~Drew~
What was supposed to be a recovery mission was now an all-out brawl. It was a good idea at first, but now he was beginning to realize he shouldn't have separated everyone.
Darren had been thrust into his past that he barely knew. The only good thing about that was Beca was in another group. They would tell her once this was over, but they had to get out of here first.
His first instinct had been correct. They were after Darren. They wouldn't have told him otherwise. But Casey hadn't known the relationship between them so the original shock on her face had been genuine. Nathan had kept that particular trump card to himself. Now all they had to do was figure out why they wanted him. No one would tell him right now.
Tyler had told him on the way that he would get Maddie out if they needed to. Drew had known about the rumblings among the group. No one wanted Maddie around right now. Too much was at risk and if she was killed, it was all over. Drew had welcomed the help. Once Maddie was gone to safety, he could focus on closing the focal points and getting them out.
Well, that's what he thought.
The focal points were in different buildings on the property. He was in the farmhouse. Normally, he didn't want a fight to help them get out of a situation, but at this point he did. He wanted to get out of the building so no one would risk serious injury. That, and he could close the focal points for the Shades. Those already outside could destroy them.
As if reading his mind, Simon picked the young gun up in front of him and threw him out the window. Ignoring the shards of glass, he jumped out after him. Drew heard his fist connect with flesh several times before he saw the older guy stand up. A crooked smile followed then he grabbed another guy by the arm and flipped him.
With the house as small as it was, they were putting holes all over the place. If they weren't careful, it would collapse around them. Drew had to get his people out so it would be fair.
Grabbing the back of Darren's shirt, he half carried and half dragged the other guy out. Darren tried to fight, but he realized who it was and went willingly. Drew was grateful. He wasn't sure if he was able to fend off eight people at once. Not without leaving himself exposed at least.
Their group converged a few yards from the front porch. Darren turned to say something to one of the others when Nathan jumped him. They went face first into the gravel, taking Beca, Parker and Matt down with them. Drew couldn't do much but jump back. If he lashed out he could hit any of them as well as Nathan. He didn't care about Nathan, but the others he did.
Darren for the most part could handle his own. He rolled until he straddled Nathan then delivered four successive blows to his face. Nathan managed to get his legs under Darren's hips and launch him into their friends. Prepared for it, Matt and Carlos caught him. They flipped him back to his feet and flanked him as he surged back in.
Drew had to hand it to him. Darren could hold his own. With everyone behind him, he would be damn near impossible to stop. But Darren had one flaw, and he was standing by her.
Before they had separated, Drew had seen Parker and Darren talking in hushed whispers. Parker had looked very unhappy, but the other guy had been adamant. The mage could easily look into the past and see, but whatever they had planned probably fell into the plans that were unfolding naturally. All he had to do was wait for it to happen.
Several more people flooded from the back of the house. The two groups were pretty much even; one mage and plenty of people to fight on each side. Whoever got the upper hand would win.
"You should stop while you have everyone," Casey advised. Her voice was raspy as she tried to hold back every emotion rifling through her.
Drew could see her powers fluctuating around her. "Stop this, Casey. Let it go. Nothing you do can stop us from winning. We have everything."
"Not everything."
It was barely audible but Drew heard it as clear as day. So this was about the last relic. She was trying to make things go her way. If they did, the whole world would be at her beck and call. It would be a global dictatorship worse than what anyone could dream of, even the dictators of old.
Drew took a step forward, but Parker was there to stop him. The mage looked at him before trying to go around, but once again he was stopped. He stared at the Knight, begging him to let him go with his eyes. Parker looked at him, remorse flitting through his eyes. Unfortunately, he didn't budge.
Beca tried to get by, and he even stopped her. Unlike Drew, she wouldn't just stare at him. She shoved him each time he stepped in front of her, but he wouldn't move. While their friends fought Casey's group, they fought each other. While they were getting physical bruises, they were withstanding emotional ones.
Darren's sister pushed Parker one last time. The man didn't move. Instead, he wrapped her up and swung her around until they were not facing her brother anymore. It took too long for Drew to understand. When he did, it was too late.
Nathan swept Darren's legs out from under him. Matt and Carlos tried to bull rush him but were caught by two of his friends. They took them down, but three more took their spots. Nathan looked up into Parker's eyes and gave him a wicked smile. Parker didn't budge as he crushed Beca to him.
"You made it too easy," the dark headed boy laughed.
"What is he talking about?" Beca demanded. She squirmed trying to get out of Parker's grasp. "What's going on? Let me go!"
Parker didn't say a word and he didn't let her go. Drew watched helplessly as Nathan beat Darren to a bloody pulp. If he moved, Parker would stop him which would free Beca. she would charge at Nathan, and he wouldn't care how much he hurt her as long as he got Darren. He knew there was no blood relation between them so she was expendable.
Beca wailed to get free as Darren grabbed Nathan by the collar of his shirt. He drew the other guy's eyes until they were staring at each other.
"Do not hurt her!" he growled.
"I wasn't planning on it. Your friend has a pretty good grip on her," Nathan laughed. He was all giddy. He was supposed to be getting his way, and it looked like he was going to get it.
Darren turned his head. He met Parker's gaze over Beca's blonde head then looked at her back. His eyes softened despite the nasty bruise that was starting to darken on them. Beca had been Parker's mision so letting Darren go was easy for him.
This Arthur turned and looked back up. He grabbed Nathn's arm in a death grip and twisted.
"Do your worst!" he challenged.
The shocked aura around Nathan changed to a dangerous one. "Gladly."
He dropped his head and sank his teeth into Darren's neck. The other guy cried out which made Beca flail even more. Now she was crying, begging to be released. Parker's arms never faltered. In fact they tightened and he buried his face in her shoulder.
"Hurry up!" he bellowed.
Beca's head collided with his. Drew could see her eyes were wide as she stared sideways at her captor. Tears streaked her flushed face and more rolled from her big blue eyes. There was a pop as Casey opened a portal. Parker let his arms loosen, and his captive wrenched herself free.
It wastoo late though. Nathan drug Darren through the portal just as she jumped at it. Much like Bellatrix Lestrange, she tossed something through it, but no one was certain if it made it. She landed face first in the dirt, balling into a distraught mess as her screams pierced the air.
Casey's people disappeared, their cars kicking up dirt and gravel. Matt and Carlos sank into the grass, exhaustion on their battered faces. Bianca slid into Beca and pulled her up. The two girls hugged tightly as Bruce stalked across the lawn. Simon, Chase, and Petey disappeared around the house to see the actual damage.
"What happened?" Bruce asked. He looked around, noticing several were missing. "Where's Maddie?"
Drew cleared his tight throat. "Tyler and Max got her out of here. She should be back at school by now."
"And Darren?"
"He sacrificed himself." Drew looked at Parker as he spoke. The other guy looked lost all of a sudden. "He asked me to hold Beca so Darren could be taken by Nathan and Casey. He wanted to know they were after."
"And you went along with it?" the mage asked. Parker nodded, but Drew knew he hadn't had a choice. Darren would have asked someone else. Parker had a better chance of containing Beca.
He sighed and did a head count before they piled back in the cars. He left the barrier up because he would have to return for clean up anyway.
Beca cried the whole way back to the school. As did Parker. One lost her brother, and the other had been asked to betray his friend by that same friend. Anyone's heart would ache after that. Even Drew's because he'd been helpless to stop it.
Maddie was sitting on a bench by the parking lot when they pulled up. Tyler had to hold her back to keep her from going to them. He waited until Drew gave him a signal before he let her go. Max was nowhere to be seen.
Beca collided with Maddie. She cried and blubbered and cried some more. Unfortunately, Maddie didn't understand her. She looked at them flabbergasted.
"Darren was taken," Simon said. "He asked Parker to 'betray' him." He used air quotes for the word betray. He was the only one who could use them and not look like an asshole.
Maddie didn't say anything which was a little disconcerting. She wrapped her arms around Beca and together with Bianca led her back to their dorm. It would take some time, but they would settle.
Everyone began to disperse to clean up. Simon and the older Knights hovered around until they were gone. Drew finally sighed and rubbed his head.
"They're searching for the cup," he said. "It's the only thing that can give Casey power with us united."
"Where is it?" Dylan asked.
"I'm not sure, but one of Darren's past lives might know. Unlike me, Casey can't just look inot a person's past willy nilly. She has to have the person in her grasp to understand their past. She wants to look into Darren's past to find it. He was the last one to have it almost five hundred years ago."
Max stepped into their group, a look of determination on his face. "They also found Guinevere which is an interesting twist."
Simon sighed. His shoulder's sagged. "Let's give the kids a break before our next adventure. They fought well today."
Drew agreed. As the others went various ways, he stayed behind. Not to put a protection spell around the place, but to take him to remember this feeling of loss. Once he was able to process it, he went in to get ready for their final showdown.
But Drew knew one thing Casey didn't. The Holy Grail wasn't just a cup. Far from it. The magical item only answered to one person, and she was within the walls of this school.