Chapter 2

Different Strokes

A/N- Hey, Everyone. I know I've taken longer than I originally promised to update and for that I am eternally sorry. *Offers head for smacking*

I was busy with end of term projects, papers, a three week long college class at the SAIC (from 9am to 4:30PM), traveling a bit with my dad and brothers who were on a bike trip around the U.S., my other series, writer's block, supporting friends who needed me to help them, and there you have my reasons for not updating right away.

That was all a while back I (during the summer) and I've been up to my ears until Winter Break with end of term projects for my sophomore year (and let me tell you, they aren't going easy on us like they did last year- which wasn't easy to begin with).

I have worked hard to make this update long since it's been a while since my last update, so I hope that its length will at least begin to make up for my delay in postings.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday and I shall see you all at the next update (or any of my other YW fics). =)

PS- I would have gotten this up earlier, but my internet was down for most of Tuesday.

Best,

-Don ^_^

Kit looked over at Nita, who was looking more and more bewildered by the minute as Kadarn glared at Kit.

"The heart of Mars? What is he talking about, Kit?" Nita questioned and then she turned her head to see that Kit was slowly making his way towards the doorway. "Kit?"

"It's what brought you back to life," Kit said in a low tone. Machu Pichu and the Heart of Mars had both warned Kit about the consequences of bringing someone back to life, but Kit didn't think that it would result in the death of the Heart of Mars. Just bringing Nita back couldn't have shattered the heart on its own.

"How do you know it's my fault?" Kit asked, or rather demanded of the martian. Kadarn scowled deeply.

"I know because you were the last one to see the heart before it was found in complete darkness today," Kadarn eyed Nita. "The life of the heart of Mars was exchanged for that of your friend." Nita's eyes went wide and Kit moved instinctively in front of her.

"Don't you dare blame Nita for this," Kit growled. Nita placed a hand on Kit's shoulder.

"It's okay, Kit," Nita said.

"Okay?" He snapped, turning around to face her, "What's 'okay' about this?"

"You didn't read the fine print, Kit," Nita said in a sober tone. "To bring me back, the heart of Mars had to be lost." Kit jawed and looked from Kadarn to Nita and back again.

"How was I supposed to know that that was the price?" Kit asked. Nita sighed.

"Didn't you pay attention during the Song of Twelve, Kit?" Nita asked, folding her arms across her chest. "You need to give something to get something in return. I survived the song because Ed died, remember? If I was revived, something else had to die in my place."

That was an amazing deduction, Bobo said in Nita's mind. Nita would have glared at her version of wizardry if it actually had a physical form. Kadarn looked curiously at Nita as her face frowned in thought.

This human, Kadarn thought, Can she be? He shook his head. There was no way that she could be the girl from the myths passed down from martian generation to generation. She wasn't nearly old enough or the right kind of person. Kadarn was sure of that much.

"Cousins," Kadarn said in an attempt to placate the two humans, "I only wish to know what happened in the Heart of Mars and why it shattered. If you could tell me what you did, I will be able to discern if you are responsible. So explain, Cousin Kit, in the speech if you please."

Kit took a deep breath and hoped to the Powers that Nita wouldn't hate him for anything that happened after he told his story, "I went down there and told the Heart of Mars that I wanted Nita brought back, because I…" He averted his eyes from Kadarn, "I hadn't experienced love yet and now I'm in love with her."

Kadarn lifted an eyebrow at that and looked sideways over at Nita, who despite the fact that she'd already heard Kit say he loved her, the words still had a strange effect on her.

Beware of the light, it may blind you.

"I didn't heed the warnings that I heard when I was asking the heart to revive Nita," Kit said, "I should have thought about it more."

"Warnings?" Kadarn repeated. "What in the name of the gods do you mean?"

"He means that he heard the voice of one the powers," Nita glanced over at Kit, "Don't you, Kit?" She gave him a stern and knowing look to which he nodded slowly. Kadarn's eyes widened in fascination and admiration as he nodded, rubbing his chin.

"Yes, yes, this is as the gods would have it," Kadarn looked over at Nita and then at Kit, "What did the Powers command of you?"

"Well, it was more of a riddle, actually," Kit said, "It said 'beware of the light, it may blind you.'" Kadarn's eyes lit with a strange thoughtfulness as he pondered over the words. While Kadarn was preoccupied, Nita crossed over to where Kit was standing.

Why didn't you tell me you asked the Heart of Mars to revive me? She said through their mind-talk.

I didn't want to worry you, Kit answered. Nita sighed outwardly.

Well, as much as I appreciate your chivalry, I think it backfired, She said with a wry smile. Kit nodded. He didn't want to tell her, but he had the feeling that Kadarn was taking the whole situation quite well and Kit also had the feeling that the Martian wasn't going to withhold his anger for much longer. There were only so many ways to stall wrath when it was at its peak and nearing a bursting point.

"Regardless," Kadarn said abruptly, steeling his gaze at Kit, "You were the only one around the Heart before it died. This planet cannot exist without one." He cast a long stare out the window. "It will not be long before the others arrive."

"Others?" Kit's insides seized. It was worse than he expected. If Kadarn was the most reasonable of all the Martians, then there was little to no chance that Kit and Nita would make it out of Mars without complications.

"Look, Kadarn, we're sorry about the Heart, but Kit didn't do anything," Nita said, stepping forward. "He's not the first to revive someone, so how can you blame him for this?" She paused for a second and it occurred to her that she didn't actually know for sure if Kit was the first to ask. Somehow she had the feeling that they weren't the first, but assumptions, especially as a wizard, were always dangerous.

"He may not have been the first to ask," Kadarn said coolly, "But he was the first human to ask." So that was it? Just because Kit was human he was going to get blamed for killing the Heart of Mars? He was invited to ask the Heart of Mars for help and now he would likely be blacklisted or worse. Nita was banking on the latter as the likelier choice of the two. But she wasn't about to wait to see if her hunch was correct. She grabbed Kit's arm and with a prompt beam-me-up-scotty spell that was like breathing for the two of them they disappeared.

Kadarn simply stood there for a second, staring at the space where the two human wizards had been moments before and only looked up when he felt the air shift once again.

"Where are the infidels, Kadarn?" The other Martian stepped forward so he was out of Kadarn's blind-spot. This one wore a dark robe with a silver circle inscribed on the back and the left side of the front. Behind him were Martians dressed in the same black robes and all had swords in their belts.

"They just disappeared," Kadarn stated. The other Martian gritted his teeth.

"You let them escape?" He demanded of the priest.

"That is not what I said, Eliach," Kadarn said and for the first time there was clear anger and irritation in his eyes. "You are mistaken about them, Eliach. They did not kill the Heart."

"Tch, what would you know?" Eliach said, waving his hand, "We will go after the infidels and bring them to trial."

"I warn you, Eliach, the gods will not like you committing justice on their behalf," Kadarn said, but the air once again changed and the robed Martians were gone. "I fear the wizards of our time are gravely misguided."

Kit tumbled out onto the ground as the air exploded in dust clouds around him. He rolled sideways only to strike something sharp. He winced and looked down at his legs. There were cuts all over them, bleeding droplets onto the ground. He sighed. This didn't usually happen with a beam-me-up-scotty spell. But Nita had hurriedly performed one without consulting him so he considered himself lucky that they were alive at all. He glanced over his shoulder. Nita lay several feet in front of him, her arms extended as they tried to push her body up. One of them shook and she collapsed back onto the ground.

"Nita!" Kit pushed himself up and skidded to a stop at her side. "What happened?" She lifted her head and the grimace on her face was plain as day. He crouched down next to her.

"I had everything right, but I guess I didn't have enough energy to get us out of there," She said with a sigh.

"That was stupid, Neets," Kit said with a frown, "You could have killed yourself in your condition."

She scoffed, "I can't not use magic, Kit, those Martians aren't too far behind us." He grunted.

"It won't make any difference if you're dead," He stated and Nita decided to leave it at that. He was impossible to talk to, let alone argue with, in these kinds of moods.

He eased her arm over his shoulders and lifted her onto her feet, "You leave the spells to me until you're completely healed." Nita decided she would wait to argue with him. At the moment she barely had the strength to stand up on her own. It was annoying to feel so useless and to put all the pressure of getting of their current mess on Kit's shoulders. They didn't even know where they were really. She'd beamed them out of their location in such a hurry that she hadn't thought about where it would land them.

She turned to take in her surroundings. They were still on Mars as far as she could tell from the dry, cracked, red earth below them. Except for some strange reason there was a forest of trees, bushes, and even a small river running through all the forestry.

"This doesn't make any sense," Kit said as he stared at the river. "Mars is too dry and hot to have these kinds of things." Nita nodded. It certainly wasn't logical to have life on a planet like Mars. Everything in their science classes would have denied any such possibility. Yet here it was.

"I wonder if this is because of wizardry," She said with a small frown of concentration. He paused and then nodded in silent agreement. Wizardry had taught them that nothing was impossible and that the universe was connected in ways that would otherwise seem unfathomable.

Here it was in front of them: the proof that wizardry bridged the gap between impossible and improbable. I would get moving if I were you.

"We know, Bobo," Nita said. Kit turned his head slightly. He was still getting used to Nita talking to herself when she was the only one who could hear her wizardry. "Kit."

"Yeah," He nodded. He'd felt the change in the air. Mars seemed to have more awareness of its wizardry and thus changed its conditions when wizardry was in use. How or why was still a mystery. Kit began drawing together the syllables for the spell and with a whoosh of cold air they disappeared once more.

Dairine let out a low sigh. Even though she'd traveled thousands upon thousands of miles to Wellakh with Roshaun, she still felt like she was being left out of the loop. While he talked endlessly with his mother in his own tongue, she was left to sit on the stiff extravagant couch in the reception room as per Roshaun's insistence that this was a "family matter." She wanted to help and by the Powers she knew she could. No one was better at moving planets than she and not even Nita could boast her accomplishments like Dairine could.

Still she was stuck doing nothing while Roshaun talked about Powers knew what with his mother. It seemed like they were intensely affected by the King's death. Dairine understood. After all, she'd lost her mother not too long ago. The door clicked and her head went up to see Roshaun walking through the doors, looking none too pleased.

"I take it your mom grounded you," Dairine said and when Roshaun remained silent she sighed. "Look, Roshaun, I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I know how you feel."

"How could you possibly know how I feel?" Roshaun said in a tone bordering on incredulous anger.

"Because my mother is dead, that's how," Dairine stated plainly but with a scowl. "So don't give me that 'nobody understands me' crap. I don't buy it."

"Buy?" Roshaun asked, raising an eyebrow. "I do not believe I was selling you anything, Dairine."

"Yeah, well, good for you," Dairine muttered. He was clearly not as up to date on colloquialisms as he claimed. Roshaun didn't say anything for a moment then he turned to look at Dairine, who was now in an even surlier mood than before.

"My mother wishes for me to attend the war meeting," He said. Dairine glanced up. "She did not want you to know this because it is a matter of my planet and not yours. But you helped me, so I believe you should know that much at least."

Dairine nodded. Finally someone was keeping her informed. The whole in the dark thing was definitely not working at all. "Great, so you're going to war and I'm stuck here."

"You are not," Roshaun said, "You may leave whenever you wish." He made to summon one of the servants but Dairine stopped him with a wave of her hand.

"No, you don't understand," She said, "This is my fight too. The moment you came to my house for the exchange program you involved me in it. I'm not backing out until it's over."

Roshaun blinked and then stared curiously at her, "I do not believe I have ever met anyone so stubborn."

"Yeah, well, get used to it because my entire family is like that," Dairine said with a small sigh. Roshaun nodded and silently made a mental note not to get into any arguments with Dairine's sister or father. If they were anything like Dairine, they would be impossible to reason with.

"My Lord, it is time," One of the servants said with a bow. Roshaun started away and stopped when he noticed that Dairine wasn't following.

"Are you not coming or is the great Dairine afraid of a war conference?" He had to mask his surprise when she punched him squarely in the chest. The servant let out a gasp.

"You wish," She stated and walked right past him. The servant rushed over to Roshaun.

"Are you alright, My Lord? Shall I summon a doctor? I will order her arrest immediately, Sire," The servant said. Roshaun shook his head.

"No, none of that is necessary, you may leave," He waved his hand and watched Dairine as she strode, head held high, down the hallway. For some reason she seemed to blend in with her surroundings despite her torn Earth garments. He smiled to himself. This was going to be an interesting conference.