"Kill me? So….you really did kill them!" Amber whispered with a shaky voice.
"Believe me…Amber. There was no other way." Ahana said with a dry tone.
"You sound so sarcastic! What do you mean no other way?! You can't kill other jinn slayers! It's against the rules and it's not our w-"
"I'm well aware of that. I didn't really care about the twins but…I couldn't let them kill Joey. He's important."
"Important? He's a threat!"
"A threat, huh? Joey…has done nothing wrong. Based off of what I know, very soon Joey will change. I don't want him to but it has to be this way." Ahana sighed.
"Your eye….you've seen something haven't you?" Amber asked.
"Yes. You need to trust me on this, Amber. Everything is happening for a reason, so please don't ruin it". Ahana said in a calm voice.
"So….you'd even kill us to achieve this future?" Amber asked.
Silence fell upon the two. Ahana ignored Amber and stared at the river with her Crystal blue eye. "Don't you have dreams?" Ahana asked.
"Yes". Amber slowly answered.
"I see. Let's say that you knew how to reach that dream…but to do so…you'd have to make difficult decisions along the way. Would you still try to accomplish or make that dream come true?" Ahana asked.
"Yes….yes I would".
"So-"
"But. If I knew there was a chance I would ruin someone else's dreams and goals…I wouldn't be selfish and strip that away from them all to have mine come true".
******
"That's it. We need to kill that woman now!" Duce whispered.
"Not yet! She's a high-level…but she's not the one I'm looking for! We need-"
"We need to get the hell out of here Astor! A high-level? Duce and Joey would die!" Jinx said.
Joey tip-toed towards Astor and the others. He slipped and fell out in the open. The woman quickly hissed and crawled up the cave walls. "Who the hell are you!?" She hissed.
"Oh hell no! Sorry I can't keep my composure!" Joey yelled as his jinn weapon pistols were summoned.
Joey took aim and fired two shots at the woman. She leaped across the cave and spit a web at Joey.
Joey jumped out of the way and watched as the web sliced half of the cave in half. "The webs are like blades! I'll have to dodge!" Joey said to himself as the woman darted towards him and punched him, creating powerful wind that sent Joey flying out of the cave.
Duce jumped from behind the rocks and clapped his hands. "Jinn Sloth!"
"Who are you-" the woman was shocked when punched with great force by the creature. She was also sent out of the cave and into the air.
"Astor destroy the eggs with your fire!" Duce yelled. Astor didn't budge, he sat and watched.
"Joey won't die….I need to wait". He whispered.
"Astor!" Jinx yelled.
Zuri and Astor made eye contact.
"Not yet".
"Not yet".
They both thought at the exact same time.
"Even if it means my life…I'll do it!" Astor yelled as he ran towards the eggs and cut each one of them open In one swift cut from his grey sword.
Duce and Jinx watched as five figures emerged from the eggs. "Hey, hey, hey….what's….going on here-" Duce grabbed Jinx by the waste. "RuNNN!!!!" Duce yelled as a giant explosion went off in the back.
******
Joey was in the air. "Joey…Joey wake up!" Pepper screamed in his ear. Joey opened his eyes and realized he was falling. He snapped out of it and landed swiftly on a tree.
"You okay?" Pepper asked.
"Yes, I'm okay. I just don't understand. Maybe you were right Pepper. Maybe…Astor really is trying to-"
"Die!" The woman laughed as webs crashed through the forest and destroyed everything in their path.
Pepper grabbed Joey by the hair and lifted him in the air. "No you don't!" The jinn screamed as she shot webs at Pepper and Joey in the air.
"Drop me! I'm too heavy for you to love Pepper!" Joey demanded. Pepper dropped Joey and dodged the webs.
"Shit! I can barley keep up with her and help Joey! This is too much". Pepper thought while flying around and dodging the webs at a fast rate.
Joey hit the ground and fired two shots. The jinn twisted her body in air and dodged both the bullets. "Ritual: Spiderweb!" Webs shot in all directions, covering the whole island within a second.
"This is…insane". Joey whispered as the jinn floated towards him.
"Who are you?" Joey asked.
"I'm Alice. It would seem…Bomber was right all along". Alice laughed, showing her sharp teeth.
"Bomber? Wait…your-no. I forgot that high-levels can posses a body! Even so…she knows the jinn that Astor is looking for!"
"Your looking for him? Hahaha! You can't kill Bomber! Alice laughed. Alice got a closer look at Joey as she teleported behind him and grabbed him by the face. "Hey….your…Ahana's student! Joey Castle!" Joey kicked Alice in the stomach and pushed her away.
Joey turned around. Alice was gone. "Your not that strong. What are you? A low-level slayer?" Alice laughed as she quickly moved around the forest.
Focus Joey. Let your jinn-energy flow throughout the forest. Everything I feel. The dirt, animals, people, insects, trees, and the wind. Joey thought to himself. He quickly remembered Ahana's words.
Ahana put Joey on his ass from training. "Damn. No matter what I do…I can't follow your movements, Ahana." Joey said with frustration.
Ahana took her shoes off and bent down. "You can't track or see my movements. So…why don't you just use your energy to see me? You don't necessarily need eyes. Hell, I only use one eye most of the time! You think your a normal human, which isn't true! Your eyes are unique just like my Allah eye, Joey boy. The angels fear it because they don't know the outcome. But…you have the ability to use your energy in unique ways that others can't. Try to relax yourself and focus on what you smell, hear, feel, and on the mind. Do that…and you'll reach the first step". Ahana laughed.
"First step? To what?"
"First step to surpassing me".
In that moment, Joey snapped out of his thoughts; surrounded his arms and legs with jinn energy. Alice came from behind him but she was shocked to see Joey turn his head and land a powerful blow. Joeys punch made the ground shake as Alice went flying through the forest from brute strength.
"He read me?"
Alice stopped and halted. "It's about time". She laughed.
Joey turned around as six figures falling from the sky. "My children….the sinister six!"
One of them had Jinx in their arms while the others surrounded Joey. "Your trying to hurt our mother?" The jinn asked in a sinister tone.
Joey was to frightened to move. "Drop your guns!" Another demanded.
Joey could feel the energy from the jinns. Without question, they were the strongest beings on the island.
Where's Astor? Duce? Pepper? Are they dead? No…I can still sense their energy…but…what is this feeling? Joey thought to himself as he dropped both his guns.
A tall, green, gooey jinn walked up to Joey and stared at him. "What do we do with him, mother?"
Alice wiped the dust from her heels off and walked up to Joey. "We kill him. He's working with my enemy! A enemy to our whole existence! We kill him, we break her spirit!" Alice said.
"Sorry". Joey whispered.
The jinn paused and looked down to meet Joey in the eyes. "Sorry? For what?"
"I just…have a feeling to not give up just yet!" Joey laughed.
The jinn that held Jinx threw her to the ground. "DELTA GET AWAY FROM HIM NOW!" Delta, the tall and gooey jinn grabbed Alice and quickly jumped back. Joey pulled out his shotgun and hit Delta in the arm.
"NOW PEPPER!" Joey yelled as fairy dust fell from the sky. "Ritual: Fairy Oder!"
The jinns all let out a hiss and disappeared. "Not good! They're headed towards the town!" Joey said as he gathered himself and sprinted after them.
"Joey wait! You can't go-"
"Innocent people will die!"
Duce appeared from the trees and quickly grabbed Pepper and Joey. "You two have to listen, and listen carefully! Joey, you need to watch out for Astor! I saw him cut open the jinn eggs and release the jinns! Don't go to the town because hey already there". Duce explained as he tried to not get it by the giant webs that surrounded the island.
"Trust me". Duce pleaded.
"I trust you". Joey said.
A flash of black jinn energy emerged from Joey. It was enough to make Pepper and Duce uneasy. "What's wrong? You didn't see that?" Duce asked.
"Duce. I want you to tell the siblings and Astor…that if they try to take me away from my family and friends…it'll be hell for them!" Joey said in a serious and deepened voice.
Duce started sweating. He didn't even know why he's heart began beating fast. What is this? He thought. As Joey slowly got up and waved Pepper over to his shoulder.
"Where are you going?" Duce asked as he pulled Jinx out of the woods. "I'm going to help people evacuate the island. We can't have kids and people dying. Pepper will sore high in the sky and tell me where to look. Duce and Jinx…you two…please be safe. I care a lot about you guys". Joey sighed as he disappeared into the forest.
"We're all solutes up with seven high-level jinns here! Kinda hard to be safe!" Jinx yelled.
******
Joey ran through the forest and went to where the fairies lived. "Joey….what's wrong? The flow of your energy and heart…it's changed dramatically". Pepper said as she floated around him.
"Pepper….I really don't want to lose anyone". Joey said as his eyes were focused souly on the mission and survival. "A jinn is headed this way…and I'm not strong enough to stop it! I'll need you to get your family out of here while I hold it off". Joey said.
"Wait what? How can you tell-"
"My master taught me how to spread my energy and feel everything around it. Right now…I feel everything on the island. The trees,wind,animals , and people."
"Joey wait!" Pepper yelled.
Joey stopped running and turned around. "Let's get Duce and Jinx. We can all avoid this whole mess and run away!" Pepper pleaded.
Joey walked over and let Pepper stand on his finger. "I wish we could've met earlier in my life, Pepper. But…my mother always taught me to never abandon people…even if they're good or bad. So…the chances I actually survive this fight is low. This may be the last time I ever see you again. Please get to safety and safe your family." Joey said as he waved goodbye.
Pepper stared at Joey and watched him run in the opposite direction. "Joey…your wrong. I'm the one…who should have met you first".
Time went by and Joey waited patiently in the middle of the forest. Suddenly loud and fats footsteps where approaching him from behind.
Joey slowly turned his head and saw the tall gooey jinn from earlier.
"I'm actually getting good at it!" Joey aid to himself.
"Your the same kid from before?! No…your not him. Where is he!?" Delta asked.
"Your looking at him…Delta". Joey said in a calm voice as he put his items down and took off his shirt.
This kid is different. It's like…he's depressed or something. But his energy is…stronger than before? No…it's something else. I was born fro one thing…and that's to protect mother from any threats! Delta thought as he slammed his hand into the ground and absorbed the life from trees to create a sword made from natural resources.
"Mom and Lily….I'll make it back to the both of you no matter what!" Joey said to himself as he took a deep breath. "You have something to protect to. I am relate to that". Joey whispered with a faint smile.
"Are you giving in to death!? You seem out of it kid!" Delta laughed. Delta stood around 5'10. His body was blue, gooey, sticky, and had long arms with sharp claws.
"Who knows. Ahana sent me here for a reason…and I don't know why. I still don't even know why you exists. A jinn giving birth to a whole jinn…she must've used bodies of the dead!" Joey said.
"Like that matters! Your going to die and be forgotten by everyone! This is it, kid! I'll end you swiftly….for my jinn brothers and sisters!" Delta laughed.
"I have so much to say. But forget it. Forgive me…mom. But I don't know how much longer I can keep my fake smile".
Next chapter: Joey Fights Back
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