The Guardian Crusade

                                          Volume II

                                                       Chapter 10

Nick stopped and looked around at their surroundings.  They had come out of the woods and were now coming to a clearing of large hills and rocks.  The air was surprisingly warm but for Nick it didn’t matter, he was freezing. 

“Do you know where we are?” He asked looking at Nalia as she walked up beside him.

“I think we’re south west of Pomic about a days walk away.” Nalia said as she looked at him, watched him shiver in the warm air.

“What’s over there?” Nick asked pointing to the mountains in the distance.

“The Windless Gorge and Ashmourn but it is nothing but Volcano’s.” Nalia said as Nick stared off into the distance.

“That’s where we need to go.” He told her as he slowly looked away too her.

            “To Ashmourn? Nick you can not be serious, if the climb up the cliffs does not kill us the lava most defiantly will.” She said stunned.

            “Nalia that’s where I need to be.” Nick said to her as his gaze left the mountains and returned to her.

            “Ashmourn, Ashmourn is where you need to go? Nickolas, are you sure about this?” She asked still very hesitant about it. 

            He nodded his head “I can feel her Nali, and the closer we get the stronger it gets.”

“Then why can I not feel anything, I am a Guardian too.”  She asked him.

“I don’t know.” Nick shrugged back.  “I didn’t make the rules.” Nalia rolled her eyes as she looked over towards Ashmourn.  “Is there like a city there or something?”

“Just the old Dwarf Keep  .” Nalia shrugged.

“Wait..the Dwarfs use to live here, on Kalica?” Nick asked.

“Yes, thousands of years ago, we fought over that land, we fought for many years.” She told him.  “The Dwarfs had moved in and started mining it and we…Well we probably knew better than to start digging wholes inside of Volcano’s.”

“So what happened?” He asked.

“If you ask the Dwarves, an accident happened and lava filled the Keep.” She told him.

“And what do the Humans say happened?” He asked.

“Well you know us Nick, tales get turned into stories, stories get turned into tales and..” She said as she started walking down a hill.

“Nalia.” Nick said sternly.

“They found something in those rocks, or did something inside those rocks, and one day they just stopped showing up.” She said as she stopped and turned to him.

“To the war?” Nick asked.

“Yes, their reinforcements stop showing up, the ones that were left surrendered. They were confused so they sent men there and they did not return, and then one day King Ladern, the Dwarf King back then, he came to Hevi from Tokia and told King Rexeus there had been a terrible accident. That Ashmourn was too dangerous to inhabit for both sides.  They agreed to leave the place alone and ever since then it’s been off limits, for everyone.” 

“Un wanted territory.” Nick said as he looked over to the mountains.

“Un wanted dangerous, very very very dangerous territory.” Nalia said taking his arm.

“Then maybe you should go to Pomic.” Nick told her.

“What? No.” Nalia said sternly.

“I don’t wanna drag you there and have something happened to you, I don’t know why I’m going there, maybe it’s her, maybe it’s not.  No, no you’re not coming this was stupid of me to bring you.”  Nick said as he looked towards Pomic.

“I can handle myself.” Nalia replied as she stepped in front of him.

“Nalia if anything happened to you.” Nick said to her but she interrupted him.

“Me? What about you? I am at full strength, and you..you.. look at you.” Nalia shouted pointing at him.  Purple circles around his eyes, his skin had gone pale and even his eyes looked different, not dark blue like they once were, almost lighter in colour.  “Did you sleep at all this morning?” She asked.  “No Nick I am not leaving you, if you say we go to Ashmourn then we go to Ashmourn.”

Nalia fixed her bag, pulling it higher onto her shoulder and then started walking down the hill again.  Nick watched her for a moment, everything in him wanted her to turn around and go back, he couldn’t live with himself if something happened to her because of this.  But something in him wanted her to stay; he was scared, confused, and not sure what was going to happen to him. What was even scarier to him was the fact he had never needed anyone like that before, especially a girl he loved.  With a deep breath Nick began to walk down the hill, making sure to add some bigger strides in his step to catch up with her.  The two stayed quiet as they made their way across the grassy hills of southern Kalica, heading towards the Windless Gorge and to Ashmourn.

Aj sat at his desk in his meeting room at the Winnol Castle.  He packed up the books he had borrowed from the Mages Library and tucked them safely into his bag.  When the door opened Aj looked over and saw Avit walk in with a woman.  She was tall, her blonde hair tied up into a braided bun, the armor around her chest proudly displayed the Sarila crest.

“Jaina thanks for coming.” Aj said as he closed his bag up.

“Is her highness alright?” Jaina asked.

“Yes but I need to go, I am going with the search team to look for Nalia and Nick.”  Aj told her.  “Drania is not allowed to leave the city; I want Rayne to go home to Sarila while I’m gone.”

“Yes Sir.” Jaina nodded.

Aj looked at Avit and then nodded to him.  Jaina looked back at Aj’s General as he nodded and walked out of the room closing the door behind him.  She looked back at Aj now a little confused.

“What’s going on sir?” She asked.

“What I’m going to tell you does not leave this room.” He told her and she lightly nodded.  “Last night a wolf attacked Rayne..” He raised his hand when she went to talk.  “She’s fine Jaina.” Aj said smiling at her concern.  “While she was sleeping I got Avit to bring in a Druid that he trusted, I got him to perform a life reading on her.”

“What did he fine Sir?” She asked.

“The Druid said it looks like there are two foreign energies surrounding her.” Aj told her.  “One around her mind and one..” He stopped and Jaina a little frown etched on her lips as she saw the anger come over him.  “One around her heart.”

“Her heart?” Jaina asked.  “What, what does that mean?”

“Someone is draining her power, her energy.” Aj told her.

“Does she know?” Jaina asked.

“No, no she doesn’t and I want to keep it that way.” He said quickly.  “Last night when she was attacked she conjured her moonbeam spell and it almost knocked her out.” Aj said remembering.  “A spell so simple should not drain her the way it did.”

“But what about the visions?” Jaina asked.

“I think they might be a distraction.” Aj told her.  “I’m not sure yet, that’s why I want her to go back to Sarila, keep her away from Drania and the other Druids.”

“It is not fair the way they treat her, they should respect her.” Jaina said and Aj heard a small hint of anger.  Aj didn’t say anything; he couldn’t because he had said that statement so many times, it was like he didn’t even hear the words.

“I need to go tell her be warned she’s not going to be happy.” Aj said as he picked up his bag.

“That she’s to return to Sarila?” Jaina asked.

“No” Aj said as he stopped and looked at her.  “That I’m leaving her in your care and not Avit’s, but I need him with me.”

“I see.” Jaina said sadly.

“Someday Jaina she will trust you but she’s been betrayed a lot, so much she’s got me feeling sorry for her.” Aj said and lightly smiled at the inside joke with himself.  “Let her be mad just don’t let her leave Sarila.” Aj asked her.

“Yes Sir.” Jaina said with a nod.

“I’ll meet you in the globe room.” Aj told her as they walked to the door.  She opened the door and they both walked out.  Aj made his way down the hall and up the stairs towards his bedroom, Jaina stopped outside the doors beside Avit.

“He is very worried about her.” Jaina said as she looked to Avit.

“Yes.” Avit nodded.  “Would you not be worried if it was someone you loved in trouble.”

“Perhaps.” Jaina said as she looked back up the stairs.  “Perhaps I would need to be in love first.”  Avit looked at her a little shocked she had said anything of the sort.  “Well I should return to the globe room.” She said with a light smile.

Aj walked down the hall going over the things he needed in his mind.  Making sure he had the supplies for the search, making sure he made all the preparations for Rayne retuning back to Sarila.  Opening the door he walked into the room and saw Rayne sitting on the windowsill looking out at the TreeFalls.  When she heard the door open she looked over and smiled softly when she saw him.

“Hey” Aj said as he set his bag down by the door.  Her face was tired, sunken, her hair a mess from the sleep she just woke from.

“Are we going on that trip now?” She asked as he walked over to her.  Quickly he looked back at his bag and then back to her.

“No, not yet darlin’.” He said as he sat down beside her.

“You’re leaving aren’t you, to go find Nick and Nalia.” She said weakly.

“Yeah” He replied.

“I will be fine with Avit here.” Rayne lightly smiled.

“I need Avit with me Rayne.” Aj told her.  “I want you to go home while I’m gone, your Mom is there and…and Jaina is there.”

“Jaina” She scoffed tiredly.  “I can take care of myself.” She said as she stood up and as she took a step, she began to fall.

“Rayne.” Aj called out lightly as he caught her.  He set her gently down on the floor as she held onto him.  “You can trust her Rayne.”

“Like I could trust Rem and Drania.” Rayne said as she looked at him.  “And look at me, I can not conjure a spell I learned in my first month with the Druids, me, some great a noble Guardian can not even lift a fork.”

“I’ll find out how she’s doing it Rayne and I’ll stop her.” Aj told her as he wiped her eyes.  “But I need to find Nick first before he hurts Nalia or himself.”

“I know.” Rayne whispered.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can alright?” He said to her as he pulled her into his arms.  “Just please, go to Sarila where Jaina can keep an eye on you.”

“Alex..” Rayne started to protest.

“I know you don’t trust her but I do, so trust that ok?” He said as he pulled her away.  Rayne looked at him, she didn’t want him to go as a Druid she could sense him here even when he’s gone because this is where he was born.  “Rayne?”

“Alright, fine.” She sighed giving in.  Aj smiled and then kissed her.

“Thank you.” He said as he helped her up. “Now let’s get you packed up, I’ll take you there and get you settled before I go.”

“Alex they could be anywhere.” Rayne said as they walked across the room.

“I know.” Aj replied as he sat her down on the bed.  “But we can cover a lot of ground on the Gryphon’s, and there are some Druids that want to help so we can search a wide area.”  He kissed her on the forehead and walked over to her dresser, grabbing the bag that was tucked beside it.  Opening her dresser drawer he pulled out some of her clothes and began to pack them.

“How long will you be gone?” She asked as she watched him pack her things.

“A couple of days maybe more depending on if we find anything.” He told her.

“A couple of days?” She replied a little stunned.

“I need to find him Rayne you know that.” Aj said turning to her with her travel robe in his hand.

“I wish I could be there with you.” She whispered.

He knelt down in front of her, placing her robe on the bed beside her.  “I know you do but you need to rest.” He told her as he tucked a piece of her bang behind her ear.  “So you can be there the next time the fucker takes off.”  She lightly smiled and then lightly laughed.