This is it featherheads, The chapter! This is my favorite chapter in the whole book. This one has the message that I want people to know. I hope you enjoy this special chapter and thank you so much for reading.😀
P.s this is NOT the last chapter
Chapter 53 Called By Name
The moment that Opal had fallen and the amulet cracked releasing all of the dark magic inside, it seemed as though Opal’s army scattered. The Fangs, the trolls, and even the Titanium Dragon all stopped fighting, and looked at each other, looked at the Wingfeathers walking towards the hill and finally, they looked at the Biolumines who were ready to pour their water on all of them. They scattered like thwarps in a garden when Podo is in control.
The Wingfeathers all walked up to Opal. She was on her knees clutching her hands, weeping and sobbing uncontrollably. “It's time to go Opal," Janner said strongly.
“You will never defeat me, it's going to take a lot more than just an ancient song to take me down.” she said, raising her head at them. Her face looked broken. She looked deeply hurt, which she was. But this was the first time Janner had seen her let it show.
“We know that we are not going to defeat you with ancient songs this time. We're taking you to the First Falls.” he said, remembering what The Maker had told them.
“You do realize that I can blast you right now?” she said, looking at them like they had no idea who they were dealing with.
“Oh we know that, but we also know that you lost your powers for a short time. You foolishly revealed to us that you can lose your powers because of your wings.”
Kalmar said, remembering the fact that Opal had told them this. She groaned and said, “My powers can come back in a matter of hours.”
“Well, we better get moving then," Janner said, smiling smartly at her. She groaned again as Esben and Artham took one of her arms which she tried furiously to wiggle out of. Then they were off sailing on one of their Annerian ships back to the Golden Kingdom.
It didn't take too long; although, it felt like an eternity with Opal with them. She complained and groaned, moaned and whined the entire trip. When they actually got to the Golden Kingdom, they had to walk all the way to the First Falls, which Opal did not like.
“Any minute now, I hope you realize that I can blast you," she said, saying this naggingly.
Kalmar groaned and said to Janner, “Can we please switch? I'm begging you, I cannot take one more minute of her whining!”
“Fine, I'll take a turn with the queen.” he said, not really wanting to do this, but it gave his brother a break. They walked through sand, more sand and even more sand. Although Janner went back and forth on whether this was actually true, he decided that this in the long run was the worst road trip ever!
Eventually they finally reached the First Falls.
“Finally!” Opal said, as they stopped walking. Esben and Artham released her.
She lifted her hands up and curled her fingers and suddenly a massive burst of blue screen fire blasted out of her palms. Every one of the Wingfeathers stood next to each other closely.
“I have waited 15 years for this!” she said, almost in disbelief that this was really happening. All of them held hands and held their breath for what she was about to do. Then something so unbelievable happened that all they could do was smile with their mouths wide open.
“Say your last words, Wingfeathers, for they will be your last!” Opal said, as she raised her hands in the air, then balled her hands and suddenly her head burst into a flame as she said, “Goodbye Wingfeathers!” She laughed as she raised her hands even farther and the fire became so bright that it almost turned white. She didn't realize the looks on their faces, for they weren't scared but they were almost happy-looking. She was about to blast them; everything was perfectly going according to plan.
When a voice from behind her, one that made every bone in her body shiver, said, “Ruby Stars!”
Immediately, after hearing this, her hands dropped from their position, her face went pale and she gasped. It seemed to Janner like the next minute was in complete slow motion.
She turned around to see that standing behind her, the one that had called her true name, was none other than The Maker, Himself.
“Maker!”, she gasped, as she looked him in the face and immediately turned her gaze to the ground, putting one of her hands on her elbow.
“Ruby Stars!” The Maker said again, in the same kind yet stern voice. Opal did nothing, but tears pricked her eyes.
“Ruby Stars!” He said again, with this she breathed more heavily and the tears started running down her cheeks.
“Ruby Stars!” He said again, this being the third time, she started to sob of sheer terror, horror and sadness.
“Ruby Stars!” The Maker said again, this time a little louder than the rest.
She cried more loudly this time, as she managed to scream out, “That's not my name!”
“Ruby Stars!” He said again.
This time she was crying more heavily as she yelled again, “That's not my name!”
“Ruby Stars!” He said again.
This time she crumpled to the ground and she yelled “That's not my name!”
“Ruby Stars! He said again looking with great sadness at her.
She was completely to the ground now on her knees yelling out,
“That's not my name!”
“Ruby Stars!” He said again.
This time she was wailing and pulling her hair as she yelled,
“That's not my name!!!”, this time louder than all the rest.
“Ruby Stars!”
“That's Not My Name!!!!” She said through heavy tears. They all looked at her with great sadness.
Leeli clung to Nia’s dress and they all came closer to each other watching this.
“Ruby!” The Maker said this time quieter than the rest, “Come Home!” He said softly. Opal stopped yelling. She stopped clumping her hair into balls and yanking it out; she was just there on her knees crying louder than anything Janner had ever heard.
“Ruby, Come Home!” The Maker said. At this she stopped crying and raised herself up. Tears raced down her face.
The Maker stretched open His arms as He said again, “Come Home!”
Opal’s face melted; she looked longingly at The Maker as she fell into His arms. He welcomed her in an embrace as she sobbed into His shoulder.
“You are mine!” He said to her which only made her cry louder.
“Shhhh.. shhh it's over now.” He said soothingly to her as He smoothed her hair. The crying became softer as He did this.
“Tell me child, what is your name?” He asked.
“My name is R-Ruby, Ruby Stars and I am yours.”, she said, crying. These tears weren't of sadness and horror and terror but they were of joy. She let go of The Maker and smiled at Him, something she hadn't done in 15 years. As she sobbed, “I'm so sorry, I…I didn't know what else to do. I thought it was the only way” she said, regretting everything that she had done.
“All Is forgiven, child, for today is a new day, and you are not who you once were, you are changed now. You are mine." He kindly declared.
She wiped a tear from her eye and said, “Thank you!”
“You are welcome, child. But you should know that Esben Wingfeather didn't intentionally break your wings or hurt your family.”
“What?” she said, turning around to face the Wingfeathers. Her face shocked them all. She looked like an entirely new person. Every part of her face was different. She looked new, and she looked like she had found something that she had been searching for her whole life. Her eyes were full of love. and she smiled, which was the first time Janner had ever seen her truly smile.
“It's true, I didn't mean to break your wings or to hurt your kingdom or family. About a few weeks before we attacked, my parents, King Jru and Queen Illia disappeared from Anniera and Aerwiar all to begin with. We searched frantically everywhere for them. They were nowhere to be found. Three days after they had gone missing, we had heard rumors from all different people from other lands that the fairy kingdom known as the Emerald Kingdom, was untrustworthy. People from the other lands had been taken by this Emerald Kingdom.
So we assumed.. actually I assumed that your kingdom had taken my parents. Therefore, we battled the Emerald Kingdom. Beforehand, I had learned that protecting the Gemstone Palace was a force field that no outsiders could enter. I knew that if I could just strike the ground hard enough in front of the door it would break the force field. But I didn't know that you would be right where I struck the ground. My heart broke the moment that I saw you. I remember seeing you with your face-full of betrayal even though you had no idea who I was. I dropped my sword to the ground. I couldn't believe that I had done something so cruel as this.
My brother picked me up, being a good Throne Warden, on the back of the dragon. I vowed never to assume anything about another kingdom ever again. I made sure that no one ever went through the Mist ever again. I never wanted this tragedy to happen again.
I am so sorry, Ruby, and I'm sorry to your parents and your sister and your entire kingdom. I have wished every day since then that I could take that horrible day back, but I can't. All I can do is say that I am truly sorry.” Esben explained, tears filling his eyes.
“It was all an accident?" she said shakily, and she looked from him to her broken wings to The Maker.
“Yes, child, it was an accident but nonetheless it still did damage.”
“It doesn't matter, knowing You and knowing that You saved me is better than any type of wings or kingdom.” she said, smiling at The Maker.
“Ruby, would you like to be healed?” He asked her as she looked surprised.
“I don't need to be healed, just this day is more than I ever deserve and I don't deserve it at all. I have hurt so many people. I don't deserve wings or my kingdom,” she said looking down at the ground.
“Like I've said child, All Is forgiven, you are My child now, and to all of My children I give gifts of grace, whatever their past looks like. Now Ruby, would you like to be healed?”
She looked up at Him longingly and said in almost a whisper,
“Yes.”
He smiled at her and said, “Turn around and close your eyes.”
She did this as she unclasped her cape and it flew to the ground. He put his hands on her broken ripped wings, stared up at the sky, closed His eyes and said something to His Father. A second later, He told her to open her eyes, as He took his hands off of her wings. She opened her eyes and took a glance at her wings to see that the rips were closed. She gasped as she moved her wings, something that she hadn't done in 15 years. She smiled and breathed heavily as she made her wings lift off the ground. She was able to fly! She came back down from the sky and looked with tears of joy and her eyes at The Maker as she said, “Thank you! Thank you for everything!”
“You're welcome, my child.” He said. Next, He turned to the Wingfeathers as he saw the looks of amazement on their faces and said,
“Come forth my children!” They all looked at each other and rushed to The Maker, who embraced them in a hug.
The hug was like no other hug that Janner ever experienced in his life. It was warm, it felt like baking cookies, and bundling up with warm blankets on a cold afternoon. It was the most refreshing thing Janner had ever felt through the past two years of his crazy messed up, wacky and upside down life; he finally felt a moment of peace.
Woaaaah this was SO GOOD!!!