Chapter 14

Kevin barely avoided getting flattened by a chunk of the ceiling.  The place was collapsing around them.

"Get out now!" Brian shouted.

They raced outside; barely making it before the building completely collapsed.  For several minutes they stood frozen to the spot, staring at the remains of Brian's prison.

"Why did it just... collapse like that?" Zanell wondered.

"Because you freed me," Brian replied. "I was no longer a prisoner, so there was no need for this place to remain."

"Who held you prisoner?" AJ asked. "And why?"

"Someone I hope you never meet," was Brian's evasive reply. "Me?  I'm ready to get out of here."

Despite the vague answer, Nick grinned and threw an arm across his shoulders. "Then let's go home, bro. Your wife and kids are waiting."

"Go?" came a woman's icy voice, echoing around them. "What makes you think you'll be going anywhere?"

Brian's face drained of all color, instantly changing into a mask of terror. Kevin put a hand on his arm.  He'd never seen the man so afraid.

"Who is it?"

He shook his head, refusing or simply too terrified to answer.

"It's the thing that took you from us," Howie remarked. "Isn't it?"

Slowly, Brian nodded. "Nerezza," he said in a low voice. "Yes... she's the one."

"Nerezza?"

"Darkness," he replied with a shivered whisper.

"Did you really think I was going to let you go?" she asked. "After what you have done?"

Brian flinched.

Kevin scowled. "What nerve does she have saying that to you? It was her fault in the first place!"

Blue eyes widened. "Kevin-"

Before Kevin could even blink, an invisible force knocked him violently to the ground. He groaned at the flare of pain.  Ignoring it, Kevin struggled to his feet.

"Brian invited me in with open arms," the voice purred. "He called to me."

"Called to you?" Nick spat. "You lying little-"

"Nick, stop."

All eyes went to Brian, certain it wasn't true. But Brian turned his head away, shame filling his features.

Kevin's mouth dropped open. "Why?" he finally demanded.

Brian couldn't look at any of them. "Power," he said after a long moment. "I wanted power; I wanted to be effective, strong, invincible. I couldn't do it on my own; it was never... never enough."

"Brian, you were never on your own," Howie protested. "We work together, remember?"

"We were incomplete," Brian revealed. "And so were the powers."

No one knew what to say. Hadn't AJ said that it was Brian's faith that kept them going all these years?

"That's no longer the case, Brian," Kevin promised. "We're together now and we are going home."

"You're going nowhere," Nerezza hissed.

"Your power is not absolute," Zanell countered angrily. "Brian has already broken free of your control, and-"

"Brian has gained nothing, except for bringing the rest of you here for me to play with." A low, blood-chilling laugh echoed around us. "Soon you will all belong to me."

"Just what makes you think you can defeat them?" Brian challenged.

"A challenge!" came the amused reply. "Have you forgotten what I have given you, Brian? Your strength and power?"

He scowled. "All you gave me led to misery and pain!"

"You begged for it," came her voice, hardened. "Pleaded."

"Listen, I..." Brian blinked. "I only..."

"It's not my fault that you lacked the strength of resolve to handle my gift. You were fully aware of the price."

"What price?" Kevin demanded. "What is she talking about?"

Brian sighed. "She would make me stronger and in return, I would not fight against Zator."

"What?"

"I could face any other enemy that came against us," he hurried on, "but not Zator himself. That was the agreement."

"Brian," AJ snapped, "are you absolutely insane? Not fighting Zator? That's the exact thing we've been preparing for ever since Zanell first came and gave us the amulets! How could you have done something so stupid?"

"What was I supposed to do?" Brian demanded. "We didn't have many options left."

"So you choose one that could let our enemy win?" Nick asked.

In desperation, Brian turned to Kevin.  He was asking for help that Kevin wasn't certain he could offer. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't form. Swallowing hard against the painful truth, he tried again.

"Without me," he managed to say in a harsh whisper, "he didn't have much of a choice. This... it's my fault."

The pain of the admission was nearly unbearable. But Kevin knew the truth. His ears began to ring; everything around him seemed to shift in perspective. He stepped back from the group, from the astonished look on his friends' faces. As coldness began to sweep over him, a single voice penetrated his despair.

"Kevin, no," it said, gently but firmly. "This wasn't your fault."

He blinked, searching for her face.

"Desperation led Brian to the choices he made. He had options, but he chose to face it alone. That's why we're here."

"No," Kevin replied to Zanell. "When I left-"

"If Brian had brought the problem to everyone, would you have let him do what he did?"

"Absolutely not."

"Then it cannot be your fault, not solely. Choices were made; what's done is done."

"Yes," came another voice. "There is nothing left to do, but submit yourselves to me or perish!"

"Well, I'd rather live," Howie remarked, "though not working for you. I like my freedom, thank you."

The mist swirled in front of the ruins of Brian's prison and a moment later, a tall, dark-haired ethereal woman stood before the group. Her cold eyes studied the group before her. "You have no freedom in this place," she said in a deceptively velvet voice. "This is my domain."

"Not for much longer," Nick threatened, drawing his sword.

A bone-chilling laugh was his response. "You are all children, playing my game. You cannot hope to win against me."

"You might have been able to subdue Brian, but he's not alone any longer," AJ grated.

Kevin stepped in front of Brian. "You have a fight ahead of you," he told her. "And we will not give up."

"You know all about giving up, don't you?" she sneered. "You've had a lot of practice doing just that. Actually I should thank you for so neatly delivering Brian to this place." She smiled. "To me."

Kevin wanted to deny it, but there was a part of him that knew it was true.

"No," Brian's voice said, cutting through the guilt. "It wasn't his fault.  I've forgiven him. I made the decision on my own to come to you."

"He's worthless," Nerezza spat.  "You all could save yourselves the trouble and just agree to do my bidding now.  At least that way you would live."

Kevin watched as Brian lunged towards her; before he moved half the distance, a deafening crack shook the ground. A great chasm appeared in front of him, and he barely managed to stop his motion. The opening widened with incredible speed, separating him from the rest of the group. Kevin scrambled to his feet and began to run.  Before he really registered what he was doing, Kevin reached the edge of the chasm and leaped for the far side, barely hearing the startled cries behind him.  His hands barely caught the lip of the far side; with a thud, he hit the edge. Just as he slid away, a hand gripped his wrist with iron determination. Slowly, miraculously, Brian pulled him up to safety.

"Kevin, what were you thinking?" he demanded as he pulled Kevin to his feet.

"I'm not leaving you alone, Bri. Not after all you've been through."

"I appreciate it, but they need you more than I do."

Kevin followed his gaze across the chasm. The attack on the other four had already begun. Although Nerezza didn't appear all that threatening, the power she wielded was astonishing. Lightning bolts flashed from her fingers.  Kevin and Brian watched as she easily blocked an attack from behind without even turning around. AJ shot at her but she vanished in a swirl of cloud and reappeared eight feet higher. Nick flung one of his Ninja stars at her, but with a wicked grin she simply raised her hand; the metal was instantly vaporized.  Kevin's eyes widened.

"Oh no..."

If she could destroy a weapon like that with a simple flick of her wrist, then they were in deep trouble.

"Howie'll need a little help, too," Brian murmured.

Seconds later, a weapon hung in the air in front of Howie; Kevin couldn't quite identify it due to the distance across the chasm. Howie paused for a moment in surprise, then looked across the gap and nodded.

Nerezza intensified her fight; seems she wasn't pleased with the gift giving and was determined to have them all as her slaves or something.  Kevin was torn. How could he be with Brian and needing to be with the others fighting her?

"Maybe if..."

"Maybe if what?" Kevin asked, turning to him when he trailed off. "They need help now."

Brian worried his lower lip, then nodded. "I have to do it."

Every time Kevin heard that phrase, it never sounded good. It always meant some kind of sacrifice. "Brian, just what are you going to do?"

"Something that will help you and the others fight her."

He said it so straightforwardly that it caught Kevin by surprise. "W-what are you talking about?"

"This." He stretched out his arm and took a deep breath, closing his eyes.  Kevin's gaze moved from him to the battle and back again. What was he doing? Suddenly a brilliant flash of light lit the plane. Kevin had to shield his eyes from the sheer strength of the light. A shriek of anger filled the air.

"Traitor!" she cried.

Kevin's gaze whipped back to Brian. He had gone white and exhaustion filled his features, but a triumphant grin was on his face. "That should hold her back... for a while. Darkness flees from light." He turned to his cousin. "Kev, they need... your help. I can... make a bridge for you."

Kevin shook his head. "You need help, Brian. You're exhausted."

"I'll be fine," he replied. "I'll be too weak after I get you across, and Nerezza can't do anything to me anymore. Trust me." His eyes moved to the chasm separating them from the others. Kevin watched in shock as a silver and blue bridge of psychic energy was slowly fashioned.

"It won't last long," Brian whispered, panting for breath. "But it will get you across. Don't let me down."

His eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed.