The Guardian Crusade

                                           Volume II

                                                       Chapter 13

            Nick fell to the ground and grunted out in pain.  He could feel the hot air on his face but his bones were cold as ice and he pulled his robe around him.  Slowly he pulled himself against a large rock sitting in the middle of the gorge.  A whimper of pain escaped his lips every time he breathed and all he could think about was Nalia.  Wondering if she was ok, wondering if he hurt her.  He didn’t know how long he had been walking for but he stopped and fell asleep once.  When he woke the sun was gone and the stars were out.

“Nickolas.” The voice returned and he quickly looked around.  “Nickolas you must prepare, it comes.”

Nick sat up and looked around; he saw nothing coming towards him. Slowly he leaned around the rock and looked; he couldn’t see anything coming from that way either.  As he turned back around something caught his eye, something hiding behind a thick brush up against the gorge wall.  He sent out a shadow bolt right at the bush and a scream was heard as someone came running out from behind it.  It stumbled a couple of feet and Nick sent another bolt at it and it slumped to the ground.  As quickly as he could he got up and walked over towards the body.  Kneeling down he rolled it over but what he saw took his breath away.

“Nali?” He choked out. “Oh god Nalia, what did I do.”

She started coughing and Nick started breathing as he reached under her and helped her sit up.  With what little strength he had, he picked her up and carried her over to the rock he was at before.

“Baby are you ok?” He asked as he sat her up.

“Nick?” She asked a little confused.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I didn’t know it was you, Pixca said something was coming and I saw you hiding behind the bush.”  He told her talking a mile a minute.

“I am alright.” She said as she touched her side.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“Yes Nick I am fine.” She replied with a light smile.

“You followed me.” He said.

“Yes.” She nodded.  “You think I was just going to leave you out here after how you were when you left besides you have no idea where you are going.”

“Did I hurt you?” He asked.  “Back in the cave.”

“Just a bump on the head, nothing new.” She lightly smiled.  “Come, we need to find shelter and rest, you have been walking a long time.”

“No Nali I need to keep going.” He told her.

“Nick.” She said in slight protest.  He was about to say something when the ground shaking lightly took their attention.

            “What was that?” Nick asked looking around.

“Perhaps one of the Volcano’s are erupting we are close.” She told him.  Then there was another shake and another.

“Is it getting closer?” Nick asked.  When there was another ground shake Nick slowly turned to his left and looked behind the rock, he quickly spun back around. “Oh shit, oh shit.”

“What?” Nalia asked shocked.  “What is it?” She asked as she spun around and looked.  Her eyes went wide as she looked up at the giant molting rock creature.

“Don’t move Nali.” Nick said as it stood in front of them.

“Take it Nickolas.” The voice said.  “It is yours his energy is yours, take it.”  The voice distracted him; Nick looked down at the ground just as the creature lifted his leg to take another step.

“Move!” Nalia shouted as she pushed Nick away and then fell back as the giant stone and lava foot came crashing down.  The movement was enough to catch the creature’s eye and it looked down at Nalia.  She scooted back as far as she could as the creature looked at her.

“Nali?” Nick said as he rolled over, the confusion from what just happened clearing away.  He quickly sat up when he saw her pinned against the gorge wall the giant beast looking right at her.

“HEY!” Nick screamed as loud as he could as he used the wall to help himself up.  “Hey!” He shouted again and it distracted the creature away from Nalia.  Before Nick could react the creature picked him up in his rock and lava hands.

“Nick!!” Nalia screamed as she watched in horror.

Nick grunted in pain as the creature squeezed his torso, he wasn’t sure if it was the creature’s strength or the lava that flowed like muscles through its body.  As pain rushed through him it set it off again, the Warlock that wanted and needed to take life had found life but it wasn’t life like his or Nalia’s, this life was evil, pure evil and he wanted it.  He could feel something else too, more of them, lots of them.  He could sense other demons different demons, some how they were all connected. 

Closing his eyes his body absorbed it all, the pain, the energy and the life.  When Nick opened his eyes again the monster looked at the little man in his hands confused.  He felt it, his life being sucked away by this small thing.  It tried to throw Nick to the ground but it could barely raise its arm, and it stumbled backwards a few steps.  The giant creature crashed to the ground with a loud rumbling scream and Nick went down with it.

“Oh no.” Nalia whispered as she watched them fall in horror.  She quickly got up and ran over to where they were.  Nalia stopped when she saw Nick standing up.  When he fell to his knees she ran up to him.

“I have shown you what you need now you must go back Nickolas, something is wrong, I can not feel Rayne, she is gone.” The voice whispered and he could feel her pain, her sadness.

“What?” Nick said back trying to push away his pain. “Nali?” He said when he felt someone grab him.

“Come back to the rock.”  She told him and he closed his eyes as the sound of her voice sent a piercing pain through his head, he was sure it wasn’t her but what he had just done that left the splitting headache.  Carefully she helped him sit down and he gently laid his head back.

“Nali are you ok, did it hurt you?” He asked as he looked at her but she didn’t say anything back, she just stared.  “Nalia?” Nick said looking at her.

“I...I am fine, he did not touch me.” She said as she looked away.  “You are hurt.” She said looking at the cut on his side.

“Its fine, it’ll go away soon.” Nick told her.

“What was that thing?” She asked.

“I’m not sure but there are more of them.” He said.

“How do you know?” She asked.

“I could feel them, when I was draining it, they’re all linked.” He told her.  “There’s more, hundreds more.”

“We can not take a hundred of those Nick.” She said shocked.

“I know.” He said.  “The Dwarves, I think you’re right, they did something in that place. She’s in there Nalia, Pixca she’s in Ashmourn, or whatever it is now.”

“Do you think that is how Ignis started?” She asked.  “The Dwarfs?”

“I hope not.” Nick said as he reached out for her.  Nalia helped him stand up and he looked around.  “We need to get back now.”

“Well it is a long walk back.” She said.

“I know.” He replied as he continued to look, making sure no more of those things showed up.

“What is it, we are so close and now you want to go back?” She asked him.  He looked down at her not sure if he should lie for now.

“I heard Pixca before you pulled me back to the rock, she told me to go back.” Nick said.

“What why? Why would she tell you to go back after making you come all this way?” She asked him.

“She said.” He stopped.

“She said what Nick, what did she say?”

“Remember I told you she could still feel us, we’re still linked to her.” He said as she nodded.  “Well she told me we had to go back because she, she couldn’t feel Rayne anymore, something’s wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Nalia asked.

“I mean Pixca…Pixca said Rayne is gone.” Nick said as he took her hand.

“Gone?” Nalia said as her eyes filled with tears. “If Rayne is dead then I must go back Nick.” She said as a tear fell down her face.

“We’ll go back.” He said as he pulled her into his arms. “We’ll go back.”

Aj, Kevin, and the others all ran into the Healing Springs.  There was already a crowd of people standing around the cave door and when one turned around and saw Aj, they all started to turn around.  They walked across the small open lawn towards the door when Kel’Ryn came out of the cave.

“Kel’ Ryn what are you doing here?” Aj asked a little stunned to see the Bishop of the Priest Covenant away from Pera.

“I was in town today meeting some friends; one of the Priests here retrieved me.” He said with a very soft spoken voice.  He was old, his hair was long and silver and he didn’t wear the jewelry or beads that most of the Elvaans did.

“How is she can I see her?” Aj asked as he started walking towards the cave opening.  Kel’Ryn reached out his hand and stopped Aj by the arm.  He looked at the Bishop confused.

“King Alexander.” He said as Aj turned to look at him.  “I am sorry.”  Aj shook his head not wanting to hear the words.  “Queen Rayne has passed.”

“What?” Kevin said breathless.

“No” Aj said shaking his head.

“I know this will be hard to except it is why the Priest came and asked me.” He told Aj but Aj didn’t say anything he stood there shaking his head.

“What about Raising her?” Brian asked as he walked up to Kel’Ryn.  The Priest looked at Brian shocked to see him there.

“They tried all the way down here.” Kel’ Ryn told them.  “And even I tried.”

“No” Aj whimpered and everyone looked at him.

“Alex.” Kevin said as he walked up to his friend but Aj turned away and walked to her cave.

People moved out of the way for him, some crying, some not but they were all upset over the news they had just heard.  He didn’t look at any of them as he walked to the cave door. 

“Alex” Kevin said sadly as Aj walked over to her side.  He started crying as he knelt down beside the pool of water, putting his arms in he reached under her arms and pulled her out.

“You’re Majesty.” Kel’Ryn said in protest.

“Alex.” Kevin spoke as he stepped in front of Kel’Ryn.

“Shut up!” He yelled at them, he looked back down at her as he laid her on the ground.  Without hesitation he started CPR.

“King Alexander I must ask that you stop this immediately.” Kel’Ryn said again in protest.  He didn’t know what Aj was doing but the guys did and they stopped him from taking her away from Aj.  But when he saw Alex lift his hand and electrical sparks lit up his fingers Kel’Ryn stopped moving, even the guys became confused at this point.

Placing his hand over her heart he released a small amount of his lightning spell into her and then started CPR again.  Kevin looked at Brian, they kind of understood what he was trying too do but they knew it was hopeless.  They looked at each other fighting with their eyes on who was going to stop him.  As they heard the crackling of another shock, they both sighed and looked at him.

“Alex stop.” Kevin said as Aj leaned down for another round of CPR but before he could start Rayne gasped for air and started coughing.

“Praise Pixca” Kel’Ryn said breathless.  They looked at Aj who sat there staring at her.  “Get her back into the water.” Kel’Ryn told Kevin as he started to pull him over to Rayne and Aj.  Kevin helped the Priest pick Rayne up and lay her back into the pool of water.   

As Kel’Ryn flashed a spell over her Kevin turned and looked at Aj.  He was still sitting on the ground Howie and Brian around him.  He then looked at the three girls, they had been crying, now they just stood there stunned.  Standing up he walked back over to Aj and knelt down in front of him.

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

“I…I didn’t think it would work, I just, I had to try.” He said as he started crying again.