23: The Final Stand

Azruth shrieks were a sound that I could never unhear. The sheer power from my attack barreled past his weak dark counterattack. It sent him to the ground. Feeling my energy depleted from the attack, I collapsed to my hands and knees. I tried to suck in as much oxygen as I could to recover my energy. 

Meanwhile, Azruth rose to his feet to my horror. His body began to glow in shadows as his exterior glowed black. Horns grew atop his head. His height increased and his eyes became slits. more darkness flowed out from him. His voice sounded demonic as he cursed me, "You insolent little leech, you do not know the monster you've unleashed."

He raised his hand and fear filled my body as Aetherius stole from me. 

"No!" I tried reaching for it to no avail.

It was in Azruth's shadowy grasp. He let out a low, sinister laughter as his long claw-like talons wrapped around the shaft. He squeezed it and to my fear, Aetherius was broken into pieces. 

"I'm sorry Jess," Vidalia's soft voice disappeared, "You will have to fight the remainder of this battle on your own."

Azruth threw the powerless pieces to the side, "There, no more of that. To make things even better, I've gotten rid of my dear sister Vidalia once and for all."

He grinned with fanged teeth, "No more wings, no more power. Poor Peter Pan's sacrifice was made in vain. Now all you can do is accept defeat. I'll even grant you the opportunity to witness his execution live."

He took a step towards Peter with his arm. Fear pushed my own body to move on instinct. I stood in front of Peter with my hands spread out, "I won't let you touch him!"

"How cute," Azruth taunted, "Why protect him? He's done nothing but antagonize you. He kept you captive here."

"I love him," I answered, "Despite everything, my heart is his. I will protect him to my last breath."

"Even at the price of your dear friend's death?"

I flinched at the mention of the heart Peter sought to save himself from dying. Azruth noticed and gestured to Peter's unconscious body, "If you think he will choose you over himself, you are an idiot. I have seen it time and time again. Peter Pan is a monster who only looks out for himself. He is incapable of love."

Azruth's words cut deep and called out to the dark recesses of my mind. I lowered my head before raising it, "Then call me a monster too."

Darkness flashed in my eyes for a minute as I stepped forward, "If that is what it takes to protect this island and those I hold dear, I will become your worst fear."

With lightning speed, I sprinted forward. Azruth tried to escape but found he was frozen in place. He let out a choked sound as I whispered in his ear, "A monster won't stop until its prey is dead."

I stepped back and Azruth grabbed his side where my poisoned dagger was embedded into his heart. The only difference was my dagger was bathed in the same gold magic as Aetherius once was. 

"I-I-Impossible..." Azruth sputtered, "Aetherius was destroyed."

I glanced down at my hand to see it glowing with a newfound power. This power came from me. I watched as it travelled through Azruth's demonic body like golden veins. Then they started to crack his body like broken glass. His eyes were full of hatred as his body turned to stone and shattered on the ground. My dagger fell to the ground with a clang. 

My legs finally gave out on me. I landed on my butt and processed what had just happened. I had defeated the Spirit of Chaos. I couldn't afford to celebrate. 

Peter's pained moan made me glance at the hourglass. I staggered to it and focused my attention on the pile of pixie dust lost. I closed my eyes and reached my hand towards the pixie dust. 

Please, I channelled my strength, Please restore the hourglass from the effect brought by the malicious spirit of chaos. Please let me save Peter.

I felt the same energy from my final attack against Azruth. When I opened my eyes, the hourglass was restored. The pixie dust from the ground returned to the hourglass as if it had never been disturbed. 

Feeling his strength return, Peter called out my name. This made me go to his side as he sat up with tired eyes.

"Jess," he looked at the hourglass that had been repaired, "You fixed it?"

I nodded my head, "I couldn't seem to eliminate your bargain, but I was at least able to give you the time you had lost due to Azruth's doing."

Peter frowned, "But..."

"I know," I gave him a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, we'll find a way to stop it for good."

I helped him to his feet, "We need to bring you back to the camp to regain your strength."

"I should be saying that about you," Peter joked with his arm wrapped around me for support. 

We began to make our way to the exit of Skull Rock when a deep laughter filled the place. Both of us froze as what appeared what a ghostly form of Azruth. Peter's green eyes tensed beside me, "Azruth's true form."

I felt my body be thrown away from Peter. 

Azruth hissed, "You will pay for destroying my physical form. With my ultimate power, I will trap you both in a curse. You will never awaken. I will keep you a prisoner inside your mind forevermore and make you beg for death. My first victim will be none other than Peter Pan!"

His form became a swirling vortex that made its way towards Peter. Just before it could touch him, I intercepted the attack. Then all I saw was darkness.

*****

Azruth's phantom form was the true form of the Spirit of Chaos. Historically, it could not exist for long periods in a physical form like the other spirits of the island. His spiritual form was stronger trading his physical strength for mental prowess.  Legends foretold his ability to trap unfortunate souls into an unbreakable curse. It was Peter's worst nightmare come to pass.

His green eyes were full of emotion as he stared at the body of his Lost Girl on the ground. He was helpless to watch as Azruth's ghostly form flew into Jessica's nose instilling his curse. He cupped his Lost Girl's face, "Jess, can you hear me? You have to fight this and wake up."

Jessica did not respond. Her body was limp and every so often her face would contort in pain. Droplets fell onto her clothes and Peter realized they were his tears. His hand went to his cheek feeling the liquid he hadn't felt in a long time. Tears were a sign of weakness. He hadn't cried since he was a young child long before he came to Neverland. 

The snow started to blow into Skull Rock blanketing the rock floor in a white layer. This made Peter pull Jessica closer to his body to keep her warm. He didn't know what to do. In the past, when his Lost Boys were killed, he mourned them as a leader. He avenged their deaths and gave their time in life dignity. 

His thoughts shifted to the vile witch Wendy Darling. She was the first to capture his attention. He allowed himself to be swayed by her wicked games. For it, he paid the price. His endless life that was already running out was reduced greatly. This put pressure on his Shadow to take young boys away from their homes. Each time they weren't the one, he felt the pit in his stomach grow. He had the scroll with the picture of the fateful boy who would be his saving grace. It frustrated him to no end each time his Shadow failed to bring him. Peter could not help but wonder where he was hiding. 

When the Shadow brought another girl, Peter knew immediately who it was. From the moment Jessica Mallory stepped foot onto the island, Peter could sense the underlying power within her. her spirit was that of her father's but broken by the actions of her mother's choices. He recalled the first time she saved him when he pretended to drown. He was taken aback by the softness of her lips. They were delicate and her movements purposeful. It was etched into Peter's memory. As she spent her time in the camp, he watched her grow. He found himself entranced by her emerging personality in a way he hadn't felt since Wendy's trickery. The only difference was Jessica's interactions were genuine. 

He remembered saving her from multiple Never beasts like a prince in shining armour and the long nights of celebrating around the fire pit. There were times he caught her smiling while interacting with the Lost Boys. They flocked to his Lost Girl like sheep. Her caring, courageous, and unwavering heart won them over, even Felix.

She still wore the necklace he gave her from the night at Pixie Hollow around her neck. Peter held it in his hands. 

"The interconnection between worlds now and forever," Peter mumbled to himself. 

The necklace was meant to serve as a symbol of protection, but the guilt weighed heavily in his heart at the danger he placed her in. Numerous times she was near death because of him and his game. While she made it through each game he set, Peter could not help but worry for the day his game would reach a point of no return. 

His green eyes flickered towards the hourglass with a blazing hatred. He remembered the day it was created with incredible bitterness. It was one of his darkest secrets. None of the Lost Boys aside from Felix knew the truth behind the hourglass. They all believed their leader to be immortal and invincible. This created a facade Peter worked effortlessly to keep up. 

His hands ran through Jess's stray hairs as he remembered the pain he felt when Azruth shattered it. It was worse than when he forcefully brought forward Aetherius' true power during the second Blight. The price he paid was one Peter would never forget. 

Now this price was shared by the girl he fell in love with. He felt his dying heart break even more at the thought of Jessica being condemned to the same fate he was. It was as if their futures were forever going to be entwined until the day came when death took their last breath of life. 

"My reckless, Lost Girl," Peter mused.

He stared tenderly at Jessica's cursed body. He ground his teeth at the current state he found himself in. The longer he remained here, the more Jessica was slipping away from his grasp. Azruth was wreaking havoc inside her mind causing Jessica to cry out in pain. Peter rested her on the ground and knelt over her.

"Jessica," Peter opened his mouth to speak, "The moment you entered my life, it was turned upside down. You are more than a worthy player in my game, you are the gamemaster. Your vitality and endless belief. Your resilience and bravery have all left me captivated by you. You slowly became the reason my dying heart beat again. You are my one true Queen. I bow to no one but you."

He swallowed nervously, "I should've told you everything from the start instead of playing games. Maybe then we could've avoided this hellish fate. I wish I could take it back, but I cannot. You put your life on the line for me when I don't deserve it. And now I might lose you for good to that demon. I refuse to let that happen."

Tears now flowed freely down Peter's face, but he didn't wipe them away. Instead, he allowed himself to feel this growing emotion, "He placed you under a sleeping curse as his ultimate trump card. He knows I can't kill you to destroy him. The only way he can be defeated is with True Love's kiss. He had a feeling of his feelings for Jessica Mallory, but only in these moments, he realized how deep they went. He hoped she reciprocated them.

He leaned closer to his Lost Girl's face. 

"Jess," Peter whispered, "I love you. Now and forever may we have eternity."

And then all he saw was light

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