"Let me ask you something. When I carve your girlfriend's eyes and sc.r.a.pe out the map, what should I do with her remains?"

"Two."

"I got it! I'm gonna make her into confetti. You know, for the New Year's Eve celebration. What do you think?"

"Three."

"So what, Marcus? What are you gonna-" Before he can finish his sentence, Miku has latched herself on to him and is singing him a sweet melody. The song can't kill Rage but it can inflict ma.s.sive amounts of pain. Rage tries to stop himself from peeling his own skin off like all of Miku's victims do when she sings to them.

I grab the Amulet just as Rage forms a power ball. I warn Miku just in time; she lets go of him and takes off into the air. I turn as Chaos tries to flee the scene. I launch into the sky and pull him back down to the ground.

"I wasn't done with you yet," I inform the Akon.

I ram him up against the wall and whisper quietly in his ear.

"You should never p.i.s.s off a guy who knows all your fears."

Then I reflect his nightmares back to him. The magnitude of his fear causes him to tremble and weep openly. I think about the number of humans that Chaos has killed by taking control of their minds. That thought causes me to redouble my efforts. I am the last thing Chaos sees before his death.

A block away, I spot Mayhem. His face is contorted in anger. I'm guessing he just learned from Rage that they are the only two Akons remaining. Mayhem looks around for a way to retaliate. Luckily, Emmy is nowhere to be found. Unfortunately, there is another being near enough to him that he can exact his revenge on.

Ameana Jones is about to die. There is no other way this can play out. There are no Guardians close enough to stop Mayhem's attack. Ameana is too busy helping one of Chaos's victims. She will not turn in time to see the daggers coming at her.

Jay and I make eye contact, the blades are already midway to Ameana. The Twins look up and at once they come to the same conclusion I have: No one can stop Mayhem in time. Is it better that she doesn't see it coming?

Ameana props the human up against the wall. She then turns and finds her life, once again, at an end. But somehow, someone close to her stands in the way of the knives. Someone used their own body as a shield between him and Ameana's doom.

"Rage!" Ameana calls out, shocked, as the wounded Akon hits the ground. We all make our way towards them.

Mayhem, as confused as the rest of us, charges towards Rage. He doesn't get far. Rage sends a fireball into Mayhem's chest. Mayhem dies instantly.

Ameana goes over to the last surviving Akon. Rage has been stabbed once in the shoulder and twice on his right side.

He signals for Ameana to come closer. She leans in and he whispers something in her ear. Then he struggles and pulls out a Port from his pocket. The Port unfolds itself. Rage slinks onto it and disappears.

When we all reach Ameana, the shock had not worn off. She told us what the last remaining Akon whispered in her ear.

"'I did it because I love you. That doesn't mean I'm good, it just means I'm weak.'"

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: MOST BEAUTIFUL.

After Jay says goodbye to Isabelle, we take off to Adam City. The journey is filled with reflective silence. The sight of an Akon risking his life for an Angel is something that has never taken place in the history of good and evil.

It weighs heavily on the team's mind, but the person it has the most effect on is Ameana. She looks distant and perplexed. I can't imagine what she's feeling. On one hand, Rage would murder her entire team with no hesitation if he ever got the chance. But on the other hand, the certainty with which he saved her life was nothing short of...Para-worthy selflessness.

Rage's actions aren't the only reason for the thick silence. This is the moment we have all been waiting for. If everything goes right, we should be able to save both the world and Emmy. We're standing on the brink of a long sought-after victory. It's as if speaking will some how jinx all our efforts. So we fly in silence.

So much has happened since we first landed on earth, I fear there will be yet another complication. But according to the sisters, all we have to do is hand over the Amulet. Then we get to save both the world and Emmy. It's like winning the lotto. You know there is always a chance it could happen but when it actually does, you check the numbers a million times.

We had no problem getting past the Tics. Lakom was standing by with a Port. We got on before they could start chasing us. Once inside the Temple, we're greeted by the triplets.

"I trust you were successful," Chance says confidently.

"We have it. But you need to cast the Dy out of Emmy first," I order.

"No, first you hand over the Amulet," she insists.

"That's not how it works," Ameana says.

"Okay, guys, let's all just calm down. Chance, you have our word. After you help Emmy, we'll give you the Amulet," Rio promises.

"I think that sounds okay," Charity says to her sisters.

"Fine," Choice agrees with great reluctance.

A long dark table with restraints on the side, appears out of nowhere. They instruct Emmy to lie down. She looks over at me. I signal to her that it's okay. She goes over to the table and lays across it.

"What are you going to do to her?" I ask.

"We're going to insert this needle in her eye. There's a mixture inside it that will break the map into hundreds of tiny specks. Then it will collect each speck individually and transfer them from the human's eye into the tube," Chance explains.

The needle she's using is as thin as an eyelash. Its tip is gold-colored and extends out into a long, thin translucent tube.

"Is it going to hurt?" I ask.

"Yes."

"You never said anything about pain," I protest.

"We're trying to remove an item that's been embedded inside her eyes for years. It's deep in her cells. How could it not hurt?" Choice says testily.

"We're not gonna let you torture her," Jay says.

"From what I understand, she's used to that," Choice replies smugly.

Seriously, what is this chick's problem?

"Marcus, I can handle it," Emmy says, looking up at the ceiling.

"How bad is it going to be?" I ask.

"Not as bad as ripping through her eye socket," Chance replies as she heads toward the table.

"How long will it take?" Ameana asks.

"The entire night."

"Okay, I'll stay with her." I inform her.

"Impossible. I need to concentrate." Chance replies.

"I'm not leaving her."

"Do you understand that even the slightest interruption can render her blind for the rest of her life? That is if

she lives?"

"Your father did this to all of you?" I ask.

"Yes, he did," they answer all at once.

I hate that.

"And how were you able to endure?" Miku inquires.

"Simple. He taught us at an early age that love is pain. I would think the human would know that since that's what loving you has brought her so far," Choice says.

I exchange a look with Jay and he, too, is baffled by Choice's reaction towards me. Ameana is enjoying this moment although she's polite enough to try and hide it.

"The sooner we do this, the sooner we get our freedom. So please, leave the room so we can begin," Chance orders us.

"I'm not gonna let her get hurt again," I inform them.

"I'm sorry, I was under the impression you had no other option. Has an option presented itself since we last spoke?"

"No."

"Then can we get on with it?"

I look around the room and the team seems to agree; there is no other way.

I go over and take Emmy's hand in mine.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine," she says.

"I think I'm supposed to be giving you the pep talk here."

"Oh, so you've done this before?" she jokes.

"Can you guys give us a minute?" I ask the others. Chance is about to object but then she thinks better of if and she ushers everyone out.

Once we're alone, Emmy sits up.

"You don't have to be brave for me. It's okay if you're scared," I tell her.

"Listen, it sounds like there's a chance something could go wrong," she cautions me.

"Nothing is gonna go wrong."

"Just listen, if it does, you have to make sure they keep going. The map is more important that me. Remember you promised, right?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"And if I don't make it, give Ms. Charlotte to Ben. She really likes him. Tell Uncle Max that I love him. Tell the team...thank you. And when you start blaming yourself, like I know you will...remember, I would do it all over again," she says beaming.

I gently pull her towards me and kiss her deeply, desperately, and maybe for the last time. A rush of longing flows through me. It's only then that I realize it's not about wanting

Emmy. It's about needing her.

Dear Omnis, I need her. I need her. I need her...

All too soon there is a knock on the door. It's time to let Chance and her sisters cast the Dy out of Emmy. I didn't think I would ever dread anything more than knowing she's going to suffer...

The sisters enter and signal that it's time for me to leave. I kiss my girl on the forehead and tell her that I'll see her soon. She smiles sadly, traces my lips with her fingers, then lays down on the table.

As I walk by Chance, I address her with in a steely tone.

"If she dies, you die."

The minute she screams, I run to break the door down and go get her. Jay Glides ahead to me. The screaming coming from the room is far worse than back in the castle because unlike the castle, I've actually given permission for her to be tortured.

"Move," I order him.