The Guardian Crusade

Volume III

 Chapter 37

            AJ sat there staring at his wife.  You couldn’t tell by how she stood that she was a short girl, you couldn’t tell by the way she talked that behind close doors she was timid almost shy and you certainly couldn’t tell that she was in a substantial amount of pain. Not physical pain but the other kind.  The only one who could see the hurt in her eyes, hear the torment in her voice and feel the agony in her heart was him.  After she ripped Kimiri a new one he came forward with everything he knew, at least AJ hoped he had.

            Before the Drak’nor came the Priests had started dabbling in the black magic’s.  They started raising corpses and summoning demons and then one day one of them summoned Loki. They had no time to prepare and the ones who made it to the tunnels only did so by the chance of luck.  When AJ heard that it made him feel a little better.  Perhaps if they had known, they would have been able to defeat the Drak’nor which meant they could as well.

            Now Rayne stood in front of everyone going over last minute details before they shipped out to Tokia.  When he focused back into the conversation Rayne was dismissing everyone.  He stood up as Avit walked over too him.

“I will meet you on the ship.” Avit told him and AJ nodded.

Then Rayne walked up to him.  “I need to speak with Jaina.” She then looked over to his friends as they gathered on the other side of the table.  “I will meet you in the hall.” AJ gave her a light smile and watched her walk out of the room; he then made his way over to the gang talking in a circle.

“This time I want a statue in Drisel.” Kevin said as he stood up proudly.

“I dunno the Dwarves ran out of rock doing those eyebrows last time.” Nick replied in a joking tone.

“Bite me Carter.” Kevin sighed and then… “OWE!” Kevin shouted as everyone looked at Nick biting his arm.

“You’d think he’d learn from last time.” Leigh-Anne laughed.

“Excuse me for thinking someone had grown up.” Kevin snipped as he rubbed his arm and looked at Nick.

“So you guys have everything you need?” AJ asked and everyone replied with nods and yes’s. “Cool, well my group should get going.”

“Do you think Dyn’s gonna show up again?” Nick asked as everyone started to walk out of the room.

“He might, be prepared for it but something tells me he’s gonna sit this one out.” AJ told him.

“Why?” Kristin asked.

“He wants some one on one time.” AJ replied as they all poured out into the hallway. “Wants to make sure he has my full attention.”

“We are ready Alexander.” Rayne said and everyone looked down the hallway.

“I will send out Gryphon’s when we reach the small island.”  AJ told Nick and his friend nodded. 

“We’ll anchor there and wait if we have too.” Nick said as AJ took his bag from Rayne.

“So should we say goodbye now?” Howie asked and everyone looked at him.

“We’ll have time after Loki” Nick replied with a smile.

AJ sat on top of some boxes on the front of the ship.  They had been sailing for a couple of hours now and had a couple more before they met up with the Kalica fleet.  When he heard footsteps behind him and not a crew members footsteps he turned around.

“Hey” He said with a nod to Kevin.

“What’s up?” Kevin asked as he climbed up beside him.  “Where’s Rayne?”

“Nothing just thinking and she’s sleeping.” AJ told him.

“You’re not worried about Dyn popping up in the room?” He asked.

“He can’t he doesn’t know where the ship is and I have Gryphon’s on watch incase he decided to follow.” AJ replied as he looked back out to the Ocean.

“Kind of looks like back home huh?” Kevin asked.

“This is my home” AJ replied.

“Right” Kevin said shaking his head lightly. “Sorry”

There was a long silence and then AJ spoke up.  “Kris still pissed at me?”

“Huh?” Kevin said as he looked at AJ.

“Before Dyn took Rayne, Kris made a comment…”

“Oh right” Kevin spoke with a nod.  “No, she’s not pissed anymore.  She never really was to begin with.”

“Then what was with the attitude and comments?” He asked.

“She thought you were dead Alex.” Kevin replied.  “She thought I was crazy and this place was just some imaginary place I made up to deal with it.”  His friend looked back out to the Ocean.  “Then she finds out you’re alive, this place is real but you’re a completely different person and I don’t mean because of that.” Kevin said as he waved his hand around AJ.

“I am still me.”

“See that right there I am still me.  Before you would have said Fuck dude I’m still me.” Kevin replied.  “When shit got bad I didn’t have to chase you down, well I did once but that’s only because you thought it was the year two thousand and you were back on Earth.”

“All the good things about you that were hidden because you were so confused and lost have come out, they’re out all the time now and it’s something we’re not use to seeing.” Kevin told him. “But you know sometimes we get the feeling like you don’t want us here.”

“It’s not that I don’t want you here I do, it’s just…” AJ stopped and thought about the right words to say.

“Bow Incoming!!” Someone shouted and both men jumped.  Something slammed into the water below and splashed a wave of water onto the front of the deck.  It sent AJ flying off the boxes he was sitting on, he felt his body slam into things but what they were he had no idea.  When he felt himself come to a stop he gasped for air and looked around.

“Alex!” Someone shouted at him and he looked up. Avit was running towards him.  His General helped him up and he looked down at his soaked robe. 

“What the hell was that?” AJ asked.

“Not sure” Avit replied. AJ looked over to the front of the boat.

“Kevin” AJ gasped as he remembered his friend sitting with him.  “Where’s Kevin?” He asked Avit.

“Is Sir Kevin alright?” Avit shouted to some guards.

“He’s not here Sir” One man shouted.

“What? He was right beside me.” AJ replied as him and his General walked over.

“What is going on?” He heard Rayne shout from behind him and he turned around.

“Something hit just in front of the ship, sent a wave over the front I got hit with it…”

“Are you alright?” She asked as touched his wet robe.

“I’m fine but Kevin was with me.” AJ said.

“General Avit over here!” A guard shouted and both AJ and Rayne turned to the man.  AJ made his way over as did Avit and they both looked over the edge.  When he saw what his guard was pointing at AJ began to undo his robe.

“King Alexander.” Avit said in slight protest as AJ climbed onto the edge of the ship.

“Alex” Rayne spoke and he heard the worry in her voice but he didn’t have time to answer.  When he was free of his heavy wet robe he dove into the water right by Kevin’s floating body.  AJ popped up and quickly flipped his friend over.  The crashing of the waves against the boat prevented him from hearing his friend’s wife screaming for her husband.  Someone dropped a rope and AJ hooked it around Kevin.  The men on the ship began pulling him up back onto the boat.  AJ looked up as he waded in the water but he saw everyone look up and then disappear behind the rails of the ship.  As he turned to look he saw a giant fire ball crash right beside him.  The suction pull of the object going under sent him under the water with it, then a wave scooped him up and slammed him against what he could only think of was the bottom of the ship.

He pictured the ship and his wife leaning over the railing calling for him.  Then with the sound of rushing water and the wind he felt his body laying against something hard.  He gasped for air as he heard footsteps running towards him.  He coughed and almost threw up as his lungs pushed the water from them. 

“Alexander” Rayne said as she knelt beside him.  He tried to get up on his knees but then he heard someone shout incoming again as Rayne’s body slammed him to the deck.

“What is going on?” He was able to gasp out.

“Something is attacking us but we can not see it.” Rayne told him as she helped him sit up.

“Where’s Kevin” AJ asked.

“I’m here man I’m good” Kevin said and AJ looked over to his friend.  He was being tended to by a Priest.  “Just hit the head”

“Are you sure you are alright” Rayne asked as he stood up.

“Yes Beautiful I’m fine” AJ said as he placed his hand on the side of her face.

“Alexander!” He heard Avit shout. 

AJ looked over to his General and saw him pointing out towards the back of the ship.  He ran up the stairs to the Captains deck and ran to the back rails.  His jaw dropped when he saw three giant, what he could only describe as demons heading towards them.

“Are they actually touching the ocean floor?” Kristin asked.

“They are gaining on us and quick.” Rayne said breathless.

“Hang on” AJ said as he stared at the giant beasts.

“What?” Rayne replied confused.

“Hang on!!” AJ shouted to everyone and they looked at him confused and then grabbed onto what ever they could. 

He placed his hands firmly on the rail and closed his eyes.  He felt the breeze on his face get stronger and stronger and then when he could barely hang on he opened his eyes.  The wind blew against the sails hard and the giant ships cut through the water like a hot knife through butter. AJ made sure the entire fleet sailed steady and fast. When he couldn’t see the beasts anymore and he counted to a hundred he stopped the spell.  The wind began to die down, the waters calmed and the boat began to slow.

“What were those things?” Kristin asked.

“Loki?” AJ asked looking at Rayne.

“I could only imagine.” His wife replied with a shrug. 

“Avit?” AJ said as he turned around.

“Yes Sir?” Avit replied.

“I want damage reports from this and the rest of the fleet.”

“Yes Sir” Avit replied and then left shouting orders to people.

AJ walked over to Kevin who was on the main deck still being tended too.  “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine man” Kevin said standing up.  “That was some quick thinking”

“Yeah well I just hope we lost them, or we get to Nick before they catch up.” AJ said as both men looked behind them wondering just how far they had gotten from the Demons.

“So how long till we get there?” Brian asked as Nick leaned back on his chair.  Carefully he balanced on the back two legs as his legs stretched outward across the desk.

“We should be there soon dude relax.” Nick replied.

“Wonder how Kev and Kris are doing?” Leigh asked.

“What do you mean by that?” Nick asked as he looked at her.  His friends looked at each other and then back to him.  “What?” He asked again.

“Well it’s just that AJ doesn’t really want anything to do with us, he’s to busy…”

“Having a life?” Nick replied.

“Plus he’s not really AJ anymore.” Leigh-Anne said and Nick looked over at Nalia.  She was laying on the back windowsill.  He knew she was listening.  “With the hair, the height, the ears…”

“You mean the fact he’s Elvaan” Nick replied rolling his eyes.

“Yeah that but there’s something else too.” Brian spoke up. “I just can’t figure out what it is.”

“He is happy...” Nalia’s voice broke out across the small room.  “…really truly happy, and if any of you were his true friends than you would be happy for him as well instead of moping about.” She told them as she got up from the sil and made her way to the door.  “He has finally found who he is, you should be grateful.”

The door closed behind her and Nick smiled to himself.  He then looked at his friends and all eyes were on him.  “What?” He replied looking around.

“So what are you not happy?” Brian asked.  “You haven’t changed much…well besides the hair and sometimes when your eyes go all blaaaahh.” Brian said as he raised his hands and waved them around.

“Because I’m fine with who I am on the inside and I’m fine not being a Dwarf.” Nick told them.  “You guys were gone for a year remember, three your time.  Rayne and him got really close as you can tell.  He got close to Avit  and those two taught him a lot about the Elvaans and what he means to them as their King.  He’s coming into his own as Kevin would say so shut up and be happy.”

“Nickolas!” Nalia yelled as she swung open the door.  He jumped and when he did lost his balance on his chair and fell back.

“Owe” He sighed as he laid looking up at the ships roof.

“What’s wrong?” Brian asked as Nick started to get to his feet.

“We just got word from the Gryphon Rider” Nalia told them.  “Sarila’s fleet was attacked.”

“What?” Everyone gasped

“By what?” Nick asked as he walked over to her.

“Some sort of demons” She told him.  “They are on the island fighting this very minute.”

“How long till we get there?” Nick asked as he ran past her and out of the room. When he got outside he saw the open water and looked into the distance. He looked over to Bussa.

“Where’s the Island can we see it yet?” Nick asked and then a gust of wind blew past and he realized how cold it was outside.  It meant they were close to Tokia.

“That is it out there Sir” Bussa told him pointing to a small dark blotch on the horizon.

“Can we get our Mages to push us?” Nick asked.

“I will see what they can do” Bussa replied.  The General started barking orders as Nick’s friends came out of the room and Nalia walked up beside him.

“We’re close, hoping the Mages can give us a boost.” Nick told her.

“Tokia!!” The guard in the Crows Nest shouted and everyone looked up at him.  He was pointing to the north east and everyone’s eyes diverted in that direction. 

“Wonderful” Brian sighed as they all saw Tokia’s fleet heading towards them.

“Rossi” Nick growled as his fist tightened. 

“What shall we do?” Nalia asked.

“Get to the Island but we gotta make sure Rossi doesn’t flank us.” He told her.

Bussa came up beside them from the Captains Deck.  “The Mages will push us to the island the rest will use the wind to make sure Rossi doesn’t get the upper hand.”

“Typhoon!!!” The guard in the Crows Nest yelled and everyone looked at him to see where and then they followed to where he was pointing. 

A giant wave rolled it’s away in front of them; the ships began to rock against the waves that came off of the Typhoon but there was distance between them and the massive wave.  It almost growled as it rolled past them right towards the Island.

“Is it going to hit the Island?” Leigh shouted.

“I don’t know” Howie yelled back.  “No no wait it’s going to miss it.”

“Who’s casting that?” Nalia asked.

“My guess would be AJ” Nick replied.

“I’ve never seen that spell before…” Nalia said as he looked down at her.

“Babe its Alex”

Nalia paused a minute and then lightly nodded.  “This is true” He smiled at her.