The Guardian Crusade

                                           Volume II

                                                      Chapter 25

When their lips slowly pulled away they rested their foreheads together.  They kissed again not moving from in front of Rayne’s Druid chest.  For AJ it had felt like an eternity since he had kissed her, since he had touched her and he didn’t want it to end but the sound of someone knocking at the door pulled them apart.

“I’ll get it.” He whispered as the back of his finger brushed down her cheek.

“Tell them to go away.” She whispered back.  He lightly smiled and kissed her quickly.  AJ walked over to the door and opened it; he smiled when he saw Halian on the other side.

“How is she?” Halian asked.

“She’s fine.” AJ said back with a light smile and he stepped back for her to walk in.  Rayne’s Mother walked into the bedroom and saw Rayne closing up her chest.

“I am sorry I got angry Rayne it is just..” Halian started to say but Rayne interrupted her.

“It is fine Mother but I hope you understand I needed to do it.” Rayne told her.

“But why alone, I may not be a Druid but a Mage is better than nothing.” Halian said as she walked over to her.

“Mother please.” Rayne said sternly.

“Maybe we should talk about this later.” AJ said not wanting them to fight.

“We are not talking about now or ever, I needed to do it, I did it, end of story.” Rayne said looking at her Mom.  “And it worked so I do not see the need to get so angry.”

“What do you mean it worked?” Her Mother asked.

“I mean it worked, I got my memory back, well most of it.” She said holding her head.  “I really need to rest.”

“Are you ok?” AJ asked quickly as he walked up to her.

“Yes, just something that happens afterwards, a little light headed that is all.” She told him as she took his hand and he walked her over to the bed.

“Should you go to the Springs?” AJ asked.

“No” She replied quickly.  “I…I have seen enough of that place for now.” She told him and he lightly nodded.

“Lie down and rest a little bit, I’ll talk to her ok?” AJ told her as he fixed her pillow and she laid back onto it.  He waited for her to close her eyes and then he walked over to her Mother.

“Is it true?” Halian asked.

“She told me what happened, well some of it, when she was there, I think she remembers.” AJ said as he looked back at her.  “Whatever she did in that Phantasm it seems to have worked.”

“But still..” Halian said worried about what could have happened to Rayne.

“She is a Guardian Halian, you yourself know how strong and powerful we are, I’m sure that place is different for her than for other Druids.” He told her placing his hand on the side of her arm in comfort.

Halian smiled at him.  “It is good to have you back as well.” 

He looked at her in confusion at first and then he remembered how he had been acting.  With a light smile and a nod AJ acknowledge what she meant.  Rayne’s Mom returned the smile.

“I will let Jaina know what has happened.” She told him and he nodded.

“Thanks.” He replied and then Halian left the room.  Watching her as she laid with her eye closed on the bed, he waited for the door to click close and then he spoke. “She’s gone.”

“Thank you.” Rayne said as she slowly sat up.

“So was that just a fake out, to get your Mom out of the room?” He asked as he walked over.

“A fake out?” She asked him a little confused.

“Faking the little dizzy spell” He told her with a light smile.

“Oh.” She said understanding.  “No, that was real but I am feeling better now.”

“Rayne?” He said quietly and she looked at him with puzzlement.  “What happened?” He asked.

“What happened?” She asked not sure what he was asking about.

“In the room, in the Palace, the night you…” He stopped not wanting to say the words even if he did save her.

“The night I died?” She asked and he could only nod.

“What happened in the Palace, how did you end up in Winnol, what did Rexil do to you?” He asked as his eyes started to well with tears. 

Carefully she placed her hands on top of his and looked at him.  “I was sleeping and I heard someone enter the room, I thought it was you so I called out to you but you did not answer.” She told him.  “I heard something by the curtain and when I pulled it back.” She stopped speaking the face on the other side of the curtain flashed through her mind.

“It disappeared but it would still talk to me, I tried to call out for help but the voice just mocked me.”  She told him as he held her.  “I remember Jaina coming in and that is when I ran out of the room, I heard Jaina shouting but I did not want to stop.”

“Do you know what she was saying?” AJ asked.

“No” Rayne shook her head.  “I was in such a panic I barely knew where I was.”

He frowned at her as he raised his hand and brushed her hair from her face.  “She tried to get you to stop, she almost caught up to you but you went into the globe room and left for Winnol, she tried to follow but you shut it off on her.”

“Did she not see it?” Rayne asked.

“No beautiful, you were the only one who could.” AJ told her.

“Oh” Rayne said realizing how that must have made her look to others, if others saw her.  “But when I realized it was Rexil she attacked me, she threw me through the bedroom door, I attacked her with spells.”

“There was no one there Rayne it was just you, from what the people who saw you on the second floor.” He said.  “They said you were throwing yourself down the hall, you were casting spells at thin air and then you threw yourself into the guest room doors.”

“But…But Rexil was there I saw her.” Rayne said in some disbelief.

“I know, I know she was what ever spell she was using on you, it was meant to make you look crazy, but I know it was her.”  He said to her as he took her by the arms.  “I’m just glad you’re ok now. When I thought Rexil had killed you before I could get to you.”

“She did not kill me.” Rayne said and he looked at her.

“What do you mean?” AJ asked.

“It was the spell I conjured it most likely took all of my energy.” Rayne said to him.

“I’m still confused.” His face still puzzled.

“It was me that brought your friends back.” Rayne told him.

“You, how?” AJ asked.  “How is that even possible?”

“Your friends were not born here but yet when they came here they still inherited the talents of this land, their Aura’s must be special and if I could find them, if I could find their Life Energy perhaps I could ask the Spirits to bring them back and it looks like they did.” Rayne told him. 

“Why, why did you do it?” AJ asked.

“Because I knew Rexil was going to hurt me, I did not know if I would see you again, so I needed to make sure you would be ok.” She told him.  “When I realized where I was I searched for their Aura and they were weak and hard to see but I found them.”

“How did you know?” AJ asked.  “How did you know it would work?”

“I was not sure that it would.” She looked at him and took a deep breath.  “I had to try for you, I saw what everything was doing to you, the stress you were under and I started thinking if your friends were here it could possibly help, they could find Nickolas for you.”

“Then I was in the room with Rexil and I thought, I thought I would never see you again, and then I thought about you, how you would react and thought of you going through that alone, I could not let that happened so I decided to ask the Spirits.” She said as she looked down at her fingers.

“I hope they were not upset, especially Brian.” Rayne said as AJ pulled her into his arms.

“No.” He said with a light smile.  “You brought the wives with them, so they are actually ok right now.”

“I did?” Rayne said a little stunned.  “Oh I did.” She spoke as she remembered meeting the girls.  “That I am not sure how I did it.” Rayne looked at him with a frown and he smiled at her.

“It’s ok we’ll get them home.” AJ told her as he cupped the side of her cheek in the palm of his hand.  “I’m just glad you are ok now, you remember and you’re safe back with me.”

Rayne smiled at him and then pulled him to her lips and kissed him.  “Can we go on that trip now?” She asked as their lips drifted apart.

“Trip?” He said confused at first.  “Oh the trip.” AJ remembered.  He thought about the rings sitting in his top drawer.  “Yes, we’re going on that trip, now if you want too.”

“I want to; before the people know I’m ok, before the parties start.” She smiled.  “Just us and no one else.”

“Then let’s get you packed and then we’ll go to Winnol and get my things.” AJ said as he took her hands.  “I want to go see Avit first too.”

“How is he?” Rayne asked and he looked away.

“He’s doing better, he still needs to sit in the Springs for an hour, but he’s getting stronger.”

“Have you talked to him yet?” She asked.

“Yeah.” He nodded quickly.  “He heard me yelling, I guess he was awake. He said I was running away, he asked me if that’s the way I was back on Earth.”

“Was it?” She asked.

“Somewhat yeah.” He nodded.  “I guess when I thought I had lost you; I slipped back into old habits and the whole Dyn thing didn’t help much.”

Rayne frowned and sighed.  “The Dyn you knew was not the Dyn I loved. I wish you could have known him.”

“Me too.” AJ said as he took her hand back into his.  “Well you better get packing; I’m going to go let your Mom know.”

“Alright.” She replied with a light smile. 

Rayne watched as he stood up from the bed, his robe dancing around his feet, his long dark hair looked almost a midnight blue in the sunlight.  His jewelry clanked as he adjusted his robe.

“Alex.” She said as she quickly stood up.  He stopped and turned around, looking at her a little confused, wondering what she wanted.  Rayne walked over to him and without missing a beat, she kissed him.  When they pulled away he looked at her a little puzzled.  “Hurry back.” She lightly smiled.

“Hey sleepy head it’s about time.” Kevin barked as Nick walked into the room.

“Huh?” Nick said as he rubbed his eye.  “Oh, yeah, I guess I was more tired than I thought.” He shrugged. 

“Well while you were sleeping we were reading.” Kevin said as Nick sat down.

“Anyone hear from Alex or Rayne?” Nick asked and everyone looked at him.

“No, why?” Nalia said confused.

“I was just wondering.” Nick said wondering if what he had was a dream or not.  “So you were reading, anything new?”

“We might have found a way into Ashmourn.” Kevin told him handing him the book that had the Elvaan Myth story.  “The Human who go out to tell that story.” Kevin said using his fingers in a quotation motion at the word Story.  “He got out through a cave that was at the bottom of the Castle, the book says it leads to a small rock hallway.”

“Rock hallway?” Nick asked confused.

“I think it means the Canyon.” Nalia told him.  “There were small caves all along it, perhaps there are more, further up from where we ran into that demon.”

“Well it’s something.” Nick said as he looked around.  “Should we go check it out?”

“We’re still mapping a plan out.  Different chapters talk about different places, but Nick this place, it doesn’t sound to pretty.”  Kevin told him.

“A Castle of Lava I would think not.” Nick said to him.  “Besides who said you were going?”

“Why wouldn’t we?” Howie asked.

“It’s really dangerous, I’m not putting you guys or the girls in any danger.” Nick said shaking his head.

“And what you think you can walk in there with just the three of you?” Kevin said.

“Three?” Nalia said.   “Do you not mean four?”

“Like Rayne’s going to be any help.” Brian said with a light laugh.

“Ahem.” AJ said as he cleared his throat and everyone jumped looking at him.

“Smooth ya prick.” Nick whispered to Brian and Brian shot him a look.

“Is everything ok?” Nalia asked ignoring the whispering.

“Yes everything is fine.” Rayne said nodding her head.  “Did you find something?”

“Yeah they found a way to get in.” Nick said as he stood up from the couch.

“Maybe.” Kevin spoke up quickly.

“Yeah, so I say we go in there and put that place out.” Nick said as he sat on a table.

“I say we don’t rush it, we’re still finding things out about the place.” Kevin said looking back at Nick.

“I think Kevin’s right.” AJ said.

“You do?” Kevin replied kind of surprised.

“Yeah, beside, Rayne and I are going away for a few days.” He told them.

“What, you are, why?” Nalia said puzzled.

“Alex is taking me to Pera for some well needed rest.” She said as she looked at him with a light smile.

“To Pera.” Kevin said looking at AJ but AJ just smiled at him.

“Is everything alright?” Nalia asked as she walked up to Rayne.

“Yes everything is fine.” Rayne smiled.  “I just need some time to rest; I have been on a long journey.”

“You allowed Drania to do the Phantasm?” Nalia asked even though she knew what Rayne meant by journey.

“No, I did it on my own.” Rayne told her.

“Rayne.” Nalia said stunned.

“Do not please.  I have already heard it from Mother, I am just happy I found what I had lost.” Rayne told her as she slightly raised her hand.

“Found what you lost?” Howie asked confused.

“So that was it, it worked?” Nick asked.

“Yes, thank you.” She said with a light smile.

“Tight.” Nick said with a nod.

“What?” Nalia and AJ said at the same time.

“Don’t look at me, I dunno.” Nick said still confused by the dream, or whatever it was.

“Since Rexil had my memory I had hoped she would be in the Phantasm, that a piece of her was with me because of the spells she had used and I was right, but she was gone because Nick had killed her.” Rayne told them.  “But he just didn’t kill her, he drained her, so in essence, he absorbed her energy and with it my memory.”

“So why was he in the Phantasm?” AJ asked.

“I am still not sure on that.” Rayne said with a sigh.  “If Rexil died her link should have as well, maybe because I was around him, somehow he could have taken her place, I still do not really know.”  Rayne said and they could tell she was confused.  “Either way he figured out where Rexil had it and gave it back to me.”

“I’m just glad you didn’t lose it for good because I killed her.” Nick sighed.

“So then you remember?” Nalia asked.

“Yes I do.” She said with a smile.

“Then can you tell us what the heck happened in that room, how did we get here? Was it Rexil? Cause if it was I can deal with death as a suitable punishment.” Brian said nodding.

“Brian.” Kevin said looking at him.

“It was me.” Rayne said and everyone looked at her.

“What?” They all said even Nalia.

“It was something I had thought of because of everything that was going on with me, being sick and everything.  But then I was alone in the room with Rexil and I did not know what was going to happen to me so, I asked the Spirits to bring you here, incase Alex needed you.”  She told them.

“She did it for me, so I wouldn’t be alone.” AJ said as he looked from them to her.

“I thought Druids couldn’t do that?” Brian said confused.

“They can not.” Nalia said looking at Rayne. 

“Well I am not just some ordinary Druid.” Rayne said with an almost proud smile.

“So when are you going?” Nick asked.

“Right now, we just came to say goodbye and let you know we’ll be back in a few days.” AJ said as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?” Nalia asked.

“Of course.” Rayne said with a nod.  She lightly smiled at AJ and then walked over to the other side of the room with Nalia.  His smile not leaving his lips as he watched her.

“So, Pera?” Kevin said from beside him and it startled him, almost making him jump.

“Yep.” He nodded as he looked from Kevin to Rayne.

“Are you going to be..?” Kevin asked.

“Yep.” AJ nodded his eyes not breaking from her.

“Well then I wish you the best man, and I’m glad everything’s working out.” Kevin told him as he patted his friend on the back.

“Me too.  Still kind of surreal that she remembers, felt like I was never going to get out of that nightmare.” He sighed.

“Do you have the.”

“Yea, picked them up when I went to Winnol to pack, I was able to sneak down to my desk and grab them.” He said with a sly smile.

“Then I guess we’ll see you when you get back.” Kevin said as he pulled AJ in for a hug.

“Ready to go?” Rayne asked as her and Nalia walked up to them.

“Very.” AJ said as he took her hand.

“Have a good time you two.” Nick waved as they headed to the doors.

“So anyone wanna tell me how she got her memory back?” Brian asked still very confused.

“I don’t even get it and I was there dude.” Nick said with a small laugh.

“Yeah why were you there?” Howie asked looking at him.

“As if, pervert.” Nick scoffed at him.  “You heard her; I probably took Rexil’s place because I drained her energy.” He shrugged.  “So was it a dream?” He asked Nalia.

“For you it was for her, it was much more than that.” Nalia told him.

“Well I’m glad I could help. Carter saves the day again” Nick said with a smile and then a barrage of throw pillows rained down on him.