The Guardian Crusade

                              Volume I

                                                            Chapter 16

Aj laid in the large bed that sat in one of the rooms of the cottage.  Avit and Kevin agreed to keep a look out as the others slept.  His left arm was tucked under his pillow, his right arm draped over him and the blankets tucked under the arm.  Slowly he felt himself starting to wake up, he listened but there was no noise, his eyes opened a little wider and he turned his head listening to see if something woke him up. 

A minute later he slowly rolled over and as he did he saw Rayne sleeping beside him.  Her face still and peaceful, he could tell she was in a deep sleep.  Her curly hair hung over her face and he slid his fingers through it gently as he brushed the loose pieces behind her ear.  He thought about that morning, how the Elder had treated her, how she felt about the way people treated her because she was a Human Druid.  He didn’t realize the talent was exclusive. 

There was so much about this place and her he was learning about.  Who is Pixca? Does she ever show up? Or does she stay away like his God does.  Why did they forget everything about the Guardians, why does this Evil always come back?

His fingers gently brushed down her cheek as he thought about the first night they spent together, the nights after that, and how every time before she drifted off to sleep he wanted to tell her that he loved her.  But every time he stopped himself, not wanting her to be like the others, not wanting to rush what they had.  Even though everything in him told him, this time it was ok. 

As his fingers reached her neck, his eyes darted to her lips as a thought crossed his mind.  Maybe since she was sleeping, he could say it.  He would still be saying it to her, but no one would be around to hear it.  Closing his eyes he slowly leaned in and gently kissed her on the lips, making sure he didn’t wake her. 

Sluggishly he pulled away. “I love you.” He whispered as he opened his eyes.

“Aww” A voice said from across the room and Aj sat up quickly.  “So, so touching Alex really.” The voice said.  Aj looked across the room, to the corner that was cloaked in shadow.  He saw someone move and come into the light.  “I’m sorry; did I ruin your mojo?”

“How did you get in here?” Aj asked as he quickly looked back to Rayne as she rolled over in her sleep.

“How do I do anything Jiggity, I’m me.” Nick said with a smile.  He then looked over at Rayne as she slept on the bed.  “Seriously dude, you should mix it up a little, don’t you get tired of them looking the same all the damn time?”

“You don’t know shit.” Aj said as he stepped off the bed towards Nick.

“Don’t I?” Nick said with a sly smile.  “Hey Rayne!” Nick shouted and it made Aj jump.  He quickly looked over to the bed and saw Rayne slowly sitting up.  “That a girl, get up.” Nick said as her head snapped up at him.  She then quickly looked at Alex who was standing by the bed.

“I’m here so the three of us can take a little stroll down memory lane.” Nick said as he looked from Rayne to Aj. 

Aj didn’t give him a chance to answer as he lunged for Nick trying to throw a punch at him.  He felt himself stumble as Nick grabbed his arm and swung him around the room, sending him crashing into the table and chairs, across from the bed.

“Alex!” He heard Rayne shout as he hit the floor.  He grunted in pain as he slowly got up to his knees.

“Oh, Alex!” Nick said mockingly and Aj looked under his arm and saw Nick holding Rayne.  Quickly Aj got to his feet and looked at his friend as Rayne struggled to get away.

“Let her go.” Aj said gritting through his teeth.

“Let her go?” Nick scoffed.  “Dude that’s so Hollywood.” Nick paused for a moment, he looked down at Rayne and as a sadistic smile came across Nick’s face, he looked back to Aj. “Do you know what Molia is Alex?”  Aj didn’t say anything, he didn’t know what it was and he really didn’t care. “I’ll take that as a no.”  He then looked down at Rayne. “Do you know what Molia is Rayne?”  Aj watched as she slowly nodded.  “Of course you do, why don’t you tell Alex what it is.”  Rayne didn’t say anything as she looked at Aj, her eyes showed she was very confused.  “Tell him!” Nick hissed as he lightly shook her.  She grunted in pain as he squeezed her arm, Alex took a step forward.

“Uh-ah Alex, not a good idea.” Nick said eyeing Rayne.  He then looked down at her.  “Go ahead babe tell him.”

“Molia is.” She stopped and took a breath.  “Molia is a plant, people cut it up and they eat it” She stopped.

“And what happens when they do?” Nick said as he shoved her forward a little.

“They act strange, like they are drunk from Ale, and it does not last long so many people crave more of it.” She said as she looked up at Nick with anger in her eyes.

“Sound familiar Jiggity?” Nick said and Aj clenched his fist.

“Alex?” Rayne said and Aj looked at her.  “What is he talking about?”  Aj couldn’t say anything; he looked down at the floor.

“Are you going to tell her, or shall I?” Nick said as Aj looked up at him quickly.

“I would never believe a word that came out of your mouth.” Rayne huffed.

“No, you probably wouldn’t.” Nick sighed.  “That’s why I’m going to show you.” He said and before Rayne or Aj could react Nick placed his fingers on Rayne’s temples.  Aj watched horrified as she tried to get away, she tried to pull on Nick’s hands to get them away from her.  Aj watched as Nick’s lips went close to Rayne’s ear, he watched as his lips moved, watched as she whimpered, her eyes darting every where around the room.

“Stop!” Aj shouted as Nick looked up at him, not moving his lips, not moving his head, and then he smiled as him and Rayne slowly dropped to the floor.

“No.” Rayne whispered as Alex watched her face fall, and a tear fall with it.

“Yes.” Nick said loud enough for Aj to hear.  “She see’s you.” Nick said looking at Aj.  “On the floor, in your bedroom in Florida, she sees Kevin over top of you.” He then looked back at Rayne. 

“See that Rayne, see that white powder on the table..” He paused like he was giving her a moment to look.  “That’s our Molia, and that night your sweet Alex took so much he died.”

“Fuck you.” Aj said as he lunged at Nick again.  Nick tossed Rayne down to the ground and she whimpered as she hit the floor.  Aj grabbed Nick by the robe and the two fell back against a dresser.

“Alex!!” Someone shouted as they pounded on the door.

“You’ll never figure it out Alexander.” Nick said as Aj looked up at him, both guys were in a power struggle against the dresser.  The voice didn’t sound like Nick anymore.  “None of them ever did, and none of them ever will, you can not destroy me.” 

Aj let out a loud grunt as he pulled Nick away from the dresser, and slammed a frost spell into his chest, sending his friend across the room.  Aj breathed heavily as he headed towards Nick.

“Alex open the damn door!!” He heard Kevin shout and he looked back as the door shook from people pounding on it.  When he heard a crashing sound he looked back and saw Nick jump out the window.  Quickly he ran over to it and saw Nick hit the ground.

“Always wanted to do that” Nick said giggling as he looked up at Aj.  “Later man!” and with a wave Nick had disappeared.  He heard the door smash open behind him but he just kept staring at the ground below.

“Alex?” Someone said from beside him and he slowly looked up at them, it was Kevin.  “You alright man, what happened?” He asked as he looked back to Rayne.  Aj slowly turned around and saw Rayne sitting on the floor.  Nalia was right beside her and she was crying.

“Was it Nick?” Brian asked him as he walked up to Aj and Kevin.  Aj didn’t answer he just looked at Rayne.  “Does she need a Priest?” Brian asked Nalia.

“No.” Rayne said as she wiped her eyes.  “I am fine.”

“What happened?” Kevin asked again.

“Rayne, I, um.” Aj said walking over to her as Nalia helped her up.

“I need to be alone.” Rayne said walking away.

“No.” Nalia said stopping her.  “Nick could still be out there.”  Rayne didn’t say anything as she pulled away from Nalia and walked out of the room.

“Someone tell me what the hell just happened?” Kevin asked again, and Aj knew this was the last time he was going to ask with out kicking someone’s ass to get the info.

“It was Nick.  Rayne and I were in bed sleeping and something woke me up.” Aj said. “I was lying there and.” He stopped deciding to leave out the next part.  “I heard a noise, next thing I knew Nick was standing over there.”

“What happened to Rayne?” Kevin asked.  Aj looked up at him and then looked around at everyone. 

“I think.” Aj stopped, it was the last thing he wanted her to know about him, and he had always planned to tell her some day, but not like this.  “I think he showed her Nick’s memories.”

“Memories of what?” Nalia asked confused.

“That morning at my house in Florida.” Aj said his voice almost a whisper.

“Alex.” Kevin said as Aj looked up at him. 

“I need to go talk to her.” Aj said and he quickly left the room.  He heard Nalia ask more about what he meant as he jotted down the stairs of the cottage.

“Rayne?” he said as he looked around the first floor.  He saw the front door was opened and walked over to it.  His heart jumped a little when he saw Avit standing outside beside the door.

“Have you seen..” but before he could finish Avit nodded towards the lake.

“I followed her down the stairs, and have been watching her; I do not think Nick is still here, if he is he is hiding.” Avit said as Aj walked out.  He lightly smiled at his guard and headed towards the water. 

She was sitting on the grass close to the water; her legs tucked up against her chest and her night robe blowing lightly in the breeze.  As he got closer he wondered if he should say anything to let her know he was here.  Deciding against it he slowly sat down on the ground beside her, grunting a little in pain.  His ribs were a little sore from when Nick threw him across the room. 

The grunt made her look up as he sat down, her eyes soaked in tears she quickly looked away from him.  He relaxed a little as he sat down and looked out over the Lake.  The two sat there in silence, until Aj finally decided to speak. 

“I was young, I was sixteen when I met all of the fella’s, and by the time I was eighteen almost everyone in our world knew my name, thought they knew my name, and knew me.” Aj began to talk as they sat there.  “Everyone wanted to be a part of my life.” Aj said.  “Everyone, including a Father who wanted nothing to do with me, up until then.” He sighed.  “I couldn’t trust anyone, stopped trusting the guys, my mom, everyone.  I just wanted to hide, hide in a place where it didn’t hurt anymore. A place where my dad wanted me and not my fame, a place where someone would love me and not my name.”   He scrunched his eyebrows as the words played back in his head, not meaning for the words to rhyme.

 “All through out high school I was told I was a geek, I was weird and strange, and that no one would ever date me. Then the group took off and I was being told I’m hot, good looking, I’m sexy and all these girls want me.” He said with another sigh.  “I was told to be Aj, be bad, be sexy, and that wasn’t Alex. I got lost; I lost who I was inside.”

“What I saw..” Rayne started to say but she stopped.

“What you saw.” Aj said as he took her hand and she looked up at him.  “Was me at my worse, I didn’t care if I lived or died, didn’t care about myself or anyone around me.” He looked at her as a tear dripped down her eye.  “I’m sorry you had to see that, I wanted to tell you, I planned to tell you.” Aj said as he reached up and brushed the tear away with the back of his fingers.  “I just wasn’t sure if you would understand.”

“You said where you come from when you die, you do not come back.” Rayne said as her eyebrows etched in pain.  “I saw you.” She stopped and took a breath. “I saw Kevin, he looked so scared.” She said as she started to cry again.

Aj frowned as he let go of her hand and pulled her into his arms.  He closed his eyes and pushed away the anger he had for the thing that showed her that memory.  She had nothing to do with that world, with his world, with what happened and what he was apart of, but yet even she was hurt by it. 

“I’m sorry.” Aj said as he started to cry too.

“Alexander.” Aj heard Avit say from the cottage and Aj quickly looked at him.  His guard wasn’t looking at him but towards the Lake.  He pulled away from Rayne and looked to his left, there on the other side, he saw Nick.  Aj stood both him and Rayne up, stepping in front of her; he kept his eyes on Nick. 

“What does he want now?” Rayne asked.

“I dunno.” Aj said as he quickly looked at her.

“We must be close to something.” Rayne said both of them keeping their eyes on Nick.

“Maybe.” Aj said as he lightly nodded.  When he heard the sound of the others coming out of the cottage, he quickly looked back to them.

“Nick!” Brian shouted as he bolted from the steps to the edge of the Lake.

“What is he doing?” Nalia asked as she joined them.  Aj didn’t answer he just kept his eyes on Nick.  Then out of no where the ground shook and Aj had to throw out his arms to keep his balance. 

“What was that?” Howie asked shocked.  Again the ground shook and again Aj had to throw out his arms to keep himself up right.

“Holy Shit!” Brian shouted as he pointed to the trees behind Nick.  Everyone looked at Brian stunned then quickly looked to where he was pointing. 

“Holy Shit.” Kevin said repeating his cousin’s words as he saw what Aj saw.  Walking through the forest, through the trees was a tree.  A tree with arms, legs, eyes, a nose, ears, and as he broke out from behind Nick it growled and Aj saw the jagged barks of wood it had for teeth.

Slowly he turned to his right and looked at Rayne.  She was staring at Nick; her eyes were like they were back on the ship.  Her eyes were glowing a bright green, the light fading in and out.  Aj looked back as Nick screamed out in pain.  The tree had picked him up in his long branch like fingers.

“Hey!” Brian shouted as he looked at Rayne.

“Rayne?” Aj said calmly, looking back at her.  Aj felt himself get shoved into Howie and then the tree screamed along with Nick.  Aj spun around and saw that the tree had broken in half, and Nick laid on the ground beside it.  He quickly looked at Rayne who was facing Brian, she was out of breath, and a little disoriented.

“What the hell?” Aj yelled spinning Brian around.

“She was hurting him!” Brian shouted back.

“So you just don’t break her from a spell like that!” Aj shouted back.

“Guys!” Kevin shouted at them and they both stopped and looked at him.  “Where’s Nick?”  Aj looked over to where Nick and the tree were.  The tree was still there but Nick was gone. 

“Maybe he took off; let’s get back to the cottage.” Aj said looking to Kevin.

“Good idea.” Kevin agreed as he grabbed Brian by the arm.  “Let’s go man.”

“I couldn’t just let her hurt him.” Aj heard Brian say to Kevin as the two walked away.  Aj rolled his eyes and looked back to Rayne.  She was staring at the tree, or maybe to where Nick was, he wasn’t sure.

“We should get inside.” Aj said to her as he took her by the hand.

She looked at him a little startled and then looked back to the cottage.  She could hear Brian and Kevin fighting over what had just happened.  Aj watched as her eyes etched in pain and she turned around and headed towards the cottage.  He walked beside her and held the door open for. 

“To bad Nick didn’t show her she’s not the first one he’s said I love you too.”  Brian snapped out.

“What did you just say?” Aj said as he walked passed Rayne and went right for Brian.

“Ok, upstairs.” Kevin said as he jumped in front of the two and practically dragged Aj upstairs.

“Let go!” Aj snapped as him and Kevin entered the bedroom.

“Calm down.” Kevin said as he closed the door.

“Calm down! After what that prick just said? He’s lucky I don’t break his face!” Aj shouted through the closed door.

“Dawg.” Kevin said looking at him.

“I don’t give a shit, he’s been nothing but disrespectful to her since he got here.” Aj said angrily. “Then he says something like that and she heard it, god knows what she’s thinking right now.”

“Alex you need to calm down.” Kevin said but Aj couldn’t think and he growled in frustration.  He walked over to the bed and sat down, putting his head in his hands.  As he took a deep breath trying to clear his mind there was a knock at the door.

“I don’t want to see anyone.” Aj said looking up at Kevin.  He saw Kevin was about to say something but he stopped him.  “Not even Rayne, I just need to think.” Aj said as he got up from the bed and headed to the dark corner of the room.  He heard Kevin open the door and he heard Rayne talking.

“He doesn’t want to see anyone right now hun, just give him a few.” He heard Kevin say and then he heard Rayne’s muffled voice. “He’s fine he’s just pissed off.” He heard Kevin speak again.  Aj heard Rayne say something and then the door closed.  Slowly he sat down on the small stool by the window as Kevin came around the corner.

“She said if you want to talk she’ll be with Nalia.” Kevin said.  Aj lightly rolled his eyes as he put his head in his hands.

“You didn’t think you could run away from it did you, you’re not staying here to run away from that are you?” Kevin said as Aj looked up.

“No.” Aj said angrily. “No it’s not; I told you why I wanted to stay. I just didn’t want her to find out this way.” Aj grunted in frustration.  “And then Brian opening his big ass mouth.”  Kevin was about to say something when they heard someone shouting from downstairs.

“Now what?” Aj said quickly rolling his eyes as him and Kevin dashed for the door.

Kevin and Aj quickly jogged down the stairs and they both stopped dead when they hit the living room, almost slamming into each other.  Aj stood there dumb founded as he looked at everyone in the room. Avit, Nalia, and Howie were all sitting on the floor, tied up with roots. Brian was in the middle of the room, hanging from the middle ceiling, one long root wrapped around the middle section of his body.

“Rayne.” Aj said as his heart began to race and he started to walk over to her.  He didn’t even think that when Nick was holding her, the Evil could have jumped.

“Relax Alex.” Howie said as he tried to adjust his foot.  “She was going to bed, and Brian here opened up his mouth and pissed her off.”

“We tried to stop her but she tied us down, and then hung him up there.” Nalia said nodding to Brian as he slowly spun around.

“You see this.” Brian said looking at Kevin and Aj as he turned in their direction.  Aj sighed as he shook his head.  But the laugh of Kevin beside him made him look up quickly. Kevin’s face was beat red, as he held his hand up on the wall, holding himself up.

“I told you she was gonna do this if you didn’t keep your trap shut.” Kevin said as he gasped for some air.

“Alex, tell her to put me down.” Brian said as he started turning away from them.

“Rayne.” Aj said looking at her.

“I told him he has to apologize first.” Rayne said still looking at Brian.

“Apologize to Rayne.” Aj said looking back at Brian.

“And to you.” Rayne said and Aj looked at her.  “For what he said when we came in.”

Aj looked back at Brian and lightly shrugged.  Brian closed his eyes a groaned. “Fine, I’m sorry Rayne, and I’m sorry Alex.”

“Apology accepted.” Aj nodded to Brian and then he looked at Rayne.  “Now put him down.”  She looked at Aj, he could tell she really didn’t want too.  “Please.” He whispered.  With a sigh from Rayne, Aj heard the roots let go of their grip around everyone, and he heard Brian hit the floor with a thud and a groan. 

“I think we should all try too retire for the rest of the night.” Avit said as he brushed himself off.

“Good idea.” Kevin said as he helped Brian up.

“I will be in Nalia’s room.” Rayne said as she turned around but Aj stopped her.

“I wanna talk to you.” He said as she looked at him.

“Alright.” Rayne said as she lightly nodded her head.  Everyone said goodnight to each and headed for each of their rooms.  Aj sighed as he closed the door to their room; he knew he wouldn’t be sleeping anymore tonight.

“Sir, are you alright?” Rem said as he came running into the room Nick was in.

“I’m fine.” Nick huffed as he held his side.

“What happened?” Rem asked.

“I found them, you were right to check the old cottage.” Nick said as he sat down.  “Had a run in with the Elvaan.”

“Should I get a Priest?” Rem asked looking back quickly to the door.

“No, I will be fine in an hour or so.” Nick said waving him off.  “We need to ready the men.  There is a reason they are at the Lake.”

“Do they know it’s there Sir?” Rem asked.  Nick looked up at Rem; he glared at the nosey human who heard him talking months before.

“No, they do not.” He hissed through his teeth.

“Yes, Sir.” Rem said looking away from him.

“And they will not know, we will attack at morning.” Nick said to him.

“I will prepare the men Sir.” Rem said with a nod.

“And tell them Princess Rayne is not allowed to be anywhere near that cavern if it comes to it, kill her.” Nick said looking at him. “If she opens that cavern, she will know what happened.”

“But she was not there; it was hundreds of years ago.” Rem said confused.

“When I took the memories from the people of Pixcadia, Guardian Rayxes and Guardian Adamai were there.  Adamai, I locked him in the cavern at the bottom of the falls. Rayxes told me before I sent her to her death over the waterfall; she would come back, so that Adamai could rest.”

“Because Elvaan’s must be burned after death.” Rem said and Nick nodded. “How do you know it is her?”

“Adamai was Elvaan, he was a Mage.  Rayxes was Human and she was a Druid.” Nick spoke as Rem listened.  “She was hated by most Elvaan’s including Adamai, but as they traveled, he learned that she really did care about Pixca and her creatures, that she wasn’t like most humans.”

“So they fell in love?” Rem asked.

“Yeah.” Nick said as he rolled his eyes. “Made their bond as Guardian’s stronger.”

“I didn’t pay any attention to Rayxes babble, but when I met Rayne when she was younger, before the wars began, I saw the talent in her, knew what she was, who she was, and so I kept my eye on her, all these years.  Watched her grow, learn, become who she is. I didn’t realize my own trick to keep the Guardians apart, would back fire on me.”

“How Sir?” Rem asked.

“Alexander didn’t grow up an Elvaan.” Nick said as he started to chuckle.  “He had no prejudice against Rayne whats so ever.”  Nick started laughing harder.  “He told Nick after being here a couple of days, he felt something, something pushing him, to this place, to her.”

“Adamai?” Rem asked. “But how?”

“All Elvaans are connected Rem, even your peanut mind knows that?” Nick scoffed.  “Somewhere in him ol’ Adamai is telling him to protect her, watch over her.”

“Why?” Rem asked.

“Cause if she opens that cavern and finds Adamai’s remains it will awaken Rayxes, she will remember what happened.” Nick said frustrated, it was the first time he had actually realized it could happen.

“Like how you wake?” Rem asked.

“Now you got it.” Nick said as he gently tapped Rem on the head.  Rem rolled his eyes; he hated Ignis being in Nick’s body.  He talked liked Nick, acted like Nick, and he always talked down to him.

“When will you return to your true form?” Rem asked.

“When it is time to kill the Guardians.” Nick said with a smile.  “At least this one will be easy.”