Last Destiny Volume 2 Chapter 8

James and Lee discuss their pasts and their fears regarding facing James' brother, Eddie. Lee reveals that she comes from a difficult background and asks James to help her save her mother. James agrees and they share a tender moment. They reach James' hometown, which appears normal but is actually in ruins due to Eddie's psychic powers. They encounter Knights of K'ichi and experience strange occurrences. They enter a ward where they are attacked by dolls controlled by Eddie. The dolls taunt them and the situation becomes increasingly intense. Chapter 8 James and Lee At the same time, across the water, in Iroh, another campfire burns with two new friends before it. James and Lee sit amongst another on two separate stones and talk. They, at this point, have stayed in some villages while camping in others. No more have they faced wild, unusual attacks from the unknown, while fighting alongside another allowed them to know they could trust another. Being alone has allowed them to grow more comfortable with another. Lee says, James, tell the truth. Have you been avoiding that town next over in Faiho or no? As she looks at James slightly serious. James lowers his eyes. Lee, confused, says, I say that because you've been making excuses over and over. I can tell something ain't right with you. James looks up toward her. His eyes have gone red. He says, Okay, I'll tell. But when I do, you've got to tell what you've been avoiding, too. Lee, puzzled, says, Fair enough. But Lee thinks, can I really do this now? James takes a deep breath and says, Faiho is where I and my family are from, and our youth, my brother, Edward, were good to another. We shared everything our family loved. We weren't at another's neck. My pa always said that was he and his. Well, at some point, Ed, he, Eddie changed. We were still kiddies when he started developing abilities. Lee says, Magic? James continues, No, that's not in our line. The doctors said it was his mind. They call it psychic. He would have violent tantrums. The whole town would be afraid of him. But months back, he, something snapped. They said he put himself in his dolls, he had. He went on a rage and took the whole town. I was so, I'm nothing, nothing more than a coward, Lee. I ran from him. I ran. James begins to cry, looking down. Lee, sorrowful, says, You're no coward. You took me in. No coward would have done such a thing. Does the king know? James says, I really don't think so. I think Ed's mind is over the area. Nobody know unless they enter. My family is gone. Lee grows tearful and says, You mean he took them? James shakes his head up and down with his eyes closed. Lee says, But you can fight so good. How so? As she reaches over to touch his arms gently. James says, We was taught by our pa. But when this happened, I learned more from traveling and practicing. Lee says, No coward would have done that. James says, I planned on coming back with help once I thought I learned enough. An army may have, but not. Lee says, Me? James wipes away his tears and says, I'm a weakling. If you want to go, you can. Lee grips his arm and says, You're no weakling either. Stop such talk. We can go together and face him. Lee can't believe what she has said as she thinks, Child, what are you doing? I'm doing the right thing. He and I, we have done some good things. We can again. And then we'll be ready for Taylene. Lee pulls in and hugs James. He is startled at first, but then embraces her as well. Momentarily, James thinks, Eddie, he's going to kill me right in front of her. I just knows it. The next morning, the sun is out bright and the flame has reduced itself to charred wood. James lays on one side of the stone they sit on while Lee lays on the other side. Lee is always the first to rise of the two. She walks off her sleep, tells him and replaces her cooking first thing in the morning. This time though, James, due to the conversation from the night before awakens fairly early. When he sees Lee walking some ways, he calls out to her, where are you going? Lee looks back and says, Defiho, you coming? James face drops as he is left speechless. When Lee sees his expression break down, she feels bad and hurries over to him. Lee stands over him as he sits with his back to the stone from the prior night. Lee says, I'm sorry for that. I didn't mean it. James looks up there and thinks, why does she sound so different? Is it something I'm missing? Then he says, you never did tell me what you was gonna tell me about you. At this moment, Lee's expression grows sadder. James stands up and seeing he hit a nerve embraces her. She embraces him back and lays her head on his shoulder. A little later, the two have ventured to a nearby eatery with very cheap prices for meals. They eat, they have come here twice so far. James has explained to her he doesn't have much wealth. He's just good at spending and saving. She ends the conversation by telling him she doesn't believe him. He finally admits his family is wealthy. As they walk back to their camping area, Lee keeps persuading him this is the time to face his brother. But now she's ready to tell her secret. Lee who's walking side by side with James grips his hand tightly. He looks down at her grip. As he looks up to her, Lee blurts out, my life has been so, so hard and no one has ever been good to me like you but my mom and Miss Penny. Her bottom lip braces. She continues, I'm from Tulane, a nothing, a nobody. My family been sold a long ways ago, generations and on. A bunch of nobodies. She pulls from him and covers her face with both her hands and drops to her knees crying harder than anyone James has ever seen. James is shocked and can't help himself as he fights back tears and lowly says, my God, you poor, poor girl. He really doesn't know what to say though. Lee's voice is so harsh yet defeated as she replies, you think I'm a monster now cause you know the truth. Something to be hog tied and taken back amongst my own. Don't you? Her hands are still tightly clenched to her face. The sound of her voice is so harsh. It's like a knife cutting through butter. The snot in her nose and tears in her eyes just make the sound even more worn. James is so bewildered and speechless. He falls over her. He embraces her and they cry together. Eventually he tells her, it's all going to be okay. When she is finally calmed down, Lee says, if I help you with your brother today, please, please help me save my mother from Tylene. She all I had before you and she freed me. I know she'd been beaten badly for me. So just do that one thing. James shakes his head up and down, yes. But Lee forcefully says, no, I need to hear it. Do you give me your word? Looking him into the eyes. James plainly says, yes, I'll help you. Lee moves in and kisses him. James is startled for a moment, then he kisses her back. He wipes away her tears, then they get up and walk. They come back to their camp and rest to get past what all just happened. When they get up, they take an antidote to renew their strength and relax their minds. Then they head off. It isn't long before they reach Fiho. It lays past a rather large hill to which James' village can be looked upon. They are startled when they see his town undamaged, carrying on as if nothing happened. But James explains that's his doing. Lee is frightened by all of this. They hold hands as they walk closer. As they reach the entrance, the strangest thing occurs. As though a mirage, the village phases into a ruined and badly burned village. Even the smell is of brimstone. It is totally abandoned. Lee says, how is this possible? James says, all of that was his mind. At first, James seems about to cry at the ruins. Then he pulls his sword. He shakes his head. James then looks toward Lee and says, I'm ready. His voice is strong as black coffee in this moment. Lee feels as if he grabbed her from within with those words. Lee, though, knows that she is unknowing of what is about to happen. But James, he understands. Now, either he or his brother has to die. James says, I know where he is. A word where we had him placed when things first started getting out of control. Lee thinks, this must tear. It had to have happened before I got to Kaif. Would have heard or saw something, I know. James says, armored bodies of the slain ahead. They are taken aback to see they are Knights of K'ichi. James says, actual Knights of K'ichi. Always wanted to be one. Lee says, they must have come after you left. Horrible. All of a sudden, all of the remaining windows in the vicinity bust wide open. Lee screams being caught off guard while James ducks low. James says, Eddie said he'd be waiting on me upon my return. He said it in my head last time I was here. First time he had spoken to me in years. Lee says, scariest time he ever spoke to you too, huh? He looks over to her as they walk and nods his head in agreement. When they reach the ward, it seems to be the only place undamaged. Even stranger, the lights are on and it sounds as if a ball is going on. James and Lee stop some ways from it. Just as they look toward it, their minds seem as if on fire. They fall down screaming, rubbing their heads in pain and the front door explodes. A disembodied voice asks them to come in and play. The visceral pain loses its sharp stabbing enough for them to get up. Lee says, I hate them already. The ward is now without lights and sound and neither has any desire to go in but they know they have no choice. They go ahead with James in front. They are overtly nervous. As soon as they enter, a male doll floats out from above, shocking the two. The doll says, they're here. Lee quickly in fear, cast as a fire spell, burning the sewed together cloth to burn scraps. Its laughter echoes completely out of the room in all directions. Outside, a tremor takes place. James and Lee run further into the ward. They pass through the wide living room area into a hallway area. The hallway is full of rooms on either side. Laughter is heard with a chant of James the Nate. The voice is low and childish, twisted at its core. James hollers, shut it. A male doll with a sewed on happy face floats along. It says, did I hurt your feelings, James? He and Lee turn around to it. James pulls his sword. Just as Lee rises their hands, a door breaks itself from its hinges and the pieces bombard her. The happy doll says, not gonna get me, pest. Its laughter is sickening and seems to be coming from everywhere. It is different from the prior one. James' anger quickly reaches down and grabs Lee's dagger and launches it at the happy doll. It is a direct hit as he pins the doll to the wall. The happy doll says, no, bro. As James rushes over and slices the happy doll to pieces, its laughter fades out into the background. James snatches the dagger out of the wall. He then heals Lee's wounds and awakens her by pouring some of an elixir down her mouth. James says, I think Eddie'll be upstairs so we better head back to the front for the steps. They head back to the front area. Once they enter, they hear so much rumbling as they pass through, they begin to run. The area begins to tear apart as they race up the stairs. A female doll comes behind them. It isn't until the steps begin to unravel that they notice it is behind them. It throws parts of the steps at them. This separates the two as each run in a other direction in order to get away from the diverse. They run into rooms. Each room is a bedroom where the individual who once lived there bodily remains is and the rotted smell suffocates the small area. James and Lee vacate the rooms and run to other ones, hopeful for a different experience. While the doll has seemingly disappeared, as they realize this, they stop and look toward another. They prepare to walk toward another when the prior doll returns. Two more dolls appear from either end of the hallway rooms. As James charges the female doll with his sword drawn, Lee prepares a spell. James is whisked up in the air while glass shatters and comes from both ends of the hallway. James swings with his sword at the female doll. As the laughter starts to enter from all directions and rises, James' neck begins to tighten and his eyes begin to widen. Lee casts an ice spell, freezing all three dolls which fall and shatter. Their laughter fades out. James falls to the ground choking. Lee goes over to meet him and helps him. At that moment, all over, rooms begin to tear apart as walls can be heard caving into another. Above where James and Lee are, the roof unravels itself. Families of rat-like creatures can be seen scattering and a male, very similar to James, can be seen floating down before them, dressed in a clean green suit. James, trembling, stutters as he says, Edward? The intense amount of fear he displays in this moment startles Lee. Edward lands right in front of James. Edward confidently says, gonna kill me with this sword? Edward touches it with two of his fingers as he says this. Edward says, I knew yous always hated me. James braces his teeth but does not respond. Edward continues, but what yous never expected was I am now in complete control. I am not my personalities. I command them. They no longer command me. James, tearful, says, is that what you told yourself when you took Ma and Pa? Edward, steel-faced, says, that was the emergence. I was fighting for control. I was not as I am. I cannot be blamed for their blood, nor the town folk. All of that was casualty of war. I won. James, beaded eyes, looks at him and says, you really believe this? What you say? James wipes away his tears. Then he says, Lee, are you all right? Noticing she has been speechless too long, but she stands as a statue. Edward says, I had to stop her from frying me. She'd have done it if I hadn't made her forget she has magic. We need to talk, brother to brother. James says, is that what you really desire, Eddie? He looks confused at Edward. Edward, upon hearing the name Eddie, looks spaced out for a moment. Then Edward says, yes, brother, it is. We grooves up with your pushing me around to make yourself look good, and that hurt me. Even unable to overall react, Lee's face appears struck with anguish at hearing this. But James says, push you around? What you mean? You was my best friend, my only friend for so, so long. I hated that the doctors took you away from me. Edward says, then you had me jailed, caged in this rotten place. Hope you like what I did with it. Made them all go sleep, sleep. Such a rotten smell. James, very insistent, says, jailed? Eddie, Ma and Pa had you put in here. You did something to the neighbors. You hurt them, burned their house down. Our folks had no choice. What did they tell you to make you think I was your enemy? I know, Eddie, read my mind. Lee tries to form a smile, but only smirks. Edward, for once, appears tearful. Edward pauses for a moment, then says, yes, I'll do that. Then when I show the truth and use it shown as the threat, here it is, you die. At that moment, James and Edward look deep into one another's eyes. Then Edward takes a deep dive into James's mind and to his brother's vast memories of which they both share. From James's earliest adolescence, Edward followed him. James was his first hero. He looked up to him as a mountain. This was besides the point that their age differences were not that much of a gap. It was due to coming for him, always including him. He named him Eddie, and Edward named him Jimmy. He would sneak in and keep him company when he was too sick. Edward sees all of this, but from James's point of view. The neighbors would bully Edward, but wanted James as a friend. James refused because of this. He took the black eyes and lied about where it came from and time, Edward's abilities took shape and the abilities took over him. James, even when asked to leave him, be snuck into his room at home to play. Multiple times, Edward tells himself this is not how it happened, but James refutes clearly this is. As the voice becomes stronger and his tantrums became violent, their family was backed into a corner. It wasn't until one bullying from the neighbors was led to his abilities burning their house down that his family felt they had no choice. This led to them putting Edward in the ward. This time though, Eddie sees how depressed his parents were upon doing so. His mother was never right afterward. Edward hollers that this can't be so, but James's astral essence refutes him once more. Then James sees Edward's poor treatment in the ward from Edward's point of view. James is sorrowful, but then Edward sees all the times James snuck in to see him would bring him sweets and tell him about his life outside. Edward cannot remember any of this. Edward also sees when James is caught and no longer able to come. The family gets news Edward's tantrums reemerge and they only got worse. James's astral form apologizes that he no longer could come. Edward though is confused and heartbroken that nothing is as he remembers it. Edward apologizes to James as he shows him their parents' final moments. He reveals from his perspective it was all their fault. They died horribly and James shows Eddie he never planned to harm him. He always intended to find him help. He only learned how to better wield the sword to protect himself and the world while doing so. This is why he believes himself a weakling and coward, truly, because he couldn't bring himself to hurt his brother. James' astral form forgives him for their parents, but he thinks Edward should ask them why they did this to him. Edward says, who? Astral James says, Eddie, you remember nothing as it was. Clearly they have been guiding you all this time. You showed me, I felt them, the dolls where they're standing, your so-called personalities where they're standing. All along, your abilities have been controlling you, guiding you as a backseat rider. What happened here was just a momentary stepping stone. They desire you to wait for me. Once I was removed, no longer would you have any defenses and the world would be next. Edward knows James is not lying because the astral form cannot lie. Everything it says is seen. Edward's voice now sounds as it did in their youth as it says, Jimmy, I'm sorry. So sorry, I have to go see them now. As James hears this, he calls out to Edward with all of his essence, but there is no response. James floats in the reservoirs of himself, total darkness without his brother to shine a light on his memories. All this time hasn't been long at all. All three of their figures stand amongst another as though frozen solid. Edward, though, has went to investigate what he has found out from his brother. Edward observes he has never ever been in control. On an astral level, he has just been getting broken down more and more, fundamentally replaced and thrown out just as an avatar of his abilities. Everything he has ever been shown is what they allow him to see. He realizes he has no chance at freedom. What he has is as a moment to end their threat and that is all. Edward awakens in tears and embraces James' frozen frame and says, I don't have long, Jimmy. Thank you for saving me. All of this blood is my fault. There is no way around it and even that isn't enough. You two do great things. I know now what you're alive a part of me is too. Goodbye, Jimmy. James' eyes strain to point that tears begin pouring but he doesn't move. Lee cries as well. At this point, James' sword-wielding arm is controlled by Edward and driven deep into Eddie. He is almost instantly dead. His abilities wear off simultaneously. The ward is revealed to have been in ruin all along, no more than a projection he formed is what it was. James cries over his brother for a moment while Lee, finally free, can only turn away. James pulls his sword out of his brother. They bury him along the coast of Faiho. James and Lee alert the authorities of the nearby land of Faiho looking to start anew. James buys a small rowboat. As they prepare to set sail, James asks Lee, are you ready to go to Tailin? Lee says, no, not after all of that, please. She looks down, saddened. James says, understood. Why don't we go near it so we'll at least be close when you are ready? Lee hugs him. Then James says, keep in mind, I've never been at sea on my own. I don't know where we head. Lee just smiles.