Stealth was no longer a factor in their minds.
The minute they left the dining hall, Takabi willed violet flames forth, ripping up the marble floor, and burning everything in his path. His fangs had grown and eyes rolled over in complete violet overturn. His anger welled up inside, each step he took leaving a print of fire in his path.
Hailey was no exception to such hatred. She felt the darkness in her soul begin to grow and awaken. Her fingers trembled with a chilling air, her body aching with the need to spill blood. Neither would be sated with just any blood.
It needed to be Jade.
They had an unquenchable thirst to kill him.
As they continued on, the mansion shook from explosion after explosion. Violet clouds flowing into the air, along with matching flames that danced around the two.
Kultists moved, bounding into the hall to attempt to stop them. Hailey brought her arm back behind her, razor sharp winds slicing through the group behind them like butter, leaving chunks of blood soaked flesh on the floor to be consumed by the ever growing heat.
Kultists hissed, bounding at Takabi on all fours. He pulled his fist back, the fire gathering around his knuckles, before slamming them down, an eruption of violet washing over the Kultists. Their screams of agony echoed in his ears, and while he would usually feel guilt for taking a life, his heart now did not care. All he wanted was to spill Jade's blood, and anyone who got in his way would suffer.
He sniffed about. Fresh traces of Jade's scent lingered in the mansion. He was here, definitely. Takabi had a thought, a weak one, in the back of his mind that it was Jade who attacked them on the way here. If he was willing to kill his mother, it wouldn't surprise him he would do such a thing.
"Further," He growled. "Jade is further ahead."
Hailey walked next to him, air and fire clashing against one another, forming a wall that kept the two in their own world.
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Kairas' eyes were wide at first, until he accepted what he was sensing and grit his teeth.
"That idiot."
The black haired boy had stowed himself away in the kitchen across the mansion. A large and dark place, filled with old rusted pots and pans, was the perfect resting spot. Nana left Kairas to search for Jewel and Aqua moments ago, although now Kairas was thinking that wasn't the best choice.
He could feel the heat of Takabi's flames from such a distance. Up close, his enemies would have an awful time. Rubbing his side, Kairas picked himself up and looked around. He took in his surroundings, and made a mental map of his current position. Based on the movement of his magic signal, Takabi was heading away from Kairas' area.
Did he know where Carlos was, or their captor?
He wasn't sure and it made his worry worse. Kairas bit his lip, mulling over his thoughts and different actions he could take. Either go calm his twin, or look more into Lukas' situation.
His Grandfather seems to be his motivation.
He spent moments leaning against the counter, grazing his chin and deepening his thoughts and choices. In the end, Kairas left the kitchen, eyes scanning over the hallway before he made his way down the corridor. "As much as I want to go and calm him down, Lukas comes first. A Gem on Carlos' side is nothing but trouble, especially if he learns to use his power."
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Naturally, Garuga was shaken. His eyes were wide like dinner plates and body frozen in place. In Porrelth's eyes, who wouldn't be if a dead loved one suddenly appeared before them.
Garuga reached for Jessica, watching her body fade more than it had been. He longed for her touch, her scent and warmth. All that met him now was a cold, transparent ghost. Her features were exactly as he remembered, untouched by the time she spent alone.
"Jessica… I… How are…"
She shook her head, looking at her palm. "I'm only here for a short time now. I wasted most of it already, and the only reason I cling to this realm now is so I can see you." She brushed her ghostly hair behind her ear. "I've missed you so much my dear. These years have been painful without you."
Garuga nodded at her words, clutching his chest. His heart was ramming, and blood pumping. His face had heated up, throat growing hoarse and tears threatening to escape his eyes. "I don't know what to say." He paused. "The kids. Where are the kids?"
"Mal passed on," She said numbly. Garuga lowered his gaze, tightening his fist.
Was it anger that plagued him, or sorrow? He couldn't tell, all of his emotions were conflicted and contradictory. He was happy to see Jessica, but in pain at the circumstances.
"I haven't seen Lillac anywhere though. She might be chained somewhere, or she might've left before Mel did. I wish not to give you false hope, but on the off chance…"
"I'll look for her," Porrelth spoke up.
He had felt awkward and wanted to do anything to leave without making things even worse. He turned on his heel to retreat, but Jessica stopped him in his tracks with a quick wave of her hand. Shadows erupt in a wall before the fire Dragon, Porrelth looking back at her.
"I didn't come for a reunion. I came to pass along a message and warning." Garuga tilted his head, looking at Porrelth and back. Jessica took a deep breath, if a ghost could, and spoke up. "This will not be easy, so I'll be blunt. My death, most obviously, was not an accident. I was murdered in cold blood."
Garuga's eyes narrowed, but he took a deep breath and steeled himself before he had an outburst like Takabi.
They could sense the boy in the distance, as well as feel the heat and the rage within his flames. He would deal with him later.
"By who." It came as more of a statement than a question. He didn't care who, but he wanted to know where to look to find them.
That was when she grew hesitant. She could see the fire burning in his eyes, the absolute want for revenge. It was a poison, something she wanted to avoid giving him by having Takabi go after Jade. It was a gamble that she would even run into the boy, but once she did, she knew he was the only one who could.
Jessica crossed her arms and sighed. "I shouldn't tell you who. I think you'll understand once the dust settles." She looked Garuga in the eye. "If I told you, could you truly bring yourself to kill this man?"
"Of course. This man robbed us of the rest of our lives and our kids. I don't care who it is, they deserve nothing but death." His tone was dark. The shadows bent weakly around him, as if quivering from his very presence. "Who," He repeated.
Jessica glanced at Porrelth then back. Her lips parted to speak, to tell him who and condemn their family for good. Garuga deserved to know who, to know why Takabi was going after their child in a blood fueled rage. Keeping it a secret, would be a plague she would carry with her into the afterlife, and that's a sin she could never live with.
So, she spoke the name.
The name which all else stopped.
The name unforeseen in either Dragon's eyes.
The name of the Police Lieutenant Jade, and Garuga's very son.
Jessica's glow began to wilt. She touched her head, a faint wheeze escaping her. "I'm out of time now. That boy is going after Jade. After what he did, I cannot consider him my child. Garuga, I would hope you feel the same way." She gave a soft smile.
Her time was coming and there was still so much they wanted to talk about. So much to speak and try to understand.
"I love you, Garuga. In this life and the next. I… I can't wait to walk by your side again…" Then she was gone, in a gust of wind.
The light from her, as well as her image, faded away completely into nothingness. It left the two in a stunned silence, minds pondering over the reality that struck them.