The Guardian Crusade

Volume III

 Chapter 15

            “You just can’t kick her out, Winnol is her home, and she is your wife.” Kevin said with an angry tone as they walked into the globe room to head back to Winnol.

“The hell I can’t.” AJ snapped.

“Alex” Avit said a little stunned.

He said nothing as he put his hand on the globe and the others followed.  With a puff of smoke and a flash they were back in Winnol.  AJ stormed out of the room, the doors flying open but he was stopped by guards in the hallway.

“Sir” One of them said when they saw their King.  “Queen Rayne has taken off with Dyn.”

“WHAT?!” AJ shouted as both Kevin and Avit gasped the word in shock.

“Yes Sir.” The man nodded.  “She told the guard she was going in to question him, and then she tried to leave with him, saying she was bringing him here for questioning.  When the guard refused to let her do so, she attacked him, and they both took off.  They were chased to the Gryphon tower but her spells...” The man paused.  “She is a Guardian after all.”

“She’s more than that.” AJ thought to himself.

“Maybe Nalia was right.” AJ replied in disbelief.  “Maybe she really is with the Dwarves, maybe she is a traitor.”

“Or maybe she’s just scared because her husband kicked her out of her home.” Kevin snapped back at him.

“Really then what the hell does Dyn have to do with it?” AJ snapped back.  “We don’t even know if it is him.”

“Well if anyone would know who he is, it would be Rayne.” Avit told him and AJ looked at him. “Have you really been that blinded by all of this that you forgot Rayne can see our Aura’s there is no hiding that, if she can see his she would know.” Avit said and AJ could sense his anger.

“Do you know where they went?” Avit asked his guard.

“We are not sure; they made it to the top and took off on a Gryphon.  From what my men say they were headed north west.” The man said.

“What’s north west of here?” Kevin asked.

“Nothing just the ocean.” AJ replied thinking. 

“But Kalica is beyond that ocean.” Avit said looking at him.

“We sent a couple of Riders after them sir.” The Guard said to AJ and Avit.

“Good” AJ said turning around.

“Where are you going?” Kevin asked as he spun around.

“Going back to Kalica too inform Eva, she has two traitors heading her way.”

“Traitor, Alexander you can not be serious.” Avit replied as Kevin and him followed AJ to the globe room.  AJ said nothing as he put his hand on the globe and returned to Hevi.

Rayne brought the Gryphon down beside the large tree in an area she knew all to well.  She sent the bird away and picked up her bag.  When she looked over at Dyn he was looking around confused.  Taking her bag, she walked over to the tree and set it down.

“Where are we?” He asked confused.

“We are in Kalica this use to be the volcanic region.” She told him

“What…what happened to it?” He asked as he looked back at her.

“After we had defeated Ignis, Nickolas starting succumbing to the darkness, but Pixca was talking to him, she led him here, well to the Canyon on the other side.” She told him.  “At the same time Rexil had put some type of mind spell on me.” She said as they both sat down under the tree.  “She was making me think I was going crazy.”

“That old hag.” Dyn sighed.  “Father hated the way she treated you, I always thought it was because he cared for you, now I guess it was because he knew you were a Guardian.”

“I have no doubt Marsa cared for me whether I was a Guardian or not.” Rayne replied.  She saw the sadness fall over his face and thought it better to distract him.  “Well there was a big scene in the Castle, apparently I was fighting with thin air, running from the Castle in Sarila to Winnol, running around that Castle and throwing myself through doors but I was actually fighting with Rexil, I was very frightened I did not know what was going to happened, so I was able to locate Alex’s friends Aura’s and was able to pull them back here, although doing so had killed me.”

“Killed you?” Dyn said shocked.

“Yes” Rayne nodded.  “Alex tried to get me to the Springs but there was nothing they could do, even Kel’Ryn tried to raise me.”

“But what happened, you are here right now.” Dyn asked a little in awe.

“Alex” She said.  “I guess back on Earth they have this thing called CPR, I am not sure what it means but he did it to me, he also used a small dosage of his lightening spell over my heart gave it a shock and ended up bringing me back.” She told him.

“Amazing.” Dyn replied.

Rayne nodded.  “Apparently it was some variation of how they try to save lives back on Earth.” She took a deep breath and sighed.  “This all happened while Nick and Nalia were on their way here but when Pixca realized I had died she sent them back.”

“And then what?” He asked.

“Nick knew Pixca was here, in the old Dwarf Castle, and he found out the stories of it being filled with lava were untrue.” She told him.  “When things with Rexil were put to rest, we gathered an army and came here.  I was weakened because the death in this place craved the life I had, during a fight between the demons and our army I was taken and brought to the Castle.  When I came too, that’s when I saw her.”

“Who?” Dyn wondered.

“Pixca” She told him.  “Ignis had taken her.”

“But how she is Pixca she could easily have over taken him.” Dyn replied confused.

“This land did the same thing to her as it did me, she had no power and could do nothing, and they kept her here to make sure she could do no more.” She told him. “She told me about Ignis, about the fact that here, in this area is a portal, a doorway to a demon world, it is where Ignis, or the demon who controlled Ignis was from.” She stopped before saying anything more, she could not tell him about who Pixca really was.  “Before the demon controlling Ignis came, the Elvaans use to protect this place, they would sacrifice a strong Druid and she or he would become a Dryad.  This tree here…” She said looking up.  “…Is what holds the door closed and the Dryad protects it but then the Humans and the Dwarves started fighting over this land.  The actual Ignis, was in love with a girl, she became the Dryad but he could not accept it and he went into seclusion.  While fighting the Dwarves destroyed the tree and opened the portal, it sent Ignis into madness and that is when the demon took control over him and the rest you know.” She said as he stared at her like a five year old listening to a story at story time.

“So how did the tree come back?” Dyn asked.

“It was me.” She said.  “Pixca told me I needed to do it because I was the only one strong enough too.”

“But then would you have become a Dryad?” He asked.

“The Castle crumbled down on top of me, I closed the door and the land was reborn and so was I as a Dryad.” She told him.

“But you look the same.” He replied.

“Pixca, she knew that the world had changed, that I would not be able to protect the tree on my own, so she gave me life again, I am both Rayne and a Dryad but no one accept Nalia, Nickolas and Alex know who I really am because if people found out, if the Dwarves found out…”

Dyn finished her sentence.  “They would kill you to open the portal again.”

Rayne nodded. “And now I am being labeled as a traitor and everyone I love and care for has turned their backs on me.” She said quietly.

“They are in pain and if there is one thing I know it is pain can make you do unthinkable things.” Dyn said as he looked away from her.  They both sat there in silence until Dyn spoke up again.  “I am truly sorry for what I tried to do to you, I was out of my mind with grief and anger but that is still no excuse.”

After a moment of silence Dyn spoke up again.  “Are you not worried about Alexander teleporting to us?” He asked

“A little but we are not going to be here long plus he can not get to us when we are in the air.”  She told him as she stood up.  “In fact we should get going.”

“And where is that” AJ said from behind them.  The two spun around and saw the Elvaan standing there staring at them.

“What do you care?” Rayne said as she picked up her bag.

“Well considering you took off with a murder and beat up a couple of my guards.” AJ said as he looked at them as their Gryphon landed.

“Let us go Dyn.” Rayne said rolling her eyes and headed towards the giant bird.

“I don’t think so.” AJ said and she heard a loud crackling sound.  She tried to move her feet but she couldn’t.  She didn’t even have to look down to know what was going on, AJ had used his freeze trap spell and now they were both stuck in place.

When she looked up she saw AJ standing in front of her.  “You are coming home with me.”

“No I am not.” She replied.  “And if I remember correctly you kicked me out of my home.”  Then the freeze trap broke and she stepped forward.  “Do not make me hurt you Alex because I will.”

“Oh so we’re going to add on attacking a King on top of everything else you have done are we?” He said as she tried to walk past him but he grabbed her arm and stopped her.

“If I have too.” She replied as she pulled her arm from his grip.

“What has gotten into you?” He asked

“Nothing has gotten into me, you are the one who labeled me a traitor and you are the one who kicked me from my home.” Rayne said as she started walking towards the Gryphon again.

“Well when you are running around with Dyn what else am I suppose to think?” AJ snapped.  “Need I remind you what he tried to do to you?”

“No you do not!” She yelled at him.  Then she tied her bag to the Gryphon but when she tried to climb up AJ grabbed her arm again.  Her foot got caught in the stirrup and she fell hitting the ground.

“Back off!” Dyn shouted as he shoved AJ away.  “Just let her go.”

“Not with you!” AJ yelled back as he shoved Dyn.

Then out of know where a light beam fell from the sky and struck AJ, he slumped to the ground and yelled in pain as Rayne’s moonbeam spell struck him.

“Rayne” Dyn said a little shocked.

“Hurry” She said as she hopped up on to the Gryphon and reached her hand out to help him on.  With one last look at AJ as he moaned in pain Dyn grabbed her hand and pulled himself up onto the giant bird.  With a kick Rayne and Dyn were up in the air and flying away from the Dryad tree.  As she made the bird fly hard and fast she held onto the reins tightly, letting the wind blow her tears away.

 Nick sat against the wall, he couldn’t move his legs, or his arms, but he could see, he could breathe and he defiantly wasn’t dead.  When the Dwarves brought him into the room with Mela she woke him. He wasn’t sure how but he remembered his eyes slowly opening, he remembered the air returning to his lungs, and he remembered the woman he once called Mom looking back at him.

“It is so good to have you home.” She said to him with a smile. 

Then she brought him into a room and that’s when they started filling him with…well he wasn’t sure what it was exactly but it felt good.  Like when he would drain someone, the strength he got from it was intoxicating and he found himself wanting more. 

“Let me get my hands on her and I’ll get more.” He mumbled to himself as he looked down at his legs out in front of him.

His mind went back to Nalia; he wondered what she was thinking right now, what she was doing.  Was she planning his funeral, was she at home crying, wanting to hold him once more, wanting to kiss him once more and he wondered about AJ and his friends too.  What were they thinking, what were they going through?

“Milady!” He heard someone shout outside of the room and he looked over at the door.

“What is it?” He heard Mela say with a sigh.

“There is turmoil between the Kingdoms.” The man said.

“Turmoil?” Nick wondered.

“What do you mean?” Mela asked her voice showing great intrigue.

“Apparently Queen Rayne has been banned from Kalica and Winnol.”

“What?” Nick said shocked at the same time Mela did.

“Yes ma’am and she has also taken off with someone, they say it is Marsa’s older son Dyn but is he not dead?” The man asked.

“Yes, yes he is.” Mela replied.

“What the hell is going on over there?” Nick wondered.

“Do you know why they kicked her from the countries?” Mela asked.

“Apparently she is against going to war with us.” The man said.  “She had a fight with Princess Nalia and King Alexander; they have labeled her a traitor and banned her from the countries.”

“What the hell…” Nick whispered in awe and shock.

Then the door opened and he saw Mela walk in.  She had a smile on her face from ear to ear.  The woman that was his Mother walked over to him with two other men and they tied up his arms.

“It seems there are some interesting things going on between yee friends.” Mela said.  “Who knew yee death would cause such trouble; aye we should have done this a while ago.”

“Bite me.” Nick scoffed as he two Dwarves began to tie his legs.  “Where are you taking me?” Nick asked.

“Tis time for another session.” Mela said with a smile.  “I know me son wants more don’tcha?”

Nick didn’t say anything as they dragged him on his back out of the room.  They took him down a couple of hallways, and he looked around at how big a long this cave was.  It was kind of like the cave where he had found Nalia and he wondered how many more were out there like this.  When they got to the room, the two men picked him up and put him onto a table.

“Shall we make it a little stronger?” Mela asked as she looked at him.  “You are a Loktar; I think you can handle it.”

Nick watched as the purple stream started to creep up his legs, around his body, it circled around his arms and around his neck.  As he took a breath the purple smoke entered his nose and mouth and he breathed it in.  The spell filled his body and he began to scream as it rushed through him.  His body tingled and the familiar feeling came back, it soothed him as the tingling turned into a rush feeling. 

“Do you want more my boy?” Mela asked as she leaned close to him.

Nick slowly began to smile with a light sadistic laugh.  “More” He said as his smile got bigger.  “Give me more.”