Chapter 1

Note: This is for my friend Karabelle. I'm trying once again just for you.


Chapter 1



“ARGH!!! You just don’t get it do you Haycraft?” Jaden roared. “It’s not about the damned jewels anymore. I just want the voices to shut the hell up! They won’t leave me alone. All the incessant whining and the voices that try to get me to do things, or feel things, I’m tired of them and I want them gone!” He said swinging the broadsword and connecting with a loud clang against the axe his opponent swung.

“Then why did you make the deal with Hades? You of all people should have known there was a catch. A God does not trade something for nothing. You KNOW that!” Haycraft shouted back swinging at Jadens’ feet, spinning, and then coming at his head.

Jaden jumped, ducked, and slashed at Haycrafts’ stomach. “I don’t know. I guess I thought the daily torture from Hades would be enough of a trade.”

Just then a high sweet melody chimed through the arena the two were sparring in.

“Speaking of which….” Jaden said while dematerializing both weapons.

“I really wish you wouldn’t do that.” Haycraft muttered picking himself up off the floor where he unceremoniously landed when the axe disappeared and threw off his balance. “Is that really the summons?” At Jadens nod a rumble of laughter escaped Haycraft. “What a sick bastard. I’ll check in on you later. Try not to enjoy yourself too much okay?”

Jaden flipped off the retreating figure before turning around to face the least favorite part of his day.

“Afternoon Jaden.” Hades said walking into the room.

“Hades.” Jaden drawled. “Well let’s get started then.”

Jaden reached his arms out to the side as manacles formed around his wrists and attached themselves to nothing. Though they looked fragile and easy to break Jaden knew that it wasn’t even worth trying. They were forged by Hephaestus and unbreakable.

“Starting to enjoy it after all these centuries?” Hades asked acid dripping from his voice. “How many jewels do you have left?”

“Three.” Jaden said in a monotone. There was no use denying Hades the information. He would only steal it from his mind later while he slept. “But then….you already knew that. Been dream-dropping again? I could think of better things to be doing at night.”

Hades chuckled. “Trying to make me angry that way is not going to work. My wife and I are perfectly happy, thank you for asking.” He replied as he started rolling up his sleeves.

Jadens one blue eye started to cloud over till it was ghostly pale and Hades knew now was his chance.

Just before the vision overtook Jaden he swore he heard Hades sigh, almost as if he was content.



Jaden knew the instant the vision started something wasn’t right.

Normally it would be in vivid color helping him with keys and clues to find the jewels. This vision was such a change forming only images in black and white.

Normally there was sound to everything allowing him to remember voices and garner hints as to what was coming. All he heard now were snatches of conversations yet to come, as if he was searching for a station on a radio.

Normally there was a smooth flow to his visions showing him hours, even days at a time, now it was nothing but clips, almost like a photo.

He saw a woman whose eyes held murder.

A man whose eyes were filled with sorrow.

And a girl whose eyes no longer saw anything.

The last image made him shudder as it clung to his mind.

The first bit of color came back when the image of a house crossed his vision. Normally he could look from side to side and get a feel for where he was but now it was as if his head was held in a vice allowing him no movement.

“How could you?” The female voice asked. “He’s always done what you asked, followed every stupid rule and now you turn your back on him?!”

“Has he? Are you so sure about that?” The male voice questioned back. It was distorted almost like his vision needed to keep it from him. “Are you willing to risk your life on it? Are you willing to risk his life?

After the house his vision went black. “Do not judge me Jaden.” The same female voice echoed in his head. “You have no idea what my life has been. What I have seen….what I’ve done.”

“You don’t know what it’s like for me when I see you.” His own voice reverberated. “It’s like breaking the surface of the water, when I’m running out of air.”

As Jadens own words sounded in his head, he started to feel pain again.



Jaden woke up to his back being on fire. Ok so it wasn’t literally on fire but it may as well have been. He was starting to think fire might feel better.

“You finally awake?” Haycraft asked.

“Mmmphh….” Came the muttered response from Jaden.

“What was that? Sorry I don’t speak pillow. It’s a lost language I believe.” Haycraft said.

Jaden turned his head to see a grin split Haycrafts face. “I said…why are you here?”

“Why are any of us here? Choices. It’s all about the choices.” Haycraft replied leaning back with his hands behind his head.

“Please stop with the philosophical bull crap. My back already hurts, and here you are trying to give me a headache. Some friend….” Jaden mumbled.

“Seph sent me.” Haycraft told him.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. What the hell does she want now?” Jaden said wincing as he flexed his back. The wounds were healing but the pain was still there and the muscles were stiff.

“Nothing. She just asked me to make sure you made it back to your room and eventually woke up.” Haycraft said standing and walking around the room, picking up things here and there.

“Ha ha…yea right Haycraft, now what did she really want?” Jaden said standing and noticing that he was naked. “Did you….undress me?”

A quick flush of red passed up Haycrafts neck. “There was blood on everything and I…uh….thought maybe you would want to keep your sheets clean.”

“Oh….um….thanks….I guess.” Jaden replied hastily pulling on some pants. “Has Hades been by?”

“You know he never comes by Jaden.” Haycraft said quietly with pity in his eyes.

“I know…I just…” Jaden started to say, then some unknown emotion passed across his face quicker than Haycraft could blink. “Never mind.” He finished sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“So what was your vision about this time? That is assuming you had one.” Haycraft said leaning one hip against the dresser.

“Of course I did.” Jaden said frowning.

“Well what was it about? Did you find the last jewel?” Haycraft asked his eyes alight.

“I….I can’t remember.” Jaden replied surprise crossing his face. “I….it’s just so strange.”

“What do you mean you can’t remember? That’s not like you. Are you sick?” Haycraft said with a grin.

“It’s just flashes. Black and white flashes.” Jaden said in a half whisper almost as if he were thinking out loud.

The grin fell from Haycrafts face as he realized that Jaden was serious. “Do you think it means something?”

“How could it not? Maybe my sight is failing.” Jaden said.

“Jaden you are almost 3000 years old. I don’t think it’s going to just go on the fritz.” Haycraft replied with a snort. “Maybe it’s just because you are so close to having all the jewels. Maybe they were clues to help you find it.”

“Rule number one: only two jewels will be active at once.” Jaden said in a monotone voice. The rules had been in his mind for so many years not that it was like some sort of personal litany. “Rule number two: both jewels must be acquired before more activate. In other words there is no way my visions concern the final jewel since it is not active.”

“Right….sorry, I tend to forget there are restrictions.” Haycraft said as she crossed the room to the door. “Well, I better be going. I’ve got a meeting. I’ll catch you later.”

Jaden waved him out of the room absentmindedly.

Haycraft traveled the halls towards his meeting, thinking about what Jaden had told him. Were Jadens powers failing and if so what did that mean for the rest of them?

He glanced around the hall briefly before swiftly entering the room.



“How is he?” Haycraft asked.

“The same as he usually is. Sleeping peacefully for now. Came the quiet answer. “And Jaden?”

“Not so good. He thinks his visions might be failing.” Haycraft told her.

“Impossible. Jadens mother was one of the strongest oracles I’ve ever seen.” She said dismissively.

“Jadens mother was mortal?” Haycraft questioned. He couldn’t imagine such a powerful being a Jaden being half human.

“Of course, otherwise the vamp brace wouldn’t work.” She told him. “Now why does he think its failing? Jaden has never been one to jump to strange conclusions.”

“He said his vision was nothing but flashes. Nothing he could understand and that he couldn’t remember part of it.” Haycraft said sitting down in a plush chair.

“Then he is lying.” She said anger making her voice rise. “I ask a simple task from you and you can’t even do that!”

“I did do my job! I don’t think he was lying. There was too much confusion in his face.” Haycraft told her shaking his head.

“Jaden must find those jewels, all of them, the next time he surfaces.” She demanded, passion flaring in her eyes. “I can’t bear to see him like this much more. It’s slowly killing him.”

“It would help if I could go with him. I could keep an eye on him; make sure he stays on task.” Haycraft suggested.

“Fine, go. You have other duties to attend to first though.” She said crossing the room to the still figure on the bed.

“Yes…” Haycraft said his eyes clouding. “I must go. Take care of him while I’m gone.”

“You know I always do.” She replied as he closed the door. She picked up the sleeping figures hand. “This….curse has got to end…and soon. For both our sakes.”