The Wicked End

I sighed deeply to myself as I turned away from the fighting I had been keeping track of for an entire week. It was becoming more and more devastating to me as time wore on - it seemed as if the side of good was soon wearing thin, and if Johnny didn't let me fight again, they would surely lose, and fast.

It was like he thought I was too fragile or too frail to fight. Why had he even bothered training me if that was how he felt all along? How did he expect me, the key, to do anything at all if he wouldn't let me fight? Didn't he understand that he wasn't doing anyone any good in holding me back?

Kicking a rock in my path, I glanced over my shoulder at the ruins below one more. I caught a glimpse of Jimmy fighting, looking gallant as he did so. II wanted to go down there and fight with him, side by side, and I was determined to get my way.

"Johnny, we're losing," I growled as I made my way over to where he, too, was watching the battle rage before him.

"No we're not," he answered, sending a dark look my way for a moment before his eyes softened.

"Yes, we are. You have to let me go down there and fight..." I persisted, standing my ground against him.

"No, I don't. If you'd just wait and see, everything will turn out the way it was planned to. Your time to fight is very soon."

"Damnit Johnny, you say that to me every time but I still haven't gotten to go down there since the last time," I spat, getting angry at him for giving me false promises every day, telling me to wait for something that would never happen.

"You just don't listen, Davy..." he muttered, not even bothering to look at me.

"If you think I'm so weak that I can't even go down there and fight, then why did you even bother to teach me how to use a sword?" I yelled at him, feeling the white-hot tears of frustration blur my vision.

"It's not that I'm afraid you're weak, Davanee," he yelled back, standing to face me with a look of worry in his eyes. "I'm afraid that I'm going to lose you too soon if you go down again. Don't you understand?!" His voice began to waver, and the look in his eyes told me he really was worried about me getting hurt.

"Johnny, I-" I started to say, near on a whisper, but he cut me off.

"I already almost lost you once, Davy. That burn scar on your arm is proof of it. If I hadn't chased you down when you just ran off, you'd be dead, and the war would probably be over. But you're supposed to stay alive. We need you alive, otherwise there's no way for you to help us..."

Silently, I looked away, going back to the ledge and sitting down, resting my head I the palm of my hand as everything Johnny said sank down into my pores.

Suddenly there came a great howl through the air and a movement down on the ground caught my attention. Jimmy's opponent had thrust his sword deep into his chest. My eyes gazed down, wide with fear of what could happen next. Surely to Jimmy I was nothing more than a scratch.... Right?

As if that action were a cue of something big happening, the fighting stopped. Everyone completely forgot about their cause and about the war, and trained their eyes hard on Jimmy. He took a moment, staggering on his feet, and the entire desert was deathly quiet. From where I was up on the mountain, I could have sword I could hear Jimmy's ragged breathing.

Slowly he started walking, the crowds parting for him as they continued to stare him down. As everyone carved him a path, I saw it led to the stone steps of the white palace. And Brian was waiting there for him.

Confusion taking over me, I continued to watch Jimmy as he crept closer and closer to the air. Overhead a flash of lightning and a crack of thunder broke the silence. Finally approaching the steps, Jimmy got down on his knees and a sense of dread fill me, deep down inside my gut.

Brian's lips curled up into a smile that sent shivers down my spine, and I knew I wouldn't like what was about to happen.

"You know what has to be done?" Brian's voice asked, his words slithering past his lips like a poisonous serpent.

"Yes... I surrender," Jimmy answered quietly, his head hung, and the evil smirk grew on Brian's lips.

"Johnny, what is he doing?" I asked, panic filling my voice, seizing my body. Hoards of evil angels and souls were starting to surround Jimmy from behind and the sky grew shades darker before my eyes.

"He's doing his part to fulfill the prophecy." Turning to Johnny, my jaw went slack.

"He's giving himself up and surrendering to evil to fulfill a damn prophecy?! No... he can't do that Johnny, he can't. He's the captain!" I shouted, mostly out of fear. "I'm going to stop him." Quickly I dodged my way around Johnny toward the downward sloping trail, but stopped when I felt his arms wrap around me tightly.

"Davanee, stop," he whispered in my ear. He's not surrendering his army... he's making room for the new captain who will take his place. This isn't the end," he said, and then led me back over to the edge, where I could see Jimmy still knelt before Brian.

Quick as the lightning flashing overhead, Brian raised a hand out in front of him, slowly turning it into a tight fist. Like Zacky and Sarah before him, Jimmy's body began to turn the color of soot, smoke rising up from him. As his body erupted into flames, Jimmy kept his head hung down and not a sound of agony was heard from his throat.

I could feel the hot tears forming in my eyes as they had moments earlier, but for different reason now. Pulling against Johnny's restraining arms, I cried, watching as yet another friend was reduced to ash.

"Jimmy, no!" I screamed, and in that moment there was a small outward explosion of fire and ash, leaving nothing behind. My scream echoed down to the ground level, and I could have sworn I saw Brian look up at me and smirk before he turned and went back into the palace.

As if a hypnotizing spell had been lifted, the fighting and the rage broke out once more - but now one side had no captain.

"It's alright, Davy..." Johnny cooed into my ear, shushing my cries as he let me go. I hastily wiped the tears from my cheeks and turned around.

"So what happens now?" I sniffled. "Who's the new captain for the side of good?"

"...You are, Davy," Johnny answered and I choked on my sobs.

"W--what?"

"I bestow unto you the power of Captain of the Army of the Divine," Johnny said, and he held his hands out. Placed upon them was a sword; one that looked very familiar.

"...Jimmy's sword..." I whispered. Looking back up at Johnny, I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Are you even allowed to do that?" Smiling, Johnny gave a brief nod.

"I'm allowed to do whatever I want."

"Johnny," I sighed, feeling uncertain with what he was trying to tell me. "I don't know if I can do this. It's a lot of responsibility... I mean -- I can't," I spluttered out, looking back down at the gold-encrusted sword that belonged to Jimmy just moments before.

"You don't really have a choice, Davy. It's your destiny to take over his position," Johnny rebutted, his voice sounding firm. Holding the sword out to me, he motioned for me to take it from him. "It's yours now... You must take it."

Hesitantly, I reached out and touched the cool metal of the handle, grasping it tightly and pulling it from Johnny's loose grip. Suddenly I felt a sense of assuredness completely overwhelm me - as if the feeling emanated from the sword itself.

"Listen carefully at what I'm about to tell you, Davy," Johnny said quietly, and I looked up into his eyes to let him know he held my full attention. "You must first remove his wings. Without them, he becomes a mortal. This sword must pierce his heart - it is the only way to kill him."

"Who?" I asked, but Johnny gave no reply. Silently he bent down, placed a light kiss on my lips, and smiled.

"I promise you - I won't let anything hurt you," he whispered, and then winked. "Go. Now is your time to fight. You know what you have to do."