Chapter 19

****

Adam drops his head into his hands. "Adam she deserved it."

"No she didn't. No one deserves that. I have been acting like a monster because Lydia, died and Isabella screwed us over."

Roux sighs, "We are all to blame my friend. I lost myself a moment there too. She deserved death. Maybe not one so gruesome. But she did deserve death. But you are not alone to blame."

"Adam you didn't just have your heart ripped out, in your circumstance. It's like sevenfold. I was surprised that you didn't take your own life. If you fight hard enough you can undo Liara's spell." June says,

"I just want to forget her. And regardless of who is to blame, it's not an excuse to act such a way. No one deserves a dark fate like that. I don't care who they are."

"You got this Adam. Don't bear things alone. We'll lift the weight together." Violet smiles,

She hugs him tight. "I'll try, I have a habit of not letting others help."

"Yeaaaaah. I feel bad but at the same time. I'm okay with tearing those guys to shreds." June says squeezing her hands,

"That was freaking awesome June." Violet says,

"You're pretty strong." Adam says,

"Honestly, if it weren't for you, we'd all still be back there, or dead." Roux says,

She blushes and smiles, "Thanks guys."

They walk up a hill and creep through the trees. Up on a higher hill is the fort.

"I would've expected something a little more subtle." June says,

"The question is, how do we go about this? We can't exactly spy on them."

"We can't, June?"

She looks at Roux, "Ugh...yeah...yeah okay..."

"She can't sense you right?" Adam asks,

"No she would sense one of the other elements."

"Be extremely careful, well obviously." Adam says,

She nods, she lets out a soft whine and turns to water. She sinks down to the floor and rolls fast across the ground.

She makes her way to the fort, soldiers with those spears look all around. But she carefully sneaks past them, slowly. Under the door at the front entrance. She moves to the wall and watches as they prepare for battle.

There she is. The woman with dark brown hair and a brown dress. Holes on the sides of the stomach of the sleeveless dress. Brown boots and a sword at her waist, red tattoos crawling up her left arm.

June crawls across the ground and back out of the stronghold returning to the others. She resumes a human shaped water form.

"It's bad." she says,

The others get to their feet and subtly move closer to her. "You are alright?" Roux asks,

She nods, "Yeah, but this one isn't going to be nearly as easy as the other. There's a lot of people, and a lot of weapons."

"Did you see the fire watchdog?" Violet asks,

"Yeah, I know who it is I don't know why I didn't notice her at the camp, maybe she was hidden behind something."

"What do we do?" Roux asks,

"June, how much energy do you have?"

June whines, "Why?"

"Don't worry you aren't going up alone again. I just got an idea." Adam says,

June raises an eyebrow. He tells her the idea, she stares at him wide eyed, "You're insane. I mean that would cost a ton of energy. Not a ton like a lot, an actual ton's worth. I'm not that experienced yet."

"You did alright before?" Violet says,

"Yeah that was like an hour and a half ago and I almost passed out. And this is a way bigger target."

"How long would you need?" Roux asks,

"Tomorrow? Maybe tonight? But one of you better catch me."

"Noted." Violet says,

They wait patiently until night falls, staying hidden in the trees, but the stronghold seems even more anxious.

"She knows I had to wait, I can feel it."

"Okay then go fast." Violet says,

"Oh that's good advice." June says rhetorically,

"June, you got this. I'll catch you and Adam and Roux will take care of the rest."

"June if you need more time, we can wait."

"We can't Adam. June I'm sorry, I wish We could wait but you said they are strong, meaning we can't wait for more forces to come." Roux says as gently as he can,

She takes a breath and nods, "I know, I know. Just, don't you dare die, do you understand me?" June says,

"Roux and I got this, right?"

Roux nods, "We're going to kill them all."

June raises her hands out in front of her and takes deep breathes to control her heart. A very thick fog forms, water is sucked from the nearby trees, to the left of June and the others. Hundreds of ice balls form in the fog, it rolls over and into the stronghold. Several start shouting and yelling.

June clenches her fists quick as a streak of fire shoots into the sky, the ice balls explode and shoot into every direction hard and fast.

June's eyes roll back and she falls back into Violet's arms. Roux and Adam are already halfway up the hill.

They make it up, Roux grabs a hand axe, Adam grabs a sword. Guards find their way out of the stronghold and fog that now simply sits there.

Roux throws the hand axe into one's chest. Adam swings his sword, deflecting the soldiers attempt to stab. Adam swings out, but the soldier pulls back in time. He charges and dives at Adam again, he dives and rolls under his arm, turns and charges. As the soldier turns, Adam's sword sinks into his chest.

He rips it out and looks at Roux, he stares back and nods, confirming he's okay.

Adam nods and they run in as the stronghold explodes with fire. They fly back out and roll across the ground.

Adam looks up to see Roux pulling his flaming shirt off his body. He yells, throwing the shirt away and falls to his back.

Adam looks over, already in a pushup position he throws himself up into the air, a blast of fire rolls across the air just below his mouth.

The heat of the flames warm his face. He hits and scrambles to his feet. He spins so fast, dodging another that he almost falls to the ground.

"You little prick!" she spits,

"Riiiiight.....THERE!" someone shouts,

The sword in her hand goes flying as she yells out, her left shoulder turns forward, her right also gets hit. She yells and awkwardly falls over her own feet to her face.

Several rocks shoot up from the ground, she skips off them and to the ground.

"You know, you're supposed to be a watchdog, you're kinda a sad excuse huh?"

Lacey stumbles to her feet and throws her hand out, fire shoots out. Rola smirks and flicks her fingers out. The ground beneath her slides to the side, she raises her hand, a ball of earth beneath Lacey's outstretched hand forms and shoots up.

She grunts and grabs her hand. "Bow down to me!" Rola jokes,

She does an aerial and throws her legs down. A bigger ball of earth is already on its way and hits her in the back of the head. Knocking her to her face.

"Ha ha! Pooowweerrrr!" Rola says,

"Hey Lydiaaaaaa!" she says waving to the black clothed woman on the wall,

Lydia breathes heavily, "Catch Lydia! Buh bye bro!" she says to Lacey,

She pushes herself up to her hands and knees, an earth pillar shoots up out of the ground, shattering her chest and ribs. It sends her up into the air, Lydia aerials, bringing out her black sword and swing, decaptitating Lacey.

She spins, Rola throws her hand out and a mud slide catches her, letting her slide off to her feet.

The moon above them turns dark red. Lydia holds her hands out and glares at Rola. She grins and holds her hands out and throws them sideways. The mud shoots off, tearing her coat off both ways with it.

"Dude?!"

Rola makes a weird face, "Oooo, my bad. Hey I mean at least you got your shirt cause under that you dont-"

"Ah-ah-ah-ah! Shut up."

Rola giggles, the two walk over to Adam and Roux, they look at each other and back. Roux gribs his axe tight.

"Back off!!" Roux spits,

Lydia jolts and takes a step back, "Whoa whoa, it's okay, we're good guys dude."

"Rola...thats Adam."

Rola looks back at her and follows her gaze to Adam. "Holy...this is him?! I thought you said he was dead?!"

"No she said she thought he was." Caroline says walking up behind them,

Roux and Adam jump and move further out to look at her and back to the other two.

Adam looks at Lydia again. "Hey Adam." she says softly,

"You're the daughter of Tetanus?" Roux asks in disbelief,

Violet runs up, she stops and looks around and stares at Lydia. "Oh shit." She quickly says,

"Adam, it's not Isabella."

"Bullshit!" Violet shouts and throws her hands out,

Fire explodes with such force from her hands, Lydia jumps back, Rola throws one hand out, the other to Lydia, earth walls shoot up blocking them. Rola kicks her wall, it breaks and shoots out towards her.

Violet gasps and jumps to the ground, but before she can even start getting to her feet, an earth blanket flips up and wraps around everything below her head, holding her down.

Violet yells and pushes hard but no use. "Calm down little doggy."

Roux is already up behind her and lunges, Lydia has run over, grabbed the collar of her shirt, turns and throws her away. She ducks and kicks Roux back to the ground.

"Calm down! Please let me explain I beg you!" she says,

Adam is still unable to move, not knowing whether to kill her or free his friends or run. "Adam?"

He hesitantly looks over at Caroline. "We know Death. Sit, hear us out."

He turns as pale as snow. Shaking, he falls back to his butt. Lydia starts towards him, but Rola grabs her arm. Lydia corrects herself and backs up behind Rola.

Caroline kneels in front of him. "We have a lot to discuss I'm sure. But this, is not Isabella, this is the real Lydia, who was originally there with you in New Haven, the first time."

He looks at her, Roux is on his feet again, axe at the ready, but he looks over at Adam, then back to Lydia and Rola.

"You are the Earth Watchdog?" he asks,

"Yup, that's me. Sad about Fire. She was good people."

"You killed her." Violet says, struggling,

"Dude I'm kidding, I've met her before, she's a douche. Was, ha! I kill myself."

"Shut up Rola." Lydia mutters loud enough for all to hear,

"Okay...if you're lying, either you all die or we do." Adam says,

Caroline looks at Lydia and smiles, "You made it sound like he was weak and inexperienced. He sounds like my kind of guy, deal Adam. Rola please let his friend up."

She throws her arm out and the earth blanket breaks and rolls off Violet. She angrily climbs to her feet.

"There's someone else we need to get." Roux says,

"The water Watchdog? We saw the effects as we were coming. How about one of you and one of us go get her?" Lydia asks,

"Violet you and Earth go get June. You try anything, you die or we do. Are we in agreement?" Roux asks rhetorically,

"Why me?"

"You were with her last."

However it doesn't need to be said that Adam incapable of thinking clearly. Violet grudgingly leads Rola away into the trees and shortly returns with a dazed June in Rola's arms.

"Right, so Lydia?"

"Should we give her a moment to catch her breath first?" Lydia asks,

"I'm...fine...i think." she mutters,

They set her down and let her sit against Violet back to back. "Explain. Now." Adam demands,

Lydia shrinks slightly, "Um...a-after Sylvia stabbed both of us, had another person there, they killed the guards and took me to Xenix. He used that person, Isabella is her name, Xenix used his magic to shapeshift her into me. So we were ultimately, partially connected, they tortured me ever since a few days ago. I knew Isabella kissed you when you popped into my head again and never left."

Caroline squeezes her shoulder reassuringly. "I'm Caroline, the goddess, Lydia is my daughter. I was saved by the being Death, the one you know Adam."

Adam's eyes widen, he looks up at the moon and at Lydia. "Death saved me from Xenix, Tetanus forced me....and I had Lydia."

Lydia looks from her to Adam. Seeing he still didn't totally believe, she grabs her necklace.

"Darling. I don't suppose you could show yourself to all these people just once?"

"...Only once Caroline."

"You are a dream."

Like before, Death appears before them, beside Caroline. They all stare in shock and awe. Roux, Rola, June and Violet tremble at the sight of him.

"Y-y-ou-ou got t-to be sh-shitting me." Violet stutters,

Adam takes a step closer. "Death?"

He turns to him, "Hello Adam. You've come a long way. I can't stay, nor can I answer questions. But believe this. Everything Caroline and Lydia will tell you is true. This is Lydia, not Isabella. I have to go my dear. It was a pleasure seeing you."

He turns to Caroline, she leans up and kisses his cheek. "Be good."

"I'm Death."

She snorts and pushes playfully on his shoulder. "You brat."

"I love you." he says,

She whispers it back and he vanishes. Adam sighs, processing it all as the others, aside from Caroline and Lydia, mentally scream.

Caroline turns to Lydia, "It should be safe here tonight, perhaps we could start a fire while everyone loses their minds." she laughs,

Lydia nods, "Okay...I'll gather the wood."

"Adam, do you want to help her?"

"Caroline." Lydia corrects,

"I'm good where I am." Adam says,

Lydia nods and walks off, she spends half an hour gathering wood, walking back and forth. After one trip, Adam decides to help in the opposite direction as her.

Violet helps start the fire and they sit down watching the flames when suddenly.

"What the heck was that?!" Rola shouts so loud everyone jumps and gasps,

"What the heck Rola?" Lydia asks frustrated,

Rola shrugs, "The awkward silence was too awkward. It needed something."

"Geez...even scared me half to death." Caroline says,

"On that note...continue?" Roux says,

"Where was I? Um...Isabella was pretending to be me, I was hit by Liara's moon rather than her. And I was tortured till I escaped a bit ago. Caroline found me and introduced me to Death and Rola, the earth watchdog."

Rola grins and winks at everyone. "So, you're the daughter of tetanus, what about Sylvia?" Roux asks,

Lydia looks at Caroline. "Want to tell us?"

"Caroline is Tirana's daughter, hence the so different personalities as well."

"I was with Xenix, for a few years, I always trained but never was allowed to fight. When I actually did, and realized how horrific it was. I don't know why it didn't click at first but it didn't...after I saw what we were doing. I left, I tried to fight them, but Xenix....is Xenix, I lost and fled, joined the Shadow Walkers."

"So...Lydia? How old are you?" Violet asks,

Her face turns bright red, "T-two hundred ninety six."

"Holy mother." Rola mutters,

They stare in shock at her, she squeezes her hands tight. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you Adam." she mumbles loud enough for him to hear,

There's a profound silence among them all for a few minutes. Till finally Violet clears her throat.

"And you've been hiding from Xenix, for three hundred years?"

"About two hundred and seventy or so. I mostly managed to avoid them after, until I met Adam. Now that this has all happened, we actually have a chance to kill him. And the others."

"I don't know if we or at least I can totally trust you, even if actual Death confirmed you are Lydia." Violet says,

"I know it would be hard. But I'd do whatever it takes for you to trust me."

"Letting us kick you off a cliff?" Violet says a little too joyfully,

Lydia shrinks, "You can have this?"

She slowly takes out she takes it by the blade drops it closer to Violet. "If that would help."

"Lydia...we aren't going to take your pathway." June says,

"What is a pathway?" Adam asks,

Lydia looks at him, relieved he has broken the silence between him and everyone else. But nervous that he hasn't addressed her.

"It's the weapons the gods and goddesses used, like Tetanus or Caroline here, to channel their powers through. But they have to select the weapon as their pathway."

"So you can't just use Tetanus's moon with any sword?" Rola asks,

"No. I have a secret power. I-I suppose I could use another, but the effects of my ability ould be so minimized and would take my life in the process. Pathways when chosen, I guess you could say refine themselves. Give themselves the strength they need to endure."

"But you could just choose another sword." Adam says,

She subtly squeezes her hands tighter, "W-we-ll no...that's a kink in the process. I'd have to hold the sword in my hands, deselect it and then be able to choose another weapon. Without my pathway. I can't use my ability without claiming my own life. Even then though."

"Even then what?" Roux asks,

"Even if she had the sword, the gods and goddesses used multiple weapons, to even out the output and damage of their powers. If she used the sword, it being her only pathway. It could take her life." Caroline says,

"Like mother like daughter." Lydia mumbles absent mindedly loud enough for everyone to hear,

She cringes at her own words. "So we could use it to kill Xenix?" Adam asks,

Roux looks at him, a judging stare. Lydia's heart sinks, she nods, "Yeah. We could."

"Lydia, keep your sword. It'll just take some getting used to." June says,

"What do you all think?" Lydia asks,

"I don't think we could get a better witness than Death, I agree with June." Roux says,

"I will trust you, I just need time." Adam says,

"Yeah, but we're keeping an eye on you." Violet says,

Lydia sighs with relief and nods in acceptance. "Okay. Understood."

June looks over at Adam. She wonders if he actually accepted what she told him and moved in from Lydia. He obviously has very mixed feelings.