Chapter 17

The Break of Dawn

Sparrow tried desperately to keep the smile on his face. It was important that he appear confident, and comfortable with his newfound powers, in order to intimidate his foes. On the inside, however, it was taking everything he had to maintain his grasp on sanity.

The power from the Heart of Kandrakar was unlike any he had ever felt. It coursed through him like a living thing, fighting against all of his considerable might. It seemed as if it was uncomfortable with its new owner, and wanted nothing more then to rush back to Will's side. Sparrow remembered Will's final words to him before she had relinquished the Heart. He stopped fighting against it, and let it flow through him smoothly and without resistance. It was an odd feeling, but the Heart seemed to respond to it, and the pain inside him diminished.

"You wield a new toy." the Queen said, staring Sparrow down. "None of those who came before you ever needed such a trinket."

"I am unlike any you have fought before." Sparrow said.

"True." Jack replied. "You rely on outside help, and foreign weapons to fight. You are barely half the hero any of your ancestors were."

"I fight to protect my people. No matter what the cost, or the weapon." Sparrow replied.

With that, Sparrow unleashed a blast of energy from his hand, aimed at Jack. While unfocused, and seemingly a combination of both air and fire, the attack was still powerful enough to send Jack flying. Sparrow attempted to continue his assault on Jack, but was intercepted by a bolt of energy from the Queen. He managed to dodge the second attack, and hit the Queen with a bolt of lightning, staggering her. Before he could capitalize on her lack of balance, Jack had regained his strength and attacked Sparrow.

Not to far away, the Guardians watched the action unfold. With open mouths, they watched Jack, the Queen and Sparrow exchange blows equally. Every time Sparrow gained and advantage on one member of the Shadow Court, another took their siblings place. It was all Sparrow could do to keep them both at bay. Despite the incredible energies being unleashed, the girls stayed close by the battle. It was clear that neither the Queen nor Jack cared either way about the Guardians without the Heart. For some, however, they were still to close to harm.

"This way!" Whispered Walter Beck, carefully sneaking towards them. He was flanked by several soldiers, who kept eyes on the girls, and Sparrow.

Quickly and quietly, Walter ushered the Guardians back, behind a line of soldiers, where they joined Reaver, Garth and Hammer.

"You're a lot younger then you look." Walter said, once the girls had been secured.

"Yeah, we get that a lot." Hay Lin replied.

"You gave him your weapon?" Swift asked, sliding in next to Walter.

"It's not a weapon, but yes, we gave it to him." Will said.

"Can anyone see how he's doing?" Cornelia asked. "It's so hard to tell if it's working."

"It has to work." Will said. "'Cause it's the only shot we have left."

Sparrow was getting angry. He had thrown everything he had at both Jack and the Queen, yet they kept coming. He simply couldn't handle both of them at once. Thinking on his feet, he blasted Jack away with a strong wind, then focused on the Queen. Expecting an attack, the Queen entered a defensive stance, preparing to block anything Sparrow threw at her. Instead, Sparrow threw up a shield around the Queen. Not expecting this, the Queen did not attempt to stop the shield from forming until it was to late. Pushing against the force field holding her in place, she found it impenetrable. With the Queen out of his way, at least for the moment, Sparrow turned his attention to Jack.

Jack attempted to attack Sparrow from behind, but Sparrow was ready for it. He blocked Jack's attack and began his own. With grim determination, and rage in his eyes, Sparrow began a brutal assault on Jack, not giving the bladesman a second to breathe. Alternating between his own pistol and the elemental powers given to him by the Heart, Sparrow pounded away at Jack's defenses.

"What's this?" Jack said, still trying to sound confident despite being out of breath. "No clever plan? No trickery or deceit?"

"No." Sparrow replied coldly. "I am going to destroy you. That is all."

Without further bravado, all of the pain Sparrow had been forced to endure over the past few days was released in a flurry of blows. Using the Heart, his pistol, and occasionally his fists, Sparrow battered Jack into submission. Jack, to weak from reviving the Queen, was unable to defend himself. The Queen, trapped in the cage formed by Sparrow, tried desperately to break free, but to no avail. She could only watch as her brother was defeated.

After a few minutes, Jack lay on the ground, beaten into submission. Sparrow stood over him, pistol in hand.

"Finish it." Jack said weakly.

"Gladly."

Sparrow raised his pistol and fired one bullet at Jack's mask. The mask shattered, and as it did, Jack's body dissipated into the air. All that remained was the broken mask, and a scorch mark in the shape of Jack's body.

Sparrow was distracted from his victory by a scream. The Queen, with a piercing yell, broke through Sparrow's cage. Eyes lit red with rage, she rushed towards Sparrow, hands raised in fists.

"You think you've won?" she asked. "I am death personified. We've only begun to fight."

Without hesitation, the Queen leapt at Sparrow. Not expecting his opponent to free herself so quickly, Sparrow was forced to go on the defensive. He blocked as many of the Queen's attacks as possible, but eventually some broke through. Sparrow rolled with one of the Queen's energy blasts, allowing himself to get some distance between him and his foe.

"Your new toy will help you not!" The Queen said, readying herself. "I will pry it from your cold dead hands, and use it to begin the second age of the shadow court."

"Have your centuries of fighting my blood taught you nothing, villain?" Sparrow responded. "Albion will never again be yours!"

This time, Sparrow launched into an attack. Tapping in to the energies of the Heart, He knocked the Queen off balance with a strong wind, then hit her had with a blast of fire. He used all of this to distract her while he summoned a sizable piece of the mountaintop to crush her. The Queen remained under the rubble for only a second, before emerging and beginning her counter attack.

Sparrow brought out his pistol, but was forced to roll out of the way of numerous energy blasts. Firing off shots from both the Heart and his pistol whenever he could, he struggled to keep out of the way of the Queen's bolts. In desperation, he used both the power of water and air to freeze the ground underneath the Queen, causing her to lose balance long enough to stop her assault.

With gritted teeth, Sparrow launched himself into his final attack. His grasp on the power of the Heart was wearing thin, and he knew he would not be able to control it for long. If he were to defeat the Queen, it would have to be now. He leapt up at the Queen, and unleashed the full power of the Heart of Kandrakar. He did not worry about the combination of powers used, but instead opted for a full out barrage of every power under his command. Water, fire, earth and air all struck against the Queen, testing her defenses. For seemingly endless minutes Sparrow allowed the energy to pour through his body, straining his mind and body to the breaking point. Even Will, the Heart's rightful owner had never allowed the energies of the Heart to flow so freely, and it was clear he could only take it for so long.

Finally, Sparrow fell to his knees, his skin smoking from the energies now safely inside the Heart. With much trepidation, he opened his eyes to see the fate of his foe. Before him kneeled the Queen, face down in a large, smoking crater. Her head was dropped and her eyes were closed. The dark black haze that normally surrounded her body had disappeared.

Sparrow breathed a sigh of relief. Of course nothing could resist those energies. Not even one born of the void could withstand the full power of the Heart of Kandrakar. Behind him he could hear the rush of footsteps as his friends ran towards him. He had just begun to plan the celebration when a flash of red in the corner of his eye caught his attention. The Queen had opened her eyes. Slowly, she raised her hand, and aimed it at Sparrow.

Sparrow tried to get to his feet, but he was too weak and the Queen was to fast. The ground beneath him disappeared in a spray of rock and dirt, and Sparrow found himself blasted away. The Queen got to her feet and continued her ruthless assault. Never letting Sparrow get to his feet, she proceeded to fire blast after blast of pure energy at him. Sparrow was to drained to put up anything more then the weakest of defenses. The Queen continued this treatment for several minutes until it was clear that Sparrow was defeated. Towering over her defeated foe, the Queen raised a glowing fist, ready to end it. In desperation, Sparrow hurled the Heart itself at the Queen, but she easily sidestepped it, allowing it to fall harmlessly on the ground.

"Ha! That is your final attempt!" The Queen said. "You would throw away your own weapon? You are not worthy of the tittle, 'Hero'!"

Struggling to remain conscious, Sparrow mumbled something inaudible.

"Speak up, fool." The Queen said, nearing Sparrow. "Let the final words of the Black lineage be remembered. Speak!"

"It's not mine." Sparrow said.

"What?" the Queen said with a laugh. "Will your last words be nonsense?"

"The Heart." Sparrow said. "It's not mine. And I wasn't throwing it. I was returning it."

The Queen frowned, trying to make sense of Sparrow's strange words. She was still struggling with their meaning when two words, spoken behind her, made it painfully clear.

"Guardians unite!"

The Queen quickly turned around to find the five Guardians, fully powered, standing before her. Before the Queen could react, Will rushed forward and placed both of her hands on the Queen. Will funneled all of her considerable power through her hands, sending lightning racing across the Queen's body. The Queen screamed as power shot through her.

"So, here's the deal." Will said, staring into the Queen's eyes. "You're death personified. Said it yourself. But Quintessence, my power, is the power of life. It's literally life energy in lightning form. And it's going to kill you."

Despite the Queen's best efforts to resist, Will slowly brought her to her knees. Will pushed even more power through her hands, the Heart responding to its true owner. With lightning coursing through her body, the Queen collapsed.

"You… fool. Only a Hero… can truly defeat me. You do not have the power in your blood." The Queen said, struggling through each word.

"Oh, well isn't that funny. Guess what we have?" Will replied with a smile.

Sparrow, holding his side, stood next to Will and raised his pistol.

"Albion," he said, "will never be yours."

With that, Sparrow fired one bullet between the Queen's eyes. As the shot pierced the Queen, her body began to glow. Without warning, her form exploded in a burst of darkness. Light was absorbed by the explosion, not created, but its destructive power stayed the same. Anything nearby was destroyed, including the rock formations that made up the mountain peak. When finished, the explosion left the mountaintop completely flat, one last mark of the Queen of Blades.

Having gone for cover ages ago, Walter Beck, Captain Swift and the rest of the Albion army, as well as Garth, Hammer and Reaver, watched the explosion from a safe distance. As soon as the danger had passed, they ran to the site of the explosion, fearing for the safety of their friends. When they arrived, they found Sparrow, and the Guardians, huddled underneath a thin, pink energy dome, generated by the Heart of Kandrakar. The shield dissipated as Captain Swift and the others approached.

"Wow, talk about your sore loser." Irma said, getting to her feet.

"Everyone ok?" Taranee asked. "Is anyone seriously hurt? Will? Sparrow?"

"I'm fine." Will said. "I hurt too much to be dead."

Sparrow said nothing. The group turned to see the Hero still lying on the ground, motionless.

"Sparrow!" Hammer said, dropping beside her friend.

"Did… did we win?" Sparrow asked slowly. "Is she dead?"

"Yes, you won Sparrow. Albion is safe once more."

"Good."

And with that, Sparrow went limp, and slipped into unconsciousness.

When he awoke, it was in comfort. For him, it was the best he had felt for weeks, and perhaps years. He allowed himself no time to enjoy this comfort, however, and quickly arose to see where he was. He found himself lying in a bed in a bright, white room, with black curtains. His head hurt and his vision was fussy, but he could make out the royal seal on one of the nearby walls, and from it he gathered he was in Albion castle. Seeing no one around, he got up, and carefully left the room.

Testing to make sure everything was working properly, he gingerly headed to where he knew the main lobby to be. Upon entering, he found that his friends had survived the battle as well. There in the lobby, being served tea and cookies, were the five Guardians.

"Well, good morning sleepy head!" Irma said as Sparrow descended the stairs.

"How are you feeling?" Hay Lin asked.

"I suppose as well as I can after what I went through last night. What we all went through."

"Yeah, last night. About that…" Will said cautiously. Sparrow understood her meaning perfectly.

"How long was I out for?" Sparrow asked.

"Three days."

Sparrow slumped into one of the nearby chairs.

"Three days." Sparrow repeated. "It feels like it in my bones. At the risk of sounding ungrateful, why are you still here? I am happy you are, but I was under the impression that you had your own worlds waiting for you."

"Oh, we've come back and forth." Cornelia said. "Saw parents, boyfriends, whatever. But you can only resist the lure of a butler for so long."

"As hospitable as Jasper as been, we came back because we wanted to make sure you are alright." Taranee said.

"Well, you may put your fears to rest." Sparrow replied, accepting a treat from Jaspers' plate. "I am on my feet once more. Your kindness, and assistance, is appreciated by all of Albion."

"Speaking about all of Albion…"

"Not more trouble?" Sparrow said, sitting up. "It's far to soon for that, is it not?"

"Apparently so." Will replied. "The only news to report is no news. Literally. All of the talks making up your 'civil war' have ended while you were unconscious. They're waiting for news of your health."

"It's the most peace Albion's seen for years." Taranee added.

"That is good to hear." Sparrow said. "But I fear it is only temporary. With my awakening, talks, and arguments, will soon resume."

Will hated to leave on a down note, but she had little choice. It had been tough enough to explain her long absence to her parents and non-Guardian friends, and none of them could spare any more time away from home.

"Sparrow, I hate to say this, but we really only came to make sure you were okay." Will said.

"Yeah, we have a lot of commitments back on Earth we need to get back to." Hay Lin added.

"Of course. I understand." Sparrow replied with a smiled. "You have done enough for this world already, I can ask for no more. But tell me, we I ever see any of you again?"

"I've learned that nothing's impossible. Especially in this line of work." Will replied. "Take care Sparrow."

The friends exchanged warm hugs, remembering the times they had shared together, both the good and the bad. With a wave, Will and the Guardians exited through a newly made portal and headed back to Earth.

With great reluctance, Sparrow turned away form where the portal had been and made his way to the upper balcony. He leaned on the rail and looked down on the city below him. With the sun shining and the people milling through the streets, it was hard to believe that Albion could be anything but a peaceful land. Sparrow had seen otherwise through his travels. He knew the dangers lurking in Albion, and beyond, and knew it was only through blood and sacrifice that its people remained oblivious to those dangers.

"You're thinking about it, aren't you?" came a voice from behind, interrupting Sparrow's thoughts.

He turned to find Taranee standing in the doorway.

"You stayed?" he asked, surprised.

"Only temporarily." Taranee replied, joining Sparrow on the railing. "Will's holding a portal open for me downstairs so I can't stay long."

"And what is it that you suggest I'm thinking of?" Sparrow asked.

"Becoming ruler of Albion."

"In truth, it is hard not to think about it." Sparrow said, turning his attention once more to the city. "I know I will be asked once again to take the position, and this time my resolve seems to be weakening."

"Why do you reject it at all?" Taranee asked. "You have all of the qualities of a ruler, and you have the people's support. Why not accept your duty?"

"It is the people that you speak of that both call me to, and drive me away from the throne. What they want is far from what they need. They need a ruler with clarity and conviction. One with the wisdom to set a course for Albion, and the strength to get it there. I have neither of these things."

"You sell yourself short, Sparrow. I have seen you on and off the battlefield, and I would follow you down any path. What you lack is not conviction, but confidence. What happened to you?"

Sparrow continued to stare out at the city, and said nothing.

"It was a girl, wasn't it?" She asked, reading his face.

"Your keen intuition shines through once more." Sparrow replied. "It was two, one a girl, one a woman. The first, my sister Rose."

Taranee wanted to say something, but sensing a revelation, held her tongue.

"She was killed when we were both children, by the man I would spend the rest of my life fighting. I later found that the only reason he was interested in us at all was to get to me. She was merely connected to me, and for that she suffered, as does everyone else."

Taranee tried to think of comforting words, but realized that Sparrow had been living with this guilt his entire life. Nothing she said now would change that.

"What about the other woman?" She asked quietly.

"Her name was Bailey. We became close friends a few years ago, before I became a renowned hero. As we got to know each other, I fell in love with her, and I believed she shared those feelings. Then one day…"

"Oh no. She didn't…?"

"No. I was the only one who hurt her. I left her that day, and never returned, giving no explanation for my actions."

"But why? I thought you said you loved her?"

"I do!" Sparrow snapped. "I did. But I had many enemies in those days, and still do now. If any of them were to find her… I did the only thing I could to guarantee her safety. I severed all ties, and let her live her own life in peace."

"And where is she now?"

"I have it on good authority that she is alive, and living well. She is the only normal person, one who is not a Hero or a Guardian, that has known me and not met a horrible fate. If I become king, the same thing that happens to everyone else will happen to Albion. I will break them."

"But things are different now for you and her." Taranee said putting a hand on Sparrow's shoulder. "There is protection for both of you, here in the castle. Go to her, tell her how you feel. It is the only way to free yourself from this guilt."

Sparrow opened his mouth to argue this, but no words came. He found no rebuttal, and simply closed his mouth in silence.

"As for Albion, they have made their choice. They want you as their leader, no matter what that might bring. Being a hero isn't about how strong you are, it's about what you do with that strength. Lead Albion to peace. Be their hero."

With that, Taranee left for the portal, giving Sparrow one last glance. He watched her go, then turned back to the city below him. With the midday sun beating down on him, and the feel of the cool castle rail below him, he began to plan the future for himself, and Albion.

A.N. Thanks for reading everyone! I had a lot of fun writing it, and hopefully you had a lot of fun reading it. Thanks to CMR Rosa for the idea and for all his support throughout the story. Thanks as well to everyone who read, liked and reviewed for your support. If you enjoyed this story, please check out my other W.I.T.C.H related work. See you next time!