain.  She cackled softly and said, “Oh sweetie…I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to hurt you.  I wish it didn’t have to come to this…but when you decided to side with them, you became one of them; deserving of death for defying my greatness.”

   Jacob was cringing heavily, but managed a painful laugh, shaking his head and said, “Well Jackie, I’d much rather be the scum of the earth than to serve your foolish perception of perfection.  Go ahead and smite me…I’ll—I’ll be with my wife again.  You took her away from me…you took my sister, my sons…you took my life!  It’s only right for me to be with them again.  I know in my sacrifice that what I leave behind will be safe.  So go ahead…enjoy your small victory, for it shall be your undoing when the gates of hell are the final door you come to in this, your wretched web of life.”

   Jackie was utterly disgusted by Jacob.  Her cold and empty heart had no more words for him.  Without hesitation, she let out a laugh, and drove her scythe into his chest.  Yet he did not cry out.  Instead, he accepted the blow…he let the pain flow through him and away, for when he was reunited with the ones he loved, it wasn’t going to matter anymore.

   Shadow had risen in enough time to see this, and felt sick with disbelief.  After hoping and wishing for Jacob to be saved, Shadow now had to witness the second fox child die, and there was nothing he could have done to prevent it.

   Kate saw this too, and felt the life begin to drain out of her.  Amy, leaving Amarie with Aries, Cream, Tails, and Delilah ran to help Kate stand.  She held the Greyfox tightly as she was taken over by shock.  Amy tried to comfort her and said, “It’s going to be alright Kate, I promise.  Just hang on.”

   And yet no amount of soothing words would stop this nightmare.

   The transfer of chaos power was almost complete.  Knuckles and Hidama knew they were coming up on the last of the power that remained tied to his soul.  Almost oblivious to Jacob’s death, they tried to remain undistracted by the chaos around them.  However, what was to come, could not be overlooked.

   Jackie, fresh off killing the first of three on her death list, turned her eyes to the remaining two; Kashoku and Mikomi.  Blood stained her outfit, hands, and face, and she charged for Kashoku like a bloodthirsty animal.  Shadow, still in pain, cried out for someone to stop her.  Rouge did her best to recover and answer the call, as did Sonic.  Tails and Aries even chose to leave Cream, Delilah, and Amarie to try and help.  Their injuries would prove to do little in changing of what was about to happen.

   As they chased Jackie, she charged for Kashoku.  Feeling increasingly drained, he too was entirely focused on controlling the Celestial Emerald.  He heard Shadow crying out his name, and as he turned to face the threat, it came down hard on him…to a point where he would never recover.

   After swinging her scythe at her attackers, injuring and driving them all back and away, Jackie drove the largest blade into Kashoku’s chest, so hard it plowed through his back.  Kashoku, however, did not bleed, for his temporary shell was only meant for him to look alive.  Still, this damage to it caused it to begin to fall apart, and there was nothing anyone could do for Kashoku now.

   He cringed, but didn’t feel pain, although he could feel his soul start to fade to the point where he forgot everything, even who he was.  Looking to the Celestial Emerald, he called out one final command.

   “Celestial Emerald…heed my words!  Do not fade away!  Restore the Seven as I have commanded you!  When your power is lost…may…may you fade with me from the world forever!”

   “Kashoku!  No!” Pyro cried out.

   The remaining wielders, unable to do anything, cried out similar pleas.  Kashoku dropped to the ground, and while he did not bleed, it wasn’t difficult to realize that he was gone.  His soul was now lost to the void forever, and as the Celestial Emerald answered his final cries, restoring the last of the chaos power, Jackie turned her eyes to the final soul she felt deserved death more than any of them.

   Suta-Mikomi.

   She turned to him, approaching killing him with more care than she did when she slaughtered Kashoku and Jacob.  Hidama and Knuckles were now fully aware of what happened, and realized they had an impossible choice to make.  Either way, Mikomi would die, and so they cried out to Jackie, trying to circle their way to come between her and Mikomi.

   When they did this, Jackie shook her head, cackling softly, and said, “No, no, no, you foolish echidnas.  You won’t keep me from my prize.”

   She reached forward, grabbing Knuckles and slamming him into Hidama, causing them to fall hard to the ground.  They fought the pain and struggled to keep the flow of the chaos power going, and yet as the last of it slipped away from Mikomi, they watched in horror as the events of a decade before mercilessly repeated themselves, and again, there was nothing anyone could do.

   Mikomi, in pain but feeling the last of the power slip out of him, opened his eyes, and looked up at her.  She smiled, shaking her head and said, “And to think Mikomi…I thought we could be friends and rule my world together.  Now you’re gonna lose it all…again.  Including Kate and your sister.  While they’ll go to heaven, I take comfort in knowing you and Kashoku will rot in the void forever!”

   Taking a breath, Mikomi looked at his sister.  Everyone was staring at the scene in disbelief, crying and begging for Jackie to stop.  Shadow, Rouge, Tails, Sonic, Aries, and now even the Brokenstars ran to try and stop her, and yet there was nothing to be done.  He looked to Kate one last time as his mother held her, and murmured, “I promised Kate…I’d overcome death to be with you…”  He raised his voice and shouted, “And I’ll overcome it again!”

   This caused Kate to look up at long last.  She felt faint, and reaching out for Mikomi, she cried, “Mikomi…no!!”

   At this moment, the last of the chaos power flowed out of him, and at the same time, Jackie drove her scythe into his back.  Unlike Kashoku, blood poured out of him, and after crying out in pain, he slumped to the floor, and did not get up again.  Jackie pulled the scythe out of him, and almost maniacally, she cried out, “You fools!  You idiots!  I win!  Fwahaha!!”

   The last of the power flowed to the chaos emeralds, and with a loud crash the Celestial Emerald went dark and clear like glass, and fell to the floor, shattering into thousands of pieces.  The chaos emeralds absorbed the last of the power, their inner glow brighter than ever.  However, with Jacob, Kashoku, and Mikomi dead around them, it was hard to be happy at this seemingly small victory.

   The final restoration, had taken more away than it promised to return.

   And now, there was nothing, anyone could do…