Fan Fiction ❯ Chaos Insues ❯ CI9 ( Chapter 9 )

A cold fury like none I've felt before swept through me. I struggled against the shield and the overwhelming pull of unconsciousness. When I get through with him, the seven circles of hell will seem mighty pleasant. That is, of course, if I ever get down from this wall.

 

“That will do you no good,” Bryan mused, the aura around him stronger than ever.

 

I glared at him, my body forced into stillness. The smile that broke out across his face didn't reach his eyes. In fact, they were far chillier than my own. He peregrinated over to the dismembered window in a manner befitting royalty. I wasn't impressed in the least.

 

The sounds of battle no longer filtered up from outside. The only thing I could hear was a unified voice, faint on the breeze, shouting out a victory. This worried me a great deal. I knew better than to think it came from the guys.

 

Nanashi climbed to his feet. He looked, how I felt, horrible. Blood streaked from his head down to his waist, matting in his hair and staining his armor. The breastplate, scorched in the center, was riddled with pockmarks. He gritted his teeth as he stumbled forward. I was certain that he had broken several bones from my last attack.

 

“You'll pay for that,” He growled.

 

Being unable to respond is annoying. It's not as bad as, say, having to listen to them. An ogre with a lisp would be a far better creature, to converse with, rather than Nanashi or Bryan. I wished that I were deaf instead of mute.

 

“My dear, I'll give you one more chance. I do hope you will consider your options carefully. Cast the spell, or,” Bryan said.

 

I raised a brow; not too sure I wanted to know what that `or' was. There were tons of things he could do and none of them would be pleasant. On occasion I'd been known to implement some of the nastier off a very long list in the past.

 

His gaze fell upon me once again. “What more can I say to get you to agree? Do tell,” he implored, waving his hand in my direction.

 

My voice had been trashed, and when I spoke, it sounded rough, “I won't do it, no matter how *nice* you ask. The only request I'll honor is one of death.”

 

“How disappointing,” he said with a sigh. There was a pause before he continued, “I had hoped not to resort to it, but you've left me no choice.”

 

Bryan nodded at his second in command. Nanashi, in turn, limped his way out of the room, grabbing up his blade as he went. I was apprehensive the entire time he was gone. That feeling only grew when he returned.

 

I cursed under my breath as the other members of the Seven Shadows plus Grey filed into the room. All their weapons were taken. Around their wrists were shackles much like the ones that Kat had worn. The difference being, that these were binders. They blocked the wear's ability to use magic. Flanking my friends were a couple of guards who watched the group with wary eyes.

 

“Daria!” Lee shouted the moment he saw me.

 

He surged forward several feet and was then impeded by Nanashi's presence. Lee growled at the man, reaching for his sword. It took him a moment to realize his blade was not in its sheath. In that same moment Nanashi belted him hard in the gut.

 

Lee uttered something I didn't understand and dropped to one knee. He spoke a language that was supposed to be long since dead. About the only thing I knew of it was that it used to be a human dialect. If we get out of here alive, I'd have to get him to teach me, it might be useful.

 

“Lee, get--” I was unable to finish my sentence, Bryan's magic once more working on me.

 

I tightened my grip on my staff as he spoke, “That's enough out of you, unless the words you say are that of the spell.”

 

It was pretty clear that even though I couldn't speak, Bryan wasn't listening. How many times do I have to say `no' before he gets the point?

 

Lee was back on his feet, his voice raising, “Let her go, *now*!”

 

I was glad to see he cared about me, however, at the same time I just wished he'd shut up. It was unclear as to what Bryan had in store for my comrades. I had a sinking feeling that they were in serious danger. That hot head is going to get himself killed if he doesn't back off. It took a great deal of effort to force my staff into the stone catching Lee's attention. I told him with a glare what I couldn't say in words.

 

All was quiet, the tension thick in the air, as if nobody dared to breathe. I could only watch in abject horror as Bryan stepped over to Ronnie and plucked the Sphere from the boy's hands. He then produced a dagger and drove it into Darkness' only child. Not bothering to retrieve the weapon, and unfazed by the screams, he walked over to a table.

 

“Do it,” he said.

 

The next several minutes were a blur. Too many things happened to follow there order yet all had the same result. Weapons were drawn and blood was spilt. My friends tried valiantly to fight back against Nanashi and the guards. It made my head spin and my heart break that I could do nothing to help them.

 

Darkness crawled across the floor towards her son, the light in her eyes slowly fading. She had only cleared half the distance before she collapsed completely. The expression on her face was one of desperate sadness. She died never knowing why he had been there. The others were quick in following her.

 

I saw it but it seemed to be happening far away. No, that wasn't totally true. To my fuzzy mind, it was more surreal than anything else. As if I was watching someone else's life unfold and I had no say in how it played out or the ablity to change the out come. And then I heard Lee's voice.

 

He was still standing, holding on, fighting Nanashi. Even chained Lee made an impressive if not deadly opponant. In the midst of all the action he'd managed to aquire a broad sword. He swung it with an expert hand; the muscles in his arms threatening to break free of the sleeves that covered them. My gaze moved farther up his form and I could tell he was shouting something. What he was yelling I didn't know. I forced myself to try.

 

“Daria! Damnitall, lis'en for a change! Don't give in to these bastards! An' we chose to come, remember that!! Ain't no way in hell that would'a kept me or them from comin'! Ya hear?! Daria--!”

 

Nanashi's blade cut through the air, avoiding Lee's by a breath, and sliced the big man from shoulder to hip. His eyes widened--as did my own--in shock. Dropping to his knees he spared me one last look. He never saw the final blow. I screamed as Nanashi plunged the tip of his sword right into Lee's chest.

 

A million different emotions battered their way to the surface of my mind. If anyone had asked me a few years back how I'd react to Lee's death I would have said, `The same way I would of any of my friends; angry and sad but I'd get over it'. Strangely enough, that wasn't true either. Seeing him now, everything that was Lee vanishing before my very eyes, was more gut-wrenching than the deaths of my sister or parents.

 

I'm not sure whether Bryan had released me or if I had broken free of his barrier; I just found myself slidding across the room. Lee's body toppled down into my arms. The aches and pains of my frame forgotten as I held him tightly to me. I smoothed his bangs away from his face with trembling fingers. A smile tugged at his lips but failed to reach his darkening eyes. My whole being quivered with fear as I started to cast a healing spell.

 

“Sorry Daria, I--I guess I won't be able to go with ya,” he rasped. His bulk shook as he coughed up blood. “Didn't--didn't see it comin', should'ave known…they'd pull sum'thin' like…this…”

 

My braid swished when I turned my head. “Not your fault, I should have told the lot of you to go back the minute you showed up at my campsite. I'm the one who should be apologizing, not you,” I replied in a whisper. Tears once more streamed down my face. “You can't die on me; who am I going to get to keep me grounded if you do?”

 

“Heh, don't sound…so happy about it,” he muttered, eyes growing darker by the word. “'Sides, you'll think of sum'thin', ya always do. Fuck. I--I wanted to tell ya so much…can't go without sayin' I--I've only been comin' along with ya cause of how--how I've felt…”

 

“Don't,” I pleaded, my voice cracking. I was loosing him, my enery ebbing away by the second. I didn't have the power or skill to keep him alive!

 

“The--the only woman, I'll--I've ever loved…”

 

I folded over him, my hand cupping his cheek, and I kissed his forehead. His admission of what I had but guessed at couldn't have come at a worse time.

 

“Why, Goddess tell me why, now?” Anger gripped me as I spoke, “You jerk, unloading this on me when I can't--not fair of you! Don't do this to me, Lee!!”

 

“I'll be disappointed…if I see ya too soon…stuborn women like you don't live short lives, always gotta fight on…” his lids closed as he spoke and didn't open again. They would never do so I knew. Brushing my lips against his I lowered him to the floor. Kat's death had caused an emotional flux, Ronnie's made me numb, but this threw me into a full mental shut-down.

 

*****

 

He stared at her with a frown. For the past hour Bryan had tried unprofitably to get a response out of the wind witch. She sat next to the largest member of her party, hands folded in her lap, unmoving. It was odd how his hold on her had broken.

 

The whole room had been assulted by wave upon wave of air. It whipped and pushed everything that wasn't fastened to the floor. Daria's body had crackled with electricity that she exspelled outwards. The shield shattered much like a mirror does when struck. She landed on the ground, black staff hitting the stones forgotten, and had then slid over to the last of her companions.

 

Nanashi wasn't nearly as patient as his friend and superior. He had gone over to the woman and struck her after ten minutes of waiting. When this resulted in nothing, he only got further agitated. Since then he'd settled on glowering by the destroyed window.

 

Bryan broke the silence, “Take her to her new room and ask Del to see to Miss Wayfinder's wounds.”

 

“As you wish,” he growled.

 

He stepped over to her and lifted her off the floor. Without a word he left the room.

 

*****

 

I didn't want to admit--not even to myself--that Lee had meant a great deal to me. There had been times, that I had looked forward to going off on some crazy adventure, because it would mean he'd come with me. He would drop everything if I just asked him.

 

Time was not kind, even though it has been over a month, I felt his death as if it had just happened. His pure smile, still fresh in my mind, I'd never see again. The look in his eyes was that of a man who knew he was going to die and didn't fear the end. I'd been in lots of battles and every last one I had feared that it would be my last.

 

I turned onto my side, curling up into a ball, on the bed. This was the first time since it occurred that I had moved. Surveying the room revealed a minimaly furnished living space. Directly in my line of sight was the only enterance which was blocked by a surly looking man. I chose to ignore him knowing that Bryan or that bastard Nanashi would soon be visiting me. I didn't want to deal with either one of them; not now, not ever.

 

And right on cue, the door opened, Bryan sauntering in. I scowled and rolled over, my chains clinking in the process. If he thought, for one moment, that I would help him, he's even more insane than I originaly believed him to be.

 

“Are you back with us now?” he asked, the calm in his voice subsequently pissed me off.

 

I muttered darkly under my breath as I glared at the windowless wall with blood-shot eyes. There was no way of knowing if it was night or day from this particular room. The only light came from the sparce few candles that were scattered about. Not that I needed them, my night-vision being more accute than a human's.

 

“What was that, my dear? I didn't quite catch that.”

 

“I said, take off these chains and I'll show you, you heartless prick,” I answered with a low growl. “And I'm not your anything.”

 

“You wound me. I had no wish to--”

 

I rounded on him, sitting up quickly, “Bullshit! Don't you *dare* stand there and try to tell me such lies! You *had* a choice and you *damn* well chose the *wrong* thing to do.”

 

He leveled his gaze on me, his face showing some of his shock at my words. I didn't want to hear him attempt to justify his actions. He'd ordered their deaths and that was unforgivible.

 

“If you had been reasonable, I wouldn't have had to. All of your suffering could have been avoided.”

 

My anger abated as I stared at him. In truth, if I had left sooner than I had, my friends would still be alive. They'd be mad and on their way here, but at least they would still be breathing. I lashed out at him, grabbing the pillow behind me and pitching it at him. Sighing, he side-stepped it.

 

Any retort I could have made was waylaid by my stomach's loud complaint. My gaze fell on my midsection with a grimace. I was unsure of when I had eaten last.

 

“Perhaps, we should discuss this, after you've had something to eat,” he said, a finality to his words, as he left the room. Another pillow followed him, hitting the closed door.

 

*****

 

After two hours I consumed the meal that was brought to me. I didn't think starving to death would do much good. While I ate I devised a course of action. If it worked--for I would get but one chance--my friends' lives will not have been lost in vain. The key word there being `if'.

 

“One last dance with the devil,” I said with a sigh.

 

The guard turned a quizical eye on me, “What was that?”

 

“Tell Him, that millnug, I'm ready to cooperate. I'll do the damn spell.”

 

My keeper nodded and grabbed a small orb from the inside of his tunic. However, before he could use it, as though he'd been standing just out in the hall, Bryan appeared in the doorway. Hovering just beyond was his second in command. I tried my level-headed best not to growl and lunge at them both.

 

“Speak of the devil,” I said calmly.

 

He looked the man over before dismissing him. A sinister smile curled his lips, “I trust the food was to your liking?”

 

The way he said that made me worried. Did he poison me or was I just being paranoid? I frowned at that thought. There was no reason for him to spike my food, after all, he needed me. Not wanting to dwell on it any further I swung around to face them fully.

 

“Let's get one thing straight; I'm not one of your lackies. I'm not your friend. I'm your captive, for the moment. So, don't talk to me as though I were anything but,” I said, eyes flashing. “I'll do your stupid spell, only because I don't want to wait until you die to leave.”

“I'm so glad. I was starting to believe I would have no other choice but to eliminate more of the people you know and care for,” he replied, picking at some nameless piece of dirt under a fingernail.

 

I didn't respond as I rose from the bed and walked to the door. `Only one shot, I have to make it count,' I thought as we made our way to the thrown room. The bodies had been removed but the smell of death still inundated everything.

 

My eyes began to water, but not from the stench, nor was it from the large magic circle on the floor. I came to a halt in the center of it and waited. Bryan came into my view, a large book open in his hands. It was old and worn, yet its spine held few creases. He held it out and I took it carefully. The words were an old dialect of elvin I wasn't too familiar with. My mind reeled and I ignored them as they placed the objects around me. I glanced up briefly, when my shackles were removed, before returning my attention to the book.

 

Taking a deep breath, I started the spell. My voice shook as I spoke and for one second I thought it would give out. The rhythm of the incantation pushed me onwards. Mystical energies flowed from the items on the floor; the circle lighting up the room. A low unearthly moan seemed to sing as I continued. I could feel it, the heat of the spell, as it grew closer and closer to completion. The last lines finally fell from my lips, the lights exploded soundlessly and blinded me. A single thought floated through my mind, `I just hope this works'.

*****