The Guardian Crusade

                                           Volume III

          Chapter Nine

Nick walked down a dark damp and small hallway.  The sound of water hitting the floor echoed around him and he slowly made his way towards the light near the end.  If there was an end it seemed like he had been walking for hours.  He called out and his voice echoed, no one answered.  As he got closer to the light he began to hear something at first it sounded like the wind, then it turned into a moan and then an ear piercing scream.  When he got to the end of the hall there was a door blocking him from going any further. Grabbing the knob he gave the door a tug but nothing happened, it was either locked or blocked.  Then he heard the scream again and this time he was close enough to recognize the voice. It was Nalia.

“Hello boy!” Rossi shouted at him from the other side of the door.  Nick looked up and a small window had appeared and Rossi was on the other side of it.  “I thought you would enjoy this, hearing her scream.”  When the words left Rossi’s lips Nick looked past him and saw Nalia on a table another Dwarf walked around her. He had an instrument in his hands and he crept over Nalia like a lion stalking his prey.

“Let her go.” Nick growled as he pulled on the door, shaking it but it still would not open.

“You’ve been a bad boy Nickolas.” Rossi said as he too looked back at Nalia.  “You disobeyed yee Father.”

“What are you talking about?” Nick asked as he pulled on the door again.

“Ashmourn.” Rossi said.  “You were supposed to change, you were supposed to kill them all but you didn’t listen, and now yee must pay.”

“Pay?” Nick replied confused when Rossi turned around.

“And how do we punish children who do not listen?” Rossi asked as he stopped and stared at Nalia.  “We take away their toys.” He spoke again as he looked over his shoulder at Nick.

Nick thought about Rossi’s words as he watched the other Dwarf lift the sharp instrument to Nalia.  “No.” Nick pleaded quickly as he tugged hard on the door.  “No please, Rossi don’t!” Nick yelled as he frantically pulled at the knob trying to get the door free.  His head snapped up when he heard Nalia scream, a scream that made him feel sick to his stomach. “NO!” Nick screamed as the tears began to pour from his eyes as he watched the blood pour from Nalia’s.

“Stop!” Nick screamed as he sat straight up.  He looked around in a panic state and slowly started to realize it was only a dream, well sort of.

“Nickolas?” Mela’s weak voice broke the silence and he looked over at her.  She was laying on one of the beds in the resting room and he was a little relieved to see her still alive.

“I’m sorry had a nightmare.” Nick replied as he got up from one of the beds he stole.

“About Nalia?” She asked as he walked over to her but he didn’t answer her.  “I am so sorry about what happened, if I had known he was going to take it that far.”

“Why did it happen? Why are things happening like this, what is wrong with him?” Nick asked as he stared at the woman lying on the bed.

“I can only assume it is because of Ashmourn.” Mela sighed weakly.  “There seems to have been a line drawn, people who remember what happened at Ashmourn all those years ago during the War with the Humans of Kalica and then there are the ones like your Fath…like Rossi and Dolun, they remember much more but they keep to themselves.”  Mela started coughing and Nick quickly helped her adjust the pillows under her head.

“When did Rossi start to change?” Nick asked as he sat back down.

“I first notice something after you and the others killed Ignis but it wasn’t until you started asking questions about Ashmourn that he really changed.” Mela told him.  “He became angry and agitated and the more you asked about it the worse he got.  Then he began to go off to these meetings that would last days, I guess he was going to Uldice.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Nick asked it seemed like all he had for her were questions.

“I did not know how too.” She replied.  “I know you are still adjusting to Rossi and I being your parents but to me you are my son, the one I gave birth too and the one that was taken away from me.” Nick noticed the anger in her weak voice.  Did she realize Rossi had lied and sent Nick away to help Ignis’s cause.  “when you told me about the problems you had with your parents on Earth, I could not bare to see you go through that again, nor did I want you thinking I was apart of it but I know now it did not matter because of what Rossi has done, you do not trust me anyways.”

“Mela, I…” He paused as his words got tangled in his throat.

“It is alright Nickolas, I understand and I would not want you lying to me just to appease a dying Dwarfs heart.” Mela told him as she took her hand.  “We are Dwarfs and we do not lie, well at least that is how it used to be.” She said sadly as she closed her eyes and began coughing again.  When she calmed her breathing stayed heavy and there was a wheeze to it.

“I should go get the Priest.” Nick said as he stood up.

“No” Mela told him as she held onto his hand.  “Please stay.” Nick lightly smiled as he sat back down.  “If you do not trust me or even Barco just please remember those people that were on that boat are innocent, they do not agree with what happened to Princess Nalia and when they made their voices heard Rossi punished them and there are still more fleeing as we speak.  These are your people too and they will fight with you, do what you must and free Tokia from the chains it now wears.”

“I will Mela I promise.” He told her. “I’ll find out what he’s up too and then I’ll make him pay, for what he’s done to Nalia, to you and to Tokia.” Nick thought as he watched Mela’s chest go down for the last time.

A sudden movement beside him jerked him from his sleep and as his eyes fluttered opened he saw Rayne sitting up in bed.  Her hair hung down her bare back, he could tell her breathing was jagged and as he sat up he realized she was crying.

“Rayne?” He said as he pulled her hair away and saw her head in her hands.  “What’s wrong?”

“Mela” She sobbed.

“Mela?” AJ replied confused.

“She’s gone.” Rayne said looking at him.

“Gone? How do you know?” AJ asked a little confused.

“I felt it.” She told him.

“You felt it?” AJ replied still confused.

“The loss, like something is missing and I know it is her.” Rayne said trying to explain.

“Did you have a dream or something?” He asked as he watched her get out of bed.

“No, I just woke up and felt like something was wrong.” She explained as he crawled out of bed as she wrapped a robe around her.

“Wait, where are you going?” AJ asked as she headed to the door.

“The Springs” She told him as she looked at him.

“Then I’m coming with you.” AJ said as he went to his wardrobe.  “If she really is gone than I’m sure Nick is ready to bust some heads.”

“What does that mean?” Rayne asked as he walked over to her.

“Get really mad and take it out on anyone who is around.” He explained.

“Oh, I see” Rayne replied with a nod as she opened the door.

The couple made their way down to the Healing Springs and when they walked into the open garden area they saw Nick coming out of one of the caves.  His eyes were red and the look on his face confirmed what Rayne had thought.

“What are you guys doing here?” Nick asked as they walked up to him.

“Rayne’s learned a new trick.” AJ replied trying to lighten the mood, it didn’t work.

“New trick?” Nick said confused.

“I could feel the loss of Mela when she passed.” Rayne said quietly.  “We came down to see if it was true or not.”

“It’s true.” Nick said as he walked past them and sat down on one of the stone benches.  AJ looked at Rayne as she stood there with her eyes closed; he then looked over at Nick who was rubbing his eyes.  “I need to tell Barco and Nalia.” Nick said standing up.

“Wait” AJ said as he hurried over to him.  “Are you ok?”

“I don’t know.” Nick replied with an honest look.  “I don’t think she had anything to do with what happened to Nalia, besides not speaking up about Rossi and his actions. With what Barco says and what she told me before she died not all the Dwarves are acting like Rossi is.”

“What are we going to do?” Rayne asked.

“The spies report in tomorrow right?” Nick asked.

“Yeah” AJ nodded.

“Then we see what they say.” Nick told them.  “Right now, I need to go talk to Barco and Nalia.” He then turned around and walked out of the Springs.

“I better go tell Avit and the guys.” AJ said as he looked at Rayne.

“I will go let Mother know.” Rayne replied as they left.

The next morning everyone was pretty much quiet.  Nick was in Kalica having breakfast with Nalia and Evia.  AJ and Rayne were having breakfast in Winnol with the guys and their wives.  It was raining in Winnol which wasn’t unusual for the area this time of year but the rain seemed thicker, heavier than usual or perhaps it was just the depress state people were in because of the passing of Mela.

“Anyone know how Nick is doing?” Brian asked as everyone sat around eating.

“He didn’t say much last night or this morning.” AJ replied.  “And he’s been in Kalica since he left the Healing Springs.”

“I can’t believe Rossi is, evil.” Leigh-Anne said sadly.

AJ was about to say nothing surprises him in this place anymore but Kevin kicking his shin stopped him from opening his mouth.  He looked at his friend confused and became even more confused when Kevin nodded his head towards Rayne.  AJ turned his head and looked at his wife, she had both hands flat on the table and her breathing was heavy.

“Rayne?” AJ said with worry.  “Rayne what’s going on? Rayne what’s wrong?” By now everyone at the table was staring at her. Her eyes showed pain but then there would moments of anger. She never said a word as everyone sat there staring at her. AJ swallowed hard not sure what was happening. “Rayne?” He said again.

“Kalica’s under attack.” She finally spoke her eyes not breaking from the table.  Her voice was anger filled with an evil calm.  “Dwarfs.” She whispered.

“Nick, Nick is there.” Brian said quickly.

“Go” AJ said quickly to Avit and Jaina.

“What about you?” Kevin asked.

AJ looked at Rayne and then back at them.  “We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

“Alex.” Brian said as he stood at the door.

“Nick’s a big boy, I need to make sure Rayne is alright.”

“Let’s go.” Kevin said as he motioned for the door.

AJ turned back around and looked at his Wife.  “Rayne what happened?” Then he realized she can come out of the funk she was in.

“It all came so fast.” She whispered.  “So many of them.”

“Many of them?” AJ repeated as he started to worry.

“The trees, the animals, the people, they were all in distress, and then…” She stopped.

“And then what Rayne?” He asked.

She looked up at AJ.  “I felt betyal, I felt hurt, pain, anger, and it was all coming from Nick.”

“Nick?” AJ replied a little stunned.  “What happened?”

“It was a set up, it was all a set up.” Rayne whispered in some what disbelief and shock.

“Mela” AJ said as he it started to hit him.  He thought about his friend, all the things back on Earth, the troubles with Rossi but Mela was always there for him. “Do you know if Mela was in on it?”

“She was there or is there I think, I think he saw her, I just…I don’t know.” She replied confused.  “It was all so much and I tried to get it all, figure it all out but…”

“It’s ok beautiful.” AJ said quickly taking her hands.  “Do you need to lie down or anything?”

“No we need to get to Kalica, if not for Nick than for Nalia.” Rayne said to him.

“Ok” He nodded as she stood up and helped her stand.