The Guardian Crusade

                                            Volume III

       Chapter 10

            Nick sat at the dinning table staring at Nalia as she ate her breakfast.  She was getting better at the morning ritual but she still had some problems and he couldn’t imagine how frustrating it was when all of a sudden you had to relearn how to eat.  A small frown broke from his lips as he looked at the cloth wrap around her eyes.  Her eyes, he missed them, they were chocolate brown like her hair, they showed strength and they showed love, especially when she looked at him.

“Even though I can not see I still know you are staring Nick.” She said breaking the silence in the room.

“I was just making sure you were ok.” Nick replied.

“I think I can handle eating my breakfast.” She said and he heard the bitterness in her tone.

“I know” Nick replied as he looked back at his plate. 

He sighed to himself, he didn’t know how to act around her.  Did he treat her like nothing was wrong, or did he act like a personal nurse and help her with everything but then what would she think.  If he left her alone would she think he didn’t care anymore, which was the farthest from the truth or would she act bitter and snap at him like she’s been doing the last couple of days.  He didn’t want to upset her he just wanted to be there for her, like she was for him.

“I’m sorry.” She replied and he looked at her.  Nalia turned in her chair a little towards him and searched for his hands.  Nick took her hands in his and she wrapped her fingers around his.

“Its ok babe I know…” He stopped because he didn’t know.  “I can’t even imagine just how hard this is for you but I want you to know I’m here, you don’t have to be afraid or worry that’ll I will judge you because I won’t, you never did with me.”

“You?” Nalia replied confused.

“When I was going through all that Warlock crap, you followed me to the end of Kalica and back, you never wavered, always there by my side.” He told her. A small smile broke from the corner of her lips.  “I’m here for you; I’ll always be here for you Nali.”

“I…” Just then the doors to the room came flying open and Nick quickly turned around.

“What’s going on?” Nick asked as he spun around to see a Kalica guard standing at the end of the table.

“We’re under attack, the Queen sent me to get you.” The man said quickly.

“Under attack? Who?” Nalia asked.

Nick stood there waiting for the man to answer but he knew the answer, his mind knew the answer and once again his heart was wrong.  His fists clenched closed as his teeth pressed against each other so hard it would have given him a headache if he didn’t have one already as his mind screamed at his heart for leading him down this road again. Sadness ripped through his body but before he could react to it, anger filled him, hate filled him and betrayal filled him.

“Mela” Nick spoke before the guard had a chance too.

“What?” Nalia gasped out.

“Yes sir the dwarves we brought in started attacking and then some more came from the west wall.” He told them.

“The west wall?” Nalia replied a little confused.  “It was a set up?” Nick closed his eyes when she said the words. 

Quickly Nick turned around and took Nalia’s hand.  When he felt her fingers wrap around his he started leading her out of the room.  His mind was racing a mile a minute replaying everything from the time he went with Nalia’s Mom to the crashed ship to the time he said a final goodbye to Mela. There were only a hundred people on that ship so how did they get so many to attack the city and where did the attackers from the west wall come from.

“Nick where are we going?” Nalia asked breaking him from his thoughts.

“Winnol Globe Room, getting you to safety.” Nick told her.

“Nick” She replied as she went to stop but he didn’t and the momentum jerked her forward.  “Nickolas please stop.”

“I need to get you out of here.” He replied.

“Shall I lend a hand?” Said a voice and Nick spun back around at the direction of the voice.

“Nick?” Nalia said and her tone told him she knew who was standing in front of them.

“You should have stayed dead.” Nick spoke with hate and anger.

“Perhaps or perhaps I was never dead to begin with.” She replied with a sadistic smile.  “No wonder ya Earth parents did what they did, yee are truly gullible Nickolas, and it be proving to be ya down fall.”

Without another thought he threw his arm out and sent a shadow bolt flying at her.  Mela brought up her staff and blocked the spell with a laugh.  “Aye Nickolas, you are going to have to do much more than that.”

The sound of people charging up the stairs broke both of them from stare down and they both turned to look.  Kalica guards were the first up the stairs Bussa leading the way.  “Looks like you’re surrounded Mela.” Nick said quickly. 

“Have you learned nothing?” Mela asked and then she was gone.

Quickly Nick closed his eyes and sighed.  “She’s a mage.” 

When his mind snapped back he spun around to make sure Mela didn’t teleport behind them.  Everything was clear so he turned to Bussa.  “Take Nali to Winnol, get everyone you can to the Globe room.”

“Yes sir” Bussa replied with a nod as he went to reach for Nalia but she pulled away.

“I’m not leaving without you.” Nalia said as her head titled towards Nick.

“Please Nali don’t fight me on this right now, just get to Winnol where I know you’ll be safe.” He told her with a small plea to his voice.

“What about you?” She asked.

“I’ll be right behind you I swear, I’m going to go get your Mom and make sure this place doesn’t get over ran with Dwarves.” He said as he led her to Bussa.

“Nick!!” He heard someone shout and he looked up.

“Nickolas!” He saw Avit shout as he saw the man running towards them with his friends, Kevin was beside him.

“This place is under attack.” Nick said as the group walked up to them.

“We know, Rayne told us.” Kevin said as Bussa took Nalia around the waist.

“Rayne?” Nalia replied confused.  “How did she know?”

“She started freaking out at Breakfast and then she told us she felt what had happened.” Kevin told them.

“Felt?” Nalia said still confused.

“New trick?” Nick asked looking at Kevin.

“Must be” Kevin shrugged.

“Well either way, I need you guys to help Bussa get the people to Winnol and get Nalia outta here where it’s safe.” Nick told them.

“What about you?” Brian asked.

“Going to go find Nali’s Mom, I’ll be right behind you.” Nick told them.

He called out orders to the guards waiting for them and then when the hallway was clear he made his way to the Globe Room.  He saw the doors close behind the guards; he saw the light flickering like crazy as people after people went through them.  Then after a moment or two there was nothing, just two lonely guards standing outside the door.

“Nick where is Nalia?” Eva’s voice said from behind him and he turned around.

“She’s gone through the Globe to Winnol.” Nick told her.  “You should head there as well.”

“What about the city?” Eva asked.

“All the soldiers know what their orders are; you need to get to safety.” He told her.  “I’m sure once Nalia is settled Bussa will come back.”

“Alright” Eva said as she picked up the bottom of her dress and headed towards the Globe room.

Nick and Eva walked up to the guards outside the doors. “Go and make sure the other Globes are shut off.”

“Yes sir” The men nodded and then quickly moved down the hall towards the others.

“Ok” Nick said nodding to Eva.

“You are coming as well?” Eva asked and Nick just looked at her.  “Nickolas, you can not fight this on your own.” She told him.

“You better get going, tell Nalia I’ll be right there.” Nick said as he looked back when there was a commotion down the hall.

“Nickolas I will not lie to her.” Eva said.

“Eva, I will be right behind you.” He said but they both knew it was a lie.

Eva put her hand on the Globe and as the smoke rose and swallowed the Queen of Kalica she disappeared.  Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out the key.  He looked at it and then looked at the Globe knowing Nalia was safely on the other side. He stuck the key into the pedestal and shut the Globe down.  “Sorry Nali.” Nick spoke softly as he pulled the key out and then ran out of the room.

Nick ran up to the balcony over looking the large entrance area of the palace. “Come on Mela I know you’re here!” He yelled as he looked down both hallways and then down to the foyer.  “Come on Mela!!” He screamed wanting to confront her on everything, why, why did they lie, why did they trick everyone into thinking they were fun, cheerful people, why did they trick him, why did they hurt him, why…

“Why, why, why!?!?!” Nick screamed his tears apparent but his eyes showed nothing but hate.

“Hey!” Someone shouted from behind him and he spun around.  “Why did you turn the Globe off?” AJ said as he stood a few feet away from him.

“Go back Winnol AJ.” Nick said as he moved away from his friend and headed down the stairs. He forgot all the time AJ could do that and he wasn’t in the mood to here his speech about rushing into things.

“Well if you’re going to go look for her at least let me go with you.” AJ said following him.

“What you’re not gonna yell and freak out about how I’m rushing into things?” Nick said as he reached for the palace door.

“Rushing? Why would you be rushing, this city is under attack? And I don’t want Nalia to lose her home again as much as you do.” AJ replied and Nick looked at him.  “Relax dude not gonna bust your balls just wanna make sure you got some back up.”

“Fine” Nick said as he opened the door.  He heard AJ snicker a little behind him but he ignored it and walked out into the city. 

“Nalia told Rayne that Mela isn’t dead or wasn’t dead, the ones you took in started to attack and then there’s a bunch more attacking from the west.”

“Kevin said something about Rayne knowing already that’s why everyone showed up.” Nick said.  “How did she know?”

“She can sense everything living; I guess it’s the Dryad part of her? I’m still a little confused on it but she could sense trouble, bad trouble.” AJ replied.

“I don’t get it.” Nick said stopping and looking at him. “Where did the ones from the west come from?” He asked.

“Hell if I know, I’ve only ever been down South here.” AJ shrugged.

            “Haha, funny.” Nick said rolling his eyes.

“Well its true dude.” AJ replied back with a duh look.

“Prince Nickolas!” Someone shouted from the east side of the street and they both stopped and looked.  They saw a Bussa’’s second in command Lawrence running at them.

“What’s going on Lawrence?” Nick asked.  He liked Lawrence, he was around his age and not as up tight as Bussa was.

“We have them at the West wall sir; most of the ones who were rescued are dead or met up with the attackers at the wall.” He told him as he stopped in front of him. 

“Have you seen Mela?” Nick asked.

“Yes sir, commanding the West wall attackers.” The man nodded.

“Damn it” Nick huffed as he looked at AJ.  “Well let’s go.”

The three men took off down the cobble stoned road towards the West wall gates.  So that is where she went, not even bothering to stick around and answer his questions.  It angered him the more he thought about it.  This place was different, this place wasn’t supposed to turn into this; maybe it was him after all.

“Aye Nickolas good of ya to join us!” Mela shouted as she stood on top of the gate.

“Why Mela, why go through all of this, why lie to everyone for years!” Nick yelled but he was interrupted.

“We did not haveta lie, everyone had forgotten, till the likes you two came along.” Mela yelled as she pointed her staff at them.  Nick had seen it once before, the large purple gem on top, the carvings along the shaft, he wondered if AJ had one, because the one Adamai had, had nothing on hers.

“So you did remember.” AJ shouted from beside him.

“Yes, yes we all remembered!” She yelled.  “It was our gift for destroying the tree, the only problem was that stupid Ignis, ruining everything, that was not what the Old ones wanted.”

“Old ones?” Nick and AJ both replied.

“The Old ones are looking for their run away.” Mela told them.  “They sent a hunter to find her but the fool wanted this place for himself, so when he saw an opening he took it, and her before the others could get through the door but one did get through, one we’ve kept protected, the one that gave us back our memories, when the greedy hunter took them away.”

“I don’t care about that, why…why did you lie to me, you were…you were…you were my Mom.” Nick said.

“Aye and look yee can barely say it.” Mela yelled.  “Ya are such a disappointment Nickolas, yee never did what ya were told, ya were supposed to go back to Ashmourn and when yee found Pixca, ya were supposed to kill her!”

“What?!” Nick replied shock.  “It was Pixca that was talking to me.”

“Aye, we let her lead ya there, the Hunter wouldn’t let us near the place, he hated that he had to share this place with us but he knew about the other, our Old one will do what the Hunter could not, would not do and that was kill the trader, the one that took the Old ones world from them.”

Then before Nick could respond there was a loud crash and the sky, the area around them erupted into light.  Both Nick an AJ fell to the ground and took cover.  Nick could hear people yelling in confusion but he notice there were no shouts of pain.  Slowly he lifted his head to look around and saw dust and smoke everywhere but nothing was on fire and there was no wind.

“I knew that bitch was hiding something.” AJ said beside him and Nick looked at him.

“Huh?” Nick replied confused.

“That whole speech? The trader the one that these Old ones or what ever the fuck they are, are chasing…its Pixca.”

“There gone sir, all off them gone.” Someone yelled to Lawrence from one of the towers.

“Perfect.” Nick sighed.

“That’s one hell of a teleport” AJ replied.

“No, it was just a smoke screen.” Lawrence replied.

Then out of the blue it hit Nick outta no where what AJ was talking about. “Pixca is one of them? Like those Demon dudes? The one at the Castle in Ashmourn.”

“Yes” AJ nodded.  “The bitch has been lying the whole time, making up some stupid Guardian shit an epic journey my ass!” AJ blurted out.

“But wait why did she give the Guardians power than?” Nick asked.

“Hell if I know, we better get back and let the girls know and then we can get Rayne to call her out or something, hell I’ll call her out myself, if she is even a she.” AJ replied.

“Yeah, been meaning to talk to her myself.” Nick said thinking about Nalia, this Pixca better not be playin’ him too, the things he did for her, the friendship he almost lost over her.  He wanted answers and he wanted them now. Looking up he saw AJ walking back towards the Palace.

“Hey! Where are you going let’s just teleport?” Nick yelled to him.

“Ya gotta turn the Globe back on douche!” AJ shouted back not even looking at him as he kept walking.

“Oh, shit, yeah” Nick said scratching his head really quick and then jogging over to catch up with AJ.