The Guardian Crusade

Volume III

 Chapter 31

AJ and Kevin made their way to the Castle and when they reached the hallway they split up. Kevin went to get their friends and AJ went to see Rayne.  He stopped at the door and wondered if he should knock. Hesitating at first he reached up and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” He heard faintly and then opened the door.  When he walked in he saw her sitting on the couch.

“So Kevin says you got a couple of broken ribs and you fucked up your back?” He said as he walked over to the edge of the couch.

“Yes” She nodded as she looked up at him and then she pulled her blanket away.  “Have a seat.” She said.

“You’re not mad a me.” AJ said as he sat down.

“No” She replied.

“But I was a…”

“A douche, as you would put it.” Rayne said as she slowly turned herself a little.

“Yeah” AJ replied and he couldn’t help but laugh a little. “How come?”

“Because I am your wife and I know you.” She replied.  “You have told me about what you were like when you had all those troubles back on Earth, I had just never experienced it before and I was a little taken back by it.” She told him.  “Plus you not remembering your Magic kind of puts us at a disadvantage.”

“Why? I wouldn’t be that much help anyways.”

“Alex, of course you would be, you are very powerful.” She told him and he looked at her a little stunned.  “When you first got here, you had only been learning Magic for a few days; you conjured a spell that no one here had done in years, what we thought then were hundred of years.  You can conjure an elemental; you created your own spell to protect the tree that I am connected to…” But he noticed as she stopped talking her face fell in confusion.

“What?” He asked.

“I…” She stopped again.

“Rayne?” AJ replied as he raised an eyebrow not sure what was going on.

“The Tree is not real.” She said quietly. “I am the link not the Tree.”

“Again I say what?”

“I need to see Jaina” Rayne said and then she stood up quickly.  “Owe!” She cried out in pain and AJ stopped her from falling.

“I don’t get what’s going on.” AJ said to her.

“Pixca said that I was connected to the Tree, the door which kept the demons out, but it was all a lie, even the tree, the...the tree is not the door, I am.” She said as she looked at him. “Kimiri said it was the blood of the people that opened the door, a link to this world.” Rayne said as he helped her sit back down. “If I die the door opens.”

Just then the window to their room burst open and the shadow bird hovered outside. “It is Nick” Rayne said quickly to AJ.

“Wrong” Said an Elvaan he did not recognize as he came in through the window.

“Dyn” Rayne said as she stood back up and she grunted in pain.

“Brother” Dyn said looking at AJ.

“Brother?” AJ replied shocked and he looked at Rayne but she didn’t acknowledge anything.

“You know Rayne the last time I saw you, you were running away.” He said as he stepped down from the bench under the window.

“Last time I saw you, you were suppose to die.” Rayne replied with a little bitterness.

“So I hope she has filled you in on what has been going on Alex.” Dyn said as he looked at him.  “How I killed our Father before you had he chance to actually get to know him.  How I forced myself onto your wife…”

“Or perhaps how Alexander has over powered you in every battle.” Rayne snapped at him.

Dyn glared at Rayne.  “Rexil was right about one thing, your mouth should be kept shut.”

In one motion Dyn ran at him and he froze not knowing what to do.  A spark caught his eye and he looked over at Rayne as what looked like a bright green orb went flying towards Dyn.  It knocked the man off his feet and he fell against the fireplace. The man recovered quickly and he sent a fire ball at Rayne it slammed into her and knocked her over the couch.  He turned back to the man that called him Brother and he was staring right at AJ.

“Now, to get rid of you finally.” Dyn said with an evil smile.  His hand started to glow and AJ swore he saw snowflakes around his fingers.  Then a growl was heard and both men turned to look at the couch.  AJ shouted in shock falling back onto the floor as the animal jumped between him and Dyn.  Even the Elvaan was caught off guard. 

The wolf growled and barked as it snapped at Dyn slowly moving closer and closer.  Suddenly AJ’s mind went back to the conversation he had with Kevin.  His eyes went wide as he realized where the wolf had come from.  Quickly Dyn dashed towards the back of the couch and stopped dead when he saw Rayne wasn’t there.  He then looked at the animal still growling and snapping.  The man looked confused as he looked towards the window.  Then he ran for it and the wolf ran at him, he jumped out the window onto the bird and with a loud squawk took off into the air.

When the loud ear piercing sound disappeared AJ could here someone coughing.  Immediately he realized it was Rayne.  He stood up and walked over to the window that’s when he saw her lying on the floor.

“Rayne?” AJ said.  “Are you ok?” 

She wheezed loudly but there was a gurgling sound when she did.  When she coughed AJ watched in horror as blood spattered from her mouth. Like a bat outta hell AJ took off out of the room and as soon as he hit the hall he started yelling.  He looked down both ends of the hallway screaming for someone to help him.  Avit was the first one as he came out of the room beside him.

“It’s Rayne, it’s Rayne she’s coughing up blood.” AJ said quickly as Avit rushed in. “Over there by the window.”

“What happened?” Avit asked.

“Some guy, umm…” AJ placed his hand on his head trying to think.  “Dine, no..”

“Dyn?” Avit asked.

AJ snapped his fingers and pointed at him. “That’s it!”

“She needs the Springs I think one of her ribs pierced her lung.” Avit said as he looked at Rayne.  “You need to Telep…” Avit stopped and stared at him.

“What is going on?” A woman’s voice said and AJ turned to see Rayne’s Mom walk in.  He had met her only briefly when they were running Rayne to the Springs before.  “Rayne!” Halian said when she saw her daughter on the floor.  “You need to take her to the Springs.” She said looking at AJ.

“Me?” AJ replied a little confused.

“Lady Halian he does not know how.” Avit replied.

The woman got up and walked over to him.  “Do you remember what the Springs looked like?” She asked her voice shaky and rushed.

“Ye-yeah I think so.” He nodded.

“Close your eyes and picture it, hold onto Rayne and then allow yourself to follow the energy of the wind to take you both there.” She told him.

“What?” AJ replied as he was pushed over to Rayne. Halian sat him down and put Rayne’s hand in his, he looked down at her and she was looking at him.  Her breathing was quick and heavy, the sound of the gurgling turned his stomach.

“Alex?” Halian said and shook him a little.  “Ready?”

“Close my eyes, picture the place, and follow the energy of the wind.” AJ replied.  “Holy fuck” AJ whispered wondering what exactly he was doing.  With a deep breath he closed his eyes and did what Halian had told him to do.  He sat there and waited and waited.

“Guys I really don’t think…” He stopped mid sentence when he realized Rayne and him were now sitting in the middle of the Springs.  Her hand touching the side of his face broke him from his stunned state and he looked at her.

“Your Majesty what is wrong?” The Priest asked and AJ looked up.

“She was attacked; Avit said her ribs might have pierced her lung.” He told them.

“Very well carry her to the pool in that room.” He said and the man helped him carrying Rayne.  She cried out in pain a little when they picked her up.  They walked into a large cave with a stone tub sitting in the middle of the room.  When they put her in he let go and the Priest dunked her under the water.

AJ sat there waiting and watching.  Moment by moment her breathing became better.  The gurgling stopped, the wheezing stopped and soon she had begun breathing normally again. The Priest walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“Let her rest for a while she will be fine.” He told AJ and they walked out of the cave. When they walked outside Avit and Halian was running into the lawn area.

“Is she alright?” He asked.

“Yes she will be fine, King Alexander got her here just in time.” He replied.

“What the hell did I just do?” AJ said looking at Rayne’s Mom.

“You teleported.” She told him with a bright proud smile.

“I…tele…” AJ stared at the ground as Halian walked past him and into the cave.

“Are you alright Sir?” Avit asked and he looked at him.

“I was there now I’m here.” AJ said still stunned. 

Avit cracked a little smile. “Yes Sir.” After a moment of AJ still staring at the ground trying to process what he had just done Avit spoke again. “I am going to fine Jaina and inform her on what happened.”

AJ thought he nodded but he wasn’t sure.  Still in some what of a daze he walked over to a bench and sat down.  He ran his fingers through his hair, his long hair and as his finger caught a bead he looked down at it. For the first time since he woke up it was all started to sink in.  Perhaps it was the fact he tried to block it out and had been drinking since he found out.  Or the whirl wind of the past moments sobering him up and the fact that he had actually pulled that off. But AJ finally started to realize what everyone had been telling him.

“Alex?” Halian said and he looked up.  “She would like to see you.”

“How is she?” He asked as he stood up.

“Still sore, still a little hard for her to breath but she is doing better.” She told him as she gave him a light smile and walked past him.

He walked over to the cave and entered.  He noticed his eyes didn’t even have to adjust to the darkness of the room.  When he heard some splashing he looked over and saw Rayne trying to sit up in the tub of water.

“Do you need help?” He asked as he walked over to her but she shook her head.  She settled into the water again and looked at him.

“Are you ok?” She asked.  Her voice was weak almost like a whisper.

“Me I’m fine” AJ said.  “You totally saved my ass back there.” She lightly smiled, then laughed a little, and then winced in pain.  “Sorry”

“It is alright” She replied.

“Was that guy really my Brother?” AJ asked and she nodded.

“We had all thought he died when your Sister and Mother did but we found out after you had arrived that he did not.” She told him. “He sided with Ti’Hort, with Ignis.”

“He’s a dick” AJ said as he lightly shook his head.

“Yes” She nodded. “Now I see the similarities.”

AJ looked at her a little shocked and a little hurt. “I guess I deserved that.”

“You did” Rayne replied and it made AJ laugh.  She was pretty feisty.

“So…” AJ said as he sat down beside the tub.  “How long were we together before we got married?”

“Over a year” She said.

“Really?” AJ replied and she snickered at his shock.

“Yes really” She replied with a smile.

“Kevin said you almost died saving him.” He said as he looked at her.

“Almost, I did…” She paused and winced again as she took a breath.  “Brian raised me and you also brought me back to life once.”

“Me?” AJ replied and he swore his heart stopped for a second. “How?”

“You said it was…” She paused but this time it was to think not because of pain.  “CPR?”

“Oh”

“Plus you used your electric spell to shock my heart; you said it was almost like what they do on Earth.” She said as he lightly nodded.

“Electric?”

Rayne nodded.  “You do not use is much.” She paused.  “You do not like the way it makes your hand feel.”

AJ chuckled a little.  “So if you’re a Druid what am I?” He asked

“A Mage” She told him.  “I use Nature spells, I can communicate with animals and nature, where as you are more attuned with the Elements.”

“Elements?” He asked.

“Like Fire, Ice, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightening.” She told him.  “You are the most powerful mage in Pixc…in Aurona.”

“Why did you do that?” He asked and she looked at him confused.  “You said in Pixc and then you said in Aurona.”

“It is a rather long story.” Rayne said.

“Ok” AJ nodded.  “I don’t wanna make you talk too much you need to rest…” He said and then stood up to leave.

“Please stay” She said as she sat up and grabbed his arm. She cried out in pain and just like before out of instinct he reached for her, almost falling into the water himself. 

“Rayne, relax ok?” He said as he laid her back.  “I’ll stay just relax.” AJ told her as she began to cry tears of pain.