A/N: Guess what? The story goes on! And it's all thanks to you!
You have no idea of how much your reviews mean to me, and I can't give a big hug enough to thank you for it, but I still try. (hugs you tightly) You see, I only post this story because of you, so if I wouldn't know you're there… Gosh, I don't even know what I'm saying, I'm so overwhelmed! I can't believe you're bearing with me and my pathetically small ego, and I can't thank you enough for that! You're all precious to me, you know that? (grins and hugs you again)
Okay… Um… 'Bout time to go on with the story, wouldn't you say? Suppose I left you on flaming carbons...
CHAPTER 8: Fire and ashes
Screams… Smoke… Pain…
Closed eyelids twitched, unwilling to open up.
Cruel slash of pain that hammered her head made her whimper. " Hurts…".
She was just about to drift back into blissful darkness, when another set of screams roughly prevented it.
" Help us!" a boy's voice yelled, filled with desperation. There were coughs, the scent of smoke was suddenly much stronger. " Somebody, anybody, help!".
With a huge struggle, she forced her heavy eyelids crack open just enough to see. At first, everything was just a blur, but after a while the image became clearer.
There was a fire little by little taking over the entire building, approaching the teenagers who helplessly called for help, their hands tied. Her eyes opened wide, scanning the people. There were three missing.
Damnit!With a deep frown, she tried to clear out her spinning thoughts.
There'd been a sound of gun going off, and then pain. Someone's arms, screams, head hitting the floor hard, everything turning black…
Her eyes widened. Arms, yes. Tala's arms, trying to catch her as she fell, holding her as darkness engulfed her. She'd been shot. But how…? Voltaire never missed. How could she be still alive?
Dazed, she pulled herself into a sitting position, head spinning, and touched her leather-jacket-covered chest, where the bullet-hole was, and frowned again as her fingers met something hard, metallic. Searching her jacket's secret inner pocket, she gasped slightly as she pulled out the object. It was a beautiful, silvery pocket-mirror. A present Tala had given her for her birthday a long time ago. It had a single sentence engraved onto it in Russian, now shattered by the bullet.
Never forget who you really are.
A single tear rolled over her cheek as she put the mirror back to where it'd been. " I'm sorry", she whispered, tough she knew that Tala, or her brother for that matter, couldn't hear her.
" Help us!".
The loud scream ripped Nadja back into reality, and as she looked at the approaching flames, she realized that she'd have to do something, fast. Ignoring her spinning and aching head and the slightly disoriented view, she rushed towards the tied people. Much faster than expected in the condition she was in, she'd freed them, and they begun to dart towards safety, away from the hungry flames. Somewhere outside sounds of sirens were approaching.
Screams of terror and pain could be heard as the building begun to collapse, bigger and smaller pieces of burning wood raining on them. Nadja's eyes were exhausted as she looked forward, seeing a door to freedom.
Just for a little while longer…All of a sudden, relief was replaced by guilt and fear as she remembered that something, or rather someone, was missing. Anxiety briefly flashed in her almost black eyes before she skillfully hid it. " Where are Kai, Tala and Dara?" she questioned the raven-haired boy running beside her, slightly out of breath. She inwardly hissed in pain as piece of burning wood cruelly touched her arm.
The boy looked at her with fear and worry in his catlike eyes. " Voltaire took them. I… I don't know…". He trailed off and she nodded, signaling that she understood. A tight knot squeezed itself around her chest.
Soon enough they were out of the door, ignoring the painful fire-burns they all had by then. Immediately freezing, breath-catching winter-air hit their faces. Only Nadja, who'd gotten used to the coldness of Russia after living there for all her life, wasn't shivering as they made their way towards the firefighters and medics who someone had called there. The rescue-group seemed bewildered as they saw the poor-shaped, coughing group wobbling towards them.
" Oh my gosh…", one of the medics gasped, rushing towards them. " Are you kids okay?".
Just one look revealed they weren't. They were all exhausted and burned. Kenny squeezed slightly damaged Dizzy against his chest like she was the only thing keeping him from collapsing. Tyson and Max were leaning on each other, both looking like they might fall down at any moment. After escaping from the building, Ray had taken Alissa and carried her as her leg was badly burned, tough he looked like he might stumble at any moment. The girl was almost unconscious in his arms. Nadja, who had a nasty wound on her head from when it hit the floor, could barely stand as her head was spinning worse than ever. So, to put it shortly: they were a mess.
The rest of the medics rushed towards them, escorting them to safety.
" Were there anyone else besides you?" one of the medics inquired in a pretty good English while taking a critical look at Alissa's leg.
" There were three of our friends, but… they were taken…", Ray murmured, exhausted and frustrated, rubbing his face roughly with both hands.
The medic frowned, turning her gaze to Ray. " 'Taken'?".
Tyson sighed. " Looks like there's some explaining we need to do…".
The medic nodded. " Yes, there is. But you can do it in the hospital; you must all be checked up. The one who arranged a rescue-team to find you is waiting there".
They all looked at her questioningly. " Who is it?" Kenny asked.
" Mr. Dickinson".
It was cold, colder than he ever remembered it being. A dripping sound came to his ears, but he hardly registered it. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter to keep the tears from coming, but one of them still broke through.
Nadja was dead. His friends were dead. Dranzer was gone. And it was all his fault.
Sudden sound of door opening with a screech washed all thoughts away. His breath caught into his throat as a huge bucket of ice-cold water was poured over him. " Wake up, brat. Voltaire comes to see you in five minutes", harsh male-voice told him. With that the steps distanced, and as the door was slammed shut he was left alone into the dark, shivering from cold that hammered his soaked body.
" Kai?" a soft, strained voice called quietly, sounding to him like it'd came from somewhere very far away.
Kai didn't want to open up his eyes, to face the reality. If he'd just keep his eyes closed and refuse to believe, everything could be alright once more.
" Kai, please…".
The pleading forced him to crack his stinging eyes slightly open, and he blinked at the darkness that met him. Clearing out his head, he figured out that he was in a cell. " Dara…", he whispered in a harsh tone, voice almost too weak to be heard. " Where… are… we?".
Rustles of movement could be heard from a nearby cell. " In the Abbey". More sounds of movement were heard. As she spoke again, her voice was tightened by probably spilling tears. " I'm sorry, you have to believe me. I… I never meant this, none of this".
" I understand your reasons", he whispered. " I remember what this place can do… I know why you had to do it…".
Dara sniffed, and the sound almost broke his heart. He wished he could've touched the girl, or at least see her. " I came to you to lure you here, but… All these feelings, they… I couldn't…".
" Sh…", he whispered, closing his eyes to keep tears from coming. " It's okay". Her sobs slowly ceased, and he took a deep breath to compose himself, entire body convulsing from cold. " Look, we have to get out of here, to see if the others made it", he told her, speaking as strongly as he possibly could with the thought of Nadja and his friends being dead banging his mind. " Where's Tala?".
Dara gave a one last sob. " I don't know".
Kai fought the urge to curse, deciding that he'd have to stay strong. He nodded, although Dara couldn't see it. " Okay. We'll find him, 'k? Then… we'll try to leave". He couldn't help wondering if there really was a way out.
Losing himself into his thoughts, he leaned his back against the cold stone-wall and sighed quietly. Voltaire had always been known for his preciseness. Pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before rose in Kai's chest as he couldn't help strongly doubting if his sister and friends were still alive. A tear he didn't even notice slid down his cheek.
Gosh, I'm so sorry, you have to believe me, wherever you are… Please forgive me…
In the hospital, most of the group had already been inspected and passed it (though Nadja and Alissa needed bandaging) when Mr. Dickinson entered the room they'd been placed into.
" Hi boys and girls", he greeted, sounding and seeming far more solemn than usually as he took a seat. " Is everyone alright?".
" Yeah, just small burns and scratches. Nadja and Alissa need some time to recover, though", Tyson murmured, leaning his head against Max's shoulder exhaustedly, eyes only halfway open.
" Any news of Kai and the others?" Ray asked, sounding tense.
Mr. D shook his head sadly. " Sorry boys, but it seems that the entire Abbey has disappeared underground, and my resources are limited".
Nadja let out a furious growl, squeezing her hands into tight fists as if trying not to punch someone. Long list of Russian swear-words escaped through her lips. It wasn't until then the others realized how much the girl had gone through that night. In just few hours her entire world had came crumbling down, and now she was left with people she didn't even know. For a while they thought about offering her words or actions of comfort, but eventually decided not to. If she was anything like her brother, pity would only anger her more.
For a while thick, depressed silence occupied the room as everyone drifted into their own thoughts.
" How did you knew to come to us?" Kenny finally asked, unable to stand the silence any longer.
Mr. D smiled slightly, looking at Ray who didn't seem to be aware of his surroundings. " Ray had left me quite many anxious messages. I begun to panic when I got them and didn't manage to contact you. After some phone-calls I found out that Voltaire had escaped from prison, so I decided to send some of my employees to look for you". He sighed. " You can't even imagine how glad I am that they found you on time".
The conversation went on, but Ray paid no attention to any of it. Sighing inwardly, he took out Kai's blade the Russian had never gotten a chance to pick up. Sure enough, he'd managed to save the damn blade, but had been no use in helping his friend.
Damnit!, he cursed mentally, fighting against the tears of pure frustration. There must've been something I could've done! How could I let this happen? How could I fail him like this?
All of a sudden his eyes flashed with determination, and he squeezed the blade tightly.
I swear to you Kai, we will save you. Whatever it takes.
" We're wasting time", Nadja's frustrated snarl ripped him out of his thoughts.
" She's right", Ray heard himself saying, his eyes still on Dranzer. " We should be helping them, not lazing around".
Tyson looked at him understandingly. " We'll find him", the Dragon announced quietly. " We have to".
TBC.
A/N: What will happen to Kai and the others? You know there's only one way to find out…
Oh, and please do review! You must know by now that it's worth it!
