The Revenge, The Final Price

This is the final chapter of thirteen-year-old Chloe Bradshaw’s dark tale. For the previous installment, click here.

As I looked at my father’s murderer, the feeling of fear subsided and was overcome by anger. I lunged at the pirate and both Jay and Luke tried to hold me back. They just about managed to restrain me from ripping the man’s throat out. He ambled over with a silver jug in his hand.

I stood up straight as he came closer and brushed myself down.

“Can I help you?” He asked with a voice which made my blood curdle from both anger and fright. I didn’t answer him; I just couldn’t find my voice. I had the idea that neither could Jay and Luke could for they both didn’t breathe a word. The man looked even more menacing close up, like a shadow that could suffocate you.

“I tried to look in his eyes but I couldn’t bring myself to doing it. I swallowed as a cold sweat came over me. “I said-” He started, but I cut him off.

“You killed my father,” I finally said.

“Sorry?”

“You killed my father,” I repeated, a little firmer this time. He still looked confused.

“You went to Sennen; you called my father Lucian before you drove your sword through his belly.

“Ahh, Lucian. So you’re his son? May I ask where is his other son?”

Jay took one step forward. By this time, other people in the tavern were looking at us.

“Oh, I see, twins. Is there anything I can do for you?” He smirked. I didn’t know how to answer that and before I could his forehead creased. “How do know how I killed your father? Were you in the house at the time?”

“Yes.”

“I see,” he stopped for a second before speaking again. “Do you remember your father telling me that you weren’t there? Do you know why he told me that? He said that because if you were in the house I would have to kill you as well.” He was talking quietly making sure that no one could listen into the conversation. “You shouldn’t have come you know, for now I have to kill you now and your brother plus your little friend you have brought with you.”

My blood turned to ice.

“Shall we step outside?” He enquired.

We walked outside and two people followed the pirate. Luke sauntered out; he obviously didn’t like to be called ‘little’. I knew I was fine, however Jay lacked immortality. I had no doubt that he was a good fighter but I was still worried about him.

Once we were all outside the pirate looked at all three of us, grinning again. His hand was by his side next to his sword. He took a step closer to me.

“Once you found me, what exactly where you going to do? “ I finally managed to look him in the eye, where I found nothing at all, no life, no death, nothing. However, I knew that he wasn’t immortal just by looking at him. His skin was not pale like mine and Luke’s and he was shivering from the bite of the wind.

I didn’t know what to say. I was hardly going to find him then congratulate him on killing my father. He knew what I was planning to do. I decided not to say anything.

“You were planning on killing me weren’t you?” I broke eye contact with him to look down at the floor.

“May I ask your name?”

“Jace,” I said.

“Right, Jace, there is a problem with your plan. You see lad what can a fifteen year old do against me? How can you defeat me?”

“We’ll see,” I said. Before I could say anything else, his hand went to his sword and drew it out. He swiftly plunged the sword through my belly.

I took half a step back because of the sheer force. When the blade came out it was not lined with blood and the wound immediately started to heal itself. The pirate dropped his sword in amazement, his hand shaking. He stared at the wound then at me and uttered the word “witchery” under his breath. I quickly took my sword and swiped across his arm with the blade. He gasped as blood stained his coat. Before I could strike again, the other two pirates stepped in.

However, Luke and Jay jumped in, sharing swipes of the blades, causing sparks. Whilst they were fighting with the other two I went after the man who I have been waiting to kill for a while. I waited for him to pick his sword up and confidence swept over me. I had a very good feeling about it all. He swung the sword round fast despite his injured arm. I found it hard to keep up.

I stole a quick glance at my allies. They were doing fine. Jay was cut a bit but not as much as the person he was up against. The pirate Luke was fighting was half dead, with one arm sliced clean through. He had found out that Luke could not die either. I turned my attention back on the pirate I was fighting. After a few more minutes the pirate finally had minor cuts on him, I was getting through his defenses.

There was a shrill cry and I turned around to find Luke standing over his enemy pulling out his sword from the man’s carcass.

Whilst the pirate whom Jay was fighting was watching his ally Jay quickly plunged his sword into the man’s chest. The pirate’s eyes went blank as death swept through him. He made no sound, unlike the other one, and went down peacefully. But I got knocked onto the floor and the shadow of the last pirate loomed over me. I gulped as he started to plunge his sword into my neck. I scrunched my eyes so as not to see anything.

I heard a gasp of pain, it sounded like Jay. I opened my eyes to find that the pirate had hit him. He fell to the ground in a heap. Whilst the pirates back was turned I climbed to my feet and came at him. My blade embedded its self in the small of his back. I leapt forward and swung my sword around, the blade stopped for only a slight hesitation as it reached his neck. I felt it slice through the bone as it came out the other end. His decapitated head had the look of shock on plastered on it.

I ran over to Jay’s slumped body and knelt down beside him. He was barely breathing, he had a gaping hole in his chest where blood started to ooze from. His eyes were filled with tears as were mine. I looked at the hole in his chest, it barely missed his heart. How could I have been so stupid?

“I’m so sorry Jay,” I said voice cracking..

“It’s not your fault.” I could tell he was having trouble talking.

Luke stayed where he was, standing surprisingly still, watching me and Jay say goodbye for the last time.

“I didn’t want it to end this way.” I said holding, on to him.

“No one did.”

“I can always see if Morwena could give you something, you know to heal the wound.” I said hopefully.

“There is not point Jace,” I looked down at the ground wishing that I could turn back the time. I may have killed the pirate but it was a hollow victory, for I lost my brother’s life in the process.

“Jace.” My brother’s voice was growing quiet. I had to put my ear right next to his mouth to hear him now.

“Yes,” I said. I heard him take in a breath, but he did not let it back out.

“Jay,” I looked at him. His face was paler then mine. I closed his eyes and leaned forward to kiss his on forehead. I stood up and picked his body up, before we walked back to the ship.

Luke followed on behind me now saying a word. We were lucky no one saw us as we set sail for Lands End.

I lost everything in the world I had ever cared about all to that man. At least he is dead now and can do no more harm, I thought to myself.

Jay’s limp body lay on the deck

“What are you going to do with Jay?” Luke asked. It was the first time he had said anything since Plymouth.

“We can’t take him back to Sennen. So I was thinking of just,” I nudged my head towards the sea. “You know.”

“I just don’t like the idea throwing him in the sea.” Luke said.

“And you think I do?” I raised my voice.

“That was uncalled for.”

“I know I’m sorry. I’m just upset.”

“I understand. When you’re ready Jace.”

The sea was choppy but manageable. The ship was hard to handle with only two people, but we coped. Once we were halfway to Lands End, I decided it was time.

Together we walked towards Jay. Tears started to roll down my face again. I found the sword which he used and placed it in his hands. Luke and I picked up his limp body and carried him to the side of the ship. It just dawned on me then that he was actually dead, for when he was lying down he looked so peaceful that you would have thought that he was sleeping.

When we reached the side of the ship, we cast his body into the water, the sword going down with him. I collapsed in a heap and started to sob. I didn’t care that Luke was watching me; all I wanted to do was crawl under a rock. Luke knelt beside me and draped an arm around my shoulder.

“It’s going to be OK,” he said.

“Yes,” I replied, though I wasn’t sure I believed him.

Luke and I stayed in the house at Sennen. Luke taught me how to read and write, which is how I am writing this now. There have been many wars which we had experienced and been involved in. Death has become easier to deal with, but I still think Jay, Mr Williams and the other deaths on my conscience. The memories I had have faded, but are still with me.

During all the years I have been on this planet I have never seen anyone else like Luke and I. Although we visited Morwena about three months after Jay’s death and told her what had happened. She gave her condolences and said that I was welcome to come over and talk to her, and sometimes I did.

I think through what has happened in the past centuries; particularly two main wars which I and Luke have been in, fighting to save other peoples’ lives and unable to stop the mass murder.

It was horrible, seeing people die at your feet; however I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing when war arose. The world, even for an immortal like me. seems more complicated when you know what happens in it.

This world is a world where people stalk the darkness, preying upon on the blood of others, where the evil of people cannot die no matter how many times you may fight it.